The History & Heritage
of Mitchell County, NC
The Mitchell County Historical Society is committed to the preservation of the history, heritage, and culture of Mitchell County, North Carolina. We hope you enjoy your visit and stop by often for updated stories, photos, and videos.
Donate to MCHS
The Mitchell County Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your contributions help us continue our work. Please consider making an online donation by clicking the button below:
NOW: FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS!
All orders from the MCHS Online Store feature FREE SHIPPING. There is no minimum purchase. Select your items and check out. It’s that simple!
VISIT THE STORE2018 Christmas Ornament
The 2018 Mitchell County Historical Society Christmas Ornament celebrates the heyday of the Cloudland Hotel. It is decorated with a drawing of the famous resort that appeared in a newspaper ad in the 1890s along with a sprig of the famous rhododendron that appears in the largest naturally-occurring rhododendron gardens in the world atop Roan Mountain. A brief version of its history is included on the back.
This keepsake is perfect for anyone who has an interest in Roan Mountain and the grandeur of resort hotels from the late 19th Century. It is glass and comes in a box to protect it during shipment and storage.
The ornament is $22 and can be ordered online by clicking the button below. You can also purchase ornaments at the MCHS office located in the Mitchell County Historic Courthouse in Bakersville during business hours (Wednesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.).
Newsletter
Want to learn more about what is taking place with the Historical Society? We release a quarterly newsletter with information on programs, events, updates on projects, and much, much more. MCHS members receive the newsletter as part of their membership early each quarter.
Take a look at our 4TH QUARTER 2018 NEWSLETTER (PDF file – opens with the free Adobe Reader software).
What’s New on the Site
Here are our latest posts about Mitchell County’s history. We welcome suggestions for topics to add. Please use our contact page to submit your ideas to us!
Places
Interesting stories
Lunday
Lunday is a community in west central Mitchell County on the Toe River. The elevation is 2,346 above sea level. Was a stop on the Clinchfield Railroad during passenger train days until the 1950s. Famous for it's "house on the rocks" and the swinging bridge. Origin of...
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Peppers
Community in western Mitchell County on Bee Creek.
read morePeople
Significant Individuals
Tipton Hill’s Old Country Store
In 1947, Frank Griffith (1922-2012) and Farrell Tipton (1909-1977) became partners in a general store at Tipton Hill. Frank and Farrell were brothers-in-law; Farrell was married to Frank’s sister Blanche. The two men purchased the store from Joseph Tipton, Frank’s...
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Brummetts Creek School
It’s back to school time! These days public schools have consolidated, with only 2 high schools, 2 middle schools, 2 elementary schools, and 1 primary school in Mitchell County. A century ago, however, each community had a small school with most grades attending...
read moreHistory
Happenings of note
The Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918
A lot of older folks recall their parents and grandparents telling stories about the deadly “grip” that many Mitchell County families suffered 100 years ago. “They said that some took sick and died in two or three days. It was pretty bad.” Little did they know that...
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Brummetts Creek School
It’s back to school time! These days public schools have consolidated, with only 2 high schools, 2 middle schools, 2 elementary schools, and 1 primary school in Mitchell County. A century ago, however, each community had a small school with most grades attending...
read moreCommunities
Unique locales in Mitchell County
Lunday
Lunday is a community in west central Mitchell County on the Toe River. The elevation is 2,346 above sea level. Was a stop on the Clinchfield Railroad during passenger train days until the 1950s. Famous for it's "house on the rocks" and the swinging bridge. Origin of...
read more
Peppers
Community in western Mitchell County on Bee Creek.
read moreIcons
These define Mitchell County
The Evolution of Bakersville’s Blevins Building
The modest, but well-constructed building known by various names, beginning with “the Blevins Building,” has served the Town of Bakersville and its people for decades. The name by which locals often call the structure comes from original owner...
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Buster Brown Comes To Town!
Turning out when a celebrity visits town has always been commonplace, and when Buster Brown and his dog Tige stopped by the new Spruce Pine Store building in the 1920s, the whole town turned out to say hello. “I’m Buster Brown, and I live in a shoe. That’s my dog,...
read moreEconomics
Making a living in Mitchell County
The Roan may become Sun Valley of the South
Don’t go looking for your skis just yet; however, this idea has an interesting history going back at least to 1920. It is well known that General John Wilder had a smaller retreat constructed on the Roan in 1877 and then in 1885 built the iconic Cloudland Hotel, which...
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Building the “Scenic”
On November 16, 1933, the Blue Ridge Parkway project received approval from Congress. After much debate in Washington, the Virginia – North Carolina route won out, completely leaving out the state of Tennessee. Had the Tennessee route been included, the road would...
read moreUpcoming Events
Check out the upcoming events from the Mitchell County Historical Society. Click or tap on a date that is highlighted for information on what’s happening.
| MonMonday | TueTuesday | WedWednesday | ThuThursday | FriFriday | SatSaturday | SunSunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2018 | January 1, 2019 | January 2, 2019 | January 3, 2019 | January 4, 2019 | January 5, 2019 | January 6, 2019 |
| January 7, 2019 | January 8, 2019 | January 9, 2019 | January 10, 2019 | January 11, 2019 | January 12, 2019 | January 13, 2019 |
| January 14, 2019 | January 15, 2019 | January 16, 2019 | January 17, 2019 | January 18, 2019 | January 19, 2019 | January 20, 2019 |
| January 21, 2019 | January 22, 2019 | January 23, 2019 | January 24, 2019 | January 25, 2019 | January 26, 2019 | January 27, 2019 |
| January 28, 2019 | January 29, 2019 | January 30, 2019 | January 31, 2019 | February 1, 2019 | February 2, 2019 | February 3, 2019 |