Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Cherokee Indian Fair 1950

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Item
  • "This program for the 1950 Cherokee Indian Fair is 64 pages and documents the fair that was held on October 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 of that year. The fair was first formally established and held regularly in 1914. Since it began, one of its main functions was to sponsor competitions that provided a showcase for Cherokee crafts. The fair programs were usually 20 to 30 pages each and listed the competition categories and the monetary prizes offered. Beginning in 1946, in addition to seeing displays of the finished craft entries, visitors to the fair were able to observe the techniques and processes involved in producing the craft items on view with demonstrations of basket making, pottery construction, spinning, and weaving presented. This particular program features 11 photographs of various Cherokee places and people, including renowned craftspeople G.B. Chiltosky (woodworker), Lottie Stamper (basket maker), and Maude Welch (potter). This was the first year in which advertisements were added to the fair program, including 7 ads for Cherokee craft shops, one of which was the Qualla Arts and Crafts Cooperative. Also in the 1950 fair program, a 2 ½ page section was added to describe the history of the development of Cherokee Arts and Crafts."
Object
  • "This program for the 1950 Cherokee Indian Fair is 64 pages and documents the fair that was held on October 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 of that year. The fair was first formally established and held regularly in 1914. Since it began, one of its main functions was to sponsor competitions that provided a showcase for Cherokee crafts. The fair programs were usually 20 to 30 pages each and listed the competition categories and the monetary prizes offered. Beginning in 1946, in addition to seeing displays of the finished craft entries, visitors to the fair were able to observe the techniques and processes involved in producing the craft items on view with demonstrations of basket making, pottery construction, spinning, and weaving presented. This particular program features 11 photographs of various Cherokee places and people, including renowned craftspeople G.B. Chiltosky (woodworker), Lottie Stamper (basket maker), and Maude Welch (potter). This was the first year in which advertisements were added to the fair program, including 7 ads for Cherokee craft shops, one of which was the Qualla Arts and Crafts Cooperative. Also in the 1950 fair program, a 2 ½ page section was added to describe the history of the development of Cherokee Arts and Crafts."