Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.5, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Presbyterian Heritage Center in Montreat Honoring the Past, Informing the Present, Influencing the Future. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.phcmontreat.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Stories from the Storm: Hurricane Helene in Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/helenemontreat/) - Click Here to Access the Digital Exhibit - Stories from the Storm - [Under the Beech Trees: Swannanoa Valley Presbyterians](https://www.phcmontreat.org/swannanoavalley/) - View the Online Exhibit View the Online Exhibit - [Scripture in Wood: John Mack Walker's Appalachian Carvings](https://www.phcmontreat.org/walker-carvings/) - Click Here to View the Digital Exhibit About John Mack Walker Reverend Dr. John Mack Walker, Jr. was an ordained Presbyterian minister who served as the senior pastor for the First Presbyterian Church of Roanoke Rapids (NC) from 1942 - 1980. He graduated from Davidson College as salutatorian in 1936. Between 1943 and 1998 - [The Livery Stable, An Update](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-livery-stable-an-update/) - Did You Know? Ed. Note: Three years ago, The Montreat Minute ran a story on the Livery Stable that was on Assembly Drive. In the past three years, the Presbyterian Heritage Center staff have uncovered additional information about the stable and are pleased to present this updated story, showing that history is not static! F. - [Mission Work & Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/missions-montreat/) - [The Shakespeare Reading Club](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-shakespeare-reading-club/) - Did You Know? Choosing how to spend time in Montreat is almost never an issue. There are trails to hike, rocks to hop, and streams to dam. You can see friends at the Huck, visit the Presbyterian Heritage Center, and enjoy a book on the Moore Center porch. But what about those early settlers? How - [The Pilgrims & the Westminster Confession of Faith](https://www.phcmontreat.org/westminster/) - Our December e-newsletter included a History Spotlight entitled “The Pilgrim’s Reformed Faith Background.” We received a response from a reader asking whether the residents of Plymouth Colony knew the Westminster Confession of Faith. Below is our response to this interesting question: The Westminster Assembly (1643-1653) was a product of the English Civil Wars (1642–1651). In - [The Pilgrims’ Reformed Faith Background](https://www.phcmontreat.org/pilgrims/) - When the Mayflower crossed the Atlantic in 1620, it carried more than families seeking a new life—it carried a theological tradition deeply rooted in the Reformed faith. The Pilgrims, often remembered simply as early settlers or religious refugees, were in fact products of a rich and complex movement within Protestantism, shaped by Calvinist theology, English - [Wildewood School](https://www.phcmontreat.org/wildewood-school/) - Did You Know? In 1913 Dr. Robert Anderson, President of the Mountain Retreat Association, first proposed that Montreat establish a post-secondary school, noting that Montreat Hotel and other facilities were seldom used in the winter. By 1915 the General Assembly agreed, indicating that it would support a school to prepare teachers. Several months earlier, - [Montreat School](https://www.phcmontreat.org/montreat-school/) - Did You Know? Montreat opened its first school in November 1899. Part of Montreat’s founding mission was to minister to the “mountaineers” of the Appalachians. Hence the school from its inception was open to children who lived outside the gate. Those families who could afford to pay a small sum did so, but no - [The Winsborough Buildings](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-winsborough-buildings/) - Did You Know? Did you know that Montreat has had three Winsborough buildings? The initial building was dedicated in 1917 to serve as the Montreat home for the newly organized Women’s Auxiliary of the PCUS as well as a social gathering place. It was named for Hallie Paxson Winsborough, an instrumental force in organizing - [Genesis of Montreat Summer Clubs](https://www.phcmontreat.org/genesis-of-montreat-summer-clubs/) - Did You Know? Youth programming has long been a vital part of the Montreat experience. Dr. Robert Anderson noted in his 1912 report to the Mountain Retreat Association Stockholders that many families visited Montreat in the summer and while parents attended conference sessions there was a need for programming for their children. He hired - [Soong Mei-ling and Soong Ching-ling](https://www.phcmontreat.org/soong-mei-ling-and-soong-ching-ling/) - Did You Know? In 1912 two young Chinese women, Soong Mei-ling and her sister Soong Ching-ling, spent part of the summer in Montreat. Students at Wesleyan College in Georgia, they had come to the YMCA Assembly and met Jeannette Archer, who brought them to her home in Montreat. Their father had emigrated to the - [The Playground Below the Dam](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-playground-below-the-dam/) - Did You Know? As families increasingly came to Montreat in the early 20th century for vacations and conferences, they sought activities for their children. The club program, which offered structured activities during parts of each weekday, were quite popular. But there were many other times when lively children needed physical activity. In 1923 William - [Old Montreat “Shopping” Center](https://www.phcmontreat.org/old-montreat-shopping-center/) - Did You Know? Those of us of “a certain age” still remember the old grocery store (complete with a gas pump), post office, drug store, and the lean-to attached to the drug store that stood across from the current post office. Driving by now, it is difficult to see that space and imagine the - [Rev. John Collins & Montreat's Location](https://www.phcmontreat.org/genesis/) - Did You Know? Rev. John Collins, Secretary and Treasurer of the International Christian Workers Association of New Haven, Connecticut, wanted to establish in the South a place similar to Ocean Grove, New Jersey, a location for Christian conferences that was also residential and could serve as a health resort. Weston Gales, an active Southern - [The Montreat Gate](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-montreat-gate/) - Did You Know? Shortly after its founding in 1897 Montreat attracted both summer and permanent residents and became a location for summer conferences. By 1903 a simple wooden sign marked the entrance. Always in need of revenue, Montreat began to charge a small entrance fee to support conferences and grounds upkeep. The simple sign - [The Men's Club](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-mens-club/) - 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) - [Swimming in Lake Susan](https://www.phcmontreat.org/swimming-in-lake-susan/) - Did You Know? Montreat was always intended to have a lake. The earliest map of the area indicates a “proposed lake” essentially where Lake Susan is now. The first dam was a wooden structure that leaked more often than not but nonetheless the lake attracted many swimmers and hosted Stunt Day each summer. This - [The Gospels in Appalachian Wood Carvings, Dr. John Mack Walker, Jr.](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-gospels-in-appalachian-wood-carvings-dr-john-mack-walker-jr/) - Did You Know? An ordained Presbyterian minister, The Reverend Dr. John Mack Walker, Jr., was the senior pastor for the First Presbyterian Church of Roanoke Rapids (NC) from 1942 to 1980. A native of West Virginia who spent many years in Montreat, he was, as he commented, “naturally drawn to the ruggedness of people - [Dr. J. R. Howerton](https://www.phcmontreat.org/dr-j-r-howerton/) - Did You Know? Dr. J. R. Howerton served as the president of Montreat for only one year, 1906-1907, but his impact began much earlier and is still present today. Born in LaFayette, Kentucky, in 1861, he attended Southwestern Presbyterian University in Clarksville, Tennessee (now Rhodes College in Memphis) and Columbia Theological Seminary. He served - [Hallie Paxson Winsborough](https://www.phcmontreat.org/hallie-paxson-winsborough/) - Did You Know? Hallie Paxson was born on March 7, 1865, one month before the end of the American Civil War. Both her father and grandfather were Presbyterian ministers. She graduated from Synodical College in Fulton, Missouri, in 1884 and four years later married William C. Winsborough, an attorney practicing in St. Louis. A - [The Lot Lottery](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-lot-lottery/) - Did You Know? From its inception Montreat was intended to have residences, both permanent homes and summer cottages. John Collins wrote up an idyllic description of Montreat which he distributed widely and included a form for people to return if they were interested in leasing a lot. He hired F. S. Odell, a New - [Montreat's Community Building](https://www.phcmontreat.org/montreats-community-building/) - Did You Know? Housing Conference Meetings in Montreat From its inception, Montreat was planned to be a Christian conference grounds. Pre-1900 conferences were relatively small since housing was at a premium and the only meeting spaces were out in the open or under temporary tents. In 1900 the Community Building, designed to serve as - [Camp Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/camp-montreat/) - Did You Know? The Beginning of Camp Montreat for Girls Camp Montreat for Girls first opened in 1924. Montreat already had a summer club program of sorts, with the Boys’ Club and Girls’ Club. However, these programs served only children of families who were staying in Montreat. Dr. Robert Anderson, then President of MRA, - [Rood's Livery Stable](https://www.phcmontreat.org/roods-livery-stable/) - Did You Know? During Montreat’s very early days transportation was only via horse and buggy. Hence there was a great need for a livery stable, run by F. D. Rood. The rock walls of the livery stable can be seen today, where Shenandoah Road intersects with Assembly Drive. The road between Black Mountain and - [Montreat's First General Store](https://www.phcmontreat.org/montreats-first-general-store/) - Did You Know? The first general store in Montreat was opened almost as soon as a few people took up residence. On January 2, 1899, the Mountain Retreat Association conveyed to Mary A. Holbrook of Montreat the store that was located on Vance Circle. Cora Stone, another Montreat resident, operated the store and, in - [John Huyler & the Formation of Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/huyler/) - Did You Know? John Huyler (1846-1910) was a New York philanthropist who made his fortune in the candy business. John Collins of New Haven, Connecticut, the founder of Montreat, knew of Huyler and his great generosity to charitable causes. Huyler responded positively to Collins’ overture and provided essential financial support to Montreat in its - [Weston R. Gales & the Formation of Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/montreats-community-center/) - Did You Know? John Collins, primary founder of Montreat, had a partner- Weston R. Gales. Gales was a Southern evangelist who shared Collins’ dream of a Christian Conference Center in the Appalachian Mountains and joined forces with him to bring the Mountain Retreat Association into existence in 1897. In the first early years a lottery - [Early Businesses in Montreat, 1899-1915](https://www.phcmontreat.org/early-businesses-in-montreat-1899-1915/) - COMMERCIAL STORES Around 1900, the Montreat Publishing Company was started by printer Arthur R. Tipton and Montreat's General Manager Weston R. Gales. Above is a 1903 ad run in The Revival. Whit. Gaskins & Co. (1902) — the firm opened a branch in Montreat in 1902 located next door to Cora Stone's - [The Man Who Saved Montreat: John S. Huyler, The Candy King](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-man-who-saved-montreat-john-s-huyler-the-candy-king/) - IMAGES The same year Montreat was being founded, Huyler was running this 1897 Christmas Ad for his Bonbons. Huyler Advertising mirror circa the 1890s. Huyler's Candy Factory, 18th Street & Irving Place, New York City, circa 1906 drawing from photo. Courtesy of ResolutionArchives. Reports on the transfer to Presbyterians were noted in the - [Leading "Mountain Retreat," 1897-1902: John C. Collins & Weston R. Gales](https://www.phcmontreat.org/leading-mountain-retreat-1897-1902/) - IMAGES On Aug. 2, 1909, a dedication of the engraved rock was held celebrating the founding of Montreat in 1897. Left to right are: Judge James D. Murphy, John Alex Porter, Rev. John C. Collins and Rev. Dr. J. R. Howerton. July 3, 1897 — New York Times The Rev. Floyd Tomkins was the - [Montreat Summer Religious Conferences, 1897-1907](https://www.phcmontreat.org/montreat-summer-religious-conferences-1897-1907/) - IMAGES Wood plank seating and worship area (1897). Dining tent and cooking area near stream (1897). In 1907, a tent conference was held by Methodists and Presbyterians at Montreat. The "Seven Pioneers," first PCUS missionaries to Korea, in Seoul, 1893. Top row, left to right: Mary Leyburn (Mrs. W. M.) Junkin, Patsy - [Golf Links](https://www.phcmontreat.org/golf/) - Did You Know? Montreat had the beginnings of a golf course long before the putt-putt near Assembly Inn. Construction began in 1916 “in the lower end of the grounds” and by early summer five fairways had been cleared and three greens built. The flood of 1916, which did significant damage to the valley, wiped - [Montreat Normal School](https://www.phcmontreat.org/montreat-normal-school/) - Did You Know? In 1913, Dr. Robert Anderson, President of the Mountain Retreat Association, first proposed that Montreat establish a post-secondary school, noting that the Montreat Hotel and other facilities were seldom used in the winter. A committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States took up the matter - [Glenn Quince Bannerman (1927-2020)](https://www.phcmontreat.org/bannerman/) - Did You Know? “Grab your partner and circle up! Say Howdy to your partner; say Howdy to your neighbor. Now clasp hands and circle left! Everyone join in. Now circle right!” Another Big Circle Mountain Dance in The Barn was underway. Glenn Quince Bannerman (1927-2020) Whether he was crafting his own graduate program at - [Dancing and Roller Skating in the Barn](https://www.phcmontreat.org/dancing-and-roller-skating-in-the-barn/) - Did You Know? In 1919, the Men’s Social Circle decided that they needed a place to meet, so out of their own pockets they paid for the construction of the Men’s Club (located where The Barn is now situated). It contained a comfortable parlor with a fireplace, a small library, a large porch overlooking - [Fall 2025, vol. 17, no. 3](https://www.phcmontreat.org/fall2025/) - View PDF Newsletter - [July 4th in Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/july-4th-in-montreat/) - Did You Know? Since 1897, when the Mountain Retreat Center was first organized, people have come to Montreat for many different reasons – revivals and conferences, rest and relaxation, health benefits, education, training as missionaries. Whatever their primary focus, everyone set aside July 4 for a shared experience. Our modern celebration, complete with flag-raising, parade, - [Building Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/building-montreat/) - Did You Know? Montreat’s success as a summer conference grounds, with over 400 people attending the first conference in 1897, meant that a more permanent structure than a tent was needed. The Community Building opened in 1900 and could accommodate up to 400 people. But conferences still needed tents for programming. Talk soon began of - [Building Lake Susan](https://www.phcmontreat.org/building-lake-susan/) - Did You Know? The earliest map of Montreat shows a proposed lake where Lake Susan is now. The first dam, really a wooden sieve, nonetheless created a central spot for recreation. Small boats could float around and each summer Stunt Day attracted a multitude of spectators. The flood of 1916 wiped out the earthen - [Hotel Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/hotel-montreat/) - Did You Know? Shortly after its incorporation in March 1897, the Mountain Retreat Association began to sponsor conferences. That summer, the Christian Workers’ Assembly attracted over 400 attendees. In 1898, two conferences that spanned a total of three weeks brought even more people. Meetings were held under canopies and people slept in tents. Montreat’s Executive - [The Alba Hotel](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-alba-hotel/) - Did You Know? The Alba Hotel, which opened in 1907, was a much needed addition to lodging in Montreat. Conferences were growing in size. The Hotel Montreat and the many boarding houses could not meet the demand for space. To meet the need, the Alba Hotel was conveniently located overlooking the lake on what is - [Christmas in Montreat, 1898](https://www.phcmontreat.org/christmas-in-montreat-1898/) - Did You Know? Only a handful of people lived in Montreat in December of 1898. One of these early residents was Philadelphian Mary Martin, who had fallen in love with the valley when she had visited earlier in the year for health reasons. She found everyone that she met “delightful,” proclaimed that the scenery rivaled - [Charles A. Rowland (1870-1964)](https://www.phcmontreat.org/rowland/) - Did You Know? Charles A. Rowland (1870-1964), a wealthy businessman from Athens, Georgia, provided significant support for Montreat from its inception until his death. His interest in Montreat was sparked by Weston Gales, an evangelist, whom he had met when Gales visited Athens to conduct a two-week session of evangelical services. Gales, one of the - [The Old Drug Store](https://www.phcmontreat.org/olddrugstore/) - Did You Know? The Old Drug Store Food is always a great complement to a social gathering, and often it generates that gathering. Today the Huckleberry, the snack bar in the Moore Center adjacent to Lake Susan, provides that opportunity. But before the Huckleberry, before the Moore Center, there was the old drug store. Located - [Montreat's "Mish Kids"](https://www.phcmontreat.org/mishkids/) - Did You Know? Montreat's "Mish Kids" This is the second article on the place of mission at Montreat. CLICK HERE for the first story on mission at Montreat. Young children accompanied their parents to the mission fields and were able to attend primary and secondary schools near their homes. For college-age students, the question of what to - [Missionary Commissioning in Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/commissioning/) - Did You Know? Missionary Commissioning in Montreat If you spent much time in Montreat during the summers from 1944-1982, you probably remember the missionary families who were here for training before departing for the mission field. Their commissioning ceremony, held on the closing night of the World Missions Conference, was a highlight of the summer. - [The Great Flood of 1916](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-great-flood-of-1916/) - Did You Know? Did you swim in Lake Susan? Go fishing there? Did you swim in Lake Susan? Go fishing there? Hop rocks along Flat Creek? Dam up crawdads in some of the smaller streams? See how far a paper boat would float? Many recreational activities in Montreat have always centered around water. And then - [The Whallon Sisters](https://www.phcmontreat.org/whallon/) - Did You Know? The Whallon Sisters Four Whallon sisters: Carrie (1863-1919), Isabelle (1872-1947), Frances (1873-1944), and Bertha (1876-1935), were an inextricable part of early Montreat history. Their names first appear in General Manager Weston Gales’s annual report dated January 1901, when he indicates that sisters Carrie and Bertha Whallon, from Cleveland, Ohio, had taken on - [Samuel Hall Chester (1851-1940)](https://www.phcmontreat.org/shc/) - Did You Know? Samuel Hall Chester (1851-1940) Samuel Hall Chester, a Montreat resident from 1926 until his death in 1940, served as the Secretary for the PCUS Executive Committee on Foreign Missions from 1893-1926. Chester’s early annual reports reflect his financial frustrations, particularly low church contributions, which meant that he had no funds for missionary - [Montreat's Orphanage](https://www.phcmontreat.org/orphanage/) - Did You Know? Montreat's Orphanage Until 1905, a home for orphaned and destitute children existed in Montreat. This institution fit well with the vision of one of Montreat’s founders, Weston Gales, that Montreat evangelize the “mountaineers” (his wording) living in the area. Montreat also opened a school in 1899 that educated children living in the - [Montreat's Stone Floors](https://www.phcmontreat.org/montreats-stone-floors/) - Did You Know? Can you identify which floor above is Anderson Auditorium and which is Assembly Inn? This month’s Did You Know is thanks to an inquiry from Kat Achtemeier, who asked about the beautiful stone floors in many of the buildings from the 1920’s and 1930’s. These buildings, including Anderson Auditorium, Assembly Inn, Gaither Hall, and - [Rembrandt and His Religious Art: A Brief Reflection](https://www.phcmontreat.org/rembrandt/) - Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, considered one of the greatest painters in the history of Western art, was born on July 15, 1606 in Leiden, in what is now the Netherlands. His father, a well-to-do miller, belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church. His mother was Catholic. Deeply influenced by religion, he lived during an era dominated - [Summer 2025, vol. 17, no. 2](https://www.phcmontreat.org/summer-2025-vol-17-no-2/) - View PDF Newsletter - [Constantine, Athanasius, and Eusebius of Nicomedia: Central Figures of the First Council of Nicea](https://www.phcmontreat.org/central-figures-nicea/) - Constantine, Athanasius, and Eusebius of Nicomedia: Central Figures of the First Council of Nicea The fourth century was a pivotal era for Christianity, marked by theological debates, imperial politics, and foundational formulations of doctrine. At the heart of this period stood three towering figures—Emperor Constantine the Great, Athanasius, and Eusebius of Nicomedia. Each played - [May 20, 1775: Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence](https://www.phcmontreat.org/meck-dec/) - Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence 250 Years Ago On April 30, 1819, the front page of the Raleigh Register and North-Carolina Gazette featured a manuscript titled “Declaration of Independence.” The text of the article was not that of the well-known United States Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776. Instead, it appeared to be a declaration - [Francis Goodrich's Handicraft Revival](https://www.phcmontreat.org/francisgoodrich/) - Francis Goodrich's Handicraft Revival 135 Years Ago In early 1890s Brittain Cove, NC, Rebecca Taylor Davis handed an old coverlet to New York-born Presbyterian missionary Francis Louisa Goodrich. “I’ve brought you a present, knowing that you take delight in such as this,” Davis told her new friend. Unbeknownst to Davis at the time, this coverlet–woven - [April 9, 1945: Bonhoeffer's Execution for Nazi Opposition](https://www.phcmontreat.org/80th-anniversary-of-bonhoeffers-execution-for-nazi-opposition/) - Bonhoeffer Executed 80 Years Ago for Nazi Opposition April 9, 1945 In the early years of Adolf Hitler's rule, the Nazi regime aimed to consolidate power over all aspects of German life, including religion. In response, German theologian and Lutheran pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer--along with theologians Karl Barth and Martin Niemöller, led a movement resisting the - [1700th Anniversary of the First Council of Nicea](https://www.phcmontreat.org/the-1700th-anniversary-of-the-first-council-of-nicea/) - The First Council of Nicea 1700 Years Ago The First Council of Nicea was the initial ecumenical council of the Christian Church. It was held in the Bithynian city of Nicaea (now İznik, Türkiye) from May to August 325 AD. Christianity had only recently been legalized in the Roman Empire under the Edict of Milan, - [1916 Flood](https://www.phcmontreat.org/1916-flood/) - My parents, James Cornelius and Sarah Annabella Clark Lipe, from Mooresville, NC, were among the first residents of Biltmore Village. Our two-story home had a wide front porch, shaded by vines in summer, and stood on the banks of the Swannanoa River near the old iron bridge that led to Asheville. The most memorable event - [Spring 2025, vol. 17, no. 1](https://www.phcmontreat.org/spring-2025-vol-17-no-1/) - View PDF Newsletter - [Winter 2024, Vol. 16, No. 3](https://www.phcmontreat.org/winter-2024-vol-16-no-3/) - Click on the image below to view the full newsletter. - [Status Update After Hurricane Helene](https://www.phcmontreat.org/status-update-after-hurricane-helene/) - Status Update After Hurricane Helene - [Fall 2024, Vol. 16, No. 2](https://www.phcmontreat.org/fall2024/) - Click on the image below to view the full newsletter. - [Winter 2023, Vol. 15, No. 1](https://www.phcmontreat.org/winter2023/) - Click on the image below to view the full newsletter. - [Spring 2024, Vol. 16, No. 1](https://www.phcmontreat.org/spring2024/) - Click on the image below to view the full newsletter. - [Fall 2023, Vol. 15, No. 3](https://www.phcmontreat.org/fall-2023-vol-15-no-3/) - Click on the image below to view the full newsletter. - [Summer 2023, Vol. 15, No. 2](https://www.phcmontreat.org/summer2023/) - Click on the image below to view the full newsletter. ## Pages - [Home](https://www.phcmontreat.org/) - The PHC conducts a learning center, research library, changing museum exhibits and online web site - [About Us](https://www.phcmontreat.org/aboutus/) - OUR VISION To transform lives with storytelling grounded in Christ-centered Reformed traditions. OUR MISSION To collect, preserve, and share historical materials and narratives to inspire learning, connection, and the growth of Christ’s Kingdom. OUR CORE VALUES With its roots in Presbyterianism and the Reformed faiths, the PHC invites all to learn about and grow - [Events](https://www.phcmontreat.org/events/) - [Register](https://www.phcmontreat.org/register/) - [Login](https://www.phcmontreat.org/login/) - [Event Organizers](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event-organizers/) - [Booking Details](https://www.phcmontreat.org/booking-details/) - [Submit Event](https://www.phcmontreat.org/submit-event/) - [Event Types](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event-types/) - [User Profile](https://www.phcmontreat.org/user-profile/) - [Booking](https://www.phcmontreat.org/booking/) - [Events](https://www.phcmontreat.org/all-events/) - [Venues](https://www.phcmontreat.org/venues/) - [Performers](https://www.phcmontreat.org/performers/) - [Visit Us](https://www.phcmontreat.org/visit/) - The Presbyterian Heritage Center is located in Montreat, NC, at 318 Georgia Terrace. Winter Hours Thursday - Friday, 10am – 4pm, Saturday from 12pm – 4pm, & by appointment. To view materials in our archive, please give us a call at 828.669.6556 to make an appointment. Where We Are 318 Georgia Terrace Montreat, NC - [Montreat History Spotlight](https://www.phcmontreat.org/montreat-history/) - Did You Know? - [Give](https://www.phcmontreat.org/give/) - [Montreat Historic Home Project](https://www.phcmontreat.org/historichomes/) - The Presbyterian Heritage Center is working to document the history of Montreat's homes and other structures and we need your help! Complete the form below with information about your home. We know you may not be able to answer all the questions, but appreciate any information you may have. Fill Out the Form - [Exhibits](https://www.phcmontreat.org/exhibits/) - [Our History](https://www.phcmontreat.org/our-history/) - [Contact Us](https://www.phcmontreat.org/contact-us/) - Contact Us 318 Georgia Terrace PO Box 207 Montreat, NC 28757 828-669-6556 info@phcmontreat.org - [Newsletter Archive](https://www.phcmontreat.org/news/) - [Collections](https://www.phcmontreat.org/collections/) - View our Catalog Online ## Events - [Book Club: Necessary to Explain with author Neal Lloyd](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event/book-club-necessary-to-explain-with-author-neal-lloyd/) - Author Neal Lloyd, retired Presbyterian minister, will lead the discussion. Copies of his book are available to borrow or purchase ($10 suggested donation to the PHC) at the Presbyterian Heritage Center. Can't make it in person? Email info@phcmontreat.org for information on how to join via Zoom. Necessary to Explain: A Memoir by - [Book Club: Montreat Postcard History with author Mary Standaert](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event/book-club-montreat-postcard-history-with-author-mary-standaert/) - Author and Montreat resident Dr. Mary Standaert will lead the discussion about the genesis of the book. Can't make it in person? Email info@phcmontreat.org for information on how to join via Zoom. Montreat (Postcard History Series) by Mary M. Standaert, Ph.D. and Joseph Standaert Montreat is nestled in a cove of 4,500 acres - [Book Club: Dwelling Place with author Erskine Clarke](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event/book-club-dwelling-place-with-author-erskine-clarke/) - Prof. Erskine Clarke will discuss his book, Dwelling Place: A Plantation Epic (Yale, 2005) and his forthcoming book *Charleston: An American Epic (Yale, 2026, To be published this summer). Both are narrative histories that explore the separate worlds of white Southerners and black Southerners and the ways those worlds have overlapped and shaped one - [Book Club: The First American Declaration of Independence with PHC Director Anne Chesky](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event/book-club-the-first-american-declaration-of-independence-with-phc-director-anne-chesky/) - PHC Director Anne Chesky will lead a discussion of the book The First American Declaration of Independence? by Scott Syfert. The official opening of the PHC's MecDec exhibit will be Wednesday, May 20. Can't make it in person? Email info@phcmontreat.org for information on how to join via Zoom. Scott Syfert's book, The First American - [Christmas Tea](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event/christmas-tea/) - Begin your Christmas holidays with the annual Christmas Tea sponsored by the Presbyterian Heritage Center. The PHC will be serving a variety of delectable tea sandwiches, scrumptious desserts, and Lucy's famous Christmas punch. Thank you for supporting our 2026 programs! Free and Open to the Public, Casual Dress - [Exhibit Opening: Presbyterians and the MecDec](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event/exhibit-opening-presbyterians-and-the-mecklenburg-declaration/) - [Ice Cream Social](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event/ice-cream-social/) - [Distinguished Lecture on the Reformation](https://www.phcmontreat.org/event/distinguished-lecture-on-the-reformation/) ## Posts - [Attribution](https://www.phcmontreat.org/attribution/) - This site has been created with the help of many different people and companies.This site was built on a powerful, Inspirations based web builder called BoldGrid. It is running on WordPress, the most popular content management software online today. Web hosting support is provided by DreamHost. Additional functionality provided by: WP Canvas - Gallery ## Post Timelines - [2008: Presbyterian Heritage Center Opens](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/2008-presbyterian-heritage-center-opens/) - Asheville Citizen-Times, June 7, 2008: A new museum and learning center opened on May 24 highlighting the story of Montreat and the Presbyterian heritage in Western North Carolina. The new Presbyterian Heritage Center features historical books and artifacts as well as interactive exhibits. The center worked with the Montreat Conference Center this past year to - [2006: Closed](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/2006-closed/) - On June 21, 2006 , the General Assembly of the PC(USA) voted 348-147 to approve a plan that would close the Montreat office, "citing financial savings and the advantages of having more records consolidated in Philadelphia." Despite a battle to save the office or transfer ownership to a local entity, about 60% of the collections stored - [1988: Merger](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/1988-merger/) - In 1988, the Historical Foundation merged with the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia. The Historical Foundation became known as the Montreat office (or Southern Regional Office) of the PHS. The PHS served as the Department of History for the General Assembly of PC(USA) with repositories in both Philadelphia and Montreat. - [1982: Expansion](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/1982-expansion/) - By 1979, to house the Foundation's quickly expanding collection, the Foundation began planning to construct a library annex addition to Spence Hall. The annex--Freeland Hall--was completed in 1982. The foundation's work embraced four areas: 1) noncirculating library; 2) archives with sermons, pictures, correspondence, etc; 3) local church history program representing 5,000 churches; and 4) museum, - [1954: Open House](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/1954-open-house/) - On July 1, 1954, 1,200 guests attended a formal opening of the building to the public during a two-hour period. At one point, the line of people waiting to get in the door extended from the building almost to Lake Susan. Image: Entrance Hall, Historical Foundation Building; became a museum as well as an archive - [1939: Rev. Thomas H. Spence Jr.](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/1939-rev-thomas-h-spence-jr/) - Dr. Tenney died in December 1939 and Rev. Thomas H. Spence Jr. became Acting Curator. (He was named Executive Director in 1956.) In early 1940, Union Seminary proposed that the Heritage Foundation be moved to Richmond, VA. The proposal was declined, but it was obvious that a larger space was needed. An annex in Anderson - [1953: Spence Hall](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/1953-spence-hall/) - After many delays, construction began in October 1952. The building--dedicated as Spence Hall-- was completed in 1953 and came in under budget thanks to: 1) the new highway being built between Old Fort and Ridgecrest and 2) the construction of Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville. Earlier Montreat buildings had exhausted the supply of field stone - [1902: Samuel M. Tenney](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/1902-origins/) - In 1902, 31-year-old Presbyterian pastor Samuel M. Tenney found a bundle of manuscripts in a second-hand bookstore in Houston, Texas. The store's proprietor, who evidentially had planned to dispose of the loose papers, gave Tenney the manuscripts at no cost. The salvaged manuscripts--primarily made up of a student notes from a Senior Theology seminary class - [1927: Montreat](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/1927-montreat/) - In 1927, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States adopted a plan to form a new agency--the Historical Foundation of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches. President of the Mountain Retreat Association, Rev. Robert C. Anderson, promised free, fireproof housing to the foundation. All materials and operations were loaded in a box - [1924: Texas](https://www.phcmontreat.org/post-timeline/1924-texas/) - After contracting influenza during WWI, Tenney's hearing, which he had been gradually losing since childhood, deteriorated. He was unable to continue serving as a minister. Then, in 1924, on his way to a class reunion at Princeton Theological Seminary, Tenney visited the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) in Philadelphia (founded 1852), which was then located in ## Categories - [Uncategorized](https://www.phcmontreat.org/./uncategorized/) - [Newsletters](https://www.phcmontreat.org/./newsletters/) - [Montreat History Spotlight](https://www.phcmontreat.org/./montreat-history-spotlight/) - [Exhibit](https://www.phcmontreat.org/./exhibit/) - [Flood](https://www.phcmontreat.org/./flood/) - [History Spotlight](https://www.phcmontreat.org/./history-spotlight/) - [Past Exhibits](https://www.phcmontreat.org/./past-exhibits/) - [Current Exhibits](https://www.phcmontreat.org/./current-exhibits/)