Massengill Barn

The Masengill Farm was established one year before the Declaration of Independance was signed and is the oldest certified Century farm in Tennessee. Located in Sullivan County and surrounding the state-owned historic sight, Rocky Mount, and crossing Hwy. 11-E, the farm was part of the Watauga Purchase, lands bought from the Cherokees on March 19, 1775. The Farm was founded by Henry Masengill Sr. and his wife Mary Cobb, sister of noted early settler William Cobb. By 1943, the great great grandson of the founders and his wife were operating a farm of over 700 acres. They raised Polled Herefords, mules, grains, and tobacco. In 1959, the Cobb and Masengill descendants agreed to sell a portion of the land to the State of tennessee to operate and interpret as a musuem of early settlement, political history, and farm life. Today, the owner remains an active manager on the family farm. The Masengill Farm is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The 'Triple Irish Chain' Block design came from a quilt that Ms. Sallie Massengil-Bell has on display at her home. The quilt was made by her mother in the early 1900's when the 'Irish Chain' pattern was popular among quilters.

The block was painted as a class art project by the Mary Hughes Middle School, under the direction of Ms. Barbara Miller. Each student in the middle school had a hand in painting this work of public art.