Last Updated on August 7, 2025 11:20 am
On July 26, the Watauga County Commemorative Quilt Unveiling was held at Watauga County Public Library.
This project came to life as a result of funding received by the Friends of Watauga County Public Library. The funding was received from the NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of our country. It was decided that funding would be used to create a beautiful quilt using the talented and hardworking hands of the Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild!
The quilt illustrates the theme, “A Gathering of Voice and Visions of Freedom.”
Images sprawling across the 14-foot-long quilt’s design include indigenous people, frontiersmen, early settlers, the Proclamation of 1763, Overmountainmen and the Battle of Kings Mountain, botanists and discoveries, role of women, establishment of churches, Watauga County communities and modern times. What a delight it will be to all whose eyes lay upon it!
In attendance at the ceremony were Elementary Education Director Dr. Brian Bettis and WCS Board of Education Chair Dr. Gary Childers. They both spoke during the event.
We are thrilled that the “tour” this quilt will soon go on will include all Watauga County school libraries this fall! It will be a great learning opportunity for students to study and enjoy. After the tour, which also includes civic groups, historical societies and the Western Branch of Watauga County Library, its permanent home will be in the Adult Services area of Watauga County Public Library.
We appreciate the efforts of Dr. Breitenstein and local researchers Anita Clemmer, Mary Daly, Will Stein and Sharon Breitenstein in creating print materials and lesson plans for the quilt. These will be used by Watauga County teachers and be available to the public.
