Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum

If you are interested in the lapidary arts you might want to take a ride into Franklin, NC and visit the Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum.  Due to the history of the area, it is no wonder that a museum has been established to show off the gems and the mining industry that brought Franklin to life.  Inside you are going to find not only information on the history of the area but examples of the gems that they found in the mountains.  Of course, the fact that the museum is housed in the old jail house means that you are walking into history as you learn about history.

Drive around downtown Franklin and you are going to see typical, small town USA downtown.  This downtown has been revitalized in the past with the influx of tourism dollars into the area and especially into Franklin itself.  Look up and down the narrow streets, take in the beauty of what Franklin looked like at the turn of the century.  On Phillips Street you will see the old jail house.  If you find the jailhouse, you have found the Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum.  They have been in this location since 1974 and they are not only celebrating their love of all things gem mining but they are also keeping up the Old Macon County Jail.

Franklin Gem & Mineral MuseumThe Franklin Gem and Mineral Society started in 1971.  The rockhounds of the area had a close kinship from many hours spent digging for gems in the mountains.  It was no wonder that informal get-togethers turned into monthly meetings.  In fact, by 1972 there were almost 175 people on the roles of the club.  In 1972 they also opened the museum.  This museum was a growing collection of the lapidary dreams of the rockhounds of Macon County.  With the move into the jailhouse, they were able to expand the collection and improve on the exhibits.  The club stills hosts this free museum and it is one of the highlights of any visit to downtown Franklin, NC.

Stepping though the door of the Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum brings into the world of rocks, gems and fossils.  From the North Carolina Room that focuses on those minerals and rocks pulled from the local mountains.  You can also cool those minerals and gems pulled from around the world in the World Room.  There are also rooms dedicated to fossils, artifacts and much more.  Learn about the industry that caused the founding of Franklin.  The Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum celebrates that industry it is a great way to spend the afternoon.

Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum
25 Phillips St
Franklin, NC
828-369-7831

Franklin, NC

“Discover Us”

Franklin is located in Southwest North Carolina and though it has a thriving commercial side it also has a lot to offer visitors of all ages when they pass through the area.  From museums and history to performing arts and beyond, Franklin brings a different palette to the table for visitors to the Smoky Mountains.

The Cherokee were the first people to call the area of Franklin, NC home.  This area had an enormous mound and was one of the sites of the sacred fire that the Cherokee had kept burning since the founding of their civilization.  With the influx of the European settler, the Cherokee were forced to relocate.  The European settlers soon found that the area was full of priceless gemstones and the mining industry took hold of what would become the city of Franklin.

The gem mining industry in North Carolina had a short-lived history.  The mines eventually became overshadowed by other countries and places in the US that could mine the gems more easily and get to market much faster.  As the industry of gem mining dried up the town of Franklin shifted to other economic methods and embraced the tourism industry as its main way of making money and supplying jobs for its citizenry.

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  • Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum - If you are interested in the lapidary arts you might want to take a ride into Franklin, NC and visit the Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum.  Due to the history of the area, it is no wonder that a museum has been established to show off the gems and the mining industry that brought Franklin … Continue reading "Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum"
  • Franklin, NC - “Discover Us” Franklin is located in Southwest North Carolina and though it has a thriving commercial side it also has a lot to offer visitors of all ages when they pass through the area.  From museums and history to performing arts and beyond, Franklin brings a different palette to the table for visitors to the … Continue reading "Franklin, NC"
  • Scottish Tartan Museum - It was easy for the people from the Highlands of Scotland to find a home in the Smoky Mountains.  They found in the Smokies a place that resembled home, a place that looked like the land they had left.  The Scottish and the Irish that live din other parts of the former British Colonies made … Continue reading "Scottish Tartan Museum"
  • Smoky Mountains Center for the Performing Arts - Places everybody! You’re likely to hear just that, or something similar, if you find yourself in the middle of Franklin, NC.  Coming from one of the side streets just off the main drag that is. The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (SMCPA) is a hidden gem in a small, tucked away town in … Continue reading "Smoky Mountains Center for the Performing Arts"
  • History of Franklin, NC - Long before the first European settlers arrived to the mountains of Southwestern North Carolina, they were home to the Cherokee Indian Nation. In a valley surrounded by some of the oldest mountains on earth, the Cherokee called the area that is now Franklin, NC, “Nikwasi” or “center of activity”. Nikwasi was an ancient and important … Continue reading "History of Franklin, NC"

Scottish Tartan Museum

stm1It was easy for the people from the Highlands of Scotland to find a home in the Smoky Mountains.  They found in the Smokies a place that resembled home, a place that looked like the land they had left.  The Scottish and the Irish that live din other parts of the former British Colonies made the move to the Smokies as well.  As the communities in the Smokies formed, these people shared there past, their heritage and their cultures with others, with their new neighbors.  In Franklin, North Carolina, there is a quaint museum that celebrates the Scottish heritage of the Smokies like no other.  The Scottish Tartan Museum tells the history of a people by telling the history of the Tartan.

Tartan is the fabric that not only is used in the manufacture of the traditional kilt but it is an identifier for the various Scottish Clans that exist.  The museum was formed out of the Scottish Tartan Society which started in Scotland in 1963.  The museum is a tribute to this unique fabric.  From pieces of tartan that are decades old, to representations of the way that kilts are made and worn this is one of the best niche museums that you will ever encounter.  It is well maintained and curated, the pieces have been lovingly collected and there is a story, well told, to go with each piece.

stm2And after you get out of the museum, if you are really feeling the Scottish vibe then you can go through their gift shop and pick up a piece of Scotland to take home.  From bumper stickers with the Scottish fag to your very own kilt this gift shop has everything – everything Scottish.  Music to books, t-shirts to food stuffs, there is a little something for everybody and it is worth the time just to stop by the gift shop if you don’t have time to walk through their museum.

Next time you visit the North Carolina side of the Smokies, stop by Franklin.  Head to downtown Franklin, literally, their original downtown.  Their downtown is very much like the downtown that you might have encountered in the 50s.  Small shops and cafes on the street, you park right in front of them and walk inside.  The Scottish Tartan Museum is no different.  It is located right at the dge of downtown.  Park in front and go right in.  The museum is located downstairs on the left as you go in, but when you walk through the doors you are in the middle of their gift shop.

Take the family into the Scottish Tartan Museum, and learn a lot more about the people that founded most of the towns around the Smokies.  Learn about the Scottish people that moved into the area through the vehicle of the fabric they used to make a very unique piece of clothing called the kilt.  Walk through a museum dedicated to a fabric, a people and a lifestyle.  Visit Franklin, and step into the Highlands.  Who knows maybe you will leave with a kilt around your waist and smile on your face.

Scottish Tartan Museum
86 E Main St
Franklin, NC
828-524-7472
http://www.scottishtartans.org/

Smoky Mountains Center for the Performing Arts

Places everybody! You’re likely to hear just that, or something similar, if you find yourself in the middle of Franklin, NC.  Coming from one of the side streets just off the main drag that is. The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (SMCPA) is a hidden gem in a small, tucked away town in the Smoky Mountains.

Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing ArtsThe Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts is more than just a small, local theater showcasing community talent every couple of months or so. The SMCPA’s vision rivals many of your mid-size city venues with a yearly calendar of performances. For the common theatre “goer”, you’ll find a state-of-the art facility featuring free parking right outside the main entrance, refreshments in the lobby, and a coffee bar with all the trimmings. Ushers greet and direct guests throughout the venue and work as great ambassadors for the city sharing their recommendations on places to eat, stay, and visit.

The SMCPA officially opened its doors in 2009 and since then has seen many notable musical performances from such stars of stage and screen as Kenny Rogers, country music group Little Big Town, Lee Greenwood & Louise Mandrell, Guy Penrod & Lynda Randle, plus worldly-known acts like the Nutcracker Ballet performed by the Russian Ballet Company and the Wizard of Oz. Even movies (this Christmas, The Polar Express and It’s A Wonderful Life) are shown each month to take advantage of the theatre’s wondrous appeal.

The Overlook Theatre Company, from the Franklin community, performs a variety of plays throughout the year in the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts including drama, comedy, and seasonal specials. The theatre can also be rented by individuals for meetings and presentations when available.

The facility includes 1,495 seats with 8 designated locations for wheelchairs or electric chairs. There really isn’t a bad seat in the house as the seats gradually incline towards the back row. It’s 80 feet from the front row to the back. The intimacy of the first few rows is most appealing. You almost feel like you’re a part of the performance, despite the orchestra pit buffering the first row from the stage. The balcony is built neatly over the back rows of the main floor and features its own elevated seating – accessible from the lobby elevator.

The Annie Moses Band (www.anniemosesband.com), who recently returned for a performance at the SMCPA, played to a packed house. The group, made up of 8 family members, a drummer, and a couple of back-up singers, had the sound of a full string symphony complete with a piano player on the baby grand (the actual father of the family), and Annie herself who doubled as lead violin and vocalist. The Annie Moses Band gave a profound performance not only from a musical standpoint but also from their stage presence, costume and make up, and the band’s genuine ability to “play to the crowd.” The theater is hoping for a return engagement for the 2012 season.

Be sure to visit the SMCPA website, www.greatmountainmusic.com and add your e-mail address to their newsletter service. Every registrant is sent a line-up of artists and entertainers as soon as they are booked. Tickets can be purchased on-line as well through the site.

Since the Smoky Mountain Center for Performing Arts is located just a block off of Hwy 441 (Georgia Hwy), adjacent the interchange with Hwy 64, the choices for good food, before or after performances, are close by the venue. From steak houses to diners and fast food, many choices are available within a few blocks. If you would like to make a weekend trip out of your visit to the theatre, several good motels, franchise and private, and B&B’s are within just a mile or two of the venue.

With the Smoky Mountain Center for Performing Arts in Franklin, NC you get a state-of-the-art theatre experience surrounded by great people, enjoying Broadway-type entertainment – like the Annie Moses Band – at a very reasonable price. This is a showcase Franklin, NC and the Great Smoky Mountains community can really be proud of.

History of Franklin, NC

Long before the first European settlers arrived to the mountains of Southwestern North Carolina, they were home to the Cherokee Indian Nation. In a valley surrounded by some of the oldest mountains on earth, the Cherokee called the area that is now Franklin, NC, “Nikwasi” or “center of activity”. Nikwasi was an ancient and important Cherokee town. The remains of Nikwasi Mound are still visible in downtown Franklin on East Main Street.

Franklin is the seat of Macon County, NC which was formed in 1828. The land was part of lands acquired from the Cherokee in the Treaty of 1819. The county is named for Nathaniel Macon, a politician from Warrenton, NC who served in the American Revolution and the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. The Town of Franklin was officially incorporated in 1855.

Today, Franklin remains true to its past while embracing the future. The Franklin, NC area is experiencing a rate of population growth that is 12% higher than the national average and one might say it is all about location. Franklin is situated one hour from Asheville, NC and two hours from Atlanta, Georgia, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Greenville, South Carolina.

Due to its proximity to these urban areas, Franklin is fast becoming a location of choice for those seeking a respit from the hustle and bustle of city living be it for a weekend getaway or longer vacation. Once visiting the area many take their Franklin experience to the next level seeking permanent, retirement or second homes.

The Franklin, North Carolina appeal is multi-faceted. For vacationers, the area offers a multitude of recreational opportunities for weekend warriors and a slow pace of life for those just looking to relax. The authenticity of its people and southern hospitality are exhibited daily.

Being in the “center of it all” makes Franklin a great home base to discover all the many adventures of the mountains of Western North Carolina offers. We invite you to discover us and let your true mountain experience begin.