“Collection…one of the best in existence” “…one of the treasures of our State” “… invaluable!” These accolades referred not to a collection of precious gems or rare artwork, but instead to one of bird eggs collected by renowned local ornithologist, John Simpson Cairns (1862-1895) of Weaverville. Cairns’ research contributed significantly to the field of modern

As part of the community efforts to help raise local consciousness of racial history Buncombe County Special Collections, in partnership with Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County and the Equal Justice Initiative, is preparing to mount a permanent exhibit about racial terror violence in Buncombe County. The central focus of the exhibit is soil

Celebrating Archives Month Every October archivists around the country celebrate American Archives Month. During this time (and, honestly, all the time) special libraries around the country work to raise awareness about public records, archives, and special collections. Buncombe County and Western North Carolina host several archives and special collections libraries that are accessible to the

Want to get involved? Now is the time! We’ve been hearing from many of you over the last few months looking for ways to get involved with Buncombe County Special Collections. Since the pandemic changed our lives, including the way we work and volunteer, BCSC staff have been thinking about ways to re-invigorate our volunteer

Are you ready for some football?!? We know we are! Join us tonight at 6pm in the Buncombe County Special Collections reading room for our first screening of vintage football game review films. Over the past several months, in partnership with BCSC the Asheville City Schools Foundation started the process of digitizing their archive of

Have you heard tell..? Did you see our recent announcement that HeardTell will now be open to community submissions? Since 2013 our blog, HeardTell, has engaged lovers of Buncombe County history by sharing stories about and found in our archive. Over the years, HeardTell has become a tremendous resource and outreach tool, reaching more than