Old Fort in McDowell County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 30, 2022

1. The Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center Marker

Inscription.

The Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center. . The Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center is dedicated to bringing life to the wonderful history of the “Old North State”. The museum, open year round, focuses on history from the pioneer era through the early 20th century. A variety of activities, programs, reenactments, and festivals are hosted here, including the annual Pioneer Day festival, held on the last Saturday in April., Senator Clyde Norton and Mrs. Janet Norton were responsible for creating this park-like venue in 1982. Built by the Works Progress Administration (c. 1937), the museum originally served as a community building. The Nortons valued the history of Old Fort and Western North Carolina's culture. They purchased and brought to the grounds two log cabins built in McDowell County, c. 1860-1880., The Mauney House serves as the museum office, service center and workshop space, providing support to non-profit museums and historical societies in Western North Carolina., Old Fort is a North Carolina Mountain Heritage Trout Town and the museum acts as the center for that program. The N.C. Wildlife Commission maintains and stocks the creek as a delayed harvest site It's also included on the N.C. Birding Trail., Events and lodging details are online at www.mountaingatewaymuseum.org and www.visitoldfort.com., [Captions (left to right)] , . The Friendship Dulcimer Association participates in museum events, festivals and often plays on the front porch on Sunday afternoons. Photo by Mountain Gateway Museum , . Left: Farm Day – A Second Saturday Event. Photo by Mountain Gateway Museum , . Right: Children's program with interactive, educational exhibits. Photo courtesy of McDowell Tourism Authority, [Box] , The North Carolina mountains and foothills were designated the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in recognition of their natural beauty and living traditions of music, craft, agriculture, and Cherokee culture. This location is part of a regional trail of distinctive heritage sites. Ask for information at area visitor centers. More information online at: www.blueridgeheritage.com

The Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center is dedicated to bringing life to the wonderful history of the “Old North State”. The museum, open year round, focuses on history from the pioneer era through the early 20th century. A variety of activities, programs, reenactments, and festivals are hosted here, including the annual Pioneer Day festival, held on the last Saturday in April.

Senator Clyde Norton and Mrs. Janet Norton were responsible for creating this park-like venue in 1982. Built by the Works Progress Administration (c. 1937), the museum originally served as a community building. The Nortons valued the history of Old Fort and Western North Carolina's culture. They purchased and brought to the grounds two log cabins built in McDowell County, c. 1860-1880.

The Mauney House serves as the museum office, service center and workshop space, providing support to non-profit museums and historical societies in Western North Carolina.

Old Fort is a North Carolina Mountain Heritage Trout Town and the museum acts as the center for that program. The N.C. Wildlife Commission maintains and stocks the creek as a delayed

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harvest site It's also included on the N.C. Birding Trail.

Events and lodging details are online at www.mountaingatewaymuseum.org and www.visitoldfort.com.

[Captions (left to right)]
• The Friendship Dulcimer Association participates in museum events, festivals and often plays on the front porch on Sunday afternoons. Photo by Mountain Gateway Museum
• Left: Farm Day – A Second Saturday Event. Photo by Mountain Gateway Museum
• Right: Children's program with interactive, educational exhibits. Photo courtesy of McDowell Tourism Authority

[Box]
The North Carolina mountains and foothills were designated the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in recognition of their natural beauty and living traditions of music, craft, agriculture, and Cherokee culture. This location is part of a regional trail of distinctive heritage sites. Ask for information at area visitor centers. More information online at: www.blueridgeheritage.com

Erected by Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1982.

Location. 35° 37.658′ N,

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 30, 2022

2. The Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center Marker

82° 10.806′ W. Marker is in Old Fort, North Carolina, in McDowell County. It is on Water Street east of Catawba Avenue (County Road 1103), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 24 Water St, Old Fort NC 28762, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Mountains. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Morgan Cabin (a few steps from this marker); Stepp Cabin (a few steps from this marker); The Old Indian Fort (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Frontier Fort (about 700 feet away); Old Fort Education Civil Rights Mural and Timeline

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(about 700 feet away); "What Happened To Our School?" (about 700 feet away); Welcome to Davidson's Fort Historic Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Andrews Geyser (approx. 2.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Old Fort.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 719 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 21, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.