LOCATION
2819 Andersonville Hwy.
Clinton, TN 37716
FEATURED ARTIFACT:
Renda Whittaker’s Groundhog Banjo
Renda Whittaker (1910-1996) and her husband Vetter (1896-1966) made this banjo together soon after they started living on the Cumberland Plateau near Monterey, Tennessee. “We went to the woods, and we cut us a poplar sapling. Then we killed us a groundhog to make a head, and we made us a banjo.”
The skin of a groundhog was one of the most commonly used materials for making banjo heads. The hide, when properly tanned, was thicker than the skins of other smaller animals, and it is incredibly strong. Groundhog hide was also widely used for making shoestrings and for a myriad of other purposes.
This instrument was once on loan from the Museum of Appalachia to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville for several years. During this time, the Country Music Hall of Fame claimed that the two most popular items were Elvis Presley’s Cadillac and Renda Whittaker’s groundhog banjo.
(Photo of Renda Whittaker by John Rice Irwin)
Roam our 65 picturesque acres and experience a recreated Appalachian community complete with: 35 log cabins, barns, farm animals, churches, schools, gardens.
Over 250,000 artifacts in 3 buildings, with vast collections of folk art, musical instruments, baskets, quilts, Native American artifacts, and more.
The Museum also contains a restaurant specializing in Southern Appalachian country cooking, a Gift Shop featuring locally made products, and a Banquet Hall for events!
Founded by John Rice Irwin in 1969, the Museum is now a non-profit organization, and a Smithsonian Affiliate museum. Visit our “About Us” tab, or see below for more info.
