Cultural Heritage Month at Blue Heron

Autumn colors surround the Blue Heron Tipple.

News Release Date: September 23, 2011

Contact: Howard Duncan, 423-569-9778

The National Park Service will be hosting Cultural Heritage Month at the Blue Heron Mining Camp every Saturday in October. The event will highlight special programs, craft demonstrations and skills which are part of the unique history and culture of the Cumberland Plateau region. National Park Rangers and volunteers will be presenting a variety of historically based skits, interpretive talks and demonstrations.

Demonstrations include spinning, blacksmithing, woodworking, old time music, basket making, pioneer longhunter, embroidery and old timey toys. On October 8, visitors to Blue Heron will have the opportunity to meet a real coal miner's daughter in a special interview with a former resident of the Blue Heron Coal Camp. October 15 will feature the sweet sounds of mountain dulcimers as the Knoxville Area Dulcimer Club performs traditional songs throughout the day. All events are free and begin at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time and continue until 4:30 p.m. The Blue Heron Mining Camp is located at the end of Highway 742 west of Stearns, Kentucky.

For a unique experience, visitors to Blue Heron may choose to ride the Big South Fork Scenic Railway from Stearns. The Blue Heron Mining Camp may also be easily reached by vehicle on Highway 742. The nearby Blue Heron Campground will be open for those who wish to camp and enjoy the beauty of the Big South Fork. Reservations for the campground may be made by calling 1-877-444-6777. Information about the Big South Fork Scenic Railway may be obtained by calling 1-800-462-5664 or from their website at www.bsfsry.com.

For more information about these programs or the park, call the Stearns Visitor Center at [phone] or Blue Heron at [phone].