The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center will reopen after major interior renovations on Tuesday, September 6th with a special temporary exhibition entitled, “Edward L. DuPuy’s Artisans of the Appalachians.”

Though installation of the Museum’s second floor exhibition showcasing their permanent collection that ranges from Native American artifacts through mid-century memorabilia, entitled “Pathways from the Past” is still in progress, the Museum wishes to open its doors beginning September 6th for the community to see the remarkable transformation of their building.

The building, Black Mountain’s historic Fire House, was designed in 1921 by the Biltmore Estate’s supervising architect, Richard Sharp Smith. The renovation was an effort to stabilize the building, bring it back to Smith’s original design, and add features – like climate control and public restrooms for the comfort and safety of their collection and their guests. A grand reopening celebration for the Museum will be held to in the coming month once all exhibit installations are complete.

The new, temporary exhibition, “Edward L. DuPuy’s Artisans of the Appalachians,” features the work of local photographer, Ed DuPuy. Born in Blacksburg, VA, in 1914, DuPuy moved to Black Mountain, NC, as a teenager. From the 1950s until the 1980s, he made a living photographing weddings, special events, conference groups, real estate, and commercial subjects, but he would also capture everyday life and landscapes around Black Mountain out of pure interest. He was also an artisan woodworker whose antique reproductions no doubt are still in many homes. He taught classes at Black Mountain College, was a dedicated member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, and published a book in 1967, Artisans of the Appalachians, about regional craftsmakers. Never before seen photographs of the artisans featured in the publication are exhibited alongside their wares in the Museum’s new exhibit.