I volunteered this week to create the post for Swannanoa in part because it has been my home for the majority of my life. I was educated in grades 1-12 in “the Valley” (as you will hear natives often call the community including Black Mountain and Ridgecrest). In the 20th century, Swannanoa was transformed by … Continue reading Swannanoa: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
Category: Friends of the NC Room
St. Dunstan's Circle: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
Asheville’s real estate boom in the 1920’s fostered the growth of many neighborhoods: Lakeview Park, Malvern Hills, Horney Heights, and Kenilworth, just to name a few. Biltmore Avenue borders Kenilworth on the east and across the avenue, on a knoll overlooking Biltmore Village, is the pocket neighborhood of St. Dunstan’s Circle. A Mr. Roebling first … Continue reading St. Dunstan's Circle: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
My Sandy Mush: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
Abraham Reynolds was one of the earliest settlers in Western North Carolina. He received land grants totaling some 1525 acres of land in the Bent Creek area in the late 1770’s. My great-great-grandfather John Haskew Reynolds was a grandson of Abraham Reynolds. John Haskew Reynolds (1836-1918) grew up on his father’s farm on North Turkey … Continue reading My Sandy Mush: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
Join the Friends of the NC Room for THREE events in October!
Thursday October 17- Sunday October 20: OUT! A Pop Up Exhibit featuring material from our LGBT+ Archives Thursday, October 24, 6-7 pm: The Ravenscroft Reserve October 30: The Panoramic Photos of Herbert W. Pelton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thursday October 17- Sunday October 20: OUT! A Pop Up Exhibit featuring material from our LGBT+ Archives OUT! A Pop … Continue reading Join the Friends of the NC Room for THREE events in October!
Hommoney, Hominey, or Hominy? : 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
hominy: n. hulled Indian corn, coarsely ground or broken, used as a cereal and as a vegetable. OR Hominy: two townships in Buncombe County--Upper Hominy and Lower Hominy--are collectively referred to as Hominy Valley. Hominy Creek runs from the Haywood County line and meanders through the valley until it joins the French Broad River at … Continue reading Hommoney, Hominey, or Hominy? : 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
What’s the Coolest Organization to Belong to in Asheville?
Answer: The Friends of the North Carolina Room! We are a fun and varied group of Asheville residents who love local Asheville history. We love to get together and . . . yes . . . talk about local history. We love to socialize, i.e., eat, drink and talk together. This years Friends … Continue reading What’s the Coolest Organization to Belong to in Asheville?
Event: Jon Elliston: Sex, Lies and Snake Oil
Jon Elliston will explore the bizarre odyssey of John R. Brinkley, one of Western North Carolina’s most infamous figures. From his humble mountain origins, Brinkley rose to national stature as a medical scam artist. He made a killing on sketchy goat gland implants and other oddball treatments, only to die pretty young and totally broke. At the … Continue reading Event: Jon Elliston: Sex, Lies and Snake Oil
The 1980s: A Vibrant Decade for the Arts in Asheville
A packed house in Lord Auditorium was the scene for the fourth program in the library's series on Asheville in the 1980s. Sponsored by the Friends of the North Carolina Room, the July 27 event was a lively retrospective on the vibrant art world in 1980s Asheville. Phyllis Lang, former editor of The Arts Journal, … Continue reading The 1980s: A Vibrant Decade for the Arts in Asheville
Upcoming Event: Program on Civilian Conservation Corps Camps in W.N.C.
Author, Filmmaker, Songwriter BILL JAMERSON: Civilian Conservation Corps Camps (CCC) Monday, March 14, 2016, 6:00 - 7:00 pm Pack Memorial Library, Lord Auditorium (Lower Level) 67 Haywood Street, Asheville, North Carolina Bill Jamerson, recognized for his Public Television documentaries, will present a music and storytelling program about the Civilian Conservation Corps: a nostalgic program … Continue reading Upcoming Event: Program on Civilian Conservation Corps Camps in W.N.C.
