Appalachian Settlement 

The Appalachian Settlement is another major attraction on the Funk Heritage Center grounds. Designed to interpret the pioneer experience, the Settlement includes authentic log cabins and other 19th century farm buildings that have been moved from their original locations in the area, then faithfully reconstructed and furnished. The structures in our village include a settler’s cabin, woodwright’s cabin, blacksmith shop, syrup mill, grain crib, ’tater house, and threshing floor, as well as a truss bridge and a kingpost bridge.

Picture in your mind what this area was like in the mid-1800s. The land, although remote, is filled with innumerable resources -- timber, fertile ground, minerals, and waterpower. All that one needs to prosper is the knowledge, imagination, and ingenuity to make it work. Large timber is growing everywhere, and game is plentiful, but roads are scarce. The railroad from Chattanooga to Atlanta goes through Cartersville, the nearest sizable trading center. A dirt wagon road goes through Canton to Cartersville, but you have to ford the river several times. The easiest way to get to the railroad is to go to Fairmount through the Salacoa Valley. At best, in good weather, it is a day’s trip one way by wagon to any sizable trading establishment, so self-reliance is a necessary trait.    

The settlers and Indians had complex relationships ranging from cooperation and intermarriage to hostility and violence. During the Historic Period in southern Appalachia, many settlers (mostly Scots-Irish) were moving into the area and learning to survive. By the late 1700s, many Cherokee were Christians, and some had even introduced African slavery into their rich valleys. As the Indians adopted the ways of white men, the settlers also gained Indian knowledge and skills that helped them adapt and thrive. By the 1830s, the Cherokee were the only Indians of significant number remaining in Georgia. Until the time of the Indian Removals, or Trail of Tears, the interaction between Indians and settlers resulted in a "cultural crossroads" that was the inspiration for the Funk Heritage Center. 

The Appalachian Settlement is only staffed during special events.

The video below is an example of the activities at the Appalachian Settlement when it is staffed: