Digital Resources Portal
Welcome to the Virtual Vance Birthplace! Use this page to access hours of virtual content created by our staff. From educational videos and craft projects to digital exhibits and lesson plans, these resources are perfect for educators, students, or anyone wishing to explore the Vance Birthplace from the comfort of home.
Want to schedule a live virtual program with staff from the Vance Birthplace? Contact us with your request.
Video Programs
Explore our YouTube Channel to discover video programs and lessons for all ages. We are always adding new content but encourage you to explore several playlists we have compiled so you can easily view your favorite videos.
Learning with Lauren & Crafting with Kimberly
Lauren & Kimberly recorded these two-part mini programs, which include a short video lesson from Lauren followed by a craft activity with Kimberly. These videos are designed to be viewed together and are perfect for learning history at home.
Quarantined Historians (Maybe or Maybe Not) Drinking Coffee
In April 2020, Vance Birthplace staff partnered with the Mountain History and Culture Group, a support group for the site, to create a YouTube series exploring themes in public history. Our first season examined the role of museums and historic sites, the history of Asheville, new historical publications, the origins of the Slave Dwelling Project, and more. For Season Two, we spoke with some of our favorite public historians to get their perspectives on the past, interpreting history, and historic sites' place in current events. You can view all of Season One and Season Two on our YouTube channel.
History Mystery
We brought our popular History Mystery program to Facebook Live in April 2020, premiering new episodes through November. In each video, Assistant Site Manager Lauren May features an artifact from the Vance Birthplace collection and gives viewers clues about its purpose. While we are not currently posting new episodes, you can view all the previous videos on our YouTube channel. Can you solve the History Mystery before Lauren reveals the answer?
Demos with Dennis
This Facebook Live program is now viewable on YouTube! Check out the video playlist to learn more about 19th century tools as Dennis demonstrates a different artifact from the Vance Birthplace collection. You can also find the videos archived on our Facebook page!
What is a Spring House?
Produced by NC Culture Kids, a YouTube Channel created by the North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, this video takes you inside the Vance Birthplace spring house to learn about refrigeration in the 1800s.
Virtual Tours & Exhibits
Juneteenth in the Reems Creek Valley Audio Tour
Discover the stories of the men, women, and children enslaved by the Vances from 1795-1865. This audio tour was completed in partnership with the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission.
Women's History Timeline
Completed by Summer 2020 Intern Elizabeth Bailey, this timeline highlights the stories the women of the Vance Birthplace. From prehistory to the twentieth century, explore each woman's experience of life in the Reems Creek Valley.
Falling for Appalachia Story Map
This virtual experience highlights the demonstrations that typically happen at our Folk Festival each fall, but also the people that make it possible. This is an ongoing project that we will continue to add to from year to year.
Traveling the Turnpike Story Map
Use this story map to follow the historic route of the Buncombe Turnpike and learn more about its economic and cultural impact on western North Carolina. You will also see how the landscape has transformed in the nearly 200 years since the creation of the Turnpike.
Log Cabin Construction at the Vance Birthplace
Created by Summer 2021 Intern Collin Jewell, this online exhibit explores the construction of the Vance house in 1790 and the reconstruction of the cabin in 1960. It also includes a gallery of tools found in our Tool House!
Additional Materials
She Changed the World: North Carolina Women Breaking Barriers Education Activity Guide
We designed a lesson plan for the centennial celebration of the 19th Amendment, which you can find in this activity guide compiled by the North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. Our lesson plan features a craft activity that encourages reflection and analysis of equality as an idea and an ideal. Designed for 4th grade, but can be adapted for all ages.
For Educators
Click here to learn more about our Virtual Field Trip program.
We have also designed a virtual classroom so that teachers and students can easily access our online resources. Click here to request access to our digital classroom.
Teachers can access additional digital resources through #GoOpenNC, the platform where NC educators can search for, curate, and create openly-licensed, education resources that are aligned to NC standards. Check it out here.