Near the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, stands a modest log cabin,
known to all as The Craft Cabin. A ministry of the Coalition for
Appalachian Ministry (C.A.M.), C.A.M Cabin Crafts offers low income crafters
from the Appalachian region a place to sell their homemade items. Because of its
strategic location near the national park The Craft Cabin is a welcome source of
income for people who live in the area, and fosters economic independence for the
people of Appalachia.
The mission of the Coalition for Appalachian Ministry (C.A.M.) is to make
a positive impact wherever Reformed tradition and Appalachian culture come
together, by networking with church and community, to provide educational
and service opportunities. C.A.M. is a cooperative Ministry of The Christian
Reformed Church, The Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and The Cumberland
Presbyterian Church in American, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the
Reformed Church in America and is located in the beautiful Appalachian hills
of Townsend, Tennessee.
C.A.M. Cabin Crafts sells crafts from over 115 crafters and includes items
such as dolls, quilts, food products, woodcrafts,
toys and Christmas ornaments to name a few. Judy Barker, store coordinator,
emphasizes the importance
of original handiwork. There are very few places
with handmade Applachian crafts. We need to keep the artistic
side of the Smokies and keep it all original.
The American Heritage College Dictionary defines Appalachia as a region
of the Eastern United States including the Appalachian
Mountains. This definition does
not begin to encompass the rich culture and artistry found
in the region. The area known as Appalachia covers thirteen states
and holds more than twenty-one billion
people. Stretching from New York to eastern Mississippi it
is the largest geographically identified subculture.
There is no doubt that the Cabin Craft ministry is empowering Appalachian crafters.
Brenda, a Kentucky resident whose husband is a disabled coal miner, began making quilts
to sell at C.A.M. Cabin Crafts to support her family. Today, Brenda has so many
quilt
orders that she is getting help with the work from a small group of ladies in her town
and also selling to other stores. Her success has enabled Brenda to buy much needed
items for her family.
C.A.M. Cabin Crafts (known locally as The Craft Cabin) is located just off
Highway 321 in eastern Tennessee, twenty miles west of Gatlinburg and near
the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is open Monday-Friday
from 10 AM - 5 PM, and from 10 AM - 2 PM on Saturday, year-round.
