On Thursday, January 7, the McDowell Quilt Trail installed Block Numbers 16 and 17 in downtown Marion. The morning was bitter cold and the sky was gray, but that did not deter the quilt trail committee members from their mission to install “Pickin’ and Grinnin’” on the south-facing side of the Killough’s Music building. Woody and Freddie Killough are natives to McDowell County, with Freddie reporting that her family roots go back to the 1700s. They appreciate that in times past “quilting wasn’t as much a craft as it was a heritage lifestyle necessity.” Upon learning of the quilt trail project, the Killoughs knew they had a wall that was perfect for a quilt block, “because when you come up Main Street, it’s so visible. We knew from the beginning that we wanted a music theme block because of our business and my husband’s passion for music.”
Built in 1957, Killough’s Music has occupied it since 1992. By adding a quilt block to their building, they envisioned incorporating it into the city’s future long-term plan for making a designated walkway that connects Main Street to the Farmer’s Market and the Depot. The addition of a beautiful quilt block on their building would be like putting into place the first piece of that walkway puzzle.
The Killoughs chose an 8 foot by 8 foot block, which pictures four guitars and four banjos in an alternating orientation, resting on a plate of beige color over a background of blue, with red picks in the four corners. “We were looking for colors that would work well on that big expansive brick wall.”
Upon seeing the installed quilt block, Woody Killough exclaimed, “I love it, I love it.” That is a common refrain of many people who view the quilt blocks for the very first time.
After thawing out with a hot lunch at Bruce’s Fabulous Foods, the quilt trail committee continued its work in the cold on North Main Street by installing the Scales of Justice on the front of the building for the law office of Mayor Steve Little. “I just loved the idea as being such a creative way to put a splash of something attractive in places that are unexpected,” said the Mayor. “I have been in this building since May of 1983.”
The building was previously the home of the A&P Grocery. Mayor Little relayed the following story, as reported to him by Red Walker, who worked there as a kid bagging groceries. Mothers would often send their children up to the A&P with a Mason jar to say, “I need a cup of vinegar for baking purposes,” the grocer would remove the cork from an old stone jug and pour out a cup of vinegar and charge a penny – “or whatever they charged.” Little has an old jug that was unearthed some years ago during an expansion project as evidence of the story.
Attorney Tom White previously owned the building in the late sixties or early seventies. Later it was the home of the Employment Security Commission, and after that the McDowell Express occupied the building. Little moved to McDowell County after graduating from law school in 1977, then in May of 1983, he opened his own office, “and I have been here in this building since. I have always wanted to do something to the front of the building, because I’ve never thought it was attractive. The quilt block is perfect.”
Mayor Little chose the “Scales of Justice,” because that was a natural theme for a law office. It is consistent with what he wanted to demonstrate: his philosophy of seeking the truth. He chose colors in shades of greens and blues with a yellow pyramid balancing the scales. After installation, a Certificate of Authenticity was presented. The certificate is bordered by icons of blocks completed since the inception of the McDowell Quilt Trail, with the “host block” icon occupying positions at twelve, three, six, and nine o’clock. The Certificate is matted and framed. “Very, very classy,” said Steve Little. “I like that very much.”
The McDowell Quilt Trail operates under the umbrella of the McDowell Arts Council Association (MACA) and has very enthusiastic committee members who are dedicated to bringing beauty, tourism, and economic development to McDowell County. On this day, Mike Lucas had five female committee member assistants, who at any one time could be seen climbing on the scaffolding or wrestling the individual panels off the truck and hoisting them up to him for installation. Landon Whitson, an eighth grader, at West Junior High School, was observing as part of his Career Skills Class. He is interested in art, and chose to spend the day at MACA to observe and participate in its activities.
On December 29, the committee installed “Lady of the Lake” on the boat storage building of Harriett Thomas and Bryan Harris; and “Shooting Star” on the boat dock belonging to Bob and Kathy Brendle. “Shooting Star” can only be seen from Lake James, and is the first block to go up on what may become part of a Lake Quilt Trail.
There are four more blocks in various stages of completion; however, it has become necessary to raise prices for the blocks due to the increasing cost of supplies and operating expenses. This increase will become effective February 1. If you are interested in hosting a block on your building, or learning more about the quilt trail, you can get more information by calling MACA at (828) 652-8610 or going to www.mcdowellquilttrail.org. The McDowell Quilt Trail committee invites you to visit the Gift Shop at MACA for a printed Trail Map, lapel pins, bookmarks, and other items related to the Quilt Trail. You can also find information about the Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina by going to www.quilttrailswnc.org.
Contributing Author, Nora Worthen, McDowell Quilt Trail Committee
