Community Clubs Improve The Home Lives of Families

Last week Picturing the Past introduced curbside market projects developed by local community clubs to improve their rural neighborhoods and the lives of local residents.  These week’s focus is on projects to improve the home lives of families within the local, rural communities. 

The agencies that oversaw community clubs throughout the area were Western North Carolina Associated Communities and Western North Carolina Community Development Association.  They required an annual summary reporting development programs in multiple categories.  Better Family Living included home improvements ranging from painting to adding running water and installing bathroom fixtures.  Communities reported the number new homes built, new mobile homes added and new vehicles purchased.  They also reported information like major electrical appliances added to homes, improvements in landscaping and the number of families who had regular medical and dental check-ups, health insurance and even bank accounts, along with how many subscribed to a newspaper or magazine.

Canned goods prepared by Little River residents were displayed during their
community fair in 1957.

This information gives a picture of life in rural communities of Western North Carolina beginning in the 1950s.  In 1952 the Little River Community Club reported that six homes in their community added indoor plumbing, 18 homes had installed telephones and 16 families had purchased televisions sets.  The Balsam Grove community reported 62 families (100%) had an adequate home garden in 1958.  They froze 1,242 quarts of food and canned 4,840 quarts.

In 1965 Sapphire-Whitewater had six new houses built, eleven homes with major renovations and four new mobile homes added to the community.  Twelve families in the Dunn's Rock community painted the exterior of their homes in 1975.

Men and women pitched in to build an extension on a home in the
Dunn's Rock community in 1957.

In the later years the annual report focused more on activity descriptions and photographs.  Next week Picturing the Past will cover the numerous community and youth programs created by the Community Clubs.

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 828-884-1820.