An area state historic site is inviting visitors to join them next weekend for a sweet treat.
Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site is hosting the 13th annual Making Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Have you ever wondered how maple syrup makes its way from inside a tree to on top of your pancakes? Did you know it takes 10 gallons of sap to make a single quart of maple syrup?
The Making Maple Syrup Festival presents a chance for visitors to discover the history, lore, and method of making maple syrup.
“They will be doing a presentation on how to make maple syrup and how to tap the trees,” said Matthew Frye, Associate Director of Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site.

Volunteers Oscar Wagner and his friends will extract the sap from maple trees located on the site grounds. The volunteers will then boil the sap down over a wood-fired furnace until it becomes the rich, flavorful maple syrup that you can find at the grocery store.
Frye said the day’s events will begin at 8 a.m. with breakfast. Once visitors finish breakfast, they can tour the grounds, or assist the volunteers with collecting and cooking the sap.
Visitors are invited to bring the whole family and help Oscar with the gathering and boiling of the sap or to search the grounds finding the tapped trees. The cave will also be open for exploration.
The historic home will be open for tours, and Frye said there will be other activities for visitors to enjoy.
“They will be doing a demonstration on open hearth cooking in the cabin,” Frye said, adding visitors can sample the tasty treats that will be baked.
Tipton-Haynes will be serving pancakes with coffee and juice from 8-10:30 a.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $2.50 for children 12 and under (children 3 and under are free). Breakfast is $1 extra for everyone. Admission is free for Tipton-Haynes members. Donations are welcomed and will go to help the site continue its mission values.
Tipton-Haynes is a Tennessee Historical Commission State-Owned Historic Site. Tipton-Haynes is located in South Johnson City at 2620 South Roan St. For additional information, please call 423-926-3631 or email tiptonhaynes@embarqmail.com.