Pioneer Mansion (March 2017)

Today when visitors tour the house, they may feel they are in a small space. However, this was an imposing structure - a "pioneer mansion" - in this area when it was originally built in the 1790s. The house we see today is a reconstruction around the original, 18th-century fireplace. Log cabins like this, with a floor plan consisting of two rooms on either side of a central chimney, were called saddlebag houses.

Mountain View (March 2017)

The Vance Birthplace, built c.1795, is located in the Reems Creek Valley. Although the home has been reconstructed, the views of the mountains from the windows haven’t changed significantly since the original house was standing. This picture shows the reflection of Vance Knob.

Isolation (March 2017)

Even today, just before dawn and shortly after dusk, as the sound of traffic quiets down, the Vance Birthplace echoes the isolation of years past. Imagine life in the Reems Creek Valley before the railroad and paved roads connected the area with the rest of the state. Looking at the Vance Birthplace, one can still get a sense of this isolation that existed when Revolutionary War veteran, David Vance, Sr., and his wife Priscilla moved to this area in the 1780s.

The Clock (November 2016)

Symbols of the need to keep time and records, the clock and quill in this image represent the prominent position of the Vance family. Many families living in the mountains of western North Carolina during the early 1800s would not have owned a clock; work revolved around the sun and daylight hours. However, the Vances had both the need and the means to own one. David Vance, Sr. worked as a teacher, farmer, surveyor, and county clerk of court. His grandsons, Robert and Zebulon were also politicians.

The Quill (May 2017)

The quill in this image represents the prominent position of the Vance family.

Correspondence Case (November 2016)

This leather-covered correspondence case is a Vance family artefact. It held letters and other valuables, and it reminds us of the importance of the written word in staying connected with the rest of the world from this isolated part of North Carolina. The surviving Vance family letters give historians valuable insights into their daily lives, family, and beliefs.

Saber (July 2017)

All of the Vance men who lived at this site served in the military. David Vance, Sr., fought in the American Revolution and purchased part of his Reems Creek estate with a land grant used as payment for his service; his son David Vance, Jr. served in the War of 1812; and his grandsons, Robert and Zebulon fought in the American Civil War. Although said to be a Revolutionary War saber by the historic site, it is more likely an N.P. Ames M1833 Dragoon saber.

Longrifle (July 2017)

Bear Fat Candle (November 2016)

Bed, Main Room (March 2017)

Bed Key (March 2017)

Corn Crib (March 2017)

Corn Crib Interior (March 2017)

Outbuildings (November 2016)

Hay Fork (July 2017)

Hay Fork (July 2017)

Spur (March 2017)

Smokehouse (November 2016)

Springhouse (March 2017)

Springhouse Detail of Steps (March 2017)

Springhouse Buckets (March 2017)

Tool House (March 2017)