This news item expired on Sunday, March 31, 2013 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce has donated its files of historical brochures, newspaper clippings, and promotional materials to the North Carolina Room at Pack Memorial Library in Asheville.
One of the goals of the NC Room is to collect material that documents the development of tourism in Western North Carolina. The wealth of information in this recent donation from the Chamber is a wonderful addition to our existing archive, which already includes an extensive collection of Chamber material.
For years, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce has collected information on hotels, tourist attractions, and advertising campaigns featuring Asheville and Western North Carolina as a tourist destination. Publications like “Mountains of Health” in the 1930s focus on the health benefits of the mountain climate. In 1961, the Chamber was promoting Asheville’s new “night and day airport”. In 1968, there was a big effort to promote Asheville nationally, with articles appearing in newspapers all over the country.
“Asheville Brief Facts”, produced by the Chamber in the 1950s, provide valuable statistics on the city during those years. Information on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park begins as early as 1929 when efforts were still underway to establish the park. Brochures touting the handicrafts produced in the mountains include items such as “A Handicraft Pilgrimage through the Southern Highlands” in 1955.
Library staff is in the process of cataloging this extensive new collection. However, the material can be viewed at any time by visiting the NC Room on the lower level at Pack Library, 67 Haywood St. in Asheville. Check the library’s website, www.buncombecounty.org/Library, for directions, hours, and a link to the NC Collection database.