To the Editor:

I am opening The American Museum of the House Cat at a new location in April. I want to make this a landmark that will continue to bring the people who like cats to visit Sylva and the surrounding area. Since the museum opened in 2017, more than 12.000 people have visited. I have a person who has asked if I will be open in June. She is coming to the area from Amsterdam. The museum has become a place of interest to the world. 

Together we can make it even better. There is a lot of open space at the new location. I’d like to offer this space to artists who will put something there that relates to the cat. It could be a sculpture, a painting on the outside wall of the museum. Anything that would cause “cat people” and any others who are interested and are driving along U.S. 441 to stop.

Once they visit the museum, we will urge and direct them to other attractions. We could use help inside the museum too. I am enlarging the mock carousel that we have. It carries eight antique carved carousel cats. These will be placed in a circle under a carousel top, which will have eight rounding boards. These are about four feet long and two feet high. Each has a 16-by-20-inch frame in the middle.

I want to put paintings in each that will depict scenery and other attractions in our area. This would include: the courthouse, the Smokey Mountain Railroad, the Blue Ridge Parkway, local waterfalls, and anything else. I want local artists to paint these. I have matching frames. These will inform and attract interest. I could use a carpenter to help me built the carousel itself. There are others needs. Just ask what you can do to help promote northern Jackson County. 

Are you interested? Want to display your art? Contact me by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 828 476 9376. 

Harold Sims

Cullowhee