The Mountain Gateway Museum is located in Old Fort, NC. It is easy to find from I-40 and has a parking area. Admission is also free.
The museum is branch of the NC Museum of History in Raleigh. This branch of the museum focuses on Southern Appalachian and Western North Carolina history. The museum is in a 1936 stone building. You will find artifacts, photographs, and lots of material to read about mountain life and the people who live there. Some of the exhibits and permanent and other exhibits rotate in and out.
The staff is very friendly and will add more background information as you explore. After you explore the museum, make sure to walk through the two log cabins outside to get a feel for what life would have been like in the 1800s. Mill Creek is behind the museum. read more