Robert Rankin has owned Robbinsville, NC’s Snowbird Mountain Lodge for nearly two decades. As a Robbinsville local, Robert Rankin is also a supporter of the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center, an organization working to preserve the Appalachian heritage of western NC.

1. STECOAH VALLEY
CENTER WORKS TO
PRESERVE
APPALACHIAN
TRADITIONS
Robert Rankin, Robbinsville, NC

2. Introduction
 Robert Rankin has owned Robbinsville, NC’s
Snowbird Mountain Lodge for nearly two decades.
As a Robbinsville local, Robert Rankin is also a
supporter of the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts
Center, an organization working to preserve the
Appalachian heritage of western NC.
The Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center (SVCAC)
offers extensive programming opportunities to
help people understand the traditional
Appalachian mountain way of life of historical
North Carolina. All of SVCAC’s programs are
community-oriented learning experiences. One
example is the Appalachian Musicians Program.

3. Stecoah Valley Center
 The Appalachian Musicians Program is an
after-school opportunity for students in grades
4 through 12 in Graham County. Using
traditional Appalachian instruments, program
instructors lead students in learning about the
music of their heritage. Students in the
program regularly perform in surrounding
communities, at local festivals, and an annual
SVCAC open house recital. The students who
participate in SVCAC programming are
gaining a chance to reclaim and assist in
preserving their ancestors’ way of life.