Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat

Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat The PHC operates a learning center, research library, museum, and website. Special events also are scheduled throughout the year.

We preserve Presbyterian and missionary artifacts, documents, periodicals, books, photographs, and films representing all Presbyterian and Reformed Church denominations. The PHC displays up to 8 exhibits each year that are changed every 6 - 14 months, so there is always something new on display. The reference library contains more than 30,000 books, plus additional information through microfilm, microfiche and digitized materials.

Shortly after its founding in 1897 Montreat attracted both summer and permanent residents and became a location for summ...
03/27/2026

Shortly after its founding in 1897 Montreat attracted both summer and permanent residents and became a location for summer conferences. By 1903 a simple wooden sign marked the entrance. Always in need of revenue, Montreat began to charge a small entrance fee to support conferences and grounds upkeep. The simple sign was replaced by a wooden archway and small office where fees were collected.

About 1912 the archway entrance was replaced by a somewhat more substantial structure that controlled the passage of wagons with wooden picket gates. Shortly thereafter, in 1913, the original charter was amended to formally allow for the collection of fees.

In 1922 the Woman’s Auxiliary of the Presbyterian Church celebrated its tenth anniversary with a gift to Montreat for the construction of a more permanent entrance and in 1923 the stone gate that still stands was constructed.

One of the most coveted of Montreat summer jobs was that of Gateboy, a position that existed from 1913-1969. While the gate has been damaged many times, it has always been rebuilt. The collection of fees ended shortly after Montreat incorporated as a town in 1967. The closable metal gates are gone but the stone archway, forever known as the Montreat Gate, remains as an iconic symbol of this place.

Want to know more? See Montreat, in the Postcard History Series, by Mary McPhail Standaert and Joseph Standaert; and The Montreat Gateboys and Their Stories, by Mary McPhail Standaert. Both volumes are available in the Presbyterian Heritage Center.

Pictures courtesy of Mary McPhail Standaert, Joseph Standaert, and the Presbyterian Heritage Center.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for even more Montreat history and so much more.

In 1913, Dr. Robert Anderson, President of the Mountain Retreat Association, first proposed that Montreat establish a po...
03/25/2026

In 1913, Dr. Robert Anderson, President of the Mountain Retreat Association, first proposed that Montreat establish a post-secondary school, noting that the Montreat Hotel and other facilities were seldom used in the winter. A committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States took up the matter and concluded that with the addition of heat and school equipment, the buildings could easily support a Normal School for Teachers. In 1915, the General Assembly agreed and Dr. Anderson set about raising $30,000 so that the school could operate debt-free for five years while establishing itself. In the Fall of 1916, Montreat Normal School opened with eight boarding students and two young men who were day students. The school curriculum provided a four-year high school program and a two-year college program to train teachers. Boarding students and three teachers lived in the Montreat Hotel, which also housed the classrooms. Cost was $225 per student for the academic year.

During its first eight years, Montreat Normal School changed leadership often. While Dr. Anderson remained president until his retirement in 1947, the school had six different principals from 1916 to 1924. Seeking an experienced educator who could oversee the growth of the school and move it toward accreditation, Dr. Anderson hired S. L. Woodward in 1924. Woodward had served for many years as superintendent of schools in Plant City, Florida, and then in Morristown, Tennessee. His first year was challenging. The Montreat Hotel had burned in January 1924 and the school finished that year in two older structures. By the time of Woodward’s arrival, the Hotel Alba had been fitted with a heating system and it became the new home for the school. During succeeding years, the curriculum and the faculty expanded slowly, with some classes moving to the Lakeside Building. In 1931, fifteen seniors graduated.

Woodward’s attention to academics bore fruit in 1933 when Montreat Normal School received full accreditation and became Montreat College (junior college at that time). Woodward left Montreat that year and attention then shifted to growth. Enrollment in the college grew from 30 in the Fall of 1933 to 221 by 1941. Additional buildings supported both the college and the growing summer conference programs. By the time of Dr. Anderson’s retirement in 1947, Montreat College had become a four-year college for women.

Much of this information comes from “100 Years of Montreat College” by Sue Diehl.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historain Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for additional Montreat history and so much more.

In 1913 Dr. Robert Anderson, President of the Mountain Retreat Association, first proposed that Montreat establish a pos...
03/23/2026

In 1913 Dr. Robert Anderson, President of the Mountain Retreat Association, first proposed that Montreat establish a post-secondary school, noting that Montreat Hotel and other facilities were seldom used in the winter. By 1915 the General Assembly agreed, indicating that it would support a school to prepare teachers. Several months earlier, Mary Miles Jordan had approached Dr. Anderson asking for permission to open a small boarding school for girls. Not knowing what the response of the General Assembly would be, he shared her request with the Executive Committee. On March 17, 1915, the committee granted her permission to use Andelk Lodge* for her school, which she named Wildewood.

She also received permission to use MRA athletic grounds and equipment. Jordan advertised the school widely, not only in local newspapers but in publications such as The Outlook and Harper’s Bazaar. The initial catalog stated that Wildewood was “free from the artificial appeal of a modern city, [where] life may be lived in naturalness and sweetness, true values and fine ideals molded into cultured minds and splendid characters.” Essentially, it was a finishing school, offering courses that included English, History, Bible, and French; Physical Training and Household Arts; and Music and Art. If students wanted to attend college, the brochure promised that “courses will be arranged to meet the entrance requirements of the college selected by the pupil.”

Jordan was the Principal of the school and her mother, Mrs. George Marshall (Nancy Caroline) Jordan was the House Mother. The most well-known faculty members were Mr. and Mrs. Crosby Adams, who had moved to Montreat following successful careers in Chicago and were in charge of the Music Department.

Wildewood never attracted more than a handful of students, and when Montreat Normal School opened in 1916 Jordan decided to close Wildewood at the conclusion of the 1916-1917 academic year.

*Andelk Lodge had been a hunting lodge belonging to John Huyler, an early financier of Montreat. Upon Huyler’s death, Anderson and William Belk purchased the property, named it “Andelk,” and donated it to Montreat. It contained large rooms for dining and other gatherings as well as small bedrooms. After its use as Wildewood School, it next became the central building for Camp Montreat, which opened in 1924. Camp Montreat closed in 1967 and the building, in considerable disrepair, was soon demolished.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for additional Montreat history and so much more.

Montreat opened its first school in November 1899. Part of Montreat’s founding mission was to minister to the “mountaine...
03/21/2026

Montreat opened its first school in November 1899. Part of Montreat’s founding mission was to minister to the “mountaineers” of the Appalachians. Hence the school from its inception was open to children who lived outside the gate. Those families who could afford to pay a small sum did so, but no child was turned away for lack of funds.

The first teacher was Anna Gales, a recent graduate of Hollins Institute in Virginia and the daughter of Weston Gales, Montreat’s business manager until his death in November 1902. Other early teachers included Bertha Stone and Mary Dunlap. In 1903 Elizabeth Foreman, a young widow, moved to Montreat with her three children and became principal of the school. At the end of her first year the annual report claimed that the school “has reached for the first time a standard that should give genuine satisfaction to all interested in Montreat.”

Total expenditures for that year were $834.59, with only $196.59 coming from the state and county. The Mountain Retreat Association provided $250.00; individuals made up the difference. The school grew rapidly, often listing over 60 students during the year. It remained in existence until 1919, when the state assumed responsibility for all public education.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for additional Montreat history and so much more.

Images: Montreat School students and teachers on the steps of the Community Center, today’s Post Office. Date unknown; Montreat Primary School Classroom

Did you know?Those of us of “a certain age” still remember the old grocery store (complete with a gas pump), post office...
03/19/2026

Did you know?

Those of us of “a certain age” still remember the old grocery store (complete with a gas pump), post office, drug store, and the lean-to attached to the drug store that stood across from the current post office. Driving by now, it is difficult to see that space and imagine the activity that occurred there.

The first structure, built shortly after the turn of the 20th century, served as the post office. A second modest building, the Montreat Grocery Company, was soon added. It was a ramshackle affair.

In 1914 the Executive Committee of MRA authorized the President, Dr. Anderson, to purchase those two buildings, add to them, and ready them for occupancy. The plan was to have a grocery store, post office, drug store, hardware store, and meat market. Reality scaled back the plan just a bit, but by the 1920s the grocery store (with the telephone exchange upstairs), post office, and drug store and the lean-to were fixtures.

You could buy a lot in very small spaces. What you could not buy, however, starting in 1915, was cola products. The fine for either selling or providing such products was “not less than $25 and not more than $50.” Compare this fine with the speeding fine of $5 – the Managing Committee meant business about cola sales! Not until May 1926 was this prohibition repealed.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for Montreat history and so much more.

Did you know?As families increasingly came to Montreat in the early 20th century for vacations and conferences, they sou...
03/17/2026

Did you know?

As families increasingly came to Montreat in the early 20th century for vacations and conferences, they sought activities for their children. The club program, which offered structured activities during parts of each weekday, were quite popular. But there were many other times when lively children needed physical activity. In 1923 William Henry Belk of Charlotte, N. C., a generous contributor to the Presbyterian Church, donated $420 for a playground. Located just below the lake, it remained much as it had been built until the 1960s when it was replaced by the Moore Center and a more modern (and safer) playground was built in its current location. The man in the foreground is believed to be Belk.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for Montreat history and so much more.

Did you know?Youth programming has long been a vital part of the Montreat experience. Dr. Robert Anderson noted in his ...
03/15/2026

Did you know?

Youth programming has long been a vital part of the Montreat experience. Dr. Robert Anderson noted in his 1912 report to the Mountain Retreat Association Stockholders that many families visited Montreat in the summer and while parents attended conference sessions there was a need for programming for their children. He hired three “skilled leaders” (probably school teachers who were available in the summer) to provide such programming and organized the Boys Athletic Club and the Campfire Girls. He also ensured a kindergarten for the “little ones.”

Anderson noted that activities included religious exercises as well as outdoor amusements and recreation. While he was not more specific, many of the activities probably occurred on the ball field (still in existence) where the boys had a small club house. In 1916 MRA constructed the Girls Club building and in 1926 the Boys Club building. In 1924 Anderson hired S. L. Woodward, a seasoned public-school administrator, as principal of the fledgling Normal School. Woodward was also in charge of the Boys Club, Girls Club (no longer known as Campfire Girls), and the newly established Camp Montreat for Girls. While Camp Montreat closed in 1967, the club program, as well numerous youth conferences, continue to provide a positive Montreat experience for young people.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for Montreat history and so much more.

Image: Camp fire girls in Montreat, circa 1915. Photo donated by Mrs. D. P. McGeachy. Presbyterian Heritage Center Collection

Did you know that Montreat has had three Winsborough buildings? The initial building was dedicated in 1917 to serve as ...
03/12/2026

Did you know that Montreat has had three Winsborough buildings?

The initial building was dedicated in 1917 to serve as the Montreat home for the newly organized Women’s Auxiliary of the PCUS as well as a social gathering place. It was named for Hallie Paxson Winsborough, an instrumental force in organizing the PCUS Women’s Auxiliary (1912) and its first superintendent.

The rustic building contained a small office and plenty of social space, including a wrap-around porch with rhododendron rails. It hosted weddings and receptions as well as less formal functions and became such a popular venue that the porch had to be expanded.

By 1960 the building had fallen into considerable disrepair and was replaced by a less interesting but much safer building to be used for the same purpose. By the 1980s the site, located on the Montreat College campus, became the ideal location for the new Belk Student Center, which was completed in 1985.

However, the heritage of the Women’s Auxiliary and the significance of Mrs. Winsborough was too large to be ignored. Consequently, Groseclose Hall, constructed in 1937 as the World Fellowship Building and funded by the Women’s Auxiliary Birthday Offering that year, renamed in 1978 in honor of Jesse S. Groseclose, was renamed again for Hallie Paxson Winsborough.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for Montreat history and so much more.

Did you know?The Alba Hotel, which opened in 1907, was a much needed addition to lodging in Montreat. Conferences were ...
03/10/2026

Did you know?

The Alba Hotel, which opened in 1907, was a much needed addition to lodging in Montreat. Conferences were growing in size. The Hotel Montreat and the many boarding houses could not meet the demand for space. To meet the need, the Alba Hotel was conveniently located overlooking the lake on what is now the present site of Howerton Hall on the College campus.

Timber for the hotel was cut on Montreat property and hauled by a yoke of oxen to the saw mill that was near the front of present-day Anderson Auditorium. When built, the Alba Hotel had sixty-five rooms and a large dining room, but no lobby or private baths. The hotel underwent several renovations over the next few decades until it burned in 1945.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for additional Montreat history and so much more.

Images: Alba Hotel

Did you know?Montreat had the beginnings of a golf course long before the putt-putt near Assembly Inn. Construction be...
03/08/2026

Did you know?

Montreat had the beginnings of a golf course long before the putt-putt near Assembly Inn. Construction began in 1916 “in the lower end of the grounds” and by early summer five fairways had been cleared and three greens built.
The flood of 1916, which did significant damage to the valley, wiped out the golf course. Repairs needed in Montreat included damage to the water, sewer, and power lines as well as to roads and bridges. MRA borrowed $3,000 to pay for these repairs. Repairing and continuing with the golf course was not deemed essential since Asheville had just completed a municipal golf course.

The photo above shows a portion of the putt-putt links near Assembly Inn. The equipment building still stands next to the steps near Convocation Hall.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for Montreat history and so much more.

Did you know?John Collins, primary founder of Montreat, had a partner--Weston R. Gales. Gales was a Southern evangelist ...
03/07/2026

Did you know?

John Collins, primary founder of Montreat, had a partner--Weston R. Gales. Gales was a Southern evangelist who shared Collins’ dream of a Christian Conference Center in the Appalachian Mountains and joined forces with him to bring the Mountain Retreat Association into existence in 1897.

In the first early years a lottery system apportioned lots to people who paid $50 for a 99 year lease and some cottages appeared on the landscape. But Collins was not an effective manager and in November 1899 he returned to New England. John Huyler became president, C. A. Rowland became vice-president, and Weston Gales assumed the role of general manager. Gales moved to Montreat for such a meager salary that he was forced to continue his evangelistic work. While the conferences in the summer were reasonably well-attended, there were few places for people to stay and all meetings were held in tents. Huyler agreed to build a hotel and Gales began immediately to gather funds to construct a much-needed church and school building. What we know today as the Community Center (current Post Office) became a reality in the spring of 1900, at a cost of $1870.13. It was funded entirely by private donations. Rowland was the largest contributor at $400.

Beginning in the summer of 1900 this building hosted conference sessions, Sunday and Wednesday services throughout the year, and a day school for local children (most of whom lived outside Montreat) taught by Gales’ daughter Anna. Gales died on November 20, 1902, following a brief illness, but during his short tenure Montreat gained a hotel and some additional boarding houses, somewhat improved roads, and a church and school building that has served Montreat in many capacities.

Thanks to Presbyterian Heritage Center historian Nancy Midgette for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for Montreat history and so much more.
Image: Montreat Community Building (current post office) c1900 with Chinquapin, Mary Martin’s home, built 1898, in background.

Address

318 Georgia Terrace
Montreat, NC
28757

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+18286696556

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