Our History
In 1966, a struggling English teacher at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Northeast Georgia asked his students what would make school more interesting. They decided to create a magazine, featuring stories gathered from their families and neighbors about the pioneer era of southern Appalachia as well as traditions still thriving in the region.
The students called it “Foxfire” after the glow-in-the-dark fungus found in the local hills. This spark of an idea turned into a phenomenon of education and living history, exploring how our past contributes to who we are and what we can become – how the past illuminates our present and inspires imagination.
Museum & Heritage Center
In 1974, Foxfire used book royalties to purchase land, which eventually became an immersive museum. Today, you can experience Foxfire first-hand by walking through the outdoor museum and encountering buildings and artifacts representative of life in the mountains, from the 1820s to the 1940s. Download our trail map here.
Location:
98 Foxfire Ln, Mountain City, Georgia 30562
Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 9:00 am until 4:00 pm, last admission at 3:00 pm
Sundays 12:00 – 4:00 pm*
Sunday Museum option closes from December 1st, 2024 through March 31st, 2025
Foxfire Books
The Foxfire Magazine generated global interest in the folkways and crafts of Southern Appalachia. The Foxfire Book was the first of a series of anthologies compiling articles from the magazine and focusing on the trades, crafts, and livelihoods of the Appalachian pioneers. Today, there are a dozen books in the Foxfire series as well as companion books covering everything from hog scalding to making wine.
The Magazine
The Foxfire Magazine has been in continuous production since first published in 1967. Today, students in the Foxfire Fellowship at our museum produce two issues each year, focusing on the remarkable stories and extraordinary talents of people in the surrounding communities. Additionally, students get to explore mediums beyond the magazine, producing short video documentaries and producing segments for Foxfire’s It Still Lives podcast.