A self-guided drive through the rural countryside in search of quilt blocks
The McDowell County Quilt Trail was established in June 2009 as part of a grassroots initiative to extend the Quilt Trail of Western North Carolina to McDowell County. It was sponsored by the McDowell Arts Council Association. The program’s purpose was to promote tourism, preserve history, and contribute to economic growth. The quilt blocks located on this trail are connected by name or design to the history of the land, building, or family that is hosting the block.
Creating and maintaining the trail has been quite the undertaking. Volunteers constructed, painted, installed, and wrote stories. Blocks were constructed of exterior signboard on a 2” x 4” frame and painted with high-quality exterior paint, which has a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years. As many as 90 hours were dedicated to just one block. A total of 146 blocks were installed throughout the county.
The McDowell County Quilt Trail was retired in 2018, but some of the 230 blocks can still be spotted throughout the county. For adventurous travelers, 117 quilt blocks are listed on the McDowell County Quilt Block Trail. Be mindful when driving to any of the locations. Blocks may or may not be intact, and some are on private property.
