University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Oral History Register
for

Barbara Cassat Keleher, 1918-

OH-VOA K45 Ba

Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection
D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNCA

Title

Creator

Dorothy Joynes for Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection

Subject

LCSH:
Keleher, Barbara Cassat, 1918-
Asheville (N.C.) -- History
Art museums -- North Carolina -- Asheville
Politics and government -- North Carolina -- Buncombe County
Schools -- Centralization -- North Carolina -- Buncombe County

Subject

Keyword: World War II ; Asheville City Council ; Republican Party ; Pack Place ; Asheville Art Museum ; First Union Bank ; Muses ; School consolidation

Description

Abstract: Keleher describes life in Asheville when she arrived in the 1950's.  She recounts her decision to run for the Asheville City Council, and the process involved in doing so. She describes her tenure as a member of both the First Union Bank board, and the board of the Asheville Art Museum and her work with the Asheville-Buncombe Charter Commission. Her campaigning experiences with door-to-door canvassing are discussed, along with her views concerning city-county consolidation, annexation, and economic development.  She discusses Pack Place, and projects of the Art Museum in which she has been involved. She also discusses her six children.

Publisher

D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804

Contributor

Date

Electronic Record Issued: 2002-05-15

Type

Sound ; Text ; Image

Format

Physical Description: 6-page abstract ; 2 90-minute audiocassettes and 2 copies ; 9 color photographs ; newspaper articles and brochures

Identifier

Source

OH-VOA K45 Ba

Language

English

Relation

References: VOA Eleanor and Charles Rawls Oral History ; VOA Mary Lloyd Frank Oral History ; VOA Dr. Michael Keleher Oral History ; VOA Margo Coggins Oral History

Coverage

Acquisition

Donor number: 146 ;  Date of acquisition: 1998

Processed By

Dorothy Joynes, Ruth Beard and staff

Interview Date

Interview Location

Biography

List of names

Side 1:

[8] She was born in China of missionary parents and went back on Elderhostel trip. Influence on family even though she left at age 5.

[71] She, her husband and 4 children came to Asheville 1949. Purchased a partially furnished house [fire almost completely destroyed later but rebuilt and still there 1958]. [Isaac Van Horn]

[135] She describes a summer of rain with babies, few friends and no dryer! Changes in medical treatment discussed.

[191] Transportation, wartime travel and gas rationing detailed.

[253] Medical auxiliary was small and people helpful. [Bob and Jean Putnam]

[293] Pack Square, the model city project and city streets described. [Robert Brunk]

[377] People wanted controlled growth. The controversy over the cut or expanded tunnel was a "hot issue" for a long time. She feels the decision was political.

[425] The relationship between West Asheville and downtown is strained.

[462] She decided she would run for City Council and, while registering, heard men commenting and laughing - a woman and a Republican as well! [Weldon Weir, Bob Long]

[499] At 5:30 for 3-4 nights a week she canvassed door-to-door. The "good old boy" attitude was temporarily broken - however the following election the Democrats worked harder and she was not re-elected. [Wayne Montgomery]  

Side 2:

[2/45] Ten years after she was on the council she worked with the Asheville Buncombe Charter Commission which attempted to combine services.

[2/95] Many studies have been made and shelved - at great waste of time and money. Every 8-10 years consolidation of city and county schools is brought up. This had a lot to do with the Civil Rights laws and the only way a merger will take place will be if the State says there can be only one system.

[2/126] Because of the difference in city and county taxes, many people have moved to the county.

[2/134] When on the council, the annexation of property was an important issue. She feels that annexation was not done soon enough or widely enough.

[2/200] Door-to-door canvassing experiences discussed.

[2/214] She was asked to serve on the First Union Bank Board, took a course in money and banking at UNCA, and remained a minority representative with a black man for 12 years. [Jim Glenn, Osborne Hart, Charlotte Lunsford]

[2/269] Her interest in art started with her daughter. She was on the Board when the Museum was on Pearson Drive and moved to the Civic Center 16 years ago. She was active again (Chairman and Docent) when it moved again to Pack Place - this year.

[2/297] She and her husband buy pieces of art together. [Diane Dufilho]

[2/337] Moving into Pack Place was a year delayed because of problems with the contractors. The public does not realize the expense involved in mounting a show.

[2/365] An auction was held at BB&T Building before the move to Pearson Drive. [Sally Middleton]

[2/381] The auxiliary was called the "Muses." Lisa's show is now hung and her mother, the founder of the auxiliary will be there. [Lisa Thomen, Lilly Bird McKee]

[2/403] The idea behind Pack Place is to unify and revitalize downtown. She feels progress is being made. [Roger McGuire]

[2/421] She describes downtown as it was when she came to the city and what she envisions for the future.

[2/430] The development of malls and its effect of downtown is discussed. [George Coggins]

[2/479] The museum is growing, there is a lot of enthusiasm and it could use more space.

[2/488] She tells about her 6 children. (see enclosure)

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