GEORGE WELLER LIVED IN ASHEVILLE FOR A SHORT TIME BUT HE SEEMED TO KNOW MANY INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE. THE “CITIZEN JR” BEGAN APPEARING IN THE SUNDAY ASHEVILLE CITIZEN AROUND 1925 AND CONTINUED FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS. WELLER MADE HIS HOME AT THE BATTERY PARK HOTEL…AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE KEPT HIMSELF BUSY BY MINGLING WITH MANY
One of the benefits of working in the North Carolina collection is the discovery of new imagery and information on Buncombe County and Western North Carolina. Recently I’ve been scanning a large group of images of students who were in the Adult Education Program in the mid-1920’s. But these aren’t typical students. These photographs document
The Asheville Citizen, 11/16/1934, reported that “Nearly 40 teams of men and women began a walkathon-marathon at an arena at 63 Biltmore Avenue shortly after 9 o’clock last night that is scheduled to continue 24 hours a day for two to three weeks – until there is only one team remaining on the floor.” The
Richard Russell’s new biography Robert Henry: A Western North Carolina Patriot A crabby-looking Robert Henry on the cover should pique your interest. Although panic may set in as you start reading Robert Henry’s background, it soon abates as Rick Russell skillfully weaves through Henry’s birth in what was then Mecklenburg County in 1767, to his
As part of local commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Center for Diversity Education at UNC Asheville worked with the Buncombe County Register of Deeds to compile a database of documents recording the trade of people as slaves in Buncombe County. A video created as part of this project has won two national awards.
IN THE SPIRIT OF GHOULS AND GOBLINS: A BLOG OF LEVITY HAPPY HALLOWEEN! ASHEVILLE CITIZEN 10/28/1899 IN 1899 HALLOWEEN WAS A TIME FOR STORIES HALLOWEEN SCROOGE? BILLY BORNE COMIC: ASHEVILLE CITIZEN 10/31/1908 THE ROARING TWENTIES’ APPROACH TO HALLOWEEN… MASQUERADE BALL AND CANDY! LAW ENFORCEMENT PUT A DAMPER ON ALL HALLOWS EVE IN 1932…BOO… SPOOKY PREVAILS IN
I have looked at lots of nineteenth century portrait photographs, but have never paid much attention to the backdrops used by most photographers during this era. Apparently, this is a common oversight. Photographers were given awards at exhibitions for backdrops, props and accessories. They had become so popular that they became a part of every
I was recently talking with our North Carolina Room volunteer, Lynne Poirier-Wilson about different props and painted backdrops used by nineteenth century photographers. I had not paid much attention to them in the past, nor read about them. It is the kind of thing that has to be pointed out to you, and then a whole new
If you’ve visited Pack Library Children’s Room, you’ve probably seen the dollhouse that began “living” there around 1985. Parents who enjoyed the house as children now share it with their own little ones. House and furnishings were built by library staff member Betsy Murray for her own children. Over the years boys and girls of all