Highlands Historical Society

In 1979 a small group of Highlands residents began to meet because they shared a concern for the history of the town. The area was changing rapidly and historic structures were disappearing. These concerned citizens formed the Highlands Historical Preservation Society, Inc., a non-profit organization, which unfortunately fell into inactivity, but in 1999 it was reactivated as the Highlands Historical Society, Inc., for the same reasons it was originally formed. By 2000 the new society had appropriately bought for its home the oldest house still standing in Highlands and by 2002 was honored by the North Carolina Society of Historians for its progress over three short years—from when it had no building to call its own, no funds in the treasury, and no archives to speak of—to what it stands for today: an active society intent on preserving and promoting the heritage of Highlands.