Valley Rewind: YWCA in Black Mountain, 1915

This 1915 photograph shows the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) sitting on the steps of the former Robert E. Lee Hall (now Eureka Hall) while attending a convention at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain. The YWCA was originally established in England in 1855, and by 1906 the United States had formed its own national organization. Early YWCA groups throughout the South focused on alleviating poverty, helping young women move into mainstream society, and providing housing for girls seeking inexpensive and safe quarters as they started their lives away from home. Today, the YWCA has locations in all 50 states and offers a variety of services and programs for women, girls, and their families.