The mission of the Western North Carolina Historical Association is to preserve and promote the history and legacy of Western North Carolina through interpretation, education, collection, and collaboration. INTERPRETATION: Operating the Smith-McDowell House, an architecturally-significant home (built c1840), as a center of history education through exhibitions, programs, and publications; EDUCATION: Educating residents and visitors of all ages through diverse and engaging programming and recognizing excellence in Western North Carolina history and literature; COLLECTION: Collecting and preserving objects of regional historic and cultural value for education and exhibition; and COLLABORATION: Encouraging partnerships that advance understanding of Western North Carolina’s history and legacy.