Join Buncombe County Special Collections for a reception to celebrate the completion of a mural honoring James Vester Miller, African American community leader and brick mason. Miller is responsible for some of the most iconic brick buildings in downtown Asheville, and undoubtedly shaped the built environment of the city. Born in Rutherfordton, NC in 1860,
“Collection…one of the best in existence” “…one of the treasures of our State” “… invaluable!” These accolades referred not to a collection of precious gems or rare artwork, but instead to one of bird eggs collected by renowned local ornithologist, John Simpson Cairns (1862-1895) of Weaverville. Cairns’ research contributed significantly to the field of modern
As part of the community efforts to help raise local consciousness of racial history Buncombe County Special Collections, in partnership with Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County and the Equal Justice Initiative, is preparing to mount a permanent exhibit about racial terror violence in Buncombe County. The central focus of the exhibit is soil
Celebrating Archives Month Every October archivists around the country celebrate American Archives Month. During this time (and, honestly, all the time) special libraries around the country work to raise awareness about public records, archives, and special collections. Buncombe County and Western North Carolina host several archives and special collections libraries that are accessible to the
Want to get involved? Now is the time! We’ve been hearing from many of you over the last few months looking for ways to get involved with Buncombe County Special Collections. Since the pandemic changed our lives, including the way we work and volunteer, BCSC staff have been thinking about ways to re-invigorate our volunteer