Below is the list for the Fall Speaker Series. The series has been moved to Thursday nights. All will start at 7:00 PM and be held in the White County Courthouse third-floor courtroom.
September 19 – The Adventures of Working with Mules. Join mule trainer Malcolm Jessup as he shares stories of his travels, and insights into working with mules.
September 26 – Everything You Wanted to Know About a Tree But Were Afraid to Ask. Guy Zimmerman, retired from the Tennessee Div. of Forestry, will speak on forest fires, invasive exotic species, urban forestry, selling timber, tree health and anything you wanted to know about a tree but afraid to ask.
October 3 – The Ancient Ones of Tennessee, and their Legacies on the Landscapes. Join Mark Tolley of the Tennessee Ancient Sites Conservancy for a look at the diversity and history of this area’s prehistoric Native Americans.
October 10 – Old Sparta Cemetery. – Brenda Templeton and Peggy Hurteau of the White County Heritage Museum will share some of the long history of the Old Sparta cemetery. This area has seen much history besides just being a burial area.
October 17 – Prehistoric Usage of Caves in the Upper Cumberland Region. Dr. Joe Douglas from Volunteer State will share insights into the Native Americans’ use of caves.
October 24 – Timber Rattlesnake in Fact and Fiction. Join Dr. Dan Bryan from Cumberland University as he shares his studies on one of our most fascinating animals.
October 31 – (Halloween – No program)
November 7 – Stories from the Clifty Bridge Area. Join Michael Hodge, interpretive specialist at Pickett CCC Memorial State Park, as he shares some of the great history of the Clifty Bridge Area, where he was raised.
November 14 –Saving, and Sharing the Cumberland’s Folk History. Join Bobby Fulcher, manager of the Cumberland Trail, for a sampling of the Plateau’s folk history and music, and the innovative ways that Bobby and the crew have preserved and continue to share it.
November 21 –The Life and Times of Logan Molloy, Federal Prohibition Agent, 1908-1930. Join Gary Clendenon for a look at the life and times of one of Tennessee’s most talked about revenuers.
November 28 – (Thanksgiving – No Program)
December 5 – The Land of Falling Waters: a Diversity of Landscape and Plant Life. Park Manager, Stuart Carroll will explore the geology behind the waterfalls and the biodiversity found in association with this subtle and beautiful area.
July 29, 2019 – The Speaker Series had a great turnout for the last session in the spring lineup. The Speaker Series will continue the second week in September. Keep checking VirginFalls.com com for details, or like “Friends of Virgin Falls” on Facebook to see the schedule when posted. Thank you for your attendance and we look forward to seeing you again in the fall.
June 11, 2019 – Sparta Speaker Series – Gary Clendenon – “Invasive and Detrimental Insect Invaders: The Original Ecoterrorists”
June 14, 2019 – Hike to Virgin Falls through Big Bottom
June 15, 2019 – Lost Creek Cave Tour
June 18, 2019 – Sparta Speaker Series – Dr. Stephen Stedman – “Spring Butterflies of Dog Cove”
June 22, 2019 – Dog Cove Hike
June 25, 2019 – Sparta Speaker Series – Jay Replogle – “Bladesmithing”
July 2, 2019 – Sparta Speaker Series – Debbie Moore – “The Trail of Tears: The Causes and the Outcomes”
July 3, 2019 – Hike to Virgin Falls through Big Bottom
July 9, 2019 – Sparta Speaker Series – Trisha Johnson & Jacqueline Broeker – “Our Majestic Tennessee Hemlocks”
July 16, 2019 – Sparta Speaker Series – Park Manager Stuart Carroll – “Environmental Struggles to Protect Fall Creek Falls State Park”
Photo by Cathy Kelch Napple