Hazelwood Wants to Map Its Own History, and It Needs Your Memories to Do It

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  June 29, 2026

A neighborhood in Waynesville is about to turn its own memory into a map, and it is asking residents to bring whatever they have. Hazelwood Proud, working with the Haywood County Arts Council and the Folkmoot Center of the Arts, is hosting a free community workshop and festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 11.

The heart of the day is a community map workshop that organizers are calling the largest community history and mapping project in Western North Carolina. This is in the Hazelwood district of Haywood County, just off US-74 and roughly 30 minutes west of Asheville.

The idea is simple. People come in, find their corner of Hazelwood on a growing map, and add what they remember. A name, a landmark, the house a grandparent grew up in, the store that used to anchor the avenue.

"Hazelwood has always been defined by its people and its sense of place," said historian Alex McKay. He describes the project as a chance to reconnect families, both old and new, with the stories behind the neighborhoods and names that shaped daily life here for generations.

What actually happens at the Hazelwood festival?

A lot more than map-making, as it turns out. The schedule includes historic presentations, raffles, a family photo station, and art and wellness studio demonstrations. There is a clogging workshop for anyone who wants to learn a step or two, plus games, music, and food.

It is built to hold a whole family for the afternoon. Kids can draw, grandparents can tell stories, and everyone leaves having added something to a record that will outlast the day.

Tonya Harwood, executive director of the Haywood County Arts Council, put the welcome plainly. "Everyone is welcome, whether you add a quick doodle or a detailed drawing, your mark becomes part of Hazelwood's history."

Why does Hazelwood have its own history to tell?

Because for a long time, it was its own town. Hazelwood was incorporated separately before merging with Waynesville in the 1990s, and it never quite lost that independent streak.

The district grew up around the railroad and the industry that came with it, with Hazelwood Avenue as its main street. Walk it today and you will find small shops and restaurants and a tight, walkable feel that residents have worked to protect. That kind of distinct small-town character is what a project like this one tries to capture before it fades.

Hazelwood Proud itself is new. The volunteer committee formed in September 2025 with a clear mission, getting families involved in cultural events and connection. A history festival is a fitting first big swing.

How can you take part if you cannot make it July 11?

You have options, and they matter to the project. Volunteers are needed to help stage the event, so reaching out ahead of time is welcome.

If the date does not work, you can still contribute from home. Send in your sketches, your location within Hazelwood, your stories, photographs, or any personal reflections. You can deliver submissions to Hazelwood Proud directly or post them on their Facebook page.

Donations support the cause too. All contributions go to community charities supporting arts and culture, and they are 501c3. You can give online at HaywoodArts.org or HazelwoodProud.org. If you donate through the Arts Council link, note "Hazelwood Proud" so it gets routed correctly.

You can mail cash or check contributions to Committee Director-Hazelwood Proud, Folkmoot Center of the Arts, Suite A-5, 112 Virginia Ave., Waynesville, NC 28786.

What makes an event like this worth the drive?

There is something rare about a community that decides to write down its own history while the people who lived it are still around to do the writing. Most places lose those stories quietly. Hazelwood is choosing not to.

For longtime residents, it is a chance to be heard. For newcomers and folks just discovering Haywood County, it is a fast way to understand what makes this corner of Waynesville feel like a real place and not just a zip code.

That sense of belonging is a big part of why people fall for these mountain towns in the first place. If a community like Hazelwood has you picturing what life in Western North Carolina could look like, Jon Tharp is always glad to talk it through.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is the Hazelwood Proud community festival?

The Hazelwood Proud community workshop and festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, in the Hazelwood district of Waynesville, in Haywood County. The event is organized in partnership with the Haywood County Arts Council and the Folkmoot Center of the Arts, located at 112 Virginia Avenue. It is family-friendly and open to everyone, with activities planned for all ages. Beyond the map workshop, the day includes historic presentations, raffles, a family photo station, art and wellness studio demonstrations, a clogging workshop, games, music, and food. Waynesville sits about 30 minutes west of Asheville by way of US-74.

What is the Hazelwood community map project?

The map project is a community-built record of the Hazelwood district's history, assembled by the people who lived it. Visitors can add anything from a quick doodle to a detailed drawing of the neighborhoods, landmarks, and family names that shaped daily life in Hazelwood for generations. Organizers describe it as the largest community history and mapping project in Western North Carolina. Historian Alex McKay says the goal is to reconnect families, both longtime residents and newcomers, with the stories behind the places they pass every day. Every contribution, large or small, becomes a permanent part of the record.

How can I donate to or volunteer for Hazelwood Proud?

You can donate online at HaywoodArts.org or HazelwoodProud.org. If you give through the Haywood County Arts Council link, specify "Hazelwood Proud" so the funds are directed correctly. Donations are 501c3 and go to community charities supporting arts and culture. Cash or check contributions can be mailed to Committee Director-Hazelwood Proud, Folkmoot Center of the Arts, Suite A-5, 112 Virginia Ave., Waynesville, NC 28786. Volunteers are needed to help stage the event. If you cannot attend, you can still share sketches, photographs, stories, or personal reflections about Hazelwood by sending them to the group or posting on their Facebook page.

What is the history of Hazelwood in Waynesville?

Hazelwood was once its own incorporated town before merging with Waynesville in the mid-1990s, and it still carries a distinct identity within Haywood County. The district grew up around the railroad and local industry, with Hazelwood Avenue serving as its commercial heart. Today that stretch is home to small shops, restaurants, and a walkable, neighborly feel that residents have worked hard to preserve. The Hazelwood Proud committee, formed in September 2025, exists to keep that sense of place alive by encouraging families to take part in cultural events and pass local history to the next generation.