Last week Picturing the Past introduced curbside market
projects developed by local community clubs to improve their rural
neighborhoods and the lives of local residents. 
These week’s focus is on projects to improve the home lives of families
within the local, rural communities. 

The agencies that oversaw community clubs throughout the area
were Western North Carolina Associated
Communities and Western North Carolina Community Development Association.  They required an annual summary reporting
development programs in multiple categories. 
Better Family Living included home improvements ranging from painting to
adding running water and installing bathroom fixtures.  Communities reported the number new homes
built, new mobile homes added and new vehicles purchased.  They also reported information like major
electrical appliances added to homes, improvements in landscaping and the number
of families who had regular medical and dental check-ups, health insurance and even
bank accounts, along with how many subscribed to a newspaper or magazine.

Canned goods prepared by Little River residents were displayed during their community fair in 1957.

This information gives a picture of life in rural communities
of Western North Carolina beginning in the 1950s.  In 1952 the Little River Community Club
reported that six homes in their community added indoor plumbing, 18 homes had
installed telephones and 16 families had purchased televisions sets.  The Balsam Grove community reported 62
families (100%) had an adequate home garden in 1958.  They froze 1,242 quarts of food and canned
4,840 quarts.

In 1965 Sapphire-Whitewater had six new houses built, eleven
homes with major renovations and four new mobile homes added to the community.  Twelve families in the Dunn’s Rock community painted the exterior of their homes in 1975.

Men and women pitched in to build an extension on a home in the Dunn’s Rock community in 1957.

In the later years the annual report focused more on activity
descriptions and photographs.  Next week
Picturing the Past will cover the numerous community and youth programs created
by the Community Clubs.

Photographs
and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina
Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library
hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional
photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at [email protected]
or 828-884-1820.