Mary and Joe Standaert will present an overview of the important historical aspects of the Swannanoa Valley and its natural features as covered by the Swannanoa Valley Museum’s Rim Explorer hike sections. The presentation will include historic postcard images, archival photos and current views from various points on the valley rim.

For ten years the Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center in Black Mountain has been leading an annual series of eleven hikes in the upper Swannanoa Valley to illustrate the culture, history, and natural features of the valley. The “Rim Explorer” hike.series has been extremely popular with over 3,000 hike participants, and some 175 people have completed the whole series. The emphasis of the hikes has always been on the history and geography and biodiversity of the area.

Joe and Mary co-authored two Arcadia Press books detailing the histories of Montreat and The Swannanoa Valley as illustrated by their extensive collection of vintage local postcards. Mary has documented and published a history of “The Montreat Gateboys and Their Stories” Joe is the current chairman of the Swannanoa Valley Museum hike committee and has for 10 years led a series of hikes which over the course of a year circumnavigates the entire rim of the upper Swannanoa Valley. Joe has completed the Rim Hike series more than 8 times, and Mary 3 times.