Welcome Back Summer Residents
Volume 6 • Issue 6 June 2011
The High Country’s Lifestyle Magazine For Summer Living
Summer Passion for Fashion
Dream Home Come True
Basement Beermakers
DI A N N E DAVA N T & A S S O C I AT E S Excellence By Design Since 1979
B A N N E R E L K , N O RT H C A R O L I N A 828.898.9887 S T U A R T, F L O R I D A 772.287.2872 W W W. D A VA N T - I N T E R I O R S . C O M
B
High Country Magazine
June 2011
June 2011
High Country Magazine
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Welcome to the High Country! Enjoy Four Seasons of High Country Hospitality
800.438.7500
828.264.1299
Sponsored by High Country Host Members & Tourism Partners: Alleghany County Chamber & Visitor Center • Ashe County Chamber & Visitor Center Avery County Chamber & Visitor Center • Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce Beech Mountain Chamber/TDA • Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Blowing Rock TDA • Boone TDA • Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Mitchell County Chamber & Visitor Center • The Village of Sugar Mountain Watauga County TDA • West Jefferson TDA • Wilkes County Chamber of Commerce
www.mountainsofNC.com
2
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June 2011
June 2011
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Style
FIND YOUR
REFINED
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CARPET • HARDWOOD • TILE • LAMINATE 221 Boone Heights Drive • Boone, NC 28607 828-265-3622 • www.abbeycarpet.com David Warren, Store Manager
4
High Country Magazine
June 2011
June 2011
High Country Magazine
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56 C O N T E N T S
21 Pick One!
58
36
21
It’s as easy as picking a number out of a hat. The High Country is so rich with summer adventures—a day at the park, an exploration of a small country community, a scenic drive, a night on the town, an evening concert. Why not close your eyes, point to a spot on the map and go there?
100 Years of Being NC’s 100th North Carolina’s 100th county, Avery, celebrates its Centennial this year. Take this opportunity to learn more about the pioneers, towns, people and characteristics of Avery County and join in on a slew of activities planned to commemorate the historic milestone.
46 World War II Vet Lee Gardner
46
Avery County’s own Lee Gardner was an American soldier in World War II who fought in battles that many of us have only read about in the newspapers or in history books, including DDay and the Battle of the Bulge. And he would do it all again.
Mountains in 56 Conquering More Ways Than One Back in the ‘90s, as a strategy for addressing Watauga High School’s high dropout rate, Mountain Alliance aimed to engage students through meaningful community service and personal challenges. Whether it’s climbing Mount Washington, running a 5K for the first time or helping clean up after Hurricane Katrina, Mountain Alliance breaks down social barriers and inspires lifelong motivation and self-confidence.
66 6
Summer Passion for Fashion Our first fashion spread in April was so popular that it’s back again! Sexy, sassy and sophisticated styles for women are at the High Country’s finest boutiques.
High Country Magazine
June 2011
on the cover Photography by Todd Bush .... Todd Bush brought out the equipment to capture the cover photo for this month’s issue, taking hundreds of shots to get just the right one. Ben Henderson offered the use of his car as a backdrop for our model Miranda Fielder. That’s Grandfather Mountain in the background. Lori Bush was on hand to help out as well.
ABOUT US
The first High Country Press newspaper was published on May 5, 2005, and the first issue of High Country Magazine went to press in fall 2005. We publish the newspaper weekly and currently publish the magazine seven times a year. Both are free, and we distribute the newspaper and magazine in Watauga and Avery counties. Our newspaper is packed with information that we present and package in easy-to-read formats with visually appealing layouts. The magazine represents our shared love of our history, our landscape and our people. It celebrates our pioneers, our lifestyles, our differences and the remarkable advantages we enjoy living in the mountains. Our guiding principles are twofold: quality journalism makes a difference and customer care at every level is of the greatest importance. Our offices are located in downtown Boone, and our doors are always open to welcome visitors.
rtisan linens from France, Italy, Switzerland around the world.
Matouk © 2011
READER SERVICES
SUBSCRIPTIONS
We are now offering subscriptions to High Country Magazine. A one-year subscription for seven issues costs $40, and we will mail issues to subscribers as soon as they arrive at our offices from the printer. To subscribe, call our offices at 828-264-2262.
BACK ISSUES
Back issues of our magazines are available from our office for $5 per issue. Some issues are already sold out and are no longer available.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography and page reprints are available for purchase. For sizing, prices and usage terms, please call our office. Some photos may not be available and some restrictions may apply.
anufacturing
European-influenced down comforters, pillows & featherbeds in the High Country . . . since 1982.
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ADVERTISING
Obtain information about advertising in our publications from our sales representatives by calling 828-264-2262 or emailing us at sales@highcountrypress.com. Contact us at:
High Country Press/Magazine P.O. Box 152 130 North Depot Street Boone, NC 28607
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High Country Magazine
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C O N T E N T S
78 Dream Home Come True
Maria Lloyd put her trust in the professionals, and the result was a stunning 5,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, 3.5-bath dream home in Yonahlossee that is elegant yet relaxed and sophisticated but not pretentious.
78
in Basements 88 Brewing and Backyards These days, many beer lovers are taking matters into their own hands. Writer Jason Gilmer hears from High Country homebrewers who savor the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that come from handcrafting beer for the enjoyment of family and friends.
98 Grassy Creek Golf Course
Located in the gem and mineral capital of the state, Spruce Pine’s Grassy Creek Golf & Country Club boasts a course that challenges the pros yet is enjoyable for the amateurs.
D E P A R T M E N T S
10 12 16 120
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High Country Magazine
From the Publisher Calender of Events Mountain Echoes Parting Shot: Memorial Day
S E E A D V E R T I S E R S ’ I N D E X O N pa g e 118
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FRO M T HE PUB L ISH ER
A Publication Of High Country Press Editor & Publisher Ken Ketchie Creative Director Courtney Cooper Senior Graphic Artist Tim Salt Associate Editor Anna Oakes
Tourist Guide… W
Ken Ketchie
elcome back summer! With this being our first issue of the summer season, we’re once again presenting our annual look at what you can do in the High Country over the next few months. This year we used a “Pick One” theme—our way of challenging you to think about all the things we have right here in our backyards. We’re hoping this section gives you a little inspiration to “pick out” some summer activities, get out there and do them. It’s a little sad but true—and I know it’s something we’ve all joked about—but I find my best inspiration to “get out there” usually comes from friends coming up to visit as they try to escape those crazy 100-degree temperatures they live with down off the mountain. If you’ve lived up here for a while, you can appreciate the joke about our homes becoming a hotel of sorts during the summer season. And in that role, we usually also become sort of a tourist guide as well, lining up things to keep our house guests entertained. Here are a couple of my tried-and-true itineraries I use to keep my guests occupied. You can’t miss with a trip up to Grandfather Mountain. Millions of people have walked across that Mile High Swinging Bridge—where the views go on forever. There’s usually someone in your group that has to be coaxed onto the bridge, and that becomes the running joke of the visit. And then there’s the museum and animal habitat, which are really awesome, plus there’s a great restaurant at the museum, too. I never get tired of visiting Grandfather—and you can burn up at least half a day there. Consider buying a season pass. $150 gets you and five guests through the gate, and if you have one, you’ll find yourself a regular visitor as well. The Parkway, of course! Travel back and forth across the viaduct a couple of times. A quick hike up to Rough Ridge is easy yet rugged enough, and within 15 minutes you feel like you’re on top of the world. Enjoy a leisurely walk around Moses Cone Manor and picturesque Bass Lake. And if you’ve got some time and are feeling a little adventurous, you can’t beat Linville Falls. Speaking of hikes—I like Hebron Rock Colony, and not just because it’s close to my house. Once you get there, the hike turns into an adventure of climbing up and over boulders, following a river with cool mountain waters cascading all around. Folks in your group usually spread out, giving everyone a chance to get out there on their own. You could spend an afternoon here as well. For a scenic drive, I go through Valle Crucis, stopping at the Mast Store—the real deal. And then I take Highway 194, the curvy road up to Banner Elk, another nice stop, and then up to Beech Mountain, Eastern America’s highest town, where you’ll find the coolest temperatures in the High Country at Fred’s General Store. And then there are all the wonderful restaurants…but I let my guests choose them— ‘cause they’re buying! Happy trails this summer season! 10
High Country Magazine
June 2011
Advertising Sales Beverly Giles Amber Smith Contributing Writers Anne Baker Harris Prevost Becky Alghrary-McRee Tim Gardner Jason Gilmer Sally Treadwell Linda Kramer Contributing Photograhers Todd Bush Jason Gilmer Finance Manager Amanda Giles High Country Magazine is produced by the staff and contributors of High Country Press newspaper, which serves Watauga and Avery counties of North Carolina
HIGH COUNTRY MAGAZINE P.O. Box 152, Boone, NC 28607 828-264-2262 Follow our magazine online where each issue is presented in a flip-through format. Check it out at:
HighCountryMagazine.com Reproduction or use in whole or part of the contents of this magazine without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Issues are FREE throughout the High Country. © 2011 by High Country Press. All Rights Reserved.
June 2011
High Country Magazine
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Calendarof Events Calendar # 1
JUNE 2011
18
Charity Car Show, Blowing Rock Elementary, 828-295-5210
9-12
18
Father’s Day Grilling Demo, Ashe Farmer’s Market, Backstreet, West Jefferson, 336-877-4141
18
Mile of Flowers Walking Tour and Symposium, Meadowbrook Inn,
Charity Horse Show: Saddlebred, Blowing Rock
Equestrian Preserve, 828-295-2700
10
Car Show, downtown Newland, 828-733-3558
10
Sunset Stroll, browse shops and galleries and enjoy a
10
10-11
fine dinner, Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock, 828-295-6991
Blowing Rock, 828-963-8824
Gallery Crawl, West Jefferson galleries and shops, 336-846-2787
A Cool 5, dinner and games Friday/5-mile race and
18
Beech Mountain, 828-387-9283
18
1.5-mile run/walk Saturday, 828-387-3003
10-12
A Day Out With Thomas, Tweetsie Railroad, Blowing Rock, 877-893-3874
11
Art in the Park, American Legion Grounds, Blowing Rock, 828-295-7851
11
High Places Concert, Harvest House, Boone, 828-263-0502
11
Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony, Stone Center for Performing Arts,
North Wilkesboro, 336-667-3171
12
Blowing Rock Jazz Society: Zeke Listenbee Quartet, Meadowbrook Inn, Blowing Rock, 828-295-4300
12-28
Blowing Rock in Bloom, garden tours, landscaping lectures, luncheons and more, 828-295-7851
15
16
17-7/3
17-8/13
Third Thursday Lecture: History of the Mountain Dulcimer,
18-19
Roan Mountain Rhododendron Fest, Tenn., www.roanmountain.com
19
The DePue Brothers Band, Hayes
Our Broadway, July 8
Center, Blowing Rock, 828-295-9627
24
Doc Watson Sculpture Dedication, King Street and Jones House, downtown Boone, 828-262-4532
24-25 24-26
Mr. Broadway, Hayes Center, Blowing Rock, 828-295-9627 Dora the Explorer and Diego, Tweetsie Railroad,
Blowing Rock, 877-893-3874 24-26
Trade Days, Native American dance and pow wow, craft and food vendors, pioneer America reenactment and more, Trade, Tenn., 423-727-5800
25
Blood, Sweat & Gears, Valle Crucis Elementary School, 828-264-8226
25
Avery Tour de Art, Avery County area art galleries and
Martin House, Blowing Rock, 828-295-9099
Ensemble Stage Company: Catfish Moon, Blowing Rock
25
BRAHM Benefit Art Auction, Blowing Rock Frameworks and Gallery, 828-295-0041 or 828-295-9099
School auditorium, 828-919-6196
25
Mountain Home Music: Songs from the Civil War,
Horn in the West Outdoor Drama, Boone,
studios, 828-963-7246
Blowing Rock School Auditorium, 828-964-3392
26
Barney at Tweetsie, July 15 to 17 High Country Magazine
Singing on the Mountain, Grandfather Mountain, 828-733-2013
828-264-2120
12
Mountain Home Music: Canada’s Celtic Connection, Blowing Rock
School Auditorium, 828-964-3392
Animal Birthday Party, Grandfather
Mountain, 800-468-7325
High Country Community Yard Sale,
June 2011
27-7/3
I Do! I Do!, Hayes Auditorium, Lees-McRae College, Banner Elk, 828-898-8729
glass• es
DON’T FORGET
EVENTS
|ˈglasiz| |gløsəz|
1. Two pieces of corrective lenses held together by a frame, side by side, to be worn in front of one’s two eyes.
Free Summer Outdoor Concerts
2. Cool things worn on eyes to correct vision.
Nothing can be finer than listening to live music from a soft blanket or worn-in lawn chair at numerous area outdoor concerts, and best of all, they’re free! Check out Concerts on the Lawn at the Jones House in Boone, Music on the Lawn at the Best Cellar in Blowing Rock and bluegrass at Todd General Store on Friday evenings, Concerts in the Park in Banner Elk Thursday evenings and concerts at the gazebo at Fred’s in Beech Mountain on Sundays in July and August.
3. Something girls look hot wearing.
ALL SUMMER
OPTOMETRY
Horn in the West One of the nation’s oldest Revolutionary War dramas being performed today, Horn in the West portrays the lives of pioneers who braved the wilderness to settle in the Blue Ridge Mountains, seeking freedom from British tyranny. Numerous performances will take place June 17 through August 13. The historic Horn in the West amphitheater and Hickory Ridge Homestead, tucked in a wooded area in the heart of Boone, are worth exploring before the show.
June 17 to August 13
VISION
BLUE RIDGE
IN THE BOONE MALL CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT
828/264-2020
CARLTON GALLERY Celebrating 29Years
Spring Exhibition Mid-Summer Exhibition June 5 – July 15
Whitetop Mountain Band
Mountain Home Music Mountain Home Music features local and regional performers of Appalachian music. The 2011 season returns to the Blowing Rock School Auditorium this year with performances throughout the summer. Don’t miss shows by Dale Jett & Family, the Whitetop Mountain Band, the Dixie Dawn Band, Steve Lewis, David Johnson, Scott Freeman and more.
ALL SUMMER
July 24 – September 15 Opening Reception: Sun, July 24, 2-5pm Participant in Avery Tour de Art – 4th Saturdays, June – Oct 10, 5pm
“Abstract Reflections” May 27 – July 19
“Retrospective - Then and Now” July 23 – August 21
Wayne Trapp
Warren Dennis
Artists’ Reception: Saturday June 25, 2-4pm
Artist Reception: Saturday July 23, 2-4pm
PAINTINGS • CLAY • GLASS • SCULPTURE • WOOD • FIBER ART • JEWELRY Located 10 Miles South of Boone on Hwy. 105 Grandfather Community
TUESDAY-SATURDAY 10:00-5:00 • SUNDAY 11:00-5:00 8 2 8 - 9 6 3 - 4 2 8 8 • Call or check our website for workshop dates www.carltonartgallery.com • info@carltonartgallery.com June 2011
High Country Magazine
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DePue Brothers, June 19
Late Night Catechism, July 8 to 10
JULY 2011
1
13-18
2
Christmas in July, West Jefferson, 336-846-2787
2
Cool Summer Nights, Tweetsie Railroad, 877-893-3874
2
African Children’s Choir, Farthing Auditorium, ASU,
Berry Pie Contest Day, Ashe Farmers’ Market, Backstreet, West Jefferson, 336-877-4141
16
Cool Summer Nights, Tweetsie Railroad, 877-893-3874
16
Art in the Park, American Legion Grounds,
Mountain Home Music: Bluegrass & Brass, Bagpipes & Burgers, Chetola Resort, Blowing Rock, 828-964-3392
Blowing Rock, 828-295-7851
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, MacRae Meadows, Grandfather Mountain, 828-733-1333
‘Our Broadway’ with Chita Rivera and Ben Vereen, Farthing Auditorium, ASU, 828-262-4046
Fourth of July Events
2
MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove, Historic Cove Creek School,
Sugar Grove, 828-297-2200
2
4
4
4
Mud on the Mountain Pottery Show, Artists Alley, Blowing Rock, 828-295-8042
9
Cool Summer Nights, Tweetsie Railroad, 877-893-3874
9
Triad Stage: The Sunset Limited, Valborg Theatre, ASU,
14
10
Independence Day Picnic, Beech Mountain,
4
Liberty Parade, Todd, 336-877-5401
828-262-4046
4
4th of July Picnic and BBQ , Elk Park
Ensemble Stage: Dead Certain, Blowing Rock School
4
4th of July Parade and Festival, Banner Elk,
Brian Ayers Memorial Art Exhibition, Boone Mall,
828-898-8395
4
Blowing Rock Jazz Society: Larry Lapin,
Eastern Festival Orchestra w/ Violinist Nadja SalernoSonnenberg, Farthing Auditorium, ASU, 828-262-4046
High Country Magazine
June 2011
4th of July Celebration with Fireworks, Crossnore School, 828-898-0360
4
Watauga Lake 4th of July Boat Parade, Watauga Lake,
Tenn., 423-768-2336
Meadowbrook Inn, Blowing Rock, 828-295-4300
4th of July Car Show and Fireworks, Avery Senior Center parking lot, Newland, 828-260-3205
828-264-7286
10
July 4th Parade and Fireworks, downtown Boone,
828-387-4236
Auditorium, 828-919-6196
47th Annual Roasting of the Hog and Fireworks Celebration, Beech Mountain, 800-468-5506 828-264-4532
ContraBlossom Dance Weekend, old Cranberry High School, Elk Park, 423-341-1843
4th of July Festival and Parade, downtown Blowing
Rock, 828-295-5222
Comedy: Late Nite Catechism, Hayes Center,
Blowing Rock, 828-295-9627
9-8/21
k.d. lang and The Siss Boom Bang, Farthing Auditorium, ASU, 828-262-4046
16
3
9-19
15
9
Family Day, Turchin Center, ASU, 828-262-3017
Kingston Trio, Hayes Center, Blowing Rock, 828-295-9627
828-262-4046
16
3
8-10
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Farthing Auditorium, ASU,
8-10
14
A Day with Barney, Tweetsie Railroad, 877-893-3874
Eastern Festival Orchestra w/ Mezzo-Soprano Susan Graham, Farthing Auditorium, ASU, 828-262-4046
8-9
15-17
3
8
Swing! The Musical, Hayes Auditorium, Lees-McRae
828-262-4046
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, July 14
College, Banner Elk, 828-898-8729
Downtown Boone Art Crawl, downtown Boone galleries and businesses, 828-262-4532
7-10
Highland Games, July 7 to 10
4
July 4th Extravaganza Featuring Betty, Westglow Resort & Spa, Blowing Rock, 828-295-5146
4
Fireworks Extravaganza, Tweetsie Railroad, 877-893-3874
DON’T FORGET
EVENTS
Farmers’ Markets There’s no reason to settle for food that’s not fresh with a farmer’s market taking place nearly every day in the High Country! The Watauga County Farmers’ Market is going strong at Horn in the West in Boone on Saturday mornings and at Kmart on Wednesday mornings. The Ashe County Farmers’ Market is on the Backstreet in West Jefferson each Saturday, with Wednesday markets starting in July. Blowing Rock’s market takes place each Thursday evening on Wallingford Street. Markets are also in Banner Elk, Valle Crucis and Mountain City.
EVERY WEEK
Singing on the Mountain
828-733-3726••105 105ininLinville Linvilleatatthe theFoot FootofofGrandfather GrandfatherMtn Mtn 828-733-3726 www.mountaineerlandscaping.com www.mountaineerlandscaping.com
The 87th annual Singing on the Mountain at Grandfather Mountain is an all-day gospel sing and fellowship held in MacRae Meadows. Performers include Tim Greene Trio, The Primitive, The Cockman Family, Michael Combs, the Mighty Gospel Enforcers and George Hamilton IV with Terry Warren. Camping is available on the field.
SUNDAY June 26
An Appalachian Summer Festival Appalachian State University’s An Appalachian Summer festival is one of the most anticipated events of the summer, with concerts, dance performances, film screenings, lectures, workshops and more throughout the month of July. Highlights include k.d. lang, the African Children’s Choir, Broyhill Chamber Ensemble, Eastern Festival Orchestra, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Tony Rice and Mountain Heart and Dierks Bentley.
Through JULY
June 2011
High Country Magazine
15
mountain
echoes
Insider tips, fascinating facts, conversation starters and fun stuff to do
Christmas in July Saturday, July 2
cC
hristmas in July, one of the marquee events to take place in downtown West Jefferson each year, reaches the 25-year
mark in 2011. Taking place Saturday, July 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Christmas in July is a free event featuring the very best in traditional mountain music and handmade crafts from throughout the northwest mountains of North Carolina. You’ll find an excellent array of food, fun and festivities for the entire family. The old-fashioned summer festival draws more than 20,000 visitors in one day, with more than 20 mouth-watering food vendors, children’s activities, foot-stompin’ bluegrass music and more. Come on Friday, July 1, for an early kickoff to the festival featuring music by Blue Country Band and Buck Haggard Band from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m.
Festival Schedule MAIN STAGE 9:00 a.m. Southern Accent (bluegrass gospel) 10:00 a.m. Pans and Cans Steel Drum Band (Ashe High) 11:00 a.m. Crooked Road Ramblers (old-time) 12:00 p.m. Creek Junction Band (bluegrass) 1:00 p.m. Wayne Henderson and Friends (traditional) 2:00 p.m. Jeff Little (piano) 3:00 p.m. Big Country Bluegrass (bluegrass) 4:00 p.m. Dollar Brothers (bluegrass) 5:00 p.m. Amantha Mill (bluegrass) 6:00 p.m. Moods and Memories (1960s & ‘70s) 7:00 p.m. Tone Blazers (acoustic blend) DANCE STAGE 9:00 a.m. Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) 10:00 a.m. Dancin’ Debbies Noon April’s School of Dance 1:00 p.m. Fleet Feet Cloggers 2:30 p.m. Dancin’ Debbies 4:30 p.m. Pageant Queens - Jennifer Wilcox
HAPPENINGS
Summer Road Projects
Slow Down, Be Alert, Plan Ahead
sS
everal ongoing and new road improve-
56 percent complete and due to be finished by
ment projects will slow traffic in the High
December 31, 2011.
Country this summer, meaning you should plan
U.S. 321
to leave earlier to arrive at your destination on time.
While construction for the widening of U.S. 321 through Blowing Rock has been
U.S. 421 Widening
delayed until after summer, motorists will
N.C. 184 Four miles on N.C. 184 between Banner Elk and N.C. 105 are scheduled to be resurfaced this summer.
Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway will be closed to all
experience delays and lane closures on U.S.
traffic from Milepost 232.5 at Stone Mountain
on a project to widen
321 between Boone and Blowing Rock as
Overlook to Milepost 244.7 at Basin Cove Park-
U.S. 421 (King Street) to
NCDOT mills and resurfaces this 4.9-mile
ing Overlook until mid-summer 2011. Detour
multi-lanes between
section of highway this summer.
traffic signage will direct Parkway visitors
N.C. 194 and Hardin
N.C. 194
around the closure area via N.C. 18 and U.S. 21
Work continues
Street in Boone. Accord-
Travelers will continue to encounter road
ing to the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the project is 16
High Country Magazine
closures along N.C. 194 between Vilas and Ban-
of the detour, click to www.nps.gov/blri/plany-
ner Elk as work continues on bridge replace-
ourvisit/roadclosures.htm.
ments, safety improvements and resurfacing. June 2011
through Laurel Springs and Sparta. For a map
By Anna Oakes
mountain
Dogs Get a New Leash on Life
aA
PAWS
longer walks
The dogs spend eight weeks in training at the
of Correction program that allows mini-
correctional facility.
partner with local animal shelters, animal wel-
“The program makes our animals more adoptable, preparing them for their forever
fare agencies and/or private
homes, and has changed the
nonprofit agencies to train
lives of all the inmates involved,”
dogs in preparation for their
noted the Avery Humane Soci-
adoption. In turn, the inmates
ety website.
are given a chance to serve the community by training dogs to be well-behaved pets.
FIDO for MAYOR bigger yards
New Leash on Life is a N.C. Department
mum and medium custody state prisons to
echoes more treats
Todd Mayoral Seat Up for Sale
nN
o, dirty politics aren’t at work here. The Mayor of Todd election is merely a cre-
ative fundraising endeavor for the Todd Community Preservation Organization (TCPO). Dogs may file for candidacy in the election
As of March 2, 2011, 1,231 dogs have completed the program, according to the N.C. Department of
for a fee of $25. Submit your canine candidate’s name along with a photo, and voting will take place this summer for $1 per vote. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on
Since 2006, the Avery Humane Society has
Correction. Of those, 1,136 have been adopted
partnered with Mountain View Correctional In-
immediately following completion of the pro-
Town Day. All proceeds support TCPO’s summer
stitution in Spruce Pine to allow eight inmates
gram for a 92.3 percent rate of adoption.
concert series and other projects. For more info,
to train four dogs at a time in basic obedience.
By Anna Oakes
Saturday, September 24, during Todd Timber-
click to www.toddnc.org or call 336-877-5401.
By Anna Oakes
June 2011
High Country Magazine
17
mountain ARTS
echoes
60 Years of Horn in the West
yY
ou’ve had 60 years to check out one of the finest and oldest outdoor dramas in
the country—have you seen Horn in the West? And if you have, it’s time to see it again, as the show continues to include new changes and
Photo by Peter Morris
improvements every year.
highlights those settlers who came to the Blue
As the nation’s oldest Revolutionary War
Horn in the West begins its 60th season on Friday, June 17, at 8:00 p.m. Discounts for area
drama, Horn in the West brings to life the
Ridge Mountains seeking freedom and escape
residents are typically available the first couple
famous frontiersman Daniel Boone and the
from British tyranny. Regular admission is $18
of weekends and on the closing weekend.
hearty mountain settlers in their struggle to
for adults and $9 for children. For more info
Performances take place at 8:00 p.m. daily from
preserve their freedom during the turbulent
and/or to order tickets, call 828-264-2120 or
Tuesday through Sunday through August 13.
years of the War for Independence. The drama
click to www.horninthewest.com.
Art on the Roof June 12 Art on the Roof takes place at the Church of the Holy Cross in Valle Crucis on Sunday, June 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Located in the church’s Skiles Hall, the event features works by Noyes Long, Norma Murphy, Steve Williams, Seth Powell, Brett
Lauderdale
Harris
Kruger
Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame Inducts Lauderdale, Harris, Kruger
sS
inger-songwriter Emmylou Harris,
and musical pioneer Jim Shumate were in-
songwriter Jim Lauderdale and Jens
ducted in the 2011 class. Artists scheduled to perform at the June 11 ceremony includ-
Kruger of the Kruger Brothers are among
McDonough and a few surprises. Works for sale include pottery, glass works, jewelry, woodworks, garden art and more. Light refreshments will be served.For more info, call 828963-4609.
Tour de Art Begins June 25 The Greater Avery Tour de Art is every fourth
the 2011 inductees to the Blue
ed Lauderdale, Shumate, Darin and
Saturday of the month through October from 10:00
Ridge Music Hall of Fame.
Brooke Aldridge, the Kruger Broth-
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The first event is Saturday, June 25.
ers, David Johnson, Scott Gentry,
The Wilkes Heritage Museum
Eric Ellis and Arthur Grimes.
hosted the fourth annual Blue
Grimes is an Appalachian clog-
Ridge Music Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony on Saturday, June 11, at the Stone Center for the Performing Arts in North Wilkesboro. In addition to Harris, Lauderdale and Kruger, traditional dancer Willard Watson 18
High Country Magazine
ger in Boone who has performed
Grimes
on stage with the Carolina Choco-
late Drops and Old Crow Medicine Show.
Participants are Kevin Beck Studio, Artpurveyors, Carlton Gallery and Maggie Black Pottery in Foscoe; Alta Vista Gallery, Rio Watauga Art, Kincheloe Studio and Rivercross Market in Valle Crucis, Sally Nooney Gallery in Banner Elk;
For more info about the Blue Ridge Mu-
87 Ruffin Street, Avery Arts Council and Beth Myers
sic Hall of Fame, call 336-667-3171 or click to
Glass in Linville; Linville River Pottery in Pineola and
www.blueridgemusichalloffame.com.
Crossnore Fine Arts Gallery in Crossnore.
June 2011
mountain Professional Summer Theatre at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk
ARTS
echoes
Ss
ince 1985, Lees-McRae College’s Summer Theatre has produced top-notch perfor-
mances for High Country audiences featuring professional actors and stage crew members.
4th of July Craft Show
Returning to its standard three-show season
June 27 to July 3
July 13 to 18
August 3 to 8
Mountain Top Promotions presents the annual
this summer, the company will present I Do! I Do!
4th of July Craft Show at Banner Elk Elementary
June 27 to July 3, Swing! The Musical July 13 to July
School Saturday, Sunday and Monday, July 2, 3 and
18 and The Sound of Music August 3 to 8.
4, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.
Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students
The features fine artists and crafters from all
and children. For tickets or more information, call
across the South, offering jewelry, furniture, pot-
the box office at 828-898-8709 or click to www.
tery, photography, accessories and more. For more
lmc.edu/web/SummerTheatre.
info, call 828-733-0675 or email mtntoppromotion@bellsouth.net.
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High Country Magazine
19
e d r tou
very the Greater A
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High Country Magazine
June 2011
pick one!
You Have So Many High Country Options This Summer
Compiled by Anne Baker There’s so much to do in the High Country that we couldn’t just pick one. Well, we did, but we also give you a few additional options to choose from. With plenty of festivals, outdoor activities, scenic drives, area attractions, theatre productions, daytime and nighttime music and more, it’s impossible to run out of options. Make a day (or a summer) out of it! Linville Gorge. Photo by Todd Bush
June 2011
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N.C. 194 and N.C. 88 from Boone to Laurel Springs
pick one!
Covering 18 miles through Watauga and Ashe counties, this drive begins in Boone at the New Market Shopping Center. You’ll first pass the Meat Camp Community, where you’ll turn left on Meat Camp Road and travel 5.5 miles to visit Elk Knob State Park. Retrace your route back and turn left on N.C. 194 toward Todd. The byway route temporarily ends at the intersection with U.S. 221, but head north to Jefferson and Mt. Jefferson to pick up the byway at the intersection of N.C. 16 and 88. Follow N.C. 88 to Laurel Springs.
N.C. 194 Valle Crucis Loop
scenic drives
Globe Road
I
f you have the right vehicle and a sense of adventure, Globe Road is for you. This drive begins off Main Street in Blowing Rock as you turn onto Globe Road/Johns River Road, or N.C. 1367. The road—which is unpaved and straight down in many places—makes its way down toward Caldwell County and the town of Globe. On your way, you’ll pass through mountain lowlands, by rushing streams and will see many scenic, remote log cabins. The trip to Globe should take about 20 to 40 minutes. Once you reach the Globe area, you can head south on N.C. 90 to Edgemont and then follow FSR-464 to N.C. 1518 south to U.S. 221. U.S. 221 will take you to Jonas Ridge and back to the Linville and Blowing Rock areas. It’s a good idea to plan this drive as a day trip due to the numerous activities that can be found along the way. There are plenty of places to swim, hike, picnic and nature watch at places like Wilson Creek and Lost Cove. Part of the drive also winds through Pisgah National Forest, so watch for additional stops in that area. 22
High Country Magazine
June 2011
This drive covers 17 miles through Watauga and Avery counties. Begin driving where U.S. 421 and N.C. 194 converge in Vilas, and follow N.C. 194 into Valle Crucis and out of the valley. You will then come to a triple S curve in front of the Sweet Retreat Bed & Breakfast. Continue through Matney and eventually, you will arrive in Banner Elk, home of Lees-McRae College. Continue your drive along the winding road to Elk Park, site of the 60foot Elk Park Waterfall.
U.S. 221 from Blowing Rock to Linville Covering 18 miles through Watauga and Avery counties, begin this drive by taking U.S. 221 south from Blowing Rock. Pass a turnoff for the Blue Ridge Parkway and a smaller, quaint park; later, you’ll pass under a large rock that hangs over the road. Be sure to look up for a view of the Linn Cove Viaduct on the face of Grandfather Mountain. Continue by another Blue Ridge Parkway entrance and arrive at Grandfather Mountain. The byway ends in Linville at the intersection of U.S. 221 and N.C. 105.
SMALL COMMUNITIES Foscoe Foscoe is conveniently located between Boone and Linville on N.C. 105, but this friendly community is more than a pitstop, with enough activities for a full day or weekend. Located along the Watauga River, you’ll find flyfishing outfitters and guides. You’ll find some of the best breakfast in the area at Grandview Restaurant, shopping at antique shops and home furnishings stores, art at Carlton Gallery, gem mining at The Greater Foscoe Mining Co. and a family atmosphere at Family Billiards. Hawksnest is just up the mountain in Seven Devils and offers scenic zip line adventures for young and old.
Pineola
Crossnore
T
pick one!
he beginnings of Crossnore, a small village in Avery County, came from a man named George Crossnore, who built a cabin close to Clark’s Creek in the early 1800s. When a woman named Hattie Parks Wright lobbied for the establishment of a post office in the village in 1883, she suggested naming the town after its original settler. In 1911, Mary Martin Sloop from Plumtree came to the area, and Mary went on to establish the children’s home Crossnore School a couple of years later. Although small—the population is only 227—Crossnore is well worth a visit. Take a walk through town and visit the Meeting House, or Community Information Center, which is home to the Crossnore Jam that is held the first Friday of each month through the summer; the Miracle Grounds Coffee Shop, run by the children of Crossnore School; the Blaire Fraley Sale Store for second hand items; Crossnore Weavers, a working museum that holds looms, crafts and fine art; the labyrinth and healing garden, located between the weaving cottage and the sale store; the Guy Building, the site of the original Crossnore Hospital; and the Sloop Chapel, which contains a fresco by master painter Ben Long. Crossnore is located off U.S. 221. For more info, call 828-733-0360 or click to www.crossnorenc.com.
Pineola has a rich history—until 1939, the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad, or Tweetsie operated in the community to serve a large logging and sawmill operation. Now, the small town located in Avery County near the intersection of U.S. 221 and N.C. 181 contains several small businesses and sees a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which passes through southeastern Pineola, as well as part of the Linville River.
Todd Todd, located in Ashe County on N.C. 194, was a logical site for trade, beginning with Native Americans and continuing with early English, Scots and ScotsIrish settlers before the Revolutionary War. Over the past 15 years, Todd has seen a resurgence driven by cultural tourism, outdoor recreation and secondhome communities and now features many places to eat, shop and play. These include RiverGirl Fishing Company, Todd General Store, Todd Mercantile & Bakery, Elkland Handwerke, Wahoo’s Adventures and Riverside Restaurant at Brownwood. The Todd Summer Music Series also takes place at the community’s Cook Park.
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ATTRACTIONS
Photo by Greg Williams
The Blowing Rock: Where Snow Falls Upside Down
I
pick one!
t’s not just a rock—it’s a place with quite the legend. It is said that one day, the daughter of a Chickasaw chief was daydreaming on the craggy cliff when she spotted a Cherokee brave below. She playfully shot an arrow in his direction, striking up a conversation that led to a relationship between the two. Later, a strange reddening of the sky brought the brave and the maiden back to The Blowing Rock—a sign to the Cherokee that he was to return to his tribe in the plains. As his maiden begged him not to leave her, he jumped from The Rock into the wilderness below, torn by the conflict. The grief-stricken maiden prayed every day to the Great Spirit until a reddening sky appeared, and a gust of wind blew her lover back onto The Rock. From that day forward a strange wind has blown at The Blowing Rock from the valley below. In reality, The Rock sits 4,000 feet above sea lev-
Grandfather Mountain Grandfather Mountain sits 5,946 feet above sea level and is not only a scenic travel attraction but a globally recognized nature preserve, as well. Main attractions include the Mile High Swinging Bridge, environmental habitats for native wildlife, a nature museum, hiking trails, naturalist programs and plenty of places to picnic. The entrance to Grandfather Mountain is located on U.S. 221, two miles north of Linville. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $7 for children ages 4 to 12 and free for children under 4. For more info, call 828-733-4337 or click to www.grandfather.com.
Linville Caverns Linville Caverns is a great destination for both children and adults. Visitors can explore the area inside Humpback Moun24
High Country Magazine
el and overhangs Johns River Gorge 3,000 feet below. The rocky walls of the gorge form a flume through which the northwest wind sweeps with such force that it returns light objects cast over the void. This current of air that flows upward from The Rock is so unique that it even prompted a Ripley’s “Believe-It-Or-Not” cartoon about the only place in the world where snow falls upside down. The entrance to The Blowing Rock is located on U.S. 321 in Blowing Rock. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $1 for children ages 4 to 11 and free for children under 3. For more info, call 828-295-7111 or click to www. theblowingrock.com.
tain and see stalactites, stalagmites, trout, and, in the spring, the Eastern Pipistrelle Bat, which hibernates inside the caverns. The entrance to Linville Caverns is located at 19929 U.S. Photo by Todd Bush 221 North. Admission is $7 for adults, $5.50 for seniors, $5 for children ages 5 to 12 and free for children under 5. For more info, call 828-756-4171 or click to www.linvillecaverns.com.
Mystery Hill Experience the mystery of this crooked house—a family-oriented amusement science center that offers fun for all ages. Featuring puzzles, hands-on experiments and optical illusions, exhibits at Mystery Hill are based on physics and other science and math theories. The main attraction is inside the Mystery House, where there is a stronger than average pull to the north which causes some basic laws of physics to work differently than normal. Mystery Hill is located at 129 Mystery Hill Lane in Blowing Rock. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for chil-
June 2011
dren ages 5 to 12 and free for children 4 and under. For more info, call 828-2630507 or click to www.mysteryhill-nc.com.
Tweetsie Railroad Since the theme park opened in 1957, the Tweetsie trains have traveled almost the distance from the earth to the moon. The park features two vintage steam locomotives that take visitors on a Wild West train ride, complete with cowboys, train robbers and marauding renegades. In addition to the trains, there are rides, an arcade and shooting gallery, gem mining, face painting, animals at Deer Park and more. Tweetsie Railroad is located on U.S. 321 between Boone and Blowing Rock. General admission is $34 for adults, $22 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for children 2 and under. For more info, call 828264-9061 or click to www.tweetsie.com.
Highland Games The 56th annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games will be held Thursday, July 7, to Sunday, July 10, at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain. Events include a torchlight ceremony, sheep herding, a fivemile footrace, dances, Celtic music, a Scottish fiddling workshop and jam session and more. For more info, call 828-733-1333 or click to www.gmhg.org for ticket prices.
FESTIVALS MusicFest ‘n Sugar Grove
M
Appalachian Summer
pick one!
usicFest ‘n Sugar Grove has become a favorite for bluegrass, old-time, blues and Americana music lovers. Held at the Old Cove Creek School grounds in Sugar Grove on Friday and Saturday, July 8 and 9, the festival features music, food, craft vendors and entertainment for kids. This year, the lineup includes Doc Watson, Richard Watson, Charles Welch, The Kruger Brothers, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Snyder Family Band, Amantha Mill, The Major Sevens, Surefire, Southern Exposure and more. Advance tickets are now on sale at Boone Drug, Mast General Store in Boone and Valle Crucis, Cove Creek Store, the Old Cove Creek School, the Ashe Arts Council in West Jefferson and the Mountain City Welcome Center. Single day prices are $15 for Friday, $20 for Saturday and $55 for two-day reserved seats. At the gate, tickets are $20 for Friday and $25 for Saturday. Children 12 and under are free with adults. Proceeds from the event benefit the Doc and Merle Watson Folk Art Museum, a living tribute to the Watsons. For more info, call 828-297-2200 or click to www.covecreek.net.
An Appalachian Summer Festival began in 1984 as a chamber music festival and has developed over the years to become a multi-arts event with over 26,000 people in attendance each year. Presented by ASU’s Office of Arts & Cultural Programs, events will be held throughout July. Music performers include Dierks Bentley, Mountain Heart with Tony Rice, the Broyhill Chamber Ensemble, j.d. lang, African Children’s Choir and more. For more info and a complete schedule of events, call 828-262-4046 or click to www. appsummer.org.
Trade Days The Trade Days festival celebrates Appalachian arts, crafts, culture and history. This year, the event will be held Friday, June 24, to Sunday, June 26, in historic Trade, Tenn., just off of U.S. 421 on the North CarolinaTennessee border. Demonstrations include apple butter making, lye soap making and tobacco twisting; local and Native American crafts will also be displayed and offered for sale. Jams, jellies, canned goods, hot sauce salsa and more will also be available for purchase. For more info, call 423-727-5800.
June 2011
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High Country Magazine
June 2011
OUTDOOR MUSIC
Jones House Concerts on the Lawn
T
pick one!
he Watauga Arts Council will host Concerts on the Lawn every Friday beginning June 3 at the Jones House Community Center in Boone. Concerts begin at 5:00 p.m. and feature music rang-
The Best Cellar Music on the Lawn The Best Cellar in Blowing Rock continues to host Music on the Lawn on Fridays in June, July and August. Events begin at 5:30 p.m. and last until approximately 8:15 p.m. and are free to attend. This year, performers include The Harris Brothers, Soul Benefactor, Ramajay Intercoastal and more. For more info, call Rob Dyer at 828-295-3466.
Blowing Rock Concerts in the Park Several free concerts take place at Memorial Park in Blowing Rock this summer as part of the Concerts in the Park series, presented by the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce. Shows begin at 4:00 p.m. For more info, call 828-295-7851.
ing from folk and bluegrass to jazz and soul. Every Friday during the series, anyone is invited to bring a chair or blanket to enjoy the concerts on the lawn. Typically, two acts are featured at each concert. In planning the concert schedule, Mark Freed, folklorist for the Watauga Arts Council, said he looks for seasonal favorites as well as newcomers. Some new faces this year include Mary Neil, who grew up in Boone and is visiting from Montana; Katherine Whalen, a former member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers; Audan Parks, a soulful singer known for his birthday serenades at Makoto’s; and Hot Duck Soup, a novelty jazz band. For more info on concerts on the lawn, call 828264-1789 or click to www.watauga-arts.org for a complete series lineup.
Fred’s Summer Sunday Concerts
BackStreet Park Summer Concerts
Fred’s General Mercantile in Beech Mountain will host concerts on Sundays at 6:30 p.m. beginning July 10 and running until August 7. For more info, call 828-387-4838.
The West Jefferson Community Partnership presents the fifth annual BackStreet Park Summer Concerts series this summer. For more info, call 866-607-0093 or click to www.visitwestjefferson.org.
Todd Summer Music Series Every summer, concerts take place at Cook Memorial Park in Todd on Saturdays in June and July as part of the Todd Summer Music Series. For more info, call 336877-5401 or click to www.toddnc.org.
Banner Elk Concerts in the Park Presented by the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce, the Summer Concerts in the Park series takes place every Thursday beginning June 23 at 6:30 p.m. at TateEvans Park in Banner Elk. For more info, call 828-898-8395 or click to www.bannerelk.org.
June 2011
High Country Magazine
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High Country Magazine
Free One Hour Consultation www.markjcrowelldesign.com 828 719 1550 • markcrowell@live.com June 2011
pick one!
Biking
T
he High Country is big on biking—in fact, two new mountain biking parks just debuted in the High Country. The first phase of Rocky Knob Park, located in Boone, opened with the 1.6mile Rocky Branch Trail on May 1. Another 6.5 miles of trail is currently under construction, with a total of more than eight miles expected to be open by the end of the summer. The trails are just outside of Boone on U.S. 421 toward Deep Gap. Beech Mountain’s Emerald Outback now has eight miles of trails accessible from a newly finalized trailhead located across Beech Mountain Parkway, opposite of the town hall and the Beech Mountain Visitor Center. Up to 25 miles of trails are planned in three different phases. For more info about the Rocky Knob trails, call 828266-1345 or click to www.booneareaoutdoors.com. For more info about Emerald Outback, call 828-387-3003 or click to www.beechrecreation.org.
ADVENTURE
Climbing
Photo by Lonnie Webster
Camping The Blue Ridge Parkway offers some of the best in outdoor adventures, including camping. Camping is allowed on the Parkway from May 1 to October 31 at designated campsites. In addition, there are several campgrounds in the area, including Grandfather Mountain Campground, which is located on N.C. 105 and is convenient to Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and Beech Mountain.
excursion, whether you’re a beginner or an old-timer. Be sure to remember that you must have a fishing license in order to fish in designated areas by the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, as well as an additional license for those who wish to trout fish.
With the craggy mountains and picturesque views, the High Country offers many options for rock climbers. Bouldering has also become popular, as the area has many boulPhoto by Todd Bush ders that are suitable for both beginners Zip Line Tours and experts. Some popular spots include The High Country is home Blowing Rock Boulto two zip lines: Hawksnest and ders, located off U.S. Scream Time. Hawksnest, lo221 South outside of cated in Banner Elk, just added Blowing Rock; 221 eight new zip lines for this sumBoulders, consisting mer, making for a total of 18 of 10 roadside boullines. For rates and more info, ders and fields on U.S. call 828-963-6561 or click to 221 between Blowing www.hawksnestzipline.com. A Rock and Linville; 2.5-hour regular tour at Scream Beacon Heights, loTime, located outside of Boone, cated off the Blue Ridge Parkway directly includes six zip lines with the longest bepast Grandfather Mountain and the U.S. ing almost the distance of three football 221 intersection; Grandfather Mountain fields. Reservations are required. For Boulders, located a little farther south rates and more info, call 828-898-5404 or along the Blue Ridge Parkway; and Lost click to www.screamtimezipline.com. Cove Boulders, which can be found outside of Linville.
Fishing The North Carolina Mountains is one of the preferred destinations for fly fishing enthusiasts. There are a number of area outfitters who can help you on your June 2011
High Country Magazine
29
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High Country Magazine
June 2011
THEATRE
pick one!
Horn in the West
T
his outdoor drama features fire, battles, explosions, romance, history and more. A cast of 50 characters takes the stage to present one of the nation’s oldest Revolutionary War dramas that is being performed today, portraying the history and dreams of America’s forefathers through drama, dance and music. Horn in the West takes place Tuesdays through Sundays beginning on Friday, June 17, and running until Saturday, August 13, at 8:00 p.m. in the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre, a 2,500-person venue that was built using natural elements from the surrounding area. The venue is located at 591 Horn in the West Drive in Boone, off of U.S. 321. Tickets for the production are $18 for adults and $9 for children. While seeing Horn in the West, be sure to visit the 18th century living museum Hickory Ridge Homestead, as well as the Daniel Boone Native Gardens, which has extended hours during the Horn in the West season. For more info about Horn in the West, call 828-2642120 or click to www.horninthewest.com.
Ensemble Stage Blowing Rock’s Ensemble Stage has a full schedule of summer main stage shows as well as a Kid’s Theatre Series on Saturdays. Productions include Catfish Moon, Dead Certain, Pageant Play and Going to See the Elephant. Single ticket prices are $16 for adults and $13 for students, seniors and the military. For exact show dates, times and more info, call 828-414-1844 or click to www.ensemblestage.com.
Lees-McRae Summer Theatre Lees-McRae College Summer Theatre will present I Do! I Do!, Swing, the Musical and the Sound of Music on various dates in June, July and August at Hayes Auditorium in Banner Elk. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students and children. For more info, call 828-898-8709 or click to www.lmc.edu/ web/SummerTheatre for a complete list of show dates.
Hayes Center The Hayes Center in Blowing Rock is back with a schedule full of a variety of performing arts. Highlights include the folk group Kingston Trio; the touring troupe USO Liberty Bells; the German a cappella group Vocaldente; Chuckleball, an off-Broadway musical sports parody; and more. Ticket prices vary for each event. For more info, call 828265-0112 or click to www.hayescenter.org for a complete schedule.
Rhythmic Circus: Feet Don’t Fail Me Now will be performed at the Hayes Center July 30. June 2011
High Country Magazine
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High Country Magazine
June 2011
CONCERTS & NIGHTLIFE Art Crawl
pick one!
Set off afoot and venture down King Street during the monthly Downtown Boone Art Crawl. The event takes place on the first Friday of every month, happening this summer on June 3, July 1, August 5 and September 2. Receptions at many local galleries begin at 5:00 p.m. and continue throughout the evening. Featuring new art exhibitions, dining and shopping opportunities and plenty of entertainment, Art Crawl is a great way to meet hundreds of art lovers, both young and old. At many locations, free wine and refreshments are even available. Galleries like ArtWalk, The Collective on Depot, the Jones House Community Center, Nth° Gallery and Studios and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts are usual stops during the event. For more info about Art Crawl, call 828-262-4532, or stop by the Downtown Boone Development Association on King Street for a free Art Crawl map.
Photo by Lonnie Webster
Blowing Rock Jazz Society The Blowing Rock Jazz Society brings jazz musicians to the area every second Sunday of each month from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The concerts take place at Meadowbrook Inn, located at 711 Main Street in Blowing Rock. General admission is $15 for nonmembers, $5 for students and free for Blowing Rock Jazz Society members. The schedule for the summer months include the Zeke Listenbee Quartet, Larry Lapin, the Noel Friedline Quintet and the Ron Brendle Trio featuring vocalist Dawn Anthony. For more info, call 828295-4300.
Contra Dancing Boone Country Dancers hold contra dances at the Apple Barn in Valle Crucis, approximately 10 miles from Boone, and
at the Old Cove Creek School in Sugar Grove on select Thursdays and Saturdays through the summer months. New dancers are always welcome, and a new dancers workshop takes place at every Saturday dance. For more info, call Bob Oelberg at 828-264-4297. A complete schedule is available by clicking to www.boonecountrydancers.org.
Fridays at 10:00 p.m.; and Boone’s Town Tavern on Fridays at 10:00 p.m. Trivia nights can be found at Boone’s Char Restaurant and Bar on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m.; Boone’s Beef ‘O’ Brady’s on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. and Boone’s Town Tavern on Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m.
Shag Dancing The Boone Shag Club holds shaggin’ events on most Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Meadowbrook Inn in Blowing Rock. For more info, call 828-264-5859 or click to www.booneshagclub.com.
The Apple Barn in Valle Crucis
Karaoke & Trivia Many local restaurants and bars hold karaoke and trivia nights on select evenings during the week. High Country restaurants offering karaoke include Boone’s Café Portofino on Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m.; Boone’s Crossroads Pub on Saturdays at 9:00 p.m.; Boone’s Galileo’s Bar and Café on Fridays at 10:00 p.m.; Banner Elk’s Nick’s Restaurant and Pub on June 2011
Photo H i g hbyCFrederica o u n t r yGeorgia Magazine
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Blowing Rock Memorial Park Blowing Rock Community Park is located right on Main Street in the middle of downtown. This park provides playground equipment, a climbing wall and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts. A covered park and plenty of benches make this park suitable for all ages.
Julian Price Memorial Park Julian Price Memorial Park spans 3,900 acres and is located at Milepost 295.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The park provides picnic grounds, campgrounds, restrooms, nature walks, an amphitheater and hiking trails. The park also includes Price Lake, where fishing and boating (no motor boats) is allowed.
Tate-Evans Park Tate-Evans Park is located on Park Avenue behind Nations Bank in Banner Elk. This park features a walking trail, two playgrounds, wading pools, a volleyball court, picnic tables, a covered picnic shelter and restroom facilities.
Valle Crucis Community Park Valle Crucis Community Park can be found along the Watauga River and features lots of open space with covered picnic areas and ample playground equipment. A paved walkway is also open for cycling and skating, and a small lake and the Watauga River runs adjacent to the park for swimming. Valle Crucis Community Park is located at 3657 N.C. 194 in Sugar Grove.
Watauga Humane Society Dog Park For the canines, a dog park is located along Don Hayes Road, about four miles from Boone off Old Highway 421 South. The park consists of approximately 3.5 acres of fenced land for dogs to play with a separate section for smaller dogs. The park is open every day from 6:00 a.m. to sundown and requires a security passcode to enter. To become a member, all applicants must complete a Dog Park Application and bring it along with a current rabies certificate to the Watauga Humane Society, where a pass can be purchased. A regular membership with up to two dogs is $50 per year and a day pass is $3. For more info, click to www.wataugahumanesociety.org. 34
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pick one!
PARKS
Boone Area Parks The Town of Boone features three public parks as well as the historic Greenway Trail. Junaluska Park, located on Bear Trail, includes picnic tables, a picnic shelter, grills, basketball courts, playground equipment and restroom facilities. Jaycee Park, located on Horn in the West Drive, features picnic tables, a picnic shelter, grills, playground equipment, swing sets, play stations and a sand box. North Street Park on North Street is a smaller park that includes a play station, swing set, play areas and benches. The Greenway Trail is part of a Boone recreation area shared by locals and visitors alike. Spanning three miles along the New River, the paved, flat, trail can accommodate bikers, runners and walkers. The Greenway is open year-round and is free of charge. Access the trail off State Farm Road in Boone or at the Watauga Parks & Recreation Center. For more info about any of these parks, call the Town of Boone at 828-268-6200 or click to www.townofboone.net.
Photo by Randy Johnson
Beech Trail System Beech Mountain, Eastern America’s highest town at 5,506 feet, has many trails ranging from easy to strenuous, including Emerald Outback, Buckeye Gap Loop Trail, Smoketree Trail and the Wild Iris Loop Trail. The Town of Beech Mountain hosts guided hikes on the mountains on the first Tuesday of each month from April through October, and all hikes are led by recreation staff and volunteers. For more info about these hikes, call 828-387-3003 or click to www.hikebeechmountain.com.
Price Lake
HIKING TRAILS The Profile Trail The Profile Trail is located on the west side of Grandfather Mountain. Beginning as a scenic, rolling pathway, the trail crosses the Watauga River in what is an easy hike. The upper sections, which begin around Foscoe View, are steeper but there are many rest stops with stone and log benches. Shanty Spring, at 2.7 miles in, marks the transition of the trail into a strenuous pathway of tumble-down rocks that joins the Grandfather Trail after a climb of 0.3 miles. Total length is 3.1 miles and there is no blaze. The Profile Trail is accessed from N.C. 105, 0.7 miles north of the intersection with N.C. 184. At the trailhead, you must fill out the form located in the self-registration permit box for safety reasons, but there is no charge for accessing this off-mountain trail. However, a ticket to Grandfather Mountain is required to access the trails from the Mile High Swinging Bridge. For more info about the Profile Trail, call 828-733-4337 or click to www.grandfather.com/nature_ walks.
pick one!
Calloway Peak. Photo by Randy Johnson
Price Lake is also located on the Blue Ridge Parkway about one mile south from the Boone Fork Trail. The 2.3-mile loop around Price Lake is suitable for hikers of any level, especially those hiking in larger groups. Views of Grandfather Mountain can be seen from several points along the trail. Price Lake is located at Milepost 297.2 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Boone Fork Trail The Boone Fork Trail is different from most hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway—it’s longer, coming in at a total of 4.9 miles, and the majority of the trail is in the woods. It’s a strenuous, but beautiful hike, so be sure to pack a picnic lunch and give yourself plenty of time to complete the entire thing. The trail features several stream crossings, rhododendron tunnels and open grasslands. Boone Fork Trail is located at Milepost 296.4 of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Moses Cone Manor Moses Cone Manor is a Victorian mansion named after the post-Civil War textile entrepreneur and conservationist Moses Cone. The estate is open during the summer months as an arts and crafts center and also features 25 miles of trails that crisscross the 3,500-acre Moses Cone Park. These trails are easy grade and are good for larger groups with children. Moses Cone Manor is located at Milepost 294.6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Rough Ridge Rough Ridge, one of the most easily accessed vistas along the Blue Ridge Parkway, can be reached by a 1.5-mile span of the Tanawha Trail. The trail, an easy to moderate hike, follows a ridge crest and leads to a boardwalk where visitors can see the High Country in 360-degree views. The trail to Rough Ridge is located at Milepost 302.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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North Carolina’s 100th County Turns 100! A Centennial Celebration of Avery County’s Rich Heritage Story by Becky Alghrary-McRee
L
ong before white settlers arrived in the northwestern mountains of North Carolina, Indians roamed the land. A place of rugged mountains, beautiful streams, waterfalls, bottom land and deep valleys, the land that is today called Avery County beckoned to be explored and settled. Now in 2011, Avery County will celebrate its 100th anniversary as the youngest and highest of North Carolina’s 100 counties with a plethora of events planned to commemorate the last century.
Early Days
By an act of the North Carolina legislature on February 23, 1911, Avery County was carved from Mitchell, Watauga and Caldwell counties. Named for Revolutionary War Colonel Waightstill Avery, who also served as attorney general, the county’s land area was roughly 247 square miles. Some of the county’s earliest settlers
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were Delilah Baird and John Holtsclaw, who in 1825 settled on a large tract of land near the site of present day Grandfather Home in Banner Elk. Their first son, Alfred, was the first white child born in the area now known as Banner Elk Township. Martin Banner set up the first permanent settlement in that part of the county in 1848. Today the town bears his name, and his home serves as
the Banner House Museum where several of his descendents give of their time and historical viewpoints. Other early inhabitants of Avery County included George Crossnore, for which that town is named. William Wiseman of Sunnybrook Farm, whose house was located five miles north of Spruce Pine along present day U.S. 19E, also made his mark upon this mountainous terrain early on, as did the Burleson family of the Plumtree area. One of the oldest cabins still standing in the county is that of Aaron Burleson. These early settlers were true pioneers forging ahead through hardships and bitter winters who made their living mostly by farming, hunting, fishing and living off the land.
Profile of a County
These days, Avery County is known for its ever-expanding Christmas tree industry and for its identity as a popular tourist destination. For those who seek
Grandfather Mountain looms on the horizon as Tweetsie Railroad strolls through Avery County before the 1940 floods closed the rail line forever. Tourists stand on the edge of the coach cars to feel the summer mountain air.
a beautiful, cool and peaceful place to escape the heat and bustle of the city, the lovely towns and mountain resorts of Avery County provide all that and more. With real estate that ranges from highdollar gated communities to mountain resort and condominium living to small town residences, there is something for everyone in Avery County. Development in the county soared in recent years but has slowed somewhat during the recent economic downturn. With a topography defined by rugged mountains that include Grandfather, Beech, Sugar, Hanging Rock, Seven Devils and other well-known peaks, the county has become home to popular festivals and celebrations including the now world-famous Woolly Worm Festival and the Valle Country Fair each
October, as well as the annual Avery County Heritage Fest. In recent years, the Heritage Fest has moved from town to town throughout the county, but as a kickoff to the many planned Centennial events, the fest will once again be held in Newland—the county seat—in the town square. Grandfather Mountain, which rises 5,946 feet above sea level, has become one of the top scenic attractions in the state, and every July is home to the world-famous Highland Games—or the gathering of the Scottish Clans. Another event that folks from far and near look forward to is the annual Singing on the Mountain. Begun in 1924 by Joe L. Hartley of Linville, the “Singing,” which is held the fourth Sunday of June each year, is noted for the high-profile performers and celebrities it attracts. Some of the notables who have performed there in MacRae Meadows on Grandfather have included Johnny Cash, Bob Hope and Arthur Smith. In 1975, Avery County’s own “Sweethearts of Country Music,” Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman, were joined by the “King of Country Music,” Roy Acuff.
In winter, a man stands beside the railroad in Montezuma. From 1904 to 1940, Montezuma was a stop along the Eastern Tennessee and North Carolina Railroad.
Small Towns and Communities
Beech Mountain towers above the Town of Banner Elk and is a premier ski resort as is Sugar Mountain nearby. Both are known for their winter sports and activities, and as a vacation paradise for both winter and summer tourists and June 2011
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When the old Linville Depot was given a deadline to be moved or razed, the Avery County Historical Musuem transported it to Newland for restoration. The only visual difference of the exterior is the poplar bark siding because mature chestnut trees are extinct.
DID YOU KNOW?
Newland is known as the “Shrubbery Capital of the World� for its vast amounts of greenery and thousands of Fraser firs that are shipped all across America.
Walk back in time and experience a 19th century Appalachian homestead at the Banner House
homeowners. Both of these high mountain resorts have been incorporated, have mayors, councils and monthly meetings in their lovely town halls. The Town of Beech Mountain is the highest incorporated community east of the Mississippi River at an elevation of 5,506 feet. In addition to Banner Elk, the Village of Sugar Mountain, the Town of Beech Mountain and Newland, the county seat, other towns that make up the county of Avery include the towns of Crossnore, Elk Park, Grandfather Village, Minneapolis and Seven Devils. Small communities dot the entire county landscape, and all have their own special feel of kinship and community. Some of these are Montezuma, Cranberry, Linville and Linville Falls, Altamont, Heaton, Pineola, Frank, Hughes, Balm, Three-Mile, Spear, and at least 20 more small neighborhood areas. Labeled as the highest county seat in Eastern America at an elevation of 5,389 feet, the Town of Newland has served as the center of Avery County government 38
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Museum in Banner Elk.
since 1913. The town was named for General William Calhoun Newland, who served as lieutenant governor during the
Avery County Historical Museum
T
he heritage of Avery County is forever captured in the Avery County Historial Museum,
which used to be the Avery County Jail. For 60 years, the jail was home to muderers, thieves and arsonists, whose carved inscriptions on the walls can be seen by museum visitors. It is a historical buff’s paradise with about a dozen topical rooms featuring items of war, music, herbal medicine, education, sports and tools. Walk into the museum and take a journey into the mountain way of life that will never be the same. Photos by Ken Ketchie
June 2011
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The Avery County Courthouse, built in 1912 and renovated in 1973, was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Notice the neoclassical architectual style of the columns and large cupola atop the courthouse in Newland.
early 1900s. Located in the center of this historic town is the beautiful Avery County Courthouse built in 1913 at the same time as the adjacent Avery County Jail, which now serves as the Avery County History Museum. One of Western North Carolina’s time-honored museums, the old building is filled with a wealth of information, photos and the like. Although work is still in progress on the restoration of the old Linville Depot, visitors can view the structure, which has been moved from its original Linville location, where it served the ET & WNC (Tweetsie) Railway, to the Avery County Museum. The outside of the depot will be refurbished to
its original appearance, and the inside will house an exhibit of the ET & WNC railroad and the Linville River Railway. Known as the “Shrubbery Capital of the World” for its vast amounts of greenery and thousands of Fraser firs that are shipped all across America, even to our nation’s capital, Newland was originally called the “Old Fields of Toe.” This was due to its location in a broad flat valley at the headwaters of the Toe (or Estatoe) River. Estatoe is an Indian name and according to one of several legends, the river was named for an Indian maiden who drowned herself because she was not allowed to wed her Indian lover from an-
Charles A. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital, built in 1999, in Linville, the center of Avery County. The hospital houses 25 beds for critical access patients and provides a comprehensive range of health care services.
June 2011
Cannon Hospital (left) in Banner Elk and Sloop Memorial Hospital (right) in Crossnore merged to become the Charles A. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital in Linville. Two big hospitals so close together near small communities may seem excessive, but passage over the rugged mountains was difficult in an era before good roads and mass produced vehicles.
other tribe. The site now known as Newland was once used as a muster ground in Indian battles, for Civil War troops and before the Battle of Kings Mountain when Col. John Sevier led his Overmountain Men to that historic victory.
Health Care Always
progressive
and
moving
cal care to mountain area folk. Through three generations of medical care, the Tate family has given hope and good health to thousands of Avery County residents and visitors alike. Then, in 1911, Drs. Eustace and Mary Sloop left their primitive medical practice in Plumtree to relocate in Crossnore. The hospital that emerged, founded by these two fine physicians, was known as the
ahead, health care has been a top priority for Avery County leaders. Prior to the opening of Charles Cannon Hospital in Linville, the county was home to two fine hospitals, both with notable histories. The Cannon and former Grace Hospitals of Banner Elk were pioneered by Dr. W. C. Tate, who arrived in the county in 1910 and with the help of the Rev. Edgar Tufts started those facilities to give medi-
Join the Celebration
The Town of Banner Elk is turning 100 this year. We will be celebrating our centennial throughout the year at community events and we hope you will join us as we create memories for the years to come. Centennial Information - www.townofbannerelk.org
a few of the places we’ll be, Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce Concert Series in the Park, June - September Independence Day Parade and Party in The Park, July 4th Banner Elk's Centennial Celebration in the Park, July 23rd & 24th Lees-McRae College Summer Theatre Woolly Worm Festival, October 15th & 16th Lighting of the Park, December 2nd
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Garrett Hospital, later the Sloop Memorial Hospital, to recognize the Sloops for their dedication. One might wonder how the county could warrant two big hospitals. In the days before good roads and vehicles connected these two areas of the county, travel across the Blue Ridge was difficult. Folks living in lower Avery County could not travel all the way to Banner Elk for medical care, and it was also not feasible for those in the Banner Elk and Beech areas to reach Crossnore. The two hospitals served Avery’s citizens well for many years. But in 1999, the new hospital, consolidated from the two organizations, came together in a modern new facility in Linville, the Charles A. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital, which is a member of the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
Lees-McRae College
Lees-McRae College, a four-year-Liberal Arts school in Banner Elk has been a centerpiece of Avery County for more than 100 years. Lees-McRae has been a blessing to the county in that many area youth who could not have afforded college have been educated there with the help of scholarships and work programs. With its reputation as a school where students get personal attention and guidance the college has thrived through the years with its ever-changing programs and degrees in keeping up with the times. The College offers a wide variety of cultural events for year-round residents and seasonal visi-
tors alike. One of its most popular attractions is the Summer Theater productions of musicals and other well-loved plays; i.e., “Oklahoma,” “The Sound of Music,” “Annie” and others. The college was founded in 1900 by the aforementioned Rev. Edgar Tufts who also worked tirelessly to provide not only education, but homes for impoverished
Tufts Tower, the hexagonal building (above) chimes used to store 25,000 gallons of water. After the
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DID YOU KNOW? Two movies were filmed in Avery County: The Winter People in 1989 and Where the Lilies Bloom in 1974.
Banner Elk Turns 100, Too!
A
very County isn’t the only one celebrating a century. Banner Elk incorporated as a town on February 27, 1911, and has a few events planned to
celebrate its own Centennial. Located in northwestern Avery County 3,739 feet above sea level, Banner
mountain children of the early 20th Century. The result of that was the founding of Grandfather Home for Children in Banner Elk which began as an orphanage, but today has an expanded ministry of helping children with problems of abuse and neglect. Rev. Tufts was also instrumental in beginning worship in the area and the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church and Arbor Dale Presbyterian Church were established in those early years. In addition to the prevalent Presbyterian denomination, Avery County is now home to a number of other Protestant denominations including Methodist, Baptist, and Episcopal as well as a Catholic and various other congregations. With all these fine attractions and amenities, and wonderful mountain heritage, Avery County has grown to be a most progressive and successful place to live, work, and play.
Elk is home to picturesque mountain scenery, seasonal temperatures and a unique mountain community. For the most part, Banner Elk will highlight its Centennial at its regularly scheduled special events, such as the Summer Concerts in the Park, Woolly Worm Festival in October and Lighting of the Park in December. A couple of additional events are planned, however. On Saturday, June 25, the Banner House Museum will give a DVD presentation of historic photographs at Evans Auditorium on the Lees-McRae College campus at 7:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The Centennial is likely to be featured during Banner Elk’s Independence Day Parade on July 4, and on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24, a Centennial Celebration takes place at Tate-Evans Park. For more information about Banner Elk Centennial events, call 828-8985398 or click to www.townofbannerelk.org.
w —Anna Oakes
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DID YOU KNOW? Howard Marmon of Marmon automobile fame lived in
Pineola at his estate, Hemlock Hedges, and was one of Avery County’s greatest benefactors. Marmon built the dam that formed the lake at Linville Land Harbor. An aerial view of Grandfather Golf and Country Club. The lake is a nemesis for golfers when they reach the 18th hole. The first fairway was constructed in 1966. Since then, the course regularly ranks among the top 100 in the country. Photo by Hugh Morton
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Celebrating 100 T
his year’s Centennial Celebration has been in the planning stages for months, and the Avery County Chamber of Commerce, the historical associations and the hard-working Centennial Coalition have filled the calendar with fun and educational events throughout the year. The popular Avery Heritage Fest, kicked off the big celebrations on Saturday, June 4, with events in Newland’s Town Square. Crafts, local authors, music, lots of food and the popular family genealogy tents were all on hand. In addition to events planned throughout the summer to provide entertainment for all ages, July promises to be a blockbuster of a month for Centennial events. The little towns of Avery County are known for their patriotic displays and their great hometown Independence Day Parades. This year will be no different. Newland, Banner Elk and Crossnore always have dynamic parades and firework
displays, and many of the smaller communities do as well. Thursday nights bring weekly concerts in Banner Elk’s pretty Tate-Evans Park. Beech Mountain will continue to host its Sunday night concert series on the Green next to Fred’s Mercantile, and Newland’s Riverwalk will be the site of weekly summer concerts. The Avery Chamber will sponsor its 20th annual art show July 15 to 17 on the Banner Elk Elementary School grounds, and Lees-McRae College will hold its annual Alumni Arts and Crafts show on the campus July 8 to 17. The biggest weekend of the year will be in Newland on July 29 to 31, when the streets will come alive with sights and sounds of the 100th year of Avery County’s existence. Festivities kick off on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at Newland’s Riverwalk with a classic car Cruz-in and a sock-hop. After dark spectacular fireworks will
light the sky. The next day’s big attraction is the 11:00 a.m. parade followed by a 1:00 p.m. ceremony featuring notable speakers held on the Courthouse Square. Saturday’s huge parade, which has been planned to include entries from each decade of the past century, will also feature floats from each of Avery’s towns, county mascots, fire trucks and much more. On Sunday, praise bands will honor Avery County’s Christian heritage as celebrations close with worship services held at the Riverwalk. There will also be storytelling, Civil War re-enactments, mountain music, dance and festive events all day Saturday. Throughout the weekend, the Avery Historical Museum and the old Rock Gymnasium will be open to display items of historical interest. Quilt shows are planned and booths will be set up offering food, crafts and kids’ activities. Throughout the year, events will continue to be held to celebrate the rich heritage of Avery County and its people.
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For a full schedule of Centennial events, visit the Avery County Chamber of Commerce website at www.averycounty.com
June 2011
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Avery-born and Normandy-bound World War II Vet Lee Gardner Reflects on his Military Service Story by Tim Gardner
H
ero: A man or woman of great strength and courage, favored by the gods and in part descended from them, often regarded as half-god and worshipped for his or her mobility and exploits.
G
eorge Lee Gardner (Lee to those who know him) of the Ingalls community in Avery County is a military hero as are all United States military veterans who fought in war. But through his derring-do service to America while fighting in World War II, Lee helped redefine “hero.” His heroics are of epic proportions as evidenced by his exemplary service record and multiple citations he was awarded for helping the United States and her Allies defeat the Axis powers of Germany, Japan and Italy. Lee served as a scout in Company G, 119th Infantry of the Army’s 30th Infantry Division, nicknamed “Old Hickory” in honor of former U.S. President Andrew Jackson. Lee’s fighting encompassed five countries—France, Netherlands (Holland), Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. He fought in five major battles: Normandy (D-Day), Northern France
(Saint Lo), Central Europe Deutschland, Ardennes Mountains (The Battle of The Bulge) and Rhineland. His primary assignment was to go ahead of his unit, observe the enemy and then returned to reveal what he had discovered. During combat, the 30th Infantry Division was known as the “Workhorse of the Western Front.” It was also referred to as “Roosevelt’s SS Troops” by the German High Command because of the consistent and terrific pressure it put on Hitler’s elite 1st SS Division. At the war’s end, Allied Commanding General Dwight D. Eisenhower asked his staff to evaluate the numerous divisions that participated in the war. The 30th Infantry Division was selected number one and recommended and received the Presidential Unit Citation. One of nine children produced by the union of Robert (Bob) Gardner and Nettie Hopson Gardner of the Roaring Creek
U.S. Army Private Lee Gardner poses in uniform during basic training at Fort Meade, Maryland. Less than five months after receiving his draft notice, Lee was stationed at Fort Meade. Then less than two months later, he was fighting Germans on the beaches of Normandy. June 2011
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These iconic generals would help bring about victory for the Allies in the Second World War, fighting battles in Asia, Europe, Africa, and across the Pacific. (Left-to-Right) Seated: William H. Simpson, George S. Patton, Jr., Carl Spaatz, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, Courtney H. Hodges, and Leonard T. Gerow; Standing: Ralph F. Stearley, Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Walter Bedell Smith, Otto P. Weyland, and Richard E. Nugent. Ca. 1945.
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Lee proudly shows off some of his World War II service awards and citations on his front porch. He received nearly two dozen medals for his service to his country. Among the ones you see here include: Service Ribbon with five bronze service stars for fighting in five Major Battles; various citations for the Allies victory; two Bronze Stars; two Purple Hearts; and those for Good Conduct, Marksmanship, Combat, Infantry and Rifle Expert and Efficiency, Honor and Fidelity. (A complete list appears on page 4).
Community of Avery County (Lee also has two half-brothers), Lee grew up only about 15 miles from where he currently lives. His father was a skilled carpenter and his mother was a homemaker and known as one of the most accomplished gospel alto singers in the region. Lee’s brother, Jim, also fought in World War II, and his uncle, Nat Gardner, fought in World War I, and ironically served as a scout in the same Army Company as Lee.
18 on D-Day World War II veterans have been referred to as part of “The Greatest Generation” of Americans. Lee is proud to have fought in that war and well remembers how he came to serve in the military. “I thought it was awesome when I received a letter from the President of the United States and the first line read, ‘Greetings from your president,’” Lee said. “But after reading it a bit further, it said I was being drafted into the military.
United States Congressman Charles Taylor presents Lee with his belated World War II service medals as Lee’s wife, Grace, looks on. Lee received these medals in 1991 from Taylor because many of his service records were lost and it was through Taylor’s help that Lee obtained the medals due him. June 2011
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Citations Lee Gardner earned for meritorious achievement and service in ground operations against the enemy in WWII are extensive, including: • The Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, symbolic of Two Bronze Stars. (Awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. When awarded for bravery, it is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces. Lee received his Bronze Stars for bravery) • The Purple Heart with oak Leaf Cluster, symbolic of Two Purple Hearts (Awarded to those wounded or killed in combat) • Good Conduct Medal (Awarded for honorable and faithful service) • World War II Victory Medal • European, African and Middle Eastern Theatre Campaign Medals • Efficiency, Honor and Fidelity Medal • Marksmanship Medal • Battle of The Bulge Commemorative Medal • 50th Anniversary World War II Medal (1995), commemorating the Allies Victory • American Defense Service Commemorative Medal (For gallant defense of America) • U.S. Military Service Ribbon with five bronze service stars (signifying fighting in five Major Battles) • Combat, Infantry and Rifle Expert Medal
I went to Newland to the Avery County Courthouse where there were three buses waiting. We were taken to Fort Jackson, S.C., for two weeks of military training.” From there, Lee went to Camp Croft in Spartanburg, S.C., for 17 weeks of basic training, then to Fort Meade, Md., for another two weeks, and then to Camp Kilmer, N.J., for three weeks of the same training. From there, he went to the New York City harbor, where he boarded the Queen Elizabeth to be sent to Europe. The ship docked in Glasgow, Scotland, and he went to southern England to sail across 50
High Country Magazine
the English Channel to start fighting in the invasion at Normandy (D-Day). He was only 17 years old when he was actually drafted and was just 18 on June 6, 1944, when he was among 160,000 Allied troops carrying out the Invasion of Normandy that would change the course of World War II in the Allies’ favor. Although only a certain cast of troops such as Lee from the 30th Infantry Division fought at Normandy (D-Day), the division’s complete units participated in all major battle campaigns of the European Theatre of Operations and played a
June 2011
pivotal role in the breach of the Siegfried Line, also known as the “Westwall.” Lee recalls storming Omaha Beach at Normandy and the horrors of the invasion. “The Germans were firing on us, terribly heavy,” he said. “A lot of friends I had made on the way over from the United States were falling left and right, but none of us still fighting could stop to help them because we would have likely lost our lives if we had. We just stepped over bodies and pushed on. More than 9,000 were killed or wounded that first day of fighting. “On D-Day, Gen. Erwin Rommel,
probably Hitler’s most well-known commander, didn’t plan for the American and British forces to get behind his troops at Normandy. His plan was to defeat us before we could. As a result, the German defenses were astonishingly tough there as they were every place we fought them in the war. The Nazis were well trained, knew how to fight well and had among the best fighting equipment. In fact, their Tiger tanks were the largest tanks any country had. Once I came across a vacant German artillery gun that was so huge, I crawled down in its barrel after I made sure there were no Nazi soldiers around and that the gun contained no ammunition.” From Omaha Beach, Lee’s company pushed on to Saint Lo, France, where the Nazis maintained one of their main communication centers. More than 300 allied bombers along with one of the largest fighting ground forces of the war reduced Saint Lo to rubble and 40,000-plus died in that battle. Lee recalls that he and a couple of other scouts were sent on one particular mission, by moonlight, and they later found out that 300 mines were buried in the field in which they traversed. Amaz-
ingly, they did not step on one. Lee was wounded twice when shell fragments struck his chest and his right leg. X-Rays have shown that he still has those shell fragments in his body. “While many soldiers got discharged and sent home when they got wounded, the doctors just patched me up both times and sent me back to the front lines. I was flown to Manchester, England, to be medically treated the first time I was wounded, and then I was treated at a field hospital in Germany the second time. Naturally, I would have liked to come home, but I’m certainly not complaining about not having the opportunities to do so either time as I was honored to keep fighting for my country.” “Although I was close to death so many times, probably a lot more than I knew, I never thought I would get killed fighting,” he said. “And I was so lucky not to get captured by the enemies, although I’m sure I was close to that many times as well. I eventually got to the point that I wasn’t afraid.” Lee also helped liberate five Nazi concentration camps that he said was “One of the absolute worst parts of war. Those places were brutal and horrible beyond all means of description. You could smell
Lee and Grace Gardner were married almost 59 years. They met at an old country store in Ingalls in 1945—shortly after Lee returned home from World War II. They soon began dating, married in 1947 and had four children, Jerry Lee, Gary Dean, Terry and Tim. Grace passed away in 2006.
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“Anyone who doubts they have what it takes to fight in war learns quickly that either you get him or he will get you. There’s no time to decide whether you can fight. You have to fight!” Lee Gardner them for many miles before you got to them. There were millions murdered in them in every conceivable manner. And many of those who survived were beaten, starved and treated as inhumanly as you can imagine. It’s so sad that the human mind can comprehend treating people in such barbaric ways.” Lee was one of famous Gen. George S. Patton’s troops who had to walk 72 miles in only three days during blizzard conditions to get back behind German forces after they had made their breakthrough. Lee recalls wading through snow up to his waist and suffering from frostbite on his feet. He also remembers how he and one of his Army buddies went inside an old barn in the area hunting eggs to eat, as food was scarce, and once again how his life was spared. He apparently walked in a slightly different direction than his buddy, who stepped on a mine in the barn. “It blew both his legs off, and he bled to death because he couldn’t get any medical help.” Throughout his military service, Lee said Patton was his favorite military leader. “I especially admired and respected Gen. Patton and I’m very proud to have fought under his command,” Lee said. “Gen. Patton had a whole lot of influence on World War II, and because of him, it ended a lot sooner than it probably would have, otherwise.” On another occasion during the same battle, Lee’s company was cut off by the Nazis and had no food for three days. Worse still, they were forced to wear the same uniforms for three months, and they contracted body lice. “After the Battle of The Bulge, one of the Army generals took all of us to a spa in Belgium where the rich and famous from that region came 52
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Lee, wearing one of his various U.S. Military caps, poses with his Bronze Star and Purple Heart with clusters signifying he received two each of the prestigious military awards.
to bathe,” Lee recalled. “It was a tremendously wonderful feeling getting to bathe and change clothes after we hadn’t had the opportunity to do either for so long. We bathed in mineral water and I then felt like I was the cleanest guy on Earth. The Army took our old uniforms, burned them and gave us new clothes.” Immediately following the Battle of the Bulge, Lee and his Army unit crossed the Rhine River, which was more than two-and-a-half miles wide, into Germany at 2:30 a.m. in Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boats. Once the Allies got on German soil from West and East, victory was all
but assured. And following Germany and Italy’s surrender only a few months later, Lee remained active for a few weeks in the post-war “cleanup” in Germany.
‘The War Was Over’ In August 1945, Lee was among a large force assigned to go to the South Pacific to fight the remaining Axis force, Japan. They had been traveling only a short time on the General S.S. Black Ship when it was announced that the United States had dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan at Hiroshima. Then three days later, America dropped the second atomic
This iconic photo has come to represent the feeling of many Americans after WWII: “New York City celebrating the surrender of Japan. They threw anything and kissed anybody in Times Square,” described Lt. Victor Jorgensen, on August 14, 1945.
bomb on Nagasaki; Japan and the Japanese unconditionally surrendered. The ship then reversed course and took those aboard to Myles Standish, Mass., where they were sent to various military bases in America (Lee to Fort Bragg) and discharged from service. Lee detailed how he learned the war had ended with a wide smile. “It was announced over the ship’s loud speakers that the Japanese had surrendered; the war was over. We were so elated because we had won the war, would be going home and the tyranny of the Nazis, Italians and Japanese was over. All of us onboard were so happy, shouting, jumping around and crying for joy. I thought we were going to turn the ship over. “Hitler had bragged that after Amer-
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ica had lost the war, he would eat a Christmas dinner in New York City, and I’m sure Italian leader Benito Mussolini and Japanese Emperor Hirohito and his prime ministers, Hideki Tojo and Fumimaro Konoe, made similar comments. But because of our fighting forces and the help we received from our Allies, they never got to step foot on American soil.” When asked what he would have done had he come upon Hitler or Mussolini while fighting in Europe or Hirohito, Tojo or Konoe had he eventually fought in Japan, Lee replied, with fire in his eyes, “Even if I had orders to capture them alive, I would have disobeyed and shot, stabbed or whatever I had to do to kill them as soon as I saw them. I think most Allied soldiers would have done the same. And I doubt any of us would have been penalized for killing probably the most notorious war criminal the world has ever known in Hitler and among the worst in Mussolini, Hirohito, Tojo and Konoe.”
Postponed Recognition Lee earned his first Bronze Star as a private, and its medal citations reads: “Private Gardner and his two comrades displayed exceptional courage by braving enemy fire to complete the dangerous mission of establishing communication with forward elements of their unit, thus aiding immeasurably to the success of their company’s operation. Private Gardner’s courage and devotion to duty reflect great credit upon himself with the Armed Forces.” Lee didn’t receive some of the medals he had earned until 1991 because his service records were lost. U.S. Congressman Charles Taylor rectified that omission at a ceremony in the Yancey County Courthouse in Burnsville when he presented Lee with most of the medals and awards that had eluded him for more than 40 years. Lee is also eligible for the Silver Star (third-highest military decoration of any branch of the United States armed forces and awarded for valor in the face of the enemy), but not enough documentation of those particular records have been found. Efforts are still underway through proper military channels for him to receive the Silver Star, though. Accompanied by his wife, Grace, Lee proudly accepted the medals and other citations presented by Taylor on behalf of the U.S. Government.
“Lee had been wounded and wanted to return to the mountains to get on with his life rather than fight to get the recognition he deserved,” Taylor said. “I am pleased to see Mr. Gardner and other military veterans like him get the attention they deserve.” Taylor emphasized that World War II veterans don’t talk much about their service. “But they need to talk, because all Americans need to know,” he added. Lee said it was an honor to be recognized in such a manner so many years after his service. “It’s quite a pleasure that I received those,” he noted. “Very seldom do you get such wonderful recognition after so many years. I put [the medals] on display because I’m very proud of them and having had a chance to fight for my country.” Lee added: “Anyone who doubts they have what it takes to fight in war learns quickly that either you get him or he will get you. There’s no time to decide whether you can fight. You have to fight!”
At Home in the Mountains After returning home from the war with the rank of Private First Class, Lee married the former Grace Laws of Ingalls. They were only 13 days shy of being married 59 years when she passed away in 2006. Their legacy continued strongly with four children—all sons—Jerry Lee (deceased in 1995) and a Vietnam War veteran, Gary Dean, Terry and Tim; 10 grandchildren (one, Mary Grace, deceased); and nine great-grandchildren. Like so many who grew up in the High Country, Lee learned about hard work at a young age. He recalls hoeing corn all day during the summer and fall months for a mere five cents. Lee has worked in various vocations, including: carpentry, mining, hospital maintenance, floral worker and at a lumberyard. He is a master craftsman and helped build many homes in the area, including at Seven Devils, Grandfather Golf and Country Club and Land Harbor resorts. He even worked third shift and built the home he and his family lived in during the early daytime hours. In his spare time, Lee also constructed various furniture items such as gun cabinets, hutches and hope chests to sell. He is a jack of all trades, and for many years was the person many of his neighbors and friends called when they wanted an odd job done, for little and
U.S. World War II Military Hero Lee Gardner
sometimes no pay. Lee declared his zest for life is still strong. His mantra is to live every day to its fullest. With all the things he has done and accomplished, he has no leftover goals. He’s always eager to befriend others regardless their race, gender or wealth. Still vibrant in his 80s and with a mind and memory sharp as a steel trap, Lee’s philosophy of life is one which we should all take heed. “I focus on the positive happenings in my life,” Lee explained. “I’m still in reasonably good physical shape and I’m a lot healthier and more fortunate than many people. And for that, I’m most grateful to God. You can always find someone in worse condition than you whether physically, financially or in other ways.” Lee speaks about the pride he feels in having honorably served his country during World War II. “After getting saved, marrying the
prettiest girl I ever saw and having four children, fighting in World War II was my life’s greatest achievement,” he declared. “I don’t consider myself a hero, just a soldier who had a job to do and who tried to do it to the best of my abilities. The real heroes of wars are those who gave the ultimate sacrifice—their lives—for our country. I would gladly fight again if I had it to do over. And I would even fight in war for America now at my age if I could. “Every American who fought in World War II, and any war for matter, had a job to do and stayed with it until it was over— mission accomplished.”
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—Tim Gardner is a freelance journalist who has also written for various newspapers, magazines and online publications. Lee and Tim live together on Old Hanging Rock Road in the Ingalls Community, just off U.S. Highway 19-E in Southern Avery County June 2011
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Story by Sally Treadwell Photos Todd Nolt and Mountain Alliance members
Scaling mountains and crossing ravines with Mountain Alliance is a heck of a lot of fun. But more than that—it builds amazing kids.
“Doing things for other people is a million times more rewarding than putting myself first.” ~ Jenna Bryson 56
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T
he rain was torrential. “Outward Bound expeditions are always hard, but this one was unbelievably hard,” remembers Jerry Cantwell. Sure there’d been all those moments of sheer exhilaration and all the satisfaction of overcoming everything the wilderness could throw at them. But after four days of solid rain, everyone on the trial expedition was “cold and uncomfortable and absolutely soaking wet.” No way, he thought. No way would one of the guests—Watauga Board of Education chair Bob Bingham—approve a radical idea for slashing Watauga’s onein-four high school drop-out rate by challenging kids with expeditions like this one. But he asked anyway. “I don’t care what it takes,” came the firm reply, “we’re going to find the money.” Since that day in 1990, Watauga County’s high school students have found themselves in some pretty interesting positions. They’ve climbed Mount Washington on four hours of sleep. They’ve dangled off mountains on ropes; they’ve kayaked and rappelled and squeezed into underground caves and learned how to use an ice axe to control their slide down snowy slopes. They’ve been woken at dawn to be told that they’re going to run a fundraising 5K across the George Washington Bridge in…oh, about an hour. They’ve experienced both sides of polarized, important debates about environment and business; they’ve done grueling backpacking trips. And along the way they’ve helped clean up after Hurricane Katrina, cooked and served meals to the homeless, chopped wood for the elderly, walked dogs at the Humane Society, pulled trash out of rivers, built trails and enjoyed it all. Because—forget jargon and theory; this is reality—for the last 21 years that radical idea has helped Watauga’s teens reach inside themselves and discover courage, joy, confidence, trust, community and compassion.
Being safe—“I’ve done a lot of search-and-rescue out West,” say former US Parks Ranger Hope Powers, “and many times I’ve felt that bad leadership had put kids in bad situations. So when my daughter wanted to join Mountain Alliance, you’d better believe I gave Todd the third degree. But I was really impressed with the level of training and the quality of the equipment. I’ve been even more impressed by the skills she’s come home with.”
Mountain Alliance members gain confidence and joy from hiking, rock climbing, and biking in the Outer Banks. But many find equal pleasure in rebuilding houses destroyed by Katrina, or splitting firewood for people having a hard time heating their homes. June 2011
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Todd Nolt, left, runs Mountain Alliance out of the high school. Students— when they’re not hiking at Grayson Highlands in atmospheric fog (above) or shouting with laughter over high-energy games—often wander into his office for advice or to chat. “I feel I can talk to him more than most people,” says student Brandon Marchese. Jerry Cantwell, one of the founders of the group, puts it simply. “He’s an amazing man.”
“You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself.” ~ Galileo Photo by Ken Ketchie
Photo by Ken Ketchie 58
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“This organization has not only helped me to discover the child I was, but also to be proud of the woman I’ve become.” ~ Camille Zimmerman There’s nothing like experience for making you grow in resilience and maturity. Which, as Dr. Kurt Hahn discovered back in 1941, was why crabby old farmraised merchant seamen survived U-boat attacks in frigid waters a whole lot better than young, strong recruits. Practical skills obviously go a long way when push comes to shove. So Hahn developed what eventually became Outward Bound, a shot-in-thearm course of intense experiences designed to increase confidence and the ability to overcome obstacles. Dr.. Bill Herring brought his own experience
with Outward Bound’s advisory board to a task force of educators, community members and parents trying to fix Watauga’s ridiculously high dropout rate. The necessity for students to funnel out of eight separate elementary schools, some tiny and remote, into one huge high school was certainly part of the problem, and the group thought that a community within the community could help kids integrate more easily. But, say Bill and Jerry (then the school’s intervention counselor) they all hated the idea of labeling any kid as “at risk.” And thus was born Mountain Alliance, an experiential leadership program open to every high school student in the
county. Outward Bound-style adventures offer all kids the opportunity to become physically and mentally stronger, while a robust service component encourages a sense of community. Throughout the school year adventure activities could be anything from an after-school hike and swim or two-hour climb to a four-day backpacking trip. A service project might mean a few hours with a horse rescue organization or an alternative spring break rebuilding homes in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. The club serves and unites an incredible mix of students, and according to former Watauga student Sydney Corn, one of the great things about it is that it isn’t at all cliquish.
‘Gus the Bus’ has put in a lot of miles taking kids to exhilarating places from Maine to Colorado to Hebron Colony. Here, students are gleeful after getting sodden and filthy exploring Worley’s Cave.
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Y
ou get on a bus in the predawn hours, with no idea where you’re going. You’ll be living on that little bus for two weeks, with nine other students, three counselors and only a paper bag—literally— of your possessions, which will not include a cell phone or iPod (WHAT?) The only thing you know is that each day you’ll wake up and be pushed to break some personal boundaries. Rolling Academy is Todd Nolt’s four-year-old brainchild, made possible by tremendous support from the community. Each winter, high school students fill out applications, write essays, and endure an interview: just 10 are selected for a life-expanding summer trip planned to open young leaders’ eyes to the world. The five guiding prin-
ciples are leadership, environmental awareness, service, craftsmanship, communication and community. Participants aren’t given the itinerary. “Kids tend to look ahead,” says Todd. “We want them to be present instead of focusing on some big challenge ahead. They have to be flexible.” So they might find themselves on an Amish farm one day and in busy New York the next, or cleaning bull chutes and dancing in the Cody rodeo, or trekking the Tetons, or out on a coast guard cutter, or running a 5K in front of thousands of people when they’d never run even a mile. (Alex Jolly’s viewpoint: “For some, a 5K race may not have been hard, but I did not think I could do it. The encouragement from everyone helped
me finish.”) Or they might learn the joy of spontaneity with an impromptu bluegrass jam at a climbers’ ranch, or meet the kind of people who are real-life, courageous role models who fight for what they believe in. “It was fantastic, awesome, an insanely great trip,” says Mason Lowrance, who “had to get over being with a whole bunch of people at close quarters” on the 2010 trip out west and thought that working on the Carroll ranch and glissading in the Tetons was—well, unforgettable. Gaining perspective is key, says Todd, and the kids get it. “While we were in Gloucester…I learned how a balance must be maintained between environmentalist and fisherman,” wrote Jamison Slate in 2008. “Normally I would have taken the environmen-
talist side of the conflict, but after understanding the tough restrictions on fishermen, I finally saw the whole picture.” Anna Lowe appreciated it all, from rappelling down cliffs to trying Polish food
and waking at 4:45 a.m. to help with the morning milking. “On our journey, many thousands of miles were covered and for almost every mile a new lesson was learned.” Can’t beat that.
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The 2010 Rolling Academy participants began their Journey of Westward Expansion by entering the Gateway to the West—the St. Louis Arch. Each night they set up camp; they learned each day’s plan and the leadership principle they would focus on only at morning meeting.
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“You get the class salutatorian working on a roof with a kid who just got off a 10-day suspension, so that breaks down divisions,” says Todd Nolt, the current director, “and on trips, the student with the reputation of being tough isn’t usually the first person to volunteer to climb a cliff or come up with a solution for a problem. It’s often the quiet kid. So they begin to look at each other and themselves with a new perspective.” “It is the sin of the soul to coerce others into ideas, but I consider it culpable negligence not to impel every youngster into life-bearing experiences.”—Kurt Hahn, founder of Outward Bound It’s hard to find an educator who doesn’t see the direct benefits. “We saw a dramatic decrease in Watauga’s dropout rate and an increase in the graduation rate, which you’d think is the same thing but isn’t,” says Gary Childers, who was principal for four years and used the Mountain Alliance structure to implement other small learning community initiatives. He cherished Mountain Alliance’s ability to help not just “at risk” kids but also those who weren’t achieving their full potential, maybe hobbled by shyness or a lack of tenacity. “Years later I still have parents telling me how much Mountain Alliance meant to their kids,” agrees Bill. A lot of students tell Todd that Mountain Alliance is why they come to school; some that they don’t think they’d have easily made friends without the group connections. “Then there are those kids who wouldn’t drop out but might consid-
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er other poor choices like drugs or alcohol, or do nothing but play video games and eat junk food after school.” For other kids, the group is just a fabulous, eye-opening program that is virtually unprecedented in its scope and accessibility. “Other places don’t do this—why not?” asked one awestruck physician on the other side of the country. At a time when much of the country is making a lot of noise about anti-obesity programs and drug prevention and No Child Left Inside concepts, Mountain Alliance members are quietly hiking up mountains and conquering climbs. They’re absorbing life lessons while comparing blisters and “aha” moments by the campfire. “You see the direct impact of your actions,” Todd notes. “If you don’t set up the tarp properly, you’re going to get wet. It’s easy to see the connection, and it helps students realize their power to make choices.” For Brandon Marchese, the group was pivotal in getting him back to school after he’d got into some trouble and dropped out. From being a dropout, he’s now set to graduate and has plans for college. “Before, I’d never have dreamed of going rock climbing or camping and I’d never felt like part of the community. Now I do all that. I really like walking dogs out at the Humane Society and I feel pretty good. Todd connects with us and he really cares; he’s gone out of his way to help me. He’s been such a positive influence.”
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Crawling through a tight area in Worley’s Cave isn’t for the faint-hearted. Sharing the fear and getting past it together helps students learn to appreciate each other.
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Service is a huge part of both Mountain Alliance and Rolling Academy. “The initial reaction to service is often that it’s a punishment. We show them that ultimately when you’re helping others, you start feeling better about yourself,” says Todd. “Rolling Academy gave us two sides of every story,” added Miguel Noriega. “It contrasted the slower paced lives of the Amish with the endless fast life of NYC. We also got a chance to see what other people were doing to make the world a better place, like NOAA and the Coast Guard working together.”
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Seeing both sides—Students on Rolling Academy often get their thinking challenged. On one trip the group visited a surface mine in West Virginia to hear about the mission to keep power affordable for a coal-dependent nation, and then spent time with Larry Gibson, whose mission is to end mountaintop removal. “It’s got to be a conversation,” says Todd. “There are two sides to most issues—even an argument with mom and dad.”
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Like all nonprofits, Mountain Alliance is currently looking at a down-tick in funding. That hurts because almost all programming, including Rolling Academy, is free to students, and it will stay free as long as the community values the program enough to keep it afloat. “Some students know their parents are broke and don’t want to ask them for money—even $5 or $10 fees would be a barrier; sometimes parents don’t even have gas money to pick their children up afterwards,” says Todd, who ensures that any student can contribute to expenses by helping with fundraisers that don’t require them to provide anything. “I keep coming back to this number—the average dropout costs North Carolina $11,600 every year. $11,600.” “Support for local education isn’t critical just for the individual,” emphasizes Bill, “it’s critical for the future of the community.”
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where they live. “This is a gorgeous place to live; a unique environment,” says Jerry. “I’ve taken kids up to the top of Table Rock, and they’re blown away, shocked, by how beautiful it is here—they’d never realized it before.” Sydney, now at UNC-Chapel Hill where there’s no equivalent program, echoes that thought exactly. “The club takes advantage of everything we have in the High Country. Most of us wouldn’t have ever appreciated what a great place we live in without it.” She still gets a smile in her voice when she talks going on a service trip to New Orleans with Mountain Alliance. Nine-hour days of sanding drywall with the dust getting up your nose and in your mouth may not sound like fun, but it was—and it’s a blast when you follow up with raucous card games into the small hours with vivacious fellow volunteers from all over the country. But that real high of self-confidence came on her first real rock-climbing trip. “I’d done all those climbing walls and suddenly there I was, swinging out over a rock face. It was so cool. I realized, this is it; this is what we’ve been preparing for.”
Part of the value of Mountain Alliance for all kids is that it teaches them to love
June 2011
“I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self denial, and above all, compassion.” ~ Kurt Hahn, founder of Outward Bound
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summer
style The summer heat is already scorching, and so are the styles at the High Country’s finest apparel stores. You’ll find flirty sundresses and hats for the backyard barbecue and sophisticated, bold and casual ensembles for the gallery reception or office function. Classy, yet chic. Sexy, yet refined. This summer, the three Bs of fashion are Boone, Banner Elk and Blowing Rock.
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summer style
Celeste’s
1132 Main Street, Suite 1 Blowing Rock, NC 828.295.3481
Browsing Celeste’s is an exploration in how to enjoy a stylish life. Racks of women’s contemporary clothing, art by Celeste, furniture, and accessories make a lifestyle statement. Handbags, shoes, jewelry, and gifts offer a fresh, modern approach to fashion. Celeste’s friendly and knowledgeable sales staff is there to inspire your creativity and assist you in creating a unique personal statement in your wardrobe and your home. Afterall, a creative life is a happy life!
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summer style
641 West King Street Boone, NC 828.865.2000 Anna Banana’s Fine Consignment carries women’s and men’s name brand and designer fashions at a discount. No matter your shape or style you’re bound to find something at Anna Banana’s. The store gets new items daily! Natalie is wearing a Max & Cleo dress: $25 and vintage hairpins by local artists Andi Gelsthorp for only $5! Jessica is wearing 6 Degrees shorts: $8, Forever 21 stylish top: $7, Mia wedges: $25 and a silver bracelet for $5.
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Watsonatta Western World
711 West King Street Boone, NC 828.264.4540 The Best Selection & Best Prices in the High Country Since 1969! Watsonatta stands out from the other stores lining King Street—that’s apparent as soon as you walk through the door. The store is packed from floor to ceiling with every western product imaginable, from hats, jewelry, to jeans and one-of-a-kind boots made from snakeskin and stingray. Watsonatta carries clothing and accessories for children and adults. Customers could spend an entire day searching through products if they had the time!
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summer style
1098 Main Street #4 Blowing Rock, NC 828.295.3737 Shoppes at Farmers Hardware 661 W. King Street Boone, NC 828.264.8801 Tazmaraz is quickly becoming a favorite place to shop in the High Country. Eclectic, chic, whimsical, fabulous, and simply beautiful are just some of the words customers have used to describe the boutique in Blowing Rock. Designers such as RYU, Gypsy junkies, Autumn Tenyl, Volatile, Sorrelli, Treska, Clara Beau, Big Budda and Miche will make up any woman’s dream closet. Fabulous gifts such as Romero Britto, Allen Designs, and so much more fill the boutique with warmth and creativity.
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summer style
549 West King Street Boone, NC 828.264.4120 www.gladiolagirls.com From feminine, flattering tops to a fully stocked denim bar, to the soles of our shoes and onto a wide variety of accessories and jewelry coming from Vietnam to Canada, Gladiola Girls has the latest trends and styles. Gladiola Girls maintains your favorite designers such as Velvet, Max and Cleo, and Citizens of Humanity, and, to name a few, introduces new designers to the High Country such as Johnny Was, Sanctuary, Clover Canyon, and CP Shades.
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summer style
145 Main Street Banner Elk, NC 828.898.4229 BJ’s specializes in fine ladies apparel and will help you find the perfect outfit for your High Country visit. BJ’s offers beautiful clothing from Bogner Golf, Bogner Ready-To-Wear and other exquisite adornments. Because women deserve beautiful things. Celebrate 35 years with BJ’s Fashion Trunk Show on August 20 and 21.
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summer style
DONCASTER OUTLET by Tanner 537 N. Main Street Blowing Rock, NC Across from the Chetola Resort 828.295.4200 Summer is here with light and bright colors of Blue Jay, yellow & coral. Celebrate summer with fabulous fashions from Doncaster. The fashion trends for the season are lady-like looks, soft prints, stripes, graphics, animal prints, sequins and bows. New merchandise arriving weekly! Come see the fashion in Blowing Rock.
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summer style
M.C. Adams Clothier where fashion never looked so fabulous
697 West King Street Boone, NC 828.268.1505 Warm weather is finally here and we all know what that means...shorts, tanks, colorful accessories and of course, dresses! M.C. Adams Clothier is stocked and ready for summer with exclusive lines, such as BCBG Generation, Tracy Negoshian, Southern fRock, C & C California, D.E.P.T. & so many more! Stop in and experience high fashion in the High Country! New merchandise arriving daily! Brittany is wearing Escapada & Testament, accessoried by BGBG Max Azria clutch and Grace House Designs jewelry.
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summer style
Village Shoppes on Main St. Suite 104 Blowing Rock, NC 828.295.3422 Village at Banner Elk, Suite 101 Banner Elk, NC 828.898.4553 Almost Rodeo Drive, one of the oldest boutiques in the High Country, has been offering distinctive styles since 1984. It’s your one-stop shop for fine ladies clothing and accessories. Kickoff the warm weather with light hearted designs featuring Cartise fun ruffles and exciting print dresses, as well as Brighton accessories.
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See What A Difference we can make in the way you look and feel...
Haircut 101 in downtown Boone has for over 21 years provided the latest in styles, techniques, products and services, in a positive up-beat environment. From hair styling and coloring services to facials, microdermabrasion, body waxing and make up applications.
174 South Depot Street • Boone, NC 828.262.3324 • Free Consultations
Haircut 101 has teamed up with leaders in the profession, Bumble and bumble® hair care, Wella color, Afterglow® cosmetics and Repêchage® skincare.
Hairstylists: John, Jezabel, Heather, Katie, Liz, Melissa and Nicole. Esthtician: Sarah. Front Desk Goddesses: Melina, Stella and Kirsten. 76
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Mountain Spirit
A Modern Appalachian Dream Home in Yonahlossee
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Story by Linda Kramer | Photography by Todd Bush
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Re Pr du ice ce d!
DEER VALLEY LUXURY CONDOS 2BR/2BA. Elevator, security system, private indoor garages with storage rooms, private deck, handicap accessible. Pets OK. Adjacent to Deer Valley Racquet Club with outdoor clay courts and indoor tennis, indoor & outdoor pool, treadmills, bikes & nautilus. Off Bamboo Road.
PRICE REDUCED Now starting at $295,000 DEER VALLEY CONDOS 1,490 SF 828-963-0219
(above) Cedar tree columns and reclaimed heart pine flooring are used throughout the main level. (right page) Living areas on the main level show details of railings, a bridge leading from the master suite area to a meditation loft and unique ceiling beams.
H
idden between Boone and Blowing Rock at 4,000 feet is Yonahlossee Resort. Its origins go back to 1922, when Dr. and Mrs. A.P. Kephart bought the 200acre property and built a girls camp known as Camp Yonahlossee. After 60 successful years, the camp was sold to developer John Rice, who created today’s beautiful residential community that is sought after as a haven for those craving solitude and the splendor of the High Country. Drawn by the beauty of the area, the outdoor activities and a love for adventure vacations, Maria Lloyd, who lives half of the year near Ft. Lauder80
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dale, purchased a home in 2004 at Yonahlossee, which she describes as “Paradise Found.” She and Sandy Irmscher, her partner of 13 years, spent several summers there and then, in 2007, Maria purchased an additional 1.6-acre lot across the road and began building a 5,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, 3.5-bath dream home, which was completed in 2009. The three-story home, specifically designed to accommodate a challenging topography, gracefully steps up through the gnarly terrain to fully engage the outdoors and match the forceful nature that surrounds it. A primary, collaborative team was
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(above) The kitchen features a copper range hood, decorative tile back splash and a rare and unique granite countertop. (below) The lower bar kitchen features glass subway tiles and granite with a natural edge and is used often for entertaining. 82
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chosen, made up of builder and general contractor David Burns of Burns Construction, Bill Dixon and Kelly Coffey of Appalachian Architecture and Judy Townsend, interior designer, of Starview Design Ltd. The only direction from Maria beyond basic lifestyle needs was to keep the footprint small while still making a big architectural statement. “The team took our needs, and we let everyone have a free hand without restrictions to just let their professional skills, creativity and spirits prevail,” Maria said. The design came together effortlessly and is an example of what trust, freedom and spirit can build. As Kelly says, “The best homes come from collaborating with a client who trusts us to do what we do best. As an artist herself, Maria embraced our creativity, and we knew after our initial meeting that this house would be special.” The result was a house built in an imaginative way that is both creative and liberating: elegant yet relaxed, and sophisticated but not pretentious. “It’s not just another pretty house but a unique blend of artistic styles,” David said. “Working on it gave me a chance to
do things I had never done before. It’s one of my favorite houses.” The eclectic exterior architecture is a blend of contemporary and Appalachian, covered with recycled barn siding and topped with a corrugated steel roof left untreated to rust naturally and give an old look. A driveway of paving stones set in a unique pattern and an angled entrance mirrors the circular elements found throughout an interior of many twists and turns with barely a straight edge in sight. This dramatic beginning is balanced inside with a strong mix of eclectic and Native American. It has an organic freshness: raw, textural, true to the nature of the materials and well worn in spirit. Judy took the trademark characteristics of organic, mountain chic, dressed them in the colors of nature and transformed the spaces into paradigms of sophistication that speak to the imagination. Carefully chosen, comfortable furnishings and uncontrived accessories collected gradually from mostly local sources provided the finishing touches worthy of the majesty of the surroundings. Maria,
an avid collector, displays art throughout creating a narrative that animates and complements Judy’s graceful restraint. While the interior spaces are large, they are intimate and are allowed to breathe, providing the luxury of tranquility and perhaps, a state of mind. A contemplative quiet runs throughout that wraps you in privacy resembling a transformative sanctuary. Environmentally sensitive materials prevail such as low VOC paint and stain, making the house 100 percent chemically safe. The home is designed to look old while maintaining a modern, comfortable feel. The strong interior displays handcrafted artistry that elegantly expresses beauty and imagination while creating a visual dialogue and demonstrating a disciplined approach to balancing form and function. This is cleverly accomplished by an extensive use of natural materials and a generous dose of wood in a myriad of forms. Custom cedar support columns and beams and handcrafted iron and cedar railings in the main level great room lead both upstairs and down, walls are made from old barn siding and stucco and floors are
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(top) The master bedroom as seen from the sitting area. (left) The powder room features a metallic wall finish, a hand-blown glass sink and art mirror. (right) The office in loft overlooking the living area. The meditation room is across the bridge.
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Resource Guide Blue Mountain Metalworks 567 East Main Street, Banner Elk, NC 28604 828-898-8582 Handrails by Nona Noblitt at Lady’s Logs 4596 Bethel Road, Sugar Grove, NC 28607 828-297-5980 Appalachian Architecture 703 West King Street, Boone, NC 28607 828-265-2405, bill@appalarch.com The Cabin Store 336-246-5647 Burns Construction Company 493 East Main Street, Banner Elk, NC 28604 wdburns60@att.net, 828-898-9815 Diversified Landscaping 828-850-7430 Maria Lloyd and Sandy Irmscher enjoy the beautiful entry to their unique home.
Judy Townsend, Starview Design, Ltd. 828-295-9499, starviewjt@gmail.com
EXPERIENCE THE LUXURY OF LEATHER .
Wesley Hall VISIT OUR SHOWROOM THURS-SAT OR BY APPOINTMENT • 828-898-6110 • TOLL -F REE: 1-866-561-5858 V ILLAGE OF S UGAR M OUNTAIN • BANNER ELK, N ORTH C AROLINA Located in the Village of Sugar Mountain, on Hwy 184. Turn at the entrance of Sugar Mountain Ski Resort onto Sugar Mtn Drive, second right onto Dick Trundy Lane, first building on the left.
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The rear view of the home is just as beautiful as the street side. A Zen garden, fire pit and hiking trail along the creek and waterfall complete the backyard.
of re-claimed heart pine and cherry. Each decision by the team was formulated in keeping with the highest level of integrity and focused on maintaining the handcrafted elements of a custom home. All levels of the home reflect the owner’s style. The entry level holds the great room with an asymmetrical natural stone fireplace, a large kitchen, dining area, laundry, bath and a guest suite that overlooks the waterfall of Lance Creek. The upper level has a large, Asianinfluenced master suite with a sitting 86
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area dominated by a bold red, a yoga/ exercise room with glass walls, an open office area and the bridge that accesses the meditation loft. On the lower level is another master suite, bath, a second great room with a TV viewing area highlighted by a fireplace of rusty tin and barn wood, a billiard table, a saloonstyle kitchen, a workshop for Sandy to make her custom decorative boxes and Maria’s photography studio. The stairs on two large outdoor decks lead to the fire pit area below.
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There is a magical Zen garden, extensive landscaping with plants of unusual shapes and design and trails created for hiking the property. When the home was completed, Maria said, “I had to pinch myself to believe it was ours.” She understood that a home should read like a book about you. A place to share your life, your travels, and your passions: and if the future is where we spend the rest of our lives, then for Maria and Sandy, this might be it.
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A Hobby,
A Science,
An Art Story and Photography by Jason Gilmer
Homebrewing Beer
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T
here are four words that, at some point in every guy’s life, are uttered amongst friends: “We can do that.” Fall afternoons drinking beer and watching college football is a good place to start. The air is crisp, the darker, heavier beers are in stock and thoughts of winter nights stuck inside begin to creep in. Then the thought hits someone around the fire pit. We can do this. We can brew something that tastes this good. We can make that. Before you know it, a computer is referenced, websites are researched and home brewing equipment is purchased. Kits arrive in the mail with hops, grain and instructions. Beer bottles are collected. Brew is made, bottled and set in cool rooms, and the wait begins. The first sip is like a good golf shot. It sucks you in and makes you believe you should do it again. “It’s great to get around with a bunch of buddies and brew,” said Chris Riley, beer manager at Peabody’s. “Man make fire, man make alcohol. It makes you feel good.” Riley isn’t alone in his desire to make beer. In 2009, according to the American Homebrew Association, there were 750,000 homebrewers, 800 homebrew clubs and 300 homebrew competitions in the United States. Some homebrewers have taken their brews and turned them into businesses, while the majority brew beer for the enjoyment of those close to them. “People are just trying to make beer that pleases them and pleases their friends,” said Andy Mason, an awardwinning brewer living in Boone. “In the end, they get the satisfaction of doing that and learning some things, then that’s great.” Travis Erickson, a faculty member in ASU’s College of Health Sciences who is a newcomer to homebrewing, had friends who brewed their own beer and wanted to join the fun. He asked some buddies and soon there were afternoons set aside for grilling and brewing. “I enjoy beer, so why not try to make my own?” he said. “When the opportunity presented itself to get into it with a couple of friends, I couldn’t resist. He added, “I wanted a hobby that wouldn’t make my head hurt, unless I drank too much of the product.”
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activity in America. No more hiding it. No more worrying about getting caught like bootleggers during Prohibition. Kinney Baughman was one of those who jumped on the activity out of the gate. Baughman, who is technology support specialist at ASU, learned about homebrewing in 1980 and began brewing the following year. At that point there were no stores selling supplies, and a lot of questions surrounded the process. “The industry was just in its embryonic stage,” he said. “I quickly took to it with a passion. All of our books came from England, and you had to translate your recipes from imperial gallons to U.S. gallons. It was just a mess. We were all rediscovering the whole science behind brewing.” Because of the lack of equipment, Baughman began a mail-order business selling some different kinds of fermentation, cooling and heating equipment. He also became known for his brew, so known in the High Country that he was asked to be the brewer for Cottonwood Ales, which was then called Tumbleweed and located where the Parthenon Cafe is now near the Holmes Center. After brewing heavily for so many years, Baughman, who kept the brewer’s job for three years in the mid-90s, has cut back on when he brews. Still, he’ll break out the equipment for a quality beer-making session every once in a while. “I just do it every now and then, just for the fun of it,” he said. “It’s kind of like yoga for me now. The whole process is something that is primal to me. It sort of grounds me. It always seemed like alchemy to me— taking lead and turning it into gold. The whole process was exciting to learn and exciting to discover.” There’s a simple way to look at homebrewing: take water, hops, grain, malt extract and yeast and make alcohol. It’s all about sanitizing, boiling, fermenting and bottling. It’s not rocket science, people, but it is chemistry in some aspect. “What really enamored me is the blend of the art and the science,” said Mason, who is a forensic toxicologist. “You can understand all of the science behind it, but it definitely takes an artistic gift along with the science to put it all together to formulate a harmonious product.
Brewing your own beer takes a little time, so it’s nice to have friends to help. To make the beer you’ll need something to boil the water in and the ingredients. Then it’s following the recipe, which can include pouring in malt extract, hops and yeast at the appropriate times before placing the beer in a carboy to ferment. June 2011
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Want to Learn More? Here are some websites to get you started.
Holly McAdams, Shannon Workman, Tana Andrews, Kristi Shelton, Rachel Walls, Susan Hawley, Celia Norman, Lydia Osborne and Cathy McCullough
The team at
Changes Salon would like to welcome you to their new location at 1542 Gateway Center! Hwy 421 South
(across from Mountaineer Village Apts)
828-265-4006 92
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American Homebrew Association www.homebrewersassociation.com Learn about the history, watch its Homebrew 101 video and have questions answered by other brewers on the forum. Pro Brewer www.probrewer.com This resource site has plenty of information, including a brewing calculators and conversion calculators. There’s also guides for yeast, malt and hops. Brewing Techniques www.brewingtechniques.com For seven years (1993-1999) this was a magazine for homebrewers. Now, that information is free on the website, and brewers can read stories that help in the brewing process.
Brewing Encyclopedia www.brewwiki.com A user-created encyclopedia where there’s plenty of links to references, suppliers and information about all aspects of the brewing process. Beer Formulator www.beerformulator.com A great spot for those using all grain instead of made-to-order kits. Put in your grain, the amount of your batch and other info and the site helps formulate your recipe. Mr. Good Beer www.mrgoodbeer.com Got a problem with a batch of homebrew? Go to this site and get help. Questions are answered here and can help make that next batch taste a little better.
“I don’t make the beer in order to make something superior to what I can purchase—rather it’s the satisfaction of making something homemade.” Travis Erickson
“To be able to generate a superior product that you know when you taste it that someone put some thought and work into it,” he added. “Not just throwing crap in a pot and away we go.” While it’s simple in some aspects, passion and the ever-present desire to produce better beer can impel homebrewers to buy more and more equipment. And there’s a vocabulary that must be learned. Terms like wort, carboy and mash (OK, while this is a Southern term for “push,” that isn’t what it means to a brewer) aren’t typically dropped into everyday conversations, unless you’re talking to other brewers, that is. Simple words mean so much to the hundreds of thousands of brewers across the country. Homebrewed beer is similar to beer
bought in stores, but it isn’t done for a big audience. Friends, family members and other brewers are normally the tasters. This isn’t your Friday night Natty Light. Homebrewers take pride in their beer and want to give it a distinct flavor. They toss in a variety of oats, some blackberries or a strong cup of coffee and see where the experiment leads them. “Speaking for myself, I don’t make the beer in order to make something superior to what I can purchase—rather it’s the satisfaction of making something homemade,” Erickson said. “It’s like making a homemade greeting card: it’s not going to be of the quality of a Hallmark card, but it may carry more weight because it was handcrafted for a specific purpose.” “Originally, a lot of people get into
homebrewing because they think it’s going to be cheaper,” Riley said. “They think they can brew their own beer and have maybe a dollar or two dollars in each beer. If you crunch the numbers, you could walk over into my singles section and pick out 75 or 100 beers that are two dollars or less.”
BREWING IN THE HIGH COUNTRY The practice of brewing doesn’t just occur in someone’s basement or in the woods hidden from view. It also occurs on the Appalachian State University campus. Brett Taubman, an assistant professor in the chemistry department, teaches a Science, History and Business of Beer and Brewing class and is leading the way for Ivory Tower Brewing, a student-led brew-
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THIS AIN’T YOUR MAMA’S HAIRCOLOR
Shops in North Carolina Asheville Brewers Supply www.ashevillebrewers.com 712-B Merrimon Avenue, Asheville, 828-285-0515 Advantage Beer & Wine Suppliers www.hickorybrewer.com 2508-D Highway 70 SW, Hickory, 828-328-8140 Bull City Homebrew www.brewmasterstore.com 1906 N.C. 54, Suite 200-B, Durham, 919-682-0300
We care for hair and Skin 174 S. DEPOT STREET • DOWNTOWN BOONE • 94
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262-3324
828/
City Beverage www.citybeverage.com 915 Burke Street, Winston-Salem, 336-722-2774
Andy Mason has been brewing his own beer for years and has won awards for his batches. He also makes his own equipment and has the ultimate man cave in his basement that is specifically used for brewing. It includes a fridge with a couple of taps. June 2011
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The History of Homebrewing From the American Homebrew Association • People were brewing beer in small batches 12,000 years ago, at about the same time and geographic locations where people started to transition from nomadic lifestyles to agriculture. • Beer was so important to the ancient Sumerians that they actually had a goddess of beer named Ninkasi—yep, that’s right, a goddess, in Sumerian society, as women were the primary brewers. • In 1587 in coloThomas Jefferson nial Virginia, Europeans produced the first homebrew made from corn in what would become the United States. • In 1620, pilgrims from England landed at Plymouth Rock, well north of their intended destination. Beer was deemed so important that one of the first buildings constructed at Plymouth was a brewery. • George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both homebrewers. • When the United States enacted Prohibition in 1919, making beer and wine at home became an illegal activity. President Jimmy Carter • In 1933, Prohibition came to an end with • On October 14, 1978, Presithe passage of the 21st Amendment. However, a clerical er- dent Jimmy Carter signed H.R. 1337, ror resulted in the absence of the two which contained an amendment sponvery important words “and beer” sored by Sen. Alan Cranston creating from the statute that legalized home an exemption from taxation for beer brewed at home for personal or family winemaking. • In 1969, beer writer and early use. This exemption went into effect proponent of craft beer Fred Eckhardt February 1, 1979. • Just weeks after President Carter released A Treatise on Lager Beer, folsigned the bill that legalized homebrewlowed five years later by Quality Brewing, Charlie Papazian and Charlie Matzen ing, written by Byron Burch, future launched the American Homebrewers owner of The Beverage People homeAssociation (AHA) in Boulder, Colo., on brew supply shop in Santa Rosa, Calif. • The Maltose Falcons homebrew December 7, 1978, with the publication club, which is still going strong to this day, of the first issue of Zymurgy magazine. • In 1986, homebrewer Rob Gardwas founded in Los Angeles in 1974. 96
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ner founded The Brewersletter, the predecessor to the venerable homebrew internet forum now known as the Homebrew Digest. • Rep. David Skaggs of Colorado announced May 7 as National Homebrew Day before Congress on Monday, May 2, 1988. • Utah H.B. 51 passes both houses of the Utah Congress and is signed by the governor, making homebrewing legal there as of May 12, 2009. Alabama, Mississippi, and Oklahoma remain as the only three states in the Union where homebrewing is not yet legal.
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“It always seemed like alchemy to me—taking lead and turning it into gold.” Kinney Baughman
ery to be based at Appalachian State’s Broyhill Inn and Conference Center. But don’t worry, parents—you aren’t paying hard-earned money for your kids to get sloshed in the classroom. Students are learning the science behind brewing and what it takes to pursue a brewing business or career. “It’s been a lot of fun [teaching it]. Once they get into it, they realize it’s a 4,000-level course,” Taubman said. “We see the brewing and wine-making as almost a carrot for the program. We pull them in and then show them there are all of these other opportunities in fermentation science, like biofuels, alternative energies, pharmaceuticals and that sort of thing.” Students this semester brewed 20 gallons
of beer from yeast they cultured and Taubman, who’s been brewing for eight years, said the flavors turned out nicely. Soon, he hopes, those brews will be for sale. Ivory Tower Brewing will hopefully be serving up frothy goodness this summer, making it the first school in the country to sell its own beer on campus. Taubman said paperwork is in the pipeline to obtain a production license. “It will give ownership to students instead of just an exercise for class,” he said. For now, there’s not really anywhere for local brewers to gather. There’s been a High Country Homebrewers Association in the past, and Mason said he hopes to start it up again. Until then, brewers will simply share their homemade ales, lagers, mead and porters with each other.
There are places for local brewers to purchase products, though, as Bulldog Beer & Wine stocks kits and other items, while Peabody’s has certain items like sanitizer and airlocks. “We carry the ‘oh crap, I forgot that’ products,” Riley said. With inventory on hand, locals gather for brewing. Some make an afternoon or evening out of it. Some use winter’s snowfall to cool the wort. Homebrewing is as much about friendship and fellowship as the beer. “On brew days we grill out man foods, like brats or sausages or steaks or whatever we’re feeling,” said Pat Brown, another newcomer to homebrewing, “then we drink beer and brew beer.” What’s the best part of homebrewing? Well, the finished product, of course.
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Grassy Creek
Story by Harris Prevost • Photography by Ken Ketchie
G
rassy Creek Golf & Country Club, located in Spruce Pine, is the only golf course in Mitchell County. It measures a relatively short 6,277 yards from the back tees, but it succeeds in accomplishing what all the great golf architects want their courses to be: a challenging test of golf for the good players and at the same time an enjoyable experience for those with higher handicaps. The best way to appreciate Grassy Creek is to play it, but learning about the rich history of its location and about the people who made the course what it is today makes it even more special. To a large degree, geography has determined Mitchell’s history. Like many mountain counties, Mitchell was isolated in its early years due to inaccessibility. The county is surrounded by some of the South’s great mountain ranges. To the northeast are the Yellow Mountains in Avery County; to the east, the Blue Ridge; to the south in Yancey County the mighty Blacks that include 6,684foot Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak in Eastern America. To the northwest are the Unakas, famous for their balds, the centerpiece being Roan Mountain. Roan rises to 6,285 feet and is home to the world’s largest natural rhododendron garden. More than a third of Mitchell County is a beautiful valley created by the North Toe and South Toe rivers. The convergence of the two scenic rivers forms the Nolichucky, which exits the county into Tennessee through the rugged Nolichucky Gorge. Over time, the river carved out this 1,750-foot deep passage as it made its way to the Gulf of Mexico. Since this single narrow channel is the only water exit in the county, some geologists be98
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The 55-year-old Grassy Creek Golf & Country Club is located about two miles south of Spruce Pine on N.C. 226, toward Little Switzerland.
lieve that before the Nolichucky cut the gorge, most of Mitchell County was a vast inland sea. It is in this picturesque setting, with streams and rolling hills framed by dramatic mountain vistas, that we find the Grassy Creek Golf & Country Club. Grassy Creek’s location also played a role
A Gem Among Gems
A really good player thinks he could light up a golf course only 6,277 yards long from the back tees. Normally he would be right, but not at Grassy Creek. June 2011
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in a pivotal victory by a thousand American patriots, Overmountain Men, who helped turn momentum in the Revolutionary War to the Continental Army’s side. Mountain militias joined forces and took on Major Patrick Ferguson of the British army during his march through the South. Their path started at Abingdon, Va., and went through Elizabethton, Tenn., into Mitchell County en route to Kings Mountain. Their path would later be recognized as the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail. By the time these untrained farmers and hunters reached Spruce Pine, their ranks had grown to 1,000 men and even more horses. According to Paul Carson, superintendent of the National Historic Trail, the Patriot Army camped on the Grassy Creek golf course site on September 28,
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“There was no golf
course in the mountains between Linville and
Asheville, and they felt we needed one.”
Van Phillips, son of Grassy Creek co-founder 1780, as they headed for a battle with Loyalist troops. Carson said, “Back then, Grassy Creek was a plantation. There was plenty of water for a thousand horses and an open area for the campsite.”
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Many consider the Grassy Creek course to be an undiscovered gem. The people of Mitchell County certainly think so, and they know a thing or two about gems. Mitchell is the gem and mineral capital of the state, with at least 247 different gemstones and minerals discovered in the mines that dot the county landscape.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND GRASSY CREEK
In the mid-1950s, a group of civicminded businessmen decided the county needed a golf course. “There was no golf course in the mountains between Linville and Asheville, and they felt we needed one,” Van Phillips said. “My father, Sam Phillips, was part of the group that built the nine-hole course.” Phillips remembers dedication day,
August 15, 1956. “I was only 5 at the time,” he said, “but I remember being there for the grand opening of the golf course. Billy Joe Patton and Joe Cheves came up from Morganton to help us dedicate the golf course. Patton almost won The Masters two years before as an amateur. We were honored to have him be part of our celebration.” David Blevins and his brother Dan, now deceased, were also founders. Blevins recalled how they got started. “We had an operational lease on S.T. Henry’s dairy farm for 99 years,” he said. “The land still belonged to the farm, which was incorporated. We had about 30 investors who put up $200 each. We couldn’t build a golf course for that kind of money (about $6,000) so we all chipped in where we could.” Elmer Cline, who was in the hosiery business, built the water lines; Sam Ashton, retired greenskeeper from Black Mountain, designed and helped build the greens; Lat Westall brought his bulldozer and Ross Taylor, the pro at Black Mountain, advised. Dan was a good golfer and played a major role in laying out the course. “He really organized the thing and was our first president,” David said. “I had just gotten married and was interested in playing a little golf, but my brother was more into it.” A nine-hole golf course was built on the site in the 1930s but had been abandoned, Blevins noted. “It had sand greens. I think it was called the Spruce Pine Golf Course,” he said. “We used some of that course on our new course. The ladies’ tee on No. 2 was an old green. The third hole was one of its holes. Some others were where the ABC Store and KFC is. You can see places on the present course where tees and greens were.” S.T. Henry’s house was the original clubhouse, and the milking barn housed the pro shop; today it’s a cart shed. The group hired a pro, but then he died of a heart attack in the golf shop. To start, Dale Banner and Claude Greene ran the pro shop, and Cline was over the golf course. Henry’s daughter Kimesia “Ki” Henry Bare helped with overall management. Lloyd Hise, a local attorney, has some of the legal records of the early course in his files. He said, “S.T. Henry died before the golf course was built, and his daughter Ki was controlling stockholder in the dairy farm. Ki was a driving force in the vision and operations of the course. Stockholders in the farm at the time the golf course was built included Claude Greene, Dale Banner, Sam Phillips and Floyd Baker.” Despite the group’s best efforts, the course kept losing money, and some of the
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Hiking & Biking Trails Open Monday, May 2nd through Sunday, October 16th Miles of hiking and biking trails intertwine throughout the Village of Sugar Mountain. Trail access is free of charge. Trail maps are available online or in a black, marked mailbox located at the base of the Flying Mile slope.
Fourth of July Sports Shop Super Sale Friday, July 1st through Monday, July 4th This 4th of July weekend we’re opening our sports shop to offer you 40 - 70% off everything in the shop. No exceptions! Visit us 10:00am until 6:00pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday ONLY, July 1st through the 4th.
Weekend Scenic Chairlift Rides Friday, July 1st through Monday, September 5th Chairlift rides are available every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am until 5:30 pm. Bring the whole family, a picnic lunch, your mountain bike, or just a friend and enjoy a breathtaking forty-five minute roundtrip lift-ride to Sugar’s 5,300 foot peak. Special weekday lift ride dates include Friday, July 1st, Monday, July 4th and Monday, September 5th.
Yodel Lah He Ho - Oktoberfest Saturday, October 8th and Sunday, October 9th
owners wanted out after four or five years. “Claude, Floyd and Dale traded their stock and their share of the lease for part of the farm’s property,” Hise said. “Claude got land along the eighth fairway, and Floyd got land next to the shopping center where City Financial is today. I can’t remember what Dale traded for.” That left two stockholders, Ki and Sam Phillips. After a few more years, Sam traded his stock and lease in return for the flatland property across the highway, which he developed as a shopping center. Ki kept the golf course as sole owner and developed the real estate around the course. She died in her 50s of cancer in 1970 and was survived by her brother. In 1971, the golf course was sold to Fred Walker, who was from Florida, and then to a group of local businessmen and seasonal residents, operating as Recreational Associates. They still own it today and built the present clubhouse and 10th tee snack bar.
ADDING A SECOND NINE
In the early 1960s, Greene, Banner and Baker wanted to build a second nine holes. They didn’t have the money, so they funded their expansion by selling the timber that would be cut to create each of the holes. The new holes were open for play in 1962. Grassy Creek hired John Van Kleek, a New England golf course architect who had retired in Tryon, to design the second nine. Early in his career, Van Kleek partnered with Wayne Stiles to establish a Boston-based design team. The two designed courses all over the world, but their emphasis was in New England. People have mistakenly confused Stiles/ Van Kleek courses for those of Donald
Enjoy a two-day Oktoberfest in the North Carolina Mountains featuring live German music, German and American food & beverages; children’s fun center; hay rides; local & regional craft fair; lift rides; lodging specials and much more.
Sugar Mountain Resort
1009 Sugar Mountain Drive • Sugar Mountain, NC 28604 www.skisugar.com • (828) 898-4521 Grassy Creek Golf Club also has a driving range to allow golfers to warm up before hitting the course. 102
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Bruce Leverette and his staff provide Grassy Creek golfers with a warm welcome. He is an excellent teacher. He has been head professional for 34 years, and his 63 is the lowest score ever shot on the course.
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Ross, one of the “Big Three” golf designers from the early 1900s, along with A.W Tillinghast and Charles Blair McDonald. A New York Times article quoted a biographer of Stiles, saying of the partners, “They pleased their clients and their communities with relatively low-cost golf. But play those courses today, and you appreciate the craft and talent involved. “Their greens commonly have false fronts and sneaky putting surfaces with devilish contours. Their courses are usually playable for golfers of all abilities because almost everyone can get approach shots to the greens, or at least near them. But there is still a catch: Only those positioned in the right place will have any chance at par.” During the Great Depression, when golf course development slowed to a standstill, the two dissolved their partnership. Van Kleek became the supervising architect for a renovation of the New York City Park Department’s golf courses. He also designed a number of golf courses across the country, including two in Florida with Walter Hagen, the greatest match play golfer of all time. One of his most memorable was in 1932. That year, legendary golfer Bobby Jones decided to build two golf courses, a private one designed by Alistar Mackenzie called Augusta National and a public one in Atlanta that would bear his name, designed in partnership with Van Kleek. The two worked together to route the Bobby Jones Golf Course. Van Kleek’s emphasis was on teeing areas and fairways, and Jones focused on building tough, tight greens like those he played in Scotland. Working with Jones most likely influenced Van Kleek’s future designs, including Grassy Creek.
THE GOLF COURSE
A really good player thinks he could light up a golf course only 6,277 yards long from the back tees. Normally he would be right, but not at Grassy Creek. The course’s small, sloping greens defend the course well. It is not a good idea to miss a green here, because getting up and down is ex-
In 1973, Recreational Associates, a group of local civic leaders and seasonal residents, purchased Grassy Creek and made major upgrades in the course, including the addition of a new clubhouse.
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tremely difficult. On many holes, drives not positioned correctly make approach shots very challenging. A good indication of Grassy Creek’s resistance to low scores is its course record. The course record at Grandfather Golf & Country Club, ranked as the second hardest course in North Carolina, is a 62 set by its head professional at the time, Bob Kletcke. The best ever at Grassy Creek is a 63 shared by the club’s head professional Bruce Leverette and former UNC golfer and Davis Love III teammate Greg Parker of Black Mountain. Twotime PGA Tour winner Larry Hinson and Hall of Fame pro Tommy Bolt have played Grassy Creek and were unable to beat the course record. Grassy Creek gives its players an easy warmup with a 364-yard par four first hole. The second is even shorter, but a difficult tee shot hit to the left can produce a quick double bogey. The 385-yard par four fourth is a very tough uphill par four with sidehill fairway lies. There is a reason it is the No. 2 handicap hole. The fifth is a fun, drivable par four. Drivable par fours are showing up on PGA Tour courses much to the delight
Golfers line up putts at the ninth hole before heading to the John Van Kleek-designed second nine.
of players and spectators alike. The 434yard par four eighth plays at least 30 yards longer than the card, and it has one of the course’s smallest greens. The hole used to be a par five, and for most people it still
seems like one. The backside has some doglegs that require accurate placement to strategic locations. (Don’t fall for the temptation to cut them!) The 456-yard par five 13th plays to
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How Mitchell County Minerals Impacted the Game of Golf
T
he fourth largest emerald in North America—the 1,492-carat Carolina Queen Emerald—was found in a Mitchell County mine in Crabtree, but the county’s three major minerals are quartz, mica and feldspar. Feldspar is a vital ingredient in making pottery and other crafts. Not surprisingly, the world’s finest crafts school, Penland School, is located here. A large colony of world-class crafters have their studios here, making the county a craft Mecca. Surprisingly, two of these minerals, mica and feldspar, have had significant impacts on golf as we know it in North Carolina, and indeed, the country. In 1870, a salesman riding on horseback noticed mica sticking out of the ground. He quit his job and started a mining operation. A little more than 10 years later, Hugh MacRae of Wilmington, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was sent by his father Donald to develop a mica mine in Mitchell County. Later, MacRae dispatched his son Hugh to come up from Spruce Pine to check out some property he heard about.
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Hugh was moved by the beauty of the land, and he told his father to buy it. The elder MacRae put together a group to purchase 16,000 acres. This property included the Linville Valley and Grandfather Mountain. The MacRaes felt the beauty of Linville would make it a great resort, so they added tourism to their family mining and farming businesses. MacRae visited Scotland to learn how to build a golf course, and in 1895 he built the state’s first course in Linville. In 1924, Hugh’s brother, Donald Jr., brought in his good friend Donald Ross to build the present Linville course. The Linville Golf Club directly and indirectly influenced the building of eight golf courses: Grandfather, Linville Ridge and Sugar Mountain on the MacRae property plus Blowing Rock, Boone, Hound Ears, Mountain Glen and Elk River nearby. If MacRae had not been mining in Mitchell County, the golfing landscape in North Carolina’s High Country would have been drastically different. Mitchell County’s second influence on the game of golf came from feldspar, a quartz derivative used to make ceramics
June 2011
and used in household cleaners such as Bon Ami. When ground up and washed, feldspar looks like pure white sand. Clifford Roberts, co-founder of Augusta National with the immortal Bobby Jones, was also a member of Grandfather Golf & Country Club. He told Augusta’s pro, Bob Kletcke, who was also Grandfather’s pro in the summer, that he had heard about “some real good sand up here with characteristics we want for our bunkers at Augusta” and he wondered if Bob knew anything about it. Kletcke told Roberts his good friend Claude Greene of Spruce Pine mined the sand, and Roberts told Kletcke to send some to Augusta to try out. The “sand,” which really wasn’t sand, was ground-up, washed feldspar. It is whiter than sand, and the contrast with green fairways makes a golf course look great. Also, golf balls do not bury in feldspar like they do in sand, so it is more playable for golfers. Because every golf course wants to look like Augusta, countless numbers of courses across the country, and locally, get their “sand” from Mitchell County.
w
John Van Kleek, architect of Grassy Creek’s second nine, is considered one of the greats from golf’s golden years of golf course architecture, between 1910 and 1940. a postage stamp green that has a Donald Ross type “inverted bowl” shape that is only 12 yards wide. A ball landing a little off center will end up off the green. The No. 1 handicap hole is a severely uphill 514-yard par five 15th. Its narrow tee shot is one of the more intimidating in the mountains. Drives from the back require a 210-240 yard carry over Grassy Creek, which runs diagonally across the fairway. Those a little too far left usually end up in the creek even if they carried it and landed in the left-sloping fairway. Sam Foster, head golf professional at Mountain Glen in Newland, holed out from the fairway for a double eagle. There is no time to recover from the 15th because the tee shot on the next hole is even tougher. The 16th is only 298 yards
long from the back so it should be an easy birdie hole, right? Wrong. Pray for a par here and get to the No. 17 tee as quickly as possible! The hole is a dogleg right with a huge oak tree guarding the hole along the right side near the green. Go too far left to avoid the tree, and there is even more trouble on your approach shot. Golfers usually have to chip back into the fairway from a bunch of pine trees. Its sloping fairway takes any tee shot not hit perfectly into the pines. Because the design of the course requires golfers to place shots in proper locations to approach the greens, and because the small sloping greens require some getting used to, it is better to play Grassy Creek several times in order to learn how to play it. Considering how en-
joyable it is to play the course, that would not be a bad thing. Thanks to the work of golf course superintendent Howard McKeehan and his crew, Grassy Creek is in excellent shape and its poa annua greens are superb. The semi-private layout is open to the public and plays around 25,000 rounds a year. Its season runs from mid-March through Thanksgiving weekend. Summer green fees are $40 weekday (includes cart) and $45 on weekends. Seniors play Monday, Tuesday and Thursday for $32 (also includes cart). Call the pro shop at 828-765-7436 for tee times. Bruce Leverette, pro at Grassy Creek for 34 years, and his staff will warmly welcome you.
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It’s Back
Summer Dining
Kamila Gruszecka and Paul Whitehead at the Table at Crestwood Photo by Frederica Georgia 108
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summer dining Bayou Smokehouse Banner elk. Banner Elk’s own Cajun connection serves up not only Louisiana favorites like gumbo and po’ boys, but also authentic Texas cuisine, such as smoked Beef Brisket BBQ and chicken-fried steak. Cocktails, wine and more than 75 beers (10 on tap). Bayou has free wireless and NTN BuzzTime Trivia, and Sundays feature brunch and a “Make-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar.” n 828-898-8952.
www.bayousmokehouse.com.
bella’s Banner elk. Bella’s Neighborhood Italian Restaurant is a local favorite and serves the best Italian cuisine in town. Everything is made to order with the finest homemade ingredients.
It’s the height of the summer dining season in the High Country, and there’s no better time to enjoy a casual lunch, a relaxing brunch or a romantic dinner. For your culinary inspiration, you’ll find dozens of fine establishments in the following pages. Bella’s is known for authentic Italian food along with a variety of delicious hand-tossed pizza. Perfect for families, locals and visitors alike. Come dine with the Fellas from Bella’s and you are guaranteed not to go home hungry! Located across from Sugar Mountain in the Food Lion Shopping Center. n 828-898-9022. www.bellasNC.net.
Blowing Rock Grille Blowing Rock. Courtyard dining and a friendly atmosphere make this restaurant a Blowing Rock favorite. For lunch, try homemade soups, vegetable plates and sandwiches. The dinner menu features fresh fish, pasta, pork, premium steaks and a unique wine list. n 828-295-9474.
www.theblowingrockgrille.com
BOONE BAGELRY BOONE. Boone’s oldest bagel shop serves 17 types of freshly baked bagels and hundreds of other menu items. Boone Bagelry is a full-service restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch all day. Patio dining is available, and Boone Bagelry also offers eat in, take out or delivery options. n 828-262-5585.
BOONE DRUG Boone. Celebrating 90 Years! The downtown old soda fountain and grill features “hand-dipped ice cream, real cherry and vanilla Cokes and old-fashioned grill items made to order.” Boone Drug also offers gift cards and gifts for any occasion. n 828-264-3766.
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summer dining CAFÉ PORTOFINO BOONE. Café Portofino offers a casual atmosphere and truly 5-star dining. The self-described “Garlic House” menu is a creative mix of Thai, Eurasian and Italian influences. For after-hours entertainment, check out the adjoining taproom with billiards, darts, and fifty bottle and draft beers from around the world. n 828-264-7772. www.cafeportofino.net.
Canyons Blowing Rock. This historic restaurant and bar is known for its spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and its scrumptious southwestern and ordinary American eats. Make a trip out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings to enjoy live, local music that will keep your toes tapping all night. n 828-2957661. www.CanyonsBR.com.
CAROLINA BBQ newland. Carolina Barbeque serves up awesome small town BBQ, chicken and the best ribs you’ve every tasted! Outdoor seating is available and groups are welcome! Just a short drive from Banner Elk and Sugar Mountain, open 7 days a week – Monday to Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. n 828-
737-0700.
CASA RUSTICA BOONE. Casa Rustica offers some of the finest Northern Italian-American cuisine in the High Country accentuated by a cozy, fireside atmosphere. Casa Rustica’s extensive wine list is updated every 30 days to include interesting vintages and new organics. Enjoy live jazz every Thursday night and classical guitar every Sunday. All ABC permits. n 828-2625128. www.casarustica1981.com
Cha Da Thai Boone. Cha Da Thai is the only authentic Thai cuisine in the area. Cha Da Thai offers an extensive menu and daily specials. A few favorites inclue Pad Thai served with Tamarind base red sauce 110
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lunch: tues–sat 11:30-5pm dinner: mon–sun 5pm til... bar open late reservations accepted groups welcome 828-355-9717 located in towne center 203 boone heights dr. | boone
www.craveboone.com
summer dining and Pad Gra Pow with special Thai basil leaves. From sweet to sour and from salty to spicy, you're sure to find something to satisfy your taste. Located on Howards Street. n 828-268-0434.
www.ChaDaThai-NC.com.
Chick-fil-a Boone. With so much to do in the High Country, you’ll want to refuel quickly to have time for it all. Whether it’s a pre-hike breakfast or a lunch break during your epic, daylong shopping extravaganza, you can count on Chickfil-A for a delicious way to fill up fast. n 828-264-4660. www.chick-fil-a.com.
CRAVE Boone. What do you crave? If it’s a world-inspired, handcrafted martini menu, an extensive wine list, or a 90-plus food menu, then Crave World-Inspired Tapas & Martini Bar is your place. The sleek, beautiful décor will make you feel like you are in a world-class restaurant, but the prices are casual and won’t hurt your wallet. n 828-355-9717. www.craveboone.com.
The Eseeola Lodge linville. At The Eseeola, take a step back to an earlier time when dining at a fine restaurant was an experience to be savored. Guests enjoy breakfast and dinner daily as part of their accommodations package, but all High Country visitors are welcome. The menu changes daily, and also offers an extraordinary seafood buffet every Thursday evening with seatings at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Reservations are required, and gentlemen are required to wear a coat for the evening meal. n 800-742-6717. www.eseeola.com.
Gamekeeper Blowing Rock. Housed in a 1950s stone cottage, The Gamekeeper is an upscale restaurant that offers an eclectic mix of Southern foods and mountain cuisine, including mountain trout, buffalo rib eye, ostrich, duck and beef tenderloin. The friendly staff literally waits on June 2011
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Open Daily 4pm-until... 502 West Main St. Banner Elk
www.zuzda.com 828-898-4166
Two Fabulous Bars • All ABC Permits
Over 120 Small Tapas Plates
Progressive Alternative Dining
Extensive Wine Selection • Live Music Fri. & Sat.
Serving
Lunch & Dinner
Restaurant, 828-898-TXLA (8952)
Open 11:30 am daily - Located in the Center of Village Shoppes One block from the stoplight in Banner Elk 112
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summer dining you hand and foot, assuring that you’ll leave happy and satisfied. The restaurant is located off Shulls Mill Road near Yonahlossee Resort. n 828-963-7400.
www.Gamekeeper-NC.com.
HIGHER GROUNDS Boone. Located in New Market Center, this lovely coffeehouse offers iced and hot espresso drinks, local and fresh baked goods, and ice cream and hand-made smoothies. Additionally, Higher Grounds specializes in frappes, which are absolutely perfect for a hot High Country day. Open Mic night every Thursday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. n 828-265-1114. www.highergroundscoffeeshoppe.com
JOY Bistro Boone. Purveyors of Fine Food & Drink. Chef/Owners Melissa Joy and
summer dining Gary Claude welcome you to come in and enjoy delicious food and delightful cocktails in a casual, warm and inviting setting. Fresh and always seasonal ingredients are used in our nightly specials as in our superb menu. Full bar, extensive wine list, & craft beers. n 828-2650500 www.joybistroboone.com.
Modern Mountain Cuisine
KOJAYS CAFE Blowing Rock. Kojay’s specializes in fresh and creative choices for breakfast and lunch, featuring a full line of specialty coffees and signature sandwiches plus homemade pastries and desserts. Kojay’s offers a comfortable environment complete with covered outdoor seating and complimentary wireless internet. For your catering needs, choose from their menu or work with the staff to create custom selections that are perfect for your special occasion. Always fresh, creative, and unique! n 828-295-0015.
TOP 50 U.S. Restaurants As ranked by over 7 million OpenTable reviews
Shulls Mill Rd beside Yonahlossee
www.gamekeeper-nc.com
(828) 963-7400
www.kojays.com
LOS ARCOIRIS Boone. On a search for the perfect Mexican meal? Los Arcoiris is just the place. This restaurant not only offers incredible fresh Mexican cuisine, but also has a welcoming atmosphere and great service. Imagine enjoying freshly prepared Mexican dishes like burritos and chimichangas tucked away in a cozy booth surrounded by authentical Mexican murals. Los Arcoiris is able to satisfy any craving with vegetarian and children-friendly dishes also available. n 828-264-7770. www.losarcoiris.com.
Makoto’s Boone. Dining at Makoto’s Japanese Seafood and Steak House is an unique experience. During your visit, a waiter will guarantee you a pleasant dining time. If you’re lucky, your personal chef will provide a little free culinary entertainment while cooking your dish right in front of you. Makoto’s also offers a lunch and dinner sushi bar and full ABC permits. n 828-264-7976. www.makatos-boone.com.
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summer dining
Exquisite Authentic Thai Cuisine
Boone. Enjoy a warm, buoyant and cozy atmosphere when you eat at Mountain Bagels. The service is always fast and friendly, and the bagels are made from scratch daily. Mountain Bagels also offers lunch specials, soups and freshly baked muffins. n 828-265-4141.
Lunch Hours: Mon-Fri 11:00-3:00 Sat-Sun 11:30-3:00
www.mountainbagels.com.
NEW CHINA BUFFET
Also Open for Dinner Every Day: Mon-Sun 5:00-10:00
173 Howard Street in Downtown Boone 828-268-0434 Fax: 828-268-0439 chadathai-nc.com
est. 1919
Sundries
Mountain Bagels
Daily Lunch Specials
* Serving beer and wine *
Olde
Boone. Serving over 50 items daily, New China Buffet offers an All-You-CanEat buffet for both lunch and dinner! Additionally, over 100 items are offered for Dine-in or Take-out. Meals are prepared with only the freshest ingredients and service is friendly and attentive. No MSG is used in any dish. Located in front of Boone Mall, this is the perfect place to satisfy the taste-buds of the whole family. n 828-262-0088
“Step back in time… Walk along the worn wooden floor and plunk yourself down at one of the two J-shaped counters...” ~New York Times
Enjoy one of our daily lunch specials! Treat yourself to an old fashioned chocolate soda, a real vanilla coke or fresh squeezed orangeade!
617 W. King Street 828-264-3766 YOUR PRESCRIPTION FOR A GOOD DAY!
PAPA JOE’S BLOWING ROCK. Locally owned and operated since 1982, Papa Joe’s offers casual dining in a warm, friendly atmosphere. The menu is made up of ItalianAmerican cuisine, steaks, seafood, pastas, chicken, pizzas, sandwiches and more. Papa Joe’s bar has all ABC permits and is fully stocked. It’s a great place for fun and food with friends. n 828-295-3239.
proper southern food Boone. Serving up respectable, correct, genuine southern food including soups, salads, sandwich plates and a delicious Sunday brunch 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Also open for lunch and dinner Mon-Sat 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Located in Downtown Boone on Water Street. n 828-265-5000.
Beat the heat with a hand-spun milkshake!
Monday through Saturday!
www.propermeal.com.
Red Onion Café Boone. The Red Onion Café has created its niche in the High Country for more than 30 years by offering a welcoming atmosphere and an extensive menu at af114
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2082 Blowing Rock Road Boone, NC 28607
Call 828-264-4660
www.cfarestaurant.com/boone
Sushi On Our Patio ining 5 Star D he Prices without t al in a Casu re! Atmosphe ining All Day D
Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar 2124 Blowing Rock Road, Boone NC 28607 828 264 7976 www.makotos-boone.com
970 Rivers Street • 828-264-7772 • w w w. c a f e p o r t o fi n o . n e t
F
Celebrating 4 years in the High Country BREAKFAST
Bagels, Cream Cheeses, Homemade Quiches, Eggs, Muffins & More... • The High Country’s only made from scratch, boiled & baked on premises • All Natural Recipe • No Fats or Preservatives
828-265-4141
Mon- Fri: 7am - 2pm • Sat: 8am - 2pm & Sun: 9am- 2pm
www.mountainbagels.com 211 Boone Heights Drive • Boone (Turn at Burger King on Hwy 321)
LUNCH
Deli Sandwiches, Soups/Salads Mediterranean Menu June 2011
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summer dining us o am dF
o r t s i B
rl Wo
Village Shoppes Downtown Banner Elk
898-5214
fordable prices. The café has something for every member of the family, including burgers, sandwiches, wraps, pizza, pasta, fish, steak and delicious homemade desserts. The Red Onion Café also offers several of the region’s top beer and wines to compliment any meal. The outside patio is perfect for lunch or for warm evenings. n 828-264-5470.
www.theredonioncafe.com.
sorrento’s Banner Elk. World famous bistro conveniently located in Banner Elk, between Ski Beech and Sugar Mountain Resort. Come in and experience a taste of Italy in the mountains! n 828-898-5214.
STICK BOY BREAD CO. Boone. This small, family-owned artisan bakery is where you can find high quality baked goods along with great service for a special experience you surely will not forget. They offer everything from freshly baked breads and steaming cappuccinos to delicious cinnamon rolls and decadent chocolate tortes. The best part is that everything is made right there in the bakery using the best ingredients and methods. Nothing served is shipped frozen from thousands of miles away like in most “supermarket” bakeries. Be sure to check out the real-deal bread makers in Boone! n 828-268-9900.
www.stickboybread.com
Zuzda Banner Elk. Zuzda is a “tapas style” chef-owned restaurant that offers over 125 small plates of all cuisines. The “progressive alternative dining” offers the opportunity to taste and share small portions of food in a random order of presentation. Zuzda offers inside and patio dining and two bars, all of which is nonsmoking. Zuzda holds all ABC permits, and the wine list is as extensive as the menu, offering many wines by the glass. n 828-898-4166. www.zuzda.com. 116
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A Perfect Evening Join us on Thursdays for our lively seafood buffet, or another evening for one of Chef Maisonhaute’s savory offerings such as Boeuf Bourguignon or Grilled Mountain Rainbow Trout. Call for reservations.
The Eseeola Lodge at Linville Golf Club
175 Linville Avenue Linville, North Carolina 28646
www.eseeola.com • 1-800-742-6717
Southwestern • Sandwiches • Salads • Tempting Lunch & Dinner Specials
FeastSenses A
FOR YOUR
ELECTRIC SUNSETS
ECLECTIC MENU
SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH
LIVE MUSIC
DELICIOUS VIEW OF LINVILLE GORGE
H I S T O R I C R E S TA U R A N T AND BAR
W W W.CANYONSBR.COM MENU, VIEWCAM AND LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE ONLINE
HIGHWAY 321 • BLOWING ROCK, NC • ALL ABC PERMITS • 828-295-7661 Serving Lunch & Dinner Daily 11am until... • Reservations suggested for parties of five or more June 2011
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ADVER T I S ER S INDE X Please patronize the advertisers in High Country Magazine, and when you purchase from them, please be sure to mention that you saw their ad in our pages. Thank them for their support of this publication by giving them yours! Without their support, this magazine would not be possible. To all of our advertisers, a most sincere thank you.
All Area Codes are 828 unless noted. ADVERTISER
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A Cleaner World............................................... 265-1888 �������������������������� 83 An Appalachian Summer Festival................. 800-841-2787 ������������������������� 4 Abbey Carpet & Floor . .................................... 265-3622 ��������������������������� 4 Almost Rodeo Drive Banner Elk 898-4553 / Blowing Rock 295-3422 ��� 75 Anna Banana’s................................................. 865-2000 �������������������������� 68 Art Cellar, The.................................................. 898-5175 �������������������������� 87 Banner Elk Realty............................................. 898-9756 ������������������������� 28 Bayou Smokehouse & Grill............................... 898-8952 ������������������������ 112 Bear Creek at Linville........................................ 733-5767 ���������������������������� 9 Bella’s............................................................. 898-9022 ������������������������ 112 BJ’s Resort Wear.............................................. 898-4229 �������������������������� 72 Blowing Rock Grille.......................................... 295-9474 ������������������������ 111 Blowing Rock Interiors..................................... 295-9800 �������������������������� 20 Blue Ridge Vision ........................................... 264-2020 ������������������������� 13 Boone Bagelry................................................. 262-5585 ������������������������ 116 Boone Drug Sundries....................................... 264-3766 ������������������������ 114 Boone Endodontics.......................................... 386-1144 �������������������������� 32 Boone Mall...................................................... 264-7286 ���������������������������� 4 Boone Paint & Interiors.................................... 264-9220 ������������������������ 105 Broyhill Home Collections................................ 295-0965 �������������������������� 51 Burton Moomaw Acupuncture.......................... 264-2322 �������������������������� 42 Cabin Store, The.............................................. 266-1404 �������������������������� 97 Café Portofino.................................................. 264-7772 ����������������������� 115 Canyons.......................................................... 295-7661 ����������������������� 117 Carlton Gallery................................................. 963-4288 �������������������������� 13 Carolina Barbeque............................................ 737-0700 ������������������������ 111 Casa Rustica.................................................... 262-5128 ������������������������ 117 Celeste’s ........................................................ 295-3481 �������������������������� 67 Celtic Building Company, Inc........................... 963-6229 �������������������������� 38 Cha Da Thai..................................................... 268-0439 �������������������������� 14 Changes Salon................................................. 265-4006 �������������������������� 92 Chick-fil-a....................................................... 264-4660 ������������������������ 114 Classic Stoneworks.......................................... 737-0040 �������������������������� 19 Crave............................................................... 355-9717 ������������������������ 110 CycloViaBoone.org ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 28 Dande Lion, The............................................... 898-3566 �������������������� 30, 77 Deer Valley Luxury Condos............................... 963-0219 �������������������������� 80 DeWoolfson Down ...................................... 800-833-3696 ������������������������ 7 Dianne Davant & Associates . .......................... 898-9887 ��Inside Front Cover Doe Ridge Pottery............................................ 264-1127 �������������������������� 92 Doncaster Outlet.............................................. 295-4200 �������������������������� 73 Echota......................................................... 800-333-7601 ��������� Back Cover Eseeola Lodge, The...................................... 800-742-6717 ��������������������� 117 Finder’s Keepers Antiques................................ 898-1925 �������������������������� 43 Flora Ottimer Banner Elk 898-5112 / Blowing Rock 295-9112 ������� 30 Fred’s General Mercantile Co........................... 387-4838 ������������������������� 64 Gaines Kiker..................................................... 295-3992 �������������������������� 44 Gamekeeper..................................................... 963-7400 ����������������������� 113 Gems By Gemini.............................................. 295-7700 ������������������������� 32 Gladiola Girls................................................... 264-4120 �������������������������� 71 Grandfather Vineyard & Winery......................... 963-2400 ���������������������������� 3 Great State Bank............................................... 264-4260 ���������������������������� 8 Greater Avery Tour de Art ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 20 Green Leaf Services, Inc................................... 737-0308 ���������������������������� 1 118
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Haircut 101...................................................... 262-3324 ������������������� 76, 94 Hardin Fine Jewelry.......................................... 898-4653 �������������������������� 87 Hawksnest Zipline............................................ 963-6561 �������������������������� 62 High Country Host............................................ 264-1299 ���������������������������� 2 High Mountain Expeditions........................... 800-262-9036 ����������������������� 62 Higher Grounds................................................ 265-1114 ������������������������ 117 Horn in the West.............................................. 264-2120 �������������������������� 20 Jo-Lynn Enterprises, Inc................................... 297-2109 ���������������������������� 4 Joy Bistro........................................................ 265-0600 ������������������������ 110 Kojay’s Cafe..................................................... 295-0015 ������������������������ 116 Lavender Fields................................................ 265-1029 �������������������������� 63 Locallinks.net ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32 Logs America, LLC........................................... 963-7755 ������������������������� 53 Los Arcoiris...................................................... 264-7770 ������������������������ 110 M.C. Adams Clothier........................................ 268-1505 �������������������������� 74 Makoto’s Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar... 264-7976 ������������������������ 115 Maple’s Leather Fine Furniture ........................ 898-6110 ������������������������� 85 Mark Crowell Design........................................ 719.1550 ��������������������������� 28 Mast General Store .....................................866-FOR-MAST ���������������������� 11 Mountain Bagels.............................................. 265-4141 ������������������������ 115 Mountain Construction Enterprises, Inc............ 963-8090 ������������������������� 64 Mountain Dog & Friends.................................. 963-2470 �������������������������� 54 Mountain Land............................................. 800-849-9225 ����������������������� 40 Mountain Tile................................................... 265-0472 ������������������������ 103 Mountaineer Driving Range & Golf Center........ 264-6830 ������������������������ 101 Mountaineer Landscaping................................ 733-3726 �������������������������� 15 Neighborhood Yoga.......................................... 265-0377 �������������������������� 20 New China Buffet............................................. 262-0088 ������������������������ 116 One Venue Range / Jim Watts....................... 843-709-4969 ����������������������� 80 Page Dentistry.................................................. 265-1661 �������������������������� 54 Papa Joe’s....................................................... 295-3239 ������������������������ 114 Precision Cabinets........................................... 262-5080 �������������������������� 38 Proper Southern Food...................................... 265-5000 ������������������������ 109 Red Onion Café................................................ 264-5470 ������������������������ 113 Ross Chrysler.................................................. 264-3626 ���������������������������� 5 Rustic Rooster.................................................. 898-5161 �������������������������� 30 Seed To Plate................................................... 260-3090 �������������������������� 28 Shannon’s Curtain, Bed & Bath........................ 264-8321 ������������������������ 101 Sorrento’s World Famous Bistro....................... 898-5214 ������������������������ 116 State Farm Road Apartments............................ 263-2341 ��� Inside Back Cover Stick Boy Bread Company................................ 268-9900 ������������������������ 110 Stone Cavern................................................... 963-8453 �������������������������� 61 Sugar Mountain Resort..................................... 898-4521 ������������������������ 102 Sugar Top Resort Sales.................................... 898-5226 �������������������������� 42 Sunalei Preserve.............................................. 263-8711 ������������������������ 119 Tatum Galleries & Interiors............................... 963-6466 �������������������������� 17 Tazmaraz Chic Boutique................................... 295-3737 �������������������������� 70 Todd Bush Photography................................... 898-8088 �������������������������� 45 Town of Banner Elk........................................... 898-5398 �������������������������� 41 Wahoo’s.......................................................... 262-5774 �������������������������� 26 Watauga Insurance Agency, Inc........................ 264-8291 ������������������������� 15 Watsonatta Western World................................ 264-4540 �������������������������� 69 Weichert Realtors / Tracy Adolphson................ 773-4147 ������������������������ 107 Zuzda............................................................... 898-4166 ������������������������ 112
Ken's Magazine_June 2011 6/1/11 11:48 AM Page 1
Our backyard looks grea† !
You’ve always wanted to see what lies behind the gates at Sunalei Preserve, the High Country’s premier eco-friendly resort community. Call today for your personal tour or just stop by.
JUNE OPEN HOUSE Fridays and Saturdays, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Sundays, 1:00 – 5:00 pm Rustic Cottages from $595,000 Custom Mountain Homes from $1,700,000 Land from 2 to 10 acres starting $140,000
Hiking Trails Recreation Center 140 Acres Conservancy Lands Tennis Court & Putting Green Highest Clubhouse East of the Rockies
DIRECTIONS: From Boone, travel north on Hwy 421 for 12 miles. Turn right on Rich Mountain Road to Sunalei entrance. Follow signs to “The Shelter.”
828.263.8711 • BOONE, NC www.SunaleiPreserve.com www.BlueRidgeRealty.net
June 2011
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Parting Shot...
By
Lonnie Webster Lonnie Webster
Always remember L
ocal American Legion Post 256 members and students from Blowing Rock Elementary School are shown during a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 30, at Memorial Park on Main Street to honor those who fought and died in military service to our great nation. The students led the congregation that gathered in the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem and other patriotic American songs. Col. Bill Parker, a retired U.S. Marine, was the keynote speaker. The American Legion Post 256 and other supporters have conducted a Memorial Day ceremony in Blowing Rock for more than 60 years. It’s all-important that we never for-
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get the contributions and sacrifices of service men and women. Just envision what our world would be like and the liberties and freedoms we might not have if our military veterans such as my Daddy, Lee Gardner, had not been willing to lay down their lives to win wars. Then we can realize how thankful we should be and how great a debt we owe to them. While there is no greater sacrifice than to give one’s life for one’s country, the price paid by those who served and survived cannot be underestimated. And just as they went to battle to defend our rights, we should go to battle for them with those who deny our veterans the rights and privileges they have earned. This means providing the
June 2011
best medical care, medical assistance, rehabilitative counseling, job training, educational opportunities, housing assistance and other help. We should take every opportunity to thank our veterans personally and recognize them by attending special services in their honor, visiting a cemetery and placing an American Flag or flower on the grave of a fallen hero or by learning more about the unselfishness of those who have perished in wars. There is no greater way to show veterans our appreciation than to totally dedicate ourselves to preserving the legacy of liberty they gave us. —Tim Gardner
June 2011
High Country Magazine
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It’s Not Just The Time In The Market, It’s The Time In Your Life. It’s Not Just The Time In The Market, It’s The Time In Your Life.
Call 800.333.7601 to arrange a visit. Or visit EchotaNC.com/Chalakee for more information.
Condominiums and Townhomes $199,900 - $599,900
C HALAKEE THE BEST E CHOTA YET
D
When something feels right, you know. Which explains why so many families who see Chalakee purchase a home here. The time is right in a community offering timeless value for families seeking a home in the High Country. Resting on a dramatic plateau, Chalakee’s one-, threeand four-bedroom condominiums and townhomes feature incomparable views, nine-foot ceilings, timber construction, outdoor kitchens and a host of upgrades. Appropriately priced for today’s market starting at $199,900. Now is your time. Make Chalakee the place.
2011 at Hwy 105 S, the entrance to Echota at 133 Echota Pkwy, Boone, N.C. Visit our sales officesJune located
High Country Magazine