Talk:Hungry Mother State Park

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NRHP added April 12, 2007 NR 07000303 [1]

Hungry Mother legend: more info

This is from the referenced PDF:

The park derives its name from the creek that was allegedly named for an incident that occurred during the Indian occupation of the area prior to any formal or permanent English settlement. There are varying versions of the story. The versions of the story were published in 1936 and within a booklet sold at the park by the Commission on Conservation and Development. The stories were also highlighted in publication materials on the park system opening in 1936 in press material around the state. The versions of the story all include the story of a hungry child crying, “Hungry, Mammy” or “I am hungry, mammy.” One version states that a woman named Molly, who had a cabin on the what is today Molly’s Knob, was found dead and the child beside her dead body was crying, “Hungry, Mammy.” Another version states that in the pioneer days a young woman whose husband died wandered off the trail heading toward her relatives. She perished on the trail in the vicinity of the creek and a child was found near her body crying, “Hungry, Mammy.” Another version of the story states that little boy wandered off into the woods from a settler’s cabin and was lost. When found near the creek, his first words were, “I am hungry, Mammy.” What was considered the most reliable version of the story was that Indians raided a settlement and killed the husband of a pioneer couple and carried off his wife and child. The woman was able to elude her captors with her son and marked her trail, which rescuers were able to follow. When they came across the woman and her son, the young boy cried, “Hungry, Mammy.” This version of the story was passed down by the Coperhaver family, who were residents of the area.

According to Mack Sturgill, the legend of “Hungry Mother” has been incorporated into the Stalnaker family tradition. The Stalnaker family resided in the area of Hungry Mother Creek in 1749. Captain Samuel Stalnaker had two cabins in the vicinity of the creek. In 1755 a scalping party of Shawnee Indians attacked the isolated settlements along the Middle Fork of the Holston River. Stalnaker was captured and his wife and another Stalnaker relative were killed. It is assumed that the other Stalnaker, Adam, was the son of Captain Stalnaker. A version of the 1755 story includes the initial survival of Mrs. Stalnaker who escaped along the creek. She was pursued by a rescue party and was found dead with a starving child at her side crying, “Hungry, Mammy.” According to this version, the story so moved the rescue party they referred to the creek as Hungry Mother Creek.

The stories of the young boy crying “Hungry Mammy” is what led to the naming of the creek within the park, Hungry Mother Creek. The versions of the legend highlight Indian attacks of the mid to late 18th century which were common along the New River. While it is possible there is some accuracy to the story, early land records reflect that the creek was named Hungers Mother in a plat of the lands around the creek in 1774. Hungers was an 18th century Virginia name mentioned in area deeds as early as 1625. Though no specific “Hungers” have been identified in the area the naming of the creek remains a mystery. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Doranchak (talk • contribs) 16:05, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places, Hungry Mother State Park Historic District, 26 Feb 2007, citing Mack Sturgill’s "Hungry Mother: History and Legends", Marion, Virginia: Friends of Hungry Mother State Park, June 2001. Naaman Brown (talk) 23:40, 6 September 2010 (UTC)

Hungry Mother Festival

The Hungry Mother Festival is held at the Hungry Mother State Park in Marion, Virginia. The event is sponsored by the Art League of Marion. During the three day event, visitors to the park can enjoy arts, crafts, entertainment, and food. While enjoying what the festival has to offer, visitors can explore and admire the natural beauty of the park's landscape. The July 2012 event dates marked the 39th anniversary of the Hungry Mother Festival. To find this information and more about the Hungry Mother Festival, visit www.hungrymotherfestival.com R.H. ODU (talk) 18:43, 11 November 2012 (UTC)

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