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Join Asheville Museum of History Tuesday, March 19 at 6pm for this Zoom program. This event airs live and will be recorded. Tickets are $5 for members and $10 for general admission.
In 1874 the mountains at the eastern edge of the Hickory Nut Gorge began to thunder and shake. Many locals supposedly panicked, thinking the world was ending or a volcano was set to erupt. The commotion continued for the next month and news spread throughout the country. Geologist Warren DuPre of Wofford College in Spartanburg embarked on a journey in mid-March “to allay, if possible, the fears of the inhabitants” and interacted with many spectating residents and journalists during his investigation.
One hundred and fifty years later, this episode is remembered as a humorous footnote, but for a time, it turned the scrutiny and curiosity of many East Coast and Northern readers onto a series of mountain peaks where stories of modernity versus tradition, and science versus superstition created potentially lasting perceptions or stereotypes of the region. Join us to learn more.
About the Speaker:
Trevor Freeman is the Asheville Museum of History public programs director. He has an MA in American history and is interested in both Appalachian and environmental history. He is a WNC native and has a long-running fascination with the Hickory Nut Gorge. He has extensively researched and explored much of it through professional and recreational experiences.
Tickets: $5 for AmoH members/ $10 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.
Viewing: Registrants will receive a confirmation email with Zoom link with which to view the program.
(Image: Harper's Weekly, April 11, 1874)
For questions, email Trevor Freeman at education@ashevillehistory.org
Date & Time
Tue, Mar 19, 2024 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM