TOWNSEND, Tenn. — Long before there was a Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there were people that called the land home.
The mountains were beautiful but unforgiving when it came to the hardships of living. Early Appalachians worked tirelessly, day and night, to be self-sufficient.
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend honors the legacy of the mountains with exhibits both stationary and interactive that gives visitors a look at the unforgiving life the pioneers had to face.
"We're trying to teach students and adults how folks made it through the winter when they come in here," said Donna Stinnett, a volunteer and demonstrator. "We call it hung, strung, pickled and potted."
For those who lived off of the land, winter was the hardest time of the year. Proud mountaineers spent much of the year stocking up and storing food to get through the harsh, cold months. Apples were used to make apple butter while the peels and cores were used to make apple cider vinegar.
"They were very resourceful," Donna Stinnett said. "They had to plan every move they made. If they didn't, they couldn't survive the winter."
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center will honor those brave families with their Winter Heritage Festival on Jan. 28 at the center in Townsend. Living demonstrators will be sharing important stories.
"It was all about prepping your vegetables, hanging your beans to dry, herbs to dry, apples and pears to dry we have them in the cabin as it would have been in the day," said Lois Cooper, who does the open hearth cooking. "That's basically how they got through the winter months".
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center's Winter Heritage Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28. Free admission but parking costs $20.