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# Asheville Museum of History

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Blog](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/blog/)
- [Muni (2020, Bonesteel Films)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/muni/) - For one month this summer, beginning June 18th through July 18th, the Asheville Museum of History will screen Paul Bonesteel's important documentary on Asheville's Municipal Golf Course, Muni. The film will play in our gallery every hour at the Museum.
- [History Hour | The Kingdom of the Happy Land](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/history-hour-the-kingdom-of-the-happy-land/) - History Hour | The Kingdom of the Happy Land Video Courtesty of UNCA Ramsey Library Video Production Click Here to Watch Recorded Program About the Program: In this presentation, Ronnie Pepper introduces attendees to the history of the Kingdom of the Happy Land and the individuals and families who resided there. In
- [2025: Leigh Ann Henion's Night Magic](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2025-leigh-ann-henions-night-magic/) - “In some cultures, a cord of three strands represents individuality, family, and community. With Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark, Leigh Ann Henion has woven a wonderful triple braid. First and foremost, she celebrates the individuality of living things – both fauna and flora - who
- [2023: David Joy's Those We Thought We Knew](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2024-no-award-given/) - “We felt that Those We Thought We Knew was a book that represented the traditions of our region but addressed a subject that we too often ignore. David Joy, in his non-fiction essays and his novels, has always presented a view of Appalachia that challenges our assumptions about mountain people. He writes of
- [2024: No Award Given](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2024-no-award-given-2/)
- [2019: Back of Beyond by George Ellison and Janet McCue](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2019-back-of-beyond-by-george-ellison-and-janet-mccue/) - “The committee was especially struck by the depth of research and the objective and nuanced perspective that Ellison and McCue show in their work. This book will long serve as a comprehensive picture for a casual reader and a wealth of sources and information for researchers,” said Brandon Johnson, Chair of the
- [Grounds & Garden](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/grounds-garden/) - Grounds and gardening volunteers help shape the experience of visitors by maintaining the museum landscape and the variety of plants on the grounds. Our museum features a c1900 Olmsted Brothers landscape design, and it adds to the uniqueness and interpretive value of this former home. These volunteers will coordinate with our Facilities and
- [Fall 2024 - Summer 2025: The Photography of Andrea Clark: Remembering Asheville’s East End Community](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/andrea-clark/) - Now on View - Part II of The Photography of Andrea Clark: Remembering Asheville's East End Community Part I: September 21, 2024 - February 8, 2025 Part II: February 12, 2025 - Early Summer 2025 Part II - Wednesday, February 12, 2025 through Saturday, May 31st, 2025 The Photography of Andrea Clark:
- [Museum of History Honors Lost Community Through Andrea Clark's Photography (The Laurel of Asheville)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/museum-of-history-honors-lost-community-through-andrea-clarks-photography/) - Read More
- [Fall 2023 - Summer 2024: Palaces for the People, Guastavino's Great American Places](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/guastavino/)
- [Docent](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/docent/) - Docents are at the front-line of our mission. Quite literally, you are likely to be the first and last person visitors will interact with in the museum, and you may help shape their experience substantially beyond the capacity of exhibits and written information. Our museum is open for primarily self-guided tours where visitors can wonder
- [Programs Manager Opening](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/3697-2/) - Asheville Museum of History Seeks Programs Manager Position: Programs Manager The Asheville Museum of History is seeking a Programs Manager with experience developing and implementing engaging educational programs for K-12, family, and adult audiences. The mission of the Asheville Museum of History is to preserve and promote
- [Ashworth Cemetery and Sherrill's Inn](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/ashworth-cemetery-and-sherrills-inn/) - Recap and Notes for Ashworth Cemetery and Sherrill’s Inn Trevor Freeman – Asheville Museum of History Public Programs Director This is the second year we at the Asheville Museum of History have hosted a cemetery series, and this tour was the second event in the 3-part 2023 iteration. When we did the cemetery series last
- [November 2023](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/november-2023/) - View Full Newsletter
- [Interpreting the Past: New Asheville Museum of History explores WNC's roots (WNC Magazine)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/interpreting-the-past-new-asheville-museum-of-history-explores-wncs-roots/) - (A Read More
- [What's happening to the Smith-McDowell House Museum? (WLOS)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/whats-happening-to-the-smith-mcdowell-house-museum-wlos/) - See More
- [Answer Man: New history museum opening in Asheville? Wait a sec – Asheville didn’t have one before? (AVL Watchdog)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/answer-man-new-history-museum-opening-in-asheville-wait-a-sec-asheville-didnt-have-one-before-avl-watchdog/) - Read More
- [Explore centuries of our region’s key events at the newly opened Asheville Museum of History (AVLToday)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/explore-centuries-of-our-regions-key-events-at-the-newly-opened-asheville-museum-of-history/) - Read More
- [Infidelity may have led to Guastavino's move here, work on Biltmore, basilica](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/guastavino-infidelity/) - Asheville Citizen-Times WNC History: Infidelity may have led to Guastavino's move here, work on Biltmore, basilica Anne Chesky Sat, September 30, 2023 at 5:08 AM EDT·6 min read “The moment her husband died, Frances Guastavino stopped the large clock in the steeple of the big house and for almost 40 years, the big hands told
- [Quaker Meadows Cemetery and Frances "Frankie" Silver Burial](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/quaker-meadows-cemetery-and-frances-frankie-silver-burial/) - Recap and Notes for Quaker Meadows and Frankie Silver Grave Trevor Freeman – Asheville Museum of History Public Programs Director This is the second year we at the Asheville Museum of History have hosted a cemetery series, and this tour concluded our three-part 2023 iteration. Recap Previously, we toured Brittain Presbyterian Church graveyard and the
- [Ben & Julius Ragsdale](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/ben-julius-ragsdale/) - Ben & Julius Ragsdale c1840: Ben is born. c1842: Julius is born. December 20, 1857: Ben and Julius’ captor, John P. Smith, dies without leaving a will. August 27, 1858: 18-year-old Ben is sold at the Court House by the Smith estate to William W. McDowell for $1,250.00 and 16-year-old Julius is sold at the Court
- [Asheville Museum of History to open this fall (AVLToday)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/avltoday/) - Asheville Museum of History to open this fall Discover the history of WNC inside Asheville’s oldest surviving house. May 31, 2023 • Grace Powers Read at AVLToday How well do you know Asheville’s history? Whether it’s a lot or just a little, you’ll likely learn something new about our city when exploring the Asheville Museum of
- [Unearthing stories of the past: Asheville Museum of History revives popular cemetery tours (WLOS)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/unearthing-stories-of-the-past-asheville-museum-of-history-revives-popular-cemetery-tours/) - Watch the video ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A popular tour is back! The Asheville Museum of History is offering its cemetery tours again this year. Unearthing stories of the past: Asheville Museum of History revives popular cemetery tours The first one happened Wednesday morning at Brittain Church Cemetery and Biggerstaff Hanging Site. Those
- [History Feature: Of Mice and Museums, New Exhibition Space Highlights Regional History (The Laurel of Asheville)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/history-feature-of-mice-and-museums-new-exhibition-space-highlights-regional-history/) - History Feature: Of Mice and Museums New Exhibition Space Highlights Regional History Read in The Laurel - July 2023 By Lauren Stepp In April 1935, mice invaded Nancy Jenkins’ home along Indian Creek near Bryson City. Hungry after a long winter, the vermin nibbled crusty bread, helped themselves to dry beans and even dipped into
- [Brittain Church Graveyard and Biggerstaff Hanging Tree Tour Recap](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/brittain-church-graveyard-and-biggerstaff-hanging-tree-tour-recap/) - Brittain Church Graveyard and Biggerstaff Hanging Tree Tour Recap Trevor Freeman – Asheville Museum of History Public Programs Director This is the second year we at the Asheville Museum of History have hosted a cemetery series, and this tour was the first event in the 3-part 2023 iteration. When we led the series last year,
- [The wild ride of Asheville streetcars, 1889-1934](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/the-wild-ride-of-asheville-streetcars-1889-1934/) - WNC History: The wild ride of Asheville streetcars, 1889-1934 by Anne Chesky “One toddler joined a line of folks waiting for the trolley far out on Montford Avenue, and when the car stopped to pick them up, a chivalrous gentleman, assuming the child’s mother was somewhere in the crowd, lifted the kid up the steps
- [James & Rebecca Bailey and their children, including Charlotte Bailey Scales](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/james-rebecca-bailey-and-their-children-including-charlotte-bailey-scales/) - James & Rebecca Bailey and their children, including Charlotte Bailey Scales “…I further direct that the girl Caroline in said will given to my daughter Sarah L McDowell be given to my daughter Jane Cordelia and in her stead I give to the said Sarah L a negro woman Rebecca and her child Charlotte which
- [2022: The RAIL Memorial Project](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2021-the-rail-memorial-project/) - 2022 The RAIL Memorial Project We are proud to recognize The RAIL (Railroad Incarcerated Laborer) Memorial Project as the winner of our 2022 Outstanding Achievement Award for telling the story and memorializing the work and sacrifice of the thousands of incarcerated laborers who were forced to build the railroad through our region under brutal conditions. learn more
- [July 2023 Newsletter](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/july-2023-amoh-newsletter/) - View Full Newsletter
- [Earliest European settlement in US interior was in WNC](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/earliest-european-settlement-in-us-interior-was-in-wnc/) - by Anne Chesky “The Captain Juan Pardo went out from the city of Santa Elena on November 1, 1566, to enter into the interior to discover it and conquer it from here to Mexico,” read an account of the Spanish explorer’s 1566 expedition, which brought him and his men into present-day Western North Carolina. It
- [Beacon Manufacturing and a Swannanoa fiddling phenom](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/beacon-manufacturing-and-a-swannanoa-fiddling-phenom/) - "According to local legend, Beacon’s owner, Charles D. Owen, when Owen heard Martin’s masterful fiddling, he offered him a job on the spot and his family a place to live in the mill village." Beacon Manufacturing and a Swannanoa fiddling phenom by Anne Chesky In the midst of the Great Depression, when
- [The rich life of Lula Owl Gloyne, 1st RN and 1st World War I officer from Cherokee](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/the-rich-life-of-lula-owl-gloyne-1st-rn-and-1st-world-war-i-officer-from-cherokee/) - The rich life of Lula Owl Gloyne, 1st RN and 1st World War I officer from Cherokee BY ANNE CHESKY When Lula Owl, the first member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) to become a registered nurse, arrived in Wakapala, South Dakota, to assume her first paid nursing position in 1916, she
- [Journey started in Asheville for 1st US woman to earn medical degree](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/journey-started-in-asheville-for-1st-us-woman-to-earn-medical-degree/) - Journey started in Asheville for 1st US woman to earn medical degree BY ANNE CHESKY “If I could have been treated by a lady doctor, my worst sufferings would have been spared me,” a friend told Elizabeth Blackwell in early 1845. English-born Blackwell was interested in history and metaphysics and had never before expressed any
- [June 11, 1957: Levern Hamlin Integrates Western Carolina College](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/june-11-1957-levern-hamlin-integrates-western-carolina-college/) - On this day in WNC history: in 1957, three years after the Brown v Board decision, Levern Hamlin entered Western Carolina College (now WCU) as the first African American to attend a public university in WNC. What makes her time there even more interesting is the scrapbook she maintained while completing a summer graduate
- [Summer/Fall 2021: Unearthing Our Forgotten Past, Fort San Juan](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/summer-fall-2021-unearthing-our-forgotten-past-fort-san-juan/) - This exhibit was developed as part of the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Juan Pardo expeditions. Several decades ago, archaeologists identified a site near Morganton as the location of Joara, one of the largest Native American towns in what is today Western North Carolina. Joara was occupied from approximately 1400-1600 A.D. Two Spanish
- [Rumors of Babe Ruth's death after Asheville stop were greatly exaggerated](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/wnc-history-rumors-of-babe-ruths-death-after-asheville-stop-were-greatly-exaggerated/) - Rumors of Babe Ruth's death after Asheville stop were greatly exaggerated By Anne Chesky “Babe Ruth, American baseball champion and national hero of every schoolboy, is reported to have died in a train whilst en route to New York,” read a headline in the morning edition of the Irish newspaper The Belfast
- [George Avery](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/george-avery/) - George Avery In 1865, George Avery was a 19-year-old blacksmith enslaved by the McDowell family. It is likely he was born in to slavery, given his young age. McDowell family stories say that George was freed by William McDowell in April 1865, who realized the Confederacy was going to fall. McDowell allegedly advised Avery to
- [George & Louisa Morris and son, William](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/george-and-louisa/) - George & Louisa Morris and son, William We are first introduced to George and Louisa via this will, written by James M. Smith in February of 1850. George and Louisa are enslaved by James Smith and he is bequeathing them to his wife, Polly. When James Smith died six years later, Polly too had already
- [Harriet and sons, William, Luran, & John Quillan & Allen](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/harriet/) - Harriet and sons, William, Luran, & John Quillan & Allen c1809: Harriet is born October 31, 1844: 35-year-old Harriet and her three children, William, Luran, and John are enslaved by Jacob R. Shuford, the son-in-law of James M. Smith. In order to help support the Shuford family after his daughter’s death in March 1844, James
- [Mose, Lucy, & Harry](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/mose-lucy-harry/) - Mose, Lucy, & Harry prior to 1854: Mose was purchased at “the widow Alexander’s sale.” January 7, 1854: Mose, Lucy, and Harry were enslaved by James M. Smith May 18, 1856: Mose, Lucy, and Harry were inherited by John P. Smith when John’s father, James M. Smith, dies. [It is likely that Mose is the same
- [Phillip Smith](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/phillip-smith/) - Phillip Smith c1784: Phillip is born. February 9, 1850: Phillip is enslaved by James M. Smith, who refers to Phillip in his will, writing: My old man, Phillip, has long been a faithful servant and useful to myself and family, I direct no labor be required of him, but that he be allowed to
- [Henry & Julia Ann & their children, McCama & George](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/henry-julia-ann-their-children-mccama-george/) - Henry & Julia Ann & their children, McCama & George February 9, 1850: Julia Ann is likely married to Henry. She has two children, McCama and George. They are all enslaved by James M. Smith. May 18, 1856: Julia Ann and her family are inherited by Jane Cordelia Smith Spears when Jane’s father, James
- [Mary & Jeff and their son, Samuel & Martha](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/mary-jeff-and-their-son-samuel-martha/) - Mary & Jeff and their son, Samuel & Martha February 9, 1850: Mary is married to Jeff and they have a son, Samuel. The family as well as a woman named Martha are all enslaved by James M. Smith. May 18, 1856: Mary and her family and Martha are inherited by Elizabeth
- [Charles, Peter, & Robb](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/charles-peter-robb/) - Charles, Peter, & Robb c1839: Charles is born. February 9, 1850: Charles is the son of Clara. Peter, Charles - who is Clara's son, and Robb are enslaved by James M. Smith. January 7, 1854: Robb passed away some time after October 1851. May 18, 1856: Peter and Charles are now likely enslaved
- [Tilda & Joe & their children, Alfred (Spears), Joe, Mary, Vina, & Jane](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tilda-joe-their-children-alfred-spears-joe-mary-vina-jane/) - Tilda & Joe & their children, Alfred (Spears), Joe, Mary, Vina, & Jane Alfrod, age 19, is sold to G.T. Spears for $1,275.00. Joseph (Jr.), age 16, is sold to J. Zachary for $1,181.00. Mary, age 11, is sold to A.W. Cumming for $822.00. Viney, age 9, is sold to A.W. Cumming for $795.00.
- [Lucy Ann & Tom](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/lucy-ann-tom/) - Lucy Ann & Tom c1840: Lucy Ann is born. February 9, 1850: Tom is a miller and is enslaved by James M. Smith. Lucy Ann is also enslaved by James M. Smith. Smith lists "Lucy Ann + Tom (the miller)" in his will. It is possible that they are husband and wife. May 18, 1856: Lucy
- [Alfred Walker](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/alfred-walker/) - Alfred Walker February 9, 1850: A man named Alfred is enslaved by James M. Smith. Not much is known about the “Alfred” who is willed to “Valentine, Wm W [William W. McDowell], + John P. [Smith]” in 1850, but it may be the same Alfred, who told an Asheville Citizen reporter in 1898, when he
- [Miles & Charles (George's sons) Swan/Luran](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/miles-charles-georges-sons-swan-luran/) - Miles & Charles (George's sons) Swan/Luran February 9, 1850: Miles and his brother, Charles, are enslaved by James M. Smith. Their father is George. It is unknown if this is the same George who is married to Louisa. Swan/Luran is enslaved by James M. Smith. It is possible that this is the same person purchased
- [Bob & Lidia Haynes & children - Alexander Sy, Bob Hardin, Catherine, Betsey, Mose, and Caroline](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bob-lidia-haynes-children-alexander-sy-bob-hardin-catherine-betsey-mose-and-caroline/) - Bob & Lidia Haynes & children - Alexander Sy, Bob Hardin, Catherine, Betsey, Mose, and Caroline c1840: Caroline is born. Caroline was likely enslaved by the Smith family from the moment of her birth. February 9, 1850: Bob is a tanner enslaved by James M. Smith. His wife is named Lidia. It is possible
- [Sandy and John](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/sandy-and-john/) - Sandy & John c1841: John is born. c1843: Sandy is born. April 23, 1853: 10-year-old Sandy and 12-year-old John are sold to James W. Patton by William W. McDowell for $1,275.00. There is no mention of their families.
- [Lucy](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/lucy/) - Lucy Know all men by these presents that I William Hunter [sp?][illegible] of the county of Buncombe and the State of No Carolina for and in consideration of one hundred + seventy four Dollars + twenty eight cents current money to me in hand paid by James M Smith, merchant, of the aforesaid County
- [Zylpha Smith](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/zylpha/) - Zylpha Smith $310 paid by James M. Smith of Asheville (Alfred Fortune) Given all my interest in right of my wife Jane under the will of her father the late Col. Daniel Smith consisting of ⅕ of the following slaves with their increase which by the terms of the will afore said are subject
- [Bob](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bob/) - Bob Bob was born around 1805. When he was about 14 or 15 years old, he escaped from James M. Smith’s tannery. It was September 14, 1819. Two weeks later he had still not been recaptured. The advertisement (at right), placed by James Smith, in a Tennessee paper gives detail as to the clothing worn
- [New Asheville Museum of History will open Fall 2023](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/new-asheville-museum-of-history-will-open-fall-2023/) - New Asheville Museum of History will open Fall 2023 For Immediate Release: April 20, 2023 Contact: Anne Chesky (828) 253-9231 director@ashevillehistory.org Asheville Museum of History will open this fall, fulfilling decades-long efforts to have a museum in Asheville that tells stories of the mountains, a region with a rich and diverse –
- [Inside the 1948 Highland Hospital fire that killed Zelda Fitzgerald](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/zelda/) - Inside the 1948 fire that killed Zelda Fitzgerald On March 9, 1948, Zelda wrote to her daughter, “there is promise of spring in the air and an aura of sunshine over the mountains; the mountains seem to hold more weather than elsewhere and time and retrospect flood roseate down the long hillsides.” "There are six
- [Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley Traveling Kit](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/hang-down-your-head-tom-dooley-traveling-kit/) - Thomas C. Dula (June 22, 1845 – May 1, 1868) was a former Confederate soldier, who was tried, convicted, and hanged for the murder of his fiancée, Laura Foster. The trial and hanging received national publicity from newspapers such as The New York Times, thus turning Dula’s story into a folk legend. While the murder happened in
- [Fibers to Fabric Traveling Trunk](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/fibers-to-fabric-traveling-trunk/) - This trunk contains lesson plans, worksheets, teaching artifacts, books, and supplemental information relating to the growing, harvesting, and manufacturing of fibers, as well as the social and historical impacts of these products. Feel free to adapt plans and lessons to fit your students’ needs. You know best what will and won’t work with your class. download
- [History Detective Traveling Trunk](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/history-detective-traveling-trunk/) - Dear Detective, I hear you’re ready to get to work. And not a moment too soon. We’ve got a case at our local history museum and we need you to get right on it. The historians there are stumped. They have a bunch of unidentified artifacts on their hands. Big things, small things, heavy things,
- [Roaring 20s Traveling Trunk](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/roaring-20s-traveling-trunk/) - This trunk contains lesson plans, worksheets, teaching artifacts, primary sources, and supplemental information relating to the 1920s decade from multiple perspectives. Following World War One, American culture underwent dramatic changes, creating different norms in families, society, and popular culture. During the 1920s there were two constitutional amendments which would forever change the shape of the United
- [First Inhabitants Traveling Trunk](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/the-first-inhabitants-traveling-trunk/) - This trunk contains lesson plans, worksheets, images, teaching artifacts, music, and supplemental information relating to the Woodland Indians and Cherokee people in North Carolina. Feel free to adapt plans and lessons to fit your students’ needs. You know best what will and won’t work with your class. download teacher materials PDF Lessons: Natives Americans
- [Civil War Traveling Trunk](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/the-civil-war-traveling-trunk/) - This trunk contains lesson plans, worksheets, images, teaching artifacts, Civil War music, and supplemental information relating to the Civil War from multiple perspectives. Feel free to adapt plans and lessons to fit your students’ needs. You know best what will and won’t work with your class. Note: this unit can be conducted through Zoom or another web-conferring
- [March 17, 1756: Cherokee Reach Agreement With British](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/march-17-1756-cherokee-reach-agreement-with-british/) - On this day in WNC history: Entering the second year of conflict between British and French forces in North America, on this day in 1756, after four days of negotiations, delegates of the Cherokees, representatives of Virginia, and translators reached an alliance. They had already allied with the Catawba to the east on Feb 21.
- [March 22, 1941: Enka Mill Strike](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/march-22-1941-enka-mill-strike/) - On this day in WNC history: On the afternoon of March 22, 1941, workers at the American Enka rayon manufacturing plant began to walk out in a strike. Their coordinated action was part of a larger nationwide movement which began after a June, 1940 defense production act took effect. The Enka strike occurred simultaneously with
- [March 26, 1865: Stoneman's Forces Enter WNC](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/march-26-1865-stonemans-forces-enter-wnc/) - On this day in WNC history: As the Civil War neared its end, a final raid into western North Carolina shaped the memory of the conflict for many residents. March 26, 1865 found nearly 6,000 Union cavalrymen under Gen. George Stoneman moving between Morristown, TN and Boone, NC. Stoneman’s raiders intended to disrupt railroad and
- [April 3, 1924: Forest Fires Ravage WNC](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-3-1924-forest-fires-ravage-wnc/) - On this day in WNC history: On April 3, 1924, a large forest fire burned in the hilly and heavily-wooded northeastern section of Rutherford County below the South Mountains. The fire had raged for a week by that point, burning somewhere between 8,000-10,000 acres and smoldering for a time afterward. This blaze mostly consumed trees,
- [April 11, 1954: Billie Joe Patton's Special Run at the Masters](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-11-1954-billie-joe-pattons-special-run-at-the-masters/) - On this day in WNC history: The newspapers called him a “possum hunting amateur,” but Billy Joe Patton, a lumberman from Morganton, played all Sunday, April 11 with a chance to win the 1954 Masters Tournament at Augusta in his first appearance. Golf arrived in WNC with the construction of the Linville Golf Club in
- [May 1, 1893: WNC Forestry on Display at Columbian Exposition](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/may-1-1893-wnc-forestry-on-display-at-columbian-exposition/) - On this day in WNC history: Towering white neoclassical buildings and throngs of presenters greeted guests to Chicago’s “White City” on opening day of the 1893 Columbian Exposition. The extravagant , months-long event showcased national progress in sanitation, architecture, arts, industry, and science, while also touting American exceptionalism. Historian Frederick Jackson Turner gave his hastily-prepared
- [April 17, 1832: Rumors of Enslaved Laborer Insurrection](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-17-1832-rumors-of-enslaved-laborer-insurrection/) - On this day in WNC History: On April 17, 1832, the Miners’ and Farmers’ Journal broke the news of a tense Burke County trial. Two enslaved men, Giles and Billy, stood accused of plotting an insurrection among the enslaved people working in gold mines in Rutherford and Burke counties. The alleged plot began in September
- [April 21, 1924: McCormick Field Opens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-21-1924-mccormick-field-opens/) - On this day in WNC history: Play Ball! These words signifying the start of “America’s pastime” were first heard at Asheville’s new McCormick Field on this day in 1924. Baseball grew in western NC in the decades after the Civil War. The region’s first professional team was the 1897 Asheville “Moonshiners” squad who played in
- [April 24, 1955: Wilma Dykeman's The French Broad](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-24-1955-wilma-dykemans-the-french-broad/) - On this day in WNC history: On April 24, 1955, the Asheville Citizen-Times reviewed a new book with lasting local importance. Western North Carolina’s own Wilma Dykeman, who later became Tennessee's state historian, published The French Broad as the 49th book in the Rivers of America Series. This book, one of eighteen she wrote, won
- [May 7, 1929: Lucy Morgan and the Penland School](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/may-7-1929-lucy-morgan-and-the-penland-school/) - On this day in WNC history: On May 7, 1929, western North Carolina native Lucy Morgan, director of the Penland Weavers and Potters school, spoke to an audience at the University of North Carolina, demonstrating the fine crafts of her students. Morgan established a weaving program in 1923 before opening the Penland School of Handicrafts
- [May 11, 1961: Sit-in Protest in Rutherfordton](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/may-11-1961-sit-in-protest-in-rutherfordton/) - On this day in WNC history: The sit-in movement that helped spark desegregation began in North Carolina, at a Greensboro lunch counter, in early 1960. These demonstrations grew over two years and included more than 70,000 Black and white non-violent demonstrators. Many of these civil rights activists demanded equal service in cities, but some also
- [May 18, 1916: Kiffin Rockwell Downs a German Aircraft](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/may-18-1916-kiffin-rockwell-downs-a-german-aircraft/) - On this day in WNC history: On May 18, 1916, Asheville transplant Kiffin Rockwell became the first American to down an enemy aircraft in the First World War. While the United States remained steadfastly against entering the “Great War” in Europe until 1917, several Americans found their way into service in various ways. Over 250
- [May 27, 1973: Doc Watson Receives Honorary Doctorate](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/may-27-1973-doc-watson-receives-honorary-doctorate/) - On this day in WNC history: On May 27, 1973, “Doc” Watson became Dr. Watson, awarded an honorary doctorate in folk arts from Appalachian State University before the audience of graduating students. He delivered the commencement address and played hymns and a version of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” alongside Merle, his son. Doc, who attended school
- [June 4, 1906: Edison Travels WNC](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/june-4-1906-edison-travels-wnc/) - On this day in WNC history: Crowds lined the streets of Rutherfordton and heard the low rumble of an automobile for the first time as Thomas Edison began his tour of western North Carolina on this day in 1906. Known as the “Wizard of Menlow Park,” the soft-spoken, friendly inventor was famous by that time
- [1956: Clarence W. Griffin](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1956-clarence-w-griffin/) - 1956 Clarence W. Griffin Clarence Wilbur Griffin (1902 – 1958), managing editor of the Forest City Courier, received the award in 1956 for numerous services in the field of state and local history. Griffin was a member of the executive board of the NC Department of Archives and History, president of the
- [1954: Sadie Smathers Patton](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1954-sadie-smathers-patton/) - 1954 Sadie Smathers Patton Sadie Smathers Patton (1886 – 1975) of Hendersonville won the first annual award in 1954 for her contributions in the preservation of the history of this part of the state. “For more than a quarter of a century, Mrs. Sadie Smathers Patton has been a tireless and
- [1955: George W. McCoy](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1955-george-w-mccoy/) - 1955 George W. McCoy George William McCoy (1901-1962), newspaper editor, won the award in 1955 for his numerous historical articles, which were recognized as being reference works used by his newspaper colleagues as well as other North Carolina historians. McCoy became managing editor of The Asheville Citizen in 1947 and continued his
- [1957: Owen H. Gudger](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1957-owen-h-gudger/) - 1957 Owen H. Gudger Owen Gudger (1880 – 1959), a lifelong resident of Buncombe County, won the award in 1957 for his work towards the preservation of history during the previous year. Owen Gudger, judge, newspaperman, lawyer, and historian, also served as Asheville’s postmaster from 1913-1921. “It was often said of him
- [1958: Margaret W. Freel](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1958-margaret-w-freel/) - 1958 Margaret W. Freel Historian Margaret Walker Freel (1895 – 1982) of Andrews, received the award in 1958 for her history of Cherokee County, “Our Heritage: The People of Cherokee County, North Carolina, 1540-1955.” The award is given for an historical work or service judged outstanding.
- [1959: Glenn Tucker](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1959-glenn-tucker/) - 1959 Glenn Tucker Glenn Irving Tucker (1892 – 1976), author and historian, of Flat Rock received the award in 1959 for his book, “High Tide at Gettysburg.” In 1948, Tucker retired from careers in journalism and advertising and moved to Flat Rock, N.C., where he grew apples and began to research
- [1960: Hiram C. Wilburn](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1960-hiram-c-wilburn/) - 1960 Hiram C. Wilburn Hiram Coleman Wilburn (1880 – 1967) of Waynesville received the award in 1960 for his distinguished work in Cherokee history. A native of South Carolina and a graduate of Clemson College, Wilburn worked as a land surveyor for the North Carolina Park Commission before being employed by
- [1961: Asheville Citizen-Times](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1961-asheville-citizen-times/) - 1961 Asheville Citizen-Times Departing from its usual custom of presenting the award to an individual, the award in 1961 went to the Asheville Citizen-Times for historical articles in last year’s 90th Anniversary issue. Terming the special edition a “monumental undertaking,” WNCHA representatives said: “Especially noteworthy were the numerous original articles of
- [1962: The Vetust Study Club](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1962-the-vetust-study-club/) - 1962 The Vetust Study Club The Vetust Study Club of Asheville received the award in 1962 for its work in carefully selecting pioneer treasures in furnishing the Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace in Buncombe County. The committee did a “thorough, original work of research in seeking out and choosing the pioneer treasures
- [1963: Samuel E. Beck](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1963-samuel-e-beck/) - 1963 Samuel E. Beck Samuel Edmund Beck (1898 – 1966) of Asheville, businessman, historian, and author, received the 1963 award in recognition of his work in the field of Western North Carolina history, particularly in the preservation of Cherokee Indian materials, and his work on the Civil War postal service. He
- [1964: Cordelia Camp](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1964-cordelia-camp/) - 1964 Cordelia Camp Dr. Cordelia Camp (1884 – 1973) of Asheville, retired educator, received the award in 1964 for authoring books on the life of two North Carolina governors: Zebulon Baird Vance and David Lowry Swain, and for her contributions to the teaching of North Carolina history in the schools. Camp,
- [1966: Florence Harrison Dunlop](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1966-florence-harrison-dunlop/) - 1966 Florence Harrison Dunlop Florence Leftwich Harrison Dunlop (1901 – 1979) was an educator and historian who won the award in 1966 for her work in furnishing the newly-rebuilt Zebulon B. Vance birthplace. “She delved tirelessly into the history of the WNC region and made many contributions to its preservation.”
- [1965: Paul A. Rockwell](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1965-paul-a-rockwell/) - 1965 Paul A. Rockwell Col. Paul Ayres Rockwell (1889 – 1985), a past president of WNCHA, was presented the award in 1965 for his role in commemorating the Battle of Asheville, fought near the end of the Civil War on April 6, 1865. In August 1914, Paul Ayres Rockwell and
- [1967: Myra Champion, NC Collection at Pack Memorial Library](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1967-myra-champion-nc-collection-at-pack-memorial-library/) - 1967 Myra Champion, NC Collection at Pack Memorial Library Myra Champion (1905 – 1988), librarian at the North Carolina Collection in Pack Memorial Library of Asheville received the award in 1967 for her efforts over the previous decade to grow the collection to approximately 10,000 cataloged pieces, all related to North
- [1968: William E. Bird](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1968-william-e-bird/) - 1968 William E. Bird Dr. William E. Bird (1890 – 1975), president emeritus and longtime dean of Western Carolina University at Cullowhee, was presented the award in 1968 for his service to the organization, including being a charter member and its first president when it was founded in 1952. Dr.
- [1969: W. Clark Medford](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1969-w-clark-medford/) - 1969 W. Clark Medford Haywood County historian, W. Clark Medford (1882 – 1974), won the award in 1969 for his publication, “The Middle History of Haywood County with Story Supplement,” chronicling the history of the county. Medford had previously written a number of other historical books including: “The Early History
- [1970: The Carson House](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1970-the-carson-house/) - 1970 The Carson House The Carson House historic site project in McDowell County was presented the award in 1970 for the historical restoration project which brought fame to Western North Carolina through its significance and because of the expertise with which it was undertaken. The Carson House, which stands on
- [1971: John A. Parris](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1971-john-a-parris/) - 1971 John A. Parris John Alvis Parris, Jr. (1914 – 1999), Sylva-native and Asheville Citizen-Times columnist, won the award in 1971 for his column, “Roaming the Mountains,” which examined the social history of one of America’s most distinctive islands of culture with perception, humor, nostalgia, and understanding. In 1971, Parris
- [1972: Cratis D. Williams](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1972-cratis-d-williams/) - 1972 Cratis D. Williams Dr. Cratis Dearl Williiams (1911 – 1985), dean of the graduate school at Appalachian State University, received the award in 1972 for outstanding service in the field of highland folklore. In making the award to the native Kentuckian, Dr. Williams was recognized as being a son of Appalachia,
- [1973: Bascom Lamar Lunsford](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1973-bascom-lamar-lunsford/) - 1973 Bascom Lamar Lunsford Bascom Lamar Lunsford (1882 – 1973), 91-year-old Buncombe County folklorist, won the 1973 award for his many years of preserving mountain folklore and music. Forty-five years previous to winning the award, Lunsford founded the Mountain Folk Festival, which is still presented annually. A former president of
- [1976: The Appalachian Consortium Press](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1976-the-appalachian-consortium-press/) - 1976 The Appalachian Consortium Press The Appalachian Consortium Press was founded in 1973 – the first publisher devoted to Appalachia. The Press published scholarly books and reference materials, including the first contemporary and comprehensive bibliography of the region, oral histories, environmental studies, and poetry. The Appalachian Consortium Press published multidisciplinary
- [1975: Mary Myrtle Cornwell](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1975-mary-myrtle-cornwell/) - 1975 Mary Myrtle Cornwell Mary Myrtle Cornwell (1911 – 2001) won the award in 1975 for her leadership in the field of mountain crafts. Cornwell, a Haywood County home extension agent who held the post since 1949 when she won the award, was the founder of the Village of Yesteryear
- [1974: Goingback Chiltoskey](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1974-goingback-chiltoskey/) - 1974 Goingback Chiltoskey Goingback Chiltoskey (1904 – 2000), noted Cherokee woodcarver, was presented the 1974 award for his significant contributions as a craftsman, leader, and promoter of the Cherokee and their culture. His efforts enhanced the economic interests of the Qualla Reservation and the Cherokee Indians as well as the
- [1977: Lena Penland Purkey](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1977-lena-penland-purkey/) - 1977 Lena Penland Purkey Lena Lucas Penland Purkey (1904 – 1994) grew up in Madison County near Hot Springs and attended Dorland Institute and Asheville Normal School. She won the award in 1977 for her 1975 publication, Home in Madison County, an autobiography that provided a realistic and authentic description of
- [1978: Ora Blackmun](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1978-ora-blackmun/) - 1978 Ora Blackmun Ora Blackmun (1892 – 1984), the Asheville author of Western North Carolina: Its Mountains and Its People and A Spire in the Mountains received the award in 1978 for her publications. Published in 1977, Western North Carolina is a narrative history of the Southern Appalachian Mountains up to 1880. Ora Blackmun depicts the
- [1979: George Myers Stephens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1979-george-myers-stephens/) - 1979 George Myers Stephens George Myers Stephens (1904 – 1978) took a job appraising timber in Swain and Haywood counties after graduating from college. His rich knowledge of the area, which became a part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, enabled him to write the authoritative guidebook to the park. His experience in the outdoors led
- [1980: Bob Terrell](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1980-bob-terrell/) - 1980 Bob Terrell Bob Terrell (c1929 – 2009), columnist for the Asheville Citizen, was the 1980 recipient of the award for the historical research he did for his daily column and for his book entitled, Grandpa’s Town, which concerned Asheville during the period of 1900 to World War I.
- [1981: Frances McDowell and Ruth Camblos](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1981-frances-mcdowell-and-ruth-camblos/) - 1981 Frances McDowell and Ruth Camblos Under the aegis of the Western North Carolina Historical Association, a committee was formed, headed by Frances McDowell and Ruth Camblos, to wage a long and successful battle to save the Smith-McDowell House. McDowell and Camblos, assisted by many other skilled people and organizations,
- [1982: Harley E. Jolley](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1982-harley-e-jolley/) - 1982 Harley E. Jolley Dr. Harley E. Jolley, also known as “Mr. Blue Ridge Parkway,” taught history at Mars Hill College from 1949 through 1991. He authored many books and articles including, The Blue Ridge Parkway: The First 50 Years,” “That Magnificent Army of Youth and Peace: The Civilian Conservation Corps
- [1983: Sarah G. Upchurch](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1983-sarah-g-upchurch/) - 1983 Sarah G. Upchurch Sarah G. Upchurch (c1921 – 2000), won the award for her leadership in historic preservation. She was born and raised in Asheville and taught history in Concord. Returning to Asheville in 1948, where she lived until 1993, Upchurch was active in the League of Women Voters,
- [1984: Johnny Baxter](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1984-johnny-baxter/) - 1984 Johnny Baxter Johnny Franklin Baxter (1910 – 1996), a native Asheville preservationist, historian, and founding Board member of the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County, led the efforts to save, revitalize, and have the YMI Cultural Center listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. George
- [1985: Robert G. Fortune, Jr.](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1985-robert-g-fortune-jr/) - 1985 Robert G. Fortune, Jr. Robert Greer Fortune, Jr., Asheville historian and retired executive for Carolina Light & Power Company, was the recipient of the award in 1985 for his series of programs and slide presentations entitled “Asheville of Yesteryear,” which showed Asheville buildings, homes, and landmarks from the period 1890-1930.
- [1986: S. Kent Schwarzkopf](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1986-s-kent-schwarzkopf/) - 1986 S. Kent Schwarzkopf Asheville native S. Kent Schwarzkopf (b. 1953) won the award for 1986 for his book, A History of Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains: Exploration, Development, and Preservation. Schwarzkopf first became interested in the history of the Black Mountains while an employee of the North Carolina State
- [1987: Roy A. Taylor](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1987-roy-a-taylor/) - 1987 Roy A. Taylor Roy A. Taylor (1910 – 1995), former representative in Congress from the 11th District and former chairman of the National Parks and Recreation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, won the award in 1987. The award paid tribute to him for his
- [1988: Big Ivy Historical Society](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1988-big-ivy-historical-society/) - 1988 Big Ivy Historical Society The Big Ivy Historical Society won the award in 1988 for their work on reconstruction of the historic Carson Cabin as well as their publication listing and detailing 69 Big Ivy cemeteries. The group also announced plans for creating a Big Ivy Historical Village which,
- [1989: Millie Barbee](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1989-millie-barbee/) - 1989 Millie Barbee Millie Barbee, executive director of the Historic Burke Foundation, won the award in 1989. She was recognized for her fund-raising efforts and oversight in the restoration of the Old Burke County Courthouse. She was cited for her leadership in establishing a local museum in the courthouse, the
- [1990: Appalachian Cultural Center](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1990-appalachian-cultural-center/) - 1990 Appalachian Cultural Center The Appalachian Cultural Center, a museum of mountain life, opened at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, in 1989. Its wide embrace included exhibits on the Land of Oz, the defunct Avery County theme park, and stock car racing legend Junior Johnson. The museum told a
- [1991: Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1991-preservation-society-of-asheville-and-buncombe-county/) - 1991 Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County The Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County (PSABC) won the award in 1991 for their heritage awareness efforts, for successful fund raising, and for their role in the campaign to save historically significant buildings in Buncombe County. PSABC was formed in
- [1992: Walter F. Ashe](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1992-walter-f-ashe/) - 1992 Walter F. Ashe Retired naval lieutenant, Walter Ashe received the award in 1992 for his effort in organizing an exhibit and activities commemorating the ships that bore the name “Asheville.” Ashe, who moved to Asheville in 1983, served from 1936 to 1939 aboard the U.S.S. Asheville in China waters.
- [1995: Waynesville Historical Society](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1995-waynesville-historical-society/) - 1995 Waynesville Historical Society The Waynesville Historical Society received the award in 1995 for their publication, “Heritage of Healing: A Medical History of Haywood County.” The volume is a review of the county’s medical history from the days of Cherokee healers until 1960, and it mentions virtually everyone in the
- [1993: Historic Valdese Foundation](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1993-historic-valdese-foundation/) - 1993 Historic Valdese Foundation The Historic Valdese Foundation won the award in 1993 for their Valdese Centennial Park project. The project design permits visitors to start at one part of a circular stone wall and read about Waldensian history from a series of ten bronze plaque situated around an 8.5-foot
- [1994: No Award Given](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1994-no-award-given/)
- [1996: Betty H. Sherrill](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1996-betty-h-sherrill/) - 1996 Betty H. Sherrill Betty Sherrill, former president of the Transylvania County Historical Society, received the award in 1996 for spearheading the drive to preserve the oldest known wood-frame house west of the Blue Ridge, the William Deaver House. Sherrill’s ties to Western North Carolina run deep. “I’m not just
- [1997: Cherokee Historical Association](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1997-cherokee-historical-association/) - 1997 Cherokee Historical Association The Cherokee Historical Association won the 1997 award for impressive historical work done at the museum in Cherokee, with the long-running outdoor drama “Unto These Hill,” and for the Oconaluftee Indian Village, an 18th-century Indian village open since 1952.
- [1998: Richard S. Dillingham](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1998-richard-s-dillingham/) - 1998 Richard S. Dillingham Born and reared on a tobacco farm in northern Buncombe County, Richard Dillingham was a “Folk in Residence” at the Heritage Cabin and a Regional Specialist with the Southern Appalachian Center at Mars Hill College. As the former director of the center, the former director of
- [1999: Doris Cline Ward](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1999-doris-cline-ward/) - 1999 Doris Cline Ward Doris Cline Ward received the award for her work with the Old Buncombe Genealogical Society. As a supporter of the Society, she edited its newsletter, which reaches 40 states, edited the two volume Heritage Books of Buncombe County, helped create an impressive genealogical library, served in
- [June 16, 1956: McCormick Field’s First Stock Car Race](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/june-16-1956-mccormick-fields-first-stock-car-race/) - On this day in WNC history: In a previous post, we covered McCormick Field’s opening as a baseball stadium, but did you know it has served another sport as well? On this day in 1956, engines roared and 4,000 fans cheered as stock cars first took to the quarter-mile McCormick Field Speedway. In 1955, the
- [June 18, 1884: NC Teacher’s Assembly Convenes in Waynesville](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/june-18-1884-nc-teachers-assembly-convenes-in-waynesville/) - On this day in WNC history: In the grand White Sulphur Springs Hotel outside of Waynesville, the North Carolina Teacher’s Assembly convened for the first time in 1884. The previous year, the North Carolina Teacher periodical called for a meeting of educators to gather and learn in a retreat. With growing interest in education, and
- [August 6, 1985: The “Flower Lady” of Asheville](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/august-6-1985-the-flower-lady-of-asheville/) - On this day in WNC history: In 1985, one of Asheville’s iconic residents passed away at the age of 92. Emily Jones, known as “the flower lady” was an Asheville-born resident who sold flowers downtown to passersby for nearly sixty years, brightening the day of many residents and tourists. She was one of, if perhaps
- [October 13, 1976: O’Henry’s Opens in Asheville](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/october-13-1976-ohenrys-opens-in-asheville/) - On this day in WNC history: Popularly known as Asheville’s oldest gay bar, O.Henry’s (initially called the Skylight Room) opened on this day in 1976 at 59 Haywood Street. The bar and restaurant, the first to stay open past midnight downtown, was also one of the first places local residents noted they could get a
- [October 7, 1780: Josiah Brandon at Kings Mountain](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/october-7-1780-josiah-brandon-at-kings-mountain/) - On this day in WNC history: With lead balls and cries of war filling the air around him, the young Josiah Brandon took part in the pivotal Battle of Kings Mountain, Oct 7, 1780. He was one of several hundred western North Carolinians fighting on this day when British Major Patrick Ferguson was killed and
- [August 22, 1776: Watauga Petition](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/august-22-1776-watauga-petition/) - On this day in WNC history: Western North Carolina is a large region, comprising twenty-three counties. But did you know it was once even larger? On this day in 1776, the North Carolina Provincial Council received a petition from the residents of the Watauga Association asking for annexation into North Carolina. In 1772, settlers in
- [July 26, 1827: Cherokee Nation Adopts Constitution](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/july-26-1827-cherokee-nation-adopts-constitution/) - On this day in WNC history: On July 26, 1827, in New Echota (modern Georgia) the Cherokee Nation adopted a formal constitution, “in order to establish justice, ensure tranquility, promote our common welfare, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of liberty.” By this point, the Cherokee had been pushed from much of
- [July 4, 1844: James Smith Applies for His Father’s Pension](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/july-4-1844-james-smith-applies-for-his-fathers-pension/) - On this day in WNC history: On July 4, 1844 James Smith—first owner of the Smith-McDowell House—applied for a pension as heir of his father, Daniel Smith, who served in the American Revolution. Daniel Smith (1757-1824) was one of the first white settlers in WNC in the 1770s. When war came, Smith served as a
- [June 27, 1857: Elisha Mitchell Dies Measuring Mountain](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/june-27-1857-elisha-mitchell-dies-measuring-mountain/) - On this day in WNC history: In 1857, Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a University of North Carolina professor, fell to his death descending the mountain that later bore his name. Mitchell was embroiled in a dispute with Rep. Thomas Clingman over heights of two peaks—modern Mt. Mitchell and Clingman’s Dome—which both respectively claimed as the highest
- [June 19, 1865: Juneteenth](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/june-19-1865-juneteenth/) - On June 19, 1865, a Union commander in Texas issued General Order No. 3, freeing all remaining African Americans held in slavery within the state, some 250,000 individuals. This came two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had freed (legally at least) all enslaved in Confederate-held areas of seceding states. The Emancipation Proclamation had often been
- [August 2, 1881: The Mountain Lily Steamboat is Christened](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/august-2-1881-the-mountain-lily-steamboat-is-christened/) - On this day in WNC history: A steamboat in the mountains? As far-fetched as this may seem today, on August 2, 1881, the “Mountain Lily” was christened for the French Broad Steamboat Company with a barbecue and brass band. The short-lived steamboat transported passengers along a stretch of the French Broad between Brevard and Hendersonville
- [July 19, 1898: Black Men from WNC Muster with NC 3rd Regiment](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/july-19-1898-black-men-from-wnc-muster-with-nc-3rd-regiment/) - On this day in WNC history: On July 19, 1898, eleven companies of African American soldiers from North Carolina—including Companies F and K from Rutherford and Buncombe counties—mustered at Ft. Macon to begin training for war as the Third Volunteer Infantry Regiment. They were commanded by Black officers, including captains Thomas Leatherwood of Asheville and
- [October 21, 1898: Senator Pritchard’s Letter](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/october-21-1898-senator-pritchards-letter/) - On this day in WNC history: As the contentious and pivotal election of 1898 drew near, Senator Jeter C. Pritchard sent two private letters to President William McKinley and his cabinet on October 21, urging them to send federal marshals to protect African American voting in North Carolina and to keep the peace. He detailed
- [July 16, 1916: The Great Flood](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/july-16-1916-the-great-flood/) - On this day in WNC history: In 1916, the worst documented flood in WNC ravaged the region, sweeping away people and buildings, isolating communities, and even changing the courses of rivers. At least twenty-five were killed in WNC, with Asheville and the Bat Cave regions taking the hardest hits. Western North Carolina is no stranger
- [September 18, 1924: The 2nd Battery Park Hotel Opens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-18-1924-the-2nd-battery-park-hotel-opens/) - On this day in WNC history: The second hotel to stand on this prominent hill, Asheville’s new Battery Park Hotel opened on this day in 1924. In 1886, Frank Coxe financed construction of the first hotel, a sprawling Queen Anne-style structure with 270 rooms and multiple turrets or towers. It was built on the high
- [October 2, 1929: The Marion Mill Massacre](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/october-2-1929-the-marion-mill-massacre/) - On this day in WNC history: On October 2, 1929, deputies fired into a crowd of striking workers in Marion, North Carolina. Six were killed and even more wounded at the Marion Manufacturing Company in one of the deadliest acts of strike-busting in the South. This year marked an apogee of strikes and labor organization
- [September 25, 1933: Black Mountain College Opens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-25-1933-black-mountain-college-opens/) - On this day in WNC History: During the midst of the Great Depression, the Black Mountain College opened to students for the first time in 1933. Based on the principle of progressive education, this college offered a new model of learning, particularly in the liberal arts, for students from WNC and abroad. Black Mountain College
- [August 13, 1940: The Second Great Flood](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/august-13-1940-the-second-great-flood/) - On this day in WNC history: Western North Carolina is no stranger to flooding. The flood of 1916 wreaked unimagined havoc, but twenty-four years later, another deluge spread destruction and death throughout the mountains yet again. The two catastrophes of 1916 and 1940 bore marked similarities. On August 11, a hurricane once again hit South
- [September 2, 1940: FDR Dedicates the Great Smoky Mountains National Park](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-2-1940-fdr-dedicates-the-great-smoky-mountains-national-park/) - On this Day in WNC history: Though he made his remarks on the Tennessee side, on this day in 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt officially dedicated the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a speech at Newfound Gap. The push for a park or forest reserve in North Carolina (and eastern Tennessee as well, for that
- [September 8, 1946: Asheville Blues Win Pennant](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-8-1946-asheville-blues-win-pennant/) - On this day in WNC history: Defeating the Nashville Cubs 2-1 in a game at McCormick Field, the Asheville Blues of the Negro Southern League won their first official championship in 1946. The season was split in two halves and the Asheville squad won both, including their final sixteen games, to finish at .800 on
- [September 9, 1730: Cherokees and British sign Treaty of Whitehall](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-9-1730-cherokees-and-british-sign-treaty-of-whitehall/) - On this day in WNC history: Though they hailed from what is today western North Carolina (and several other states), on Sept 9, 1730, seven Cherokee chiefs, including Attakullakulla, signed a treaty with the British in London, England. This treaty marked the first large-scale agreement by various Cherokee delegations with the British and their colonists.
- [February 23, 1911: NC's Last County Created](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/february-23-1911-ncs-last-county-created/) - On this day in WNC history: One hundred is a much neater number than ninety-nine isn’t it? On this day in 1911, the NC legislature split parts of Caldwell, Mitchell, and Watauga counties to form the mountainous Avery County, the 100th in the state. The county was named in honor of Colonel Waightsill Avery, a
- [November 3, 1868: Asheville Election Riot](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1530-2/) - On this day in WNC history: Amid the charged climate of the Reconstruction period, the Asheville Election Riot occurred on this day in 1868. After mounting tensions between Black and white voters erupted in a flurry of gunfire, one Black man—James Smith—soon died while at least 18 other African Americans and 2 white men were
- [October 17, 1941: Marian Anderson Performs in Asheville](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/october-17-1941-marian-anderson-performs-in-asheville/) - On this day in WNC history: Before an audience of 3,400 in the new City Auditorium, renowned singer Marian Anderson made her first performance in Asheville in 1941. Anderson, one of the most famous contralto performers and African American musicians of her time, sold out the venue and an estimated 300 people stood to hear
- [October 3, 1880: First Passenger Train to Asheville](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/october-3-1880-first-passenger-train-to-asheville/) - On this day in WNC history: On October 3, 1880, the first passenger rail service arrived in Asheville at a small station along modern Depot Street. The engineer and passengers were greeted by clamoring onlookers. During the mid-1800s, train service becoming increasingly popular for moving people, goods and supplies. At the same time, Asheville and
- [October 2, 1866: Second Freedmen's Convention](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/october-2-1866-second-freedmens-convention/) - On this day in WNC history: Convening in the St. Paul AME Church in Raleigh, African American representatives from seven WNC counties joined the second Freedmen’s Convention on this day in 1866. In the 1865 Freedmen’s Convention almost all representatives came from eastern and Piedmont counties. While an estimated 17,000 African Americans resided in western
- [September 26, 1923: Spruce Pine Mob](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-26-1923-spruce-pine-mob/) - September 26, 1923: One of the most visible incidents of racial terror and intimidation in WNC began on this day in 1923 near the small town of Spruce Pine in Mitchell County. The terror inflicted had parallels with other contemporary violence such as the Tula massacre which occurred just two years prior. Mitchell County was
- [September 16, 1896: William Jennings Bryan Campaigns in WNC](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-16-1896-william-jennings-bryan-campaigns-in-wnc/) - On this day in WNC history: Dubbed “the greatest event, politically at least, in the history of Asheville and Western North Carolina” by the Asheville Citizen, the famed populist William Jennings Bryan made a presidential campaign appearance in WNC on this day in 1896. He appears to have been the first presidential candidate to campaign
- [September 11, 1987: Blue Ridge Parkway Completed](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-11-1987-blue-ridge-parkway-completed/) - On this day in WNC history: After years of debate, revisions, construction, and even a bomb threat during the ceremony, the Blue Ridge Parkway was officially completed when the Linn Cove Viaduct was dedicated in 1987. This viaduct, sitting on the slope of Grandfather Mountain in Avery County has become one of the most iconic
- [September 1, 1929: Beaucatcher Tunnel Opens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/september-1-1929-beaucatcher-tunnel-opens/) - On this day in WNC history: One of the most famous Asheville landmarks opened (unofficially) on this day in 1929 as over 7,000 cars drove through the new Beaucatcher Tunnel. Beaucatcher Mountain long served as an eastern boundary for the growing city of Asheville. Around 1803, a curving road was erected over its top through
- [August 8, 1913: Chestnut Blight](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/august-8-1913-chestnut-blight/) - On this day in WNC history: On August 8, 1913, the Jackson County Journal reported the dangerous “Chestnut tree bark disease” destroying timber in the Northeast and threatening the forests of southern Appalachia. With a recently discovered case in Guilford County, NC, the paper urged residents to keep a look out for the disease. By
- [July 30, 1943: The Road to Nowhere](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/july-30-1943-the-road-to-nowhere/) - On this day in WNC history: During a period of immense change and wartime sacrifices, a promise was made to residents of Swain County in 1943 to build a road around the new Fontana Lake. The federal commitment ultimately ended with much lingering consternation and a road never completed. In early 1942, the Tennessee Valley
- [July 13, 1962: New Asheville Speedway Opens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/july-13-1962-new-asheville-speedway-opens/) - On this day in WNC history: Engines roared and an estimated 5,000 fans cheered drivers as NASCAR first visited the “New” Asheville Speedway on this evening in 1962. By this point, racing fever had swept across many parts of the country. We have previously detailed McCormick Field’s brief stint as a racetrack in the late
- [July 10, 1915: George Masa Arrives in WNC](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/july-10-1915-george-masa-arrives-in-wnc/) - On this day in WNC history: Travelling overland by train from San Francisco to St. Louis, and ultimately to Asheville, Masahara Izuka arrived in WNC for the first time on this day in 1915. We typically know him better by his adopted name – George Masa. Masa was a native of Japan who, at around
- [June 17, 1991: The Last of the Mohicans Begins Filming](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/june-17-1991-the-last-of-the-mohicans-begins-filming/) - On this day in WNC history: Western North Carolina has served as a film location for numerous movies large and small. But perhaps no production has shown its range of scenery and famous landmarks to the degree of The Last of the Mohicans, which began filming on this day in 1991. Based on the 1826
- [June 6, 2006: First Marion Livermush Festival](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/june-6-2006-first-marion-livermush-festival/) - On this day in WNC history: In 2006, a new festival opened in Marion celebrating a food with much older roots in the Piedmont and foothills of North Carolina. Livermush is a food that some love, and some may find gross from the name alone. Similar to scrapple—which is more associated with northern states—and liver
- [April 30, 1988: MerleFest Begins](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-30-1988-merlefest-begins/) - On this day in WNC history: One of the most popular music festivals in WNC, honoring one of its most beloved musicians, began on this day in 1988. The Merle Watson Memorial Festival, now known as MerleFest, has been held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro ever since. Eddy Merle Watson was
- [April 19, 1784: Morganton, First WNC Town, Chartered](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-19-1784-morganton-first-wnc-town-chartered/) - On this day in WNC history: At a 1784 meeting of the NC General Assembly, representatives chartered the first town in western North Carolina: Morganton. Their actions created a judicial and political center and acknowledged the growing influx of settlers into and over the Blue Ridge Mountains. In 1777, Cherokee representatives concluded a treaty with
- [April 17, 1985: Cherokee Beloved Woman Lula Owl Gloyne Passes](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-17-1985-cherokee-beloved-woman-lula-owl-gloyne-passes/) - On this day in WNC history: Lula Owl Gloyne, a Cherokee Beloved Woman and a lifelong advocate and public servant of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) passed away in 1985 at age 93. She was the first EBCI registered nurse, a WWI veteran, and a critical proponent of the first hospital on the
- [April 6, 1865: Battle of Asheville](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/april-6-1865-battle-of-asheville/) - On this day in WNC history: On April 6, 1865, just three days before Robert E. Lee’s army surrendered at Appomattox, war came to Asheville. This conflict outside the city along the French Broad River ultimately amounted to an hours-long fighting standoff, where Union forces withdrew with no known loss of life. The mountains of
- [March 27, 1911: First Forest Service Purchase in WNC](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/march-27-1911-first-forest-service-purchase-in-wnc/) - On this day in WNC history: Following the passage of the Weeks Act on March 1, the U.S. Forest Service authorized the first purchase of timberlands for eastern national forests on this day in 1911. Of seven areas announced, five were located in WNC, with approximately 215,000 acres around Mt. Mitchell listed as the top
- [March 15, 1952: WNC Historical Association Founded](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/march-15-1952-wnc-historical-association-founded/) - On this day in WNC history: Seventy years ago, on a cold, snowy night, representatives from fifteen mountain counties gathered at a dinner meeting in Waynesville to form the Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA). By May, the group had elected officers and held its first official meeting. It was legally incorporated in August of
- [March 9, 1965: Appalachian Regional Development Act Signed](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/march-9-1965-appalachian-regional-development-act-signed/) - On this day in WNC history: On March 9, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Appalachian Regional Development Act into law. This act lumped 360 counties from 11 states (including 29 in North Carolina) into another designation of “Appalachia” and created an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) still active today. Federal concern for Appalachia had grown
- [February 27, 1890: Nantahala River is Full of Logs](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/february-27-1890-nantahala-river-is-full-of-logs/) - On this day in WNC history: The Swain County Herald reported in 1890 that the Nantahala River and several nearby streams were filled with logs that were beginning to run. It is hard to imagine a more dangerous or environmentally destructive way of timbering, but this practice of floating logs to sawmills was practiced in
- [February 22, 1894: Cornerstone of St. Matthias' Episcopal Church Laid](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/february-22-1894-cornerstone-of-st-matthias-episcopal-church-laid/) - On this day in WNC history: On the western slope of Beaucatcher Mountain, in Asheville’s East End district, the first cornerstone for St. Matthias’ Episcopal Church was laid on this day in 1894. It was home to the oldest Black congregation in Asheville, and has served spiritual and educational needs continuously ever since. St. Matthias’
- [February 21, 1828: The Cherokee Phoenix Debuts](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/february-21-1828-the-cherokee-phoenix-debuts/) - On this day in WNC history: On this day in 1828—the year the Cherokee Nation ratified a constitution, and seven years after Sequoyah completed his syllabary of the Cherokee language—the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper first appeared in circulation. This was the very first Native newspaper in North America. Based out of the then Cherokee capital of new Echota,
- [February 17, 1917: The Life of Tempie Avery](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/february-17-1917-the-life-of-tempie-avery/) - On this day in WNC history: On a Saturday in 1917, one of Asheville’s oldest residents, and perhaps one of the most widely-known African American women in her community passed away. Tempie or Temperance Avery, widely heralded as a midwife nurse for both white and Black Asheville families, lived to be at least 99 years
- [February 10, 1874: Rumbling in the Hickory Nut Gorge](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/february-10-1874-rumbling-in-the-hickory-nut-gorge/) - On this day in WNC history: The mountains of WNC occasionally experience earthquakes, which often pass without much notice or damage. In 1874, however, the mountains at the eastern edge of the Hickory Nut Gorge began to thunder and shudder the day after a self-styled preacher reportedly exhorted the Lord to cause the earth to
- [February 6, 1928: Lunsford Records “Good Old Mountain Dew”](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/february-6-1928-lunsford-records-good-old-mountain-dew/) - On this day in WNC history: In a small studio in Ashland, Kentucky in 1928, WNC native Bascom Lamar Lunsford recorded one of the most enduring songs ever written about moonshine – “Good Old Mountain Dew.” Lunsford was born in Mars Hill during the 1880s and became a teacher and then lawyer. He also began
- [February 1, 1889: Asheville Streetcar Opens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/february-1-1889-asheville-streetcar-opens/) - On this day in WNC history: Just three years after Scranton, Pennsylvania created the nation’s first fully electric streetcar system, the newly-booming Asheville inaugurated its own electric streetcars on this day in 1889. Since the 1830s, horse-drawn streetcars provided transportation for residents in several American cities. Here in WNC, Asheville became the first city in
- [January 21, 1926: Buxton Hill Demolition](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/january-21-1926-buxton-hill-demolition/) - On this day in WNC history: One of the only constants in a city is change; 1920s Asheville was a prime illustration. On this day in 1926, excavators and trucks were at work literally transforming the landscape of the city, removing Buxton Hill and preparing to develop the land along Asheville’s South Slope. Just two
- [January 20, 1964: Martin Luther King Visits WNC](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/january-20-1964-martin-luther-king-visits-wnc/) - Though Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made many public visits to central North Carolina in the 1950s and 1960s, including to Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, and Rocky Mount, he only made two known visits to western North Carolina – in January 1964 and August 1965. Both visits occurred during key moments in the civil rights
- [January 16, 1849: Polk County Repealed](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/january-16-1849-polk-county-repealed/) - On this day in WNC history: In previous posts, we have discussed the creation of some WNC counties, but did you know that one was created, then repealed, then reauthorized, all in an eight-year span? On this day in 1849, the NC General Assembly passed an act repealing the county of Polk, created just two
- [January 7, 1922: Bicycle Trip for the KKK](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/january-7-1922-bicycle-trip-for-the-kkk/) - On this day in WNC history: One hundred years ago today, two women – Florence Deering and Evelyn Morey – and their dog, Buddie, left Asheville pedaling across western North Carolina and into eastern Tennessee on their way to Nashville. The women were on a transcontinental bicycle (and hiking) trip representing the Fellowship Forum, a
- [January 6, 1787: Rutherford County Expands](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/january-6-1787-rutherford-county-expands/) - On this day in WNC history: Meeting in Fayetteville, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a new law in 1787 transferring a chunk of land from Burke to Rutherford County. North Carolina’s western county boundaries created during the colonial era often imposed straight lines onto a region that was anything but flat and regular. The
- [January 4, 1839: Cherokee County Established](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/january-4-1839-cherokee-county-established/) - Just a few short months after the last forced Cherokee removal to Oklahoma, North Carolina established its westernmost county—Cherokee—on this day in 1839. Formed from lands “lately acquired” from the Cherokee, the new county comprised the western portion of Macon County, itself created the previous year. After establishing county boundaries, the state legislature soon decreed
- [December 14, 1804: The Walton War Turns Deadly](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/december-14-1804-the-walton-war-turns-deadly/) - On this day in WNC history: Simmering tensions in the Walton “War” between North Carolina and Georgia finally turned deadly on this day in 1804. Following the American Revolution and the loss of their British alliance, the Cherokees were forced into a series of land cessation treaties with the federal government and several states. In
- [2000: Museum of the Cherokee Indian](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2000-museum-of-the-cherokee-indian/) - 2000 Museum of the Cherokee Indian Founded in 1948, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian is one of the oldest history museums in Western North Carolina and is the repository of a vast collection of artifacts that document the history and culture of the Cherokee. In 1998, the Museum boldly
- [2001: J. Ron Holland](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2001-j-ron-holland/) - 2001 J. Ron Holland Ron Holland served as the Manager of the Western Office of Archives & History for 23 years, assisting museums and historic sites from across a 23-county region. Holland retired in 2001, and he and other historians and organizations have been trying establish a regional history museum ever
- [2002: Historic Resources Commission of Asheville and Buncombe County](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2002-historic-resources-commission-of-asheville-and-buncombe-county/) - 2002 Historic Resources Commission of Asheville and Buncombe County The Historic Resources Commission of Asheville and Buncombe County is a volunteer panel appointed by the City and the County charged with preserving and protecting the cultural and architectural character of Asheville and Buncombe County. In addition to reviewing proposed projects affecting
- [2003: Harriet Styles, Swannanoa Valley Museum](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2003-harriet-styles-swannanoa-valley-museum/) - 2003 Harriet Styles, Swannanoa Valley Museum In 1976, Harriet Styles created a small history exhibit for the Black Mountain Woman’s Club to celebrate the Independence Day Bicentennial. This would become one of the inspirations for a few Swannanoa Valley residents to start the Swannanoa Valley Museum. In 1989, Harriet accepted
- [2004: Thomas Wolfe Memorial, NC Department of Cultural Resources](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2004-thomas-wolfe-memorial-nc-department-of-cultural-resources/) - 2004 Thomas Wolfe Memorial, NC Department of Cultural Resources The NC Department of Cultural Resources (NCDCR( was honored for its restoration of Thomas Wolfe’s Old Kentucky Home following a devastating fire. They spent six years and $2.4 million rehabilitating the Queen Anne style boardinghouse where Thomas Wolfe spent much of
- [2005: South Asheville Cemetery Association](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2005-south-asheville-cemetery-association/) - 2005 South Asheville Cemetery Association The South Asheville Cemetery is a two-acre burial ground that serves as the final resting place for approximately 2,000 African Americans. The cemetery fell into disrepair during the mid-20th century, but in the 1980s members of the St. John “A” Baptist Church community, most notably George
- [2006: Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2006-asheville-buncombe-technical-community-college/) - 2006 Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College The Asheville–Buncombe Technical Community College 144-acre main campus received the award for its effort to preserve and reuse historic buildings, including Fernihurst, the Smith-McDowell House, and Sunnicrest. Fernihurst, the former summer residence of Col. John Kerr, is a brick Italinate style house named after the Kerr family castle
- [2007: Harley and Betty Jolley](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2007-harley-and-betty-jolley/) - 2007 Harley and Betty Jolley Dr. Harley E. Jolley, also known as “Mr. Blue Ridge Parkway,” taught history at Mars Hill College from 1949 through 1991. His wife, Betty Jolley, came to the college in 1949 as an assistant librarian, but she quickly began teaching humanities and history courses. For
- [2008: George A. Jones](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2008-george-a-jones/) - 2008 George A. Jones Dr. George Alexander Jones founded the Henderson County Genealogical and Historical Society in 1983. Jones, a native of Saluda, won the award in 2008 for his more than 25 years of work in promoting and preserving Henderson County history. Jones was instrumental in saving the Henderson County
- [2009: Henderson County Heritage Museum](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2009-henderson-county-heritage-museum/) - 2009 Henderson County Heritage Museum The Henderson County Heritage Museum collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits a collection of historical and cultural artifacts. The museum, found within the Henderson County Historic Courthouse, seeks to preserve history and a sense of place. Consisting of six rooms, approximately 2000 square feet, the Museum spaces
- [2010: Helen Wykle, UNC-Asheville Special Collections at  D. Hiden Ramsey Library](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2010-helen-wykle-unc-asheville-special-collections-at-d-hiden-ramsey-library/) - 2010 Helen Wykle, UNC-Asheville Special Collections at D. Hiden Ramsey Library Ramsey Library Special Collections serve the university and the community by facilitating undergraduate research related to community-based issues and engaging community collaboration and consultation. The staff provide instructional programs for faculty and students and encourage interdisciplinary and responsible use
- [2011: Steve Hill, Thomas Wolfe Memorial](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2011-steve-hill-thomas-wolfe-memorial/) - 2011 Steve Hill, Thomas Wolfe Memorial Steve Hill began managing the Thomas Wolfe Site after serving as a building guide for a short time. During his time, Hill secured funding and oversaw construction of visitor center as well as seeing the house through reconstruction after the devastating 1998 fire. As site
- [2012: No Award Given](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2012-no-award-given/)
- [2013: Fred Davis Chappell](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2013-fred-davis-chappell/) - 2013 Fred Davis Chappell Acclaimed poet and novelist Fred Chappell was born on a small farm in Canton, North Carolina. The author of numerous books of poetry, fiction, and critical prose, Chappell has received many awards for his work, including the T.S. Eliot Prize, the Bollingen Prize, the Aiken Taylor Award,
- [2014: Gordon B. McKinney](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2014-gordon-b-mckinney/) - 2014 Gordon B. McKinney Dr. Gordon McKinney received the award for educating generations of students who have benefited from his clear and thorough approach to his subject and expanded the reach of Appalachian studies beyond the academic setting. McKinney has emphasized a spirit of inclusiveness throughout his career, and especially during
- [2015: Patricia D. Beaver](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2015-patricia-d-beaver/) - 2015 Patricia D. Beaver Dr. Pat Beaver received the award to recognize her impressive contribution to the study of Appalachia and mountain regions around the world. Beaver worked as an anthropologist in mountain communities from Western North Carolina to China and Wales, researching the influences of gender, class and ethnicity
- [2016: Doug Orr](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2016-doug-orr/) - 2016 Doug Orr Dr. Doug Orr received the award for his years of contribution to the academic and cultural welfare of Western North Carolina. For 15 years, Orr led Warren Wilson College as president. His tenure saw the construction of multiple new buildings, the completion of a $27.3 million capital campaign,
- [2017: Daniel S. Pierce](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2017-daniel-s-pierce/) - 2017 Daniel S. Pierce Dan Pierce is a Professor of History at the University of North Carolina – Asheville. He is a graduate of Western Carolina University (B.S.Ed.), the University of Alabama (M.A. History), and the University of Tennessee (Ph.D. History). At UNCA, he teaches classes in Appalachian and Southern
- [2018: James R. Stokely III](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2018-james-r-stokely-iii/) - 2018 James R. Stokely III Jim Stokely began his career by writing brochures and handbooks for the National Park Service, then served as director of a major National Endowment for the Humanities project called “An Appalachian Experience.” Following 25 years as a Human Resources consultant and director, Jim returned to full-time
- [November 23, 1893: Waldensian Arrivals in Valdese](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/november-23-1893-waldensian-arrivals-in-valdese/) - On this day in WNC history: After a rough ship crossing of the Atlantic and a lengthy train ride from New York, a group of 161 immigrants arrived in the WNC foothills in 1893. This group travelled from Italy to Burke County, joining nearly three hundred fellow Waldensians who began arriving in June. After purchasing
- [November 14, 1972: TVA Drops Dam Plans](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/november-14-1972-tva-drops-dam-plans/) - On this day in WNC history: After years of concerned citizens input and activism, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) dropped its plans to construct fourteen dams on the French Broad River watershed in 1972. In the early decades of the 1900s, many dams were built in WNC, including the massive Fontana project, generating power, aiding
- [November 11, 1924: WNC Ag Exposition and the Farmer’s Federation](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/november-11-1924-wnc-ag-exposition-and-the-farmers-federation/) - On this day in WNC history: The hard work and skill of farmers and women’s groups were presented to the public as the WNC Agricultural and Livestock Exposition opened in the Asheville city garage in 1924. Speaking and presiding over the exposition was James G.K McClure Jr., president of the Farmer’s Federation, which had in
- [November 5, 1827: The Vance-Carson Duel](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/november-5-1827-the-vance-carson-duel/) - On this day in WNC history: In a previous post, we discussed a reported WNC duel which was simply a rumor. On November 5, 1827, however, a famous duel did, in fact, leave a famous resident dead as the result of a political feud. Robert Brank Vance (uncle of Zebulon Vance) and Samuel P. Carson
- [October 31, 1919: Pandemic and Halloween](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/october-31-1919-pandemic-and-halloween/) - On this day in WNC history: After a year disrupted by war and the 1918 flu pandemic, Ashevillians returned to their traditions and parties to celebrate Halloween in 1919. Halloween has been celebrated in the U.S. likely since the 1800s. Washington Irving famously included in his 1819 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow—set in 1790s New
- [Integration at Black Mountain College](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/integration-at-black-mountain-college/) - Integration at Black Mountain College by Anne Chesky Smith “If Black Mountain College wants to have Negro students, it will have them; if it does not find them, it is because it does not really want them. This may seem a hard statement — I nevertheless am convinced of it.” - Edward Lowinsky Jacob
- [2019: Rob Neufeld](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2019-rob-neufeld/) - 2019 Rob Neufeld Longtime Asheville Citizen-Times columnist Rob Neufeld, a highly respected local historian known for his love and respect of his adopted Western North Carolina mountains, was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award for 2019. Neufeld, 65, garnered numerous awards for his research and writing, continued his “Visiting Our Past” column for
- [2020: Ann Miller Woodford](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2020-ann-miller-woodford/) - 2020 Ann Miller Woodford Ann Miller Woodford won the 2020 award for her work preserving and promoting the history of African American people in far western North Carolina. “As an awards committee, we marveled at the work that is ongoing in Western North Carolina to offer a more complete history of our region,” said Catherine
- [2021 Annual Report](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2021-annual-report/) - 2021 was a year of growth and change for us as we expanded our programmatic offerings while also planning for major changes at our facility. learn more
- [2020 Annual Report](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2020-annual-report/) - 2020 became a year of innovation—not only for us, but for nonprofits across Western North Carolina. There’s no more “business” as usual. In WNCHA’s case, we’ve created virtual programming. We’ve digitized exhibits and collections, making more of our resources freely accessible to more people. We’ve found new ways to fulfill our mission of history
- [History Hour: Vaccines and Public Health in WNC, Past and Present - a panel discussion](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/history-hour-vaccines-and-public-health-in-wnc-past-and-present-a-panel-discussion/) - Three historians will discuss past pandemics and public health crises—including smallpox, polio, and the 1918 flu— in WNC and Appalachia. They are joined by two immunologists and professors of biology who will address Covid-19, vaccines, and our current pandemic response. They will answer audience questions in a moderated session afterward. This event
- [History Hour: Refugees and Resettlement in WNC, a panel discussion](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/history-hour-refugees-and-resettlement-in-wnc-a-panel-discussion/) - As American forces withdrew from Afghanistan last summer, preparations were already underway to resettle many Afghans in the United States. In this ongoing process, several individuals and families have been relocated to western North Carolina. This is not the first time, however, that displaced groups have found a home in the mountains.
- [Through Rock and Time: The Railroad Comes to the Mountains](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/through-rock-and-time-the-railroad-comes-to-the-mountains/) - Through Rock and Time: The Railroad Comes to the Mountains by Trevor Freeman “The railroad they were to build was to scale the lower part of the mountain, turning and twisting about…until it reached Swannanoa Gap, which was…the historic entryway into the mountain country, had served as such since the first settlers went up there
- [1955: The French Broad by Wilma Dykeman](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1955-the-french-broad-by-wilma-dykeman/) - groundbreaking analysis of environmental concerns. Wilma Dykeman spent years studying the rivers of western North Carolina, but after she wrote her book The French Broad, her publishers tried to remove the chapters on pollution. However, Dykeman prevailed, and in addition to bringing river contamination to the nation’s attention, won the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Trophy,
- [1956: Tecumseh: Vision of Glory by Glenn Tucker](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1956-tecumseh-vision-of-glory-by-glenn-tucker/) - From the publisher: “In the years just preceding the War of 1812 one man, an Indian, dominated the American frontier—Tecumseh. He emerges here as a vivid, splendid character, a man of unusual talents and noble aims, whereas in much previous history and biography he has been depicted as a baffling, sinister, often bloody figure—a
- [1957: Thomas Wolfe’s Characters by Floyd C. Watkins](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1957-thomas-wolfes-characters-by-floyd-c-watkins/) - From the book jacket: “From the moment Look Homeward, Angel was first published, the work of Thomas Wolfe has been hailed as a triumph in the art of writing fiction. From that moment, too, the citizens of his home town, Asheville, NC, have asserted, some proudly and some indignantly, that much of his fiction
- [1958: My Mountains, My People by John Parris](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1958-my-mountains-my-people-by-john-parris/) - From the publisher: “Retrace Western North Carolina’s cultural and natural history with one of its most beloved storytellers and folklorists, John Parris. This second collection of Parris’ work has been repackaged with an updated cover and is back in print for the first time in decades, and includes the complete original text and illustrations.
- [1959: The Spotted Hawk by Olive Tilford Dargan](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1959-the-spotted-hawk-by-olive-tilford-dargan/) - From the book jacket: “Olive Tilford Dargan needs no introduction to a public familiar with her work. Beginning in 1904 with her first volume, Dargan has produced dramas, volumes of verse, and stories in marvelous variety and continued freshness of insight. And in 1932 she published her first novel, under the name of
- [1960: We Made Peace with Polio by Luther Robinson](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1960-we-made-peace-with-polio-by-luther-robinson/) - From the book jacket: “Spring came early to Catawba Valley that year. So did polio. Beginning in isolated rural areas, scattered cases appeared until, by the end of June, polio had reached dangerous proportions. From a thousand fearful homes came anxious cries and appeals for help. People knew fear that summer because it was
- [1961: Human Gold from Southern Hills by David English Camak](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1961-human-gold-from-southern-hills-by-david-english-camak/) - From the book jacket: “David English ‘Daddy’ Camak was born on a cotton farm near Winnsboro, SC, on July 26, 1880. He is a product of hard work, Christian home training, old-fashioned evangelistic preaching, and one-room short-term schooling. He cobbled shoes at Wofford College and graduated, 1903, with the AB degree. In 1919 Wofford
- [1963: No Award Given](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1963noaward/)
- [1962: Stoneman’s Last Raid by Ina Woestemeyer Van Noppen](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1962-stonemans-last-raid-by-ina-woestemeyer-van-noppen/) - From the author: “No actual [Civil War] campaigns were conducted in the mountains of East Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Southwestern Virginia, and the Piedmont section of NC until the last weeks of the war. Yet every community was touched by recruitment and conscription of men, impressment of horses and supplies, taxes, and neighborhood
- [1964: Thomas Wolfe by Bruce R. McElderry, Jr.](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1964-thomas-wolfe-by-bruce-r-mcelderry-jr/) - From the author: “Reconsideration of Thomas Wolfe is timely. It is now 25 years since his death, and 34 years since his greatest novel, Look Homeward Angel, appeared. Sine World War II, most readers who grew up with Wolfe have naturally moved on to other interests, and now associate Wolfe with the remote prewar past.
- [1965: No Award Given](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1965-no-award-given/)
- [1966: Zeb Vance: Champion of Personal Freedom by Glenn Tucker](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1966-zeb-vance-champion-of-personal-freedom-by-glenn-tucker/) - From the publisher: “Rugged, dynamic, controversial — Zebulon Baird Vance was one of the dominant personalities of the South for nearly half a century. Here is the first full-scale biography of this important figure. This colorful and carefully researched study centers on Vance’s dedication to democratic institutions during the Civil War. He maintained unyieldingly
- [1967: Strangers in High Places: The Story of the Great Smoky Mountains by Michael Frome](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1967strangers/) - From the publisher: “Frome’s superbly written account tells the story of the Great Smoky Mountains and their inhabitants—Eastern Cherokee, back-country settlers, lumbermen, moonshiners, bears, and boars. Frome chronicles the power struggles, legislation, and land transactions surrounding the creation of the national park and discusses the continuing threats to the park’s natural beauty. The
- [1968: A Biography of Thomas Wolfe by Neal F. Austin](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1968-a-biography-of-thomas-wolfe-by-neal-f-austin/) - From the publisher: “Neal Austin describes the Wolfe family with humor and pathos: ‘W. Oliver Wolfe had been considered Asheville’s most eligible widower. He had money, a good business, and, in his fine clothes, he was a handsome mad. So he was not long single: pert, energetic Julia Westall became his third wife.’ By
- [1969: The Blue Ridge Parkway by Harley E. Jolley](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1969-the-blue-ridge-parkway-by-harley-e-jolley/) - From the publisher: “For 469 miles the Blue Ridge Parkway follows the crests of ridges and mountains on a ribbon-like course through some of the nation’s most spectacular scenery. Each year millions of visitors travel this ‘pleasure parkway,’ marveling at its breathtaking vistas and sensing the rich lore of a rugged wilderness…. Few visitors
- [1970: The Grandfather and the Globe by Dell B. Wilson](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1970-the-grandfather-and-the-globe-by-dell-b-wilson/) - From the publisher: “This is a chronicle of how the Civil War affected the lives of certain families living in the Grandfather Mountain region of Watagua County, NC, and in the adjacent Globe Valley. The main characters are fictional because insufficient sources exist on which to base a historical treatment. But the events
- [1971: Arts and Crafts of the Cherokee by Rodney L. Leftwich](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1971-arts-and-crafts-of-the-cherokee-by-rodney-l-leftwich/) - From the publisher: “The traditional arts among the Eastern Band of Cherokees which are surveyed in this document include basketry, pottery, woodcrafts, weaving, bead, shell, stone, leather and metal working. In the section on basketry, which receives the most coverage, there are descriptions of the materials, especially the native uses of vegetation in
- [1972: A Long, Long Day For November by Moffitt Sinclair Henderson](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1972-a-long-long-day-for-november-by-moffitt-sinclair-henderson/) - From the publisher: “When Samuel Price Carson became a state senator at the age of 24, he launched a political career that led him to the National Congress in 1825, where he became deeply involved int he dramatic events that shaped the destiny of the South. Described by historians as the era of intellectual
- [1973: Western North Carolina Since the Civil War By Ina W. and John J. Van Noppen](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1973-western-north-carolina-since-the-civil-war-by-ina-w-and-john-j-van-noppen/) - From the publisher: No region has undergone more dramatic changes in the last century than Western North Carolina. Published in 1973, Western North Carolina Since the Civil War takes a look at the mountain people and their uniquely structured economic, political, social, and cultural systems. The Van Noppens specifically explore the different qualities of the mountain
- [1974: Blanford Barnard Dougherty, mountain educator by Ruby J. Lanier](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1974-blanford-barnard-dougherty-mountain-educator-by-ruby-j-lanier/) - From the publisher: Born in the mountain town of Boone, NC, in 1870, Blanford Barnard Dougherty remained there for a lifetime working for the public schools and teach training in his state. His greatest impact was probably felt in the northwestern counties of NC. Beginning his career as a teacher in a little one-room
- [1975: The Appalachian Consortium Press](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1975-the-appalachian-consortium-press/) - From appstate.edu: The Appalachian Consortium Press was founded in 1973 – the first publisher devoted to Appalachia. The Press published scholarly books and reference materials, including the first contemporary and comprehensive bibliography of the region, oral histories, environmental studies, and poetry. The Appalachian Consortium Press published multidisciplinary scholarly works in history, literature, photography, music, sociology, folklore,
- [1976: Mountain Measure: A Southern Appalachian Verse Notebook by Francis Pledger Hulme](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1976-mountain-measure-a-southern-appalachian-verse-notebook-by-francis-pledger-hulme/) - From the publisher: “Here is history at its best–a story of the Southern Appalachian people that has been gathered with great affection by a native son and told in poetry and song. Superb photography by Robert Amberg brings the people and the mountains to the words. Mountain Measure is a beautiful book and one all heritage-conscious
- [1977: From the Banks of The Oklawaha, Vol. I by Frank L. Fitzsimons](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1977-from-the-banks-of-the-oklawaha-vol-i-by-frank-l-fitzsimons/) - From the publisher: Part of a three volume set of the history of Henderson County and Hendersonville, embracing a scope of time from an Indian legend of a “Moon-Eyed People,” who inhabited the mountains of Western North Carolina before the Cherokee, up to 1961. For nearly 25 years, in some 5,000 programs, Frank FitzSimons
- [1978: Day of Miracles by Charlotte Young](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1978-day-of-miracles-by-charlotte-young/) - From the author: “This volume, my fourth book of poetry, is different from the kind of poetry in my other books. Three dramas occupy a large part of the book. The longer one, a three-act musical drama, is the opus of my lifetime. During most of my life, I have carried the dream
- [1979: Slavery and the Evolution of Cherokee Society, 1540-1866 by Theda Perdue](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1979-slavery-and-the-evolution-of-cherokee-society-by-theda-perdue/) - From the publisher: Slavery was practiced among North American Indians long before Europeans arrived on these shores, bringing their own version of this “peculiar institution.” Unlike the European institution, however, Native American slavery was function of warfare among tribes, replenishment of population lost through intertribal conflict or disease, and establishment and preservation of tribal
- [1980: The Mountains Have Come Closer: Poems by Jim Wayne Miller](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1980-the-mountains-have-come-closer-poems-by-jim-wayne-miller/) - From the publisher: Mountains Have Come Closer is a collection of poems by Jim Wayne Miller which draw on his life experiences growing up and living in Appalachia. 1980 The Mountains Have Come Closer: Poems BY JIM WAYNE MILLER
- [1981: Cabins and Castles: The History & Architecture of Buncombe County, North Carolina by Douglas Swaim, Talmage Powell, and John Ager](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1981-cabins-and-castles-the-history-architecture-of-buncombe-county-north-carolina-by-douglas-swaim-talmage-powell-and-john-ager/) - From the publisher: Cabins & Castles was first published in 1981, a joint effort of the Historic Resources Commission and the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. The book became enormously popular with natives, tourists, historians, and preservationists as a primary source of knowledge about this richly historic mountain county. Cabins & Castles contains two major
- [1982: Miners, Millhands, and Mountaineers: Industrialization of the Appalachian South by Ron D. Eller](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/minersmillhands/) - From the publisher: An examination of the social and economic history of the Appalachian South from 1880 to 1930, describing the revolutionary changes in mountain life as the region was swept up in the American drive toward industrial maturity. “As a benchmark book should, this one will stimulate the imagination and industry of future
- [1983: Strangers No More by Lucy S. Herring](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1983-strangers-no-more-by-lucy-s-herring/) - From the publisher: In 1916, sixteen-year-old Lucy Saunders, a young black teacher from Orangeburg County, South Carolina, presided over a classroom of sixteen students, aged six to seventeen years old, at the Lower Swannanoa Colored School in Asheville. Lucy Saunder’s early classroom experience marked the beginning of a 52-year career in education. As a
- [1984: Last One Home by John Ehle](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1984-last-one-home-by-john-ehle/) - From the publisher: Last One Home, the final book in John Ehle’s masterful Appalachian series that traces the King family from The Land Breakers in 1779, as the first white settlers in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina, through the Great Depression in Last One Home. Ehle’s most comfortable venue, the mountain regions of western North
- [1985: Minstrel of the Appalachians: The Story of Bascom Lamar Lunsford by Loyal Jones](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1985-minstrel-of-the-appalachians-the-story-of-bascom-lamar-lunsford-by-loyal-jones/) - From the publisher: It is said that Bascom Lamar Lunsford would “cross hell on a rotten rail to get a folk song”—his Southern highlands folk-song compilations now constitute one of the largest collections of its kind in the Library of Congress—but he did much more than acquire songs. He preserved and promoted the Appalachian
- [1986: Rural Community in the Appalachian South by Patricia D. Beaver](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1986-rural-community-in-the-appalachian-south-by-patricia-d-beaver/) - From the publisher: A fond indentification with a certain place, close ties with people, a shared history of experiences and values–these are elements commonly associated with the southern Appalachians. Despite dramatic social and economic changes in recent decades, this sense of belonging together, of community, still constitutes a moral system that comes into poignant
- [1987: A Southern Family by Gail Godwin](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1987asouthernfamily/) - From the publisher: Gail Godwin’s new novel is told in a multiplicity of voices; and what emerges is a profound and unforgettable portrait of a southern family for whom provocation has become a way of life. Lying at the center of the novel are two violent and mysterious deaths, one of which is Theo’s. The only
- [1988: Cades Cove: The Life and Death of a Southern Appalachian Community by Durwood Dunn](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1988-cades-cove-the-life-and-death-of-a-southern-appalachian-community-by-durwood-dunn/) - From the publisher: Drawing on a rich trove of documents never before available to scholars, the author sketches the early pioneers, their daily lives, their beliefs, and their struggles to survive and prosper in this isolated mountain community, now within the confines of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In moving detail this book
- [1989: Mountain Masters: Slavery and the Sectional Crisis in WNC by John C. Inscoe](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1989-mountain-masters-slavery-and-the-sectional-crisis-in-wnc-by-john-c-inscoe/) - From the publisher: Antebellum Southern Appalachia has long been seen as a classless and essentially slaveless region – one so alienated and isolated from other parts of the South that, with the onset of the Civil War, highlanders opposed both secession and Confederate war efforts. In a multifaceted challenge to these basic assumptions about
- [1990: No Award Given](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1990-no-award-given/) - :
- [1991: No Award Given](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1991-no-award-given/) - : Now
- [1992: Wildwood Flower: Poems by Kathryn Stripling Byer](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1992-wildwood-flower-poems-by-kathryn-stripling-byer/) - In Wildflower Flower, whose title derives from a traditional country song, Byer speaks through the fictional voice of a mountain woman named Alma, who lived in the Blue Ridge wilderness around the turn of the century. In narrative and lyric, Byer’s poems sing a journey through solitude, capturing the spirit and the sound of
- [1993: The Airwaves of Zion: Radio and Religion in Appalachia by Howard Dorgan](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1993-the-airwaves-of-zion-radio-and-religion-in-appalachia-by-howard-dorgan/) - For much of the mainstream media, religious broadcasting evokes images of Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, Jerry Falwell, or Pat Robertson. Yet, as Howard Dorgan reminds us, an older, still lively folk-oriented tradition survives on Sunday mornings (and occasionally Sunday afternoons and Saturdays) on dozens of am radio stations across the mountain regions of
- [1994: Warren Wilson College: A Centennial Portrait by Reuben A. Holden and Mark T. Banker](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1994-warren-wilson-college-a-centennial-portrait-by/) - From the publisher: Today’s Warren Wilson College emerged from modest beginnings. Indeed, the band of missionary educators who founded the Asheville Farm School in 1894 would be amazed if they could join the centennial celebrations. The simple frame and log buildings they constructed on a knoll above the Swannanoa River gave way long ago
- [1995: Hillbillyland: What the Movies Did to the Mountains & What the Mountains Did to the Movies by J.W. Williamson](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1995-hillbillyland-what-the-movies-did-to-the-mountains-what-the-mountains-did-to-the-movies-by-j-w-williamson/) - From the publisher: The stereotypical hillbilly figure in popular culture provokes a range of responses, from bemused affection for Ma and Pa Kettle to outright fear of the mountain men in Deliverance. In Hillbillyland, J. W. Williamson investigates why hillbilly images are so pervasive in our culture and what purposes they serve. He has mined more
- [1996: The Last Chivaree: The Hicks Family of Beech Mountain by Robert Isbell](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1996-the-last-chivaree-the-hicks-family-of-beech-mountain-by-robert-isbell/) - From the publisher: The Last Chivaree creates a vivid and unsparing portrait of Appalachian mountain life in the first half of the twentieth century, before power lines and paved roads opened the way to widespread change. Robert Isbell’s profile of the remarkable Hicks family of Beech Mountain, North Carolina, pays tribute to the longstanding mountain
- [1997: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1997-cold-mountain-by-charles-frazier/) - From the publisher: Cold Mountain, the extraordinary story of a soldier’s perilous journey back to his beloved at the end of the Civil War, is at once an enthralling adventure, a stirring love story, and a luminous evocation of a vanished land, a place where savagery coexists with splendor and human beings contend with
- [1999: In the Family Way by Tommy Hays](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1999-in-the-family-way-by-tommy-hays/) - From the publisher: Tommy Hays’ second novel, In the Family Way, won the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award for 2000 and was chosen for the Book of the Month Club. Set in the early 1960’s in Greenville, South Carolina, it is about Jeru Lamb, a ten-year-old, who is trying to come to terms with his brother’s
- [1998: Living Stories of the Cherokee, collected and edited by Barbara R. Duncan](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1998-living-stories-of-the-cherokee-collected-and-edited-by-barbara-r-duncan/) - From the publisher: This remarkable book, the first major new collection of Cherokee stories published in nearly a hundred years, presents seventy-two traditional and contemporary tales from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. It features stories told by Davey Arch, Robert Bushyhead, Edna Chekelelee, Marie Junaluska, Kathi Smith Littlejohn, and Freeman
- [2004: No Award Given](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2004-no-award-given/)
- [2000: Carolina Ghost Woods: Poems by Judy Jordan](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2000-carolina-ghost-woods-poems-by-judy-jordan/) - From the publisher: “The daughter of sharecroppers and raised on a small farm near the Carolinas’ border, Judy Jordan in her first poetry collection transforms the harshness of her youth with the beauty, inventiveness, and musicality of language. Physical and emotional privation, familial violence, racial enmity, and recurrent death haunt Carolina Ghost Woods,
- [2002: Sodom Laurel Album by Rob Amberg](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2002-sodom-laurel-album-by-rob-amberg/) - From the publisher: “When photographer Rob Amberg first met Dellie Norton and her adopted son, Junior, in 1975, Norton was seventy-six years old and had lived most of her life in the small mountain community of Sodom Laurel, North Carolina, surrounded by close kin, tobacco fields, and the rugged wilderness of the southern
- [2001: May We All Remember Well: Volume II edited by Robert S. Brunk](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2001-may-we-all-remember-well-volume-ii-edited-by-robert-s-brunk/) - From the publisher: “Robert S. Brunk Auction Services, Inc. of Asheville published Volume II of ‘May We All Remember Well: A Journal of the History and Cultures of Western North Carolina.’ Like Volume I published in 1997, the new book includes 14 studies by writers and photographers documenting achitectural history, oral histories,
- [2003: The Maya of Morganton by Leon Fink](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2003-the-maya-of-morganton-by-leon-fink/) - From the publisher: “The arrival of several hundred Guatemalan-born workers in a Morganton, North Carolina, poultry plant sets the stage for this dramatic story of human struggle in an age of globalization. When laborers’ concerns about safety and fairness spark a strike and, ultimately, a unionizing campaign at Case Farms, the resulting
- ['Black Mountain Blues' at Roseland Gardens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/roselandgardens/) - 'Black Mountain Blues' at Roseland Gardens "I’m bound for Black Mountain, me and my razor and my gun...I’m out here for trouble, I’ve got the Black Mountain blues." - Black Mountain Blues, lyrics by J.C. Johnson Many around Western North Carolina have speculated that the song “Black Mountain Blues,” first recorded by Bessie Smith
- [1882 Cowee Tunnel Disaster heroism, mistaken identity](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/coweetunnel/) - 1882 Cowee Tunnel Disaster heroism, mistaken identity Ranging from 15 to 55 years of age at the time of their deaths, the 19 men — who were all African American — were buried in a mass grave (or graves) on a ridgeline near the tunnel. Their names were Alexander Adams, Nelson Bowser, Orren Brooks,
- [Incarcerated laborers on railroad attempted freedom](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/incarcerated-laborers-on-railroad-attempted-freedom/) - Incarcerated laborers on railroad attempted freedom Despite being chained, watched by armed guards, and weakened by the harsh climate, brutal working conditions, communicable illnesses, and lack of food and sleep, the incarcerated laborers resisted their imprisonment. “A female convict on the (Western North Carolina Railroad), emptied a phial of sulphuric acid into the
- [A trek of self-liberation from Asheville to Tennessee](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/a-trek-of-self-liberation-from-asheville-to-tennessee/) - A trek of self-liberation from Asheville to Tennessee In trying to determine whether Bob found freedom in 1819, the written historic record can provide some clues. Unfortunately, more often than not, this documentation was written by enslavers as enslaved individuals were not legally allowed to learn to read or write. So even those who
- [Rumbling Bald was rumbling in 1874](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/rumbling-bald-was-rumbling-in-1874/) - Rumbling Bald was rumbling in 1874 Newspapers of the day, rife with speculation and exaggeration, reported that Owensby held a three-day revival, culminating on Feb. 9, before local residents felt the first tremors under the mountain the following day. In a state of religious fervor, many locals supposedly panicked, thinking the world was ending
- [Bettie Sims was not a typical moonshiner](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bettie-sims-was-not-a-typical-moonshiner/) - Bettie Sims was not a typical moonshiner Knowing, as she said, that “nine out of every ten men will drink whiskey,” and that “a small barrel of blockade whiskey will yield a profit of a hundred dollars,” Bettie transformed herself from a “quiet, home-loving woman” to “a desperate Amazon, with pistol buckled around her
- [Story behind the WWII detainee camps at Grove Park Inn, Montreat Assembly Inn](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/story-behind-the-wwii-detainee-camps-at-grove-park-inn-montreat-assembly-inn/) - Story behind the WWII detainee camps at Grove Park Inn, Montreat Assembly Inn Above: A rare color photo of some of the Japanese women, teenagers and a younger child in kimonos for a special occasion while they were in Montreat at the State Department Detention Camp for diplomats' and businessmen's families, while waiting for
- [Story behind the accused murderer in 1936 Battery Park Hotel homicide](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/martinmoore/) - Story behind the accused murderer in 1936 Battery Park Hotel homicide Back at the courthouse, Martin was taken into a room with several of the investigators. He was grilled for hours. He stuck to his story. The gun was his, but it was not in his possession the night of the murder. One of
- [The Revolutionary journeys of 2 young WNC women](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/the-revolutionary-journeys-of-2-young-wnc-women/) - The Revolutionary journeys of 2 young WNC women Her name does not appear in the written record until her ancestor, Johnny Baxter, gave an interview identifying her in the 1980s. He recalled, “My grandmother on my mother’s side was an indentured slave, and was held by the Davidson family. Her (grand)mother was also held
- [MLK’s trips to Black Mountain & Montreat](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/mlk/) - MLK’s trips to Black Mountain & Montreat “Solicitor Robert S. Swain of Buncombe County said Monday after conferring with law enforcement officers he felt it would be better if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not visit a church meeting at Montreat Thursday. ‘We do not need any outside agitators in this area,’ said
- [A ghost in Black Mountain](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/a-ghost-in-black-mountain/) - A Ghost in Black Mountain “A guest named Petunia fell, or jumped, from a window in Room 13 of Abbott Hall at 3:15 a.m. That same morning two guests who were doctors also staying in Abbott, rooms 1 and 3, were awakened by groans coming from underneath their windows. The two men rushed outside
- [Who was the dead swindler on a pedestal in an Asheville funeral home?](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/beresford/) - Who was the dead swindler on a pedestal in an Asheville funeral home? “I don’t care if he never gets buried, if it is he,” Louisiana told the Virginian-Pilot newspaper on July 14, 1905. “All I want is to make sure that the man whose body is now at the North Carolina resort is
- [The ghost at Inn Around the Corner](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/the-ghost-at-inn-around-the-corner/) - "Rockefeller was a real cheapskate. I asked him what he was doing, and he said it was his usual discount...but I told him I didn't do discounts." - Charles Seidel HISTORY THE GHOST AT INN AROUND THE CORNER "Are you aware you have a spirit at this inn?” Nancy Schnepp, the then-proprietor of Black
- [Waste Basket Boutique paper dresses were made in Asheville by Mars](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/paperdress/) - Waste Basket Boutique paper dresses were made in Asheville by Mars Women could get a paper dress, branded a “Paper Caper,” by clipping a coupon from an advertisement in Seventeen magazine and sending it along with two proofs of purchase and $1.25 to Scott Paper Company’s offices in Philadelphia. "I tried one out and
- [Carl Sandburg, an iconic American, gets a reappraisal](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/sandburg/) - Carl Sandburg, an iconic American, gets a reappraisal John Quinley’s recently-published book “Discovering Carl Sandburg: The Eclectic Life of an American Icon” is a concise and digestible biography. At 122 pages, this publication is intentionally brief; Quinley notes in the introduction that participants on his tours of the Sandburg historic site are reticent to purchase
- [2005: High Mountains Rising edited by Richard A. Straw and H. Tyler Blethen](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2005-high-mountains-rising-edited-by-richard-a-straw-and-h-tyler-blethen/) - From the publisher: “This collection is the first comprehensive, cohesive volume to unite Appalachian history with its culture. Richard A. Straw and H. Tyler Blethen’s High Mountains Rising provides a clear, systematic, and engaging overview of the Appalachian timeline, its people, and the most significant aspects of life in the region. The first half of
- [2006: Shinemaster by Michael McFee](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2006-shinemaster-by-michael-mcfee/) - From the publisher: “Shinemaster is a book about discovering plenitude in apparent scarcity. It presents this human paradox in lively and often playful fashion, with poems about sweet potatoes, popular music, spitwads, sex education, family and marriage, cafeterias, Sunday School, and a shoeshine kit. McFee’s poems are lucid and vivid, ranging in length from
- [2007: On Agate Hill by Lee Smith](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2007-on-agate-hill-by-lee-smith/) - From the publisher: “It is 1872, Agate Hill, North Carolina. On her thirteenth birthday, Molly Petree peeps out the chink of a window from her secret hiding place up in the eaves of a tumbledown old plantation house to survey a world gone wild, all expectations overthrown, all order gone. I know I
- [2008: Chemistry and Other Stories by Ron Rash](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2008-chemistry-and-other-stories-by-ron-rash/) - From the publisher: “From the pre-eminent chronicler of this forgotten territory, stories that range over one hundred years in the troubled, violent emergence of the New South. In Ron Rash’s stories, spanning the entire 20th century in Appalachia, rural communities struggle with the arrival of a new era. Three old men stalk the shadow
- [2009: Grove Park Inn by Bruce E. Johnson](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2009-grove-park-inn-by-bruce-e-johnson/) - From the publisher: “The Grove Park Inn opened in scenic Asheville, North Carolina in 1913, at the height of the American Arts & Crafts movement. The craftsmen at Elbert Hubbard’s Roycroft Shops were chosen to produce the Arts & Crafts furniture and hand-hammered lighting for what was called “the finest resort hotel in
- [2010: Requiem by Fire by Wayne Caldwell](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2010-requiem-by-fire-by-wayne-caldwell/) - From the publisher: “In Requiem by Fire, Caldwell returns to the same fertile Appalachian ground that provided the setting for his first novel, recalling a singular time in American history when the greater good may not have been best for everyone. In the late 1920s, Cataloochee, North Carolina, a settlement tucked deep in the Great
- [2011: Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2011-under-the-mercy-trees-by-heather-newton/) - From the publisher: “Heather Newton’s Under the Mercy Trees tells the poignant and unforgettable story of a man forced to face his troubled past when he returns to his hometown in the mountains of North Carolina following the disappearance of his brother. Thirty years ago, Martin Owenby came to New York City with dreams of
- [2012: Blue Ridge Commons by Kathryn Newfont](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2012-blue-ridge-commons-by-kathryn-newfont/) - From the publisher: “In the late 20th century, residents of the Blue Ridge mountains in western North Carolina fiercely resisted certain environmental efforts, even while launching aggressive initiatives of their own. Kathryn Newfont examines the environmental history of this region over the course of three hundred years, identifying what she calls commons environmentalism-a
- [2013: a land more kind than home by Wiley Cash](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2013-a-land-more-kind-than-home-by-wiley-cash/) - From the publisher: “In his phenomenal debut novel—a mesmerizing literary thriller about the bond between two brothers and the evil they face in a small North Carolina town—author Wiley Cash displays a remarkable talent for lyrical, powerfully emotional storytelling. A Land More Kind than Home is a modern masterwork of Southern fiction, reminiscent of the
- [2014: The Road from Gap Creek by Robert Morgan](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2014-the-road-from-gap-creek-by-robert-morgan/) - From the publisher: “One of America’s most acclaimed writers returns to the land on which he has staked a literary claim to paint an indelible portrait of a family in a time of unprecedented change. In a compelling weaving of fact and fiction, Robert Morgan introduces a family’s captivating story, set during World
- [2015: Wayfaring Strangers by Fiona Ritchie and Doug Orr](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2015-wayfaring-strangers-by-fiona-ritchie-and-doug-orr/) - From the publisher: “Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a steady stream of Scots migrated to Ulster and eventually onward across the Atlantic to resettle in the United States. Many of these Scots-Irish immigrants made their way into the mountains of the southern Appalachian region. They brought with them a wealth of traditional
- [2017: Over the Plain Houses by Julia Franks](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2017-over-the-plain-houses-by-julia-franks/) - From the publisher: “It’s 1931, and the federal government has sent USDA agent Virginia Furman into the North Carolina mountains to instruct families on modernizing their homes and farms. There she meets farm wife Irenie Lambey, who is immediately drawn to the lady agent’s self-possession. Already, cracks are emerging in Irenie’s fragile marriage
- [2016: That Bright Land by Terry Roberts](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2016-that-bright-land-by-terry-roberts/) - From the publisher: “Set in the summer of 1866, a year after the Civil War has ended, That Bright Land is the story of Jacob Ballard, a former Union soldier and spy who’s been sent south into the North Carolina mountains to find a serial killer who is carrying out his own private war in
- [2018: Varina by Charles Frazier](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2018-varina-by-charles-frazier/) - From the publisher: “In his powerful new novel, Charles Frazier returns to the time and place of Cold Mountain, vividly bringing to life the chaos and devastation of the Civil War. Her marriage prospects limited, teenage Varina Howell agrees to wed the much-older widower Jefferson Davis, with whom she expects the secure life of a
- [2021: Even As We Breathe by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/even-as-we-breathe/) - “Even As We Breathe immerses us in a specific place and time, Asheville’s Grove Park Inn when it was being used to house Axis diplomats and their families in 1942, and in the Qualla Boundary where Cherokee traditions are deeply embedded but in conflict with an ever encroaching outside world. But the
- [2022: George Masa's Wild Vision by Brent Martin](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/georgemasa/) - “In George Masa’s Wild Vision, Brent Martin brings together Masa’s arresting images and his own reflections on walking in Masa’s footsteps to tell one of our region’s important stories in an innovative way. Masa played a pivotal role in the creation of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the Appalachian Trail through
- [2020: Eastern Cherokee Stories by Sandra Muse Isaacs](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/2020-eastern-cherokee-stories-by-sandra-muse-isaacs/) - “Sandra Muse Isaacs in Eastern Cherokee Stories helps the reader see the oral tradition of the Eastern Cherokee as both an ancient and contemporary means of expressing culture and identity. She allows us to see the ways in which stories continue to have the power to educate and motivate a people rooted

## Pages

- [Home](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/) - Asheville Museum of History preserves and promotes the history and legacy of Western North Carolina through interpretation, education, collection, and collaboration.
- [Event Calendar](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/schedule/) - July 21st 6 PM - 8 PM Tuesday AFTER HOURS Summer Concert Series The Nature Boys Buy Tickets Learn More In-Person Event at the Asheville Museum of History at the historic Smith-McDowell House July 28th Tuesday 6 pm - 7 pm HISTORY HOUR Monthly Lecture Series Evolution of Asheville's Built Environment With Heath Towson
- [HISTORY HOUR](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/history-hour/) - HISTORY HOUR Monthly Lecture Series 2026 Speakers & Topics Join us for History Hour, our monthly lecture series exploring the rich history of western North Carolina. The hour long-program features a guest speaker and concludes with a brief Q&A session. History Hour takes place on the last Tuesday evening of every month. Upcoming Speakers
- [AFTER HOURS Summer Concert Series](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/afterhours/) - Tab 1 Tab 2 Tab 3 YEAR TWO AFTER HOURS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Happening Every Third Tuesday of the Summer Months The Asheville Museum of History invites you to the second year of our AFTER HOURS Summer Concert Series, happening every third Tuesday of the summer months (June, July, and August) from 6:00
- [Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/literaryaward/) - Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award Nominations for the 2026 Award are open! The Asheville Museum of History is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky Family, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award has been presented by the Western North Carolina Historical Association (now the Asheville
- [Our People](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/our-people/) - Staff Steven Nickollof, Director of Education & Programs education@ashevillehistory.org Katie Ritchie, Visitor Services & Development Manager membership@ashevillehistory.org Board of Trustees 2026 President Steven Lee Johnson Landscape Architect, Partner, Sitework Studios Vice President Catherine Frank Executive Director, OLLI, UNC-A Secretary Michael McLaughlin National Endowment for the Arts administrator, retired Treasurer Dirk Wilmoth A-B Tech, CFO/vice
- [Douglas Ellington](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/douglas-ellington/) - Douglas Dobell Ellington: Asheville's Boomtown Architect Asheville’s economic and building boom of the 1920s created a rarified atmosphere unique within Western North Carolina. Douglas Ellington is known as the architect who changed Asheville into an Art Deco showplace. With his ability to combine architectural styles he produced a series of one of a kind
- [About](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/about/) - ABOUT OUR MISSION We preserve and promote the history and legacy of Western North Carolina through interpretation, education, collection, and collaboration. learn more OUR PEOPLE Our staff, volunteers, and board of trustees are committed to fulfilling our mission of preservation and promotion of the history of WNC. learn more NEWS Read and subscribe
- [Virtual Exhibits](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/virtual-exhibits/) - VIRTUAL EXHIBITS STORIES FROM THE HOUSE In 2021, this immersive exhibit was on display in recreated rooms throughout the 1840s Smith-McDowell House and on its grounds. In this virtual version, you can view the halls, stairwells, rooms, and grounds, and meet many of the people who walked these same pathways over a century ago and
- [Past Programs](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/past-programs/) - Past Programs About All our past virtual programs are available to view on demand. Our members receive free access to all past recorded programs, and will receive a password to access the programs below in their welcome email. To access the programs as a non-member, click the "donate" button and make a donation (recommended
- [Conversation Series](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/conversation-series/) - CONVERSATION SERIES 2025 Among the vast number of fascinating and legendary stories about Asheville and Western North Carolina are four stories that will be the subjects of salon-style conversations at the Asheville Museum of History this Spring and Summer. Seating is limited, so sign up today to secure a seat at this
- [Become a Member](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/membership/) - Museum Membership Become a Member Our members serve a vital role in helping us fulfill our mission of preserving and promoting the history of Western North Carolina. Membership contributions help us produce engaging programs and exhibits. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Part of your payment may be tax deductible. MEMBERSHIP
- [Visit](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/visit/) - VISIT At Asheville Museum of History, we interpret Western North Carolina's past with permanent and changing exhibits, guided tours, and a variety of programs for youth and adults. LOCATION Smith-McDowell House 283 Victoria Road Asheville, NC 28801 (on the campus of A-B Tech) Learn More HOURS Wednesday - Saturday 11:00am - 5:00pm For
- [Community Day - Part II: The Photography of Andrea Clark: Remembering Asheville’s East End Community](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/community-day/) - Community Day Event Celebrating the Opening of Part II... The Photography of Andrea Clark: Remembering Asheville’s East End Community Saturday, February 22, 2025, 11 AM - 5 PM Community Day Event In addition to the new photographic display of Andrea Clark’s photographs, the Asheville Museum of History will host a special program: The history of Asheville’s
- [Contact Us](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/contact-us/) - Visit us at the Historic Smith-McDowell House On the campus of Asheville-Buncombe Technical College 283 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801 828-253-9231 info@ashevillehistory.org Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Accessibility Land Acknowledgement Justice Statement We honor and celebrate the ancestors who came before us, the original inhabitants of the land now known
- [Our Region](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/our-region/) - Western North Carolina Western North Carolina is defined as much by the various chains and valleys within the Appalachian Mountains as it is by the various people here. The region contains large swaths of state and national forest lands and parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway. It
- [Our Mission](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/our-mission/) - Our Mission The mission of the Asheville Museum of History is to preserve and promote the history and legacy of Western North Carolina through interpretation, education, collection, and collaboration. INTERPRETATION: Operating the Smith-McDowell House, an architecturally-significant home (built c1840), as a center of history education dedicated to interpreting the natural and cultural history
- [In the Media](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/in-the-media/) - IN THE MEDIA Browse our media mentions below. We're always excited and grateful to be featured in the news. We are happy to share photographs and quotes about topics of local historical interest. For press inquiries, please contact: Polly Rolman-Smith, Executive Director director@ashevillehistory.org 828-253-9231
- [Press Releases](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/press-releases/) - PRESS RELEASES Browse our press releases below. We're always excited and grateful to be featured in your publication. We are happy to share photographs and quotes about topics of local historical interest. For press inquiries, please contact: Polly Rolman-Smith, Executive Director director@ashevillehistory.org 828-253-9231
- [Support](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/support/) - SUPPORT As a small nonprofit, we rely on donations, memberships, and program fees to continue to preserve and promote the history of our unique region. Learn more about the ways you can support our mission - from donating to our Community Ticket Fund to donating your family heirlooms for display - by following the links
- [Learn](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/learn/) - LEARN Asheville Museum of History is committed to providing quality, engaging, and inclusive programs for the public. view event calendar CURRENT EXHIBITS Asheville Museum of History has five gallery spaces with permanent and temporary exhibits covering thousands of years of western North Carolina history. Some exhibits are available to view online. In the near
- [Programs & Events](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/programs/) - PROGRAMS & EVENTS From lectures to hikes, Asheville Museum of History is committed to providing quality, engaging, and inclusive programs for the public. view event calendar UPCOMING EVENTs We offer a number of events every month, including lectures, tours, and hikes. View our calendar of in-person and virtual events and register by clicking the
- [For Educators](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/for-educators/) - For Educators Traveling Trunks * Traveling Trunks & Kits are currently unavailable. AMoH is in the process of updating & revising our Traveling Trunks & Kits. Please continue to check back as we work to make our Traveling Trunks & Kits available for use as soon as possible. * Traveling Trunks and Kits are
- [Current Exhibits](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/current-exhibits/) - Current Exhibits Asheville Museum of History has five gallery spaces with permanent and temporary exhibits covering thousands of years of Western North Carolina history. Some exhibits are available to view online. In addition, visitors can request guided behind-the-scenes tours of the circa 1840 Smith-McDowell House and surrounding property.
- [OAA](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/oaa/) - Outstanding Achievement Award About the Award Since 1954, we have annually presented our trophy for Outstanding Achievement to an individual or organization which has made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of the history of the mountain region. Grace Gordon Pless won the 2023 award for her six decades of dedication to
- [On This Day](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/onthisday/) - On This Day About the Posts What happened today in western North Carolina history? Scroll through the posts below to find out. Follow us on social media to get first notice of when new "On This Day" posts are released.
- [Guided Hikes and Outings](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/guided-hikes-and-outings/) - Hike with a Historian - Explore History Where it Happened Sometimes the best way to learn is to see and experience the places we discuss. Partnering with local historians and researchers, AMoH frequently leads outdoor hikes (and occasional paddles) to and along historic places and routes within western North Carolina. These range from easy, 2-mile
- [Artifact Donations](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/artifact-donations/) - Donate Artifacts As a nonprofit museum, we depend on the community to entrust their artifacts to us for care, preservation, and display. While we primarily collect objects related to the history of Western North Carolina, we do on occasion also collect archival (paper-based) materials. Deed of Gift We collect a variety of objects to help
- [Volunteering](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/volunteering/) - Volunteer with Us! Volunteers rock! And museums could not do without them. The Asheville Museum of History (in the c1840 Smith-McDowell house) is a new museum in an old house. Our mission is to tell the stories and history of the mountains in a meaningful and engaging way. We are looking for a wide range
- [First Look](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/first-look/) - "First Look" Reception Click below to buy tickets or to find out more about event sponsorship opportunities.
- [News](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/news/) - e-newsletters Follow along with our monthly e-newsletter to be the first to find out about new events, exhibits, and other museum happenings. view our newsletter archive subscribe press releases View our press releases by following the link below. view press releases in the media See where we've been featured and the newsworthy things we've been
- [e-newsletters](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/e-newsletters/) - e-newsletters subscribe
- [Deep Dive](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/deep-dive/) - Though well over a hundred people were enslaved by the Smith and McDowell families and many of them worked in our facility – then known as Buck House – and on its grounds on a day-to-day basis, until embarking on this project in 2020 we knew very little about their individual identities. Enslaved African
- [StoryMaps](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/storymaps/) - See where history happened on our free self-guided walking and driving tours. Click on the links below to access the full tours and directions. WNC: Past, Present, People, Place Western North Carolina is defined as much by the various chains and valleys within the Appalachian Mountains as it is by the various people here. The
- [1918 vs. 2020](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/1918-vs-2020/) - 1918 vs. 2020: Epidemics Then & Now in WNC In the midst of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, we took an in-depth look at the 1918 influenza epidemic in Western North Carolina through newspaper clippings, advertisements, ephemera, photographs, and oral history and place the events of 1918 into context with our present-day response to the coronavirus
- [Annual Reports](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/annual-reports/) - ANNUAL REPORTS what we've done with your help
- [DEAI](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/deai/) - Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, & Inclusion Justice Statement The Western North Carolina Historical Association stands against inequity, injustice, and racism. We acknowledge and support the positive role that recent protests have played in opening the door to real and necessary change. As an organization rooted in the interpretation of our regional history, we also recognize that
- [Newsletter Sign-Up](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/newsletter-sign-up/) - Subscribe * indicates required Email Address *
- [WNC History Column](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/wnc-history-column/) - WNC History Column About the Column Western North Carolina has a long and diverse history. Follow along with us as we research and explore the compelling stories of the people who came before us and helped shape our region. Follow us on social media to get first notice of when new columns are released.

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## Posts

- [Attribution](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/attribution/) - This site has been created with the help of many different people and companies.In particular, a special thanks goes to the following for content running on this site: Author: peagreengirlLicense: Author: MarxchivistLicense: In addition, this site was built on a powerful, Inspirations based web builder called BoldGrid. It is running on WordPress, the most popular

## Block Library

- [TWMLA Webpage (nominations open)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/twmla-webpage-nominations-open/) - Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary AwardNominations for the 2026 Award are open!The Asheville Museum of History is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky Family, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award has been presented by the Western North Carolina Historical Association (now the Asheville Museum of History)
- [Thomas Wolfe Open for Nominations](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/thomas-wolfe-open-for-nominations/) - Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award Nominations for the 2026 Award are open! The Asheville Museum of History is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award. Originated by the Louis Lipinsky Family, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award has been presented by the Western North Carolina Historical Association (now the Asheville Museum
- [Thomas Wolfe Winner (home page)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/thomas-wolfe-winner-home-page/) - 2025 WInner Thomas Wolfe MemORIAL LITERARY aWARD Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Night Leigh Ann Henion "In some cultures, a cord of three strands represents individuality, family, and community. With Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark, Leigh Ann Henion has woven
- [OVNHT Hike (PHONE)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/ovnht-hike-phone/) - June 10thWednesday9 am - 3 pmHike with a HistorianWalking & Hiking ToursOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail (OVNHT)With Asheville Museum of History Registration Coming Soon Learn More About OVNHT In-Person at Lake James State Park, near Nebo, NC
- [OVNHT Hike (POSTPONED)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/ovnht-hike-postponed/) - June 10thWednesday9am - 3pmIn-PersonHike with a HistorianWalking & Hiking ToursOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail (OVNHT) at Lake James State ParkWith Asheville Museum of History (AMoH) Registration Coming Soon Learn More About the OVNHT In-Person at Lake James State Park, near Nebo, NC
- [Final History Hour Block (desktop)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/final-history-hour-block-desktop/) - February 24th Tuesday 6pm - 7pm Hybrid HISTORY HOUR Monthly Lecture Series James Vester Miller: Asheville's Artist in Brick With Anne Callison Stokely Register Learn More Hybrid Event via Zoom & at the Reuter Center, home to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), Asheville, NC June 16th Tuesday 6pm - 8pm In-Person AFTER HOURS Summer
- [History Hour | AFTER HOURS (phone)](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/history-hour-liz-colton-phone/) - March 31st Tuesday 6 pm - 7 pm HISTORY HOUR Monthly Lecture Series 'Mountain Scenery' by Henry Elliott Colton, 1859: Discovering WNC & Asheville, Promoting Tourism in the 1850s With Elizabeth "Liz" Colton, Ph.D. Register Here Learn More In-Person Event at the historic Smith-McDowell House, home to the Asheville Museum of History (AMoH), Asheville, NC
- [OTD](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/otd/) - On this day in WNC history: On May 27, 1973, “Doc” Watson became Dr. Watson, awarded an honorary doctorate in folk arts from Appalachian State University before the audience of graduating students. He delivered the commencement address and played hymns and a version of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” alongside Merle, his son. Doc, who attended school
- [Blog 5](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/blog-5/) - Best in the Industry Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Andrew Morris Consect Adipis Ora
- [Schedule 5](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/schedule-5/) - Event Schedule Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam eu dignissim tortor, sit amet bibendum lacus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. 8:00 AM Title of Presentation Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam eu dignissim tortor, sit amet bibendum lacus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
- [Video History Hour](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/video-history-hour/) - Featured Video Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt.
- [Gallery 5](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block/gallery-5/) - Seize Your Moment Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam eu dignissim tortor, sit amet bibendum lacus. Integer eu faucibus leo, non pharetra dui.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam eu dignissim tortor, sit amet bibendum lacus. Integer eu faucibus leo, non pharetra dui. Image 1 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

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## Tags

- [george masa](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/george-masa/)
- [brent martin](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/brent-martin/)
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- [even as we breathe](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/even-as-we-breathe/)
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- [biography](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/biography/)
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- [great smoky mountains](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/great-smoky-mountains/)
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- [julia franks](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/julia-franks/)
- [Terry Roberts](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/terry-roberts/)
- [That Bright Land](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/that-bright-land/)
- [wayfaring strangers](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/wayfaring-strangers/)
- [doug orr](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/doug-orr/)
- [fiona ritchie](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/fiona-ritchie/)
- [appalachia](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/appalachia/)
- [music](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/music/)
- [music of appalachia](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/music-of-appalachia/)
- [robert morgan](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/robert-morgan/)
- [the road from gap creek](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/the-road-from-gap-creek/)
- [fiction](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/fiction/)
- [wiley cash](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/wiley-cash/)
- [a land more kind than home](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/a-land-more-kind-than-home/)
- [blue ridge commons](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/blue-ridge-commons/)
- [environmental activism](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/environmental-activism/)
- [forest history](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/forest-history/)
- [Kathryn Newfont](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/kathryn-newfont/)
- [under the mercy trees](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/under-the-mercy-trees/)
- [heather newton](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/heather-newton/)
- [requiem by fire](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/requiem-by-fire/)
- [wayne caldwell](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/wayne-caldwell/)
- [cataloochee](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/cataloochee/)
- [grove park inn](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/grove-park-inn/)
- [bruce johnson](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/bruce-johnson/)
- [arts and crafts](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/arts-and-crafts/)
- [ron rash](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/ron-rash/)
- [chemistry and other stories](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/chemistry-and-other-stories/)
- [An Agate Hill](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/an-agate-hill/)
- [Lee Smith](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/lee-smith/)
- [michael mcfee](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/michael-mcfee/)
- [poems](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/poems/)
- [poetry](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/poetry/)
- [zelda fitzgerald](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/zelda-fitzgerald/)
- [highland hospital](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/highland-hospital/)
- [f. scott fitzgerald](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/f-scott-fitzgerald/)
- [paper dress](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/paper-dress/)
- [mars manufacturing](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/mars-manufacturing/)
- [carl sandburg](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/carl-sandburg/)
- [ghosts](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/ghosts/)
- [ghost story](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/ghost-story/)
- [Black Mountain](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/black-mountain/)
- [Blue Ridge Assembly](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/blue-ridge-assembly/)
- [cowee tunnel](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/cowee-tunnel/)
- [railroad](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/railroad/)
- [Martin Luther King](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/martin-luther-king/)
- [Montreat](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/montreat/)
- [Lord Beresford](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/lord-beresford/)
- [Eliza Davidson](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/eliza-davidson/)
- [Ruth Davidson](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/ruth-davidson/)
- [Revolutionary War](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/revolutionary-war/)
- [Battery Park Hotel](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/battery-park-hotel/)
- [Martin Moore](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/martin-moore/)
- [Helen Clevenger](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/helen-clevenger/)
- [World War II](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/world-war-ii/)
- [moonshine](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/moonshine/)
- [Bettie Sims](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/bettie-sims/)
- [Rumbling Bald](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/rumbling-bald/)
- [liberation](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/liberation/)
- [slavery](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/slavery/)
- [prison labor](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/prison-labor/)
- [roseland gardens](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/roseland-gardens/)
- [juke joint](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/juke-joint/)
- [segregation](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/segregation/)
- [integration](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/integration/)
- [development induced displacement](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/development-induced-displacement/)
- [lost cove](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/lost-cove/)
- [baseball](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/baseball/)
- [rob neufeld](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/rob-neufeld/)
- [black mountain college](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/black-mountain-college/)
- [jim stokely](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/jim-stokely/)
- [wilma dykeman](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/wilma-dykeman/)
- [dan pierce](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/dan-pierce/)
- [Elizabeth Blackwell](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/elizabeth-blackwell/)
- [native americans](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/native-americans/)
- [woodland indians](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/woodland-indians/)
- [civil war](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/civil-war/)
- [Lula Owl Gloyne](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/lula-owl-gloyne/)
- [ebci](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/ebci/)
- [beacon manufacturing](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/beacon-manufacturing/)
- [beacon blankets](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/beacon-blankets/)
- [marcus martin](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/marcus-martin/)
- [babe ruth](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/babe-ruth/)
- [streetcar](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/streetcar/)
- [trolley](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/tag/trolley/)

## Template Location

- [Header](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/template_location/header/)
- [Sticky Header](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/template_location/sticky-header/)
- [Footer](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/template_location/footer/)

## Block Types

- [gallery](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block-types/gallery/)
- [media](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block-types/media/)
- [schedule](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block-types/schedule/)
- [blog](https://www.ashevillehistory.org/bg-block-types/blog/)