In the Media
Gather ‘round the campfire! Word about Embers of Youth has traveled beyond the trails and into the media. Explore the stories and features helping share western North Carolina’s rich camp history with audiences far beyond the cabin walls.
JUNE 2026 | PLATEAU MAGAZINE
A national honor for a story that belongs to the mountains
There is something truly magical about a summer in the mountains of Western North Carolina. That’s something we can all agree on, whether you’re seven or 87 years old. From the cool morning air drifting through a dewy forest… to the laughter echoing across a lake… the thrill of a canoe slipping quietly through the mist…
JUNE 2026 | THE HIGHLANDER
CHS wins 2026 AASLH Award of Excellence
The Cashiers Historical Society has received an Award of Excellence from the American Association of State and Local History for its 2025 exhibit, "Campfires & The Embers of Youth: The History of Summer Camps in Western North Carolina."…
JUNE 2026 | AASLH
Announcing the AASLH 2026 Leadership in History Award Winners
For more than eighty years, the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) has presented Leadership in History Awards to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all people…
MARCH 2026 | ROCK BROOK CAMP BLOG
The Story of Summer Camps in WNC
Western North Carolina has always been a place of beauty, with its small-town communities, pleasant climate, and rolling Blue Ridge Mountains. By the 1920s, this area had become a genuine center of the youth camping movement, quickly becoming home to the largest concentration of summer camps…
APRIL 2026 | THE HIGHLANDER
Cashiers Historical Society unveils new digital exhibit
The Cashiers Historical Society has launched “Campfires & the Embers of Youth: The History of Summer Camps in Western North Carolina,” a digital exhibition that opened in March 2026. This immersive online experience uses a bold and engaging design to bring the history of summer camps in western…
OCTOBER 2025 | GWYNN VALLEY
Young Leaders Explore the History of Summer Camps in WNC
Nestled inside a mountain cove, Gwynn Valley Camp has been a place for development, connection and exploration for children for over 90 years. Our history connects us regionally, culturally and societally to the greater movement of summer camps dating back to the 1800’s…
AUGUST 2025 | LAUREL MAGAZINE
Tents, Trails & Traditions
When summer was packed with friendship and adventure – Cashiers Historical Society unveils a new exhibit celebrating the joys of summer camp. Each year, thousands of young people trek to western North Carolina to partake in a uniquely American tradition: attending summer camp…
JULY 2025 | GWYNN VALLEY
Young Leaders Learn GV’s Camp Legacy
This summer, the Cashiers Historical Society opened an exhibit on the history of summer camps in Western North Carolina. Lindsay Hostetler, the curator of “Campfires and the Embers of Youth,” welcomed our Young Leaders campers to Cashiers on Friday to see the exhibit and discuss Gwynn Valley’s place in the legacy of camping...
JUNE 2025 | LAUREL MAGAZINE
2025 Jan Wyatt Symposium Speakers Announced!
The countdown is on — only 10 days until our annual Jan Wyatt Symposium! This year’s theme is “Campfires & the Embers of Youth: The History of Summer Camps in Western North Carolina.” This engaging program explores how summer camps have shaped the social, economic, and cultural history of western North Carolina…
JUNE 2025 | CASHIERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
New Exhibit on the CHS Campus
The exhibit explores the history of overnight camps in Western North Carolina founded before 1970, highlighting the region’s pivotal role in the American camping movement. Engaging, interactive displays bring this story to life for visitors of all ages…
FEATURE THIS EXHIBT
Help keep the campfire burning! If you’d like to share the story of Embers of Youth, contact the Cashiers Historical Society for press kits, media resources, and additional information.
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MUSEUM GALLERY + YOUR STORY + ACKNOWLEDGMENTS + ARCHIVAL IMAGES + Bibliography + EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS