The Mitchell County Historical Society invites you to join us on Tuesday, June 4th at 7 pm in the Mitchell County Senior Center for an exploration of the county’s mining history. Our June program will tell the story of how industrial mica mining took root in Mitchell County, thanks to the good fortune, vision, and determination of a couple of men from New York and Massachusetts.
In 1896, two of the 20 or so mines owned by Heap and Clapp produced an astonishing $9,295,595.24 in today’s dollars. This extraordinary achievement is just one piece of a larger, complex story that involves a runaway slave, Thomas Clingman, the suffrage movement, the towns of Huntsville, Knoxville, Snow Creek, and Bakersville, and even a Union operative whose grave overlooks the homes of the mining pioneers.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the people and events that shaped Mitchell County’s mining history and helped create one of the county’s most significant contributions to the nation. We look forward to seeing you at the Mitchell County Senior Center for “The Union Spy Who Helped Create Mitchell County’s Mining Industry.”
