Off US 64, Brasstown, North Carolina. County/parish: Cherokee.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places August 22, 1983. NRIS 83001839.
19 contributing buildings.
The John C. Campbell Folk School, also referred to as "The Folk School", is located in Brasstown, North Carolina. It is the oldest and largest folk school in the United States. It is a non-profit adult educational organization based on non-competitive learning. The Folk School offers classes year-round in over fifty subject areas including art, craft, music, dance, and nature studies. Established in 1925, the Folk School's motto is "I sing behind the plow".
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a national historic district in 1983. The district encompasses 19 contributing buildings. Notable buildings include the Farm House (pre-1925), Keith House (1926–1928), Log House Museum (19th century, 1926), Mill House (1928), (Former) Milking Barn (now Clay Spencer Blacksmith Shop, c. 1930), Hay Barn (1931), Tower House (1933), Rock House (c. 1932), and Hill House (c. 1932).
The Folk School has more than 850 week-long and weekend classes year-round in traditional and contemporary arts, including blacksmithing, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography, storytelling, and writing. The 300-acre campus includes a history museum, craft shop, nature trails, lodging, campground, and cafeteria. The school also holds more than 300 performance events annually, including a regular concert series and community dances. The Folk School engages the community through a variety of dance teams including Rapper Magic Sword, StiX in the Mud Border Morris, Dame's Rocket Northwest Clog, Rural Felicity Garland, and the JCCFS Cloggers. The Folk School is considered to have one of the most prestigious folk dance programs in the United States.
The Folk School hosts more than 6,000 adult students and 100,000 visitors per year. As of 2017, the school's endowment was $4.4 million and its annual operating budget was $7 million.
(read more...)National Park Service documentation: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/47719575