Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (21) View all

Folk Art Center ground breaking ceremony

  • wcu_craft_revival-6680.jpg
  • This photograph was made on June 7, 1977 on the occasion of the ground breaking of the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, North Carolina. Attending the event was Joan Mondale, wife of Vice President Mondale. Mondale was accompanied by the wife of the U.S. Senator from North Carolina, Robert B. Morgan, and Lana Gudger, wife of Vonno Lamar Gudger, a U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 11th District. In this photograph, Mollie Blankenship is speaking at the podium marked with the National Park Service logo. Blankenship was a basketweaver and arts advocate for Eastern Band Cherokee. The first woman to be elected to Tribal Council, she served on the boards of Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the Southern Arts Federation. Mollie Gap, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, was named for her. This photograph was likely taken by David Gaynes.