‘We, the petty actors, will pass away, forgotten; but never, while the everlasting mountains stand, the name of professor Mitchell.’ — The North Carolina Standard, 1857
New film explores the multicultural roots of traditional music and dance
The film’s world premiere is set for Thursday, June 22, at Blue Ridge Community College. Subsequent screenings will take place at the Fine Arts Theatre on Thursday, June 29, and at White Horse Black Mountain on Friday, June 30.
Hazel Creek author Daniel Pierce details community’s convoluted past
Hazel Creek: The Life and Death of an Iconic Mountain Community, by UNC Asheville history professor Daniel Pierce, explores the complex history of the so-called “Road to Nowhere” and the people it was meant to serve. Released in April, the book details the multifaceted and often overlooked story of the ill-fated town of Proctor and its inhabitants.
Tuesday History: Tracing the doomed tracks of Elisha Mitchell
On July 22, 1857, The North Carolina Standard ran a letter relaying the discovery of Elisha Mitchell’s fallen corpse. The Chapel Hill professor had made his way back to the Black Mountains to confirm his previous 1935 measurement of present-day Mount Mitchell.
It takes a village to preserve a city
Various tax credits and preservation easements offer financial benefits to owners of historic properties; advocates also tout broader benefits, such as job creation, the reduced environmental impacts of restoration versus demolition, and the intangible value of connecting the present with the past.
Tuesday History: A dispute about the mountains, 1869
“No one can approach Asheville without being struck with the awful sublimity of those dark ranges that tower from two thousand to six thousand feet into mid heavens,” writes Dr. J.P. Purcell in 1869 article “Wayside queries and Information.”
The winners of the 2017 Griffin Awards for Historic Preservation
Each year in May, during National Preservation Month, the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County brings together the community to recognize significant preservation projects.
Tuesday History: Bringing religion to the “rude mountaineers,” 1869
“The dew of Heaven is falling, and is fertilizing the land,” writes Dr. J.P. Purcell, in his 1869 report on Asheville.
Despite progress, concerns about the I-26 Connector persist
When the DOT finally decided on a design for Section B of the Connector project in 2015, many stakeholders thought they saw light at the end of a very long tunnel. Other residents, however, see serious flaws in Alternative 4B, questioning whether the project’s long-term benefits will justify the sacrifices their neighborhoods must make to see it completed.
Tuesday History: Scoping out Asheville’s prospects in 1869, part II
This week Dr. J.P. Purcell offers commentary on the area’s grapes, as well as its cheesemaking facilities.
Oral history records heart and soul of mountain culture
Seeking to preserve the region’s history and traditional culture, local organizations and researchers are working to document the lives and wisdom of WNC’s elders, believing that this provides invaluable context for the area’s present and future.
Tuesday History: Scoping out Asheville’s prospects in 1869
Take a look at Asheville’s people, population, climate, institutions, churches, wine making, factories, rent and faith in 1869.
Tuesday History: Headlines and advertisements from 100 years ago, today
In May of 1917, the country was at war with Germany. Meanwhile in Asheville there were some great deals on clothing, sleeping porch shades and real estate.
Tuesday History: What Ray’s Saying
Last year, historian and eight-time Story Slam winner, Ray Christian, launched his podcast series, ‘What Ray’s Saying.’ The monthly program is a combination of storytelling, Black history and social commentary.
Tuesday History: ‘Mountain Scenery’ offers insight into 1850s Asheville
On Wednesday, April 26, Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Colton will discuss her great-great uncle’s 1859 book, ‘Mountain Scenery: The Scenery of the Mountains of Western North Carolina and Northwestern South Carolina,’ at the Pack Memorial Library’s Lord Auditorium.
Tuesday History: The Grove Park Inn was “built not for the dead”
“Today we stand in this wonderful hotel, not built for a few, but for the multitudes that will come and go,” said Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan, at the 1913 opening of the Grove Park Inn.
Tuesday History: Seeking rest at the Battery Park Hotel, 1886
The 1880s marked the start of Asheville’s urban growth. The decade began with approximately 2,600 permanent residents. Advances in transportation, communication and the health industry would contribute to the city’s population increase. On Oct. 2, 1880, the first train pulled into town, offering visitors greater access to the mountains. A few years later, the arrival of two […]
Tuesday History: David Holt connects the past and the present through music, television and photography
History, music and photography come together in David Holt’s latest projects.
Tuesday History: Following Hitler’s lead in Asheville
In 1930, William Dudley Pelley arrived to Asheville. By 1933, he created the Silver Legion of America — an anti-Semitic, pro-Hitler organization.
Tuesday History: The fire at Highland Hospital
In 1948, the hospital gained national attention when nine patients, including Zelda Fitzgerald, perished in a fire at Highland Hospital’s central building.
Tuesday History: Our poor, helpless, dumb friends
“Deeply as we deplore the loss of human life, there is that in our natures which makes the suffering and tortures of our poor helpless dumb servants and friends, the horses, particularly painful,” wrote Asheville resident, Theo F. Davidson, in a 1917 letter to the editor.