The Young Bakersville Politician

Jacob Weaver Bowman, a young politician who was elected to represent Yancey County, introduced the bill in the State House of Commons. Bowman was a lawyer who was born in the Relief community and campaigned for the State House on the promise of creating Mitchell...
Picture Man

Picture Man

Photographer Jim Jones was known as one of Mitchell County’s “Picture Men” in the first part of the twentieth century. He captured the essence of life in the Toe River Valley during that time period. Jones first took portraits of people in his Bakersville...
Back to School

Back to School

It’s Back-To-School time again in Mitchell County, but the academic year for these pupils was about 1944.  They attended Grades 1-3 at Bandana School, which closed in 1946.  The teacher is Lola Belle Dellinger Gouge.  Children in the first row have been identified as...
A Hunting We Will Go

A Hunting We Will Go

Going hunting has long been an Autumn tradition for folks in the mountains.  In times past, hunting was a necessity, bringing home a deer, squirrels, or wild fowl to put food on the table or clearing out predator animals such as mountain lion, wolf, and bear which...