Featured Collections 
Biltmore Industries Archive  a virtual collection of photographs and documents for an early craft industry located in Asheville, NC that derived its mission from the international Arts and Crafts Movement. Original materials are held by the Grovewood Gallery, Inc., Asheville, NC. The collection also includes materials related to the Grove Park Inn and its architect/builder, Fred Seely. An extensive finding aid with photographs  is available as well as an historical overview and various scrapbooks and web exhibits.

[Biltmore Industries weaving room]

Carolina Mountain Club Archive - Established in Asheville, North Carolina on July 16, 1923 the hiking club is active in promoting and protecting the mountains of North Carolina. This collection details the activities of the club and includes administrative records, hiking records, correspondence, membership lists, publications, documents, and photographs related to the activities and the  environmental initiatives of the club.

Catalogue des meilleurs livres ... pour composer une bibliotheque ecclesiastique - Included as an appendix to Dom Jean Mabillon's Traite des etudes monastiques (Treatise on Monastic Studies) this "Catalogue of the best book, with the best editions, for forming an ecclesiastical library," was designed for the young ecclesiastical scholar and is reproduced here in facsimile.
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Mabillon Image

Choosing to Remember : from the Shoah to the Mountains .  Stories of Asheville Jewish families who witnessed, escaped and survived WWII and the Holocaust collected by the Center for Diversity Studies, Asheville,NC. See also:  Jewish Life in Western North Carolina. 

[Braun Family portrait]

Speculation Lands Collection (1795-1920) - Papers, patents, maps, warrants, and correspondence related to the activity of Tench Coxe and the subsequent owners of various western North Carolina lands. The approximate 850 items comprise a virtual unbroken record of land speculation over a one-hundred and twenty-five year period. The collection also brings together many of the papers of the Justice family who acted as both agents and surveyors for the area known as the "Speculation Lands". Some items require  DjVu Plug-in . to viewDonation and processing of this historically rich collection has been enabled by the generous contributions of Joe and Steven Kimmel, Asheville, NC

U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station Photographs
A collection of 3,249 photographic prints that document the work of the U.S. Forest service in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee, from 1897 through 1952. Special web pages for the Bent Creek Research Station, African Americans in logging and a Forestry Bibliography for resources on regional forestry and forest history, are also included.  100% supported with federal LSTA funds made possible through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources and shared by collaborating partners NC State, Biltmore Estate, and  Duke Forest History Society.

North Carolina Jazz Musicians - A resource guide and exploration of the lives of North Carolina's Jazz notables compiled by Bryan Sinclair, UNCA library faculty. Includes some of the most influential jazz artists in America such as Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Nina Simone ( an Asheville native), Billy Strayhorn, and others. Portions of the guide are also published in the Fall-Winter issue of North Carolina Libraries, pp. 121-25.

Heritage of Black Highlander's Collection African Americans in western North Carolina 1888-1972. The most comprehensive collection of materials on African American cultural heritage in the western part of the state. Covers churches, schools, hospitals, social organizations and civic leaders.

[YMI (Young Men's Institute)]

Jewish Life in Western North Carolina
Includes several key collections of material pertaining to synagogues, businesses, the Holocaust, and the people who have helped to shape life in Western North Carolina. Collections include the following: 


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Sol Shulman in his store

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Louis Blomberg papers

Women In Western North Carolina A collection of biographical sketches of women who have directly contributed to the history of the region. All these women, the traveler, the dweller, and the native born, have contributed in a variety of ways to western North Carolina. All add to our understanding of the nature of women, their accomplishments, their dreams, their talents, their mystery, their mischief, their meanness, their dedication and determination to be their own person. This biographical list does not claim to be exhaustive. If you wish to present other women to be added to the list you may do so by submitting their  names and biographies to the curator. SUBMIT A NAME

HERITAGE OF WESTERN North Carolina
Information in these pages is derived, in part, from the early cooperative grant, Western North Carolina Heritage, but has been expanded and revised. The collection is a  thematic listing of topics of local interest with brief clips from literature (fiction and non-fiction) about the region. Coverage is largely early nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century. Topics are not intended to be covered in a comprehensive manner, but are intended to stimulate further exploration. Work on the material is ongoing. Contributions and recommendations are invited. If you wish to submit material or to amend material in this collection, contact hwykle@unca.edu.

WNC - A SENSE OF PLACE

WNC - AGRICULTURE

WNC - ARCHITECTURE

WNC - ARTISTS & ILLUSTRATORS - PRE-1945

WNC - ARTS & CRAFTS

WNC - ASHEVILLE

WNC - CAMPS AND CAMPING

WNC - CIVIL WAR

WNC - CHEROKEE ARTS & ARTISTS

WNC - COUNTIES

WNC - EDUCATION & SCHOOLS

WNC - FORESTRY

WNC - GILDED AGE

WNC - HOTELS & LODGINGS

WNC - JEWISH LIFE IN WNC

WNC -  LAKES, RIVERS & STREAMS

WNC - MEDICAL

WNC - MINES & MINERALS

WNC - MOUNTAINS

WNC - MOUNTAIN WORDS

WNC - NATURAL DISASTERS

WNC - PACK SQUARE, ASHEVILLE

WNC - PAINT ROCK

WNC - PARKS

WNC - PEOPLE

WNC - PHOTOGRAPHERS

WNC - RACE & ETHNICITY

WNC - RAILROADS

WNC - RELIGION

WNC - TRAVEL & TOURISM LITERATURE

WNC - URBAN CENTERS

WNC - WATERFALLS

WNC - WOMEN

WNC - WRITERS

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