Take the BMT Arts & Culture Walk: Discover André Michaux
How about adding a little history to your afternoon stroll?
As you explore the Town of Black Mountain, you’re actually following in the footsteps of another explorer. But back in the day of this globe-trotting plant hunter, he wasn’t strolling along sidewalks. He was trekking through the uncut terrain of Western North Carolina.
André Michaux. Source: Wikipedia
Meet André Michaux, an 18th century French botanist who came to the United States on a mission. His aim was to become an expert on the plant life in the eastern U.S. and report back to King Louis XVI. Michaux spent years trekking and studying flora, and it’s no surprise to us that the mountains of Western North Carolina were among his favorite places.
In 1787, Michaux made the first of five trips into the Appalachian Mountain range in search of plants and herbs. In 1794 and 1795, he returned to North Carolina including our Black Mountain range. According to his own journal, when he reached the summit of Grandfather Mountain, he sang the French hymn “La Marseillaise” and exclaimed “Long live America, and long live the French Republic!”
His many travels through the North Carolina mountains resulted in spectacular finds. One rare and beautiful species, Lilium Michauxii, was named our state official wildflower in 2003. It’s nicknames are the Carolina Lily and Michaux's Lily.
In downtown Black Mountain on US 70/State Street, you’ll find a North Carolina historical marker honoring Michaux. It’s a detail you might miss if you’re not looking for it, but it’s an important one to us. It reminds us that our mountain town helped shape early scientific exploration of the American landscape.
Carolina Lily. Source: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php
Six state historical markers are dedicated to Michaux in North Carolina
Sources
https://www.michaux.org/michaux.htm
https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/01/22/andre-michaux-p-21
https://files.nc.gov/ncdcr/NC-Historical-Markers-Guide-Final-Oct-30-2019-PDF.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Discover Black Mountain, NC
Art and culture in the Town of Black Mountain is inextricably linked with our beautiful, natural world. Discover more About Black Mountain, then book your visit now after consulting our handy Places to Stay in Black Mountain guide.
About the Author
This blog story was written by Amy J. Schultz, an award-winning author, brand/marketing strategist, and overall creative type. She, her husband Brian, and their giant dog Bentley love their downtown Black Mountain neighborhood.
