This article appeared in the Volume 3, Issue 2 Fall 2021 issue of the Appalachian Curator. Click here to view a PDF of the full issue.
New collections in regional repositories:
University of North Carolina Asheville
Western Carolina University
Western Regional Archives, Asheville
West Virginia University
University of North Carolina Asheville
Elaine Roland Gales Collection – This collection primarily contains newspaper clippings about events or pivotal episodes in the history of The Block, and articles about or obituaries for prominent individuals, social organizers, business leaders, or political figures from The Block and East End neighborhood. Also included are photographs (original or photocopied) of Elaine Gales, her friends and acquaintances, and scenes from The Block and the East End neighborhood. These photographs are mostly from the late 1940s and 1950s. Additionally, this collection has a few materials from Stephens-Lee High School and a booklet announcing the dedication of the new Hill Street school building.
Southern Dharma Retreat Center Records -The Southern Dharma Retreat Center (SDRC) has been hosting Buddhist retreats in Madison County, NC, since 1978, and has been ranked one of the best spiritual retreat centers in the US by readers of the Buddhist magazine Tricycle. This collection contains organizational records, newsletters, retreat schedules and descriptions, photographs, and other materials documenting the history of the SDRC.
Clarkson Family Little Switzerland Collection – This collection contains materials documenting the creation, development, and history of the Switzerland Company, founded by Heriot Clarkson in 1909. The Switzerland Company was the legal entity behind the creation and development of the Little Switzerland resort, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in McDowell and Mitchell Counties. The collection contains extensive legal and financial documents about the management of Switzerland Company, including tax documents, deeds, bank documents, documents related to various legal disputes, maps, boundary surveys, shareholders’ meeting minutes, correspondence, and other materials.
Western Carolina University
Arnold J. Hyde Collection. A native of Graham County, NC, Hyde was employed by the Tennessee Valley Authority to assist in the acquisition of land and relocation of residents in Graham County to make way for the Fontana Dam hydroelectric project. Included in this collection are two reports written by Hyde for the TVA, one focused on the Stecoah community, and the other on the Almond and Judson communities. The reports contain detailed demographic information and rare historic photographs of these communities.
Western Regional Archives, Asheville
The records of the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County (PSABC). The group formed in 1976 to address threats to the architectural and aesthetic integrity of the area. Since its inception, PSABC has aided in the preservation and restoration of scores of properties through the grants and a revolving preservation fund. Each year the PSABC presents its prestigious Griffin Award to exemplary historic preservation projects. The records contain administrative records, board minutes, property files, newsletters, photographs, slides, and emphemera.
West Virginia University
Dr. William A. Neal Papers (ca. 1880-2016), A&M 4481, Papers of West Virginia University, School of Medicine faculty member Dr. William A. Neal and the Neal family of West Virginia. Includes correspondence, photographs, awards, clippings, military service record, etc. documenting his career. Also includes papers regarding Neal’s family, and regarding his book on Edward J. Van Liere, who was an advocate for medical education in West Virginia. https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/repositories/2/resources/6608
Hatfield Family Papers (ca. 1842-2019), A&M 4490, Papers and artifacts of the Hatfield family of southwest West Virginia, as compiled by their descendants. Best known for the Hatfield and McCoy feud during the late 19th century, this collection is connected to Devil “Anse” Hatfield, his wife Louvisa Hatfield, and four of their 13 children: Elias, Tennyson (“Tennis”), Joseph Davis (“J.D.”), and Detroit (“Troy”). Most of the content is regarding the everyday life of the Hatfields and their extended family, including the children’s experiences working for the Pocahontas Coal Company, holiday and greeting cards, delinquent account notices, and land deeds. https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/repositories/2/resources/6618
Franklin Cleckley Papers (ca. 1958-2017), A&M 4506, Papers of Franklin Cleckley, lawyer, judge, and professor of law in West Virginia. Appointed to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals in 1994 by then Governor Caperton Gaston, Cleckley was the first African-American Justice in West Virginia. Known for his prolific writing, he authored more than 100 majority opinions along with a number of concurring and dissenting opinions. Much of the collection consists of scrapbooks of newspaper clippings relating to the career of Cleckley. To a lesser extent the collection also includes correspondence and papers regarding legal cases Cleckley took part in, personal correspondence in the form of greeting and sympathy cards, as well as biographical material such as family photographs, resumes, and other material. (https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/repositories/2/resources/6721)
Lillian Waugh, Professor, Papers and Artifacts (1884-2021), A&M 4518, Papers, photographs, binders, artifacts, and newspapers belonging to Lillian Waugh, professor of Women’s Studies at WVU and gender equality activist. This collection contains personal family photographs, correspondence, and research about Waugh keeping her surname after marriage. Protest and activism papers, photographs, and artifacts include assorted materials related to Waugh’s involvement in the National Organization for Women (NOW), the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) campaign, gender equality movements, and anti-war protests. The collection features research, correspondence, and curriculum from Waugh’s time as a WVU professor. It likewise includes substantial research for WVU’s Women’s Centenary Project, which Waugh directed. (https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/repositories/2/resources/6858)
