Experience Our Culture

In 2008 Haywood County celebrated its bicentennial anniversary, and we invite you to take a look back with us. A place rich in history, visitors have the opportunity to delve deep into the roots of this county and its people. Even as modern influences continue to change the face of the Appalachian Mountains, heritage, history and traditional culture remain an important facet of Haywood County. Be sure to soak it all up.

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Canton Area Historical Museum: The Canton Area Historical Museum serves as a community educational resource for scholars, students and visitors preserving and interpreting the unique history of Canton and its surrounding communities. The museum was dedicated on Labor Day 1990 and is located on Park Street in the former Canton Branch Library. The museum is a nonprofit, educational institution. 828-646-3412. 58 Park Street, Canton, NC 28716.

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Francis Grist Mill: Located just outside Waynesville, the Francis Mill is a 19th century grist mill built to grind corn and wheat. The Francis Mill dates back to 1887, when William Francis completed its construction. To this date, it remains in the ownership of Francis descendants. It operated until 1976, and then began to fall into disrepair. The Francis Mill Preservation Society was formed to restore the mill. A new wheel is up and running.

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World Methodist Council Museum: This building at Lake Junaluska, erected in 1956, was the generous gift of American Methodists to the Council and was, first, home of the international World Methodist Council and the Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church. The newly renovated space was designed as a museum to tell the story of the Wesleyan movement while providing insight into the Methodist spiritual tradition in the context of the larger Christian church. History comes alive here, as does life during John Wesley's time. 828-456-9432 (ext.104). 575 North Lakeshore Drive, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745.

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Red Barn Mountain Museum: The Red Barn Mountain Museum seeks to share the history of rural mountain life in the Haywood County area through exhibits and interpretation of artifacts, photographs, and memorabilia from the local region and from local families. 828-926-1901. 1856 Dellwood Road, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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Shook Museum at the Shook-Smathers House: Some time around 1795, Jacob Shook built a three-story cabin now known as the Shook-Smathers House in Clyde. Many claim that it is the oldest standing frame-built house in Western North Carolina. The Shook House hosted regular worship services and singing and music lessons in the third-floor attic before a church was built nearby. The cabin hosted the traveling Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury, a major influence on the region and spreader of Methodism. Regularly scheduled tours are Tuesday through Saturday at 2:00 pm; an additional tour Saturday morning at 10:00 am. Other times can be arranged by appointment. 877-620-2300. 178 Morgan Street, Clyde, NC 28721.

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Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts at the Shelton House:
The Shelton House was built in 1875 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Housed in and around the Shelton House, the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts features comprehensive exhibits of 19th century crafts including hand-woven coverlets, quilts, sculptured porcelain, dulcimers, masterpieces of pottery work and furniture and a fine collection of southeastern and southwestern Native American artifacts. Artists who have participated in the North Carolina State Fair's Village of Yesterday also have a selection of their crafts displayed. (828) 452-1551. 49 Shelton Street, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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Smoky Mountain Folk Festival: The Smoky Mountain Folk Festival features regional old-time and bluegrass music‚ clogging demonstrations‚ children’s performances‚ and jam sessions. The festival is one of the longest running and most authentic folk festivals in the South and offers spectators the chance to experience a wide variety of the region’s finest traditional performers. Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center, offers two nights of the finest traditional music and dance of the Southern Appalachian Region, on the grand stage of Stuart Auditorium, overlooking beautiful Lake Junaluska. Both nights will include a rich variety of the region's finest fiddlers, banjo players, string bands, ballad singers, buck dancers, and square dance teams as well as the marvelous sounds of dulcimer, harmonica, jew's harp, bagpipes, spoons, saws, and folk ensembles.  This cultural event takes place every Friday and Saturday evening of Labor Day weekend.