Keeping the culture in BY IAN TAYLOR
B
oone and the rest of the High Country have always had a unique culture that breeds art, expression and resilience, with many people taking the time to make sure that the culture is not lost to time. This preservation has been done through the cultivation of historical items and programs that celebrate the history itself, and they can be found all around the High Country. In Boone,
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the town set up the Cultural Resources Department, which works with individual organizations and programs to encourage the promotion of the area’s culture and continue the organizations’ efforts. “What we do is we oversee (town cultural properties like the Jones House) and groups that use them and then we present our own programming, which currently is mostly virtual,” said Mark Freed, Boone cultural resources director. “Our programming includes things like our
summer concert program which is outside the Jones House on Fridays and our Junior Appalachian Musician Musician program.” The department also helps organize events and programs that might be done by individual committees in other areas, such as parades or festivals. “Being a part of the town of Boone, we have a large network and a lot of resources from our public works department to our water and sewer SEE CULTURE ON PAGE 49
Boone
FILE PHOTO The Jones House in Boone switched to virtual music lessons due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
SUMMER TIMES 2021
