Digital Watauga

04/13/2026

Have you submitted your nomination of a deserving nominee for the 2026 class of the Watauga County Historical Society Hall of Fame? Here's your chance!

PO Box 3453, Boone, NC 28607                                               [email protected]

04/04/2026

*Now Online* Judy Cole Collection

This collection consists of materials collected by Judy Cole (daughter-in-law of Mary Helen Cole) and includes a large sampling of historic postcards. These showcase various landmarks and tourist attractions around Watauga County and Avery County--circa 1950s-1970s--such as Grandfather Mountain, the Green Park Hotel, Mayview Manor, Downtown Boone, various churches, and the Moses Cone Estate. Additionally, included postcards feature surrounding areas in Western North Carolina, such as Lake Lure, Chimney Rock, Morganton, the French Broad River, and Mount Mitchell. A few of these postcards contain handwritten messages, mostly to and from Dovie Robinson of Rutherfordton, North Carolina.

To view the entire collection, visit: https://digitalwatauga.org/collections/show/100

03/25/2026

*Now Online*

Series 03 of the Cecil Jackson Slide Collection

This series consists of a number of slides depicting mass at a few churches (most notably the Boone Mennonite Brethren Church), family outings, and several cookouts. There are also close-up images of plants and animals.

The rest of Series 03 can be found on our website at: https://digitalwatauga.org/search?query=Cec-Jac-03&query_type=exact_match&record_types%5B0%5D=Item&record_types%5B1%5D=File&record_types%5B2%5D=Collection&submit_search=Submit&page=1

03/17/2026

We are delighted to announce several upcoming events at Springhouse Farm, an 8-acre organic vegetable and flower farm located about 10 minutes outside of Boone. Every year, Springhouse Farm hosts farm to table dinners featuring vegetables grown on their farm or locally sourced.
This summer Springhouse Farm has decided to feature storytelling at their dinners. On July 18th, Dr. Alice Wright, an ASU archaeologist, will speak about the earliest settlers to our area, the Native Americans. On August 22nd, Steve Suddreth will talk about the early pioneers who settled here, as well as others who visited the area as far back as the 16th century.
Tickets can be purchased at their website, https://www.springhousefarm.net/. Each dinner is limited to 24 participants and is held in their covered pavilion. Springhouse Farm has promised to donate a portion of the proceeds from each dinner to the Watauga County Historical Society.

We are a sustainable small farm specializing in vegetables, flowers & agritourism. Springhouse Farm is dedicated to sharing the beauty & joy of our farm with the greater community. Organically grown produce & flowers are available for purchase & we offer numerous fun, healthy & e

02/01/2026

*Now Online*

Series 06 of the Watauga County Soil and Water Collection
This series consists of 226 color slides that depict several floods in the 1970s and a few farms in Watauga County. There are also a few images from events that were hosted or sponsored by the Soil Conservation Service.

The rest of Series 06 can be found on our website at: https://digitalwatauga.org/search?query=Wat-Soi-06&query_type=exact_match&record_types%5B%5D=Item&record_types%5B%5D=File&record_types%5B%5D=Collection&submit_search=Submit

01/21/2026

*Now Online*

Series 05 of the Watauga County Soil and Water Collection
This series consists of 201 color slides that depict the flood of 1983, several farms, and a school award ceremony. There are also a number of images of Soil Conservation Service workers attempting to address flood damage in Watauga County.

These images and the rest of those from Series 05 can be found on our website at: https://digitalwatauga.org/search?query=Wat-Soi-05&query_type=exact_match&record_types%5B%5D=Item&record_types%5B%5D=File&record_types%5B%5D=Collection&submit_search=Submit

01/09/2026

*Now Online*

Series 01 and 02 of the Baird House Collection. These series consist of a number of photographs and documents that were found in David F. Baird's farmhouse. There are photographs of the Baird family around Watauga County and on several vacations. There are also a few letters to David Franklin Baird.

These images and more can be found on our website at: https://digitalwatauga.org/collections/show/98

01/06/2026

*Now Online*

Series 06 of the Valle Crucis Conference Center Collection

This series consists of the items in a scrapbook entitled "Valle Crucis Mission School, 1940-1943." There are a number of photographs of students on the Valle Crucis Mission School campus, with notable areas including the Holy Cross Episcopal Church, orchard, and Auchmuty Hall.

These images and the rest of those from Series 06 can be found on our website at: https://digitalwatauga.org/search?query=Val-Cru-06&query_type=exact_match&record_types%5B0%5D=Item&record_types%5B1%5D=File&record_types%5B2%5D=Collection&submit_search=Submit&page=1

01/02/2026

*Now Online*
Series 01 of the Daniel Boone Wagon Train Collection

This series consists of a 133-page booklet with promotional materials for the 1964 iteration of the Daniel Boone Wagon Train. There are a number of photographs of past Wagon Train events, writings about Wilkes County, and descriptions of Daniel Boone.

The entire packet can be found at our website at: https://digitalwatauga.org/collections/show/96

12/11/2025

We are delighted to announce that the second and final 2025 inductee to the WCHS Hall of Fame is Loretta Guy Clawson.

Ralph Lentz, II, and Eric Plaag December 11, 2025 The Watauga County Historical Society (WCHS) continues to expand its roster of Hall of Fame inductees for the year 2025, building on an initiative started in 2022 as part of Boone’s 150th anniversary celebrations. WCHS is delighted to announce that

12/05/2025

Please welcome one of our volunteers, Addison Reed! She began volunteering with us a few month ago to get more experience in the library and archives field. Here are a few words she wrote about herself:

"Addison moved to Watauga County in August of 2024 from Indiana after graduating from their undergraduate program the previous spring. As an avid rock climber, long time Dungeons and Dragons player, and enjoyer of the outdoors, Boone and the people who she's met here have been a great fit. After beginning a MLIS program in the Fall of 2025 Addison began volunteering with the Digital Watauga Project, where she has been refining and gaining archival skills to hopefully apply throughout her career. Working with the DWP has been a great way to further dive into discovering Boone, and to be providing something back to the community that has hosted her."

If you are interested in getting experience in the history field, or just in assisting a local nonprofit, feel free to reach out to the Digital Watauga Project and see if we have available volunteer opportunities!