The Watauga Club Records contain historical and financial records, correspondence, meeting minutes, membership information, publications, and photographs dating from 1884 to 2020. The collection includes information about the founding in 1884 and the Centennial anniversary in 1984 but focuses primarily on publications about the club and its members.
The Watauga Club was founded in 1884 to strengthen North Carolina agriculture, industry, education, health, statesmanship, art, literature, and moral and spiritual values. The club was instrumental in the founding of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (later North Carolina State University) and emphasized the need for instruction in mechanic arts. Today, the Watauga Club is still active in educational endeavors.
The Watauga Club was founded in 1884 to strengthen North Carolina agriculture, industry, education, health, statesmanship, art, literature, and moral and spiritual values. The club was instrumental in the founding of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (later North Carolina State University) and emphasized the need for instruction in mechanic arts. Today, the Watauga Club is still active in educational endeavors.
The Watauga Club records span from 1884 to 2020, but the bulk of the documents date from 1980 to 1996. Club members have had many interests and concerns pertaining to North Carolina and ultimately the United States. The collection contains letters, papers, addresses, speeches, and other related material that encompasses these interests. Included are financial documents relating to various monthly meetings as well as papers dealing with the topics discussed at these meetings.
The collection is divided into nine series:
North Carolina State University does not own copyright to this collection. Individuals obtaining materials from the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections Research Center are responsible for using the works in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
[Identification of item], Watauga Club Records, MC 00229, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Gift of the Watauga Club, 1984 (John T. Caldwell), 2001 (Dick Dougherty), and 2012 (Accession 2012.0085) and 2019/2020 (Accession 2020.0039) gift of Jack Evans.
Processed by: Virginia G. Smith; machine-readable finding aid created by: Virginia G. Smith; Finding aid updated to include additions to the collection by Cathy Dorin-Black, 2012 June. Addition processed and finding aid updated by Laura Lethers, 2020 February. Addition processed and finding aid updated 2023 December.
The collection is organized into nine principal series:
This series consists of two folders that pertain to documents containing historical information about the club's infrastructure and policies as well as the articles on the history of the club and its members. The second folder, Constitution, houses the Constitution and the club's various resolutions.
The correspondence series, which consists of seven folders, is the second largest series in this collection. The folders are either divided by the year or by the person who generated and received the correspondence. The correspondence includes letters, memoranda, e-mail, and miscellaneous documents relating to correspondence. The first folder, 1947 and 1969, contains invitations to John T. Caldwell, Chancellor, North Carolina State University, 1959 to 1975. The contents are arranged chronologically by year. The second folder 1978, 1982, 1990, contains correspndence between club members and a paper entitled "The Abortion and School Prayer Bills in Congress." The contents are arranged chronologically by year. The third folder, 1991, includes correspondence between club members and resumes of potential new members. The contents are arranged chronologically by year. The 1992 folder contains interclub correspondence and biographical sketches of potential new members. The last folder, Garrett Briggs, contains correspondence of Garrett Briggs, former president of Peace College and of the Watauga Club.
The collection's largest series consists of folders and a record book. The record book contains minutes recorded by the secretary from the monthly club meetings during 1897 to 1902. The entries are in chronological order. Each folder contains the minutes from monthly meetings. Correspondence between the members pertains to monthly meetings, the status of membership, potential new members, guest speakers, and discussion topics. Included are letters, memoranda, invitations, and e-mails. The documents in each folder pertain to the discussion topics of the monthly meetings and include papers, addresses, speeches, handouts, pamphlets, leaflets, and booklets. There are also newspaper and magazine articles about members and topics that were discussed at the monthly meetings. Miscellaneous documents in this series include maps, ballots, newsletters, membership lists, menus, charts, playbills, and meeting notes. Included in the folder for 1996 is a patch from NASA, which was a topic of discussion for one of the monthly meetings during that year. The contents of each folder are arranged chronologically.
This series contains financial documents pertaining to monthly club meetings. The first folder, 1897-1902, contains letters, reports, receipts, and invoices that relate to club activities during this time period. The second, 1992, includes documents that pertain to the May 1992 club meeting.
This series of five folders pertain to the lives of club members and the history of the club itself. The folders are either divided by year or by member. The first folder, 1884-1902, includes the charter membership lists through 1902. The documents are arranged chronologically. The second folder, 1986-2000, includes membership lists from the respective years and miscellaneous documents relating to the monthly meetings. The next folder, W. J. Peele, contains newspaper articles from the Raleigh News and Observer and the Raleigh Times that discuss the life and death of Peele, one of the founding members and first president of the club. The last three folders include biographical information, like resumes and curricula vitae, on all the members, including Doris Betts, Garrett Briggs, Frank A. Daniels, Jr., Julius Chambers, Larry K. Monteith, John T. Caldwell, Karl G. Hudson, Jr. and Terry Sanford, during 1995.
This series of two folders includes group pictures taken of the members during the respective years. They are arranged chronologically by year.
This series pertains to the lives of club members and the history of the club itself. The folders are either divided by subject, by year, or by person. The first folder, Historical Notes, contains two pamphlets pertaining to the history of the Watauga Club from 1884 to 1980. The second folder, John Charles McNeill (1874-1907), contains documents of a biographical nature pertaining to McNeill, a renowned North Carolina poet. The third and fourth folders, 1884-1927 and 1954-1984, contain articles from newspapers and magazines, such as the Raleigh News and Observer, the Agromeck, Raleigh Times, The Spectator, and the N.C. State Alumni Magazine, that cover the history of the club, its members, and its educational endeavors.
This series contains documents that pertain to the 100th anniversary of the Watauga Club. The contents of the folder is primarily photographs depicting either several members at the anniversay celebration or in Raleigh at the turn of the century. There are also a script, announcement, and program.
After review, access to the digital copies may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request.
The Special Collections Research Center, NC State University Libraries, has digital copies of some or all of these materials.
Items in this series include memorandums from meeting hosts about meeting locations, schedules, and invitations arranged chronologically. Some meeting records include special guests, topics, constitutional amendments, special events, and membership rosters.
This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], Watauga Club Records, MC 00229, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
North Carolina State University does not own copyright to this collection. Individuals obtaining materials from the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections Research Center are responsible for using the works in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.