Ella Emmons Hudson, a newcomer to the young town of Highlands, dreamt of providing reading material for the town and its surrounding communities. She died before fully realizing her vision, but her dream lived on to become the Hudson Library, founded June 13, 1884. The first books in the collection were those brought up the muddy mountain road from Walhalla, S.C. when Miss Hudson moved to Highlands. The Hudson Library is one of the oldest public libraries in North Carolina.

Over the years, a score of individuals dedicated to reading, learning and sharing knowledge have guided the library. The longest serving librarian was Gertrude Harbison who began working in 1926, and remained faithfully on the job until her death in 1974. She was ably assisted during her tenure by her sister, Dorothy.