Take a break!
Some things to do while here...

When you need a break from the conference’s busy schedule, take time to explore this wonderful area.  Within a few minutes you can be in the workshops of skilled craftsmen, or in a unique academic setting, or at scenic areas of great beauty. Whatever your interests, available time, or physical condition, there is something in this area to delight and refresh you.

Contents
Before & After the Conference
Hiking Trails and Scenic Overlooks
Historic Sites
Skilled Artisans
Restaurants
Other Joys and Treasures

SCMC is very grateful to long-standing conferee, Janet Perkins, and conference-lover, Pam Collier, intrepid  explorers and contributors of joyful things for us to experience!

But first...where ARE we?

YOU ARE HERE...

Tennessee is part of the South Cumberland Plateau, an area that extends from Knoxville to Nashville and south toward Chattanooga and is the largest remaining forested plateau in the continental U.S.  Looking around, the countryside seems rather flat and uneventful, but the edges of the Plateau are fissured into spectacular steep-walled gorges (called gulfs) where streams plunge into deep pools surrounded by rock walls and lush vegetation.   Views from cliff-tops are spectacular and swimming is permitted in the plunge pools under the waterfalls.  DuBose Conference Center sits near many of these scenic areas that have been set aside for preservation and public enjoyment.  This is part of the Appalachian region and shares both its beauty and history of hard work and hard times. From the early 1800’s settlers, many of them immigrants, farmed, mined coal, distilled moonshine and cherished their independence. Educational institutions and religious communities played a strong role in this immediate area, as did resorts for those escaping the summer heat of the cities.  Even so, for the majority of folks, jobs have been scarce and the economic hardships very real.

Now, there is increasing pressure on the area with resort and housing developers taking an increased interest. Use this opportunity to enjoy the gifts of space and simplicity that may not linger.

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