Norris Travel Guide

  shows the general layout and access...
by davecallahan
 
  • shows the general layout and access paths
      shows the general layout and access...
    by davecallahan
  •   Norris
    by Stephen-KarenConn
  • park views
      park views
    by davecallahan
  • Welcome to the Museum of Appalachia
      Welcome to the Museum of Appalachia
    by Stephen-KarenConn
  • Museum Entrance Building
      Museum Entrance Building
    by Stephen-KarenConn
 

Explore Norris

Things to Do  

Norris Dam State Park

Norris Dam State Park, Norris

 davecallahan Says:  Just north of Norris Dam is a nice state park where you can spend a restful afternoon contemplating your navel.The park facilities include public restrooms and water fountains, camping area (under 50 sites), picnic areas, cabins, boating marina (with launch dock), pavillions... 

Norris Dam

Norris Dam, Norris

 davecallahan Says:  About 1900 ft long and 250 ft high, this dam holds back the Cinch River to form Norris Lake and prevents seasonal river floods down stream. The Tennessee Valley Authority had this constructed (with much controversy) in the 1930's.I wasn't much impressed with the dam. We have... 

Museum of the Appalachia

Museum of the Appalachia, Norris

 davecallahan Says:  This outdoor museum was nicely landscaped and had good access path/sidewalks. They did not advertise handicap access but most of the areas were easily approached on paved/cemented walks.The day we were there was early in the tourist season and we were self-guided. Groups can... 

The Hacker Martin Gristmill

The Hacker Martin Gristmill, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  The Hacker Martin Gristmill is the newest addition to the Museum of Appalachia. It is an authentic water-powered corn and wheat mill that was originally located in the community of Boone's Creek, a few miles from Johnson City in northeast Tennessee. The Mill is still... 

The Arnwine Cabin

The Arnwine Cabin, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  In the Arnwine Cabin, in the early to mid 1800's, old Wes Arnwine and his wife reared a large family, and many hundreds of descendents still live in the East Tennessee region. The last occupants of the cabin were "old Aunt Julie and Polly Ann" Arnwine. The cabin was built... 

The "Dan'l Boone" Cabin

The "Dan'l Boone" Cabin, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  This one-room, dirt-floored structure was used by 20th Century Fox as the frontier home of Daniel Boone in the TV series for CBS called Young Dan'l Boone. It is an authentic pioneer log cabin, built in the New River Section of Anderson County, Tennessee, in the early 1800's.... 

The Broom and Rope House

The Broom and Rope House, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  Broomcorn was grown by almost every early family and made into round brooms, consisting of a few bunches of broomstraw tied on a stick. The wooden "geared and cogged" rope making machine housed in this old log buiding enabled one to make any size rope desired by twisting... 

McClung House

McClung House, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  The McClung House was built a few miles southwest of Knoxville on the wagon path that later came to be known as Kingston Pike and U.S. Hwy. 70. It is thought to have been built in the 1790's, by the McClungs who later became one of East Tennessee's most prominent families.... 

The Cantilever Barn

The Cantilever Barn, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  This Overhang or Cantilever Barn was moved from its original location near Seymour in Sevier County, Tennessee. The extreme eastern part of Tennessee, in and near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is one of the few regions in the country where this type of barn is... 

The Peters Homestead House

The Peters Homestead House, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  The Peters House and Homestead was moved from its original location in adjoining Union County near the village of Lutrell. The first known occupant was Nathaniel Peters who lived here about 1840. His oldest daughter, Cordelia, was born here and raised her own nine children... 

Bark Grinder

Bark Grinder, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  This bark grinder was used by pioneer settlers for crushing the bark of trees to obtain tannin, a necessary ingredient in the tanning of animal hides. A mule would be used to power the grinder, walking around in circles to turn the heavy stone. 

Restaurants  

Museum of Appalachia Cafe: Down Home Country Cooking

Museum of Appalachia Cafe: Down Home Country Cooking, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  In one corner of the Museum of Appalachia's barnlike Entrance Building was the Cafe. It is a simple place, with no servers. You order and pick up your meal from the counter and it will be served on a styrofoam plate with plastic eating utensils. However, the prices were... 

Local Customs  

Live Mountain Music and Historical Interpreters

Live Mountain Music and Historical Interpreters, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  One of the most delightful aspects of a visit to the Museum of Appalachia is that you will find a few of the buildings occupied by local entertainers who are there to share their stories, or their music. On our most recent visit, at the Prater's Homestead House, we found two... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

really safe....

really safe...., Norris

 davecallahan Says:  In Norris, there have been only 1 murder, 3 car thefts and 1 robbery in over 6 years.There are no registered sex offenders; annually there are only two fights/assaults.That makes Norris a really safe place to live and visit.If you use common sense and don't act like a silly... 

Favorites  

Civil War Era Salt Kettle

Civil War Era Salt Kettle, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  This old salt kettle was used to make salt by boiling salt laden water at Saltville, Virginia. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln ordered this "salt works" and others like it destroyed, and four generals carried out his orders. After capturing the salt kettle... 

Split Rail Fences

Split Rail Fences, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  Wire, nails and other hardware were expensive and difficult to obtain for the pioneer homesteader, but there were an abundance of trees, many of which needed to be cleared to make room for pastures, gardens, etc. Therefore it was a natural to build fences of split rails. You... 

Cane Mill and Haystack

Cane Mill and Haystack, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  Near the center of the Museum of Appalachia you will see this authentic working cane mill and hay stack, both of which are still in use.Visitors who come to the Museum in early fall may see a mule slowly turning the mill as it presses the sweet juices of sorghum cane which... 

Sun Dial

Sun Dial, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  Sun dials such as this one were used for thousands of years to accurately tell the time of day. This sun dial, now found near the center of the Museum of Appalachia Village, once stood in the sunken garden of playwrite Tennessee Williams' great grandfather's home in... 

Purple Martin Bird Houses

Purple Martin Bird Houses, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  Pioneer farmers built houses of gourds to encourage flocks of purple martins to nest and raise their young on their homesteads. The purple martin, a large dark member of the swallow family, is desirable because of their enormous appetite for flying insects, including the... 

White Silkie Chickens

White Silkie Chickens, Norris

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  These White Silkies were among the rare breeds of poultry we saw at the Museum of Appalachia. The birds have free range over the entire 65 acres so you may see them anywhere. I particularly enjoyed this since I used to raise rare breeds of poultry as a hobby.These peculiar... 

The Place

Plan a Norris vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Norris locals

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The People

 
Our Members Say
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 If you follow the signs off of I-75 to the "Museum of Appalachia", you will be pleasantly surprised. It is a large expanse of land with live animals and a... 

 

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Top 3 Norris Writers

1

Museum of Appalachia: Norris, Tennessee

Stephen-KarenConn profile photo

 Normally I would not devote a complete set of pages to a single museum, but the Museum of Appalachia is no ordinary place. It is a wondrous 60 acre living mountain village, which has earned rave... 

2

Norris, TN

davecallahan profile photo

 The 1500 residents of Norris, TN are 99% caucasian. 200 families live in the area. The average household income is surprisingly high for such a small town ($50000). Much of the work is government,... 

3

NORRIS, TN

CJD68 profile photo

 A little town off I-75 that offered a convenient stopping point to eat and stretch our legs between Carterville, GA & Cincinnati, OH. If you follow the signs to the "Museum of Appalachia", you will... 

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