Facilitators for the 150th gather up sheets in between questions. Shown are (standing) Bob Bamberg and Pat Bird. Seated at the nearest table and fully visible are Margaret Crouse (left) and Jane Doughton.

Getting ready for the 150th

About 75 people attended a planning session for the 150th anniversary of the official establishment of Alleghany County.

The county was founded by the North Carolina legislature in 1859 and the anniversary will be celebrated in 2009.

The planning session, which was held May 8 at the Silver Dollar Music Park, was set up as a way to prompt thinking community-wide about "what and how we would like to celebrate," said Bob Bamberg, director of the Alleghany County Chamber of Commerce. Bamberg noted that another purpose was to form a steering committee that could help shepherd the celebration into a reality.

One point that needs clarification is that, in the planning stages, many have considered having many celebrations of the event during 2009. Others have proposed having a big event to celebrate the anniversary, more similar to the earlier centennial celebration that was held in 1959.

"There's no reason why everyone who wants to participate and hold some sort of observance can't have that opportunity," Bamberg said. "We may also end up having a more specifically dated celebration along with that. There's even been some talk among some organizations of starting a new tradition."

Several people who were at the 1959 event also attended the planning session last week. That celebration centered around a weeklong pageant, "Heritage of the Hills" that was held at what is now Jarrett Field near what is now Alleghany High School. At that time, AHS wasn't built and the field, known then as the Sparta Athletic Field, would have been located behind what was then Sparta School.

 

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