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THE MOUNTAIN TIMES WINTER GUIDE
2013
The Ashe County Cheese factory is a popular destination in downtown West Jefferson. Two words: squeaky cheese. PHOTO BY LINDSEY HAMBY
Our Towns
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Park is located just off U.S. 221. To the north of Jefferson are access areas for New River State Park. Just south of West Jefferson, near the Beaver Creek community, is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. This is the home of the famous fresco of Jesus on the cross by renowned artist Ben Long. A painting of the Madonna with child hangs on the sanctuary wall.
Creston
Located in the northwestern corner of Ashe County, Creston lies on the border of Tennessee. The curvy winding roads can offer travelers some of the most beautiful scenic byways in the area. The Riverview Community Center is located off of N.C. 88 West in Creston and is home to festivals and other events all year long. Worth’s Chapel at Creston United Methodist Church is located in Creston and was listed as a National
Historic Building in 2005. The chapel was built circa 1902. The interior of the chapel is finished, in part, with American chestnut wood, harvested before the blight reached the northwestern mountains of North Carolina.
Glendale Springs
Home of the breath-taking and awe-aspiring fresco painting by Ben Long at Holy Trinity Episcopalian Church, Glendale Springs has become revered for its budding arts scene. For more information, visit www. ashechamber.com.
Lansing
Whether you’re looking for a town reminiscent of the past or one that offers whispers of tomorrow, the small, friendly town of Lansing beckons to travelers from near and far to visit and relax, while browsing its shops, trying some home cooking and taking in the mountain scenery. Lansing, in the northwestern section of Ashe County,
is 20 minutes from Jefferson and West Jefferson and is only 45 minutes from Boone. Travelers can arrive there in less than an hour from Abingdon, Va., or Mountain City, Tenn. The town has one red light, and several businesses line the street. The first post office in the town was established in 1882 and served a rural community, made up of a village and outlying farms until the railroad made its appearance. The economy and population begin to take off by 1914, as the Norfolk and Western Railroad, better known as the Virginia Creeper, came to town. A big commodity for area residents was iron ore mined from the mountains. The railroad served as an avenue to transport the ore to markets in Richmond, Va., and Pittsburgh, Pa. During the course of its history, Lansing had a cheese plant, clothing store, coffin shop, doctor’s office, bank and a restaurant. The cheese plant allowed area farmers to bring their goods to sale instead of having to travel into West Jefferson. The town was chartered and incorporated in 1928. Lansing faced two devastating fires in the 1930s and
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