Early postcards illustrated life and scenery in western North Carolina. This card is labeled, “Gateway to the Beautiful Sapphire Country, Brevard, N.C.” and shows one of the region’s many waterfalls.
This weaving fragment is included in a sample book assembled by Frances Goodrich, most likely during the 1920s. Frances Louisa Goodrich (1856-1944) was among the first to promote a revival of weaving in the North Carolina mountains, having founded...
These two early 1900s weaving drafts illustrate the coverlet pattern known as Beautiful Waves. To record a pattern, a weaver creates a draft and/or a drawdown. A draft looks much like a strip of musical notation; a drawdown is a visual grid that...
Dillsboro (N.C.) -- History; Menze, Raymond Albert, 1939-2011 -- Art collections; Mountain life -- North Carolina -- Jackson County; Jackson County (N.C.) -- Social life and customs -- Anecdotes; Cades Cove (Tenn.) -- Anecdotes; Storytelling --...
This week Amy tells the story of how Dillsboro was founded. “Almost Home” by Randy Petersen accompanies her story. On Creative Corner, Doreyl’s guest is Gail Stillwell Cooper, who talks about having Dr. Ray Menze’s art collection at Gateway...
The Tennessee & North Carolina Railroad linked the community of Sunburst, N.C., and its large lumber operation to Canton, N.C., located to the north. Sunburst could be reached by rail in about an hour and fifteen minutes. A July 25, 1913,...
The Greater Western North Carolina Association's tour guide, Information to Visitors Concerning Greater Western North Carolina (Asheville, N.C.: Inland Press, 1913), described the Swannanoa-Berkeley Hotel, in Asheville, N.C., as being '[a]mong the...
This scene, entitled 'The Nantahala River and Gap,' appeared in the 1904 edition of Holman D. Waldron's With Pen and Camera thro' the 'Land of the Sky.' According to Waldron, the Murphy Branch of the Southern Railway passed through the Nantahala...
These pages contain the bylaws or Articles of Incorporation of the Allanstand Cottage Industries, drafted when the business was incorporated in 1916. As the crafts business grew, Frances Goodrich decided to sell shares in Allanstand in order to...
The maker of this banjo is unknown, however, it is thought that the banjo was made and used in Swain, N.C. This fretless five-string banjo features a handmade tiger maple neck. Factory-made pieces include the pot and probably the tailpiece. The...
Edd Presnell was born and raised near Banner Elk, North Carolina. He became known for his beautiful instruments. This dulcimer is #44, dated August 1, 1958 and is representative of Presnell's work. It is carved from walnut and cherry woods. He...
This jacket was made from linsey-woolsey fabric that was hand woven by Ann Shelton, probably in the 1890s. Shelton lived in the Shelton-Laurel Community in Madison County, North Carolina where Frances Goodrich served as a Presbyterian missionary...
Born in Pelzer, South Carolina, Martha Coffee came to the Brasstown area in 1930 and learned to carve from Murrial Martin, woodcarving instructor at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Coffee sold her carvings through the school's woodcarving...
This undated postcard shows a photograph of Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc., an artisan cooperative established in 1946. Such postcards and photographs were distributed to promote the sales of craft items as more tourists came to the western...
This photograph depicts a traditional pottery jar with double handles, made in the 1890s. Not much is known about the piece or the potter. The note on the back of the photograph reads "Jar made by mountain potter - and bought from his wagon - in...
Postcard displaying handmade loom with men weaving cloth. Back of card reads, "Handmade loom at Biltmore Industries, Inc., Asheville, N.C., where beautiful Biltmore Handwoven Homespuns have been created for over half a century."
