TRAIL OF LONESOME PINE / DIX DAM

Genre: home movie

Description: Shot by an unknown amateur filmmaker, this silent home movie takes viewers to Kentucky in 1937. It is a sun washed day dream through the heart of the Appalachian littered with spindly pine trees and ghosts of film history’s past. The film includes a look at the Dix Dam in Garrard County, Cumberland Falls State Park as well as the Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park in LaRue County. Dix Dam was erected in 1923 on the Dix River as a way to generate hydro electricity and prevent flooding of the Kentucky River. It also produced Herrington Lake. In 1937, Kentucky was hit with a major flood; the Ohio River Flood, and War Admiral took the win at the Kentucky Derby. (Note: "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" is also a 1908 novel about appalachia; it was made into an adventure romance western film based in 1936, just a year before this film was shot. Virginia State Route 160, which runs from the Kentucky state line to Appalachia, Virginia, is also known as the Trail of the Lonesome Pine. ) This short opens with images of a sign noting the start of Trail of the Lonesome Pine (:09). Shots capture skinny pine trees (:25) along the trail. A bubbling small waterfall rolls over rocks (:31) as an elated child watches. Wide shots cover lush hills (:44). Overhead views pass over the city (:56) and residential area. Highways snake out from a grid of suburban homes (1:19). A river cuts through thick foliage (1:31). A wooden observation tower follows (1:53). A monument near Cumberland Falls stands dedicated to T. Coleman duPont (2:09). In 1932, duPont purchased the lands which are now known as Cumberland Falls State Park as a gift for the state of Kentucky. Due to politics this gift was in fact initially rejected and was not accepted until after his death. Dupont got his start in the coal mines eventually branching out into the street railway industry. Another waterfall appears (2:16). Close shots capture the spray of the falls twirling into the air (3:21). A mother and son play behind the water (3:33). The young boy hides in a stone alcove (3:40). Colonial style homes appear (3:50). The boy in red stands against a wood fence (3:58). The family tours the Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park (4:09). Cattle cut across the dirt road (4:10). A red farm home (4:26) and catholic church follow (4:32). This might be the St. Rose Priory. Brown and white cows wander in the pasture (4:39). A sign points to Dix Dam (4:53). Overhead shots peer into the dam (5:04). A couple crosses a wooden bridge (5:37). A generating station follows (6:10). A train runs over a covered high bridge (6:23). Another covered bridge runs for Boone Tunnel (6:55). Stunning shots from a view on the bridge watch cars and a bus drive through (7:02). The film concludes with shots peering through the tunnel (7:17).

Complete Record: Shot by an unknown amateur filmmaker, this silent home movie takes viewers to Kentucky in 1937. It is a sun washed day dream through the heart of the Appalachian littered with spindly pine trees and ghosts of film history’s past. The film includes a look at the Dix Dam in Garrard County, Cumberland Falls State Park as well as the Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park in LaRue County. Dix Dam was erected in 1923 on the Dix River as a way to generate hydro electricity and prevent flooding of the Kentucky River. It also produced Herrington Lake. In 1937, Kentucky was hit with a major flood; the Ohio River Flood, and War Admiral took the win at the Kentucky Derby. (Note: "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" is also a 1908 novel about appalachia; it was made into an adventure romance western film based in 1936, just a year before this film was shot. Virginia State Route 160, which runs from the Kentucky state line to Appalachia, Virginia, is also known as the Trail of the Lonesome Pine. ) This short opens with images of a sign noting the start of Trail of the Lonesome Pine (:09). Shots capture skinny pine trees (:25) along the trail. A bubbling small waterfall rolls over rocks (:31) as an elated child watches. Wide shots cover lush hills (:44). Overhead views pass over the city (:56) and residential area. Highways snake out from a grid of suburban homes (1:19). A river cuts through thick foliage (1:31). A wooden observation tower follows (1:53). A monument near Cumberland Falls stands dedicated to T. Coleman duPont (2:09). In 1932, duPont purchased the lands which are now known as Cumberland Falls State Park as a gift for the state of Kentucky. Due to politics this gift was in fact initially rejected and was not accepted until after his death. Dupont got his start in the coal mines eventually branching out into the street railway industry. Another waterfall appears (2:16). Close shots capture the spray of the falls twirling into the air (3:21). A mother and son play behind the water (3:33). The young boy hides in a stone alcove (3:40). Colonial style homes appear (3:50). The boy in red stands against a wood fence (3:58). The family tours the Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park (4:09). Cattle cut across the dirt road (4:10). A red farm home (4:26) and catholic church follow (4:32). This might be the St. Rose Priory. Brown and white cows wander in the pasture (4:39). A sign points to Dix Dam (4:53). Overhead shots peer into the dam (5:04). A couple crosses a wooden bridge (5:37). A generating station follows (6:10). A train runs over a covered high bridge (6:23). Another covered bridge runs for Boone Tunnel (6:55). Stunning shots from a view on the bridge watch cars and a bus drive through (7:02). The film concludes with shots peering through the tunnel (7:17).