Rowel Bosse Created Historical Archives

Rowell Bosse’s interests in hiking, botany, and history led him to spend over 20 years working to preserve the history of Transylvania County.

The North Carolina Bartram Trail Society was organized on November 1, 1977 by eleven North Carolina residents, including Rowell Bosse.  Their goal was to build an 80 mile trail honoring naturalist, William Bartram.  Bartram had traveled through the Southern Appalachians from 1773-1777, recording the plants, animals, and the life of the Native Americans he encountered.  Bartram’s Travels of William Bartram offers detailed descriptions of his journey.  Bosse, along with Transylvania residents Charles Moore and Walter McKelvey, was instrumental in mapping and flagging Batram’s route through North Carolina.

Rowell Bosse.

For many years Bosse served on the Historic Properties Commission board.  He is credited for helping the county achieve CLG (Certified Local Government) status, obtaining grant funding for a county-wide architectural survey of historic buildings, and recording oral histories of the memories of long-time residents.  Through the Historic Properties Commission Rowell also worked to assist Mary Jane McCrary in publishing her book, Transylvania Beginnings.

He created an archive where documents pertaining to the businesses, organizations, families and general history of Transylvania County could be preserved.  This collection was the beginnings of today’s Local History Collection in the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room at the Transylvania County Library.

Bosse was also active with the Transylvania County Historical Society in its early efforts to acquire and preserve the Allison-Deaver House.

In 1992 Rowell Bosse was presented with the Gertrude S. Carroway Award of Merit for his, “outstanding efforts in the field of historic preservation” by Preservation North Carolina.

Bosse died on May 30, 1999.  His preservation efforts live on through the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, the Transylvania County Historical Society, the Transylvania Heritage Museum, and the North Carolina Bartram Trail Society.  Display cases on the 2^nd floor of the Library currently feature information about Rowell Bosse.  On Friday, July 15 there will be a celebration of Rowell’s preservation efforts and how they live on with a brief presentation at 1:00 pm.

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.