>> Deborah: RECENTLY, PRODUCER DEREK LONG PULLED OFF THE FAST
LANE AND STOPPED IN MINT HILL, WHERE HE STEPPED BACK IN TIME
AT THE CARL J. McEWEN HISTORIC VILLAGE.
>> Derek: THE MINT HILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S CARL J.
McEWEN HISTORIC VILLAGE IS A COLLECTION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS
AND ARTIFACTS THAT TELL THE STORY OF MINT HILL.
>> THE PERIOD THAT WE COVER IS 1880-1930.
MINT HILL HAS NO ELECTRICITY AT THAT TIME.
WE HAD NO PAVED ROADS.
IT WAS A VERY RURAL FARMING COMMUNITY.
IN THE SUMMER, WE HAVE, UM, A FARMERS MARKET.
IT RUNS FROM MAY UNTIL OCTOBER.
WE HAVE VENDORS THAT SELL FOOD.
THEY SIT AND EAT LUNCH OR EAT BREAKFAST AND LISTEN TO THE
MUSICIANS AND SHOP FOR THEIR FRESH VEGETABLES AND CRAFTS.
>> Derek: THE VILLAGE IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND FOR STUDENT GROUPS
AND OTHERS THANKS TO THEIR DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, WHICH MAKE
IT POSSIBLE.
MANY STRUCTURES AND EXHIBITS, LIKE THE FULLY FUNCTIONAL
BLACKSMITH SHOP, THE GASOLINE FILLING STATION, RAMPS,
WALKWAYS, THE BANDSTAND, AND OTHERS ARE THE RESULT OF EAGLE
SCOUT PROJECTS.
>> WE HAVE AN EAGLE POLE HERE SO THAT WE CAN HONOR EACH EAGLE
SCOUT, BECAUSE THEIR PROJECTS ARE SIGNIFICANT.
WE HAVE ABOUT 20 VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE OUR DOCENTS THAT LEAD THE
TOURS.
>> Derek: AT THE ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE.
>> WE TALK TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT THEIR DAY WOULD HAVE BEEN
LIKE DURING THE LATE 1800s.
A LOT OF THE LESSONS THAT THEY HAD DURING THAT TIMEFRAME MAY
HAVE BEEN POEMS THAT THEY MEMORIZED OR BIBLE VERSES, AND
THEY WOULD DO SOME MATH.
IF A STUDENT MISBEHAVED, THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE
CORNER FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
THEY MIGHT HAVE ALSO BEEN SPANKED.
WE ALSO HAVE THEM DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AS IF IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN THE LATE 1800s, AND THEY SEEM TO REALLY ENJOY THAT
EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE, UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO COMPARE IT TO THE, UM,
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE THAT THEY SAY TODAY.
>> Derek: THE ASSAYERS OFFICE CAME FROM THE NEARBY SURFACE
HILL GOLD MINE.
>> WE HAVE ASSAY OFFICES BECAUSE THE EARLIEST GOLD RUSH IN THE
UNITED STATES ACTUALLY OCCURRED RIGHT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
A MINER WOULD BRING IN HIS ORE SAMPLE, AND THE ASSAY OFFICER
WOULD BASICALLY PROCESS IT TO DETERMINE, A, WHETHER IT WAS
ACTUALLY GOLD AND, B, WHETHER THERE WAS ENOUGH GOLD IN THE ORE
FOR THE MINER'S CLAIM TO BE WORTH WORKING.
>> Derek: THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE WAS THE FIRST BUILDING ACQUIRED
BY THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND WAS USED BY THE TOWN'S FIRST TWO
DOCTORS.
>> PRIMARILY, THE DOCTORS REMOVED TEETH, SET BONES,
TONSILLECTOMIES.
THEY WERE SOMEWHAT LIMITED.
MOSTLY BIRTHING BABIES.
AND BOTH DOCTORS WERE VERY WELL TRAINED.
THEY BOTH WENT TO COLLEGE FOR FOUR YEARS AND MEDICAL SCHOOL
FOR FOUR YEARS.
AND, OF COURSE, THE DOCTORS MADE THEIR OWN MEDICINE.
THEY HAD HERB GARDENS, AND THEY WOULD GRIND UP THE HERBS IN LIKE
A COFFEE GRINDER, AND THEN THEY WOULD TAKE THEM AND PULVERIZE
THEM TO MAKE A VERY FINE POWDER.
AND THEN THEY WOULD TAKE THE POWDER AND PUT IT IN THE PALM OF
THEIR HAND, ADD A FEW DROPS OF OIL, JUST LIKE COOKING OIL OR
GLYCERIN.
THEY WOULD RUB IT TOGETHER AND MAKE LIKE A SMALL WORM, LIKE A
PENCIL, AND THEY WOULD PLACE IT ON A PILL ROLLER, AND THIS IS A
PILL ROLLER, AND IT HAS THE GRILLE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A HALF
CIRCLE ON THE LID AND A HALF CIRCLE ON THE BOTTOM.
THIS LID HAS A VERY SHARP BLADE ON IT.
THEY WOULD PLACE THAT WORM IN FRONT OF THAT GRILLE, AND THEY
WOULD PUT THE LID ON, AND THEY WOULD CUT THROUGH THAT WORM, AND
WHEN THEY DID, 20 PERFECTLY SHAPED LITTLE ROUND PILLS WOULD
ROLL DOWN INTO THE -- LIKE A TROUGH-LIKE AREA.
>> THIS IS IRA B. FERGUSON'S COUNTRY STORE, AND WE USUALLY
CALL IT THE WALMART OF 1900.
THE BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1920.
IRA FERGUSON HAD THIS COLD CELLAR BUILT INTO THE BUILDING,
WHICH WAS RARE FOR A COUNTRY STORE, TO HAVE A COLD CELLAR.
THE COUNTRY STORES HAD COLD CELLARS IN TOWNS BUT NOT IN THE
MINT HILL AREA, BUT HE DID.
CREATION OF THIS VILLAGE REALLY WAS AN EVOLUTION.
IT JUST EVOLVED.
AS WE GOT NEW BUILDINGS, THEN OUR PLAN WOULD CHANGE.
WE JUST MADE IT PART OF THE VILLAGE, AND WE HAD TO BUY
ADDITIONAL LAND.
WE BOUGHT ADDITIONAL LAND THREE TIMES NOW.
WE'RE JUST GROWING SO FAST.
AND WE NEED MORE.
>> Derek: THIS IS DEREK LONG FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."