Maces Spring, Virginia

Last updated

Maces Spring is a small unincorporated community in Scott County, Virginia, [1] along State Route 614, in an area known as Poor Valley. The settlement consists of a small number of houses. There are no longer any stores in Maces Spring; its main claim to fame is its association with the country music group the Carter Family.

Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter, also known as Doc or A.P., was born in Maces Spring and in 1914 he brought his 16-year-old bride, Sara Dougherty, to live there. They are both buried in the graveyard behind Mount Vernon Methodist Church. A.P., Sara and A.P.'s sister-in-law, Maybelle Carter formed the Carter Family in 1927. Route 614 is now called the A.P. Carter Highway and two of A.P. and Sara's children, Joe (died 2005) and Jeanette (died 2006), opened a music hall called The Carter Fold on the Clinch Mountain side of the road. [2]

The community is part of the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area commonly known as the Tri-Cities region.

The A. P. and Sara Carter House, A. P. Carter Homeplace, A. P. Carter Store, Maybelle and Ezra Carter House, and Mt. Vernon Methodist Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as components of the Carter Family Thematic Resource. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Scott County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,576. Its county seat is Gate City. Scott County was formed by an act of the General Assembly on November 24, 1814, from parts of Washington, Lee, and Russell Counties and was named for Virginia born General Winfield Scott. Scott County is part of the Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area, commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region. The County Administrator is Freda Russell Starnes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol, Virginia</span> Independent city in Virginia, United States

Bristol is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the twin city of Bristol, Tennessee, just across the state line, which runs down the middle of its main street, State Street. It is surrounded on three sides by Washington County, Virginia, which is combined with the city for statistical purposes. It is a principal city in the Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area, which had a population of 307,614 in 2020. The metro area is a component of the larger Tri-Cities region of Tennessee and Virginia, with a population of 508,260 in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol, Tennessee</span> City in Tennessee, United States

Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 27,147 at the 2020 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundary between the two cities is also the state line, which runs along State Street in their common downtown district. It is a principal city in the Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area, which had a population of 307,614 in 2020. The metro area is a component of the larger Tri-Cities region of Tennessee and Virginia, with a population of 508,260 in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duffield, Virginia</span> Town in Virginia, United States

Duffield is a town in Scott County, Virginia, United States. The population was 73 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dungannon, Virginia</span> Town in Virginia, United States

Dungannon is a town in Scott County, Virginia. The population was 332 at the 2010 census. It was named after the town of Dungannon in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nickelsville, Virginia</span> Town in Virginia, United States

Nickelsville is a town in Scott County, Virginia. The population was 383 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saltville, Virginia</span> Town in Virginia, United States

Saltville is a town in Smyth and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 2,077 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol (TN)–Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carter Family</span> Traditional American folk music group

Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock music as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. P. Carter</span> American singer-songwriter

Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter was an American musician and a founding member of The Carter Family, one of the most notable acts in the history of country music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Carter</span> Musical artist

Sara Elizabeth Carter was an American country music musician, singer, and songwriter. Remembered mostly for her deep, distinctive, mature singing voice, she was the lead singer on most of the recordings of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s. In her earliest recordings her voice was pitched very high.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maybelle Carter</span> American country musician (1909–1978)

"Mother" Maybelle Carter was an American country musician and "among the first" to use the Carter scratch, with which she "helped to turn the guitar into a lead instrument." It was named after her. She was a member of the original Carter Family act from the late 1920s until the early 1940s and a member of the Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle group.

The Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol metropolitan area is a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, United States, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It was formed in December 2003 by the merger of the Bristol (VA) MSA and Kingsport–Bristol (TN-VA) MSA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carter Family Fold</span> Musical performance and concert venue in Virginia

The Carter Family Fold is a musical performance and concert venue located near Hiltons, Virginia. It is dedicated to the preservation and performance of old time country and bluegrass music. It is named in honor of the original Carter Family, A.P., Sara, and Maybelle, who were among the earliest recording artists in country music, with their first records on RCA Victor being released in 1927. The Fold was founded by Janette Carter, daughter of A.P. and Sara Carter, in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janette Carter</span> Member of the Carter Family (1923–2006)

Janette Carter, daughter of musicians A.P. and Sara Carter, was an American musician involved in the preservation of Appalachian music.

Hiltons is an unincorporated community in Scott County, Virginia. It is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.

<i>Anchored in Love: Their Complete Victor Recordings (1927–1928)</i> 1993 compilation album by Carter Family

Anchored in Love: Their Complete Victor Recordings (1927–1928) is a compilation of recordings made by American country music group the Carter Family, released in 1993. It is the first of nine compilations released by Rounder Records of the group's Victor recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maybelle and Ezra Carter House</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

Maybelle and Ezra Carter House is a historic home located at Maces Spring, Scott County, Virginia. The original one-story, frame dwelling was enlarged by an additional 1/2-story for more bedroom space in the 1920s-1930s. The 1936 remodeling resulted in a vernacular interpretation of the popular Bungalow style. The house is most notable for its association with the Carter Family, a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. It was the home of Maybelle Addington Carter (1909–1978), who was married to Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Delaney Carter's (1891–1960) brother Ezra Carter (Eck).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mt. Vernon Methodist Church</span> Historic church in Virginia, United States

Mt. Vernon Methodist Church is a historic Methodist church in Maces Spring, Virginia, United States. It was built about 1895 and is a one-story, rectangular frame structure with gable roof and simple wooden steeple. The church is most notable for its association with the Carter Family, a traditional American Country music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Behind the church is the cemetery containing the graves of Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Delaney Carter (1891–1960) and his wife Sara Dougherty Carter (1898–1979).

Ezra J. Carter was a member of the Carter Family of Virginia. Ezra Carter managed the famous Carter Family, a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. He was the husband of Maybelle Addington Carter (1909–1978), brother of Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Delaney Carter (1891–1960) and father of Helen Carter (1927–1998), June Carter (1929–2003) and Anita Carter (1933–1999).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Dougherty Carter</span> American musician

Joseph Dougherty "Joe" Carter was a member of the Carter Family, an American country/folk music group.

References

  1. "Maces Spring, Virginia". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. "Our Location". carterfamilyfold.org. The Carter Family Memorial Music Center. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  4. Carter Family TR

Further reading

36°40′20″N82°24′10″W / 36.67222°N 82.40278°W / 36.67222; -82.40278