Burke County Public Library

From , Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

May the rays of the summer solstice sun fill your body with warmth and strength!

The summer solstice marks the official start of astronomical summer and the longest day of the year. In 2026, it happens at 4:24am (EST) on June 21!

It occurs when one of Earth's poles is tilted toward the sun at its most extreme angle, and due to Earth's tilt, this happens twice a year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice falls in June (while the Southern Hemisphere experiences the winter solstice), and in the Southern Hemisphere, it falls in December (while the Northern Hemisphere experiences the winter solstice).

The summer solstice and subsequent longest day of the year are celebrated by many cultures around the world with numerous traditions, holidays and festivals. From sunrise gatherings to midsummer festivals, summer solstice celebrations certainly blow the winter cobwebs away.

In Northern and Central European Neolithic cultures, the summer solstice may have been related to timings of crop cycles. It was typically marked by Celtic, Slavic and Germanic people by lighting bonfires, intended to boost the sun’s strength for the remainder of the crop season and ensure a healthy harvest.

Many Neolithic stone circles (like Stonehenge) also appear to have been built around the movement of the sun at solstices. Because there are no written accounts from the time, it’s difficult to be definitive about their exact purpose. However, stones appear to be carefully positioned to align with the sun’s movements, framing solar motion on summer and winter solstices. Stones which were placed at the axis of a particular solstice were even shaped with hammerstones to frame the sunrise for those standing in the centre of the circle.

For those who celebrate, Blessed Litha! Litha is a pagan holiday; one of their eight sabbats during the year. Litha (also known as Midsummer) occurs on the summer solstice, and celebrates the beginning of summer. The traditions of Litha appear to be borrowed from many cultures. Most ancient cultures celebrated the summer solstice in some way. The Celts celebrated Litha with hilltop bonfires and dancing. Many people attempted to jump over or through the bonfires for good luck. For modern day pagans, Litha is a day of inner power and brightness. Some people find a quiet spot and meditate about the light and dark forces in their world. Some other observers, particularly those with children, celebrate this holiday outside. Lastly, some observers choose to observe Litha more traditionally, and they would hold a fire ritual.

# SummerSolstice

Books for every gardener. Green thumb, or not!

Whether you have been gardening for years, decided this is the year to start, or anywhere in-between, we have the book for you.

Come look through our collection at Burke County Public Library.
, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
(Garden green background/Photo of bookshelf of gardening books with a hand featuring a green thumb/photo of a white cat with a bit of orange on its head, with a very skeptical look on its face/text/logos/web address)

Are you a senior citizen looking for help with technology? Tuesday, June 23, the Western Piedmont Council of Governments Planning and Transportation department will offer Digital Literacy for Seniors Drop-In sessions at the Morganton Public Library from 9:30 a.m. until noon. These sessions are one-on-one meetings with our Digital Navigator and pre-registration is required. If you would like individual help with smartphones and tablets, laptops, apps on your devices, online bill pay, making online appointments, online shopping, and more, please stop by the Adult Services circulation desk or call 828-764-9261 to schedule your 30-minute appointment. These sessions are FREE of charge.

There's still time to get registered for this summer's LIVE Among Us Night on Thursday, June 25 @ 6:15pm at the Morganton Public Library!

Register and join the teens as we play live-action rounds of Among Us at the library! Complete tasks and try to catch the imposter. Registration is required for after-hours access to the library, and is limited to rising middle, middle and high school students only. For more information or to pre-register, contact Lizzie at 828-764-9273 or by email at [email protected].

Are you ready for a Lego Challenge? Join us at the Valdese Public Library on Tuesday, June 23, at 5:30pm at build something found under the ground! This program is open to all ages and no registration is required.

Happy Juneteenth!

Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree.

This day came to be known as Juneteenth, now officially a federal holiday. Juneteenth is a time to celebrate, gather as a family, reflect on the past and look to the future.

Find more information from the National Museum of African American History and Culture at https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/moments/juneteenth/a-cause-for-celebration

# Juneteenth

Mark your calendars now! You're invited to join us on Monday, June 29 for a cultural experience like no other. Today you can enjoy an incredible dance presentation by NC's own SUAH African Dance Theater based out of Greensboro, NC.

This program is free and open to all ages! Make plans to join us at the C.B. Hildebrand Public Library on Monday, June 29 at 3pm.

For more information contact Lizzie at 828-764-9273 or by email at [email protected].

Today's Throwback Thursday photo is a companion to our Picture Burke Photo of the Week. The Glen Alpine Springs Hotel was a resort built in the 1870's in the Brindletown section of Burke County, NC. When it was built, it was said to be the largest frame structure in North Carolina. The grand resort in the mountain foothills was 200 feet in length, three stories high, topped with a prominent tower, and featured a dining room that could seat 200 guests. It closed around 1902.

The Presbyterian Mission Board acquired the property and ran a boarding school called Glen Alpine Springs School there from 1902 to 1909. The building then remained vacant until it was destroyed by fire in 1934. This image was taken after the building was abandoned.

The photo was submitted by R. Douglas Walker, Jr. to Picture Burke, a digital photograph preservation project of the NC Room of the Burke County Public Library.

Don't forget that tomorrow is this month's Crochet Cafe at the Valdese Public LIbrary! Grab your work-in-progress to an evening of chatting with friends who share your love of all things . Open to adults and teens!

For more information contact Danielle at [email protected].