My Jellico Treasure Box

From the time that I was a child my biggest passion was walking through the rural mountains surrounding Jellico Tennessee. Sometimes my daddy would take us into the mountains where we'd camp out and explore for days. Our daddy was also a skilled hunter so when we was out on our adventures we ate off the land which made it even more exciting as a young boy.

Me and my brothers helped our daddy pick a whole lot of ginseng over the years right here in the Jellico Mountains. To the best of my memory he never sold his ginseng. What mama didn't use for soups, medicines and teas was shared with friends and family who use it for the exact same things.

We picked our share of mushrooms here in the mountains too. Daddy's favorite mushroom was The Hen of The Woods. This mushroom resembles a hen with ruffled feathers both in size and appearance and is most commonly found under big oak trees around the Jellico Mountains. As a youngster I didn't appreciate ginseng very much, however bringing home a big sack full of mushrooms was a real treat. Our mama made some of the best dishes I have ever ate from those mushrooms. Soups, steaks, burgers, salads it was limitless at what she could do with them. Still today I enjoy venturing into the mountains in search of some good ol' Hens of The Woods. There is absolutely no mushroom from the store that can compare.

"When hunting for mushrooms it's vital to know how to identify them. Many of the mushrooms around here are poisonous so please be careful."

I have also found everything from arrowheads, old coins to geodes. These days I'm sure that most of these treasures have been picked over if not destroyed. I rest assured that there is still much to be found. In fact I take my grandkids exploring the mountains from time to time. Recently we found another beautiful arrow head that my son had made into a necklace for his wife.

I have a collection of old coins that I have found over the years (mostly in my childhood days) my wife keeps them in a velvet lined box. I found them all right here in the Jellico mountains. Some of them are valued particularly high while others remain special only to me. I often sift through them and try to imagine where all they have traveled. Where they came from and how they got here. Many people have offered to buy my collection over the years. There is no price for having such history in my hands and being able to share it with my kids and now with my grandkids.

Perhaps the most beautiful and interesting of my local treasures are the few geodes that I have found. A geode is a rock with a small cavity lined with crystals or other mineral matter. If you have ever seen one for yourself then you know just how beautiful that they are. I found these many years ago along the northern mountain range around Jellico (the Black Oak area) Until recently I was unaware of how rare that it is to find one of these beautiful creations. They are much more commonly found further into Kentucky (although still a rare find). One of my geodes weighs a whopping 9 pounds. Over the years I have made gifts for my wife from a couple of them. Buying little knick -knacks and placing inside of them makes a stunning display.

Identifying a geode can be tricky. If you're lucky when you find one it'll already be cracked but if it isn't, look for rocks that are unusually round. The unique round shape can be a clue about the inner cavity that allows the crystals to form. Look for a lumpy surface that somewhat resembles cauliflower. Shake the rock. Sometimes crystals within the geode break loose and rattle when shaken.

Inside of my treasure box are also a few fossils that I have found near the creeks and rivers around Jellico. They are yet another glance at the past and I can sit for hours just looking at them. Most of what I have found around here are simple fossils like flowers or insects but still, they are extremely interesting and nice to look at.

During my mountain adventures I have also found a few pieces of old jewelry. Some of which appears to be extremely old while others look to be more modern. I once found a very old, hand made spoon ring. A jeweler that was once in Williamsburg Kentucky, identified it as being from the 1930's. My lovely wife still wears it to this day and she claims it as her most favorite piece of jewelry.

My son (now in his 30's) found an extremely old water canteen inside of a cave located in the surrounding mountains. He was only 12 years old when he made this find. It still remains his most prized possession. We was told that it is an old war canteen. I can't swear to this information but what we do know is that it's certainly very old. We often talk about it and try to imagine how to ended up in that cave.

My youngest granddaughter has collected a shoe box full of various shells that she's found around the area. Since she was a small child she'd collect them. I would help her carefully clean and shine each one. She is now a grown woman with children of her own. Her shell collection remains with her and she has always refused to let it go. Although it's simple, it means the world to her. When cleaned, shined and properly cared for these little shells can make a rather beautiful keep sake. She has embellished a few of them with shiny rhinestones and they are absolutely gorgeous.

I am very proud of my Jellico Treasure Box not for it's value but for all of the priceless memories that it contains. It's also wonderful knowing that these little pieces of history was found here in my own back yard.

Maybe you could start your very own Jellico treasure box. It's a fun activity to start with the young ones. It's something that they can cherish for years to come. Every piece will hold a memory that they'll never forget.

There is no place like home and there is no place in the world like Jellico Tennessee.