Beyond the Barstool: an Ethnography of The Woodland Inn / Uncle Joe’s Woodpile
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2012-09
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MA in Cultural Sustainability
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Collection may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. To obtain information or permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Goucher Special Collections & Archives at 410-337-6347 or email archives@goucher.edu.
Abstract
In Beyond the Barstool, author Sarah Umstot simultaneously investigated and promoted sustainability through the utilization of skills in the areas of documentation, interviewing, participant observation fieldwork, primary source research, and partnership development to produce an ethnography based on Uncle Joe’s Woodpile, formerly the Woodland Inn, located in Short Gap, West Virginia. Her primary goal was to document and archive the memories and rich oral history that support this communal cultural landmark to inspire action that contributed to the continued cultural vitality and sustainability of the area. The Woodpile has helped shape family traditions, reinforce beloved musical preferences specific to the area, promote bonds between families and friends, bridge the gap between the young and the old, and foster a broadened sense of community among local residents. Specifically, she documented and compiled a series of interviews from past and present patrons, owners, lessees, and employees of The Woodpile. Photographic documentation accompanied each interview. The resulting data and materials culminated into an ethnography – literally, a graphing or describing of the people – of the Woodpile community. These interviews accompany photographs and historical documentation of relevance to the conversation or stories represented. The research presented here is complementary to the archival inventory of artifacts and historical documentation that Ms. Lara Justis has completed on a subject related to Uncle Joe’s Woodpile.