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:
William Ritter Headlines August Presentation
We hope you will make plans to join us Monday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. at the Historic Courthouse in Bakersville and join us for Mitchell County’s own William Ritter as he presents Saving Songs and Seeds. It will be an evening of traditional mountain music and talk about the old mountain tradition of “seed-savin,” where families would save seeds from their gardens and pass down the old mountain crop strains from generation to generation. Plus, Will welcomes anyone who has seeds to share to bring them to the presentation.
William is a native of Bakersville and an alum of Western Carolina University. He graduated with a degree in Technical Theatre, but spent most of his time in school studying the musical folk traditions of Western North Carolina. Recently, William received his Master of Arts in Appalachian Culture and Music from Appalachian State University. William plays banjo, fiddle, guitar, and other “string-ed things.” He is particularly interested in old apple trees and mountain humor–ever eager to swap lies, half-truths, jokes, and seeds.
You can learn more about William and his wife Sarah Ogletree at their website.
Newsletter
NewsletterWant 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 CURRENT 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
Davis to Bakersville: 150th Anniversary of Name Change
On the 16th of February 1861, the North Carolina Legislature ratified a bill to establish a new county by the name of Mitchell. The act goes on to specify that “a permanent seat of justice” be determined, which “said town shall be called and known by the name of...
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Penland Post Office and General Store
The building which houses the Penland Post Office and, for many years, a general mercantile, was constructed in 1902 by Isaac Bailey, a Confederate Colonel and later NC Senator from Mitchell County. Two years later, Bailey and his wife, Louisa Penland, donated land...
read morePeople
Significant Individuals
“Doc” Hoppes – The Minstrel of Brushy Creek
Mitchell County was well represented at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1933. Miss Lucy Morgan of Penland unveiled the “Carolina Cabin” at the event that showcased the handicrafts, music, folklore, and people of the Southern Highlands. An unusual attraction was scheduled...
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THREE YOUNG BROTHERS
This photo was likely made in the early years of the 20th century when Thomas Baker Young (photo center) came up from his home on Toms Creek in McDowell County to visit his brothers in Mitchell County. Mack Young (photo left) lived on Cane Creek; Reuben J. Young...
read moreHistory
Happenings of note
Grassy Creek Golf Course has Storied Past
The Spruce Pine Golf Course had its beginnings prior to World War II, when a nine-hole-course was built on what was then part of the S.T. Henry Dairy Farm at Grassy Creek. This land was once used as a hunting ground by both the Cherokee and Catawba Indians before the...
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Veterans of the Great War
The Great War, which was referred to as World War I only after the Second World War, ended on November 11, 1918, when an armistice was arranged at the Western Front in France. The cessation of hostilities between the Allied Forces and Germany took effect at 11:00 AM...
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 Greene Building in Bakersville
The Greene Building, which currently houses the Bakersville Emporium, was constructed on the site left vacant by the 1922 fire that destroyed part of Bakersville. The Green Building was constructed by David MacDonald Greene, who owned a big white two-story general...
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Grassy Creek Golf Course has Storied Past
The Spruce Pine Golf Course had its beginnings prior to World War II, when a nine-hole-course was built on what was then part of the S.T. Henry Dairy Farm at Grassy Creek. This land was once used as a hunting ground by both the Cherokee and Catawba Indians before the...
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2018 | October 2, 2018 | October 3, 2018 | October 4, 2018 | October 5, 2018 | October 6, 2018 | October 7, 2018 |
| October 8, 2018 | October 9, 2018 | October 10, 2018 | October 11, 2018 | October 12, 2018 | October 13, 2018
10:00 am: Apple Butter Festival |
October 14, 2018 |
| October 15, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | October 17, 2018 | October 18, 2018 | October 19, 2018 | October 20, 2018 | October 21, 2018 |
| October 22, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 24, 2018 | October 25, 2018 | October 26, 2018 | October 27, 2018 | October 28, 2018 |
| October 29, 2018 | October 30, 2018 | October 31, 2018 | November 1, 2018 | November 2, 2018 | November 3, 2018 | November 4, 2018 |
10:00 am: Apple Butter Festival