Join us this year for our first series of public lectures! Held at the Rabun County Public Library, these monthly talks will feature a variety of topics, from moonshining and quilting to Cherokee language and culture. No registration required; attendees will be asked to observe Rabun County Public Library’s covid policies. Find current information on their website at www.rabuncountylibrary.org/

May’s lecture will feature guest speaker Dr. Michael Ann Williams, University Distinguished Professor of Folk Studies, Emeritus at Western Kentucky University. Dr. Williams will focus on the use of log construction in southern Appalachia. While this may be seen as a simple response to practical needs,  both the origins of building with log, as well as its continued use into the twentieth century, are complex.  This talk will explore the history of log building in southern Appalachia, as well as the experience of individuals who remembered living in log dwellings.  Examples of the variety of log house types and construction methods will be examined, looking at specific examples, including ones found at the Foxfire Museum.