Skip to main contentSkip to main content
You have permission to edit this collection.
Edit
McDowell News
51°
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • user icon Guest
  • Logout
Read Today's E-edition
  • News
    • Local
    • Crime
    • State and Regional
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Business
    • Nation & World
    • Markets & Stocks
    • News Tip
  • Obituaries
    • Share a story
    • Recent Obituaries
    • Find an Obituary
  • Opinion
    • Columnists
    • Cartoon
    • Editorials
    • Letters
    • Submit a letter
  • Sports
    • High School
    • College
    • Professional
  • Lifestyles
    • Event Calendar
    • Arts and Theatre
    • Food & Cooking
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
    • Contests
    • Comics
    • Puzzmo
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Play
    • Home & Garden
    • Health
    • Parenting
    • Fashion
    • People
    • Travel
    • Faith
  • Sponsored Content
  • Join the community
    • News tip
    • Share video
    • Send a story
    • Share a photo
  • Brand Ave. Studios
  • Print Edition
    • E-edition
    • Today's Ads
    • Special Sections
    • McDowell Archives
  • Buy & Sell
    • Place an Ad
    • Jobs
    • Cars
    • Marketplace
    • Public Notices
    • Shop Local
    • Today's Deal
  • Shopping
  • Customer Service
    • Manage Subscription
    • Activate Digital Subscription
    • Newsletter sign-up
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • Help Center
  • Gift Subscriptions
  • Mobile Apps
  • Weather: Live rader
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
© 2026 Lee Enterprises
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy
McDowell News
News+
Where your story lives
Subscribe
Read Today's E-edition
McDowell News
News+
Where your story lives
Subscribe
  • Log In
  • user icon
    Welcome, Guest
    • My Subscription
      Help Center
    • My Account
    • Dashboard
    • Profile
    • Saved items
    • Logout
  • E-edition
  • News
  • Obituaries
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Puzzmo
  • Puzzles
  • Lifestyles
  • Public Notices
  • Jobs
  • 51° Clear
Share This
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • WhatsApp
  • SMS
  • Email
From Our Archives: Here's a look back at this week in 2002
0 Comments
Share this
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • WhatsApp
  • SMS
  • Email
  • Print
  • Save

From Our Archives: Here's a look back at this week in 2002

  • May 20, 2021
  • May 20, 2021 Updated Jun 27, 2022
  • 0

This feature mines our archives for what was going on this week in local history.

052321 archives p1.jpg

052321 archives p1.jpg

Nineteen years ago this week, the 27th annual Assault on Mount Mitchell and the ninth annual Assault on Marion took place. Organizers were expecting around 1,300 cyclists for the weekend event. In this photo, Michael and David Bingham were father and son cyclists who rode in the Assault on Mount Mitchell. It was dad David’s third time in the mountain challenge while Michael took on the task for the first time.

MCDOWELL NEWS ARCHIVES

052321 archives p2.jpg

052321 archives p2.jpg

Nineteen years ago this week, Jonathan Edwards, 5, got some help with his cap in preparation for graduation exercises for the McSmiles preschool program, which were held at Eastside Baptist Church in Nebo.

PHOTOS FROM THE MCDOWELL NEWS ARCHIVES

052321 archives p3.jpg

052321 archives p3.jpg

Nineteen years ago, the Marion Kiwanis Club recognized The Big Picture as the Kiwanis Business of the Month. Wayne Silver (right), business recognition chairman of the Marion Kiwanis Club, presented Tim Griffith with the award. Griffith, who owned and operated the business, gave a brief history of his digital studio, which specializes in pageant photos, photo restoration and other services.

052321 archives p4.jpg

052321 archives p4.jpg

Nineteen years ago this week, McDowell County Farm Bureau women’s committee member Shelby McClure assists McDowell County Farm Bureau board member Donald Jackson with a piece of cake at a reception for an exhibit at the Mountain Gateway Museum in Old Fort. “Working the Land” was a traveling exhibition about the past, present and future of farming in Southern Appalachia, particularly western North Carolina. The joint effort by Western Carolina University and N.C. Farm Bureau examined the history of the family farm, how it has changed and what lies ahead.

052321 archives p5.jpg

052321 archives p5.jpg

Nineteen years ago this week, the McDowell High School Interact Club had new officers. They were (from left) Elizabeth Long, secretary; Todd Laughridge, president; Mandy Palm, treasurer; and Laura Dark, vice president. They were shown with Marshall Dark with the Rotary Club of Marion.

052321 archives p6.jpg

052321 archives p6.jpg

During the week of May 23, 2002, Shelia Frick, a West McDowell Junior High School student, celebrated the end of the school year and success with her end-of-grade tests at a fun day on the school grounds.

052321 archives p7.jpg

052321 archives p7.jpg

Below, during the week of May 23, 2002, Natalie Morgan’s fourth-grade class at Glenwood Elementary completed this model of an imaginary theme park called Tar Heel Thrill. Morgan and A.G. teacher Betty Ross wrote the project, which students had been working on since January 2002. The class was told that Disney had hired them as consultants to build a theme park in North Carolina. Every ride at the imaginary park had to be directly related to North Carolina and park themes incorporated the mountains, Piedmont and coastal plains regions. The project integrated math, reading and social studies as well as creatively engaging students in curriculum requirements.

052321 archives p8.jpg

052321 archives p8.jpg

During the week of May 23, 2002, Marion Police Chief Tim Benware directed traffic around a gas line break at the intersection of South Main and Morgan streets. A city backhoe broke a gas main. The fire department blocked the street and Marion police officers rerouted traffic onto other roads. A couple of people in nearby businesses were asked to leave until the main was repaired.

052321 archives p9.jpg

052321 archives p9.jpg

During the week of May 23, 2002, the McDowell High Spring Sports Awards program was held. Varsity baseball award winners were (left to right) Justin Dalton (Big Hitter Award), Michael Taylor (Most Valuable Pitcher), Adam Grindstaff (Gary Burleson Memorial Award), Steve Wilkerson (MVP) and Sterling Parker (Gold Glove Award).

052321 archives p10.jpg

052321 archives p10.jpg

During the week of May 23, 2002, the McDowell High Spring Sports Awards program was held. Athlete of the Year award winners were (left to right) Tyler Pool (Scholar Athlete of the Year), Erin May (Female Athlete of the Year) and Turner Kincaid (Male Athlete of the Year).

052321 archives p11.jpg

052321 archives p11.jpg

During the week of May 23, 2002, McDowell High School graduate Robert Sanders got a congratulatory hug from friend Debbie Jones. Sanders joined more than 300 McDowell High seniors in commencement exercises. The class of 2002 was the smallest MHS had graduated since the county schools were consolidated in the early 1970s. But that small group earned more in grants and scholarship money – more than $2.6 million – than any class in the school’s history, breaking the record set by the class of 1999. Student Body President Tyler Pool gave the commencement address.

052321 archives p12.jpg

052321 archives p12.jpg

During the week of May 23, 2002, students from Old Fort traveled to Calgary, Alberta. The students on this trip were pictured standing with their teachers at Old Fort Elementary School. They are all standing in front of a map showing the 10 schools in the United States and Canada that received grants from the SMARTer Kids Foundation. The students were (front row, from left) Jesse Bowen, Jordan Allison and Grace Melton and (middle row, leaning forward) Kirstie Thompson, Ethan Walsh and Brittany Ricketts. The teachers (back row) were Brooks Parrish, Brenda Day and Angela Hines.

0 Comments

Related to this collection

Most Popular

From our Archives: Here’s a look back at this week in 1976

From our Archives: Here’s a look back at this week in 1976

This feature mines our archives for what was going on this week in local history.

From our Archives: Here’s a look back at photos from McDowell County this week in 2001

From our Archives: Here’s a look back at photos from McDowell County this week in 2001

This feature mines the McDowell News archives for what was going on this week in local history.

From our Archives: Here’s a look back at pictures from McDowell County this week in 1996

From our Archives: Here’s a look back at pictures from McDowell County this week in 1996

This feature mines our archives for what was going on this week in local history.

McDowell News
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Sites & Partners

  • Place an Ad
  • Today's Deal
  • Event Calendar
  • Join Our Team
  • Newsletter Signup

Services

  • Manage Subscription
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Licensing
  • Dealer Returns
  • Shopping
© Copyright 2026 The McDowell News, P.O. Box 968 Marion, NC 28603
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Advertising Terms of Use | Do Not Sell My Info | Cookie Preferences
Powered by BLOX Content Management System from bloxdigital.com.

You are logged in
 Switch accounts
Secure transaction. Cancel anytime. Have an account? Log In

Sign Up

Account processing issue - the email address may already exist

User information
This is the name that will be used to identify you within the system. Choose wisely!
Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more!
Your email address will be used to confirm your account. We won't share it with anyone else.
Create a password that only you will remember. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address.
Confirm your password.
Have an account? Log In

You're all set!

Thank you .

Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.

Check your email for details.

OK

Log In

Invalid password or account does not exist

Forgot your password?
Email me a log in link
Admin login Subscribe
Need an account? Sign Up

Reset Password

Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.

Forgot Password

An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.

Email me a log in link

Promotional Offers

No promotional rates found.

Purchase Gift Purchase Access

An error occurred

Secure & Encrypted

What's your email address?
What's your name?
Who is this gift for?
Who is this gift from?
Delivery date
What's your billing location?
What's your delivery address?
Subtotal:
Total:
How would you like to pay?
Add New Card

Secure transaction. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime.

You're all set!

Thank you.

Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.

A receipt was sent to your email.

OK

An error occurred

This offer is currently unavailable.