October 2026

Volume Eleven: Issue Ten  |  October 2026

Emma Bell Miles artwork from the Patten Family collection, shown with a first edition copy of Our Southern Birds. The field guide was first published in 1919, the same year she died.

October marks the birthday of Emma Bell Miles, noted naturalist, author, and artist whose contributions to Southern Appalachian literature and art are an enduring inspiration. Her spirit has long been woven into McCoy’s story, and in honor of her 147th birthday (October 19, 1879), we will be hosting a special Open House celebrating her life and legacy.

McCoy is honored to own more than 20 of her original works through gifts from private collections, and these will be on display in the Bachman-McCoy House alongside a small private collection generously on loan from the Patten Family. Together, these pieces offer a rare glimpse into her artistic eye for the mountains and nature she so loved. Also available for purchase will be copies of local author Anne L.S.B. Davis’s delightful children’s book, Emma Bell Miles and the Mystery of the Shoe Flower, the story of a grandmother sharing Miles’s life and love of nature with her granddaughter. Anne will be on site to share her love of Emma Bell Miles and sign copies of the book.

In 1892, Emma Bell Miles’s parents built a home on what is now the McCoy property. Emma grew up in this home and later lived there with her young family. The house burned decades later, but the steps and foundation are still visible today. We will offer walks to the homesite at 2:30 and 3:30pm. These leisurely strolls offer a chance to stand where Miles herself once lived and found inspiration for her writing and art.

The Bachman-McCoy House will be open from 2:00 to 4:00pm. Docents will be on hand to welcome visitors, give tours, answer questions, and share the property’s history and the stories of the families who have called it home. Come join us for an afternoon honoring one of Appalachia’s most treasured voices.

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Join members of the Chattanooga Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society on our Fall Migratory Bird Walk. This is a great time to see our year-round feathered friends, as well as those just passing through. All ages are welcome. Bring your binoculars if you have them, and meet at the Welcome Station at the edge of the Horse Ring Parking Lot at 8:00am.

Check Out McCoy on eBird

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Garden & Grounds Groups Need Your Help!

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Volunteers are essential to McCoy Farm & Gardens.

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Contact McCoy Farm & Gardens at katie@mccoywalden.org to learn more about renting space at McCoy for your next event.

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Or mail your check to McCoy Farm & Gardens, P.O. Box 443, Signal Mountain, TN 37377.

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If you would like to support McCoy in this tax-advantaged way, please contact our office at 423-598-1658.

McCoy Farm & Gardens is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. All contributions are charitable and tax deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law.

McCoy Farm & Gardens is grateful to our Annual Sponsors, whose support allows the continued restoration and improvement of the property and buildings, as well as the expansion of McCoy’s programming. If you are interested in more information about becoming an Annual Sponsor, please check out our Partners page.

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McCoy Farm & Gardens encompasses 38 acres and features the Bachman-McCoy House, gardens, and several outbuildings, including the Pavilion, Carriage House, Barn, and Blacksmith Workshop. Our Level 2 Arboretum contains 72 species. With over 2 miles of trails, the grounds also include the site of the former home of artist, poet, and naturalist Emma Bell Miles.