The County and Town of Unicoi derive their name from the Cherokee word “unaka’a,” meaning “fog-shrouded”—and indeed the mountains in this area, within sight of the Great Smoky Mountains, often display wisps of fog and a mantle of low-hanging clouds. Unicoi offers the peace and tranquility of a small mountain community within ten minutes of the shopping, restaurants, arts, and services of Johnson City and within twenty minutes of historic Jonesborough, Tennessee, home of the International Storytelling Center.
Tanasi (pronounced tah-nah’-see) is the origin of the word Tennessee. Tanasi was the name of a large Cherokee village located in what is now Monroe County, Tennessee, on the banks of the Little Tennessee River (known to the Cherokee as the Callamaco River). Tanasi served as the unofficial capital of the Cherokee nation in the early 1700s. The Tanasi Arts and Heritage Center was created to showcase Tennessee mountain arts, crafts, music, drama, dance, literature, history and heritage, food, and natural beauty.
The Center is being developed in two phases. The temporary home of the Tanasi Center is currently housed in the Unicoi Visitor's Center, within sight of the Center’s future facility. The Tanasi Gallery will find works from many of the regional artists for sale . Periodic demonstrations are held on the grounds of the Tourism & Information Center.
The planned Center facility will have an interpretative area telling the history of art in the Appalachian Mountains. Guest studios will provide a creative space for regional artists and craftspeople, and serve as demonstration and teaching areas so that Appalachian art can be passed on to future generations. In addition to artist galleries, there will be special exhibits that will depict the customs and life of the Tennessee mountains, and works form local craftsfolk will be available for purchase in the facility’s gift shop.
The plans for the new center include both outdoor and indoor venues to serve as performance space for local musicians and performers. A restaurant that will specialize in delicious locally grown foods prepared in the traditional Tennessee mountain style. In order to support local community building the center will also have modern conference facilities to provide comfortable meeting spaces for groups of various sizes.
Tanasi (pronounced tah-nah’-see) is the origin of the word Tennessee. Tanasi was the name of a large Cherokee village located in what is now Monroe County, Tennessee, on the banks of the Little Tennessee River (known to the Cherokee as the Callamaco River). Tanasi served as the unofficial capital of the Cherokee nation in the early 1700s. The Tanasi Arts and Heritage Center was created to showcase Tennessee mountain arts, crafts, music, drama, dance, literature, history and heritage, food, and natural beauty.
The Center is being developed in two phases. The temporary home of the Tanasi Center is currently housed in the Unicoi Visitor's Center, within sight of the Center’s future facility. The Tanasi Gallery will find works from many of the regional artists for sale . Periodic demonstrations are held on the grounds of the Tourism & Information Center.
The planned Center facility will have an interpretative area telling the history of art in the Appalachian Mountains. Guest studios will provide a creative space for regional artists and craftspeople, and serve as demonstration and teaching areas so that Appalachian art can be passed on to future generations. In addition to artist galleries, there will be special exhibits that will depict the customs and life of the Tennessee mountains, and works form local craftsfolk will be available for purchase in the facility’s gift shop.
The plans for the new center include both outdoor and indoor venues to serve as performance space for local musicians and performers. A restaurant that will specialize in delicious locally grown foods prepared in the traditional Tennessee mountain style. In order to support local community building the center will also have modern conference facilities to provide comfortable meeting spaces for groups of various sizes.
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