Today, my classmates and I visited the Museum of Appalachia before traveling to our cabin in North Carolina. At the museum, we were immersed in the culture of Southern Appalachia through viewing artifacts that belonged to many different Appalachian mountain folk. As we traveled through the museum, we were able to develop a better understanding of what life was like for people during this time.
Before visiting the museum, I had some preconceived notions about how the Appalachian people lived. From being taught about this group in my younger years and through my recent research, I have learned how they are a group of people who live simply and primarily off the land. However, I don't believe I fully understood the magnitude of this concept until I was able to walk through the village. The cabins they lived in and raised large families were smaller than the living room in my apartment. If there was something they needed, they made it instead of going to the store. To me, this is also something that makes this culture unique. Today, we are so dependent on technology and receiving instant gratification, that I believe many of us might not know what to do if we were to become trapped in this type of environment.
One of the most interesting artifacts I encountered was Dr. Osborne's 'Medicine House.' This was a tiny doctor's office in which he spent most of his life, caring for the sick and dying, no matter the time of day. If an individual was too sick to travel, Dr. Osborne would travel to them by horseback. It was said that he never charged his patients for his services, but those who could afford to pay did. This stuck out to me most, because it was evidence of just how much healthcare has changed over the years.
I too loved the servant heart of Dr. Osborn. Like you, I wonder could we make it if we had to? We have so much at our fingertips, we have taken for granted what hard work it is to truly survive. Instead there are many conveniences but equal amounts of distraction.
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