Did you know there are several Cades Cove cabins and buildings that were moved into the area? Most of the buildings near the Cable Mill were moved into Cades Cove and weren’t originally built there. There are also several buildings that are replicas or were part of the original property but aren’ the true original cabins. Here are 5 Cades Cove cabins and buildings that have been moved:
1. Drive-Through Barn
One of the buildings that has been moved in Cades Cove is the drive-through barn. The barn has a large cut out right in the middle of the structure, making it almost easy to drive through it. It is designed this way to force air through the middle for cooling during the summer. This building was probably used to store crops and protect livestock from the sun, rain, and snow.
2. Smokehouse
The smokehouse is another historic building that has been moved. We’re not sure where it was before it was moved near the cable mill. Back in the day, smokehouses were used to cook meat, as well as store it until they were ready to eat it. Pork was the most commonly eaten meat of the time, but pioneers would also eat deer, bear, and turkey.
3. Corn Crib
Another Cades Cove cabin and building that was moved was the corn crib. Corn was the most common crop the pioneers cultivated. These people used corn for themselves and their livestock. The corn crib was used to protect corn from the elements while it was being stored. The Cades Cove corn crib has slats in the building that provide air flow. Corn was tossed into the hatch with the shuck still on. The kernels would harden over time, and when corn was needed, it was retrieved through a small opening near the bottom of the crib.
4. Molasses Still
Pioneers would make molasses for a sweetener using the molasses still. It was moved into Cades Cove from its original location in the Smoky Mountains. The process for making molasses starts with stripping the leaves off of the sorghum cane. The cane is fed between rollers in the still. Long poles were attached to a donkey or a horse, and as they walked in a circle, rollers pressed the cane to release juices. These juices were collected and heated in a large pot until it is thick and dark.
5. Gregg Cable House
The Gregg-Cable House is one of the Cades Cove Cabins that was moved from its original location to where it currently sits. This house was built by Leason Gregg in 1879 on Forge Creek Road. In 1887, Gregg sold the cabin to the children of John P. Cable. Becky Cable, one of their descendants, lived in the cabin until she passed away in 1940. The national park then moved the home to Cades Cove near the Cable Mill.
These Cades Cove cabins and buildings that have been moved are pretty unique and give you an insight into what life was like when people first moved to the area. Want to know more about the historic buildings in Cades Cove? Learn more about the Carter Shields cabin! You can also see some amazing Luxury Cabin Rentals.
