Henderson County Genealogical & Historical Society

05/29/2026

Starting next Thursday, come visit the farm house and barn loft museum. Drop in any Thursday this summer from 1-3 PM!

05/26/2026

Sharing some great photos taken 30 years ago in our building. These belonged to Helen Ingle, a 30 year volunteer who passed away last year in April 2025. Volunteers and members will recognize our research room in these photos with many differences as out collections have grown. That's Helen in the first photo and she was a great researcher and great friend of our society.

05/24/2026

We are so lucky to live near that we can enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains Park that began 100 years ago thanks to President Calvin Coolidge.

100 years ago today, important steps were taken toward creating Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

While the Smokies weren't officially established until 1934, it was on May 22, 1926, that President Calvin Coolidge signed the bill authorizing its creation.

Whether you come to the Smokies to hike the 848 miles of trails, drive the eight scenic auto tours, discover the 22,000+ documented species, or learn about the region’s rich cultural history, thank you for being part of the Smokies story. Your love for this place helps us protect Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the next 100 years and beyond.

05/24/2026

Excellent article about the Buncombe Turnpike. Michael gave a presentation on the Buncombe Turnpike at one of our meetings earlier this year.

Long before formal roads existed in western North Carolina, Native American tribes established trails through the mountains that later became the foundation for many of the region’s transportation corridors. These routes generally followed river valleys, lightly forested ridgelines, shallow crossi...

05/24/2026

Sharing our Memorial Day post!

We should not forget the meaning of this Monday which will be Memorial Day. It was originally known as Decoration Day, is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. From 1868 to 1970, it was observed on May 30. Since 1971, it is observed on the last Monday of May. This Henderson County news clipping relates to the end of World War II and those who died from our county in that war.

05/23/2026

It was an off and on rainy day for the Garden Jubilee today on our Main Street. You still have one more day to get down and buy some plants. Here's the link about this years Garden Jubilee.

https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/events/garden-jubilee

05/21/2026

Heads up that we will be closed May 22-25 for Memorial Day. Have a great holiday and visit the Garden Jubilee downtown Hendersonville this weekend.

Normal Research Library Hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed on Saturday Thru Monday except by Appointment You may make a reservation to do in person research by calling 828-693-1531. 2026 Holiday Closings April 3-6, 2026 – Good ...

05/21/2026

Maxwell Apartment on 5th Avenue will soon be 100 years old. This is an announcement in The Hendersonville News on July 20, 1926 and a photo taken yesterday. Exactly 100 years ago they were approaching completion of this building. It has seen a lot of history on that street between Hendersonville and Laurel Park over that 100 years!

05/20/2026

Drop by and check out our slightly used books that are priced right to sell! Some are autographed and we have a large selection just inside our door at 400 N. Main Street! We're the building with the McClintock Clock on the side of our building. We're open Tuesday - Friday 10am-4pm and our non-profit is staffed by volunteers.

05/13/2026

A map from 37 years ago dated 1988 from our our collection of "promotion type" maps for Hendersonville and surrounding area. Sometimes, these give clues to Hendersonville's more recent past. Who remembers the location of the Chicken Shack on 7th, PoFolks, G.E., JoAnn & Jerry's Restaurant, or Louis Williams and Son's on 7th. Just a couple snips from this map and not exactly to scale but brings back a lot memories for many of us.