This news item expired on Saturday, September 30, 2023 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
During World War II, more young men from North Carolina were rejected for health reasons from military service than any other state. Not surprisingly, the state’s number of doctors and hospitals ranked near the bottom. Clearly, North Carolina needed a state hospital.
Chapel Hill, where a medical school had opened in 1879, was seen as the logical setting for a state hospital, which would serve everyone regardless of ability to pay. North Carolina Memorial Hospital opened for business on Sept. 2, 1952, and has grown into five hospitals in the years since.
In 2001, quilter Joy Javits was tapped to lead a project that would represent all 100 counties served by the UNC hospitals. Her idea was to make the Hundred-County Quilt and collect a quilt block from all 100 counties of North Carolina. The response from the North Carolina quilting community was enthusiastic, and a brilliant quilt made by many hands was the centerpiece at the celebration of the hospitals.
The Hundred County Quilt is currently on display at Pack Memorial Library in downtown Asheville for the month of September. You can stop by and see the quilt any time the library is open. In addition, there will be a display of quilting books so you can take your inspiration from the 100-County Quilt and start on your own project.
Additional facts about the 100-County Quilt from Joy Javits
- This quilt has been to 18 NC counties, the goal is to get it to all 100 counties.
- It has hung in the Museum of History in Raleigh and at the State Capitol building.
- As of 2023, the quilt has been touring the Tar Heel State for 21 years.
- The stand it is displayed on was crafted by the husband, of one of the quilters.