NC Cultural Resources Newsroom

Zebulon Vance as a young man 

WEAVERVILLE—Western North Carolina’s unique dance, music and arts traditions will be highlighted at Vance Birthplace State Historic Site in Weaverville this spring and early summer.  Held on successive Saturdays at 1 p.m., this series of living history events will include an old-time “frolic” on Saturday, May 17, at 5 p.m. to mark the birthday of Zebulon Vance, 19th century North Carolina political leader, Confederate general, U.S. congressman and governor.  All these living history programs are free and open to the public.

Born in Reems Creek Valley on May 13, 1830, Zebulon Vance was known to be a fan of mountain music. In fact, at one particular debate in his 1858 campaign for congress, Vance entertained his supporters by playing traditional mountain tunes on his fiddle.

Fiddle music and dancing go hand-in-hand, and “frolics” grew quite popular in the years before and following the Civil War. In many mountain communities, these dances provided a rare chance for socializing. After house raisings, corn shuckings, and other collaborative community jobs, folks would clear out the furniture, throw down some corn meal and dance the night away.  Couples would join together to make a square, altering their dance figures based on a caller’s directions, with each community showing off their own unique and distinctive ways of “making the figures.”

Veteran dance caller Peter Gott will direct dancers at the May 17 frolic.  Known throughout western North Carolina as a dance caller, folklorist and musician, Gott will be assisted by legendary fiddler Roger Howell and the original Carolina Old-timers ensemble.  The Old-timers feature Jerry Sutton on guitar, Bob Gregory on the banjo and Cathy Arrowood picking the stand-up bass. Folks are invited to string up their dancing shoes and join in, or sit back and enjoy the show from lawn chairs!

The schedule for Vance Birthplace’s April and May summer cultural programs follows (information on June programs will be sent out at a later date):

APRIL
April 26—Tinsmith Demonstration
Meet Homer Sales, a native of the Fairview section of Buncombe County to learn how our pioneer ancestors worked with metals.  A skilled craftsman, Sales has been doing demonstrations throughout the region for many years.

MAY
May 10—Appalachian Music Program
Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with an afternoon of melodic acoustic music.  Primrose, a group of life-long musicians interested in preserving and sharing Appalachian and other styles of traditional music, will be performing.

May 17—Old-time Music and Dance Frolic celebrating Zeb Vance’s Birthday
Lace up your dancing shoes or bring out your lawn chair and help us celebrate Governor Zebulon Vance’s birthday with an evening of good ol’ mountain music and dance.  Peter Gott will be calling dances and music be provided by legendary fiddler Roger Howell and the Carolina Old-timers. Festivities will begin around 5 p.m.

May 24—Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration
Meet Madison County Native Carolyn Rice in the kitchen of the Vance Birthplace, and learn how the Vance Family might have prepared “supper”.  Rice has been demonstrating the art of cooking over the open fire for many years at the historic site and many returning visitors fondly remember her cooking!

May 31—Confederate Money and Appalachian Basketry
Join expert Larry Allison at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. in the Vance Birthplace auditorium for a glimpse into the Confederate currency system during the Civil War. Participants will be able to view some of Allison’s collection and learn about Zebulon Vance’s role in issuing Confederate money and bonds.

At 2:30 p.m., local crafter Alma Lambert will present a program on Appalachian basketry.  She will reflect on the Cherokee influences on basketry in this region and display several pieces of her work.

Vance Birthplace is where Zebulon B. Vance, colonel of the 26th N.C. Regiment, governor of North Carolina during the Civil War and U.S. Senator, grew up in the early 1800s.  Its mission is to preserve and interpret the birthplace and history of Governor Zebulon B. Vance.

Here visitors will find the reconstructed Vance Home, six log outbuildings, a modern visitor center, and a picnic shelter.  Located in the Reems Creek Valley, the site is 12 miles north of Asheville on Reems Creek Rd.  For more information, call 828-645-6706, email vance@ncmail.net or go to www.nchistoricsites.org/vance/vance.htm.

Vance Birthplace is an agency of the Division of State Historic Sites, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture through such programs as “Telling Our Stories” a yearlong celebration of North Carolina’s stories of struggle and freedom, memorable characters and colorful daily life.  For more information, visit www.ncculture.com or call 919 807-7385.

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