Mars Hill University

Description

This glass plate negative of Mars Hill University, founded in 1856 as French Broad Baptist Institute, is part of the Sherrill Studio Collection. George Dexter Sherrill (1879–1931) opened the first photography studio in Haywood County on Depot Street in downtown Waynesville in 1902. In 1906 his studio became the first Eastman Kodak franchise west of Asheville and the third in North Carolina. Sherrill’s photography roots began in Jackson County where he learned the art from his brother-in-law, A. L. Ensley. Beulah Eloise Ashe Ensley (1899-1991) apprenticed with Sherrill in 1917 and worked in the studio with her husband, Sherrill’s nephew, Ralph Ensley (1894-1975) until Ralph’s death. The Ensley’s demolished the original studio in 1943, dug the site to street level, and built an International style building.
Details
- Creator
  - Sherrill's Photography Studio
- Format
  - Glass plate negatives
- Type
  - StillImage
- Date
  - Date digitized: 2019-02-04
- Extent
  - Dimension: 5" x 7"
- Subject - Topic
- Location
  - Madison County (N.C.)
  - Mars Hill (N.C.)
- Source institution
  - Western Carolina University
- Source Collection
  - Sherrill Studio Photo Collection
- Identifier
  - HL_MSS18_01_163_GPN_0002
- Repository
  - Western Carolina University Hunter Library

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