When summer was packed with friendship and adventure – Cashiers Historical Society unveils a new exhibit celebrating the joys of summer camp.
Each year, thousands of young people trek to western North Carolina to partake in a uniquely American tradition: attending summer camp.
Summer camps have shaped the history and culture of Western North Carolina since they first opened in the early 20th century.
By the mid-1920s, the region became the hub of the American camping movement in the South. Despite its rich history, this topic is under-researched.
A new museum exhibit at the Cashiers Historical Society titled “Campfires & the Embers of Youth: The History of Summer Camps in Western North Carolina” corrects that gap in the historical narrative.
The exhibit focuses on the history of overnight summer camps in Western North Carolina founded before 1970, highlighting the region’s pivotal role in the American camping movement.
Engaging and dynamic displays brings the story to live for visitors of all ages. Exhibit curator and the Director of Operations and Visitor Experience at the Cashiers Historical Society, Lindsay Garner Hostetler, says “It was important to me that an exhibit on summer camps captured a spirit of youth. Our curating and design team worked to create a museum exhibit that is informative while also playful and dynamic, with a dash of whimsy. I’m proud to see visitors captured right away by the energy and movement of the displays while they soak in over a century of rich history.”
The exhibit is bringing attention to the organization’s mission to preserve the history and heritage of the Cashiers Valley through stewardship, advocacy, and education. Summer camps have shaped the regional culture for over a hundred years.
Hostetler said, “We are seeing an influx in visitors this summer as people seek out the exhibit. Many residents and visitors of our area are drawn here because of their time spent at summer camps in the region during their childhood. Many former campers identify summer camp as one of the most foundational experiences of their youth. They return to this area as adults to send their own children and grandchildren to camp and to embrace the mountains as part of their own life’s story.”
“Campfires & the Embers of Youth: The History of Summer Camps in Western North Carolina” is open to the public and free of charge on the Cashiers Historical Society campus through October 31. You can find more information on our website, cashiershistory.org, or by calling (828) 743-7710.
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