Frozen Head State Park Grand Opening for Historic Home Saturday June 7

Frozen Head State Park will host a Grand Opening for the historic Stonecipher Kelly House on the park grounds Saturday June 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with free admission.

The house documents the first group of white settlers in the northern Cumberland Plateau. The state purchased the home in 2014 for the purpose of restoring it.

“This is a treasured historical landmark, and we’re excited to open it to the public,” said Park Manager Jacob Ingram. “The house is in its original location, so we’re very proud to be a part of its story. We welcome everyone to join us for this special event.”

The oldest standing home in Morgan County, the house was built in 1814-15 by Ezra Stonecipher, a gunsmith and furniture maker as part of a family of German immigrants. In the mid-1800s, the Kelly family, linked to the Stoneciphers by marriage, bought the house and operated a large farm on the property, providing goods and services to the community. The Kellys passed on traditions and skills that are reflected in the house today. Dozens of Morgan County citizens can trace their lineage to the house and its original occupants.

The Grand Opening will feature tours of the house and grounds, the Smoky Mountain Model A Club, a traditional weaving demonstration, antique tractors, a cast iron cooking demonstration, and old-time music. The home is at 141 Beech Fork Road in Wartburg.

The restoration is the result of a collaboration between Tennessee State Parks, the Tennessee Historical Commission, Elizabeth Eaton Architecture, and King Construction.

The grounds contain interpretive signs and the opportunity for visitors to learn more about the site’s history with augmented reality through their phones. The home will be open seasonally, April–October, Thursdays-Sundays 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area encompasses more than 24,000 acres of wilderness and is named for a 3,324-foot peak in the Cumberland Mountains, the top of which is often shrouded in ice or snow in the winter months.