Albert Schweitzer Memorial Hospital

 

Dr. E. Gaine Cannon, founder of Albert Schweitzer Memorial Hospital

Dr. Edward Gaine Cannon (1900-1966) was a Transylvania native who followed in the footsteps of his physician father by providing healthcare to rural mountain communities. He graduated from Berea College in 1925 before  attending medical school in Richmond, VA and Denmark. He also served in the Army for 12 years after earning his medical degree.

After retiring from a busy practice in Pickens, SC, he moved to Balsam Grove in Transylvania County for much needed rest and relaxation. Instead, he found a great need for medical care among the residents there and became busier than ever serving as the only doctor for miles. Inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Dr. Cannon decided to open a hospital in his mountain community. He formed a close relationship with Dr. Schweitzer after traveling in Africa, and so when Cannon approached Schweitzer about naming the hospital in his honor, Schweitzer warmly agreed. To date, it is the only hospital in the U.S. to bear Schwetizer’s name.

Albert Schweitzer Memorial Hospital

Dr. Schweitzer’s philosophy of medicine included “Reverence for Life”. When put into practice, this meant that Dr. Cannon would give medical treatment to anyone regardless of their ability to pay. He requested that each patient bring two large river rocks each time they visited. The collection grew and was used as an exterior for the hospital building. Construction was slow, however, due to the fact that materials and labor were mostly acquired through donations and volunteer work. It was 11 years before the clinic was complete, and even then, that was only the outside.

A Christmas card sent by Dr. E. Gaine Cannon

Gaine Cannon died of a heart attack in 1966 without seeing his dream come to fruition. The community didn’t give up on his dream though, and in 1980, it opened as the Balsam Grove Medical Clinic. Unfortunately, it only operated for three years, due to their inability to secure doctors to staff the rural facility. The building has most recently been Brown’s Grower Supply and Nursery, though it isn’t open to the public at this time. The Board that managed the land sold it and used the profits to create the Balsam Grove Community Center, which is a hub for connection and community for residents today. A memorial was placed at the site to honor Dr. E. Gaine Cannon’s contributions to the community.  A biography of Dr. Cannon’s life can be read in Mountain Doctor by LeGette Blythe and is available at the library.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Austin's Art Shop

 

The Austin Family outside their shop at the East Main Street location, mid-1940s. From left to right: Mildred, Bill Jr., Joan, William, Jeannette, and Pat.

Austin’s Art Shop operated in downtown Brevard for 73 years. William Charles Austin and wife Mildred Galbraith Austin were both natives of New York and trained photographers. William was a disabled veteran of World War I who taught photography at the Southern School of Photography in McMinnville, TN before the family moved to Waynesville, where he headed a government operated school of photography. Mildred, the daughter of Irish immigrants, was a bookkeeper before being married and helping to run the business when the Austins moved to Brevard and opened a shop in 1925.

Their children were born in the various locations where they lived: Bill in Oneida, NY in 1921, Jeannette in McMinnville, TN in 1922, Pat in Brevard, NC in 1927, and Joan in Brevard, NC in 1929. The shop, originally called Austin’s Studio, first opened in the upstairs of the Lawrence Building on Jordan Street in 1925 and remained there until 1930. They offered Kodak cameras and equipment, photo processing, custom framing, and professional photography services.

Next, Austin’s moved upstairs to 22 Broad Street in the McMinn building, where it remained until 1939. The final move was to 11 East Main Street, where it stayed for the next 59 years. The 2021 business in the same location is “The Cherry Tree” today. The Wilkins Insurance Agency (which has undergone numerous name changes), was also operating out of the same location. William Austin managed the insurance agency, as confirmed by the 1930 Census which lists his occupation as “Insurance Office Manager.” Photography presumably became more successful, because by the 1940 Census, his occupation listing had changed to “Photographer, Employer.”

Tragedy struck the Austin family in 1954 when both William and Mildred were killed in an automobile accident after being hit by drunk driver on the way back from an Army reunion in Indiana. Their now-adult children came together to run the business in their parents’ absence: Pat was the photographer, Jeannette was the store manager, Joan was the bookkeeper, and Bill, along with Joan’s husband Dick Keirstead, was the custom picture framer. In addition, they were each very artistically and musically talented and involved in civic organizations in the community.

In 1959, Austin’s gave the store a major remodel and rebranded to the name “Austin’s Art Shop” to reflect new services and merchandise related to music such as records, instruments, accessories, sheet music, and instructional books.  They closed their doors in 1998 when Jeannette died of tuberculosis, though it was also the beginning of the digital age of photography and was seen as the right time to bow out.

In 2003, the Austin family donated their extensive historic photo collection to the Transylvania County Archives (a division of the JHPC). When the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room was built as part of the new library building in 2006, the photo collection fell under the stewardship of the county library. The Picturing the Past column would not be possible without this generous donation from the Austins.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Before Silvermont: The Rosman Home of Joseph and Elizabeth Silversteen

The Silversteen Family's Rosman Home, 1992

Before Silvermont was built in 1917, Joseph and Elizabeth Silversteen lived in a two-story house in Rosman. The distinctive one-story porch sheltered a central entrance and was supported by columns, giving the home a classical look. The Silversteens moved to Transylvania County in 1902 from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Their first home was intended as a “honeymoon cottage” – an antiquated term for a starter home -- until they began a family in 1905. A smaller house was built on the same site years later, which some say was a playhouse for their three daughters, and others say was housing for their cook. The small one-story, gable-front house is similar in style to the original dwelling.

The one-story house on the same property, either a playhouse or cook's quarters, 1992

Joseph Silversteen was a leading industrialist in Transylvania County at the time and was responsible for the name of the town Rosman, which was a blend of the last names of two of his business associates: Joseph Rosenthal and Morris Omansky. The Silversteens lived in the same community as the workers for their numerous businesses including: the Toxaway Tanning Company, Gloucester Lumber Company, Rosman Tanning Extract Company, and the Transylvania Tanning Company. Located near the intersection of New Town Road and West Main Street in Rosman, their home was often a center for Christmas celebrations that they opened to the public, including to their workers.

The Silversteens moved into their downtown Brevard mansion in 1917. Their original Transylvania County residence in Rosman stood for many years until structural damage left it beyond repair and it had to be demolished.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Carr’s Hill Baptist Church – the Historic Church Building

 

Carr’s Hill Baptist Church in 1993

Carr’s Hill Baptist church began in 1882. The congregation met at various locations in its beginnings as Dunn’s Rock Baptist Church (unrelated to the current Dunn’s Rock Baptist Church), ultimately building their own meeting house in 1903 on land donated by Carr Landreth. To honor Landreth’s generosity, the congregation renamed themselves as Carr’s Hill Baptist Church, referring to the new location on a hilltop.

Passers-by on the Greenville Highway will notice the classic look of the historic church building: white weatherboard siding with a green-gabled roof and an entrance tower adorned with a distinctive diamond-shaped louvered vent and topped with a pyramidal belfry. A two-story addition for Sunday School activities was added in the 1940s and matches the style of the original building.

In the winter, fewer leaves make the church more visible, and it draws attention with its annual nativity scene and message of peace. One of the oldest churches in the county, the congregation still meets today, albeit in a more modern brick building built just down the road in 1983 with ample parking. The congregation still owns and maintains the historic building. This well-loved sight is part of what makes the Cedar Mountain portion of the Greenville Highway so picturesque.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Ayers Store – A Main Street Treasure

Ikey and Ednamae Ayers’ Store as it appeared in the 1960s.

Ayers Store was a treasured locale on Main Street for 52 years. Opened by J.I. “Ikey” Ayers and wife Ednamae in 1936, it started in a space half the size and then later expanded into the space next door, formerly occupied by Edna’s brother’s business (C.B. Superette). Located at 53 West Main Street in downtown Brevard, Ayers Store maintained its old-fashioned appearance for decades, despite keeping its inventory up-to-date. They carried everything from clothing to instruments to batteries.

Ayers Store in the 1970s

Ikey Ayers was born in Stewart, VA on January 10, 1910. Raised in Pine Hall, NC, he joined the CCC in the Depression and worked as a mess sergeant with the corps from 1934-1936 at the Pisgah Forest camp. He met his wife Edna, a local girl, and after they married, he went into business with Ayers Store. It was very familiar to him to start his own business because his father and siblings had all started their own businesses too. Active in the First United Methodist Church, Chamber of Commerce, Brevard Lions Club, and Woodmen of the World, he was also the Vice-President of Brevard Housing Authority and Director of the Brevard Federal Savings and Loan Association at times through the years.

Stock photo of an Arcadian Blue Falcon

Some significant events in the life of the store include when a fire damaged much of the building on February 28, 1963. It was extinguished without causing structural damage, but Ikey had to protect himself from loss by holding a fire sale for smoke-damaged items. A more welcome event took place in August 1966 when he won a two-door “Arcadian Blue” Ford Falcon at a Wallace Hardware Company sales convention as part of raffle.

James Isaac “Ikey” Ayers died July 14, 1984 at the age of 74. After his death, he left the store to his deceased wife's sister, Christine Saltz Scott, who continued on the business for at least 4 more years before the store shut its doors in 1988 or 1989 due to competition from big box stores. Many will still remember it as an iconic part of life in Brevard during that time.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Jim Aiken – A Prominent Black Businessman from the County’s Early Days

James “Jim” P. Aiken (1862-1909), a prominent Black businessman 

James P. Aiken (March 1, 1862 - August 25, 1909) was born into slavery in the midst of the Civil War. His enslaved mother Jane Aiken didn’t publicly reveal the identity of Jim’s father, but it was believed to be Jane’s enslaver, B.F. Akin of Dunn’s Rock. After Jane, Jim, and others were emancipated at the end of the Civil War, Jane married Ben Hall in 1876. This was the man that acted as a father to Jim throughout the remainder of his childhood.

Jim married Dafna Bailey Keyth in May 1884. There is little documenting their union, though it might be assumed that they had children based on 1900 Census records listing Ida and Jennie as children with birthdates after 1884 and before his second marriage. Jim married his second wife Mary Magdalene Smith in 1891. Mary was a biracial descendent of the Allison family of Transylvania County.

Depending on the source, Jim is credited with having 14-16 children. Not all names appear in records, but those that are known to have come from his marriage to Mary include William, Jesse, George, Betty, Loretta Mary, Frank, Mary, and Melvin. Loretta Mary Aiken went on to become a comedic star under the stage name “Moms Mabley.” Loretta’s story has been covered in previous articles.

His enterprising nature led Jim to sell apple cider and homemade gingerbread at the start of his retail career. He became so successful that after five years, he built a store on Main Street (located at what is approximately 15 West Main Street today) which was a combination mercantile store, café, and barber shop. It was especially popular on court days when he would assist lawyers, judges, and other court officials with lunch and a shave. He later expanded to include a dray service, using a horse and wagon for transportation of luggage and mail to and from the railway station. A familiar and well-liked businessman who served all, Jim was known for always being immaculately dressed and for his sense of humor and fun.

Jim was the member of several civic groups, the most prominent being the Masons. His grave marker, which can still be found in the New French Broad Baptist Church Cemetery, includes an emblem for the honorable order. He was the only black member of the volunteer fire department, and it was in service to his community that he perished. On August 26, 1909, a fire broke out at Jim’s cousin’s house. The fire department brought their two-wheeled chemical engine down what is now known as Jailhouse Hill in order to fight the blaze. The steep incline was unbalancing to the chemical process used inside the tank, and when it arrived at the scene, too much pressure had built inside. When Jim went to attach a hose to the tank, it exploded, killing him and injuring several other firefighters. Just as with exact biographical details for Jim, there are varying accounts of exactly how and why the accident occurred, but this is the most accurate version that could be surmised from a close reading of many historical records, with preference given to local and timely resources.

The funeral for James P. Aiken was held at the white First Baptist Church and was well-attended by a variety of people of all backgrounds. In his will, he left his six houses and business to his widow Mary, who continued to operate the business after his death. She eventually remarried and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Jim Aiken was a pioneer, achieving great success and having a lasting impact in Transylvania County, despite his humble origins and life obstacles.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

The Toxaway Inn – Part Two: The Aftermath

Lake Toxaway dam after breaking. Note the figures on top for scale.

In July 1916 what is locally known as the Great Asheville Flood occurred. Back-to-back hurricanes kept the area under a steady stream of rain for ten days. The French Broad River crested at 17 feet above flood stage. The flood subsided, but then heavy rains continued and taxed the already weakened dam of Lake Toxaway into early- to mid-August. On August 13, 1916, the Toxaway dam burst releasing the 540-acre lake. A total of 5,376,548,571 gallons of water flooded through the gorge into miles of South Carolina lowlands below. Farms, forests, and residences were all decimated by the aftermath. Litigation against the landowner went on for months, and even then, many were never compensated for the damage.

The dry bed of Lake Toxaway after the dam burst in 1916.

The dry lake pictured is a stark contrast to the idyllic resort once enjoyed by so many. With the lake gone, the inn’s stream of guests dried up as quickly as the lake itself. The Toxaway Inn sat vacant until a group of investors in 1926 bought the Inn and property for $1.5 million (equivalent to $23.2 million in 2021). Much more was spent in trying to revitalize the inn, but before it could be put into service again, the Great Depression hit and the inn sat idle once more. The property was eventually sold for $20,000 in 1947 (equivalent to $300,000 in 2021).

The new owner, S.L. DeArmond of Knoxville, TN, chose to strip the inn bare of all valuable furnishings and sell them for salvage. Electrical wiring, hardwood flooring, plumbing, bath fixtures, timbers, and water pipes were sold en masse to the public. After the salvage sale, the inn was razed to the ground and was no more. Like our very own Titanic of Transylvania, the Toxaway Inn’s grandeur and following decay and destruction instills a sense of awe made more poignant by the contrast.

Modern-day Lake Toxaway

Lake Toxaway had new life once more in the early 1960s when Reginald Heinitsh revitalized the area by purchasing 8,900 acres to create a vacation retreat. During the reconstruction of the dam and refilling of the lake, a couple of unusual remnants of the past were uncovered. The first: the rotting hull of a steamboat, once used to carry guests on pleasure jaunts about the lake. The engine and canopy had long before been removed and sold; the boat itself was seen as valueless and left to the elements. The second remnant (now removed): A 60-foot deep hole filled with scrap iron was discovered with a pipe leading from the bottom of the hole beneath the former dam and out into the waters below. It would seem this was the source of the “mineral waters” once advertised as a benefit of the resort. Although the Lake Toxaway Inn lives on only through its legacy and artifacts, the lake it overlooked has been restored to its previous glory and once again draws those seeking an escape.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

The Toxaway Inn: Part One – The Glory Days

 

The Toxaway Inn in its prime

Lake Toxaway, named for the anglicized version of the Cherokee word for cardinal, is North Carolina’s largest private lake. First created in 1900 by investor J. Frances Hayes of Newcastle, Pennsylvania, the lake was the first of a phased plan to capitalize on the value of the 30,000 acre property. The earthen dam that created the lake from the Toxaway River and its tributaries was built for a cost of $38,000 (equivalent to $1.2 million in 2021) and created a lake one mile wide with fifteen miles of shoreline at a constant 3,100 feet above sea level in what was described as “the beautiful Sapphire country” and “America’s Switzerland.” 

Group photo of workers who constructed the Inn

Hayes bought the Brevard Railroad and extended it to the site over the next three years. Four different private rails ran to the site, boasting sleeping cars from large cities for the convenience of elite passengers. Hayes also had the Toxaway Inn constructed, hiring locals for much of the work, seen pictured here. The inn was completed in 1903 at a cost of $175,000 (equivalent to $5.3 million in 2021), was four-stories high, and boasted 250 rooms connecting to 90 baths. It was intended from the start to cater to a luxury set of clientele. The guest register reads like a who’s who of early 20^th century society: Thomas Edison, J.P. Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, “Diamond Jim” Brady, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, John Burroughs, the Dukes, the Wanamakers, and R.J. Reynolds all stayed at the resort.  

Steamboat on Lake Toxaway

The Toxaway Inn had every conceivable modern convenience: elevators, steam heat, electric lights, its own power plant, telegraph and long distance phone service, a chandelier-lit ballroom, large verandas, and open fireplaces in common areas. For guest entertainment, there were daily stringed orchestra concerts, golf, bowling, and tennis on the site’s facilities; horseback riding and hunting through the forests; and fishing in the 50 miles of streams snaking through the property. The lake itself was a source for entertainment with swimming and boating; although canoes were available, the novelty of a steam-powered boat that could hold up to 40 passengers often delighted hotel guests. 

Lunch menu from Toxaway Inn, July 18, 1916 

The pristine natural environment was also a commodity used to draw visitors to the inn. The fresh mountain air, mineral spring water, and pastoral environment was glorified in advertisement. The land itself helped to provide food for the 200 millionaires that graced the halls of Toxaway Inn in the first year and beyond. The finest foods were available on the menu which included prime rib, roast lamb, and a variety of elegant sides and desserts. They even boasted a “nature kindergarten” with a certified teacher for children that sounded a lot like the nature-based education that is so popular today, highlighting the sheep and cattle farming that was part of the property as a source for hands-on learning for children. 

Next week, part two and the destruction of Toxaway dam that led to the inn’s decline. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Picturing the Past: Brevard High School Cheerleaders Boost Morale at 1950 Annual Classic

 

1950 Annual Classic with Brevard High School Blue Devils and Tryon Tigers Cheerleaders

This exuberant photo depicts Brevard High School cheerleaders on October 20, 1950 at the Annual Classic “Parent’s Night”. The BHS cheerleaders are wearing their white home jerseys with lettering that spells out Brevard, with a couple of back-up B’s. The cheerleaders in the slightly different shade and T’s on their jerseys are from the opposing team – the Tryon Tigers. This team came from the now-defunct Tryon High School, which was absorbed into the consolidated Polk County High School in the late 1990s.

Parent’s Night was sponsored by the Monogram Club, which provided free admission for all parents of football players and cheerleaders. At half-time, each team member and their parent(s) walked onto the field and were announced over loudspeakers. Alumni were also honored at these games and given a special ribbon to wear. The Brevard Blue Devils beat the Tryon Tigers 14 – 6, though the camaraderie between the cheerleaders of both teams indicates that there were no hard feelings.

1950 Brevard High School Cheerleaders, from the Transylvania Times

Cheerleaders included Georgia Ann Reid, Billy Gardner, unknown Tryon cheerleader (UTC), UTC, Joanne Newland, UTC, Donald Lee Green, UTC, UTC, Shirley Wilde, UTC, Marylyn Brewer, Virginia Osborne (chief), Shirley Gaither, and Billie Hart. Other cheerleaders not pictured included Patsy Ann Parrish and Betty Wheeler. The mascot is William Arnette.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

A Portrait of Hattie Hampton Glazener Kitchen

Hattie Kitchen, dressed for the 1961 Centennial

Although it looks like it could be from more than a century ago, this portrait of Hattie Kitchen was taken in 1961 by local photographer Pat Austin to celebrate Transylvania County’s Centennial. Hattie was born on April 9, 1886 to Montville Justus Glazener and Matilda Jane Whitmire Glazener. One of ten children, she grew up in Rosman and married Alvoid Osborne Kitchen on February 3, 1906. They had one daughter, Reba, who was born in 1910. 

Hattie’s family has a long history of residency in Transylvania County, tracing their ancestry back to John Glazener/Johan Glasner who immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1752. One of John’s sons, Hattie’s great-great-grandfather George, and his family were the first Glazeners to settle in Transylvania County. 

Hattie was a lifelong resident of Transylvania County and lived in the same house on Franklin Drive (now Franklin Street) for over 40 years. She was well-known to many in roles such as her service to the Chamber of Commerce. She attended the Epworth School (which later transitioned to the Brevard Institute and then Brevard College) and was the secretary of her very active alumni group. In the late 1960s she became a member of the artist/crafter cooperative known as “8-Crafters,” showcasing her quilts in their annual juried shows and selling them in the group’s summer shop on Highway 276. 

In a 1977 Transylvania Times interview, Hattie describes her love of dancing and of associating with young folks as often as possible to keep herself feeling young. She was easy to spot driving around in her midnight blue Mustang with a white vinyl top, proving that age is mindset more than anything else. 

In her aging years, Hattie was respected as a community elder, which is evident with honors such as her selection as the Grand Marshal of the Brevard Christmas Parade in 1981. At the time of her passing in January 1983, she was the oldest member of Brevard-Davidson River Presbyterian Church. Hattie’s legacy lives on with her descendants who still live in Transylvania County. 

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

Mathatasian Club Promotes Exchange of Ideas for Over 100 Years

 

Scrapbook page showing ephemera from a 1955 Mathatasian Club fundraiser 

The E.O.T (Every Other Thursday) Book Club was organized in September 1915 with sixteen charter members: Maud Allison, Mrs. Beavens, Ida Bryant, Mrs. Burnett, Mrs. Caldwell, C.E. Deaver, Flora Duckworth, Kathleen Ervin, A.E. Hampton, N. Forsythe, Ora Jones, Mrs. Margan, E.H. Norwood, Mrs. Macfie, E.H. Trowbridge, and Julia Trowbridge. The group met to trade books and had a theme that changed each year. On April 12, 1917, the name was changed to the Mathatasian Book Club. Julia Trowbridge selected the name because it meant “learner.” The club joined the N.C. Federation of Women’s Clubs on October 20, 1921.

Cover of 1955 scrapbook

In addition to their intellectual pursuits, at times the club also acted as a charitable organization through efforts such as fundraising for veterans and their families and polio prevention. One early fundraising effort was to publish a cookbook with a small collection of recipes in 1939, making this the earliest published local cookbook in Transylvania County. The photo included in this article is an image of a scrapbook page from 1991. This retrospective scrapbook showcases the fundraising efforts of the club in 1955 when money was raised to aid a family of Czechoslovakian refugees living in France. The Mathatasian Club of Brevard is still active today and continues to discuss their annual theme and exchange books.

Cover of 1939 cookbook

The minutes from 1916 to the present, collected club scrapbooks, and the 1939 cookbook are archived
in the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room at the Transylvania County Library. Scrapbooks from the past club years are also digitized and part of the online collection, which can be accessed on Digital NC.

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. This article was written by Laura Gardner, Local History Librarian. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact laura.gardner@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Gravemarkers Are a Rich Source of Historical Information

Gravemarker for Claud Dunn (1906-1923)

 Gravemarkers, also called gravestones or tombstones, can reveal much more about history than many people realize. Most gravemarkers will have the name of the deceased (though sometimes there are only initials or titles like “wife”). Some may also have parents’ names, familial relationships, indicators of military service, maiden names, membership in fraternal organizations, religion, immigrant place of origin, or cause of death. Visiting a cemetery and seeing the placement of stones in relation to one another can also give clues about infant deaths not otherwise recorded, or familial relationships, such as seeing who is buried in a group and discovering a maiden name and wife’s family from nearby gravemarkers.

Gravemarker for Solomon Osteen
(1816-1871)

Another interesting piece of information that can be gleaned from gravemarkers is dependent on a type of symbolism that has been lost from general awareness—gravemarker symbology. The images carved on gravemarkers had a symbolic meaning to convey hopes for the dearly departed, pedantic meditations on the ephemeral nature of life, and the expression of emotions about the deceased. Some of these meanings may be apparent today, but others are less obvious. One might guess that a lamb indicates innocence (often seen on children’s gravemarkers) but be surprised to learn that a key indicates knowledge and entrance into heaven.

 

With this awareness, one can visit a cemetery within Transylvania County and discover much more about the gravemarkers there than before. The Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room at the Transylvania County Library has a photograph collection of gravemarkers from around the county, some of which are now on display on the second floor with special note given to the symbology of carvings. Gravemarker rubbings are also featured, showing how this genealogical pastime can help to preserve the imagery from deteriorating gravemarkers. A scrapbook documenting the revitalization of the Davidson River Cemetery in 1976 gives another view of preservation over time and how generational devotion to maintenance of cemeteries helps to preserve these treasure troves for future generations.

Gravemarker for Julia Nathalie Forsythe, born, married, and buried on May 14.

The photo featured in this week’s Picturing the Past shows one special gravemarker that is also being highlighted in the display. Note that Julia Nathalie Forsythe was born on Monday, May 14, 1860. She married on her seventeenth birthday Monday, May 14, 1877, and was buried on Monday, May 14, 1923 at the age of 63. The dates and consistent days of the week of these significant life events are such a unique coincidence, the family chose to immortalize it in stone, leaving it for us to marvel at today.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Henry Scadin

Rupert "Henry" Scadin, self-portrait

Rupert “Henry” Scadin was a western regional photographer well-known at the turn of the 20^th century. Although he called himself a landscape photographer, what he captured with his images of a changing landscape would be well-titled as documentary photography. Scadin had a home in Sapphire, NC, which as a skilled carpenter, he contributed to building in 1897. He and his wife Kate and son Dewey lived there off and on until 1915. In addition to photography, he kept a working orchard on the land until it was destroyed in the 1916 floods, urging him to move to Vermont. 

Lake Toxaway - photo by Henry Scadin, colorization by Kate Scadin

Scadin frequently photographed the lakes and inns of Fairfield, Sapphire, and Toxaway. His wife Kate was a painter and hand-colored his works in order to turn them into postcards. Many of the Toxaway Inn postcards of that era were created from Scadin’s photographs. In conjunction with his photographs, he kept extensive diaries which are available online today that give a view into life at that time, down to the weather each day. These are searchable and available through the UNCA Special Collections. The Transylvania County Library owns several original Scadin photographs, including the self-portrait and colorized Lake Toxaway postcard seen here.

Looking Glass Falls photo by Henry Scadin

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

Long History of Biking in the Mountains

 

Eugene C. Sawyer (2nd from left) and friends, July 4, 1895

There has been a long history of biking in the mountains of Transylvania County that goes well beyond that of the mountain biking that we think of today. Looking back, we can see examples of groups getting together for a social ride as early as the 1890s, such as this scene that is part of the NC Room collection depicting Eugene C. Sawyer and friends. The inscription on the back of the photo gives some information. The photo was taken on July 4^th, 1893 at Carrier Track (presumably in Asheville, as Eugene was a resident of Buncombe County). Sawyer’s half mile time is listed as 1:19 and stamped information indicates that A.B. Pope was the photographer for this staged, professional photo.

Although this image is more closely related to Buncombe County history, there is a connection to Transylvania County. Eugene Sawyer (2^nd from left) is a young man in his early twenties in the photo who went on to pioneer the introduction of automobiles in Asheville. Sawyer started out as a bicycle merchant with his shop, Asheville Cycle Co., located on Church Street. He was a mover and shaker in the popular bicycling scene and staged a bicycle parade with his bike in the lead sporting eighteen paper lanterns.

An innovative engineer, Sawyer designed a gasoline-powered car in 1900 and sold it to the son of President Rutherford B. Hayes. The success of this sale led him to abandon bicycles and convert his shop into an automobile showroom in 1907. The building still exists today on Coxe Avenue in Asheville as condominiums. Other well-known clientele included Tench C. Coxe of the Coxe family that later purchased land in what is now the Dupont State Forest area in Transylvania County.

Bikers outside Pisgah Tavern, 1942

The tradition of bike racing in the mountains lives on with events like the Assault on the Carolinas, a fundraiser for the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club now in its 21^st year. Riders flock from all over the world to this area, drawn by the ideal conditions for both trail and road riding.

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. This article was written by Laura Gardner, Local History Librarian. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Laura at laura.gardner@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

How Many Stories Can One Picture Tell?

Hume Hotel ruins with James "Perry" Cantrell,
Hettie M. Raxter Cantrell, and Walter Cantrell

One of the greatest parts about looking into history is seeing old photographs and discovering the stories behind these images of the past. Within each picture, there are numerous pieces of history that one could discover, using these clues to embark on a journey of discovery. The image included in this week’s Picturing the Past led to three distinct stories of Transylvania history. 

The first story is of the Hume Hotel, also known by the names Rock Hotel, Dunn’s Rock Hotel, Stone Hotel, and Connestee Hotel. It was built on the land of Robert W. Hume, just off the Greenville Highway near where Mud Dabbers Pottery is currently located. It is said that it was burned by bushwhackers during the Civil War, and the stone remains were a backdrop for the picture seen here. 

Morrow House

The second story is of the Royal and Louise Morrow House. After the Hume Hotel sat in ruins for decades, Royal Morrow procured stones from the site to utilize in the construction of his home on East Main Street in 1915. The Hume Hotel was the earliest known stone building in Transylvania County, and it is interesting to note that the Morrow House is now the oldest surviving stone house in the county. The Wright brothers, the stonemasons who constructed many notable stone structures in the county such as the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and the stone gates at Brevard College, are said to have also constructed the Morrow House, though some debate that fact. The house itself is notable in that it was built according to a design created by world-renowned Craftsman-style architect Gustav Stickley, which was published in The Craftsman magazine of June 1909. The Morrow House is one of the most prominent in the historic East Main Street district. 

Walter Cantrell's store for Canter Woodworks

The third story is of the Cantrell family. Seated before the ruins of the Hume Hotel is a family tableau featuring Perry Cantrell with wife Hettie Raxter Cantrell and son Walter Cantrell. Based on the fact that Walter is an infant in this picture, it was likely taken in 1912 or 1913, just a couple of years before the ruins were dismantled to be used in the Morrow House construction. Young Walter grew to have his own notoriety in the county as a woodworker. He learned woodworking through an apprenticeship in Tryon from the age of 15, in a style of learning that was common in Europe. He created Canter Woodworks in 1947, which was located on Highway 276 for many years and appeared in numerous newspaper and magazine articles during his career. 

Each story leads to another and another, the details becoming mysteries in themselves. The layers of meaning that each archival item contains are immeasurable. What other stories are hidden in the archives, awaiting discovery? 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. This article was written by Laura Gardner, Local History Librarian. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Laura at laura.gardner@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Large Brevard Home Lost to Fire

On August 5, 1914, Mr. J.A. Miller’s property on North Country Club Road
and home to Mr. E.F. Moffitt and 36 boarders, went up in flames.

On August 5, 1914, one of Brevard’s largest and finest homes went up in flames. The house was located on what is today North Country Club Road, somewhere between Gillespie Circle and Gallimore Road. The house belonged to Mr. J.A. Miller and was occupied by Mr. E.F. Moffitt and 36 boarders. Reportedly, the fire started early in the morning and originated in the third floor attic, which was located over the kitchen. The cause of the fire is unknown and was a matter of speculation at the time. Some thought it could have been caused by a defect in the electrical wiring in the attic; others pointed to the kitchen chimney flue that went through the attic. 

According to the Sylvan Valley News from August 7, 1914, “Faithful work was done by the men handling the hose and by others, but without success. A great part of Mr. Moffett’s [sic] household furniture was saved, but much on the third floor was lost. This loss he estimated at $500 [equivalent in purchasing power to about $13,650.15 in 2021], but he could not speak with certainty. Mr. Miller’s loss is considerable [sic] greater. The house was a fine brick building, perhaps the roomiest private dwelling house in Brevard. Making allowances [sic] for insurance, the loss probably [sic] was not less than $3000 [equivalent in purchasing power to about $81,900.90 in 2021].”

Ad from the Sylvan Valley News, 1914

Both Mr. J.A. Miller and Mr. E.F. Moffitt were well-known businessmen in Brevard. Miller owned a supply company that sold hardware, building material, farming implements, paints, furniture and general house furnishings. A carpenter by trade, Moffitt was also a contractor and builder, and owned a construction company that bore his name. Moffitt was also involved in the auction business of the time. In the 1900s and 1910s, Miller and Moffitt were frequently encountered names in the newspaper, as the two men heavily advertised their businesses in the newspaper, and were often mentioned in lot and land transactions and real estate dealings. 

In the photograph above, one may notice that there are some 150 people, many of them women and children, observing the efforts of a crew of men to put out the fire. Much of the salvaged furniture is assembled in the yard, on the foreground, on the left. Several men are helping to hoist and direct the water hose up the roof of the house. The house to the left, which at the time was owned by Mr. J.A. Miller, was later occupied by the Tom Shipman family, and after that by the Joe Pickelsimer family.

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. This article was written by Anne-Monique Ransdell. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Operation Ouch: Transylvanians Get Vaccinated for Polio, Part II

Last week’s “Picturing the Past”, Transylvanians Organize in the Fight Against Polio, Part I, recounted the fight against polio and the fundraising efforts and search for a vaccine. 

Advertisement for polio vaccine by
The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis

It is little wonder that the world celebrated when Dr. Jonas Salk announced in 1953 that he had developed a vaccine to prevent polio.  In 1954, clinical trials of the Salk vaccine were carried out on over 2 million children throughout the United States.  It wasn’t until April 12, 1955 that it was announced the vaccine was effective.  Shipments began immediately across the country. 

Transylvania County did not waste any time and made plans to vaccinate 1st and 2nd graders.  County health officers Dr. Charles Gunn and Martha Choate were in charge of the complex planning.  Mrs. J.F. Leete and Mrs. Paul Lollis spearheaded the recruiting of the dozens of volunteers needed to facilitate the process.The vaccine was free of charge and voluntary.  Teachers spent the weeks preceding the vaccination instructing the children on the purpose of the vaccine and what to expect. 

A series of three shots were required.  The second dose was four weeks after the first, followed by a third shot seven months later.  Private physicians and pharmacies were also provided with the vaccine. A Transylvania Times editorial encouraged parents to take any of their children not in 1st and 2nd grade to a physician for the shots, gently reminding them that the smallpox vaccine was once looked upon with distrust and fear by a prior generation.

It was determined that the first doses of the vaccine would be administered at Transylvania Community hospital on Thursday, April 28th.  The Times called this historic undertaking “Operation Ouch”. 700 children were bused to the hospital with four doctors giving the first shots at 9:15 a.m.  Mothers who could attend the event met their children when they arrived.  Activities, including majorettes from the high schools, were provided for the children as they waited. Volunteers’, doctors’, and nurses’ “faces shown with happiness and joy for the occasion”, according to the Times.  Many young girls arrived wearing their “Sunday frocks.” One mother said she “felt like crying from sheer happiness.”  725 students received their shot in three hours.

Photo of Operation Ouch patient from The Transylvania Times, April 28, 1955

The second inoculation took place on May 5 and went smoothly.  51 children who did not receive the first vaccine in April due to absence from school or whose parents were originally fearful of the shots, received their first dose at this time.  In November, the health department announced that parents should bring any children between the ages of 1-18 to the clinic to receive the first and second shots free of charge since enough serum stockpiles remained to offer it.

Two years after the introduction of the Salk vaccine, polio cases dropped 85-90 percent.  More good news arrived wh

en a second vaccine, developed by Dr. Albert Sabin, was approved in 1962.  The Salk vaccine required injections while the Sabin vaccine was administered in a sugar cube, a much simpler delivery system that became favored for years. 

While the polio vaccine was originally voluntary, North Carolina ordered that all children in the state receive the vaccine in 1959.  Today, polio remains endemic in only three countries.  There is still no cure, only prevention.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Joe Russo. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.