wearin' of the plaid, The

On a quiet street in small-town Franklin, North Carolina, a lone piper, kilted in his regimental best, waits for his audience-and the other 13 members of his pipe band-to arrive.

He graciously postpones the whistle and skirl of his music in order to wave interested visitors into the Scottish Tartans Museum and Heritage Center. Nestled in the crags and clefts of the Appalachians, the museum proudly traces the history of Scotland, its ties to the American South, and the tartans that bridge the clans on both sides of the sea.

Exhibits tell the story of Scotland through a collection of maps, portraits, and videos, as well as dirks, shields, swords, and knives of the battling clans. Opened in June 1994, the museum taps into the abiding interest Southernersespecially those who live in the Appalachians-hold for their Scottish heritage. It also draws on the newly found enthusiasm stirred by Hollywood extravaganzas such as Rob Roy and Braveheart.

Of the more than 2,400 officially registered tartans-more commonly called plaids by Americansabout 500 are displayed on the museum's wall. Each pattern represents clans, families, and other groups. Those interested in tracing their own family tartans can use the museum's resources, which include reference books and a computer program.

Walter Taylor, resident historian and tour guide, takes pleasure in explaining the intricacies of donning the worsted fabric. "Kilts are supposed to be wool, and they can have different types of pleats: box, knife, or a combination of the two. Non-Scots may wear a tartan called `Hunting Stewart,' which is a national tartan. But it's not good form for anyone except the royal family to wear the Royal Stewart Tartan [a popular scarlet pattern]."

Because of the armed conflicts between England and Scotland, wearing tartans-a wartime outfit for the Scots-was forbidden until the late 18th century. Now, of course, the pattern is everywhere, and new ones are registered by the Scottish Tartans Society every day.

On weekends from May through October, the facility plays host to a number of special events, including concerts of traditional music, workshops about Scottish history, Highland dancing exhibitions, and seminars on weaving.

After your glimpse of Scotland's history, be sure to stop in the gift shop. There you'll find caps, kilts, ties, books, and other souvenirs. Listen carefully and you might also be fortunate enough to hear the distinctive sounds of a 14-member pipe band, dressed in traditional kilts and marching proudly to the beat of another time.

Scottish Tartans Museum and Heritage Center: 95 East Main Street, Franklin, NC 28734; (704) 524-7472. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $2 adults, $1 seniors and students.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Feb 1997
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