If you haven’t had a chance to see it, head over to the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM)) to check out the exhibit: A Town Within A Town, the History of the Junaluska Community. This exhibit is closing on March 11th.
If you’ve traveled to the top of Howard’s Knob, you’ve been on Junaluska Road, and you may not have known that you passed by one of the oldest, most historic African American communities in western North Carolina: Junaluska, the “town within a town.”
Much of Boone’s African American history was not thoroughly recorded until after 1900, making it difficult to trace earlier lineages and events. We do know, however, that African Americans have lived in the North Carolina mountains since the 1700’s. African Americans in Boone lived in a tight-knit area that is today known as Junaluska. Even after desegregation and amidst all the bustle and growth of the twenty-first century, Junaluska has remained a predominantly African American community.
The rich stories and history of the community of Junaluska make it one of Boone’s treasures—yet until recently, many locals and visitors have been unaware that it even existed!
Where: Blowing Rock Art & History Museum
159 Chestnut Street
Blowing Rock
When: 10am-5pm Monday – Friday
1pm – 5pm Sunday
For more information, visit: http://blowingrockmuseum.org/a-town-within-a-town-history-of-the-junaluska-community
