(SNP026) Vallie Cave and Floyd Thomas interviewed by Dorothy Noble Smith and Octavia Allis, transcribed by Victoria M. Edwards

Authors

Vallie Cave
Floyd Thomas

Files

Interviewee

Cave, Vallie V.; Thomas, Floyd

Identifier

SNP026

Format

1 audio file (running time: 0:52:11)

Interview Number

SNP-26

Date of Interview

9-19-1978

Description

Records the reminiscences of Vallie Cave, (née Thomas), and her brother, Floyd Thomas, who were born and raised near Bootens Gap, Virginia, prior to the establishment of Shenandoah National Park in 1934. Describes home and family life, daily chores, schooling, holidays and community events. Among the topics discussed are the growing, harvesting and preserving of food, soap making, raising livestock and wild game hunting. Includes references to trapping, moonshining, courtship, the chestnut tree blight, Camp Hoover and meetings with President Hoover. This collection includes two copies of the typed transcript, which note that the transcript is unfinished, with approximately another 15 minutes of taped interview remaining. Also included is a handwritten transcript containing minor notes omitted from the typed copies.

Rights

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Personal Names

Cave, Vallie V., 1906-1990; Thomas, Floyd; Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964 -- Homes and Haunts -- Virginia -- Madison County; Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964 -- Anecdotes

Family Names

Cave family; Thomas family

Subjects

Mountain people -- Blue Ridge Mountains -- Social life and customs; Mountain life -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) – History; Mountain people -- Virginia -- Shenandoah National Park -- Social life and customs; Rural poor – Virginia; Farm life -- Appalachian Region, Southern; Country life -- Appalachian Region, Southern; Agriculture -- Appalachian Region, Southern; Food habits -- Appalachian Region, Southern; Canning and preserving – History; Cookery – Virginia; Chestnut blight; Folklore -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) – History; Holidays -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) – History; Traditional medicine -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.); Folk music -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.); Courtship -- Virginia – History; Trapping – Virginia; Distilling, Illicit -- Virginia"

Place Names

Shenandoah National Park (Va.) -- History, Local; Bootens Gap (Va.) – History; Camp Hoover (Va.) – History; Page County (Va.) – History; Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Manners and customs

Interviewer

Smith, Dorothy Noble, 1915-1999; Allis, Octavia

Transcriber

Edwards, Victoria M.

Collection Title

Shenandoah National Park oral history collection

Collection Number

SdArch SNP

Recommended Citation

Vallie V. Cave and Floyd Thomas interviewed by Dorothy Noble Smith and Octavia Allis, September 19, 1978, SdArch SNP-26, Shenandoah National Park Oral History Collection, 1964-1999, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University

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