National Register of Historic Places

Campbell, John C., Folk School Historic District

Brasstown, Cherokee County, North Carolina
Listed
August 21, 1983
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
83001839

About this property

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 (120 ha) 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. As of 2024, its annual operating budget is $8 million.

Location

Brasstown, Cherokee County, North Carolina
35.03818, -83.96473

Categories

ARTECONOMICSCONSERVATIONEDUCATIONARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORYAGRICULTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Cooper, Robert Lafayette, House
Industrial
5 mi
Harshaw Chapel and Cemetery
Listed
5.1 mi
Cherokee County Courthouse
Industrial
5.1 mi
Cobb, John Franklin, House
Industrial
7.2 mi
Clay County Courthouse
Industrial
8.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Campbell, John C., Folk School Historic District listed on the National Register?

Campbell, John C., Folk School Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Campbell, John C., Folk School Historic District?

Campbell, John C., Folk School Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Campbell, John C., Folk School Historic District?

The period of significance for Campbell, John C., Folk School Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

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