Of “these nights of waning summer,” Thomas Wolfe wrote, “more than at any other season of the year, the immense and murmurous sound of time was audible.” (Of Time and the River, 1935)
We’re savoring the last months of summer by honoring the passage of time and traditions. Join us for upcoming events where we will be discussing (and eating!) Appalachian food history (August 2), celebrating Fairview community history (September 13), and presenting programs to continue building understanding and resiliency as our community recovers from Helene, including an author talk, workshop, film screenings and events with community partners throughout Asheville.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the disaster that devastated Western NC last fall, we are honored that so many of you have chosen to allow your stories, photos, and art to become part of the library’s local history collections. Come Hell or High Water, the community memory project we began in January 2025, has grown to encompass a deeply moving multitude of images, songs, poems, stories, oral history interviews, art exhibitions, and events.
Contributions are still being accepted. As you reflect on how our story should be remembered, please consider adding your perspective, so that present and future generations will be able to understand and learn from our community’s experience. Please get in touch if you have questions, need help with a contribution, or would like to share your story in an oral history recording.
Newly installed in the BCSC reading room is Swannanoan Silt, an exhibition of photographs by Isaac King. King’s photographs—printed from film developed in floodwater following Helene—take on a haunting, vintage quality that puts them in conversation with historical photographs of past floods. Be sure to join us for a reception (August 5) and film screening (September 20) in conjunction with the exhibition, which will be on view through September 30, 2025.
Helene’s impact will also be addressed in a discussion with Michael Holcombe, former water resources director and author of The Story of Asheville’s Water: Before & Beyond Hurricane Helene.
Upcoming Schedule Changes
Please take note: BCSC continues to be closed daily from noon to 1pm for lunch.
On Friday, August 1, BCSC will be closed all day.
From Monday, September 22 through Saturday, September 27, BCSC is open by appointment only.
Appointments are limited to two hours and must be scheduled at least one business day in advance.
Learn more about planning a research trip to BCSC here. Thank you for scheduling your visit accordingly!
Land of the Sky 101 Book Club
Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 10:30am – noon
Activity Room, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street, Asheville
Land of the Sky 101 is a community learning circle for those who are interested in the history of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Western North Carolina.
This four-part series of readings and discussions is modeled after the themes of the exhibit An Incomplete History of Buncombe County in the BCSC reading room. Readers can choose from two selections; one light read like a novel, essay collection, or poetry; and one rigorous non-fiction read written by an expert on the subject. Pick one or both! The choice is yours!
Each session is facilitated by a Buncombe County Special Collections librarian or special guest who shares expert knowledge, additional resources, and sets the context for the conversation.
For the third session of the 2025 cohort, we will be reading and discussing Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts by Crystal Wilkinson and Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes by Ronni Lundy.
Participants are welcome (but not required) to prepare a recipe to share with fellow book club members at this session!
Exhibition Reception: Swannanoan Silt
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Special Collections Reading Room, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street, Asheville
Exhibition on view through September 30
Join BCSC for an opening reception for the Swannanoan Silt photography exhibit by local filmmaker Isaac King, a visual media artist and filmmaker whose practice centers around handmade cinema, recycled cinema, and amateur filmmaking. King’s work and research have included and focused on matters of representation and socio-ecological metamorphosis, particularly in the United States South.
The photographs on view were developed using water from the contaminated French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers in the immediate months after the storm. They comprise one channel of the larger Swannanoan Silt moving image installation and performance.
Light refreshments will be provided.
The Story of Asheville’s Water
Tuesday, September 9, 6:00 pm – 7:00pm
Lord Auditorium, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street
Author Michael Holcombe will discuss his book The Story of Asheville’s Water: Before & Beyond Hurricane Helene, the first-ever comprehensive account of how Asheville’s water drove its development from its beginnings in the 1880s to how the utility plans resurrection from Hurricane Helene. In the book, Michael explores the importance of this abundant natural gift to the growth of our city and its reputation as a “climate haven.”
Asheville’s water resources director throughout much of the 1990s, Michael spent over two decades in the management of the Asheville municipal water system. He set out to write The Story of Asheville’s Water after the infamous municipal outage of December 2022.
Celebrate Fairview! An Oral History Project Community Gathering
Saturday, September 13, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Rd, Fairview, NC
Join us for the Fairview Oral History Celebration on Saturday, September 13th from 5–7 PM at the Fairview Library! We’ll honor the volunteers and storytellers who helped preserve Fairview’s unique history through recorded interviews now archived in the Buncombe County Special Collections. Enjoy trivia, refreshments, and reflections from local leaders as we celebrate our shared past. Carpooling is recommended.
This event is presented as part of the Fairview Community History Project, a partnership between the Fairview Library and Buncombe County Special Collections.
Turning the Page on Helene: Altered Book Workshop
Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Activity Room, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street
Turning the Page on Helene is a community-based art project that is using the transformative power of altered books to tell our communities’ stories of Hurricane Helene through the visual arts. The goal is to create a safe space for community members to share experiences of the hurricane as well as their hopes for rebuilding a better and brighter future. Participants help co-create community altered books by making pages that capture their experiences of the storm. This workshop will be led by Angela Modzelewski, ATR-P.
Film Screening: Swannanoan Silt and The Swannanoa River
Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Lord Auditorium, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street
BCSC invites you to attend the Helene anniversary screening of two short films by local filmmakers: Drew Erin Adams’s The Swannanoa River (2023) and Isaac King and Tristan Turner’s Swannanoan Silt (2024).
Swannanoan Silt will also be accompanied by a live musical score by the filmmakers’ collaborator, Agis Shaw. After the screening, filmmakers Adams, King, and Turner will engage in a Q&A and discussion period with the audience.
Off-site Helene Anniversary Events
BCSC will be open by appointment only from Monday, September 22 through Saturday, September 27.
We invite you to join library staff, volunteers, and community partners at the following events at BCPL library branches and beyond commemorating the one-year mark after Helene and discussing paths forward. All events are free to the public, but note that space may be limited—be sure to register in advance using the links below if noted.
A Day of Community and Remembrance with Resources for Resilience
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Swannanoa Public Library, 101 W. Charleston Ave, Swannanoa
On the anniversary month of Helene, join Resources for Resilience™ at the Swannanoa Library for an afternoon of learning and community connection. During this two-hour event, you’ll gain practical tools to manage stress and support friends and neighbors through hard times.
- PRACTICE stress-reducing tools and strategies to turn good intentions into real support.
- LEARN how challenges affect us all differently
- DISCOVER what to say and do for others after a crisis
- SHARE difficulties and lean on one another
Registration is required and limited to 25 participants. Reserve your spot here.
Post-Helene Symposium
Wednesday, September 24 – Friday, September 26, 2025
University of North Carolina Asheville
Centered around the themes of “Remembering, Rebuilding, and Reimagining,” this cross-disciplinary, multi-day symposium will bring members of the UNC Asheville community together with members of the Asheville/Buncombe County area to assess impacts, share narratives, explore historical contexts, offer scientific analyses, and showcase artistic responses. Learn more and register here.
The Heart of the Mountains
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 at 5:30 – 8:00 pm
Highsmith Student Union, UNC Asheville, 1 University Heights
Presented by NC Local in partnership with UNC Asheville and newsrooms across the state, this evening of stories and conversations will share how we’ve helped one another, what we’ve lost, and what we’ve learned as our region continues to recover. A pre-event reception will be held from 5:30-6:30, followed by storytelling and interviews highlighting the voices of unsung heroes from 6:30-8:00 pm. Learn more and register here.
After Helene: Practical Preparedness
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 at 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester
Alex McKnight from Buncombe County Public Safety Communications will share practical, affordable ways to be prepared for a natural disaster in this free event. Topics will include:
- how disasters can unfold locally
- what to put in adult/child/pet “go” bags
- how to build a 72 hour home supply kit on a budget
- creating a simple family communications plan
- considerations for seniors
- trusted local/state resources.
Heroes of Helene
Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 4:00 – 7:00 pm
Highland Brewing Company – The Meadow, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Suite 200, Asheville
Hosted by the Asheville Chamber, Explore Asheville and Highland Brewing in partnership with City of Asheville and Buncombe County, this evening of remembrance and recognition features music, local food, tributes and community connection. Learn more and register here.
Primal Scream Club
Friday, September 26, 2025 at 9:00 – 9:30 am
Craven Street Bridge, 192 Riverside Drive, Asheville
West Asheville Library is hosting a community gathering for people who want to LET IT OUT. Our first Primal Scream Club will take place on 9/26/2025, a date in WNC history many of us will always remember. Join us at the Craven St. Bridge at 9 AM for 3 of the loudest screams you can muster, than go on about your day. Let’s feel all the feels together. More details here!
Photos from Helene Gallery Show & Opening Reception
Friday, September 26, 2025 at 5:00 – 8:00 pm
Little Animals Community Gallery, 31 Carolina Lane, Asheville
For the first time since the project started, Photos from Helene will be sharing hundreds of the photos collected as part of their project to reunite victims with their photo memories. They’ll be on display at the Little Animals Gallery on Friday, September 26th from 5-8 pm. Please join us for a night of remembrance, art, and fundraising for ongoing Helene recovery. Learn more here.
Helene: One Year Later – Community Remembrance & Resilience Day
Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
East Asheville Library, 3 Avon Road, Asheville
On the one-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene, join the East Asheville Public Library for a daylong series of events and activities centered around remembering the events of the past and building resilience and community for the future.
Historic Preservation in the Wake of Helene
Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
East Asheville Library, 3 Avon Road, Asheville
The Friends of the East Asheville Public Library present Historic Preservation in the Wake of Helene, with the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County. This talk will be given by by Jessie Landl, executive director of PSABC, and Josi Ward, president of Foreground Consulting, LLC. Doors open at 6 pm.
Got feedback on past events or ideas for future ones? Let us know in this short, anonymous survey or email us!
To stay up-to-date on upcoming BCSC events, consider signing up for our blog via email, following us on Instagram or Facebook, or visiting the Buncombe County Public Libraries calendar. (Hint: Use the “Program Type” filter to view only events with a local history focus!)
