Ramsey Center for Appalachian Studies at Mars Hill University

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Ramsey Center for Appalachian Studies at Mars Hill University

The Ramsey Center preserves and explores Southern Appalachian culture, heritage, and natural history through programs, events, and archives.

The Ramsey Center, named after four-time speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Liston B. Ramsey, is located on the main floor of Renfro Library on the Mars Hill University campus. It houses archival resources for teaching and scholarship in its Southern Appalachian Archives and Appalachian Reading Room. Our extensive holdings—photographs, manuscripts, sound recordings, and artifa

cts—document aspects of mountain life and culture of interest to scholars here and abroad, holdings that have been called some of the finest in the southeastern region of the United States. These materials have been and continue to be collected by mountain people dedicated to the preservation of local culture. The Ramsey Center is central to the university’s regional studies emphasis, and it offers a venue in which the surrounding community and faculty and students come together for a variety of regional programs. At the Ramsey Center, Southern Appalachia’s rich history and culture come alive through events, festivals, and exhibitions, as well as the ongoing work of dedicated scholars, teachers, students, and community members. Ramsey Center Mission Statement: The Liston B. Ramsey Center for Appalachian Studies at Mars Hill University connects the campus with the wider community to explore the history, culture, and environment of the Southern Appalachian region. The Ramsey Center preserves and provides access to resources for this study through its Southern Appalachian Archives. The Center shares Mars Hill University’s commitment to local and global engagement, to service, and to experiential learning. An endowment in support of the Ramsey Center's Southern Appalachian Archives has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities : Exploring the human endeavor.

12/06/2024

Great opportunity from our friends over at Trillium Arts!

Today, Trillium Arts is launching HEAR - a New Residency Project in Response to Hurricane Helene. Trillium was miraculously spared from any significant damage from Hurricane Helene. Tragically, this is not the case for many artists in our region who have lost homes, studios, supplies and commercial inventory. We feel and HEAR their pain, suffering and loss.

Core values at Trillium include being nimble and responsive to artists’ needs. Considering the catastrophic impact of Helene on so many regional artists, Trillium is reacting with a new project, Helene Emergency Artists Residencies (HEAR) for artists residing in Western North Carolina. We HEAR about their devastation, and we care.

This regional residency is open to arts professionals 18 years or older who reside in the 26 counties in Western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene.

With sufficient funding, Trillium Arts will offer four HEAR awards in early 2025, at no cost to the artists.
TIMELINE
Applications are being accepted NOW. Applications for HEAR are reviewed by a panel. The deadline to apply is Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11:59pm.

The application is intentionally short & only requires applicants to complete a handful of questions and upload supporting documents.

LEARN MORE AND START YOUR APPLICATION AT:
https://www.trilliumartsnc.org/hear

Appalachia Strong, ya'll.

11/22/2024

Check out this show happening this Sunday right here in Mars Hill, produced by our friends at the The Madison County Arts Council. Michael Reno Harrell and Josh Goforth are both amazing performers and this is sure to be a great show!

We are so excited to announce that we will present Michael Reno Harrell & Josh Goforth at Mars Hill Baptist Church on Sunday, November 24 at 2pm! You can purchase tickets at www.madisoncountyarts.com

11/19/2024

Come dance with us this Thursday at our Fall Square Dance. Absolutely no experience is necessary - caller extraordinaire Rodney Sutton will tell you what to do and the Bailey Mountain Cloggers will be there to lend a hand too!

The dance is free and open to all.

The Ramsey Center is a proud site on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina.

11/13/2024

We had a big time making ornaments last night and listening to tunes from Sourwood Ridge (Troy Harrison, Craig Bannerman, and Scotty Owenby) - a great way to unwind :)

11/12/2024

Come relax with the Ramsey Center this evening, 5:30-8:00 at our Holiday Potluck, Jam, Ornaments. You can make an ornament to bring home, snack, and/or listen to tunes with Sourwood Ridge! Bring a finger-food, as well as an instrument (if you'd like to play along). Hope to see you there!

The Ramsey Center is a proud site on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina.

11/11/2024

Come on over to Mars Hill University tomorrow, Tuesday 12 November, for an old-time jam, ornament-making, and finger-food potluck! Bring some food and an instrument! The jam will be led by Sourwood Ridge. We'll be in the Fellowship Hall next to Broyhill Chapel. Free and open to all.

The Ramsey Center is a proud site on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina.

10/30/2024

A big congratulations to Danielle Plimpton, Director of the Bailey Mountain Cloggers, on receiving the 2024 Lunsford Award!

Since we had to cancel this year's festival due to the hurricane, we will properly celebrate Danielle at next year's festival. That said, there's no need to wait an entire year to give her a big congrats! Danielle, thank you so much for all you to do preserve clogging traditions!

Read more about Danielle and the Lunsford Award here: https://www.mhu.edu/about/what-to-do-and-see/ramsey-center/lunsford-festival/lunsford-award/

The Ramsey Center is a proud site on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina.

Address

P. O. Box 6706
Mars Hill, NC
28754

Telephone

828.689.1115

Website

http://www.mhu.edu/ramsey-center

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