Black Mountain

Lake Tomahawk July 24, 2024

Saturday, March 2, 2024

There's more to the basement...

 ... in a hallway which is the back door entrance to the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. Newer signs give some of the history of the building. I enter the building from the parking lot or the clay studio, which is around the corner from this main building. Up one flight of stairs is the office and theatre.

But these photos continue the story of the history of this building, which I began in my blog post here.

On the second story, BMCA has a nice gallery space for showing a variety of exhibits through the year. But it used to be the Black Mountain Library!

The other room on the second story is now used primarily for dance classes, with one mirrored wall.


I'm going to slip something else in here, since that's such a great photo of the fire station when in use.
Here's the Swannanoa Museum in the same space today. 

This fire station now museum is situated to the left of the Center for the Arts (as you look at them from State St.)



And the front entrance of Black Mountain Center for the Arts is on State St. Here's how it looked when it was the City Hall, which is still the carved in marble title above the door.

A 1954 view of both buildings

PS, The Clay Studio also has a history...more on that later!!

Sharing with Sepia Saturday this week. Buildings are the places where people work, live, eat, enjoy entertainment, create, etc etc...



Today's quote:

Recently, I was asked if I was going to fire an employee who made a mistake that cost the company $600,000. No, I replied, I just spent $600,000 training him. Why would I want somebody to hire his experience? -Thomas J. Watson, Chairman and CEO of IBM (1874-1956)

And we mustn't forget the celebration of the day (thanks to Frog and Penguinn) 
March 2 is,..
Dr. Seuss's Birthday, 
National Read Across America Day, 
Old Stuff Day, 
World Teen Mental Wellness Day

15 comments:

  1. The building is beautiful, it is great it has had so many uses. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

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    1. Thanks...a building that has had many uses, and is welcoming and well tended today! Glad to see you (I know you're busy on Saturdays with all the critter posts!)

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  2. Replies
    1. That's true, if not for good stewardship through the years, it wouldn't be there today!

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  3. Sue's photo prompt yesterday involved paying homage to Dr Suess.

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  4. Both buildings have been beautifully restored. I'm always happy to see original buildings restored to original beauty to preserve history instead of being torn down to make way for something 'up to date' which too often has little character.

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    1. As I've aged, I've certainly changed my attitude toward old buildings. I'm more interested in their history whereas before I'd sure want the modern things around. No more!

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  5. I always appreciate when old buildings that have lost their original utility are repurposed instead of being demolished. Fire stations were once respected landmarks that everyone recognized. Turning it into a museum or art gallery is a great way to honor its history.

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    1. Our town has moved it's offices around several times since I've lived here (since 2007). But now most of the offices are in a big former fabric warehouse/showroom. That building isn't worthy of photos, except for being big and grey and somewhat shiny in places.

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  6. It makes me happy to see old buildings being taken care of. These are really nice structures.

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    1. I'm so glad the center of Black Mountain is full of old buildings, which are well tended and repaired. One or two store fronts have been empty for years, which is sad for tourists to see.

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  7. Excellent photos and commentary on these well-preserved buildings. I love to see buildings that are re-purposed after their original use -- especially. when it happens after a period of disuse. I'm sure your community is pleased and proud that these buildings continued on with modern uses.

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So glad to have your comments...whatever they may be. I'm one who likes to reply sometime or another, so others will see that; or you might happen back sometime and see what conversation might have started.