Where We Live: History, Nature, and Culture---More than Memories - Why Historic Districts Matter

On Monday, November 18, at 6:30 pm, the speaker series “Where We Live: History, Nature and Culture” will present the program More Than Memories-Why Historic Districts Matter by Stacy Guffey.

 By taking an in-depth look at the Cowee-West's Mill Historic District in northern Macon County, we'll discover why historic structures and historic districts improve our area's social and economic health. 

 The district, designated by the National Register of Historic Places in 1999,  includes the archaeological site and mound of the Cherokee town of Cowee, a major settlement until the time of the Revolutionary War. In the first half of the 19th century, the area became a thriving agricultural community, during which time many of the historic structures were built , including Rickman’s General Store, the predominately African American Pleasant Hill Methodist Church, and Cowee School.  During the late 1800s and early 1900s, it became the largest African American community west of the Balsam mountains.

 Stacy Guffey is a Macon County native who has grown into leadership in business and public life in the region his family has called home for generations. A graduate of Franklin High, Western Carolina University, and holding a Master’s in Public Administration degree from the University of North Carolina, Stacy served as Macon County’s planner from 2004 to 2009. He helped establish and run the Arts and Heritage Center at the old Cowee School while working as a regional planning and economic development consultant. Currently, he serves as the Senior Program Manager for NCGrowth at UNC Chapel Hill providing technical assistance for small businesses and local governments in the 17 western counties of North Carolina. He took on a new role in Downtown Franklin’s preservation efforts with the purchase and rehabilitation of the 1897 building that contains the Scottish Tartans Museum.  Stacy serves as the Vice Mayor of Franklin.

 The program will take place at Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center at 51 Cowee School drive in Franklin. Please join us for an informative and pleasant evening.