Join Warren Wilson College professors Jeff Keith and Kevin Kehrberg as they present on the musical legacies extending from the late nineteenth century construction of the Swannanoa Tunnel.  Part song profile and part historical lecture, this presentation will demonstrate how the song “Swannanoa Tunnel” (also known as “Asheville Junction”) has traveled through folk and popular culture in ways that, among other things, obscure the vital role African Americans performed in the history of Western North Carolina–particularly in the context of the Western North Carolina Railroad.  Come hear a lecture and some music as a way to learn about topics such as 1870s Appalachia, railroad construction, Reconstruction, work songs, and the racial politics of American folk music.

Seating is limited. Please reserve your spot below.

About History Cafe
Ever wonder how Asheville came to get its drinking water from Black Mountain? What slavery looked like in western North Carolina (Yes, there were enslaved people here.)? How wagons, stagecoaches, and trains made it up the steep grade from Old Fort into Ridgecrest? Come to the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center on the fourth Monday of the month at 10:30am for a discussion about local history. Come start off your morning getting to know our region a little better!

Cost: Free for museum members and students with ID. Please RSVP below. Nonmembers may pay $5 in advance online or a $5+ donation at the door. Coffee will be provided.

Designed for adults and modeled after the popular Science Cafes taking place across the nation, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center’s monthly History Cafe offers lectures and workshops led by local experts and researchers on regional history topics. These hour-long meet-ups engage the many stories that have shaped our southern Appalachian community as a place — from geological changes to native histories, musical innovations, pioneer experiences, and labor struggles — and will end with informal discussion bringing our shared history into context with contemporary issues.

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