Carol Kinney Grimes, pictured here, is helping lead an effort to preserve the scrapbooks made by members of Buncombe County's Ox Creek community. Her work has inspired other community clubs to try to preserve their own scrapbooks, first made for contests, but now repositories for local history. Photo by Katy Nelson.

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Press release from the Dry Ridge Historical Museum, shared March 14:

The Dry Ridge Historical Museum, working with the Ox Creek Community Club, is proud to present an exhibit featuring selections from the Ox Creek Community History Collection beginning March 24 and continuing every Saturday through mid-June.

The exhibition will highlight the progression of the area now known as the Ox Creek Community (formally known as South Fork and Taft) from the Cherokee Indians who camped here, to settlers who farmed here for many generations, to the craftspeople of our modern day. Sections will include the production of tobacco as a cash crop, everyday farming life, and community spirit. Included will be photographs, historical medical artifacts, Cherokee artifacts, farm implements, canning items and craft works.

Want to go?

Exhibition location:
Dry Ridge Historical Museum at the Weaverville Library
41 North Main St., Weaverville
Hours: Every Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. or by appointment
Cost: Free

The Ox Creek Community History Collection was initiated to preserve and protect the many scrapbooks whose contents provide a window for us to view past successes of the community while watching it grow through quality of life improvements. These scrapbooks were a part of the rural development contest in WNC (started by the fore-runner of the North Carolina Co-operative Extension in the early 1950s). The scrapbooks were continued for many years and helped document the development of the community. The Ox Creek Community Club hopes to inspire and encourage other Communities throughout Western North Carolina to begin or continue their own efforts to preserve an important part of our heritage.

The Ox Creek Community Club has roots dating back to its origins in the early 1950s. It was established to encourage and promote a harmonious relationship among all people of the community. The Clubhouse has been a focal point of the community since its completion and is a vital part of the purpose of the Club. At its core is the objective of providing opportunities for civic service, social activities and educational programs individually or in partnership with other organizations that serve the residents of our community, both at the Clubhouse and in outreach programs. The Club endeavors to improve the health and living conditions of all citizens of the community and to encourage beautification of our community and the surrounding area so that we can help maintain Western North Carolina as a  beautiful, creative and peaceful place to live.

Located on the lower level of the Weaverville Library, the Dry Ridge Historical Museum was established in 1983 to preserve the cultural heritage of Reems Creek and Flat Creek townships. The permanent collection includes furniture, tools, photographs, musical instruments, manuscripts and books dating back to 1787. There is a display of artifacts relating to Weaverville founder Michael Montraville Weaver as well as a photographic exhibit celebrating the people of Weaverville. In addition to the permanent collection, there are rotating exhibits that highlight contemporary and historical aspects of Weaverville.

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Angie Newsome

Angie Newsome is the executive director and editor of Carolina Public Press. Contact her at (828) 774-5290 or e-mail her at anewsome@carolinapublicpress.org.

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