W.L. Sheppard’s illustrations for Frances Tiernan’s notable novel, “The Land of the Sky” illustrate Tiernan’s blockbuster tale of Victorian-era travel in Western North Carolina. Speaker Mike McCue will take us along on the rollicking 1874 adventure enjoyed by many thousands of readers around the nation — just as the railroad was being built over the mountains to Asheville from Old Fort. McCue will share his research, reading passages from The Land of the Sky and describing how these historic images came about.
Mike McCue of Asheville has been trustee for North Carolina Humanities Council, a grants panelist for National Endowment for the Arts, and chaired the annual book prize jury for American Historical Print Collectors Society. He’s author of a number of historical articles and publications about literature and art. A Fashionable Excursion to the Arcadia of Appalachia: Sheppard’s Images for “The Land of the Sky” was published in IMPRINT, the journal of American historical prints.
Tickets: This virtual event is free for WNCHA members/ $5 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.