OUR PROGRAMS
Tours - Suspended
Take a self-guided tour through Buck House. Built in 1840, it is Asheville’s oldest surviving brick home.
Exhibits
Visit our virtual exhibits, 1918 vs. 2020, Hillbillyland, and Douglas Ellington. Check back regularly as we make more content available digitally.
Special Events
We offer a variety of events throughout the year from book club to excursions to lectures.
Awards
Since the 1950s, we have annually presented the Thomas Wolfe Literary and Outstanding Achievement Awards.
Youth Programs
Area educators can check out one of our many travelling trunks or bring their students to our Living History Days.
Collections
Our archival and object collections rotate on and off display in our period rooms and changing exhibits.
Image: George Avery, 1917
Formerly enslaved by the McDowell family, Avery became caretaker of the South Asheville Cemetery after emancipation.
SHARING THE STORIES OF
PEOPLE & MOUNTAINS
The Western North Carolina Historical Association celebrates the enduring stories that define and shape our region. Through special exhibits and tours of the Smith-McDowell House, we strive to celebrate the stories of people from all backgrounds who have called western North Carolina home, with one key goal — to advance the understanding of our shared history.