Ours is an all American story - typical of how communities grew up all across our great nation. While our story takes place in the back country of northwestern North Carolina at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is likely to bear many similarities to the development of crossroads, towns, and cities throughout America.
It had taken little more than 100 years for the corridors along the coastline of this still-new continent to overflow. As tensions grew and conflicts flared, the pioneer spirit set in. Families literally packed up everything they owned and headed into the unknown-searching for the "promised land."
For years, trappers and hunters had returned from trips to the south and southwest bearing stories of the untouched natural beauty that lay in the vast regions beyond the coastal settlements. Adventurous souls were driven by the prospects of owning a piece of land and of having the freedom to do as they pleased.
The desire for independence was something ingrained in the mind and spirit of those whose ancestors had braved the Atlantic for the New World. It was the driving force of those who came to the back country and settled in "The Hollows" at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Their desire for independence transcended generations and was translated into a "live and let live" philosophy still practiced here today.
For many years there has been a fascination with the history and tradition of this back country region at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Accounts of the beauty of the area and the unique culture of the people have been recorded in diaries, letters, and books for more than 150 years. So the development of a museum to collect, preserve, and interpret the natural, historic and artistic heritage of this region was inevitable. Your visit will be a memorable occasion.