Monday, November 28, 2016

Quilts Are An Important Part of Heritage


Quilts are an important piece of our heritage.  They offer insight into the social, cultural, and economic history of an area.  A quilt is defined as two layers of fabric, frequently with some form of batting or stuffing sandwiched between them, held together by ties or stitched designs.  There are hundreds of different quilt patterns, including variations in patterns.  They vary from simple patchwork or crazy quilts to intricate appliques.

Quilts hold memories of the materials used to create them.  The fabric may be scraps collected over years or exchanged among friends, pieces of old clothing, bits of ribbons or lace, homespun or manufactured.  From repurposed feed sacks to the finest quality material quilts tell stories of people and events, express their maker’s artistic abilities, and add comfort to lives. 

Vera Stinson, Sadie Allison, and Blanche Jones finish a Sunbonnet Sue quilt
at the Cedar Mountain Community Center in 1983.
A popular means of finishing a quilt was to hold a quilting bee.  These gatherings gave women and girls an opportunity to share the work and display their skills, as well as to socialize.

In 1985 the North Carolina Quilt Project took on the task of creating a permanent record of quilt making in North Carolina through 1975.  The goal was to document and photograph the wide variety of quilts made throughout the state.  A quilt historian recorded physical characteristics and a detailed history of each quilt and its maker.  More than 10,000 quilts were documented over a two year period, including 178 in Brevard in September 1986. 

In 2011 members of twelve communities within
Transylvania County came together to create a large quilt
depicting the history of the county.  This quilt, like many family
quilts, is a legacy to future generations.
One of the Transylvania County quilts recorded was stitched by Sarah Eliza Lyon in memory of her sister, Hannah.  Seventeen year-old, Hannah Lyon drowned while crossing the French Broad River near what is now known as Hannah Ford Road on February 23, 1863.  Sarah, who was only about three-years-old at the time of her sister’s death, later made the Double Irish Chain quilt using material from the dress Hannah was wearing when she died as one of the fabrics.

In 1988 UNC Press published North Carolina Quilts featuring more than 100 quilts crafted and documented in North Carolina.  The complete documentation of the North Carolina Quilt Project is now housed at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Parking Meters Were Common in Brevard

“Parking Meters Here Will Go Into Operation Friday Morning.”  In search of much needed revenue for street repairs, expansion of the city sewer and water system, and alleviation of parking problems city officials passed a special ordinance to install parking meters in the downtown area.  While downtown parking issues are a familiar topic today this was actually the Transylvania Times headline on May 15, 1947.

Parking meters were used in downtown Brevard
from 1947 until 1973.
At $65 each, it cost over $15,000 to install the 231 meters covering two blocks of Broad St. and three-and-half blocks on Main St.  The meter company received a percentage of the income until the cost was paid.  The rate was one cent for twelve minutes with a two hour limit.  The meters accepted either nickels or pennies.  The meters were in operation from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except holidays.  Anyone parking over the time limit or using slugs in the meters would be fined.

On the first day $31.12 in fees and $5.00 in fines were collected.  In July 1948 it was announced that the town had received $6204 in fees during the first year eliminating the need to raise the tax rate.  Additional parking meters were later added on other downtown streets, such as Jordan, Caldwell, and Gaston, and in some off street lots.  According to the Town of Brevard budgets, revenue ranged from $8000 to $11000 annually for 25 years.

In February 1973 the Board of Alderman passed an ordinance, “allowing free parking 1 hour limit on street parking and free parking, 2 hour limit off street parking” effective March 1 through October 1, 1973.  During their October 1973 board meeting the Alderman voted, “that the parking meter heads be removed and two hour free parking be enforced.”  There was to be “rigid enforcement of the ordinance”.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.





Monday, November 14, 2016

Oral Traditions Are Essential to History

Oral history is defined as the collection and study of historical information using sound recordings of interviews with people who have personal knowledge of past events.
In the past oral tradition was used to preserve a record of history.  As printing methods developed and more people were able to access print resources and read the sharing of oral traditions faded.  Fortunately, that began to change in the mid-1900s and today oral history is an integral part of historical research.

In the mid-1980s members of the local Historic Preservation Commission (predecessor of today’s JHPC) undertook an oral history project.  Rowell Bosse, Dick Albyn, D.S. Winchester, and Ken Hay interviewed long-time residents in their eighties and nineties “to record information about the colorful earlier days of the county to preserve them for future generations.”  Later Nilsa Lobdell, Betty Sherrill, and Mike Curtis took over the job of interviewing. 

Mrs. English's boarding house, Willow Springs
Stories included growing up in Brevard and Rosman or on nearby farms; working at lumber camps, the tannery, or Ecusta; serving in the military; and more.

Kathryn English Anderson recalled the days when her mother, Lila Picklesimer English, operated a summer boarding house.  Four bedrooms on the third floor, six on the second, and two on the main floor were rented to visitors who often stayed through the entire summer.  Mrs. English typically fed 24 people at each meal.  Rates for room and board were $7-10 per week.

Burley White's Store in Rosman.


A.P. Bell talked about Rosman businesses including Silversteen’s tannery, extract plant and sawmill, and the three town stores.  There was White’s grocery store, Winchester’s general store, and the company store which “sold everything, everything.”

The Oral History Collection also includes interviews conducted by Joe Paxton and Frank Guest, relating to the logging industry and railroads in Transylvania County.  Donald McCall shared stories of growing up in the Pisgah National Forest, George Vanderbilt’s ranger houses, and working for Gloucester Lumber.  McCall told about counting 98 deer as he and a friend drove from the current Fish Hatchery location to the forest entrance gates around 1937 or 1938.  Albert Lyday added more information about the ranger houses, also known as Black Forest lodges and the National Forest Service’s fawn rearing program.
In the 1930s and 1940s there was a U.S. fawn Rearing Station
in the Pink Beds area in the Pisgah National Forest.



Over a 20 year time span the memories of over 60 people were recorded.  One goal of the project was to transcribe the interviews.  Renewed effects are underway to do that work.  If you are interested in volunteering to assist with this project please contact the Local History Room staff at the Transylvania County Library.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Sadie North Was Known as a "Human Dynamo"


Miss Sadie North, Red Cross Nurse
Sadie North was born on May 25, 1875 in Brunswick, Georgia although her death certificate and obituary incorrectly list her birth place as Illinois.  Her family left Georgia for Western North Carolina during a yellow fever outbreak in 1884.  After three years in Asheville they moved to Brevard in 1887.

The only child of well-educated parents, Sadie received a college degree through correspondence courses.  She went on to teach school in the county and at Brevard Institute.  She also received a degree in nursing through correspondence school, after which she worked for local doctors and at hospitals in Asheville and Hendersonville.

In March 1934 Sadie North began working as a teacher in the WPA.  Her home-making classes included home nursing.  In July 1935 she was certified in first aid after completing coursework at the First Aid and Aquatic School of the American National Red Cross held at Camp Carolina.  It was from these beginnings that she learned to swim and ride a bicycle while in her 60s. 

In addition to her work in adult education with the WPA Miss Sadie taught first aid on her own time.  Her efforts eventually led to Transylvania being the first county in North Carolina to include first aid instruction as part of the WPA adult education program.
Miss Sadie relaxes in her rocker.

She became the official National Red Cross instructor for Transylvania County, training both pupils and additional teachers.

Miss Sadie would put those skills to good use over the years as she rode her bicycle thousands of miles to visit communities throughout the county were she taught first aid and tended to injured and ill residents. 

March 24, 1949 was declared “Sadie North Day” by Mayor Varner.  Ted Malone of the American Broadcasting Company presented Miss Sadie with a Good Citizen certificate in a ceremony that was broadcast on over 220 radio stations nationwide. 

Life Magazine called Miss Sadie “a 77-year-old dynamo” in a September 8, 1952 pictorial feature showing her mowing her grass with a non-motorized reel mower, weaving, typing, playing the violin, caring for a happy baby, singing in the Methodist church choir, swimming, and pedaling her bicycle down an unpaved road. 

Miss Sadie North passed away on October 12, 1966 and is buried at Oak Grove cemetery in Brevard but many still remember Transylvania County’s Red Cross nurse who rode her bicycle all over the county teaching first aid and who taught hundreds to swim at Camp Carolina.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.