FeedExhibit A
A little over a year ago, the Henderson County Heritage Museum (1 Historic Courthouse Square, Suite 4, Hendersonville, 828-694-1619) opened its doors to the public.
Its purpose was, according to official documents, "to interpret the culture and social, economic and political history of Henderson County from prehistory to the present, and to utilize, preserve and exhibit artifacts, collections and other materials significant to the history and heritage of the county."
Those services must be in fairly popular demand in an area expanding with outsiders as rapidly as is Henderson County. Since the museum's opening on April 11, 2008, more than 9,000 visitors have viewed the various exhibits. Fifteen hundred of them have been school children, according to Director Jennie Jones Giles, a former journalist and educator who has been with the museum since its inception. "We get a lot of families and school groups," she explains, "and we get a lot of beautiful thank you notes. I had one young man — an eighth grader from Apple Valley — who has been back several times. The 4-H clubs in the area have been very supportive, too...and we've had great success with home-school groups."
Visitors somewhat familiar with the area will find a lot of recognizable names among the lists of Revolutionary and Civil War veterans: Corn, Jackson, McCarson, Pace, Merrell, Maybin, Kuykendall, Edney, Justice, Fletcher to name a few.
Even if you know the history of the area like a native, it's still interesting to see what happened when and to whom...and what it meant to the country. The county was home to the Treasurer of the Confederacy, for example, as well as to some 180 private dairies at one time.
Giles, who is related to many of the families listed in her exhibits, says she "grew up knowing a lot of this. When we ate supper, we would listen to Frank Fitzsimmons telling stories on the radio about local history."
Hours are from 10am to 5pm Wednesday through Saturday, closed Monday and Tuesday, and open Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. Memberships are available. Call ahead to arrange tours for organized groups, schools, camps, or for personal tours.
