Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable..

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable.

Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park seasonal interpreters Matthew Simerly, left, and Slade Nakoff will conduct History at Home programs during July.

Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park seasonal interpreters Matthew Simerly, left, and Slade Nakoff will conduct History at Home programs during July.

ELIZABETHTON — Matthew Simerly and Slade Nakoff, the two seasonal interpreters at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park have released the summer programs they will be presenting during the coming weeks in July.

They will be presenting short programs on the area’s history and guiding tours of the park’s other properties at the Carter Mansion and Sabine Hill.

Nakoff will lead tours of the Carter Mansion on July 7, 9, 15, 17, 21, 23, and 31. Each tour starts at 1 p.m. The mansion was built by Carter County leaders John and Landon Carter between 1775 and 1780., Located at 1031 Broad St., it is Tennessee’s oldest frame house. Accessibility includes steps and an interior staircase.

Simerly will lead tours of Sabine Hill on July 8, 10, 14, 16, and 22. Each tour starts at 1 p.m. Sabine Hill was built shortly after the War of 1812 by Mary Patton Taylor, widow of Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Taylor. Located at 2328 W. G St., the site has been described as one of the first examples of Federalist architecture in Tennessee. Accessibility includes steps and an interior staircase.

Registration is required for each tour. This may be done online at www.tnstateparks.com/parks/events/sycamore-shoals. Tours are $9 for adults, $5 for students, ages 7-17, and children 6 and under are admitted free.

The list of programs offered by Simerlly and Nakoff includes the following:

10:30 a.m.: “A Chat with a Continental Soldier” — Simerly will explain the equipment of the common soldier, their daily duty, and experiences. From the clothes they wore to the food they ate, see what the men faced as they fought for independence. Duration: 30 minutes.

2 p.m.: “Fire Starting” — Nakoff will demonstrate various ways of building fires as well as common practices during the 18th century. This event will be inside Fort Watauga. Duration: 30 minutes.

10:30 a.m.: “The Everyday Apprentice” — The road of an apprentice during the 18th century was a hard one. Nakoff will describe their everyday lives and their trials and tribulations. The group will meet in the Visitors Center. Duration: 30 minutes.

2 p.m.: “For the Common Defenses” — The militia played a key part for both sides during the Revolutionary War, from the Minute Men of Lexington and Concord to the Overmountain Men at Kings Mountain. But what was the militia and who was it? Simerly will explain what the militia was, where it came from, and how they helped gain our independence.

10:30 a.m.: “An English Settler on the Frontier” — Simerly will give a first-person interpretation of Edward Little. He’ll tell about his early life in England, why his family migrated to Virginia, and how he feels about the 13 colonies’ ongoing war for independence.

2 p.m.: “Quillwork” — Nakoff will demonstrate the process of quillwork, a predecessor to beadwork, achieved with porcupine quills. The class will meet in the Visitors Center. Duration: 30 minutes.

10:30 a.m.: “Firearms of the 18th Century” — Nakoff will demonstrate how firearms of the 18th century worked and he describes their construction. The class will meet at the Visitors Center. Duration: 20 minutes.

2 p.m.: “Moving to the Frontier” — It was not easy moving into the Watauga Valley and leaving behind the established towns and communities in North Carolina and Virginia. Simerly will explain why people came here and what they did to set up their new lives in the frontier.

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10:30 a.m.: “Our Daily Bread” — Simerly will provide common bread recipes from the 18th century and shows how they can be made in a modern kitchen. This program will be helpful for those on the lookout for new recipes and those who are interested in less-talked-about parts of our history.

2 p.m.: “Buckskin Breeches” — Buckskin short pants, or knee breeches, were the blue jeans of the 18th century. Nakoff will demonstrate the construction of such a garment while outlining the deerskin trade along the frontier. The event will be held inside Fort Watauga. Duration: 30 minutes.

10:30 a.m.: “Quillwork.” See July 8 for details.

2 p.m.: “How to Start a Fire with Flint and Steel” — Simerly will be at the fort to show how to build and start a fire with flint and steel, just like the frontier settlers. Participants will learn how to make their fire-starting kit, a useful skill for hikers, campers, and any outdoors- loving person. Duration: 30 minutes.

10:30 a.m.: “Dress to Impress, 1770s Style” — Simerly will be at the Visitors Center to discuss the fashion of the time and the function of those clothes. The class will learn how social standing, ethnic background, and geographical region shaped how people dressed in the time of the American Revolution. Duration: 30 minutes.

10:30 a.m.: “Buckskin Breeches.” See July 10 for details.

2 p.m.: “Kids Militia” — Children are invited to report to Fort Watauga for training under the command of Simerly. They will learn about the militia’s role in the American Revolution by experiencing the basic drill and the equipment used. Children will learn history the fun and hands-on way.

10:30 a.m.: “For the Common Defenses.” See July 7 for details.

2 p.m.: “Firearms of the 18th Century.” See July 9 for details.

10:30 a.m.: “Bread from the Fire” — Bread during the 18th century, as well as today, was a necessary component of daily life. Nakoff will be at the earthen oven inside the fort to describe the daily work of a baker during the 18th century. Guests may not consume the food from the program, so if you are hungry, eat before it begins. Duration: 25 minutes.

2 p.m.: “A Chat with a Continental Soldier.” See July 6 for details.

John Thompson covers Carter and Johnson counties for the Johnson City Press since 1998. He grew up in Washington County and graduated from University High and East Tennessee State University

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