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my home at the museum. As in the past, I will be playing music and entertaining guests from all over the country, indeed, the world, who visit the museum. Please don't think I am going to disappear. My love for this place will continue, with my work being more directed to my writing and research – things that I have too long neglected and that I have promised my publishers I would do.
217:, and inspired one of Haley's writings with his museum. He and his wife, Elizabeth McDaniel, were married from 1954 until her death in 2008. They had two children: Elaine Meyer and Karen Erickson (died 1999), and three grandchildren. In August 2009, he announced that he was leaving his position as owner of the museum. In an interview on August 28, 2009, Irwin stated:
284:
Although the museum started as only a small log building, as of 2010, it has grown to a village-farm complex, comprehending more than 35 original mountain structures, two large display buildings containing thousands of
Appalachian artifacts, farm animals, and several gardens. The museum was converted
221:
I'll still be around. After all, I live at the museum. My daily habits and my total life of the last 40 to 50 years have been devoted to preserving the history of our people's struggle in
Appalachia. So, if you say to me that I'm retiring, well, that's what I do every night. ... I just go to sleep at
140:
His interest in history began at an early age, and was inspired by his grandparents to start a museum. He founded the Museum of
Appalachia in 1968, which has since grown significantly in both its size and visitation. He was awarded several accolades and awards, and had eight different published books
260:
he had just purchased. Irwin said of this conversation, "I just plain hated the idea of that object being hauled to Terre Haute or Dayton and made into a table completely removed from the context of the region, and from the people who made it and used it." Meanwhile, he spent $ 4 at the auction to
302:
in 1992 as one of nine East
Tennesseans "whose accomplishments have distinguished them far beyond East Tennessee," and in 1993, he was awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Cumberland College. In 1994, he was inducted into the Junior Achievement of East Tennessee's Business Hall of Fame. Six
246:
Irwin's interest in human history was provoked by his grandparents' stories. His grandfather once advised him, "You ought to keep these old-timey things that belonged to our people and start you a little museum sometime." Eventually in the 1960s he took that advice to heart. At a public
293:
John Rice Irwin is generally known as the founder of the Museum of
Appalachia. He was also the author of seven nationally and internationally distributed books. He lectured on the subject on Appalachian history throughout the eastern United States. In 1989, Irwin was one of 29
153:
The
General Bunch house, which was originally located in the New River area of Anderson County, was the first log cabin to be acquired by Irwin, reconstructed, and put on display at the site that was to become the Museum of
303:
years later in 2000, he was the recipient of the annual
Outstanding Educational Service to Appalachia Award. He was the 2008 recipient of the Trailblazer Award, and in 2009 was named to the Anderson County Hall of Fame.
280:
to house and display his growing collection. By 1980, the museum had grown so large that Irwin left his position as director of the
Tennessee Appalachia Education Cooperative to devote all of his time to the museum.
251:
in the early 1960s, he realized that the sales transactions were separating the artifacts of the past from the stories that his grandparents told. A person attending the sale told him that he was going to make a
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273:, but for the history it embodied. His collection grew from that beginning, as he began to travel around the countryside to find and "save the past" in the form of artifacts.
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to a non-profit organization in 2003 and in May 2007, the museum announced its formal association with the
Smithsonian Institution's Affiliations Program.
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The Museum of
Appalachia story: The nationally acclaimed mountain village, farm, and museum, Norris, Tennessee (9780887401022): John Rice Irwin: Books
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Mountain Man; In the face of personal tragedy, Museum of Appalachia founder John Rice Irwin fights for the future of his creation
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in the aftermath of the deadly Big Barren Creek Flood of 1916. In later years, he said that he bought it not for its value as an
162:. While he was an infant, Irwin and his family were forced to move because their land would be appropriated and flooded for the
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Guns and Gunmaking Tools of Southern Appalachia: The Story of the Kentucky Rifle (9780916838812): John Rice Irwin: Books
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A People and Their Music: The Story Behind the Story of Country Music (9780764309427): John Rice Irwin: Books
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Musical Instruments of the Southern Appalachian Mountains (9780916838805): John Rice Irwin: Books
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with majors in history and economics. He earned his master's degree in international law at the
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129:(December 11, 1930 – January 16, 2022) was an American cultural historian, and founder of the
213:, becoming the youngest superintendent in Tennessee. Irwin was also good friends with writer
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791:"Irwin, founder of Museum of Appalachia, retiring after 40 years " Knoxville News Sentinel"
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Baskets and Basket Makers in Southern Appalachia (9780916838614): John Rice Irwin: Books
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He lived his last years at Norris Health and Rehab Center. He died at a nursing home in
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178:, where he would stay until he was 18. There, Irwin and his brother were taught how to
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298:, which are provided to "extraordinary talented individuals." He was honored by the
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The story of Marcellus Moss Rice and his Big Valley kinsman: John Rice Irwin: Books
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In the late 1940s, Irwin served in the U.S. Army infantry. He completed his
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Alex Stewart: Portrait of a Pioneer (9780887400537): John Rice Irwin: Books
520:"John Rice Irwin's wife, Elizabeth, dies at 72 " Knoxville News Sentinel"
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584:. Carnegie-Vincent Library, Lincoln Memorial University. Archived from
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A People and Their Music: The Story Behind the Story of Country Music
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A People and Their Quilts (9780916838874): John Rice Irwin: Books
141:(seven of which are nationally and internationally distributed).
209:. At the age of 31, he was elected superintendent of schools in
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Berea, KY (April 26, 1984). "Alex Haley plans book on state".
712:"John Rice Irwin, Guardian of Appalachia's Past, Dies at 91"
335:
The story of Marcellus Moss Rice and his Big Valley kinsman
635:"John Rice Irwin enters new role at Museum of Appalachia"
421:
Musical Instruments of the Southern Appalachian Mountains
174:, in the early 1940s. They finally moved to a farm near
170:, they were again forced to move for the development of
754:, The History Channel Club, accessed December 27, 2010.
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687:. wbir.com. December 9, 2010. Archived from
359:Baskets and Basketmakers of the Appalachias
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562:"Happy 80th Birthday, John Rice Irwin!".
403:Guns and Gunmakers of Southern Appalachia
767:. Museumofappalachia.org. Archived from
661:. Museumofappalachia.org. Archived from
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242:Sign at entrance of Museum of Appalachia
158:Irwin was born on December 11, 1930, in
685:"Guest information for Thursday's show"
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230:on January 16, 2022, at the age of 91.
109: 1954; died 2008)
1106:People from Anderson County, Tennessee
166:. After settling on another farm near
1030:Oral histories » John Rice Irwin
7:
1111:People from Union County, Tennessee
442:Alex Stewart; Portrait of a Pioneer
1086:Lincoln Memorial University alumni
1066:21st-century American male writers
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1101:Military personnel from Tennessee
1071:American male non-fiction writers
981:. Amazon.com. September 9, 2009.
300:East Tennessee Historical Society
1061:21st-century American historians
710:Traub, Alex (February 9, 2022).
765:"Museum of Appalachian History"
265:box that had been found in the
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1116:University of Tennessee alumni
463:The Museum of Appalachia story
120:Elaine Irwin Meyer Karen Irwin
16:American historian (1930–2022)
1:
1037:, Metro Pulse, March 27, 2008
570:(49): 1, 6. December 8, 2010.
582:"LMU Literary Hall of Fame"
276:In 1968, Irwin founded the
203:Lincoln Memorial University
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745:The ‘Genius’ of Appalachia
211:Anderson County, Tennessee
385:A People and Their Quilts
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296:MacArthur Fellow grantees
1096:Academics from Tennessee
750:August 12, 2010, at the
207:University of Tennessee
160:Union County, Tennessee
45:Union County, Tennessee
640:July 14, 2011, at the
615:Hopkinsville, Kentucky
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1005:. Amazon.com. 2000.
957:. Amazon.com. 1985.
933:. Amazon.com. 1983.
909:. Amazon.com. 1983.
885:. Amazon.com. 1983.
861:. Amazon.com. 1982.
771:on December 18, 2010
665:on December 18, 2010
659:"Happy Birthday JRI"
289:Legacy and accolades
278:Museum of Appalachia
234:Museum of Appalachia
172:Oak Ridge, Tennessee
131:Museum of Appalachia
85:Museum of Appalachia
1081:Cultural historians
1076:Appalachian culture
691:on February 9, 2013
564:The Norris Bulletin
364:Schiffer Publishing
339:Times Print Company
716:The New York Times
648:. August 31, 2009.
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228:Clinton, Tennessee
168:Clinton, Tennessee
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96:Elizabeth McDaniel
64:Clinton, Tennessee
1091:MacArthur Fellows
617:. p. 3 (4A).
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430:978-0-916838-80-5
412:978-0-916838-81-2
394:978-0-916838-87-4
373:978-0-916838-61-4
199:bachelor's degree
176:Norris, Tennessee
135:Norris, Tennessee
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58:(2022-01-16)
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1056:2022 deaths
1051:1930 births
743:Bob Frost,
261:buy an old
154:Appalachia.
83:Founder of
1045:Categories
1012:0764309420
964:0887400531
940:0916838803
916:0916838811
892:0916838870
868:0916838617
503:References
347:B0007EYO1A
320:Publisher
215:Alex Haley
164:Norris Dam
37:1930-12-11
724:0362-4331
72:Education
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821:2010
799:2010
777:2010
731:2022
720:ISSN
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489:ISBN
480:2000
468:ISBN
459:1987
447:ISBN
438:1985
426:ISBN
408:ISBN
390:ISBN
381:1983
369:ISBN
355:1982
343:ASIN
331:1963
326:Ref
188:fish
184:hunt
180:farm
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31:Born
323:ID
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133:in
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