Oral History Project

Appalachian Arts Center is excited to announce the opening of its newest exhibition entitled, Flashback: Family Histories of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The exhibition features 130 photographs, which date from the early 1900’s through the early1970’s, accompanied by audio interviews. Oral histories were collected from ten members of the local community, including: Mary Adams of Wardell, Cecil Bowen Wendell of the Cove at Maiden Spring, Judy Fuller and Creedie Lee Raines, sisters from Chicken Ridge, Margaret Rich of Nash’s Ford, Carol Raines of Richlands and Cedar Bluff, Clyde Helton of the Wardell area, Don and Ellen Elmes of Bear Wallow and Coon Branch, and Trish Estepp of Meadow Branch, Kentucky.

Tales of the Civil War, family, farming, coal mining, one room school houses, and old time general stores are just some of the fascinating topics illuminated by the collected images and recordings presented in the exhibition.

Sponsored by Olde Virginia Pharmacy, the exhibition opens on October 2nd and will run through October 31, 2012. A reception will be held on Saturday, October 6th from 2-4pm. During the reception, those who participated in the project will speak about their families and memories of days gone by. The reception is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

For more information about the Flashback exhibition or reception, please contact the Arts Center at 276-596-9188, or via email at appartsinfo@sw.edu.