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STEP OFF
ON NEW YEAR’S DAY
AT RURAL HILL’S ANNUAL FIRST FOOTIN’ EVENT
 HUNTERSVILLE,
NC: Join the fun at the 11th Annual New Years Day First Footin' at historic
Rural Hill. On January 1 at 11 AM, the Catawba Valley Scottish Society
invites you to “Step Off” with them as they celebrate a Scottish Tradition
that restates or reclaims the boundaries of the township (or in this case,
the bounds of historic Rural Hill). This tradition has been adopted as part
of the Rural Hill Hogmanay (hog man ay), or Scottish New Year,
celebration. Hogmanay was historically the most important of the Scottish
winter holidays and features many of the customary rituals to assure good
crops, good health, and good fortune in the coming year.
Rural Hill’s First
Footin’ provides a leisurely 2-3 mile jaunt around the property with stops
along the way to hear stories of history and folklore, a great way to begin
those New Years resolutions. To take part in the walk, wear good walking
shoes and appropriate clothing for the outdoors. Executive Director Ed
McLean invites everyone to join in the First Footin’, “If you do not think
you are physically able to do the walk, please come anyway. It’s a great
time for fellowship around the farm yard and everyone may share in the
“Stone Soup” luncheon that follows.”
At 1 PM, Keets
Taylor, former executive director, and Bob McIntosh, chairman of the Catawba
Valley Scottish Society, will officially open the new log cabin built to
anchor interpretation of the 1760’s Rural Retreat historic home site. Rural
Retreat is the name of the first home
built at Rural Hill by the Davidson family. Six generations of the Davidson
family lived at Rural Hill for more than 230 years providing a wealth of
stories and anecdotal information about lives of the Scots and Scots-Irish
pioneers in the Carolina backcountry.
“Without corporate
support and our volunteers, none of this would be possible,” McLean praises
all who have offered their talents and countless hours to re-create the
Rural Retreat home site. “They are the ones who make Rural Hill the
wonderful Center of Scottish Heritage that it is today – and keep it
available to the public year-round.” He especially notes those who have
made the Rural Retreat a reality:
The Rural Retreat
cabin project was begun with a donation of a 170 year old log cabin by the
McGinn family. Unfortunately, as with many original log cabins, the logs
proved to be too unstable to serve in that capacity again. But using the
McGinn cabin as a guide, the vision of a cabin at Rural Hill was picked up
by the volunteers. Will Foster led a crew to cut and shape the oak sills.
The final phase was begun with a challenge by Bill Bigham, if the Catawba
Valley Scottish Society could get the logs donated he had a crew with the
heart to build the cabin.
Alcoa Aluminum’s
Baden Lake facility and Culp Lumber stepped up to kick it off with the
donation of the logs. The logging company, Myers Forest Products, and the
trucking company donated their services. Larry Howell, Howell Custom Sawing,
donated his services to prep the logs, cut the boards and shingles. The
stone for the chimney was donated by the Fisher and Christenbury families
from their home sites on Arthur Auten Road. And the chimney was constructed
by our friends at the Alward Masonry Contractors, Inc., Mr. Don Alward,
president. His three sons, Hazen, Josh and Cody provided their masonry
skills to the project to construct the authentic smoke free fireplace. Eddie
Lisk and Tony Medlin, two of Alward’s employees also helped create this
wonderful fireplace.
Bill Bigham, Roy
Pickett, Danny Patterson and Ed Catoe have been the primary members of the
construction team that prepared the logs and built Rural Retreat and added
the blacksmith shop and corn crib. The livestock shed and the root cellar
are still under construction. The crew has proved that they have the heart.
With the buildings
almost completed, The Robert Burns Society of Charlotte has donated five
heritage apple trees and Sue Kashino is preparing a garden plot with herbs
and heritage vegetables appropriate to the late 1700’s.
The moral of the play
“Stone Soup” is that the contributions of many can create a much better
result than can be achieved by the few. Join us for Rural Hill’s First
Footin’ event. It is free. Attendees are encouraged to bring an item to
share for lunch such as a can of vegetables for the “Stone Soup,” bread or a
dessert. For more information, contact Rural Hill at 704-875-3113,
office@ruralhill.net,
or visit online at
www.ruralhill.net.
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Rural Hill is
located at 4431 Neck Road (off Beatties Ford Road) in Huntersville, 28078.
The former homestead of Major John and Violet Davidson, the 265 acre site is
maintained and promoted by The Catawba Valley Scottish Society (CVSS).
Rural Hill features annual events such as The Lock Norman Highland Games,
The Amazing Maize Maze, The Spirit of the Hornet’s Nest (battle
reenactments) and The Rural Hill Sheepdog Trials. CVSS is a non-profit
organization supported through membership and donations. For more
information on events or for financial support accepted securely online,
please visit
www.ruralhill.net.
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