Treasure Mountain Festival set in Franklin

Franklin opens its doors, dances in the streets and enjoys the many historic exhibits, heritage craft demonstrations, window displays, quilt and needlework examples, and a giant flea market. Contests are held among muzzleloaders, mustache/beard raisers, turkey callers, owl hooters, pumpkin growers and heritage costumes wearers.

The Treasure Mountain Festival was named for the events following the tragic destruction of two local forts by Shawnee Indians during April, 1758. After pillaging and burning Fort Upper Track, leaving no survivors, the Shawnee Indians then attacked and burned Fort Seybert outside Franklin, taking a few women and children prisoners after scalping the older men, the story goes.

Those settlers not killed in the massacre were herded northward along the Indian Trail which crosses South Fork Mountain through Dean’s Gap and Greenawalt Gap to the site of Fort Upper Tract. From there they journeyed through Germany Valley and Seneca, to an Indian village in the Ohio River Valley, history records.

The valued possessions and treasures, belonging to the settlers, were placed in an iron kettle, carried by two braves with a pole inserted through the handle. The kettle was hidden somewhere along the trail, when the braves tired, fell behind and later rejoined the captives without the kettle, the story goes.

The Indians never returned to the area, but some of the captives escaped, returned to Pendleton County and related what had happened.

Many people have searched for this ancient kettle of gold, but it has never been found.

What has been discovered are the more important treasures of mountain beauty, clean air, sparkling streams and rivers, rock formations, caves and fertile fields — the treasures and heritage of the mountains here for all to enjoy.

Margaret Rexrode will officiate as the 2017 Parade Grand Marshall leading the Grand Parade on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Musical treasures featured during this TMF are performances by Rare Gold, Moatstown Choir, Vapor 4:14, Bear Hill Bluegrass, Juanita Fireball and the Continental Drifters, Jeff & Shari Easter, and the Country Store Opry.

Crafts and demonstrations include cooperage, pottery, wool spinning, basket weaving, hand-quilting, knitting, woodworking, chainsaw carving and blacksmithing.

The food on sale in booths around the town is prepared by various civic organizations, clubs, churches and school sports boosters as their main annual fund-raisers.

Homemade goodies include corn bread and beans; country ham sandwiches; cotton candy; caramel apples; beef, chicken and pork barbecue; funnel cakes; buckwheat cakes; sausage gravy; snow cones; homemade pies and cottage fries.

During the festival, a free shuttle bus service traveling from the Main Street festival headquarters at the town parking lot to the Pendleton Community Building parking lot to the Boggs House Museum and back will be running continuously on Friday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. No pets are allowed on the buses.

No parking will be allowed on the parade route from Great Valu along Main Street to the Community Building on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m to provide an emergency rescue and fire lane should it be needed.

The festival events each day include:

• Bus ride all around town for free.

• Food stands all around town.

• Quilt and Needlework Show, Community Center.

• Craft Sales and Heritage Demonstrations, TMF Building, Main Street and the Community Building.

• Country Store, TMF Building.

• Used Book Sale, Library basement.

• Flea Market, TMF Flea Market Building.

• Antique cars, trucks, tractors and engines display, Pendleton Senior and Family Services’ parking lot.

• Window Displays all around town.

• Civil War Living History, Courthouse lawn.

• Music, Town Parking Lot and Community Building Parking Lot.

Festival

schedule:

Sept. 14

9 a.m. – Country Store opens, TMF Craft Building.

Noon – Book Sale, Pendleton County Library.

Noon – Boggs House Museum opens.

5 p.m. – Country Store, Book Sale and Boggs House close.

7 p.m. – Vapor 4:14, Main Stage.

Festival Schedule of Events

Sept. 15

8 a.m. – Flea Market opens.

9 a.m. – Craft Building, Country Store, Quilt Show opens.

9 a.m. – Quilt Show Silent Auction begins.

10 a.m. – Boggs House, Art Show and Book Sale opens.

Noon – Tea Room Opens, Community Building.

Noon – Campsite opens at Fort Seybert.

1:30 p.m. – Historical Walking Tour, Courthouse steps.

2 p.m. – Rare Gold, Main Stage.

2 p.m. – Tea Room closes.

3 p.m. – Youth Heritage Pageant, Main Stage,

4 p.m. – Book Sale closes.

4 p.m. – Vapor 4:14, Town Parking Lot.

4 p.m. – Book Sale closes.

5 p.m. – Art Show closes.

6 p.m. – Boggs House closes.

6 p.m. – Bear Hill Bluegrass Town Parking Lot.

6 p.m. – Jeff & Shari Easter, Main Stage.

6:30 p.m. – Beard and Mustache Contest, Courthouse steps.

7 p.m. – Opal’s Million Dollar Duck, Smith Creek Playhouse.

8 p.m. – Old Time Street Music and Dancing, Town Parking Lot.

8 p.m. – Quilt Show Silent Auction closes.

8 p.m. – Flea Market, Craft Building, Country Store and Quilt Show closes.

8 p.m. – Jeff & Shari Easter, Main Stage.

Sept. 16

6:30 a.m. – Treasure Hunt begins – clues at Headquarters and Craft Building.

8 a.m. – Antique cars, trucks, tractors, Pendleton Sr. Family Parking Lot.

8 a.m. – Flea Market opens.

9 a.m. – Craft Building, Country Store, Book Sale and Quilt Show opens.

9 a.m. – WELD Morning Radio Show, Town Parking Lot.

9 a.m. – Hit and Miss Engines, Bowling Alley Parking Lot.

9 a.m. – Muzzleloader Shoot, Old Fort at Fort Seybert.

9 a.m. – Pumpkin Weigh-In, Main Stage area.

9 a.m. – Horseshoe Pitch, Singles, Town Park.

9:30 a.m. – Children’s Games and Contests, Town Park.

9:30 a.m. – Second Set of Treasure Hunt clues released.

10 a.m. – Boggs House, Art Show and Book Sale opens.

10 a.m. – Civil War Camps open, Courthouse Lawn.

10 a.m. – Historical Walking Tour, Courthouse steps.

10 a.m. – Little Switzerland Cloggers, Main Stage.

11 a.m. – Dr. Michael T. George, Main Stage.

11 a.m. – Juanita Fireball & The Continental Drifters, Town Parking Lot.

Noon – Pumpkin Contest Winner Announced, Courthouse Steps.

Noon – Tea Room Opens, Community Building.

Noon – Judging of Period Costumes, Courthouse steps.

1 p.m. – Totally Unrelated Band, Town Parking Lot.

1 p.m. – Puppet Show, Main Street Methodist Church.

1:30 p.m. – Blue Ridge Stompers, Courthouse Steps.

1:30 p.m. – Tim and Debbie Weaver, Main Stage.

1:30 p.m. – Final Set of Treasure Hunt clues released.

2 p.m. – Tea Room closes.

3 p.m. – Quilt Show Silent Auction closes.

3 p.m. – TMF Parade, Great Value to Courthouse.

4 p.m. – Muzzleloader Shoot ends.

4 p.m. – Auction at Fort Seybert.

4:30 p.m. – Cornhole Tournament. Town Park Ball Field.

5 p.m. – The Strings, Town Parking Lot.

5 p.m. – Art Show closes.

5:15 p.m. – Treasure Hunt Key Opening Ceremony, Main Stage.

6 p.m. – Boggs House and Book Sale closes.

6 p.m. – Moatstown Choir, Town Parking Lot.

6:30 p.m. – Country Store Opry, Main Stage.

7 p.m. – Reenactment: Burning of Fort Seybert, Fort Seybert.

7 p.m. – Opal’s Million Dollar Duck, Smith Creek Playhouse.

8 p.m. – Old Time Street Music and Dancing, Town Parking Lot.

8 p.m. – Flea Market, Craft Building, Quilt Show and Country Store closes.

8 p.m. – Country Store Opry, Main Stage.

Sept. 17

7 a.m. – Franklin Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, Thorn Spring Park.

8 a.m. – Flea Market opens.

9 a.m. – Craft Building, Country Store opens.

9 a.m. – New Beginnings Worship Band, Town Parking Lot.

10 a.m. – Moatstown Choir, Main Stage.

10 a.m. – Quilt Show opens.

10 a.m. – Civil War Camps Open, Courthouse Lawn.

10:30 a.m. – 1860’s Worship Service, Courthouse Lawn.

Noon – Tea Room Opens, Community Building.

Noon – Boggs House Museum and Book Sale opens.

Noon – Muzzleloader Shoot, the Old Fort, Fort Seybert.

Noon – Horseshoe Pitch, Doubles, Town Park.

1 p.m. – Quilt Show closes.

1 p.m. – Turkey calling, Owl Hooting Contest, Main Stage.

2 p.m. – Opal’s Million Dollar Duck, Smith Creek Playhouse.

2 p.m. – Tea Room closes.

3 p.m. – Flea Market, Crafts and Country Store closes.

4 p.m. – Book Sale closes.

5 p.m. – Boggs House closes.