ELIZABETHTON — With the start of June, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park begins one of its busiest times of the year. The highlight of the month is the annual presentation
ELIZABETHTON — Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park will restart its History at Home summer interpretive programs this week, with two new seasonal interpretive rangers, Matthew Simerly and Slade Nakoff. Both
ELIZABETHTON â It is just a couple of weeks until this yearâs performances of âLiberty! The Saga of Sycamore Shoals,â Tennesseeâs official outdoor drama, makes its 2021 debut at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park.
This marks the 42nd year of the performances but this year will be different because the performances will be in June rather than July. The first show is scheduled for Friday, June 4.
Other than the calendar, the performances will be similar to past years, with the outdoor play taking place at the Fort Watauga amphitheater and with a large cast portraying frontiersmen and frontierswomen, Cherokees and Overmountain Men. The cast will portray several events of national significance that took place in the late 18th century on the banks of the Watauga River, on the very ground where the audience will watch the events being retold.
ELIZABETHTON â Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park was one of the winners of the Certificate of Merit awards presented annually by the Tennessee Historical Commission. These awards are presented each May, during National Preservation Month.
Sycamore Shoals received the recognition because of the work done by Matthew Mosca, a nationally recognized consultant in the field of historic paint research and restoration. Using micro-chemical testing, Mosca can identify the constituents of paint finishes. He has also developed expertise in the examination of pigments using polarized light and ultraviolet fluorescent microscopy.
Mosca also uses scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared micro spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.