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Hometown » Hero^ In 1962, John Rice Irwin attended an estate auction near his home in Norris, Tenn. (pop. 1,446), where he watched as a family’s heirlooms were sold piece by piece. One buyer boasted that an old cedar butter churn would make a fine lamp. Another buyer vowed to turn a wagon seat into a coffee table. Irwin was horrified. He knew the stories behind these artifacts, and he knew how quickly their history was being lost. 'Tilings mean little when they are separated from their history," says Irwin, 75. So during his time away from working as a school superintendent, Irwin trekked over hills and through hollows buying and preserving relics and the stories behind them. Before Founder John Rice Irwin (left) picks with Ted Wy rick. “A relaxing bath is something we all have i a right to.” I %: ■ • ‘ ' ter **■" igl; • S#P • ’ '**ss WUfe ■ Iwtiw^ V | 5| ; l * i Jp^*V I I . ■k ”1# .Li w PT'~.- >• t * Preserving I Appalachian Treasures Getting older shouldn’t get in the way of enjoying your bathroom. Premiers extensive range ot Walk-in Tubs have helped improve the lives of Please send me a FREE color brochure featuring the Premier range of walk-in tubs Name Telephone Address City State Zip Premier Bathrooms Inc. 2330 S Nova Rc. S. Daytona. Florida 32119 [coot 61076 CALL NOW • TOLL FREE 1-800-578-2899 SOURCE CODE 61076 long, curious visitors began stopping by his garage to see the items and hear their stories. "When I was lirtle, our garage was filled from floor to ceiling with artifacts he had collected," says Irwins daughter, Elaine Irwin Meyer, with a laugh. "I didn't know for many years that garages were used for cars.” By the late 19605, Irwins garage had reached capacity. That's when he and his wife, Elizabeth, opened V{ I lMr.M.|>U*l thousands of people. Low entry, built in seat and temperature control are some of the benefits our tubs offer. Call or send for a FREE brochure BA THBOOMS ISsibEhl s The Mark Twain Family Cabin is a popular attraction at the 65-acre Museum of Appalachia in Norris,Tenn. y r . The Display Bam houses pioneer memorabilia, such as wood-carved folk art (above). the Museum of Appalachia, housed in a log building on a two-acre plot next to his home. Today, the museum attracts more than 100,000 visitors annually and has grown to 65 acres with dozens of authentic log structures and thousands of items— most of them with their stories collected and written down by Irwin, of course. Cattle, horses, mules, goats, sheep and farm fowl roam the grounds, re-creating an old Appalachian homestead, while musicians often sit on a cabin's front porch singing songs like "Old Joe Clark." Mosr of the rustic structures were saved from demolition and moved from within a 200-mile radius of the museum. In fact, the Mark Twain Family Cabin was moved from Possum Trot, Tenn., where Twain’s parents and some of his siblings had lived. “Mark Twain was born five months after the family left here in 1835," Irwin says. The cabin itself was bound for destruction until Irwin purchased it and had it dismantled and re-assembled at the museum. “It's a shame that so many fascinating and mean ingful stories are already gone.” he says. Fortunately, Irwin has saved thousands of stories and artifacts. Take for example, Gol Cooper's glass eye and a penknife on display at the museum. In 1910, young Cooper was tying his shoe and had an opened penknife in his hand. He was stooped over, pulling tight the string when it broke, thrusting the knife blade through his eye. "Gol’s father had an eye made for him and he wore one until he died in 1979,” Irwin says. The eye and the knife, along with the story, were given to the OnL # I^% Farm animals roam the grounds. museum by Cooper's daughter. The museum also displays miniature carpen try and farming tools carved by Bill Henry of Oak Ridge, Tenn. (pop. 27,387). A self-taught whittler, the 76-year-old says it’s an honor to have his work preserved at the museum. “It's an incredible place,” Henry says. "If I would hazard a guess, I would say that 75 percent of what's in that museum would be long gone if it weren't for John Rice. He’s a dreamer, but he’s a dreamer that makes things come through.” (Continued on page 9) page 8 p I £y|j| •American Profile