This Oral History Project for McDowell County, NC has been made possible by the McDowell County Tourism Development Authority and by a grant from the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
Eljapa Media Group was contracted to conduct and edit the interviews and presentations, and to develop the web design. Kim Clark conducted and edited all the audio interviews, wrote website copy, took still photographs, and copied historical photographs. Ellen Pfirrmann acted as camera operator and video editor. Jon Orr was the sound engineer for video segments. The project is produced by Kim Clark and Ellen Pfirrmann.
This audio montage is a small sampling of some of the great stories and remembrances we have collected from residents all over McDowell County. We’ve heard stories of the Cherokee, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the building of the railroad, the Great Depression and other historical events. But mostly, we’ve heard stories of how real people lived their daily lives in the times before every convenience was available at the flick of a switch or at the push of a button. Remembrances of a time when folks relied on the land around them for their food, helped their neighbors and knew how to make just about everything they needed. It is the story of self-reliance and a strong community. It’s a spirit that lives on in residents of McDowell County to this day.
A full set of complete interviews will be archived at the McDowell County Libraries in the near future.
As we have worked on this oral history, we have benefited from and been inspired by the work of McDowell County’s legendary historians (now passed) Binkie Adams and Nina Greenlee. We hope that we have in some way carried on their work, and that after our involvement with this project has come to an end, others will continue to gather the stories of McDowell County and collect them here or in other widely-accessible locations. - Kim & Ellen
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