The Heritage Center

Our mission is to preserve and keep alive the stories of the remarkable persons and events that make up our unique history as United Methodists in the Southeast so that all may remember, understand, and grow. Our most visible work is found in the SEJ Heritage Center at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. The museum features exhibits depicting the history of the United Methodist Church and its antecedents with special emphasis on the Southeastern Jurisdiction. It is a valuable tool for the interpretation of our history and is used often for teaching confirmation classes, youth and adult groups as well as for the casual visitor. The archives contain records of SEJAC, journals and newspapers of the SEJ Annual Conferences, some local church histories and clergy biographical information and books on a variety of subjects related to Methodism and its people in the Southeastern Jurisdiction. A special portion of our archives it dedicated to the correspondence and other personal papers of Harry Denman. We have researchers of all levels — from those curious about where their great-granddaddy preached to scholars preparing material for publications.

The Heritage Center provides:
Educational displays and programs enabling visitors to enter into the lives of persons in the tradition
Modern, safe, properly controlled storage of administrative and historical records of laity, clergy, agencies, and organizations in the jurisdiction
A museum for the SEJ and Lake Junaluska Assembly
A library of SEJ-related research publications
A center for collecting the oral history of our constituent groups
Training for annual conference and local church leaders responsible for archives and history.

Heritage Center Hours of Operation:

Monday - Friday 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
(closed 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. for lunch)
Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Open other times by appointment only. Call 828-454-6781

Contact SEJ Commission on Archives & History:
Mailing Address
SEJACA&H/The Heritage Center
P.O. Box 1165
Lake Junaluska, NC 28745

Street Address
Harrell Center
710 N. Lakeshore Drive
Lake Junaluska, NC 28745
Phone: (828) 454 6781

Physical Location
Harrell Center Lower Level
Room 102

Nancy Watkins, Director
heritage@lakejunaluska.com