Salem Museum To Feature “The Other Side of The Mountain: Life In The Catawba Valley”

The Salem Museum has announced its newest feature exhibit, The Other Side of the Mountain: Life in the Catawba Valley. Based on the popular book series Echoes From Catawba by the Rev. Ted Carroll, this exhibit will explore everyday life beginning with the Virginia Indians who first settled in Catawba; the culture that developed in the largely agrarian community; the stunning scenery—Dragon’s Tooth and McAfee Knob; and the modern institutions that have formed there.

The exhibit opens on November 20 and will continue through March, 2022. Masks are recommended for all visitors and required for those who are unvaccinated or attending with a group.

Ted Carroll

All the books in the Echoes From Catawba series are currently available in the Museum’s gift Shop. The fourth and final volume is The Other Side of the Mountain, coming in December.  Rev. Carroll will be on hand at the Salem Museum signing all four of his books on December 11, from 10 am to 3 pm.

The Other Side of the Mountain features the heartwarming story of a little girl spending her summers at Craig Healing Springs in what was a fairyland experience. The Great Wagon Road, how McAfee’s Knob got its name, and Catawba’s first Boy Scout Troop are included. For the first time in this series, Lower Catawba and its people are featured. A profile of one of the 17-member Garman family is included, along with the Martins, the second largest family to settle in Catawba. The back-story of the beloved Homeplace Restaurant and the Wingate family promise to be of interest to many throughout the Roanoke region. All four volumes will be available to be purchased and signed.

During the book signing, the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club will also be on hand to provide information about hiking in Catawba and the local history of the Appalachian Trail. They will share the mountain views and explain how best to hike the Blue Ridge Triple Crown: McAfee Knob, Dragon’s Tooth and Tinker cliffs.

Ted Carroll was born in Catawba, Virginia to a mother who was the seventeenth and last child of William and Luemma Garman who settled there in 1889. Carroll was milking a cow at a young age. He worked for 25 years as a member of the Virginia Tech Extension faculty and served four terms as the Mayor of the Town of Orange, Virginia. Answering a call to the ministry, Carroll became an ordained minister and pastored a church in North Carolina for 14 years. He is a graduate of Andrew Lewis High School and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Virginia Tech.

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