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Little Stony River, Virginia
A Little Stony River waterfall offers peaceful restoration in Southwest Virginia.
EIFEL KREUTZ
Clusters of March lenten roses droop elegantly toward the ground, coaxing what lies beneath as if to say, “Spring, you are welcome here.”
Warmer days have arrived and the backroads are calling. In this spirit, we offer our Spring 2025 issue, featuring vibrant photography and inspiring stories that introduce you to remarkable people and places along the Southeast’s backroads.
Journey to Seagrove, North Carolina, to discover the meticulous work and process of artists who masterfully turn earthen materials into heirloom pottery.
View a collection of stone chimneys in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park that blend seamlessly into their surroundings, honoring descendents of families whose homes were taken during the park’s development.
Revisit a time when people from all around the country traveled to the Southeast’s healing mineral and hot springs in search of remedies for their aches and ailments.
Water’s restorative properties prevail in our There and Back Again journey as well, which focuses on the Great Smoky Mountains’ wondrous waterfalls.
Meet a gentle group of 95 former research chimpanzees living their best life in North Georgia’s peaceful Blue Ridge Mountains, and recall the addition of rain porches to many homes during America’s early days.
We hope the treasures you discover in this issue remind you to slow down, get off the highway, and take the long way home. Spring is the perfect time to rediscover our region’s roots.
EDITOR + CO-CREATOR
ART DIRECTOR + CO-CREATOR
Bear Island, North Carolina
Bear Island and Hammocks Beach State Park expand across Onslow County, North Carolina.
EIFEL KREUTZ
PHOTO BY EIFEL KREUTZ - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Backroad secrets lie in the depth of mountain forests and ancient caverns, at the end of forgotten roads, and within the walls of pre-colonial buildings.
LEGEND
Dawsonville, Georgia
North Georgia’s mountains provide refuge not only for hikers seeking adventure, but for those in pursuit of rather, well, illegal passions. Some say a Prohibition-era blue tanker truck driven by a moonshine runner trying to escape a “Revenuer” can be seen on the hike to Amicalola Falls. The rusty vehicle remains lodged against a stand of poplar trees in Amicalola Falls State Park after falling 200 feet down a steep incline. Some storytellers say the truck is from the 1950s, which is after Prohibition ended, so we’re not sure what to make of this legend. Learn more at gastateparks.org/hiddengems, and if you know the real story, email us at backroadportfolio@gmail.com.
MUSIC
Luray, Virginia
Deep inside the heart of Virginia’s Luray Caverns, music emanates from within a stalacpipe organ invented in 1954 by Leland W. Sprinkle of Springfield, Virginia. Sprinkle came up with the idea for creating the organ after seeing a tour guide tap the ancient stone formations with a small mallet, which produced a musical tone. Sprinkle began working on creating the organ, which would take three years and require extensive searches through the caverns with 13 English tuning forks. He selected stalactites across 3.5 acres of the caverns, then carefully altered them to create specific tones. His work resulted in the Great Stalacpipe Organ that would become the world’s largest musical instrument. Luray Caverns is located at 101 Cave Hill Road in Luray. Experience it for yourself by booking a tour at luraycaverns.com.
PHOTO BY DAVID - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
VIEW
Bryson City, North Carolina
The “Tunnel to Nowhere” is a Great Smoky Mountain National Park secret that lies just beyond the end of Lakeview Drive, also known as the “Road to Nowhere.” Construction of Fontana Dam flooded access roads during the 1940s. During the 1960s, a replacement highway was promised, but environmental issues put a stop to the road’s construction while it was in progress, leading to its current “nowhere” nomenclature. To find this secret road, type “Lakeview Drive, Bryson City, North Carolina” into your GPS. You’ll discover the abandoned tunnel at the end of a 6-mile winding drive that ends abruptly and offers a distant view of Fontana Lake. Many who have walked through the 1,200-foot tunnel advise bringing a flashlight, since the tunnel is quite long and gets dark in the middle. Learn more at greatsmokies.com/road-nowhere.
PLACE
Charleston, South Carolina
The Tavern at Rainbow Row dates back to 1686, according to old seafarers’ maps. This makes it the country’s oldest liquor store and Charleston’s most historic commercial building. A Prohibition-era trap door reminds visitors of the establishment’s tougher days, and the tavern’s coral exterior coordinates with Rainbow Row’s historic Georgian homes.
Folks say Edward “Blackbeard” Teach and Stede “The Gentleman Pirate” Bonnet frequented the well-known seafarer’s tavern, which has survived the Revolutionary War, Civil War, historic fires, and earthquakes. If you stop in, ask for a bottle of Six & Twenty’s five-grain bourbon, which is made with Carolina Gold rice. Learn more at facebook.com/thetaverncharleston or charlestonspirits.com.
PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK - THE TAVERN CHARLESTON
PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT NC
No matter what time of year you venture out, picturesque southeastern backroads will transport you to these evergreen destinations.
FLAT TOP MANOR
Flat Top Manor may look familiar to you if you’ve seen the 1999 movie The Green Mile. Portrayed as the Georgia Pines nursing home in the Tom Hanks blockbuster, this impressive Blowing Rock home originally belonged to Moses and Bertha Cone, the son and daughter of German and Jewish immigrants. Moses Cone developed the estate during the late 1890s and early 1900s as a 23-room Colonial Revival mansion that provided him with a healthful retreat from the rigors of the textile empire he ran with his brother, Caesar. The estate encompasses what used to be 25 miles of carriage roads and also includes apple orchards and two man-made lakes.
View some of Virginia’s most beautiful mountain scenery at Douthat State Park, which was established in 1936 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, and swimming. The park offers more than 43 miles of trails, playgrounds, an amphitheater, and picnic areas. In addition to tent and trailer camping, visitors have access to 32 cabins and three lodges that accommodate 15, 16, and 18 guests each. A swimming beach with a snack bar and boat rentals is also available during warmer months.
14239 Douthat State Park Road
Millboro, Virginia
dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/douthat
PHOTO OF WILDFLOWERS AT DOUTHAT STATE PARK BY NICK — STOCK.ADOBE.COM
PHOTO
OKEFENOKEE SWAMP
Whether you take a self-guided hike or hop on a railroad tour, prepare to see nature in all of its immeasurable glory at Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. You might spot an alligator in its natural habitat as you kayak through the swamp or cruise Swamp Island Drive. Climb up the 50-foot observation tower for a birds-eye view, relax on the screened porch, and enjoy a meal from Camp Cornelia Cafe. Okefenokee Swamp is open year-round. Check the website for seasonal hours.
5700 Okefenokee Swamp Park Waycross, Georgia okeswamp.org
KING’S MOUNTAIN STATE PARK
Fishing, boating, geocaching—even equestrian camping—are just some of the ways you can enjoy South Carolina’s Kings Mountain State Park. Take a self-guided tour of the park’s replica of a mid-19th century Yeoman farm, which includes a house, barn, cotton gin, farm animals, blacksmith, weave shop, and garden. The park is also located next to Kings Mountain National Military Park, a Revolutionary War battle site worth a visit.
1277 Park Road
Blacksburg, South Carolina southcarolinaparks.com/kings-mountain
PHOTO OF A BARN ON THE LIVING HISTORY FARM IN KINGS MOUNTAIN STATE PARK BY JILL LANG — STOCK.ADOBE.COM
PHOTOS COURTESY OF OKESWAMP.ORG
PHOTO BY DANITA
Savannah, Georgia
A great blue heron fishes among the lily pads.
NOSTALGIA
Backroads transport us to places and events that commemorate our country’s history. Here are some from southeastern springs of the past.
SECOND CHEROKEE WAR TREATY SIGNING MAY 20, 1777
Within a year of our nation’s birth, delegates from the Lower Towns of the Cherokee Nation met with South Carolina and Georgia officials at DeWitt’s Corner, a colonial trading post now known as Ninety-Six. The meeting resulted in a treaty signing that ended the Second Cherokee War— an agreement that separated South Carolina from the Cherokee lands with a boundary along the crest of the Oconee Mountain, ceding what is now Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, and Pickens counties to South Carolina.
Ninety-Six had been a strategic location in the Revolutionary War, and got its name because Charleston traders in the early 1700s marked it as the spot where roughly 96 miles remained to the Cherokee village of Keowee in the upper South Carolina foothills.
Ninety-Six, South Carolina schistory.org/may-1777-treaty-of-dewitts-corner
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
ANDREW
JACKSON’S PARROT
JUNE 10, 1845
President Andrew Jackson’s funeral at The Hermitage in Tennessee on June 10, 1845, included an unusual guest: his African Grey parrot. Nicknamed “Poll”—short for “Polly”— Jackson’s pet bird had to be removed from the funeral after it began furiously swearing.
Funeral attendee William Meneffee Norment recorded the following about the event: “Before the sermon while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that was a household pet got excited and commenced swearing so loud and long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house.”
The Hermitage, Tennessee jacksonianamerica.com/2012/04/16/ andrew-jacksons-profane-parrot
ANDREW JACKSON PORTRAIT COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
THE BENNETT PLACE SURRENDER
APRIL 26, 1865
When it came time to discuss a peaceful solution to the Civil War, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston met with Union General William T. Sherman under a flag of truce at a simple farmhouse located midway between their lines on Hillsborough Road, around 7 miles away from Durham Station. It took three separate occasions to come to a mutually agreeable surrender, but each time they met at the home of James and Nancy Bennitt—which is the original spelling of the family name. The largest troop surrender of the American Civil War finally took place on April 26, 1865 when the two commanders signed surrender papers for southern armies in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Today, Bennett Place’s grounds and buildings are open to the public. Tours take about 45 minutes and are offered at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Durham, North Carolina historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/bennett-place/history
PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL
The high school President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, attended, was built in 1921 in Plains, Georgia, for grades one through eleven during a time when students graduated at the end of eleventh grade. The first graduation took place in 1921. President Carter received his diploma in 1941 and Rosalynn graduated in 1944 as valedictorian.
Plains High School began offering a twelfth grade in 1952 and closed its doors in 1979. Its legacy lives on as a park museum and visitor center, where you can walk through a restored and furnished classroom, the principal’s office, and the auditorium.
Tom Poland travels southern backroads seeking evidence of how those before us lived, worked, and survived. Each day their farms, barns, outbuildings, stores, churches, and onceessential structures succumb to time and the elements. He photographs and writes about a forgotten land so that others can know it was there. A writer, author, and photographer, his books cover the backroads, vanishing cultural ways, and natural areas at risk. He and co-author Robert Clark document what is, a land that may well become what was.
Take something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read on your next backroad journey.
An engraved leather hiking journal may not be a necessity when you hike, but it can motivate you to pay attention to details as you track your journey. This journal can be customized and features rough-cut paper, a handsewn binding, a flap closure, and templated pages where you can record the trail date, location, distance, difficulty level, terrain, nature encountered, favorite moments, and other personal reflections.
Capture expert photos on the road using this smartphone tripod, which can also be used as a handgrip, monopod, or elevated stand. In addition to smartphones, Joby’s TelePod Mobile works with small 360 cams and features a Bluetooth Impulse remote shutter.
Various retail locations
SOMETHING TO READ
South Carolina Reflections: A Photographic Journey
By Robert C. Clark and Tom Poland, $44.95 (hardcover) uscpress.com
SOMETHING TO WEAR
Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack
1L, $35 patagonia.com
This lightweight hip pack is made with 100% recycled fabric and provides the perfect place to stash your phone, wallet, and other travel essentials. It features two pockets and has a soft, versatile waistbelt. Choose from colors with names inspired by nature: Buckhorn Green, Pine Needle Green, Dulse Mauve, Vessel Blue, and Nouveau Green, to name a few.
Available at stores nationwide
Awe-inspiring beauty shines in South Carolina Reflections: A Photographic Journey. Photographer Robert C. Clark and writer Tom Poland’s sixth book together presents the geological grandeur, natural beauty, and cultural wealth in South Carolina’s 32,000 square miles. Explore the Palmetto State in this fresh, luminous visual survey of its splendor, published by South Carolina Press.
Available at select bookstores in the Southeast
TANG VASE BY BEN OWEN III
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN OWEN POTTERY
Seagrove, North Carolina
BY JENNA BITER
unearthed discovering the tradition of seagrove pottery
Halfway between Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C. 705 winds its way through the Piedmont in the shadow of the Uwharrie Mountains. The two-lane road—what seems a highway in name only—wanders past farms and longleaf pines to connect the small towns home to an esteemed community of artists who carry on a pottery tradition that dates to the 1700s.
MA tt HEW KELLY
Brown metal tourist signs mark the roughly thirty-mile road by its popular name, the North Carolina Pottery Highway, home of the Seagrove area potters. Turn down any gravel drive, and you’ll find a pottery shop with a kiln under an awning out back, or some sort of similar setup. A hundred or so Seagrove potters make their living in such workshops, shaping clay into vessels beloved by craft enthusiasts the world over.
Matthew Kelly is one of these potters. He works out of his eponymous pottery beside his Asheboro home, a stone’s throw from Seagrove, usually with his Dachshund, Macy, yapping happily at his feet. Kelly, a first-generation potter, opened the shop in 2019, although his professional career in clay began decades before at a nearby pottery when he was only 16 years old. “I’ve probably made somewhere around 700,000 pots in those thirty years,” Kelly says.
Past a display of earth-toned mugs, birdhouses, and decorative jugs carved with goofy faces and names like Grover, there’s a wall map stuck with colorful ball-point pins. Most of the pins mark the destinations of wares he’s shipped, but the red pins mark the hometowns of people who’ve visited Kelly’s shop from far away. One red pin sticks out from the middle of Alaska.
Most of the far-flung travelers discovered Kelly’s work through his YouTube channel, where he has almost 37,000 subscribers. He regularly uploads videos of himself throwing pots on the wheel and unloading his kiln after a firing. “I’m known in Seagrove as the ‘YouTube Guy,’” Kelly says, with a laugh.
@MatthewKellyPottery
BEN OWEN III
Less than a 10-minute drive from Kelly’s pottery is one of the Seagrove area’s best-known studios, Ben Owen Pottery. Ben Owen III’s vases and dinnerware decorate the dining room at Herons, the Forbes five-star restaurant in Cary, North Carolina’s Umstead Hotel and Spa. Owen’s works can be admired around the globe, as far from the rural Carolinas as the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Tokyo, Japan.
“I’ve known Ben Owen for a long time,” Kelly says. “He’s probably one of the most successful potters I’ve ever met, but he is also one of the most open. If I have a question about pottery, he’ll pick up the phone and say, ‘Well, what can I do to help?’”
Owen’s pottery is as thoughtful as its maker. Classic Asian forms pair handsomely with glazes that have the names Cobalt Crystalline, Nebular Purple, and Copper Penny. The vessels feel fresh and modern even though Owen’s been making pottery for half a century and his family practically sprang from the Seagrove ground, like the earth he shapes with his hands.
Owen’s ancestors emigrated from Great Britain to central North Carolina in the mid-1700s. There, they found good soil for farming, as well as an abundance of clays to continue their pottery tradition in the New World. “They made pots out of necessity,” Owen says. They made them for the home, for their dinner table, for storage, and to sell in local markets.
Hang a left down a small hall leading from Owen’s showroom, and you can see some of these historical pieces on display. What used to be the studio where Owen III learned to make pottery from his grandfather, Ben Owen Sr., in after-school lessons when he was just 9 years old is now a museum that exhibits some of the earliest examples of Owen family pottery, including a preserve jar circa the 1870s.
“Fast forward to the early 20th century when my grandfather and his generation, they were exposed to other cultures and making more decorative, more colorful glazes, more ornate vessels, yet still many of them functional,” Owen says. “They combined the functional and the decorative, and it became a hybrid.”
PHOTOS, TOP TO BOTTOM:
BEN OWEN SR. THROWING POTS, CIRCA 1920.
BEN OWEN SR. MAKING A CANDLESTICK.
BEN OWEN SR. AND BEN OWEN III. YOUNG BEN OWEN III AT THE POTTER’S WHEEL.
PHOTO (OPPOSITE PAGE):
BEN OWEN III FIRING WORK IN THE KILN.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEN OWEN POTTERY.
BEN OWEN III
PHOTOS
Less than three miles down the road sits Jugtown Pottery, the historic studio largely to thank for that transformation.
Before Owen Sr. opened his own shop in 1959, he worked a full career, thirty-six years, at Jugtown under the guidance of its founders, Jacques and Juliana Busbee. The Busbees were Raleigh artists and art enthusiasts sad to see Seagrove pottery replaced by cheaper alternatives, like manufactured china, glassware, and tin. They recognized the craft needed to evolve from an old folk practice into an artistic endeavor in order to survive.
Among the first potters to work with the Busbees was J.H. Owen, the uncle of Ben Owen Sr. and the grandfather of Vernon Owens (whose father, M.L., added an “s” to the end of his surname). Vernon now owns and operates Jugtown with his wife, Pam, and children, Travis and Bayle, all of whom are potters. Together the Owens family keeps Jugtown running as they make relevant, well-designed pottery for the future in their time capsule of historic cabins.
“Everybody that’s ever been associated with Jugtown—not just me and Pam and Bayle and Vernon— it’s a cohesive body of work,” Travis Owens says. “If you see a piece of Jugtown from the ’30s, and you see a piece we’ve made today, you can see a relationship. It’s got a warm feel. It’s something that you can make a connection with.”
To discover more potters and plan your trip to Seagrove, visit discoverseagrove.com
TRAVIS
TRAVIS
JUGTOWN POtt ERY
“If you see a piece of Jugtown from the ’30s, and you see a piece we’ve made today, you can see a relationship. It’s got a warm feel. It’s something that you can make a connection with.”
// TRAVIS OWENS
Seagrove, North Carolina
THE BLUE RIDGE
HERITAGE PROJECT
Honoring ‘The Children of Shenandoah’
BY BETH PETERSON
In 1934, a farmer in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia read an eviction notice. He read it again—just to be sure—before silently laying it on the kitchen table. “There must be some confusion,” he said to his wife.
Years prior, the Commonwealth of Virginia had obtained permission from the Federal Government under President Calvin Coolidge to create a national park. The farmer’s home, as well as the homes of many of his friends and relatives, sat right in the middle of the park’s proposed location. The farmer, along with many others, had been asked to leave. The Public Lands and Surveys Committee had even offered compensation in exchange for the land. But the farmer, along with many others, had declined the offer.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the state, excitement over the park grew. “A national park near the nation’s capital” was a catchphrase on everyone’s lips. In the wake of the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression, the tourism and revenue a park like this would generate for the state of Virginia was too enticing to pass up.
“There must be some confusion,” the farmer wrote in a letter to the Public Lands and Surveys Committee the next day.
“I inherited this farm from my father, who inherited it from his.” The farmer waited for a response. He remained hopeful.
OPPOSITE PAGE: HOME OF FANNIE CORBIN ON THE CORBIN HOLLOW FARM, SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK, VIRGINIA.
PHOTO BY ARTHUR ROTHSTEIN, CIRCA 1935; COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS,
GENERATIONAL FOUNDATIONS
For three generations, the farmer’s family had lived in the little Virginia farmhouse his grandfather built, using what he had available to him in the hollow. A stream running through the property had provided smooth, flat stones for the foundation. From the surrounding hills came lumber for the house. Those wood planks, now weathered and gray, gave away the farmhouse’s age. But it was all the sturdier for it, having settled into the hillside as permanently as the lichen-covered boulders cropping up around it. The farmer’s mother and father, along with his grandparents and an infant daughter, rested in the family plot just up the hill, between the farmhouse and the apple orchard.
The farmer remained hopeful even as surveyors arrived. Even as dynamite blasts ricocheted for weeks on end, and one neighbor after another loaded his truck and rambled, defeated, down the mountain. Other families had been on that mountain as long or longer than his own, but couldn’t provide proof of ownership; they had just always been there. But the farmer could prove it. The deed to the farm, passed down to him from his father and grandfather, would surely protect him, his family, and his livelihood from the evictions happening around them.
He wrote another letter.
Rather than receiving an answer from the committee, however, a social worker appeared on his doorstep and questioned his children about their shoes (or lack thereof, even though it was the middle of July). The farmer could sense a judgmental gaze coming from the social worker, and this intrusion angered him.
But he thought little of it until an afternoon in late August when he drove his family into town so they could pick up the fabric his wife had ordered to make school clothes for the children. Going to town was a common occurrence, but this time it felt different. A newspaper article had been published, detailing the social worker’s visit to his and other homes on the mountain. Suddenly, honest, hardworking farmers like him were cast as ignorant, lazy, and barely intelligible. According to the article, their best shot at normal life was to be removed from their mountain hollows and integrated into city life. Certainly, the development of a national park would benefit everyone—especially the poor mountain folk who simply didn’t know any better.
In the fervor to produce their coveted national park, the Public Lands and Surveys Committee had begun buying up parcels of land from families willing to sell. However, a stubborn contingent of mountain folk refused to leave.
Determined to have their park, Virginia passed a convenient law, the Public Park Condemnation Act in 1928, allowing the Public Lands and Surveys Committee to condemn the land. This act was meant to flush the remnants out. Even then, a few resisted. But resistance only resulted in forcible removal from family homes. These homes were subsequently burned, sometimes with the families looking on, leaving only the stone chimney behind to mark the place where a family once lived.
MIDDLE TOP: HOME OF BAILEY NICHOLSON, 1935
MIDDLE LEFT: PRIVIES ON ROAD TO SKYLINE DRIVE, 1938
MIDDLE RIGHT: ROAD TO CORBIN HOLLOW, 1935
BOTTOM: HOME OF FANNIE CORBIN, 1935
TOP LEFT: HOME OF BAILEY NICHOLSON, 1935
TOP RIGHT: ONE OF THE CORBIN BOYS, 1935
ALL PHOTOS BY ARTHUR ROTHSTEIN EXCEPT MIDDLE LEFT PHOTO BY RUSSELL LEE; COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
ABOVE: ONLY A CHIMNEY REMAINS FROM AN OLD JORDAN HOLLOW HOMEPLACE IN SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK. OPPOSITE PAGE: A PLAQUE MEMORIALIZES THE MADISON COUNTY FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR HOME TO THE PARK'S DEVELOPMENT. PHOTOS BY BILL HENRY.
A PARK IS BORN
Today, these parcels of land have been merged to create Shenandoah National Park. It boasts over 200,000 acres of rolling hills, exquisite vistas, and a breathtaking 105 miles of scenic highway known as Skyline Drive. Only 75 miles from Washington, D.C., these protected lands draw 1.4 million visitors a year.
Bill Henry, a retired high school teacher and frequent Shenandoah National Park visitor, remembers exploring the park as a child. In a StoryCorps interview, he describes hiking through the park with his family. At times wandering a little off-trail, he often stumbled on a clearing with a lone chimney standing in the middle of it. Intrigued by these solitary chimneys—even as an adult—Henry began researching the park’s history. His investigations led him to a group of people who called themselves The Children of Shenandoah—descendants of a few thousand individuals dispossessed of their homes through the park’s creation.
Inspired by their stories, Henry came up with an idea to build a monument to memorialize the displacement of these mountain people. Together with members of The Children of Shenandoah, Henry founded The Blue Ridge Heritage Project, a nonprofit, in 2014. Rather than one monument, however, the project committed to building eight monuments—one in each of the eight counties where families were removed from their homes to make way for Shenandoah National Park. The monuments are aptly designed to look like chimneys, and each monument bears the names of the displaced families from each respective county.
Though these stories went untold for years, The Blue Ridge Heritage Project honors the thousands of mountain folk who were, sadly, uprooted from their homes to make way for a national park that is now ours to cherish today as much as they did back then.
A FINAL DEDICATION
On April 26, 2025, the eighth and final monument of The Blue Ridge Heritage Project will be dedicated to the people of Augusta County, Virginia. Check out our Backroad Bulletin listing on page 88 for details.
Learn more about The Blue Ridge Heritage Project at these websites: blueridgeheritageproject.com nps.gov/places/000/blue-ridge-heritage-project-monument-page-county.htm
PHOTO BY CHANSAK JOE A.
PHOTO BY JOE A. CHANSAK
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive and hiking trails offer timeless views of the surrounding valleys.
BY TOM POLAND
THE ELIXIR OF LIFE AS
THERAPY
The Southeast’s healing mineral and hot springs
Old Jed Clampett was shootin’ at some food, and up through the ground came a-bubblin’ crude. Well you can’t drink crude and you sure don’t want to soak in it. Water, the elixir of life, however, was made to drink and bathe in and, in so doing, reputed health cures bubble up from the earth. When modern medicine fails many people turn to springs hoping to heal various ailments.
In Blackville, South Carolina, you’ll find Healing Springs, a long-time destination for people seeking natural remedies. In short, people love to drink the water there. Known as God’s Acre Healing Springs, one Lute Boylston deeded the springs to God in 1944. Gallons gush forth. Back a ways I knew a woman who regularly made a 120-mile round trip to the springs. Laden with plastic milk jugs she came home with gallons of the therapeutic spring water and swore by it.
If some stubborn ailment plagues you at the end of your drive, a cure may be waiting. Many others have long made pilgrimages to this Barnwell County site to fill jugs, bottles, and whatever holds water. It’s not for the taste, although the water tastes fine. No, they come to take reputed healing powers back home.
American Indians considered the waters sacred. They bathed in the springs for restorative power when ailing or injured. Healing Springs’ fame skyrocketed during the American Revolution. A historical marker chronicles the legend. “By tradition, Healing Springs got its name during the Revolutionary War. In 1781 after a bloody battle at nearby Windy Hill Creek, four wounded Tories sent inland from Charleston by General Banastre (“the Butcher”) Tarleton were left in the care of two comrades who had orders to bury them when they died. Luckily, the Indians found them and took them to their secret, sacred healing springs. Six months later the Charleston garrison was astonished by the reappearance of the six men. All were strong and healthy.”
The water surges out of the ground in three places where spigots make it convenient to collect. I stopped by the springs recently and three people were filling milk jugs and soft drink bottles with artesian water that surged up and out pipes. Folks come from all over. One lady told me she was from Pennsylvania. Some describe the springs as “a hidden gem in the middle of nowhere.”
Drive northeast 248 miles to Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, and you’ll find Mineral Spring Park. In 1858 Davey Crockett Fuquay and Stephen Fuquay were plowing on the family farm when they discovered Fuquay Mineral Spring. It’s believed to have healing powers and, as with Blackville Healing Springs, visitors came from far and wide to partake of the mineral waters.
The resort town of Fuquay Springs developed around the spring in the early 1900s. Folks now call it Fuquay-Varina.
Today, the mineral spring is commemorated within the Fuquay Mineral Spring Park where it looks more like a stream than a spring. Located near downtown Fuquay-Varina, Fuquay Mineral Spring Park offers an easily accessible space with a restored springhouse, memorial brick path, picnic tables, footbridge, administrative offices, and finely manicured landscaping.
ABOVE: FUQUAY MINERAL SPRING PARK IN FUQUAY-VARINA, NORTH CAROLINA
PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH POLAND SHUGG
As for those fellows plowing, historians question just who discovered the mineral spring. Was it Fuquay’s son Stephen or grandson David Crockett Fuquay? What matters, however, is the family took action. They channeled the water into a pool and drank from it. Generous folk, they hung a gourd from a tree so others could enjoy the water. The word spread that folks who drank a good bit of the mineral spring cured an assortment of illnesses and conditions.
An exhibit on the Mineral Spring states: “For complaints of the kidneys, liver and stomach, the water has afforded complete relief. Many cases of heart trouble, brought on and accentuated by indigestion, have disappeared entirely.”
A test revealed that the water contained calcium bicarbonate, calcium silicate, calcium sulphate, iron and aluminum oxides, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, magnesium bicarbonate, magnesium sulphate, and silica.
At one time a train made daily trips to the Fuquay Mineral Spring so city dwellers could enjoy the water’s healing properties.
PHOTO (TOP): COLD SPRINGS PIPE IN EASTERN TENNESSEE; COURTESY OF THE HOBBS FAMILY
PHOTO (BOTTOM, LEFT): MAGNESIA SPRING AT VIRGINIA HOT SPRINGS; PHOTO BY DETROIT PUBLISHING CO., COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
PHOTO (BOTTOM, RIGHT): HOT SULPHER SPRINGS AT VIRGINIA HOT SPRINGS, CIRCA 1910; COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
HOT WATER
If you find yourself in hot water, here’s hoping it’s a therapeutic hot spring. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt found himself in Warm Springs, Georgia. FDR made Warm Springs’ naturally heated waters famous. George Foster Peabody, a New York businessman-philanthropist, bought the springs in 1923. He told Roosevelt a young polio victim recovered after bathing in the swimming pools at Warm Springs.
Roosevelt, paralyzed from the waist down in 1921 from polio, arrived at the resort on October 3, 1924. He swam and felt an improvement at once. He could move his right leg for the first time in three years. He made many trips there, returning to Warm Springs for the last time near the end of World War II in March 1945.
On the afternoon of April 12, 1945, Roosevelt sat in a favorite chair posing for a portrait by Madame Elizabeth Shoumatoff. As he did, he suffered a massive stroke and died that afternoon.
Other hot springs exist and people flock to them. So, what’s the verdict on warm springs and hot springs? A bit of history first. People have long enjoyed bathing in natural hot springs. Some led to a steamy, sulfur-smelling tradition that spawned spas, resorts, and campgrounds around the world. As with healing springs, believers testify to the revitalizing powers of hot springs. So, here’s a simple assessment.
Hot springs are good for your skin. The high amounts of silica soften the skin. As well, skin conditions like acne and psoriasis can benefit from hot springs’ mineral content. It alleviates pain. Time spent in a hot spring can block pain receptors. It’s believed people who have arthritis, fibromyalgia, and joint pain benefit from soaking in a hot spring.
Healing springs, mineral springs, hot springs … whichever you choose, run it by your physician and get some advice. Don’t just plunge in. And remember: Like many matters, when it comes to cures, it helps to believe.
ABOVE: FDR SOUGHT RELIEF FROM POLIO IN THIS ONCE-FILLED POOL IN WARM SPRINGS, GEORGIA. OPPOSITE PAGE: FDR SET UP AN OFFICE IN THE "LITTLE WHITE HOUSE" IN WARM SPRINGS, COMPLETE WITH HIS FAVORITE CHAIR. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
WHERE TO FIND THEM
Warm Springs, Georgia
Roosevelt’s Healing Pools
101 Golf Course Road
Warm Springs, Georgia 31830
exploregeorgia.org/warm-springs/arts-culture/museums/roosevelt-pools FDR referred to it as “The Spirit of Warm Springs.”
Healing Springs, South Carolina
Springs Court
Blackville, South Carolina 29817 facebook.com/healingacresprings
“Local families and travelers from across the country have been making the trek here to Healing Springs.”
“The Fuquay Mineral Spring is part of the Fuquay Springs Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.”
Hot Springs, North Carolina
315 Bridge Street
Hot Springs, North Carolina 28743
nchotsprings.com
“Where Mother Nature waved her magical wand and created one of the most natural of all wonders, Natural Hot Mineral Waters.”
Hot Springs, Virginia
7696 Sam Snead Highway
Hot Springs, Virginia 24445
visitbathva.com/the-warm-springs-pools
Appropriately located in Bath County, where springs “have been in use since at least 1761.”
Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee
Armour’s Hotel & Spa (offers access to the springs)
321 E. Main Street
Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee 37150
redboilingspringstn.com
Where “five different types of mineral waters are found ... with the springs mineralized through contact with exposed black shale, from which iron sulfate is dissolved into the waters.”
Pine Mountain, Georgia
This springtime reflection at Callaway Gardens could almost be a watercolor painting.
PHOTO BY DANITA
Backroad Portfolio’s exclusive guide to getting there the long way
CREATED BY THE BACKROAD PORTFOLIO STAFF
Backroads transport us to the places in between. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from southeastern destinations via winding rural roads—and sometimes trails—lined with captivating landscapes, historic structures and, in this particular journey, wondrous waterfalls of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Inspired by a Wandering Smoky Mountains article, we’re hiking through the scenic Great Smoky Mountains to see some of its breathtaking waterfalls. There’s no better time than spring to enjoy such restorative beauty.
Home base is Gatlinburg. From there, you can hike trails lined with lustrous vegetation to spectacular waterfalls. We recommend booking an overnight stay in Gatlinburg so you can fully enjoy the experience.
We’ve chosen Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg as the starting point to all trails for the purposes of providing distance estimates, but Gatlinburg offers plenty of other accommodations. The Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg is situated on the west prong of the Little Pigeon River. Rooms on that side of the hotel include balconies so you can enjoy the relaxing sounds and view of the water as it trickles by.
For additional accommodations, visit gatlinburg.com/places-to-stay/hotels-and-motels.
MINGO FALLS IN CHEROKEE, NORTH CAROLINA, BY CRAIG ZERBE - STOCK.ADOBE.COM.
PHOTO:
GET THERE AND BACK AGAIN
Wondrous Waterfalls
BASECAMP:
Baymont by Windham Gatlinburg on the River wyndhamhotels.com
Start and end your waterfall journey in downtown Gatlinburg, where you can choose from various resorts and restaurants.
Sugarlands Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
3.3 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
Considered one of the Great Smoky Mountains’ best kept secrets, the ¾-mile Cataract Falls trail is perfect for families and leads to a beautiful 25-foot waterfall. A canopy of trees provides shade as you meander alongside Fighting Creek.
1420 Fighting Creek Gap Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
PHOTO: CATARACT FALLS BY PT HAMILTON - STOCK.ADOBE.COM.
Grotto Falls
nps.gov/places/grotto-falls.htm
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Gatlinburg, Tennessee (parking lot)
1.6 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
Experience the sensation of walking behind a 25-foot waterfall while hiking the roundtrip 2.6-mile journey that starts at the Trillium Gap Trailhead. You’ll cross over bubbling streams and meander through old-growth forest and rhododendron. You also have the option to continue on to Mount LeConte, Tennessee’s highest peak.
1420 Fighting Creek Gap Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Ramsey Cascades
hikinginthesmokys.com/ramsey-cascades
Ramsey Prong Road, Gatlinburg
10.4 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
Prepare for a moderately strenuous roundtrip 8-mile hike with a 2,190 elevation gain over rugged terrain. The trail follows the remnants of an old gravel road and meets up with the old Greenbrier Pinnacle Trail, which is now overgrown. It continues east into the largest old-growth forest remaining in the Smokies. Upon reaching 100-foot Ramsey Cascades, you’ll see one of the park’s tallest and most spectacular waterfalls.
1420 Fighting Creek Gap Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
PHOTO (LEFT): GROTTO FALLS BY RICHARD - STOCK.ADOBE.COM.
PHOTO (RIGHT): RAMSEY CASCADES BY LUIS SANDOVAL - STOCK.ADOBE.COM.
Rainbow Falls
smokymountains.com/park/hikes/rainbow-falls-trail
35°40’32.3”N 83°29’08.5”W
4.5 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
This 5.4-mile roundtrip trail to 80-foot rainbow falls is one of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s oldest and most well-traveled. It’s worth the time and effort, but prepare for a more difficult climb than other trails featured here. Your reward: seeing the park’s tallest single-drop waterfall and, if you’re lucky to hike on a sunny day, catching a stunning rainbow shimmering through the fall’s mist.
Hiking near waterfalls can be an amazing experience, but it’s important to be well-prepared. Here are some items to bring with you.
• Sturdy Hiking Boots or Shoes – Trails near waterfalls can be slippery, and good traction is key.
• Rain Jacket or Poncho – Waterfall areas tend to have mist, and weather can change quickly.
• Trekking Poles – Useful for steep or slippery sections.
• Waterproof Phone Case or Pouch – Helps keep your phone safe while taking pictures near water.
Also! Be sure to check weather conditions before you go—waterfalls can become dangerous after heavy rain due to flash flooding. Never climb on or swim near the top of a waterfall.
RAINBOW FALLS BY FRANCISCO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM.
PHOTO:
HIKE A LITTLE FURTHER OUT
If you don’t mind driving an hour or more to experience some of the Great Smoky Mountain waterfall trails a little further out, add these to your agenda.
Abrams Falls
nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-to-abrams-falls.htm
33.7 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
This roundtrip 5-mile hike journeys through rhododendron and a forest filled with hemlock, pine, and oak trees to a 25-foot waterfall that flows over a sandstone ledge into a tranquil pool. In spring, colorful wildflowers line the trail. The trailhead parking area requires a parking tag. Learn more about how to get one here: nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fees.htm. Drive through Cades Cove Loop to get there. This one-way 11-mile drive offers views of historic structures and picturesque valley scenery.
Abrams Falls Trailhead, Townsend, Tennessee
Mingo Falls
nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/mingo-falls.htm
88.3 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
The 0.4-mile hike to Mingo Falls, known as Big Bear Falls in the Cherokee language, is located in the Qualia Boundary, the land trust of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The 120-foot waterfall cascades down granite boulders. The hike is short but you’ll climb 161 steps to get to the top of the stairway where you’ll see what is considered one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the southern Appalachians.
Hike a 2.4-mile loop to see not one but three waterfalls known as the Deep Creek Waterfalls. Juney Whank Falls, Indian Creek Falls, and Tom Branch Falls are accessible from the Deep Creek Campground. A steep but short trail leads to Juney Whank Falls. Cross a footbridge and continue 300 feet to the trail junction to follow Deep Creek Horse Trail toward Deep Creek Trail. There, proceed to Indian Creek Trail and walk about 200 feet to Indian Creek Falls, then backtrack and you’ll pass Tom Branch Falls.
W. Deep Creek Road, Bryson City, North Carolina PHOTO (TOP): ABRAMS FALLS BY E.J. RODRIQUEZ - STOCK.ADOBE.COM. PHOTO (MIDDLE): MINGO FALLS BY ROBERT - STOCK.ADOBE.COM. PHOTO (BOTTOM): DEEP CREEK FALLS BY KELLY - STOCK.ADOBE.COM.
PHOTO BY SEAN PAVONE
Craggy Gardens, North Carolina
View a spectacular sunset from Craggy Gardens in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
South Carolina Reflections—A Photographic Journey
A conversation with author Tom Poland and photographer Robert Clark
INTRODUCTION AND INTERVIEW BY
ELIZABETH POLAND SHUGG
Tom Poland and Robert Clark have been working together for over 40 years. Together they have published six books. Their latest, South Carolina Reflections—A Photographic Journey features a timeless exploration of South Carolina’s treasures. Here, they tell us about their experiences working on this book together.
BP: How did this book come about?
RC: Tom and I thought Reflections II was the last book we’d do in the series. The acquisitions editor at USC Press suggested we do a third edition, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the initial publication. Images of the first and second edition of Reflections are combined with fresh new images to complete the book.
TP: I was driving to Macon, Georgia, when I stopped to check emails and saw that the Press wanted us to develop a new edition. I called Robert and we both felt we had a wealth of material that would make for a strong book. Soon we were hard at work.
BP: How did you choose the images that would go into the book?
RC: Images chosen amounts to a process where I turn in the photos I like best and build a gallery where Tom and the USC Press team view photos and start the selection process. The images chosen represented all regions of the state.
TP: I’m the first to see Robert’s photos. It excites me to see the potential for a book and this book, by far, is our best in the Reflections series. It was very hard making selections; they’re all so good.
BP: How do the two of you collaborate?
RC: Tom and I have worked together for over 40 years, and we trust what the other does. We look at photos and discuss subject matter, and Tom usually asks me to tell him what I experienced when capturing an image. Tom takes this info and builds an informative and creative cutline.
TP: From the beginning, the way we collaborated set us on the path to book authorship. Our first project, a feature on tenant homes, brought out the best in us as creatives. As Robert says, we trust each other and we bring the best out of each other.
BP: What determines which photos make the final cut?
RC: I know which images best represent South Carolina’s various regions. I try to photograph new versions of my favorite areas. I can get too close to some images just because they’re my favorites. So, I create galleries that give others a broader view when it comes to the final selection of images.
TP: First I look for visual impact—the “knock my socks off” effect. Next, I consider the photo’s potential for telling a story. I then consider where it fits in terms of the state’s regions, perform some research, and get a feeling for how I want to write the title and the supporting narrative.
BP: What goes into the selection of the cover(s)?
RC: The cover images of the series have all revolved around the concept of reflections. Water usually is the best element to carry the concept of reflections. Again, I turn in images that I feel make the best covers, and let the publishing team choose their favorites for the covers.
TP: I look for one that is eye-catching, memorable, with spaces where the title and subtitle can float over space without distracting from the photo’s effect. We have two exceptional covers with this book that move from the coast to the mountains.
BP: How long did you two work on this book?
RC: In our previous talks, Tom has always stated that we have been working on this book all our life. That is true. Tom and I travel the state often, without having an assignment to do. We’re rarities in our profession—we use our own time and dime to work on our career goals.
TP: “All our lives” is so true. The skill sets essential to crafting a fine book go back to our early years as a writer and photographer. We’ve paid our dues and kissed more than a few frogs along the way.
BP: Any surprises when you do a book like this one?
RC: I remember proofing photos and final layouts on this book. I suggested in the final layout that certain photos be adjusted for tones and colors. When I saw the book for the first time, I was ecstatic with the printing quality—I commented on the spot that it’s the best printed book in my career.
TP: For me the surprise with the entire series has been discovering that mothers and their daughters choose our book as the registry for weddings. Ample white space provides a beautiful way for guests to leave sentiments.
PHOTO
MARSH
BP: What’s your favorite photo in the book?
RC: My favorite photo is the photo of the two work boats in the foggy marsh. This photo is my career favorite.
TP: For me, it’s not even close. I love the “wine glass” trees on page 40. The green vase Zelkovas arch gracefully and bring to mind an ocean wave just before crashing. You’ll find them at the Milliken Campus in Spartanburg.
BP: Why should people buy this book?
RC: Tom and I feel the book helps readers realize just what a tremendous jewel the state of South Carolina is. It’s our hope that the work we’ve done will continue as other photographers and writers take up the challenge to capture South Carolina from the mountains to the sea.
TP: I’ll add that the book preserves threatened aspects of the state loggerhead sea turtles, basket weavers and their sweetgrass, Carolina bays, historic cemeteries, rare pottery, marsh tackies, and ways of life such as shrimping. If you desire a South Carolina time capsule, here it is.
Order your copy of South Carolina—A Photographic Journey for $44.99 at uscpress.com/south-carolina-reflections.
TOP LEFT: CLARK’S FAVORITE PHOTO SHOWCASES WORK BOATS IN A FOGGY CHARLESTON MARSH.
TOP RIGHT: POLAND’S FAVORITE PHOTO FEATURES ZELKOVAS TREES ARCHING GRACEFULLY IN SPARTANBURG.
OPPOSITE PAGE: A MALE GREAT EGRET AT LAKE WATEREE GATHERS NEST MATERIALS THEN BRINGS THEM TO THE FEMALE TO FINISH BUILDING THE NEST.
Lake Wateree, South Carolina
This great egret is featured in the new edition of South Carolina Reflections: A Photographic Journey.
ROBERT CLARK
ROBERT CLARK
St. Helena Island, South Carolina
The Chapel of Ease on St. Helena Island was constructed of tabby in 1740 for parishioners who couldn't travel to Beaufort to attend church.
The Forgotten Rain Porch
BY TOM POLAND
A reader and friend, Zilphy DuRant of Florence, South Carolina, mailed me a letter and clipping from The Post and Courier about an architectural feature I’d never heard of: rain porches. In the clipping, Seth Taylor wrote about the Pee Dee being the “birthplace of a porch unlike any other.”
Driving back from Chapel Hill, I saw a road worthy of my ramblings. In one of those life coincidences I came across what appears to be a house with a rain porch on North Carolina Highway 79, which runs through Gibson, North Carolina. Zilphy, by the way, hails from Gibson.
Just a few miles across the South Carolina state line I spotted what seemed like a rain porch on an old house missing its porch. Even so, it was obvious that the columns went to the ground and beyond where the porch would be. As Taylor wrote, “The columns aren’t attached to the floor; they’re freestanding.” So were these.
Now I’ll admit this so-called rain porch may simply be supports for ongoing restoration but its columns go straight to the ground and the columns themselves seem as old as the house. This rain porch will do until another one comes along, and it did. Near Cassatt, South Carolina, on old U.S. 1, I found a rain porch off the road a ways. Problem was it looked too modern, all bricked up as it was. Cassatt does, however, have a classic rain porch house, the two-story, circa 1820 McCoy house. I aim to find it next time I’m driving old U.S. 1 north of Camden.
Now this “rain porch” is known to some as a “Carolina porch.” They came to be in the early 1800s and enjoyed popularity in the 1800s when such porches enjoyed a bit of fame and fashion. Taylor wrote that they fell out of favor almost as quickly as they caught people’s fancy. It’s a mysterious thing, this rain porch and how it’s restricted to the Pee Dee.
Speculation holds that the porches provided a way to minimize rotting of porch timbers. Perhaps the porch kept gusts of rain from drenching porch sitters when a summer storm blew in. As I wrote several years back, it’s a vanishing art, porch sitting. There was a time when folks retired to the porch just to pass the time, and passing the time watching a storm roll in was, and is, relaxing for many.
The South Carolina Encyclopedia references rain porches: “A sheltered exterior residential living area, the rain porch consists of a roof structure with freestanding supports, in an anterior arrangement to a pier-supported, balustraded deck. This vernacular form typically occurs on houses from circa 1820 to circa 1860 in the South Carolina counties located north of the Santee River and east of the Wateree and Catawba Rivers. Isolated examples have also been identified in Berkeley, Chester, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, and York Counties, as well as in central and eastern North Carolina counties along the South Carolina border.”
Whether you’ve seen a rain porch or not, my guess is you’ll be looking for one whenever you’re in the aforementioned regions—or even outside of those areas. When you spot one, if you spot one, you’ll be witness to a small mystery. Exactly why were these super-sized porches built?
Many thanks to Zilphy DuRant, The Post and Courier, and Seth Taylor. Because of them I will return to Highway 79 and seek other rain porches and more, for Highway 79 seems to be one of those roads where Father Time tarried a while and left stretches untouched by modern ways.
OPPOSITE
PERDUE HILL HOUSE IN MONROE COUNTY, ALABAMA,
PORCH; PHOTO BY W.N. MANNING,
PHOTO BY BILLY MCDONALD - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
BILLY MCDONALD
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
The Alfred Reagan Tub Mill is located on the Roaring Fork Motor Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Reagan built the mill in 1895 and also ran blacksmith shop.
IRISH SODA BREAD
Irish Soda Bread has been a staple in Irish households since the early 19th century, valued for its simplicity and affordability. Unlike yeast-based breads, it relies on baking soda as a leavening agent, which reacts with buttermilk to create a quick rise. This method suited Ireland’s soft wheat flour, which lacked the gluten strength needed for traditional yeast breads. With just four basic ingredients—flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk—soda bread became an essential part of Irish cuisine, particularly during times of economic hardship, such as the Great Famine.
Beyond its practicality, Irish Soda Bread carries deep cultural significance. The signature cross cut into the top of the loaf is not just for even baking—it also ties to folklore, with some believing it “lets the fairies out” or offers a blessing.
Regional variations exist, with round loaves more common in southern Ireland and griddled farls (a flat, round disc, cut into four equal pieces) preferred in the north. While modern versions may include raisins, sugar, or eggs, purists maintain that true Irish Soda Bread remains a rustic, four-ingredient classic.
Whether enjoyed fresh with butter or paired with a hearty stew, it remains a symbol of Ireland’s resourceful culinary heritage.
PHOTOS: IRISH SODA BREAD MADE BY NOELLE (KERR) FLAMAND, WHO PROVIDED THE RECIPE ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY ERICA DE FLAMAND
Irish Soda Bread
This rustic recipe comes from Backroad Portfolio reader Noelle (Kerr) Flamand, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and has a long family history of making Irish Soda Bread.
Ingredients
• 4 to 4 1/2 cups of flour—half stone ground whole wheat and half all-purpose white
• 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups of buttermilk
Instructions
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix 4 cups of flour, salt, baking soda, and honey or sugar in a large bowl.
• Work the butter into the flour with your fingers until it resembles a coarse meal.
• Make a well in the middle and mix in the buttermilk and egg until the dough is too stiff to stir.
• Lightly knead the dough, adding a little more flour as needed, then shape it into a round loaf. *Do not over knead. The dough will be sticky and rough in appearance.
• Place the loaf on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
• Score the top with an “X” using a knife.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes. When a thin toothpick comes out clean, it’s done. If it doesn’t come out clean, bake it for a few more minutes.
• Let the bread cool on the cookie sheet for ten minutes before moving it to a cooling rack.
VARIATIONS AND TOPPINGS
Many variations of Irish Soda Bread have emerged over time, incorporating different additions like: Currants or Raisins • Honey • Orange Zest • Herbs (Rosemary, Thyme, Chives) • Guinness or Stout
Popular spreads or toppings for a toasted slice include: Irish Butter (like Kerrygold) • Jam or Preserves • Honey • Lemon Curd
Charleston, South Carolina
DANITA DELIMONT
Spanish moss shrouds 1800s graves in this Unitarian Church cemetery.
PHOTO BY DANITA DELIMONT - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Boneyard Beach at Bulls Island, South Carolina
Project Chimps
A sanctuary nestled in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains welcomes retired research chimpanzees
STORY BY ELIZABETH POLAND SHUGG PHOTOS COURTESY OF PROJECT CHIMPS
Just north of Morganton, Georgia, 95 chimpanzees coexist in the center of a 236-acre sanctuary. Villas, climbing structures, fields, and a koi pond provide them with shelter, entertainment, and tranquility. They socialize, explore, and dine together surrounded by the magnificence of Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
These gentle primates once worked in research labs as part of breeding programs, or with private institutions that conducted various invasive or noninvasive studies. Rusty, the oldest, turns forty in April. He spent thirty-four years in a research lab. Kivuli, the youngest, turned fourteen in January, fortunate to escape decades of lab work. Hercules and Leo were used in locomotion studies, which required them to walk upright with electrodes embedded in their muscles.
But those days are over. Project Chimps is their ticket to a retirement refuge where caregivers replace researchers. “The best part about being a caregiver is the daily interaction I have with the chimps, where I primarily work on gaining their trust,” says caregiver Miranda Ramirez, a former intern. “There are so many ways to connect with them while serving, shifting, training, and playing with them. Every chimp is so unique to specific circumstances.”
TWO OF THE RESCUED CHIMPS WHO ARE IN SANCTUARY—HARRIET AND BETTY—TAKE A STROLL AROUND THE 236-ACRE PROPERTY THAT PROJECT CHIMPS CALLS HOME.
PHOTO:
PHILOSOPHY
At the Project Chimps sanctuary, up to 200 chimps can roam freely within the sanctuary’s 6-acre Peachtree Habitat, a captive environment offering the comfort of a predictable routine. Breakfast is at 8 a.m., lunch is at noon, and dinner is at 4 p.m. The chimps dine primarily on root vegetables and leafy greens. Breakfast and dinner are served in the villas, but staff scatter lunch around the habitat to satiate the chimps’ foraging instincts.
Because chimpanzees are the closest living relatives to humans they share many of our characteristics: empathy, intelligence, compassion, resilience. They’re capable of experiencing a wide range of emotions and have highly evolved problem-solving skills. Like humans, they respect their elders and love to play.
Caregiver India Sloan, who also started as an intern, says chimps’ human-like characteristics make them seem more like peers. “I can tell without looking when Thomas is grooming someone, or when someone upsets Muttie,” she says. “I can figure out how Nyia—the pickiest of eaters—would like her produce served to her. Will it be rolled up in a paper bag burrito, or sliced and dropped in the food hopper? I know when Lizzy wants a stick she will groom my arms or try to peek in my pockets. This isn’t just me. All our caregivers know the ins and outs of the groups they work with like they know their own friends.”
Caregiver Lauren Jenkins knows how to read the chimps’ movements and moods. “I love walking in and saying good morning and getting head nods, which is like a chimp greeting,” she says. “I love when they initiate play and you get a few minutes of connection with them playing chase or tickle stick.”
The biggest challenge? Picking a favorite. “Every chimp is so different,” Jenkins says. “When people ask if I have a favorite chimp, I always say that I don’t have a favorite but I have a favorite thing about each one.”
Project Chimps is supported by Humane World for Animals, a nonprofit accredited by the Better Business Bureau and Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. The sanctuary is a member of the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance and has also achieved GuideStar Platinum status.
ABOVE, LEFT: TWO CHIMPS RELAX ON A DECK IN THE PEACHTREE HABITAT.
ABOVE, RIGHT: BUTTERCUP RESTS HIGH ABOVE THE HABITAT IN A SANCTUARY TREE.
The Transformation A caregiver’s experience at Project Chimps
By India Sloan
I think many, if not all, of us will immediately say the chimps are what we love most, which is true, but it is deeper than that. Another important aspect of being a caregiver is that we give the chimps the space to be chimps without our human-involvement. For me, this part is more enjoyable than my own relationships with them.
We work with chimpanzees who have been taken advantage of by humans their entire lives. Some of them have never met a chimp of the opposite sex before coming to sanctuary. Some of them have never stood outside without a ceiling overhead before coming to sanctuary. There is unique beauty in seeing natural chimp behaviors emerge after so many years spent in a lab.
One thing she didn’t do, however, was go out into the outdoor habitat. She ventured out on the first day we let them out, but never again.
I had accepted she was one of the homebodies of her group who chose to stay inside or on the outdoor porch rather than in the 3-acre habitat.
The transformation that each individual goes through when they arrive is extremely rewarding and never gets old. Specifically, I think of Dawn. She is an older female that arrived with a group of nine other chimps in 2022. When she arrived, she was huge. Like really. Gigantic. Over 200 pounds, mostly stayed on the floor, didn’t move around much. We introduced them to fresh fruits and vegetables— Dawn is a foodie—and enrichment items that required climbing and brachiating. Within her first year here she had lost 60 pounds and was moving like she was ten years younger.
She began participating in positive-reinforcement training, climbing to the top of their two-story bedroom and spending more time up high than on the ground.
And then, one day in 2023, I was standing outside taking a deep breath—although I love them, sometimes chimps are difficult—and when I looked up, Dawn was outside. Her steps were hesitant and small but she was taking them. I radioed to our chimp care staff that Dawn was in the habitat so staff could see her in her sun-drenched glory. She has gone out every day since then.
That story is what I love most about my job. The growth of each chimp goes on—the little victories, and the larger ones. I am so privileged to work with such an amazing species.
PHOTO: LORETTA HANGS OUT IN A TREE HOLDING ONTO HER DOLL.
Morganton, Georgia
Amy, a rescued chimp at the Project Chimps sanctuary, enjoys spending time in her hammock.
HIKING AND HOSTING
A 1-mile hiking trail surrounds the habitat offering views of the Peachtree Habitat, koi pond, and Project Harvest, a garden where food for the chimps is grown. If you don’t see the chimps, you’ll definitely be able to hear them. You can also visit the Remembrance Garden, which honors sanctuary chimps who have died. Be sure to stay on the trail and away from the electrified fence line surrounding the chimp area.
Project Chimp’s event field offers a rustic setting—complete with a historic barn— that can be booked for special events. The field is located behind a nineteenthcentury homestead cabin the staff uses for meetings and intern housing. Learn more at projectchimps.org/events/private-events.
TOURS AND EVENTS
Sanctuaries aren’t open to the public, but you can book a private tour of Project Chimps for up to twenty people for $500 ($25 each). From March through November, you can upgrade your tour to a “Lunch Launch,” during which you’ll feed the chimps via two large slingshots from atop one of the buildings overlooking the habitat. Learn more at projectchimps.org/events/group-tours.
The sanctuary hosts four public on-site events each year.
Easter Egg Hunt | April 12, 2025, 9:30 a.m. projectchimps.org/events/easteregghunt
Check-in is at 9 a.m. and the hunt begins at 9:30 a.m. This event is free but space is limited and RSVPs are required.
Discovery Days | May 17 and 18, 2025; times vary projectchimps.org/events/discovery-days
Ticketed times are between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. This event sells out quickly.
The Great Ape Escape 5K-ish | October 4, 2025; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. projectchimps.org/events/great-ape-escape-5k-ish
This event begins at 9 a.m. Check-in is the day before between 1-3 p.m., or the day of between 8-8:45 a.m.
Chimp or Treat | October 25 and 26, 2025; times vary projectchimps.org/events/chimp-or-treat-2
Ticketed times are between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. This event sells out quickly.
Also...If you find yourself in the Charlotte area, head over to Discovery Place for the Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall exhibit through April 19. Goodall dedicated sixty years of her life studying chimps. Learn more at discoveryplace.org.
Morganton, Georgia
LB, a rescued chimp who is enjoying his golden years at the Project Chimps sanctuary, rests in the crow's nest, surveying his property.
LANDSCAPE View canyons blanketed in lush forestry.
Cloudland Canyon State Park in northwest Georgia boasts dramatic cliffs, lush forests, and stunning waterfalls like Cherokee Falls and Hemlock Falls. A trail runs parallel to Sitton Gulch Creek, which cuts a deep gorge into the mountain. Enjoy vibrant wildflowers, flowing streams, and breathtaking views as you explore the park’s deep canyons, winding trails, and scenic overlooks.
Rising Fawn, Georgia
122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road Coordinates: 34.8395° N, 85.4840° W cloudlandcanyon.org
CLOUDLAND CANYON STATE PARK
Photography by Guy Bryant
Explore coastal sandscapes with panoramic vistas.
HUNTING ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
The Hunting Island Lighthouse in Hunting Island State Park offers breathtaking panoramas of the coast. Climb to the top for an unparalleled view of the Atlantic Ocean, its beaches, and the surrounding marshes. Enjoy mild temperatures during spring, along with seasonal blooms and migrating birds in this must-see destination rich with history and natural beauty.
Hunting Island State Park, Hunting Island, South Carolina 2555 Sea Island Parkway
Coordinates: 32.3755° N, 80.4375° W southcarolinaparks.com/hunting-island/lighthouse
LANDSCAPE
Photography by Nate Rosso
LANDSCAPE Soak in the sites and sounds of nourishing wetlands.
Merchants Millpond State Park in Gates County near the North Carolina-Virginia border, features a 760-acre, 190-year-old millpond.
Hike scenic trails or paddle its calm waters to explore the wetlands. Old-growth cypress draped in Spanish moss creates the feel of an enchanted forest, especially at Lassiter Swamp, where visitors may spot the northernmost American alligators.
Gatesville, North Carolina
176 Millpond Road
Coordinates: 36.4371° N, -76.7016° W ncparks.gov/state-parks/merchants-millpond-state-park
Photography by Gerry
MERCHANTS MILLPOND STATE PARK
Roll into a picturesque a valley farm.
BURKE’S GARDEN
Nicknamed “Vanderbilt’s First Choice” and “God’s Thumbprint,” Burke’s Garden is Virginia’s highest valley and largest rural historic district. This mountain-carved bowl offers stunning scenery, fertile farmland, rare birdwatching opportunities, and access to Appalachian Trail hikes. The entire valley, including Burke’s Garden Central Church and Cemetery, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tazewell, Virginia Route 623
Coordinates: 37.0982° N, 81.3409° W virginia.org/listing/burkes-garden/7263
Photography by Ralph
ERICA DE FLAMAND
Olin, North Carolina Bradford pear trees bloom in line to welcome spring.
Our Spring 2025 giveaway features the Dorothy, a $169 value. Perfectly sized for any occasion, the Dorothy is neither too big or too small—just right for your daily essentials. She’s available in five colors: black, caramel, cinnamon, red, and teal.
Dorothy’s curved silhouette, similar to a saddlebag style, is complemented by a sleek leather flap that secures effortlessly with a magnetic snap, allowing easy access on the go. Inside, a reinforced base adds structure to keep her shape, while an open, scooped leather pocket keeps small items within reach.
The finishing touch? A 52-inch amber-hued tortoise acrylic chain strap, complete with D-rings for versatility. Wear her crossbody, as a shoulder bag, or slung effortlessly at your side. The Dorothy is more than a handbag—she’s a perfect balance of style, function, and craftsmanship.
The Dorothy is scratch-resistant and made with full-grain leather with a soft, pebbled texture. The leather comes from U.S. cowhides and is tanned in Mexico. The bag is handcrafted in our Raleigh, North Carolina studio.
From April 1 through July 1, fill out our form at backroadportfolio.com for a chance to win! Three winners will be chosen. All items are subject to availability but are in regular production rotation. designedforjoy.com
IMAGES BY AMY HILL 627 PHOTOGRAPHY
A stunning artisan catch-all dish, whimsical mug, hand-forged heirloom, and local honey provide inspiration for your next gifting opportunity.
COLORFUL CASTINGS
Morgan Gilbreath Recycled Multicolor Dish, $120 morgangilbreath.com
Richmond, Virginia artist Morgan Gilbreath brilliantly uses multicolored chunks of recycled glass from past castings to create stunning catch-all dishes perfect for jewelry, keys, and other treasures. The catch-alls are kiln-cast, faceted, carved, and ground to a satiny finish. Each dish is unique and measures 4.5 inches wide and 1 inch tall.
Richmond, Virginia
A TASTE OF SPRING
FLOWER POWER
Dean and Martin Pottery Mugs, prices vary deanandmartinpottery.com
Seagrove, North Carolina potters Jeff Dean and Stephanie Nicole Martin share their contemporary and functional pieces on pedestals and antique tables in a rustic and spacious gallery. These mugs capture the spirit of spring and provide the perfect vessel from which to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. Learn more about Seagrove potters in our feature on page 20.
A hand-forged knife is the perfect gift for those who appreciate traditional blacksmithing techniques. Timmonsville, South Carolinabased Red Forgeworks is owned and operated by Reed Moore, who began blacksmithing while studying chemistry at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. Red Forgeworks combines ancient forging techniques with modern metallurgical science and style to produce truly genuine products.
Timmonsville, South Carolina
Honey Next Door’s Pure Raw Atlanta Creamed Honey, $14 thebeehiveatl.com
Atlanta-based Beehive specializes in products made by local entrepreneurs. In addition to housewares, accessories, and jewelry, you can shop for artisan foods such as Honey Next Door’s raw creamed honey from Oakhurst Apiara at the Wylde Center Gardens in Decatur. There’s nothing better than a delicious spoon of 100% honey.
Atlanta, Georgia
Cherryville, North Carolina
Enjoy an up-close look inside an active honeybee hive.
ERICA DE FLAMAND
Columbia, South Carolina
rcphoto@yahoo.com @robertclarkphotography
With over 50 years of experience, South Carolina travel photographer Robert Clark explores the Southeast in search of dynamic imagery. Robert’s fine-art collection is available for purchase as custom-printed artwork for your home or business. To see more of Robert’s artistry, view his Instagram page at @robertclarkphotography. If you’re interested in attending Robert’s photography workshops, email him at rcphoto@yahoo.com for further information.
Enjoy spring blooms, cook something new, and view a unique exhibit this spring around the Southeast.
Daffodil Festival 2025 | April 5-6, 2025
Gloucester, Virginia daffodilfestivalva.org
The 39th Annual Daffodil Festival offers a weekend of live entertainment, food, 200 vendors, and, of course, vibrant daffodils. Gloucester’s Main Street comes alive with family fun 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The 7th Virginia Regiment interpreters will perform and the brand new VA250 Mobile Museum will be on-site.
Hardman Historic Site—Kids Old-Fashioned Cooking Experience | April 12, 2025
Share this experience with the kids or grandkids so they can learn and understand how people cooked 100 years ago using a historic wood stove. An adult must accompany the enrolled child(ren) and lunch comes out of the participants’ cooking experience. The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Advance registration is required and there is a limit of twenty participants.
Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall
Through April 19, 2025
Charlotte, North Carolina discoveryplace.org
This hands-on, transportive multimedia exhibition showcases the life of Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace. Explore her early years through a multiscreen experience of fascinating photos and journey through an interactive projection of Tanzania’s Gombe National Park, where Goodall conducted her famous behavioral research on chimpanzees.
Enjoy regional tunes, honor forsaken land, and meet a folk artist.
MerleFest | April 24-27, 2025
Wilkesboro, North Carolina merlefest.org
This annual music festival features The Avett Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, The War and Treaty, and other talented acts. Enjoy shopping, kids activities, backstage tours, nature walks, and more at this annual event founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson. Multi-day and single-day ticket packages are available.
Blue Ridge Heritage Project Dedication | April 26, 2025, 11 a.m.
Grottoes, Virginia blueridgeheritageproject.com
The Blue Ridge Heritage Project will dedicate its eighth and final monument to the people of Augusta County, Virginia, whose homes and land were acquired for the development of Shenandoah National Park in the 1930s. The monument is located in Grand Caverns Park just outside of Grottoes, Virginia. Families and individuals from the eight Virginia counties whose lives were disrupted by the creation of the park will also be honored.
Spring Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival | May 1-4, 2025
Pittsboro, North Carolina shakorihillsgrassroots.org
The thirty-first annual Spring Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival returns to the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center with a lineup that includes The California Honeydrops, Los Lobos, the Campbell Brothers, the Blue Ridge Girls, and fifty-five other acts. Four-day tickets range from $80 to $159 and single-day tickets range from $43 to $64. Tent and RV camping registration fees range from $45 to $199.
Dinglerfest | May 4-5, 2025
Clayton, Georgia
facebook.com/groups/692225859648126
Dinglerfest is named after Charlie Dingler, a folk artist known for his bright, colorful paintings and whimsical whirligigs. This year’s festival takes place over two days at the Pavilions on Savannah Street, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Dingler currently works at his home studio in Clayton, Georgia.
The Tennessee Mountain Laurel Festival celebrates its tenth anniversary this spring with vendors, live music, a kids zone, delicious food, helicopter rides, and possibly a surprise appearance by Elvis and some Disney characters. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will also be a 5K/10K trail run. Sign up via the festival website.
Project Chimps Discovery Days | May 17-18, 2025
Morganton, Georgia
projectchimps.org/events/discovery-days
Project Chimps Discovery Days offers a rare opportunity for visitors to see and learn about former research chimpanzees who live in this peaceful mountain sanctuary. Tour the property, explore new hiking trails, and visit Discovery Zone booths. Food vendors will be on-site or you can bring a picnic to enjoy by the koi pond. Closed-toed hiking shoes are recommended. Tickets vary from $15-$35 and are available from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Your exact tour time will be determined at check-in. Learn more about Project Chimps on page 69.
Arthritis Foundation Carolina Hills Classic Bike Tour | June 12-15, 2025
Greenville, South Carolina events.arthritis.org
This four-day, fully-appointed road cycling adventure in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains includes hotel stays, meals, luggage transfers, and ride support. Cyclists raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation while cycling through scenic areas of Greenville to Brevard, North Carolina, and back.
Music & Arts Festival | June 12-15, 2025
Manchester, Tennessee
bonnaroo.com
A star-studded lineup awaits at this annual outdoor festival. Enjoy performances by Luke Combs, Olivia Rodrigo, Avril Lavigne, Hozier, and 150 other acts. Around 85,000 people are estimated to attend and campgrounds are available. Purchase a one- or four-day ticket. Prices start at $435.
Bonnaroo
Meet the people behind the stories, photography, and art featured in this issue.
Elizabeth Poland Shugg
EDITOR AND CO-CREATOR
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Born in Lincolnton, Georgia, Elizabeth grew up in nearby Athens exploring 200 acres of woods and farmland originally purchased by her great-great-grandfather in 1910. At age 13, she moved to rural Botetourt County in Southwest Virginia after her mother remarried, but spent her summers in Columbia, South Carolina with her father. She now lives on three acres in rural Chatham County, North Carolina, and enjoys exploring the region’s backroads and small towns. Elizabeth has thirty years of experience as a professional writer and editor, and has served as editor of seven magazines, four of which she helped launch. She and her husband enjoy spending time with their three adult children; hiking with their Brittany, Luna; and traveling backroads to unique destinations.
Erica de Flamand Olin, North Carolina
ART DIRECTOR AND CO-CREATOR
Erica attended the School of Fine Arts at UCONN, and since graduating, has worked as a designer, photographer, and creative director for more than two decades in industries including adventure travel, conservation, finance, national security and defense, and signature event planning. She has been a featured artist in over a dozen gallery installations, received numerous industry awards, and spent four semesters as an adjunct college professor. In addition to cultivating her studio, The Summer House, she launched a nonprofit organization that provides nature-based mental health services and alternative therapies to an underserved area of North Carolina. Erica currently resides off a backroad in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband, two dogs, and a herd full of horses and donkeys.
Tom Poland
WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER
Columbia, South Carolina
Tom Poland writes about the South, its people, its culture, and its natural features. His interests include nature, music, writing, and photography. Tom’s weekly column appears in more than 65 newspapers and online journals, where he reaches 100,000 readers a week. His work also appears in magazines and literary journals. Among his traditionally published books are Georgialina, A Southland As We Knew It; South Carolina Country Roads; and Carolina Bays—Wild, Mysterious, and Majestic Landforms. Tom is an oftrequested speaker, and gives talks throughout Georgia and the Carolinas. In 2018, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster conferred upon Tom South Carolina’s highest civilian order, the Order of the Palmetto, and stated: “His work is exceptional to the state.” Learn more at tompoland.net.
Robert Clark
PHOTOGRAPHER
Columbia, South Carolina
A resident of Columbia and native of Charlotte, Robert Clark’s photography has appeared in National Geographic books, Newsweek, Smithsonian, and photographic awards annuals such as Print and Communication Arts. He has specialties in architectural/interior photography, editorial, advertising, and fine art photography. He has photographed seven books on South Carolina—the latest of which is Carolina Bays, published by the University of South Carolina Press in 2019—and he is also a Professional Photographers of America (PPA) member. View Robert’s work on Instagram at @robertclarkphotography.
Jenna Biter Sandhills, North Carolina
WRITER
Jenna Biter grew up on 50 acres in the rolling hills of central Pennsylvania, went to college in Philadelphia, and then found her way back to the backroads of North Carolina’s Sandhills. She has worked in the arts, business, and coaching, but through it all, writing has been her thread. Jenna lives to be an expert for a day, whether on astrophotography, the secret lives of cement trucks, or the characters who live around the corner. Most of all, she enjoys quirky details that make her husband laugh even when he’s asked to reread her writing “just one more time.” Jenna's work has appeared in PineStraw Magazine, Coffee or Die, The National Interest, Evie Magazine, and other publications.
Beth Peterson Cary, North Carolina
WRITER
Beth Peterson teaches English Literature and Creative Writing in Cary, North Carolina. When she isn’t talking to her students about Ponyboy and poetry, she’s probably outside on a walk with her dog or out of state visiting her college-age kids. Her hobbies include searching for just the right word; searching for just the right shade of lipstick; stopping to talk to anyone who looks to be over the age of 80; fashion; reading dead poets; and studying theology. Not in that order.
Jennifer Linney
PHOTOGRAPHER
Prince William County, Virginia
Jennifer Linney has always enjoyed taking the long way home. Before she started photographing old barns and farmhouses, she’d make mental notes while driving by would-be photo opportunities, intending to return. One afternoon, after passing an abandoned tavern, she mused her usual, “I need to photograph that one day.” Moments later, she declared, “I have to stop that ‘one day’ bit and take photos when I see them.” “Yup, you do,” her son agreed. The next weekend, Jennifer began roaming backroads, scouting rusted roofs, and peering up country roads. The rush she gets when a barn comes into view or winter reveals an abandoned farmhouse previously shrouded behind summer’s leaves, is pure bliss. Jennifer shares her photos on Instagram @alwaystakethebackroads.
Eifel Kreutz
PHOTOGRAPHER
Charlotte, North Carolina
Eifel Kreutz is a landscape photographer and occasional real estate photographer based in Charlotte. A resident of North Carolina since 2018, he loves exploring the region’s natural beauty, especially in the mountains of western North Carolina. Eifel enjoys hiking and other outdoor activities, as well as traveling, reading, and watching soccer. He also loves maps, and his full-time job is in the field of geographic information systems (GIS). View Eifel’s photography work and prints at eifelkreutz.myportfolio.com.
Danita Delimont
PHOTOGRAPHER
Bellevue, Washington
Danita Delimont founded her photo agency representing nature, wildlife, and travel photographers in 1999. Her stable of globally-based photographers offer worldwide coverage of the planet’s natural and scenic beauty. She was awarded the prestigious Jane Kinne Picture Professional of the Year award in 2009 and a NANPA Fellow in 2007. She has served as a judge in myriad photo competitions and has been a guest instructor at various college and photography programs. Contact her at danita@danitadelimont.com.
Cori and Jason Cave Voice/Text: 540.999.1LOG jason@shenandoahwoods.com shenandoahwoods.com
Nestled in the foothills of the Blueridge Mountains in Stanley, Virginia, Shenandoah Woods is a private 200-acre estate spanning from one ridge line to the next and the valley between. We offer romantic log cabins perfect for couples, lodges for larger groups, and a wedding venue with fantastic views of Virginia’s iconic Shenandoah Valley.
“Spring is proof that there is beauty in new beginnings.”
