Traditional Appalachian Ghost Stories at Shook House Halloween Weekend
WHO: Shook Museum at the Shook-Smathers House
WHAT: Traditional Appalachian Ghost Stories
WHEN: Friday and Saturday, October 30-31, 2009 from 6pm-8pm.
WHERE: Shook-Smathers House, 178 Morgan Street, Clyde, NC 28721
TICKETS: $2 for children ages 12 and younger; $4 for all others. Call (828) 565-0039 for more information
Clyde, Haywood Co, NC - The Shook Museum in Clyde presents two evenings of “Traditional Appalachian Ghost Stories at the Shook House” at 178 Morgan Street in Clyde on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009. The event is sponsored by the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, Haywood County Arts Council and The Shook Museum at the Shook-Smathers House. Admission is $2.00 for children ages 12 and younger; $4.00 for all others. Proceeds benefit the museum, which is a nonprofit organization. Participants will receive candy as part of the event, which is designed as an entertaining and educational alternative to trick-or-treating.
Western Carolina University theater students will serve as storytellers, guides and hosts for the event. Between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. each evening, a host will greet children and adults on the porch of the approximately 200-year-old Shook-Smathers house. Guests are encouraged to come in costume. Visitors will then be guided in small groups through five rooms in which storytellers will share traditional Appalachian tales, including “Cowee Tunnel” and “Bigfoot of Balsam.” Participants may even spot a ghost along the way.
“All of the stories are from the Southern Appalachians and are probably familiar to many older folks from the region,” said Jerry Tate, director of the museum. “Our event will introduce children to a part of their heritage – the stories that their grandparents grew up listening to.”
For Western Carolina students, “the event will be a challenging and rewarding learning experience,” said D.V. Caitlyn, an assistant professor of stage and screen. “Students will apply what they are learning about the focus required to stay in character throughout a performance in a nontraditional setting while they serve the community,” he said.
“The stage and screen department’s motto is ‘We Are Storytellers,’ and here we are literally going out into the community and telling stories,” said Caitlyn.
The Shook House is recognized as the oldest frame structure west of the Blue Ridge. The house has a long history of association with the Methodist church and features a chapel on the third floor where early settlers held church services.
The museum is located at 178 Morgan Street at the corner of Carolina Boulevard and Morgan Street on the western side of Clyde. Visitors approaching from U.S. Highway 74 West can take Exit 106 toward Clyde onto Carolina Boulevard, and then turn left at the stoplight at Smathers Street/Morgan Street. Visitors approaching from the Asheville area on Interstate 40 can take Exit 27 to access U.S. Highway 74. For more information, call the museum’s visitor center at (828) 565-0039.
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Contact
Jerry Tate
828-565-0039
jerrytate523@yahoo.com
