Highlands Historical Society is inviting the community to step back in time for an evening of Jazz‑Age style, music and merriment at its upcoming Roaring ’20s Gala, set for Sunday, August 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. at Highlands Inn on Main Street.
The festive fundraiser will bring the glamour of the 1920s to the heart of Highlands, complete with heavy hors d’oeuvres, desserts, bubbly, wine, beer and a signature cocktail. A four‑piece jazz band will provide the soundtrack for the evening, and guests are encouraged to dress in their best Gatsby‑inspired attire – or simply come in their Highlands best. The celebration will also include dancing and a raffle.
Tickets are $120 and may be purchased at highlandshistory.com/events. Proceeds support the Society’s ongoing work to preserve and share the stories, structures and artifacts that help define Highlands’ past.
That mission has deep roots. The organization traces its beginnings to June 22, 1979, when a small group of residents concerned about rapid change and the loss of historic structures formed the Highlands Historical Preservation Society. Their early work included a survey of 173 historic homes completed in 1981. After a period of inactivity, the effort was revived on April 7, 1999, as the Highlands Historical Society, with an expanded mission to promote all aspects of Highlands history.
By 2000, the Society had acquired a fitting home: the Elizabeth Wright Prince House, the oldest existing house in Highlands. Built in 1877 by millwright Arthur House, the Prince House now serves as a living history museum and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Today, the Society’s Historic Village at 524 N. 4th Street includes the Prince House, the Highlands Historical Museum and Archives, and the Highlands Sanatorium Tent, also known as Bug Hill Cottage. The museum building, originally constructed in 1915 on Main Street for the Hudson Library, was moved to the Village in 2002. Bug Hill Cottage preserves the story of Dr. Mary E. Lapham’s early 20th‑century tuberculosis sanatorium, one of the first in North Carolina.
The Society’s preservation work has earned statewide recognition. In 2002, it was honored by the Society of North Carolina Historians for its progress in building an active organization dedicated to Highlands heritage, and in 2019, historian Ran Shaffner received the group’s highest award.
The August 16 gala offers a lively way to support that work while celebrating in true 1920s fashion. For tickets and additional information, visit highlandshistory.com.
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