North Carolina
The Legacy of the Scots-Irish: Historical Migration to Cultural Inspiration
Program No. 20141RJ
Learn how the Scots-Irish helped shape our nation as you explore their contributions to Appalachian culture, Civil War history and the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
15 meals (
5B, 5L, 5D
)
14 expert-led lectures
4 expert-led field trips
3 performances
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
check-in (arrival), getting settled, dinner, and orientation
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Inn check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your name-tag (sent previously)
Afternoon:
Assembly Inn check-in 3:00-5:30 p.m. Pull up to the Assembly Inn porch to unload, then park your vehicle in any designated spot close to the Inn or by the lake and check in. Program Registration. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Feel free to relax in your room, meet and enjoy fellowship with other participants in the beautiful lobby, or stretch your legs with a walk around the campus before dinner.
Dinner:
Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Evening:
Orientation: 7:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will also meet the instructor. This is a Road Scholar Retreats program. Programming at Retreat locations includes opportunities for light morning exercise, interaction with members of the local community, a farm-to-table meal, and evening entertainment. Sleeping and dining facilities are in one building, with approximately 300 yards walking required. On some evenings, there will be entertainment such as a concert, dance, or storyteller followed by opportunities for fellowship in the lobby of the Inn. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We’ll finish up around 8:00 p.m. with some “get to know you” activities and then have refreshments and fellowship in the lobby. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
2
Who are the Celts? Celtic Christianity, Influence on America
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
coffee in lobby around 6:30; join us 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson; you can decide about walking in afternoon
Breakfast:
Breakfast 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Morning:
With Lee Knight, let's take a look at the Appalachian geography and talk about why this area was so appealing to the Scots-Irish who migrated here. Who are the Celts? Our instructor will present the background of Celtic origins and the lasting impact of their culture and traditions on the Scots who would become Scots-Irish. We’ll discuss the resistance of the Celts to Roman occupation and the evolution of Scotland as a country. Our mid-morning refreshment will be in the lobby. Afterward, we'll return to the classroom for our presentation on the Scots-Irish Influence on America with Righton McCallum. Because of their Presbyterian religion and heritage, the Scots-Irish were literate in a land of otherwise undereducated settlers. No matter how destitute a family on arrival, if they were industrious, they prospered in some endeavor. We'll explore their contributions!
Lunch:
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., lunch is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Afternoon:
(Lee Knight) With St. Patrick and the coming of Christianity to Ireland and Scotland, begin to understand the influence of Celtic Christianity and the monastic movement on the future development and philosophy of the Scottish kirk. Following class, there will be an opportunity to explore the Montreat campus with a local resident. Come learn a little history, see some sites, and hear some stories (we'll leave you to decide which ones are true).
Dinner:
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Dinner will be served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Evening:
Evening program will be a local band, Sourwood Ridge. games/cards and tv available in the lobby for fellowship.
Day
3
Reformation, Influence on America, Life in the lowlands
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
coffee in lobby around 6:30; join us 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson; boarding vans for field trip (travel time 40 minutes r/t); walking during field trips
Breakfast:
7:30 - 8:30 a.m. breakfast is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Morning:
(Lee Knight) Kingdoms, kings and intrigue prevail as the fierce Scottish independent spirit clashes with England. Learn about the arrival of the Reformation and the development of the Presbyterian church. Mid-morning, we'll have a refreshment break and then return to the classroom for more explorations on the Scots-Irish Influence on America with Righton McCallum. Did you know that the Declaration of Independence was drafted by Scots and signed by 21 men of Gallic descent?
Lunch:
12:30 - 1:30 lunch is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Afternoon:
Back in class with Lee Knight, we'll explore what was life like in the lowlands of Scotland in the 16th century. Learn what made the Plantation of Ulster possible and how life changed for the lowland Scots who migrated there. After class, the class will venture to Old Fort, NC (20 minutes) to visit the Mountain Gateway Museum. The Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center offers a variety of educational and historical exhibits for public viewing. Some permanent exhibits include - Remedies From the Past: Folk Medicine in Western NC, Spinning and Weaving, Moonshining, A Time to Plant and a Time to Pluck, and there are two 19th Century cabins on the museum's grounds. Temporary exhibits are rotated in the museum in various times of the year. The Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center promotes the understanding of regional history and culture and their relationship to the world at large, for the benefit of visitors and residents. Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center encourages the preservation and understanding of local, state, and regional history for future generations.
Dinner:
5:30 - 6:30 dinner
Evening:
From a Songcather's Notebook: Lee has collected songs from around the World. This evening we will do songs from the Southern Appalachians, Adirondacks, South Carolina Sea Islands, Great Britain, Central Asia, South America and Canada. All of the songs have great stories and many have choruses, so bring your voice.
Day
4
First Americans; Migration to America, free aft, Music
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
coffee in lobby around 6:30; join us 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson; field trip is 40 minutes (round trip) and we will stay about an hour.
Breakfast:
7:30 - 8:30 a.m. breakfast is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Morning:
Our early morning course with Lee Knight will talk about the first Americans; their culture, songs and stories. Mid-morning, we'll venture to the lobby for refreshments and fellowship. During our second class period this morning, with Lee, we'll begin looking at the Scots-Irish in North America and especially the southern Appalachians. Let’s learn about the importance of the Great Wagon Road and the Wilderness Road to the settlement of the Scots- Irish in the Southern Appalachians. Begin to appreciate the culture and traditions in a new land and the value of music in everyday life.
Lunch:
12:30 - 1:30 lunch is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Afternoon:
Immediately after lunch, we will board the vans for another field trip. This time to the Folk Art Center located in Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Since 1930, the Guild has exhibited the handmade crafts of the people of NC and the Southeast, and today is one of the strongest craft organizations in the country, representing just over 800 makers in 293 counties from 9 states. What started as a way to bring together the area’s creativity and arts while boosting income — during the Great Depression the Guild cultivated commerce for craftspeople in the Appalachian region — has become an iconic fixture of the craft revival movement. After the field trip, enjoy Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Dinner:
5:30 - 6:30 Farm to Table dinner.
Evening:
During our evening course, we will explore more songs from Lee's "songcatcher's notebook."
Day
5
Music, Stories, Christmas; Shaped Notes; Oak and Grist
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
coffee in lobby around 6:30; join us 7:30 - 7:45 for early morning stretches with Martha Nelson; field trip is 30 minutes (round trip) staying about an hour at the Distillery
Breakfast:
7:30 - 8:30 a.m. breakfast
Morning:
During the early morning course with Lee Knight, we’ll have fun with the lighter side of music, learning about play parties, courtship and the instruments of the Southern Appalachians. Let's talk about Christmas Celebrations and Customs! Our mid-morning break will be in the lobby and then we'll return to the classroom for "Scots-Irish Influence on America" with Righton McCallum.
Lunch:
12:30 - 1:30 lunch is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Afternoon:
Our afternoon course will explore the Cherokee removal, trail of tears, and Mountain Spirituals including the heritage and beautiful harmonies of the shaped note tradition. Following class with Lee, Sam Hobson joins us to talk about moonshine and other spirits. We will take a field trip (staggered departures) to the Oak and Grist Distilling Company where we will have a tour of the facility, learn about them, and have a tasting of some of the spirits they produce. As one of the Southeast’s few 100% grain-to-glass distilleries, Oak and Grist’s small-batch whiskey and gin capture the unique flavors of the region and celebrates Appalachian farmers, producers, and artisans. Crafted from locally grown and malted barley. Founded in 2015 to craft a regionally inspired Single Malt, Oak and Grist offers a new generation of 100% from scratch spirits informed by the traditions of Scotland and inspired by those of Appalachia. The same passion and curiosity our mentor Edwin brought to his storied career in Scotland, is evident in every small-batch of Oak and Grist’s spirits.
Dinner:
5:30 - 6:30 dinner is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Evening:
We’ll gather for a last evening together as a group (a concert or storyteller), followed by an opportunity for games/cards/TV in lobby for fellowship. Prepare for check-out and departure after lunch tomorrow, including requesting a box lunch if you have to leave before lunch on Friday.
Day
6
Scots Irish Influence on America
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L
Breakfast:
7:30 - 8:30 a.m. breakfast is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room
Morning:
Our last two classes, with Righton, will focus on "Scots-Irish Influence on America." We'll review some of our greatest inventors, our busiest explorers and most intriguing Cherokee chieftains. Our national debt to these courageous settlers is worthy of study! We'll have a refreshment break mid-morning, giving an opportunity to check out of your room (check required by 11 a.m.) Classes will finish up by 12:30 and then we'll have lunch and say our goodbyes.
Lunch:
12:30 - 1:30 lunch is served in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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Please Note:
This program has itinerary variations on certain dates.
Nov 09, 2025 - Nov 14, 2025
Sep 28, 2025 - Oct 03, 2025
Oct 26, 2025 - Oct 31, 2025
Nov 09, 2025 - Nov 14, 2025
Nov 30, 2025 - Dec 05, 2025
Mar 08, 2026 - Mar 13, 2026
Apr 12, 2026 - Apr 17, 2026
May 24, 2026 - May 29, 2026
Aug 30, 2026 - Sep 04, 2026
Oct 25, 2026 - Oct 30, 2026
Nov 08, 2026 - Nov 13, 2026
Dec 06, 2026 - Dec 11, 2026
