NC school preserving Appalachian heritage celebrates 100th anniversary

Katherine Zehdner

Carolina Journal

For the last 100 years, the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, has been enriching lives and sparking connections while teaching and preserving Appalachian traditions, such as arts, crafts, and music. Festivities commemorating the 100th anniversary will kick off this October and continue into 2026. 

“Reaching our 100th anniversary is a testament to the vibrant community that has supported the Folk School for generations,” said Bethany Chaney, executive director of the John C. Campbell Folk School. “This milestone is not just about looking back on history – it’s about honoring the generations of local families, craftspeople, performers, instructors, and students who have shaped the Folk School into what it is today. We are thrilled to welcome new and returning visitors to experience the magic of learning, creativity, and connection that have defined us for a century.” 

Established in 1925, the folk school has long served as a vibrant hub for creative exploration. It preserves Appalachian heritage while inspiring innovation and connection among artists, craftspeople, and lifelong learners. The school is a supplementary educational institution that emphasizes traditional Appalachian crafts, music, dance, food, and nature studies.

“Our programs run the gamut, so our classes are week-long or weekend classes as opposed to semester or long-term residential programs; our student population is mainly adult population 18+ with a lot of emphasis on folks who are retired because they have the time and the resources to come,” Chaney told the Carolina Journal.  “We also have special programs for extended residential periods that appeal much more to young people. We have a work-study and host program that allows people to come for 9 to 12 weeks at a time, and they get to take classes in exchange for some work responsibilities.”  

Inspired by Danish folk school tradition, the institution was established in 1926 by Olive Dame Campbell and Marguerite Butler and values lifelong learning and community connection. They named the school after Olive’s late husband, John. Centered initially on agricultural practices and home-based crafts, the school has since evolved. Today, it offers a welcoming, non-competitive space for learning traditional and modern crafts, music, and dance. Over the past century, the school has become a beloved southern Appalachian institution, drawing tens of thousands of students from around the globe while staying true to its mission of honoring and advancing folk traditions. 

Olive and John Campbell were inspired to start the school after a trip through southern Appalachia to better understand what was happening there. John passed away before the school could be founded, but Olive did not give up on their dream. John was an educator and theologian who wanted to understand better and find solutions to the isolation and economic prospects in Appalachia.  

“So both of them went on this journey stopping in small towns all over Appalachia and talking with people about what are the resources, what are the assets of the region, and what were the barriers to economic improvement,” continued Chaney. “Consistently education was something that came up as being sort of inconsistent and needing more of it, more opportunities for young people to find an education and then hopefully stay in the rural communities and help build them.”

As it marks its 100th year, the centennial celebration will pay tribute to this remarkable legacy with exhibitions, storytelling gatherings, artist showcases, and special projects illuminating the school’s lasting influence.

“I think that the John C Campbell Folk School is one of the most unusual and special institutions in North Carolina,” concluded Chaney. “We are this anchor here in far western North Carolina, and because so few of us who’ve grown up in North Carolina ever get out here, we may not know what an incredibly special, beautiful, vibrant 100-year-old institution we have and how the folk school has changed people’s lives, perspectives, and even vocations over 100 years.”

Key centennial events 2025 will celebrate a rich history and vibrant community spirit. The festivities will begin with the Log Cabin Museum ribbon cutting on September 22. This newly renovated and staged museum breathes new life into two one-room log cabins established on the site in 1926, now featuring rotating exhibits that educate students and visitors on traditional Appalachian crafts.

The official centennial festivities will kick off with the Fall Festival on October 4–5, a weekend filled with live music, craft demonstrations, and artisan markets that officially kick off the 100th-anniversary festivities. Rounding out the season, Forge After Dark will be held on November 7–8—a family-friendly hammer-in event and fundraising auction hosted at the Folk School’s blacksmithing studio, offering a unique blend of entertainment and tradition.

Details on centennial festivities will be announced in the coming months. Click here to stay up to and follow the John C. Campbell Folk School on social media.