On Monday, June 16, the series “Where We Live: History, Nature, and Culture,” will present a program on western North Carolina in the Civil War. 

Though the American Civil War concluded 160 years ago, it remains one of the most examined and fraught topics in American history. While our region escaped the major battles, the war played out with its own peculiar set of dire consequences in the mountains of Western North Carolina, including deeply personal dramas which have tended to be absent in the popular understanding of the war. The lecture and discussion promise to deliver several surprises and insights for those in attendance. 

Speaker John deVille is a Macon County native, and is currently the Executive Director at the Macon County Historical Museum. Prior to taking that position,  he taught  American History, Government, and Philosophy at Franklin High School for 30 years. He holds a BA in philosophy from UNC Chapel Hill and a BS in social science education from Western Carolina. He has taught free online and in-person classes to adults in the areas of US history and philosophy since 2019.

The program will take place at Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center at 51 Cowee School Drive in Franklin at 6:30 pm. A fresh chef-made grab-and-go supper will be available for $10!

The “Where We Live” series of speakers takes place the third Monday of each month and offers an enjoyable evening, learning more about the place where we live.