Mr. Queen Meets the Queen

Sam Love Queen, whose family has lived in Haywood County for generations, was known affectionately as the “dancingest man in the land.” Queen sits front and center in this photo, among the other members of the folk dance group he established: the famous Soco Gap Square Dance Team.

Folk dancing enjoyed a revival in the 1930’s and Queen’s dance team soon developed a local and national reputation, performing at barn dances, festivals, and prestigious venues like the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. In 1939, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt invited the team to dance at the White House to celebrate a visit from the King and Queen of England. Sam Love Queen and his team danced on this occasion and beyond, keeping the heritage of square dancing alive in Haywood County for 42 years.

Sam Love Queen’s grandson, Joe Sam Queen, carries on the tradition of his grandfather as he directs the annual Smoky Mountain Folk Festival at Lake Junaluska. He also does the calls for summer street dances in Downtown Waynesville.

Photograph courtesy of Haywood County Historical & Genealogical Society, The Mountaineer