The Mission of the Appalachian Women’s Museum is to gather, preserve, and share the stories of Southern Appalachian women past, present, and future.
Cherokee Women of Southern Appalachia
Our exhibit honoring Cherokee Women of Southern Appalachia is open. This exhibit, made possible by a grant from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, showcases Cherokee Women and their many accomplishments and contributions within the Eastern Band and western North Carolina.
Southern Appalachian Women
The Appalachian Women’s Museum (AWM) is located in Dillsboro, North Carolina, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain range that runs from Alabama clear up to Newfoundland, Canada and into the British Isles. Today, the Southern Appalachian Mountains are one of the most biologically diverse places in North America, with the ancient mountains acting as a continental nursery during the last ice age. The biota, smoky blue mountains and network of mountain streams make the Southern Appalachians a beautiful corner of the world. A connection to land and the sense of place are central to southern Appalachian culture. A place and society that is not as isolated as often characterized, but deeply connected to the region, nation and the world by its mountains, biology, economics and culture.
The mountains, streams and forests of Southern Appalachia were intricately tied to the identity of Southern Appalachian Women. They lived and worked off the land both shaping the environment around them and being shaped by it. Southern Appalachian Women were and are a mosaic of personalities, education, employment, race, and ethnicities as diverse as the trees and flowers in the hills. The stories of Appalachian Women, past, present and future must be preserved and shared to understand place and provide inspiration for those who follow behind.
The Appalachian Women’s Museum is an organization governed by an all-volunteer board that has worked to open the doors of the Monteith Farmstead in Dillsboro, North Carolina. In the spring of 2025, the AWM hired the first part-time House Manager, Danielle Duffy. This position will help guide the museum into the next phase as a place to collect, preserve and share the stories of Appalachian women past, present, and future. The AWM Board of Directors, the House Manager, interns and volunteers continue to renovate and actively plan permanent and rotating exhibits. The AWM Garden Ladies plant a victory garden on the grounds, donating the excess vegetables to United Christian Ministries and the Community Table to help alleviate food insecurity in our community. We are excited to partner with community organizations such as the Mountain Heritage Center, Cherokee Preservation Foundation, WCU History Department, WATR, Jackson County Public Library, and Dogwood Crafters, along with major support from the Jackson County Commission, TWASA and the community. And a special thank you to the Town of Dillsboro.
We’ve Come A Long Way!
The AWM is a heritage tourism site officially formed in 2005 with the creation of the Monteith Farmstead Restoration Committee, led by Emma Wertenberger. In 2008, the Monteith farmstead was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Since then, the museum has made tremendous renovations to the farmhouse that now houses the AWM exhibits. In 2020, we put on a new roof and installed running water outside. In 2024, plumbing was restored to the house. Through countless volunteer hours and continued support from private and community donations, the house is now open to the public from April through October on Saturdays, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM.
Your friendship and donations are very important. Please friend us on Facebook @AppalachianWomensMuseum to keep up with what is happening, or send us an email if you would like to get involved! We would love to have you in our volunteer-based organization.