America 250 McDowell County, N.C.

06/06/2026

🌼Come and see us today🌼

🔹 Trails & Trains from 10-4
🔹Livermush Festival from 5-9

06/04/2026

See you tonight for our final Speaker Series!!

“John Carson: The Patriot Who Took Protection”

On Thursday, June 4, at 6 p.m. at the Historic Marion Train Depot, local historian and Carson House authority Doug Swaim will give a talk entitled “John Carson: The Patriot Who Took Protection.” This is the final installment in the McDowell County America 250 Committee’s year-long speaker series leading up to the July 4 celebration, when America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“There’s always been a whiff of controversy around John Carson’s role in the Revolution,” says speaker Swaim. “Was Carson a true Patriot, or–as claimed by some–a ‘skulker’? Come out on June 4 and we’ll do our best to get to the heart of the matter–answer the question for good–and in the process, we’ll delve into a fair amount of McDowell County Revolutionary history.”
This event, and all the events sponsored by the McDowell County America 250 Committee are free and open to the public. Anyone with an interest in McDowell County or early American history is encouraged to attend.
John Carson was the builder of the Carson house, a McDowell County landmark which served as the first seat of county government after the county was formed in 1842. Today it is operated as a house museum, Historic Carson House. Work is being completed on a visitors center that will house a genealogical archive and permanent exhibits.
Mr. Swaim is a North Carolina native with deep roots in this area. He had a first career doing historic preservation work and edited two books on historic architecture, including Cabins & Castles: The History and Architecture of Buncombe County. He served on the Carson house nonprofit board for more than 40 years before stepping aside last fall. He currently lives in Little Switzerland.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BNQf83ojb/

06/01/2026

All submissions received for the America 250 NC 4th Grade County Flag challenge are on display at City Hall on Main Street! Stop by downtown and take a look at the amazing artwork students in McDowell County created 🎨

05/27/2026

Check out Author John R. Lewis's presentation on Colonel Daniel W. Adams, an outstanding citizen of Old Fort, North Carolina here!

The McDowell County America 250 Committee is hosting a speaker series.This is the 9th episode in the series, and features: Author John R Lewis. The speaker, ...

05/18/2026

Proud of these students! All 53 submissions can be viewed at City Hall starting June 1st!

During Monday night's meeting the Board of Commissioners recognized the winner and runners-up of the America 250 NC 4th Grade County Flag challenge. The goal was to create a flag for your county with symbols that reflect what you feel best represents our history, culture and/or geography. Congratulations to Taya from Nebo Elementary, the overall winner. The runners-up were Brayden from Eastfield Elementary, Brycen from Glenwood Elementary, and Grayson from Marion Elementary. Thanks to all who participated. All 53 submissions can be viewed at City Hall starting June 1st.

05/05/2026

At the heart of the Beyond 1842 Project are the voices of our community. This collection of video interviews captures the stories, memories, and lived experiences of people from across McDowell...

05/05/2026

Please join us for the third part of our Exploring McDowell's Communities series. We will be visiting the Western portion of McDowell. The communities of Old Fort, Pleasant Gardens, Greenlee, Crooked Creek, Graphite, and more will be featured. We hope to see you May 15th!

📅 Friday, May 15th
⏰ 3:30 - 4:30
📌 McDowell County Public Library, Marion