Mountain Furniture

"Bedroom and parlor sets of black walnut, oak or white ash of the latest style
and as cheap as Eastern made work."

James H. McCampbell, Advertisement, Bakersville, NC, 1876

Many of the region's earliest pioneers brought at least a few pieces of furniture with them as they moved into the Blue Ridge. Among these settlers were skilled cabinetmakers who made their services available, perhaps on a barter basis. These individuals not only possessed the ability to make furniture but also arrived with a knowledge of eastern styles. Before the Civil War these styles changed more slowly in the mountains than on the coast, but after the war information on the latest tastes became widely available.

Mountain furniture generally exhibits a tendency to be less ornate than Eastern furniture of the same time period. Also there was a substitution of native mountain woods, particularly walnut and cherry, for the more exotic ones, like mahogany, used in high-style furniture of the East.

Furniture made in the mountains has been difficult to study because the makers are often anonymous, and information about individual pieces is usually scanty.

Examples of Mountain Furniture

Weasel  |  Spinning Wheel  |  Painted and Grained Blanket Chest
Baby Cradle  |  Chest of Drawers, circa 1840  |  Corner Cupboard
Chest of Drawers, late 18^th Century  |  Corner Cupboard, circa 1840