I was very interested in the exhibit in the Blowing Rock Art Museum on Junaluska, an African-American community on the outskirt of Boone, NC. Boone is quite a large mountain town, and is named for Daniel Boone, said to have spent time in the area. It is the home of Appalachian State University, which dominates the town. They were in the process of building what looked like several very large new dormitories the day I was there. There are over 18,000 students at the university, so it is definitely a college town.
After seeing the exhibit at the museum I decided a trip to Boone was in order, and I drove over from Blowing Rock, about 8 miles. I decided to first try to find the African-American Mennonite Church I’d read about, and the community of Junaluska. It was straight up a very steep, very narrow mountain road, but I did find the church and the community. The exhibit had said that there was very little information about this black community before 1900, but I was intrigued by the thought of there being a black Mennonite Church. I think it may be the only one in existence! But they are very strong on sending out missionaries, not just in the USA, but around the world.
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Junaluska, Boone, NC
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View up into the mountains above Boone.
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The African-American Mennonite Church.
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The Mennonite Church.
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Quilt made by church ladies.
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Choir robes.
