Did You Know?

Many of us are familiar with the Girls’ Club (built in 1916) and the Boys’ Club (built in 1925), both constructed by MRA for youth activities. The women had a building, also, the Winnsborough Building (built in 1917) which provided an office for the Women’s Auxiliary (which paid for the building) and plenty of space for social gatherings.

Did you know that there was also a Men’s Club?  It was constructed in 1919 and paid for not by MRA but by the men themselves. It offered a comfortable parlor with a fireplace, a small library, a large porch overlooking Flat Creek, and even a small bowling alley.

On rainy summer days the bowling alley was especially popular not with the men but with the nascent club program for young people. The men did not use it as much as perhaps they had thought they would so it was turned over to MRA to serve as an activities building.

It soon became too small for club activities so in 1940 it was torn down and replaced by the building currently known as The Barn. The wooden floor was ideal for skating and square dancing. A small stage offered the opportunity for club skits and singing on rainy days.

In the late 1950s the fireplace end of the building was walled off and became the craft shop.  Shortly after the completion of McAlister gymnasium (1954), skating was moved to its basement.  When the craft shop outgrew its end of the building, the wall was removed and today The Barn is the home of the beloved weekly Friday Night Barn Dance.

Thanks to the Presbyterian Heritage Center, especially Nancy Midgette, for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for even more Montreat history and so much more.