Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will open two new exhibits highlighting the 125th anniversary of the university’s founding and the 40th anniversary of Mountain Heritage Day. An opening reception for the exhibits will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 12. Both exhibits will be on display through Dec. 12.An exhibit titled “The Dearest Spot of All: Western Carolina University’s 125th Anniversary” showcases the development and growth of the university over the decades, with artifacts and memorabilia that tell the stories of the many dedicated individuals who shaped the institution into the multifaceted regional university that it is today.
The exhibit “Y’all Come, the Best Kind of Get-Together: 40 Years of Mountain Heritage Day” showcases the evolution of the festival. The event now known as Mountain Heritage Day began as Founders Day in 1974 to celebrate the inauguration of Chancellor H.F. “Cotton” Robinson. The day ended with a barbecue and square dance, and discussions about holding a similar event the next year. The celebration is now held on the last Saturday each September.
The reception will be capped off with a presentation by university archivist George Frizzell, who will speak about the early years of Western Carolina University and its growth from a high school to a statewide model of teacher training.
The Mountain Heritage Center is open to the public free of charge and is located on the ground floor of H.F. Robinson Administration Building.
828.227.7129 or www.mhc.wcu.edu.