PRELUDE
“The last faded autumn leaflet hangs from a frozen branch, just a short fall from the tree to winter.” // T E R R I G U I L L E M E T S
Davidson, North Carolina PHOTO BY DANIELLE ANGELL
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SOUTHEAST
WINTER
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14
Forgotten towns, a spy center, sunken treasure, and distillery ruins
Two unique bridges, a park in the foothills, and a preserved factory
secrets 18
nostalgia
Historic fires, unusual earthquakes, and the nation’s oldest welcome center
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evergreen 21
provisions Must-have essentials for your next backroad adventure
harvesting history
A Lowcountry tradition goes from creekside breakfast to menu star
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village of remembrance Explore Mount Carmel’s Huguenot and Railroad Town Recollection
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voices of yesterday Learn from the sacred stories preserved homes tell
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there and back again Wander through North Carolina’s winter gardens and arboretums
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62
Meet a self-taught luthier
Explore a dirt road museum
conversation
preservation
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70
Learn the art of papermaking
Shop independent bookstores
creation
philosophy
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83
View mountain lakes, a frontier fort, and Colonial craftsmanship
Support small business artisans along the backroads
landscape
inspiration
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88
Add winter adventures to your travel calendar
Meet this issue’s writers, photographers, and artists
bulletin
contributors
portfolios Winter Winding 8-9
Radiant Resilience 60-61
Swan Song 12-13
Sunrise Swim 68-69
Horizon Glow 16-17
Mountain Moon 74-75
Carolina Gold 22-23
Frosted Refuge 80-81
Prized Kernels 32-33
Crystal Vision 84-85
Misty Mourning 46-47
Winter Blues 92-93
Summit Sunset 56-57
On the cover PHOTO BY DANIELLE ANGELL A resilient camellia thrives despite a rare ice storm in Davidson, North Carolina.
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Volume 9 • Winter 2026 Backroad Portfolio covers North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Southwest Virginia, and East Tennessee Published by EPS Media LLC and Summer House Creative, Inc. © 2026 Backroad Portfolio is published quarterly. Email backroadportfolio@gmail.com for advertising, subscription, and submission info.
Harrisburg, North Carolina
ROBERT CLARK Frozen water
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WELCOME
Winter reminds us that renewal thrives, even during the coldest months. Holly and nandina berries spark defiantly against winter’s hush. Camellias unfurl across frosted landscapes in radiant reds, robust pinks, and hardy whites. Fragrant Carolina jessamine vines cascade yellow trumpets. Pansies and snapdragons carpet the hardened ground with jewel-toned blooms. There’s no better place to experience the rebirth of a new year than in a garden. Our There and Back Again journey trades winter blues for bursts of reds, pinks, yellows, and purples in some of Southeast’s most historic gardens and arboretums between Asheville and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A second theme of preservation extends throughout the pages of this issue— from an entire town focused on protecting its historic identity, to home restoration projects and enduring heirloom crops. Meet a self-taught luthier who works as an executive by day, learn about the art and history of papermaking, and take a trip through a dirt road museum filled with memories of abandoned tenant homes and tin-roof churches. Visit independent bookstores across the Southeast where shopowners connect with readers who choose to buy local. Our backroad stories and Portfolio images will brighten up the dreariest winter day. We’re grateful to the talented writers, photographers, and artists who make it possible for us to share them with you. Meet them on page 88. This winter, we invite you to wander through a frosty vista, savor the season’s beauty, honor local connections, and rediscover the preserved towns, sites, and homes across the region that weave our past into our future.
EDITOR + CO-CREATOR
ART DIRECTOR + CO-CREATOR
backroadportfolio.com | backroadportfolio@gmail.com
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EIFEL KREUTZ Avery County, North Carolina The winter sun sets on a winding mountain road.
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SECRETS
Backroad secrets lurk in forgotten towns, clandestine facilities, river waters, and distillery ruins.
GHOST TOWN Daisy Town, Tennessee Elkmont’s Daisy Town was created during the later years of the logging boom that subsided in the 1920s as a summer retreat that attracted Knoxville’s elite. Its small collection of rustic cabins was virtually abandoned after lifetime leases expired in the 1990s. Today, 19 of those cabins have been preserved by the National Park Service. Visitors can stroll through the area, enter cabins, and reserve a 1912 log cabin called the Appalachian Clubhouse for special events. Hike the Elkmont Nature Trail, an easy 0.8-mile loop with a canopied forest, creeks, and wildflowers. The Little River Trail (5.4 miles out and back) features a legendary mossy troll bridge and historic sites. Learn more at nps.gov/places/daisy-town.htm. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PHOTOS OF CABIN NO. 2 IN DAISY TOWN BY BURKE WALKER, CIRCA 2001
SPY CENTER Rosman, North Carolina Born from a 1962 NASA satellite tracking station in Pisgah National Forest, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) evolved through Cold War Department of Defense secrecy into a 200-acre STEM-focused Dark Sky Park with over 30 telescopes that hosts secure data centers. Visitors enjoy clear views of starry nights, guided tours, and hiking trails. The station also features NASA exhibits, rare gems, and meteorite starter kits. As of January, the site was listed for sale at a price of $30 million, while maintaining existing operations. The sellers promote the institute as being ready for next-gen use, from AI research to quantum computing. Learn more at pari.edu. PHOTO COURTESY OF PARI'S FACEBOOK PAGE.
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SECRETS
PIRATE TREASURE Near Charleston, South Carolina The Lost Treasure of the Wando River is believed to be hidden in the river’s waters near Charleston. Some say a group of pirates or privateers who were fleeing the law buried it in the early 1700s after a series of successful raids along the coast. The exact contents of the treasure remain a mystery, but it’s rumored to consist of gold, silver, valuable gems, rare coins, and priceless artifacts looted from various ships and settlements. Many treasure hunters believe it’s worth millions. Learn more about this and other rumored treasures hidden in the Palmetto State at rockchasing.com/hidden-treasures-in-south-carolina. PHOTO BY FERGREGORY - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
COASTAL RELIC Tolomato Island, Georgia In McIntosh County, Georgia, on Tolomato Island, you’ll find the tabby ruins of “The Thicket” sugar mill and rum distillery, erected around 1816 by planter William Carnochan near what is now called Carnochan Creek. Modeled after Thomas Spalding’s Sapelo designs, the complex produced sugar and rum commercially until an 1824 hurricane stripped the mill’s roof and upper story, collapsing the cane barn and other structures. A 1957 historical marker at Ridge Road and the Tolomato Causeway guides visitors to this rare surviving example of Georgia’s antebellum sugar industry. PHOTO OF THE RUINS OF AN 1809 SUGAR MILL ON SAPELO ISLAND, GEORGIA, BY JUD MCCRANIE IN 2015, COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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BETSY TUCKER Inner Banks, North Carolina Tundra swans rest and feed in a stubble field near Pungo Lake in the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Tens of thousands annually migrate to the area from November through February, making it a favorite birding location.
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EVERGREEN
No matter what time of year you venture out, picturesque Southeastern backroads will transport you to these evergreen destinations.
HUMPBACK COVERED BRIDGE Virginia’s oldest surviving covered bridge is a 110-foot Burr truss structure that welcomes pedestrians to picnic, fish, or stroll. Its timbered interior spans a graceful S-curve over Dunlap Creek west of Covington in Alleghany County. Built in 1857 with a unique hand-hewn arched design that resembles a humpback whale—thus the name—the bridge carried wagons across the James River and Kanawha Turnpike until 1929. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the bridge was restored in 1954 and is located within a 5-acre state wayside park.
Humpback Bridge Wayside Park Covington, Virginia visitalleghanyhighlands.com/humpback-bridge
PHOTO BY JAMES - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
S O U T H M O U N TA I N S S TAT E PA R K Nestled between Asheville and Charlotte in North Carolina’s Appalachian foothills, South Mountains State Park encompasses more than 40 miles of hiking trails, the scenic Jacob Fork River, and Clear Creek Lake for fishing and paddling. Also ideal for birdwatching and camping, most areas are now open after being closed due to Hurricane Helene hitting the area, though High Shoals Falls and select trails remain closed. The park is easily accessible via I-40 and is perfect for a nature-filled weekend getaway any time of year.
3001 South Mountain Park Avenue Connelly Springs, North Carolina ncparks.gov/state-parks/south-mountains-state-park PHOTO BY DIGIDREAMGRAFIX - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
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EVERGREEN
CAROLINA THREAD TRAIL SUSPENSION BRIDGE The Carolina Thread Trail Suspension Bridge links both Carolinas across Twelve Mile Creek via Walnut Creek Park in Lancaster, South Carolina, and Harvey Clay Nesbit Park in Waxhaw, North Carolina. On the North Carolina side, a scenic half-mile hike along the creek leads to the bridge, which crosses into South Carolina and extends 3.9 miles through lush landscapes, ending at Walnut Creek Park.
Access points: 8000 Twelve Mile Creek Road, Waxhaw, North Carolina 10521 Walnut Creek Parkway, Lancaster, South Carolina PHOTO COURTESY OF VISITWAXHAW.COM
T H E AT H E N S F A C T O R Y Built in 1833 as a cotton mill, the Athens Factory now houses the University of Georgia School of Social Work on Williams Street. Its core structure survived an 1857 arson fire, revealing parts of the original foundation. The site once powered Confederate textile production and later served as a warehouse, call center, gym, and saloon. Renovated in 2008 and repurposed as the UGA School of Social Work in 2015, the building stands as a preserved antebellum industrial landmark on the North Oconee River.
279 Williams Street, Athens, Georgia complexcloth.org/the-athens-factory PHOTO BY GWRINGLE, COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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BRUCE DEBOER Cades Cove, Tennessee The sky glows through winter branches, luring drivers down a winding valley road.
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N O S TA LG I A
Backroads transport us to the places and events that commemorate our country’s history. Here are some from Southeastern winters of the past.
BENEDICT ARNOLD D E S T R OYS R I C H M O N D JANUARY 5, 1781
On January 5, 1781, Benedict Arnold, by then a British brigadier general, led 1,600 Loyalist troops up the James River to capture and burn Richmond, Virginia’s capital. Landing at Westover, they faced only 200 militiamen after Governor Thomas Jefferson’s call for defense went largely unanswered. Arnold’s forces destroyed warehouses and public buildings. Jefferson fled and was later criticized but cleared of wrongdoing. Arnold, who died impoverished in 1801, remains America’s archetype of betrayal. Learn more at battlefields.org/learn/ articles/richmond-during-revolutionary-war.
Richmond, Virginia LEFT: PORTRAIT OF BENEDICT ARNOLD COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
THE NEW MADRID EARTHQUAKES F E B R U A R Y 7, 1 8 1 2
The New Madrid earthquakes in the winter of 1811–1812 were a series of three magnitude 7-plus intraplate quakes in the central U.S. that profoundly impacted northwestern Tennessee. Intense shaking toppled trees, triggered landslides along Chickasaw Bluffs, and caused soil liquefaction with sand blows. The February 7, 1812, event, which was the third and largest New Madrid earthquake, formed Reelfoot Lake by causing land to subside 1.5–6 meters, damming streams and the Reelfoot River in Lake County, Tennessee. It temporarily reversed the Mississippi River’s flow, creating massive waterfalls and waves that swallowed boats. Read more at usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/new-madrid-seismic-zone.
Northwestern Tennessee ABOVE LEFT: COMMODORE FARRAGUT'S SQUADRON AND CAPTAIN PORTER'S MORTAR FLEET ENTER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ABOVE RIGHT: LOW WATER ON THE MISSISSIPPI ILLUSTRATION, 1860-1870. IMAGES COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
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N O S TA LG I A
THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA FEBRUARY 17-18 , 1865
On February 17–18, 1865, Union forces under General William T. Sherman captured Columbia, South Carolina, and one-third of the city burned amid chaos. Retreating Confederates burned cotton bales to deny Union soldiers of them, leaving streets littered with flammable fibers. Some troops and locals looted warehouses and offered whiskey to Union soldiers. A fierce wind spread the embers and ignited a conflagration that destroyed 458 buildings. After the fire, Confederate General Wade Hampton blamed Sherman for the fire and other South Carolinians gathered evidence against him, but in 1873, a claims commission found no fault. Learn more at scencyclopedia.org/sce/ entries/columbia-burning-of.
Columbia, South Carolina TOP RIGHT: AN ENGRAVING OF THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA, COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS BOTTOM RIGHT: SURRENDER ROCK, MARKING THE SITE OF THE LOCATION WHERE THE CITY'S MAYOR SURRENDERED TO UNION FORCES UNDER GENERAL SHERMAN ON FEBRUARY 17, 1865
T H E S Y LV A N I A H I S T O R I C W E L C O M E C E N T E R JANUARY 20, 1962
The Sylvania Historic Welcome Center, Georgia’s first and the nation’s oldest operating state visitor center, was dedicated on January 20, 1962, on U.S. Highway 301 near the South Carolina border. Located at 8463 Burton’s Ferry Highway, it was designed by Edwin C. Eckles in midcentury modern style with Etowah pink marble and pecan wood, and was the result of Governor Ernest Vandiver’s efforts to help Georgia become a catalyst for economic growth. The rest stop sits on 6 acres with a picnic park that includes ten tables and grills. It’s the only visitor center to still offer free Coca-Cola and Georgia peanuts. Learn more at gastateparks.org/sylvania
Sylvania, Georgia ABOVE: THE SYLVANIA HISTORIC WELCOME CENTER, COURTESY OF THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
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ble now! n is availa io it d e w e The n
tompol@earthlink.net tompoland.net
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 once-essential 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.
PROVISIONS
S O M E T H I N G YO U WA N T KODAK Slide N SCAN Max, $210 kodakphotoplus.com The KODAK Slide N SCAN Max is a user-friendly 13/22MP digital film scanner that converts old color and black-and-white negatives (135, 110, and 126 mm) and 50 mm mounted slides to editable digital files, saving them directly to an SD card (not included). It features a 7-inch tiltable LCD with gallery mode, quick-feed tray, and one-touch enhancements for seamless home use.
S O M E T H I N G YO U N E E D Rechargeable Travel LED Lights, $17 magellans.com These lights come in a package of two and provide up to four hours of bright, portable illumination. Compact and lightweight, they’re perfect for road trips, camping, or emergencies and easily recharge via USB for convenient, eco-friendly lighting on the go.
SOMETHING TO WEAR Fox Creek Leather Elkskin Riding Gloves, $90
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE VENDORS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
foxcreekleather.com/elkskin-riding-gloves These 100% elkskin leather gloves are made in Virginia with elastic wrist gathers. Designed for both men and women, they feature superior abrasion resistance while remaining soft and supple to allow maximum freedom of movement.
SOMETHING TO READ The Grassroots Guide to Saving What Matters: Historic Preservation for Everyday People by Beth Yarbrough, $12.95 warrenpublishing.net Beth Yarbrough’s insightful guide champions the unique charm and cultural significance of historic buildings facing abandonment or demolition, and equips everyday people with a clear, practical roadmap and essential tips to preserve and protect these treasured community structures.
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ROBERT CLARK Darlington, South Carolina These Carolina Gold rice grains are much like the grains grown in South Carolina centuries ago. Highly coveted, they’re are used today in upscale restaurants.
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SH RI MP A N D GR ITS , P HOTO BY NICOL E L ECL A IR - STOCK. ADOBE .COM
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Harvesting History
A Lowcountry tradition goes from creekside breakfast to menu star
BY PATRI CI A B R AN N IN G
Shrimp and grits didn’t begin its life on fine china with parsley sprigs and waiters in starched shirts. This dish was born of necessity, cooked creekside at dawn by hungry fishermen. A shrimper would take a pot out on the boat—grits, shrimp, maybe a little bacon grease if luck was with him—and let it bubble over a low flame until it was edible. Practical. Filling. Cheap. It was the sort of meal meant to warm the bones and fuel a hard day’s work. But its story reaches further back, long before Charleston existed. Food historian Michael Twitty traces the roots to Mozambique, where people were preparing cornmeal and shellfish centuries before the transatlantic slave trade. Later, enslaved Africans carried that knowledge with them across the ocean, and in the Lowcountry it took root—bubbling in plantation kitchens, along river banks, and in the boats of Carolina shrimpers.
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THE CROOK'S CORNER MAKEOVER Fast forward to the early 1980s, when Chef Bill Neal of Chapel Hill’s beloved Crook’s Corner took shrimp and grits off the back porch and marched it straight into the culinary spotlight. He dressed it up with cheese, mushrooms, and bacon, turning a fisherman’s breakfast into fine dining. When New York Times food editor Craig Claiborne tasted Neal’s version, he wrote about it with such enthusiasm that shrimp and grits went national overnight. Suddenly, folks from Manhattan to Memphis were ordering it like they’d grown up on it.
A DISH WITH A SOUL That’s the magic of shrimp and grits. It may have started as creekside fuel, but today it reigns as a cultural and culinary ambassador in the South Carolina Lowcountry. From humble pots to polished plates, each bowl tells a story of survival, adaptation, and return. By the late 1800s, grits were a staple on every Southern table. But when industrialization swept through the South, small gristmills vanished, replaced by factories that stripped away the corn germ for longer shelf life—and with it, much of the flavor. What had once been creamy and nutty became pale and lifeless. Yet in the small kitchens of Edisto, Beaufort, and Eutawville, women kept the faith. They stirred grits slowly with wooden spoons, whispered the secrets of seasoning to their daughters, and measured not with cups but with memory. Because of them, the real taste of the South was never lost.
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SERVING HISTORY Every Southerner worth their salt has an opinion about shrimp and grits. Some prefer it rich with cream and butter, others spicy with sausage and peppers, and still others swear by keeping it simple—shrimp, bacon, and a whisper of lemon. However you stir it, shrimp and grits is more than a meal. It’s a rite of passage, a love letter written in cast iron. The first printed mention of “breakfast shrimp” appeared in an 1891 issue of the Louisiana Review. A few decades later, Charleston’s Two Hundred Years of Charleston Cooking (1930) included a recipe titled Shrimps and Hominy, credited to the author’s butler, William Deas. He claimed to have eaten it every morning of shrimp season for as long as he could remember—likely since before the Civil War. From Beaufort to New Orleans, the dish evolved as it traveled. Down the coast, cooks added country ham, brown sauce, a dash of hot pepper, or a ladle of collards from supper. In South Carolina cafés of the 1960s and ’70s, shrimp and grits were proudly said to be cooked in “beach water”—briny, bold, and born of the sea. As Nathalie Dupree, the doyenne of Southern cookery, once wrote, “Shrimp and grits crossed cultures everywhere it went.” In small Southern towns, Jewish families served grits with fried salt herring, soaked overnight and browned in butter. However it’s made, the story remains the same—humble ingredients, big flavor, and a sense of home stretching from the Carolinas to the Gulf.
OP P OSITE PAGE: SHRI M P AN D G RI TS, PHOTO BY AI M E E LE E ST UDI OS - STOCK .ADOBE .COM A BOV E: SH R IMP SIZZLE S I N A CAST I RON PAN , PHOTO BY ORI AN A KORE N - STOCK .ADOB E .C O M
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IN SEARCH OF A LEGEND My own search for heirloom grits led me into a story of moonshine, heritage, and heart. One July afternoon that felt hot enough to melt the paint off a barn, I left Beaufort and headed north on Highway 21 in search of a legend: Jimmy Red corn. The road wound past cinderblock fish markets and tin-roofed churches until the pines opened to the vast marshes of the ACE Basin—a 140,000-acre wilderness where the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers still remember how to breathe.
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At last, I reached Lavington Plantation, where fields of corn shimmered in hues of gold and crimson. Each stalk told a story—of bootleggers who once distilled its sugar-rich kernels into whiskey, of Gullah farmers who coaxed life from tidal soil, and of a new generation returning to the land through food. Jimmy Hagood walks those rows like a historian with dirt under his nails. To him, Jimmy Red isn’t just a crop—it’s a calling. He grinds the kernels into coarse, nutty grits that taste like the Lowcountry itself: earthy, buttery, and steeped in memory. Alongside his cane syrup and Carolina Gold rice, those grits have become the backbone of Charleston’s most soulful dishes. Here, conservation and cuisine share the same heartbeat. Egrets drift through cypress shadows, and the air hums with life returning to the land. This is farming with its soul intact—stewardship written in furrows and sunlight. For nearly a century, Jimmy Red corn was used by bootleggers to make moonshine whiskey. Then it nearly went extinct in the early 2000s, but two remaining ears of corn were used to revive it. They were gifted to celebrated local farmer and seed saver Ted Chewning, with the suggestion that he grow it out for his hogs. Chewning loved to save seeds, and he rescued Jimmy Red, growing it and saving kernels each year, increasing the seed stock. Little did he know that soon it would burst onto the restaurant scene as a prized heirloom cultivar that makes memorable red-flecked grits and a rich, smooth whiskey with honey-nut undertones. Bootleggers kept Jimmy Red alive for nearly a century, but chefs and distillers are now giving it a brilliant second act—proof that what’s worth saving never truly disappears. Stone-milled grits remain the quiet hero of Southern cooking. They might sit modestly beside shrimp or gravy, but they hold the heart of the meal. When done right, they don’t just fill the belly. Their aroma mingles within the stories and soul of the South. In the South, a bowl of grits is never just breakfast. It’s belonging. Whether served in a Beaufort diner or a Charleston dining room, grits remind us that the South’s deepest values—hospitality, humility, and heritage—are best savored slowly, one warm spoonful at a time.
OP P OSITE PAGE: J IMM Y RE D CORN , PHOTO BY N E W AF RI CA, STOCK .ADOBE .COM A BOV E: J IMMY R ED WHI SK E Y, PHOTO COURTSE Y OF T HE VE N DOR
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LOWCOUNTRY SHRIMP AND GRITS BY PATRI CI A BRANNI NG
Cheese Grits Ingredients • 4 cups of water, or more as needed • ½ teaspoon of salt • 1 cup of grits, preferably stoneground heirloom grits (I use Marsh Hen* from Edisto Island, South Carolina) • 1½ cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese • 4 tablespoons of butter • ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper • A pinch of cayenne pepper • ¼ teaspoon of Tabasco sauce (or to taste) Shrimp Ingredients • 1 pound of fresh shrimp • ¼ cup of chopped prosciutto • 4 tablespoons of olive oil or more if needed • 2 cups of sliced mushrooms • ½ cup of finely sliced green onions • 1 large clove of garlic, peeled • ½ cup of dry white wine (add more if needed) • 4 teaspoons of lemon juice • 2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped parsley • Salt and pepper Serves 4
*Marsh Hen Jimmy Red Corn Grits can be purchased online at marshhenmill.com/products/jimmy-red-grits
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Cheese Grits Directions Bring salted water to a strong boil in a saucepan. Slowly whisk the grits into the water. When all the grits have been added, continue stirring and reduce the heat to low until only an occasional bubble breaks the surface. Add more water if necessary. Continue cooking and stirring often, to prevent scorching, for 35 to 40 minutes. Stir in the butter, Tabasco, cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper. Then stir in the grated cheddar cheese. Hold in a warm place or in a double boiler over simmering water. Chef ’s Note: Prior to cooking, soak the grits for several hours in water. It’s important to remove the chaff and the hulls that have risen to the top of the soaking water. These will never soften, so it’s necessary to skim them off using a fine-mesh skimmer. If left in, they can make the grits chewy. Shrimp Directions Peel, devein, and rinse the shrimp, then pat them dry. In a large nonstick skillet, dust the shrimp with flour, then begin to sauté the shrimp in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Turn the shrimp and add the mushrooms. Add a little more olive oil if necessary. Let the mushrooms cook for a moment, then begin tossing the shrimp and mushrooms together in the skillet. Don’t overcook the shrimp. They are done once they turn pink and have browned just a little. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute, shaking the pan vigorously. Add the lemon juice, cayenne, and Tabasco, then cook for another minute, stirring to loosen any particles from the bottom of the skillet. Add the scallions, parsley, and chopped prosciutto, then toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the white wine. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more white wine. Spoon the shrimp mixture over the hot cheese grits, then sprinkle the mixture with some hot sauce or a little more cayenne pepper, if desired. Chef ’s Note: I’ve served shrimp and grits at parties in martini glasses to create a festive presentation.
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O R I A N A KO R E N Somewhere in Florida Jimmy Red corn was, and is still used by legendary moonshiners.
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VILLAGE REMEMB
THE AUTH
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TH -GRANDFA OR’S GREAT
ER AND HIS
SECOND W
IF
TOS COURT E. ALL PHO
ESY OF TO
. M POLAND
Eof BRANCE BY TO M P O L A N D
Explore Mount Carmel’s Huguenot and Railroad Town Recollection
It’s been called the Village of Remembrance with good reason. The old homes and shuttered churches in this late 19th century village will pique your curiosity. Its Classical, Victorian, and Queen Anne architecture evokes grandeur. For that and more, South Carolina Highway 81 lures me back time and again. I drive through the Village and wonder about the people who built such fine homes and stores. I lunch at Mount Carmel Café, then walk the streets identifying homes and businesses with a hand-drawn map. Where, I wonder, is my great-granddad’s old home. I heard it burned. Among my missions? Finding that long-lost home’s site. Return with me to that village by the Savannah Valley Railroad. Hear that bell? Hear that whistle? Orange sparks escape billowing black smoke as the locomotive chugs toward the Village. Trailing steam it’s come to haul off area-grown cotton. Times are booming and women wear heavily decorated dresses, beneath which are corsets and bustles. Men in slim suits and top hats brandish canes, but change is coming. The train will give way to automobiles. After World War I, demand for cotton will drop, and the boll weevil’s 1921 arrival will lay a mighty blow on Mount Carmel. The Great Depression and a big fire will deliver knockout punches. A great migration will take place, and homes, stores, and churches will empty and be shuttered.
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The Pull I go to the Village often, not because my great-grandfather, Thomas Antone Poland, lived there and I seek his homeplace. I go because Mount Carmel offers a beautiful lesson in life. The sun doesn’t shine on the same dog’s backside all the time. Oh the sun shined on the Village of Remembrance following the 1886 arrival of the Savannah Valley Railroad. It became a cotton-driven railroad town whose golden years ran from 1885 to 1920. Businesses included five general stores, a pharmacy, a grocery store, two gins, and two blacksmith shops. On February 23, 1885, a post office opened in Mount Carmel, a day before the Village was chartered. About that time Lodimont Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church moved 2 miles to its present site. It was one of the first churches in the area to be electrified. From the late 1880s into the early 1900s, structures plain and grand went up. The Frith-McCelvey-Hester House, Mount Carmel Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Mount Carmel Presbyterian Church, Hester’s Gin and Grist Mill, Baker-Boyd House, McAllister-White House, Mount Carmel School, J.F. Sutherland House, a tenant house, Conner House, and many others. But why read a list. See for yourself. AT TOP: THE AUTHOR EXPLORES HIS GREAT-GRANDFATHER’S OLD HOMESITE. ABOVE, LEFT: THE AUTHOR’S GREAT-GRANDFATHER, THOMAS ANTONE POLAND, WITH HIS SECOND WIFE.
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Baker’s Store with its two arched windows and arched “tombstone” double doors looks like the front of a church. And not to be missed is the J.L. Covin House with its bay window. Nor do you want to miss the John W. Morrah House, home to Joseph Carpenter and Ed McAllister, who are restoring it. See the home’s matching dollhouse. Louis Covin built the original Morrah house in 1840. It burned in 1895. The magnificent home you see today replaced it. Augusta Architect Lewis F. Goodrich supervised construction and sent master craftsmen by train from Augusta to build the home of virgin pine timber. Features include stained glass windows, turned posts, a spool-and-spindle balustrade and frieze, and dentil cornice. The brick bank, circa 1905, evokes images of westerns with cowboys robbing banks and fleeing in a hail of gunfire—but men in slim suits with hats and canes transacting business is more like it. How many towns do you know of that are on the National Register of Historic Places? I know of one. Mount Carmel. The architects and craftsmen who built this place possessed fine taste. The Village makes you shake your head. Leaving had to be hard.
The People Among the Village’s prominent families are Cade, Covin, Hester, McAllister, Morrah, and Sutherland. John D. Cade served in the South Carolina Legislature. Lawrence L. Hester served as a state senator for 28 years and politics overall for 54 years. John A. McAllister served in key political and businesseconomic positions. The McAllister family continues to operate a home furnishings business established in 1888. The business has evolved and changed but a timeless appreciation for customer service lives on. They serve as stewards of the area’s history. The original teller cage from the Bank of Mount Carmel greets you as you enter the store and the showroom continues in all directions. Just across Depot Street is McAllister’s Mount Carmel Café. It’s an important recent addition as Mount Carmel moves toward the future. A BOV E: TH E J OH N W. MOR R A H H OUSE , WHI CH I S BE I N G RE STORE D BY I TS N E W OWN E RS.
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Visit the café for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Try out the pork chops, catfish, shrimp, hamburgers, steaks, soups, and salads. From pancakes and biscuits to omelets and great sandwiches, you’ll create a few Mount Carmel memories yourself. Eat well and do some exploring. The Village is rich with history and recollection. Sara Covin Juengst, retired Presbyterian minister and Willington, South Carolina, historian, has Huguenot ties. “My great-great-greatgrandfather, Louis Covin, (aforementioned) was one of its earlier settlers. He was born in New Bordeaux May 30, 1799. His parents, Lazarus and Mary Anne Covin, were first generation French Huguenots, arriving in New Bordeaux in 1768. “Around 1820, Louis moved from New Bordeaux to the Mount Carmel area to open one of the community’s first businesses: a trading post at the intersection of Leroy’s Ferry Road and the Abbeville Highway. Customers were settlers and Native Americans. He acquired many animal skins and eventually operated a tannery, as well as store.” In 1824, Louis married Mary Ann Hutchinson, granddaughter of William Hutchinson, owner of Hutchinson’s Mill near present-day Mount Carmel. “Reverend William Tennant mentioned the mill in his travels throughout the area in 1775. Mary Ann’s father, James, ran the mill until Joseph Calhoun bought it in the early 1880s and it became Calhoun Mill.” Juengst shares a story. “It’s told that Louis’ Huguenot mother, Mary Anne, wasn’t happy that he wanted to marry an English woman instead of a French one. Louis is said to have replied, “I don’t care if she is English. She’s the prettiest girl I ever saw, and I’m going to marry her anyway.” Frances Hester shares a family story as well. “When they were erecting the rock wall monument for Fort Charlotte,” said Frances, “Uncle Pat asked the men, ‘Why didn’t you use stones from Fort Charlotte?’ The men replied, ‘Because they’re beneath the lake.’ ‘No they’re not,’ retorted Uncle Pat. ‘I rescued the stones from Fort Charlotte and placed them on the Mount Carmel side of the lake.’” Ed McAllister sent me a relative’s essay on the Huguenots who sailed to South Carolina on The Friendship and made their way upland. Their New Bordeaux settlement failed due to the Revolutionary War and other factors. Still, they left their mark. A cemetery, 1851 springhouse, handmade bricks, the residuum of a collapsed chimney, a “bad well,” and foundation stones say they were here. A granite cross overlooks Little River at their chapel site. A HIGHWAY MARKER FROM MOUNT CARMEL'S FORMER DAYS REMAINS ON THE PROPERTY THAT ONCE BELONGED TO THE AUTHOR'S GREAT-GRANDFATHER.
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They named their picnic spot from 1 Kings 18. In that scripture Mount Carmel is a high, wooded mountain ridge where prophet Elijah defeated 850 pagan prophets. There you have it, Mount Carmel—the name stuck.
Looking for the Past Mount Carmel’s story is one of good luck, bad luck, and change. The sun didn’t always shine on the Village. Dark clouds rained adversity, but there was that 35-year surge of train-fueled
REMNANTS OF THE OLD RAILBED AND OFFICIAL DBCADE BRICKS.
prosperity. Though nature has had 135 years to reclaim the rail bed, I found it twice on a hot July afternoon. First in a wooded area at the end of Depot Street. Well, of course. An old railroad X sign leaned into vines. The second time was near Mount Carmel Cemetery where the Mount Carmel Academy had stood. An old brick culvert ran beneath the rail bed. Back at the Depot Street rail bed, just feet away stood a double iron gate that led to the John Cade House. An archival photo reveals its grand facade and front porch. From the Cade family came Drury Boykin Cade who made bricks with “DBCade” neatly incised into them. Cade lived just across the Savannah River on his cotton plantation near Petersburg. He opened a brick kiln and pottery operation in Mount Carmel around 1885 according to Cinda K. Baldwin’s Great and Noble Jar. Ed McAllister told me Cade made bricks for Vienna and other places. The kiln also turned out churns, cream pitchers, sugar bowls, and vases. Many bear “LAC” for Cade’s wife, Laura A. Cade. All her life my mom talked about D.B. Cade and his bricks. Too late—she had died—I came into possession of two DB Cade bricks. Bricks, however, are the least of the Village’s rich history.
Enduring Histories and Mysteries Get a map. Mount Carmel seems isolated, but it’s a region a modern-day Indiana Jones would love. Just across the border in Lincoln County, Georgia, at either Graball or the Chennault House, is where robbers attacked Jefferson Davis’ wagon train. To this day people speculate about the alleged stolen gold. Drive north through Mount Carmel and leave Highway 81 for Highway 823. Three miles later turn left onto Calhoun Mill Road. In winter, when trees lay bare limbs to the sun, you’ll see the old mill to your right. In summer you’ll see nothing but leaves. The Calhoun Mill, built sometime between 1852 and 1860, stands near Little River. This gristmill is especially unique, being brick, three stories, with a basement and hipped roof. Near it are a cotton gin, millrace, and milldam. A post office operated at the mill between 1822 and 1894.
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The September 4, 1980 National Register of Historic Places nomination form listed John A. McAllister as owner. Ed McAllister owns it today. According to the form, the first specific mention of Calhoun ownership is in Colonel Joseph Calhoun’s will that bequeathed the property to his son in 1817. “When Col. Calhoun acquired the property remains a mystery,” said Ed McAllister. “The destruction of the Abbeville District deeds in the 1872 fire and the lack of local newspapers from the relevant time period make it difficult to establish clear dates and time lines. We know the present building was constructed sometime between 1852 and 1860, but I never found anything that would pin down the date.” Over the years the property and later mill itself changed hands going through Dionysius M. Rogers and being sold in 1883, 1901, and 1915. Darrell J. McAllister took ownership in 1925. Ed McAllister said a story holds that President Jefferson Davis, fleeing Richmond, gave a talk beneath a large oak near Calhoun Mill. Why not? The site was popular for political rallies and social gatherings well into the twentieth century, say locals. Return to Highway 823. Turn left and cross Little River on a new bridge where a steel truss bridge once lent the area ambience. Turn left onto St. Paul Church Road (State Road S-33-134) and look for the pullover to your left. Walk down to Little River and you’ll hear Chattooga River-like roaring. Behold the millrace where the mill got power. Myth or truth? After the Confederate government collapsed, Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin threw the provisional seal plates into the Savannah River as he fled for England. So they say. A December 11, 1988 story in the Atlanta Journal & Constitution reported, “Jefferson Davis and his aides dropped the Great Seal of the Confederacy into the river or a nearby well.” “I understood that there was a place in the Savannah River that was a whirlpool of sorts and was commonly referred to as the Hominy Pot,” said Ed McAllister. “The tale, as I heard it, is that the seal was dropped into the river at that spot with the idea that it could never be retrieved.” The various tales fashion a confusing, enduring mystery. What’s not mysterious is Willington Academy’s Southern success story. Near Willington and Mount Carmel, Dr. Moses Waddel’s classical school for boys was perhaps antebellum South Carolina’s most prestigious preparatory school. Graduates entered colleges such as Yale and Princeton as juniors. Alumni include John C. Calhoun, Augustus B. Longstreet, Hugh Swinton Legaré, George McDuffie, and James Louis Petigru. The school educated many of the South’s leaders: eleven governors, three vice presidents, and eight college presidents. Waddel ran his academy from 1804 to 1819. He left to become president of Franklin College, now the University of Georgia. ABOVE: MOUNT CARMEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
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Nearby, South Carolina’s first action in the Revolutionary War took place July 12, 1775, when a Patriot force of Ranger companies captured Fort Charlotte without bloodshed. The fort’s only occupants were Capt. George Whitefield, his family, and a few men. Today Hester’s Bottoms, a campground, looks over water where Fort Charlotte sleeps. It’s a beautiful place to unwind and think about the history that took place out beneath the water. Beneath the lake of two names—Clarks Hill and Thurmond—lie the drowned villages of Petersburg and Lisbon, Georgia, and Vienna, South Carolina. So much history surrounds Mount Carmel aside from its own. Add to that DB Cade bricks, lost gold, Huguenots, monuments, springhouses, cemeteries, empty houses and stores, trains, catastrophic fires, and an ancient rail bed. And my family history? Did I find my great-granddaddy namesake’s home? Thanks to a courthouse sleuth, I did. Unlike Mount Carmel’s homes that seem impervious to time, its better days are behind it. Even so, it pleased me to see it still standing, for my grandparents’ homes did, in fact, burn to the ground. Like me, it’s a survivor. We carry on best we can, just as Mount Carmel has done.
The Village Today On a fine Sunday as chimney sweeps swooped and chittered above Depot Street, I walked over to the Mount Carmel Café, once the old Village’s U.S. Post Office. I paused to watch traffic. Highway 81 was busy. Trucks and cars rushed by to get, well, somewhere. A good many people just blow through here, but not all. Four years ago I stopped to photograph the Mount Carmel Presbyterian Church. A car with Texas plates pulled in beside me. A man got out. “I heard about this place and just had to see it,” he said. He was in South Carolina on business but drove to Mount Carmel to see the old churches and homes. You see, these old buildings speak to some of us. “Tarry a while. We’ve got stories to tell you.” The story I like best? How families long here love the place. If you come here often, as I do, you’ll see the Village of Remembrance continues to get love and care. I’ll be back soon, and the rest of you? Pay Mount Carmel a visit. You’ll see it’s called the Village of Remembrance with good reason.
ABOVE, LEFT: THOMAS ANTONE POLAND WITH HIS SECOND WIFE AT LEFT, AND GRANDDAUGHTER, VIVIAN, AT RIGHT. ABOVE, RIGHT: THE OLD HOMESITE AS IT STANDS TODAY.
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Lincolnton, North Carolina Pleasant Retreat Academy, circa 1817, is the oldest brick building in Lincolnton, North Carolina. A Federal-era design that was built and founded as a boy's school, it's currently being restored by preservation nonprofit Lincoln Landmarks, Inc. PHOTO COURTESY OF BETH YARBROUGH
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BY BETH YA R B R O U G H
Voices of Yesterday Learn from the sacred stories preserved homes tell
Most anyone who cares a lick about beautiful architecture will tell you that houses can talk. They will also tell you that the old ones have the sweetest voices—deep, rich, and layered with centuries of stories that will both break your heart and make it sing. Yet all too often we hear that it makes more sense to bring in the wrecking crew, scrape the site clean, and start fresh. “It's just an old house. Who cares?” We all should, and for good reason. The story of a place is important, and when a structure remains, that story becomes something we can reach out and touch. Historical markers won’t quite get you there.
ABOVE: THE BEDON LUCAS HOUSE IN WALTERBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA PHOTO COURTESY OF BETH YARBROUGH
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THE TIDALHOLM HOUSE IN BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA PHOTO COURTESY OF BETH YARBROUGH
Additionally, old structures are teaching tools. Studying the methods by which they were put together teaches us how to build a thing that will last. Compared with today’s new homes, many of which are put together with nail guns, pre-fabricated bones, and way too much vinyl, an old house—even in an endangered state—stands testament to the lasting power of natural materials and quality workmanship. When viewed through an environmental lens, saving the old makes perfect sense. Old growth wood and bricks formed decades ago are already in place, eliminating the need for new building materials. And avoiding demolition reduces landfill waste. Estimates vary from one region to the next, but about 30% of our landfills are comprised of construction debris. In that light, it is fair to say that saving old houses is recycling at its finest. This process need not be confined to great mansions or significant historic sites. Indeed, the opportunities surround us. Scenes such as this one give me great hope. Beyond the obvious beauty, this tells me that there are still many of us who care about saving what is important.
ABOVE: A WINNSBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA, HOME PRESERVATION PROJECT—BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTO COURTESY OF BETH YARBROUGH
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ABOVE: A PRESERVED VICTORIAN HOME IN WASHINGTON, GEORGIA PHOTO COURTESY OF BETH YARBROUGH
In even better news, it does not appear to be the province of empty-nesters. In fact, the best news of all is that young couples are stepping in to take the reins in many of our towns and cities, embracing this level of craftsmanship and the good design that makes these houses and the streets and communities where they live still beautiful after more than a century of wear. In this we can all take heart. Even though many of our small communities remain in peril, and too great a number of old houses stand empty and endangered, there also exists a growing number of us who are planting our feet, staking a claim, and embracing a way of life that does not yet deserve to die. I have seen it in my travels across the South, where we have more than our fair share of wonderful old structures, all of them deserving of respect. Shining a bright light on their stories and encouraging the process of learning how to care for their long-term future without erasing the very things that make them authentic is a winning endeavor. Old houses are living lessons to be learned, if we have the ears to hear and the eyes to see. They are daily reminders of who we were, and are, and hope to be.
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ELIZABETH POLAND SHUGG Buchanan, Virginia An eery mist rolls across Fairview Cemetery in Southwest Virginia.
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Backroad Portfolio’s exclusive guide to getting there the long way
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C R E AT E D B Y T H E B AC K ROA D P O R T FO L I O S TA F F
Backroads transport us to the places in between. This regularly occurring feature takes you to and from two southeastern destinations via winding rural roads lined with charming small towns, captivating landscapes, historic structures and, in this particular journey, vibrant winter gardens and arboretums that brighten up the coldest season of the year. Numerous horticultural havens exist across the Southeast. This three-day itinerary focuses on those in Western and Central North Carolina, with routes leading down country roads that wind through frosty forests and lead you to towns and cities where you can enjoy a warm winter meal or cocktail in a historic inn or boutique hotel after a day of tromping through nature. Google map links will be included in the online version of this story. Be sure to check websites for updated information or schedule changes at each stop along the way. Let’s get started.
OPPOSITE PAGE: FROST FORMS OVER TENDER ANNUAL PLANTS AS WINTER RUSHES IN.
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GET THERE
Day 1: Asheville to Greensboro Asheville g Winston-Salem g Greensboro BACKROAD ROUTE: 4 hours and 48 minutes; 189 miles • 3 stops FASTEST ROUTE: 2 hours and 44 minutes; 174 miles • 3 stops
STARTING POINT If you’d like to spend a full day at Biltmore—or more—we recommend arriving the night before and staying at one of the accommodations listed on page 54.
Biltmore Estate Arboretum & Gardens
biltmore.com Biltmore’s expansive 8,000-acre landscape, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted beginning in 1889, offers the perfect starting point for this floriferous journey. View winter-hardy conifers, hollies, witch hazels, and evergreen magnolias across the estate’s formal gardens and mountain trails, then step inside the 7,000-square-foot heated glass Conservatory to view more than 2,000 exotic plants, including towering palms, ferns, and succulents. Don’t miss the Conservatory’s Orchid Room and Production Room, where many plants are propagated, and enjoy fragrant winter daphne and hellebores blooming near the Conservatory. Also, if you tour Biltmore House, you’ll immediately enter the Winter Garden room, an enchanting octagonal atrium located on the ground floor of the mansion that’s filled with exotic plants, providing a year-round tropical escape. 1 Lodge Street, Asheville, North Carolina TOP LEFT: THE BILTMORE CONSERVATORY; BOTTOM LEFT: BILTMORE’S WINTER GARDEN ROOM; TOP RIGHT: YOUNG VISITORS EXPLORE THE BILTMORE CONSERVATORY; PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISITNC.
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V I S I T B AC K R OA D P O RT F O L I O. C O M F O R R O U T E S W I T H A L L T H E S TO P S !
Reynolda Art & Gardens
reynolda.org/gardens From Biltmore, you’ll drive a little over two hours to the once-private estate gardens of tobacco magnate R.J. Reynolds. Reynolda Art & Gardens offers 129 acres with formal allées, a sunken greenhouse garden, and woodland trails. In winter, evergreens, hollies, camellias, and hellebores shine against the historic village backdrop, while witch hazels and paperbush add fragrance and color to the landscape. The historic 1913 Lord & Burnham greenhouses encompass lush palms, vibrant orchids, fragrant citrus trees, and seasonal displays of poinsettias and amaryllis. 100 Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Greensboro Arboretum
greensboro-nc.gov/departments/parks-recreation/parks-gardens/greensboro-arboretum A quick 30-mile drive from Winston-Salem takes you to this 17-acre arboretum that contains a dedicated Winter Garden Collection filled with evergreens, hollies, textured perennials, and camellias, including the iconic Greensboro Red camellia—a light red semi-double japonica variety originating from a pre1900 seedling at local Lindley Nurseries that is also the official flower of Greensboro. Trails showcase the camellias and offer ample opportunities for birdwatching. 401 Ashland Drive, Greensboro, North Carolina TOP LEFT: THE BILTMORE CONSERVATORY; BOTTOM LEFT: BILTMORE’S WINTER GARDEN ROOM; TOP RIGHT: YOUNG VISITORS EXPLORE THE BILTMORE CONSERVATORY; PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISITNC.
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GET THERE
Day 2: Greensboro to Chapel Hill Greensboro g Kernersville g Durham g Raleigh g Chapel Hill BACKROAD ROUTE: 3 hours and 46 minutes; 135 miles • 4 stops FASTEST ROUTE: 2 hours and 26 minutes; 134 miles • 4 stops
PHOTOS COURTESEY OF THE FACEBOOK PAGES FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL LOCATION SHOWN
The starting point is the Greensboro Arboretum, so adjust these directions based on your accommodations address.
Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden
cienerbotanicalgarden.org A 15-mile drive from Greensboro brings you to these 7-acre gardens encompassing more than 25 sections, including the Piedmont Woodland Garden, Japanese Garden, Wetland Garden, Conifer Garden, Children’s Learning Garden, Pattern Garden, Kitchen Garden, Hornbeam Walk, amphitheatre, and greenhouse. Native shrubs and seasonal perennials contribute to this peaceful, year-round retreat. 215 South Main Street, Kernersville, North Carolina
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
gardens.duke.edu Your next stop is 70 miles away on the historic campus of Duke University, where you’ll find the 55-acre Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Enjoy camellias near the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, fountains and birdwatching opportunities in the Japanese Garden, and patches of witch hazel along Hanes Lake and the garden’s walking trails. While you’re on campus, have lunch at the Washington Duke Inn’s Fairview Dining Room or sip an afternoon cocktail at the Bull Durham Bar. 420 Anderson Street, Durham, North Carolina
J.C. Raulston Arboretum
jcra.ncsu.edu Take a 24-mile detour to Raleigh to walk through this free, nationally acclaimed botanic garden boasting one of the largest collections of southeastern-adapted plants for superior landscapes. Part of North Carolina State University, it's open daily and offers educational classes, Garden Story Walks, horticulture programs, plant sales, guided tours, and trails flanked with evergreen hollies, witchhazels, and hellebores. 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina
Coker Arboretum ncbg.unc.edu/venue/coker-arboretum From Duke, make a quick 10-mile drive over to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where you’ll find the 5-acre Coker Arboretum. Tread serene paths through loblolly pines, cedars, and southern magnolias along lawns framed with hollies and witch hazel. Spend the rest of the day walking along the historic campus. 399 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 5 2 | BACKR OAD PO RTFO LI O
AND BACK AGAIN
Day 3: Chapel Hill to Asheville Chapel Hill g Belmont g Asheville BACKROAD ROUTE: 6 hours and 24 minutes; 272 miles • 2 stops FASTEST ROUTE: 4 hours and 39 minutes; 269 miles • 2 stops
The starting point is Coker Arboretum, so adjust the directions based on your accommodations address.
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
danielstoweconservancy.org This 380-acre network of gardens near Charlotte showcases an 8,000-square-foot, five-story Williamson Conservatory containing 2,500 orchid specimens, exotic ferns, and carnivorous plants. The annual Orchid Spectacular takes place during winter, transforming the conservatory into a blooming wonderland. An event showcasing 20 ice sculptures is scheduled for January 16-17, from 5 to 9 p.m. Other highlights include the award-winning Four Seasons Garden with cascading fountains, the Woodland Garden Trail, and the expansive Piedmont Prairie showcasing indigenous grasses. 6500 S. New Hope Road, Belmont, North Carolina
The North Carolina Arboretum
ncarboretum.org The North Carolina Arboretum spans 434 acres with 10 miles of scenic trails through native hardwood forests, wildflower gardens, and bonsai exhibitions, showcasing diverse Appalachian flora. Highlights include whimsical Thomas Dambo troll sculptures, a dazzling Winter Lights spectacle, and interactive exhibits. Finish your day, and trip, with a hand-prepared meal featuring local ingredients at the arboretum’s restaurant, Bent Creek Bistro. 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, North Carolina
TOP AND BOTTOM LEFT IMAGES COURTESY OF VISITNC.COM. BOTTOM RIGHT COURTESEY OF NCARBORETUM.ORG.
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Where to Stay Here are some historic accommodations with modern upgrades to consider for your overnight stays in Asheville (if you opt to spend a full day at Biltmore), in Greenville for the second day, and in the Chapel Hill/Durham area for the third day. Biltmore Accommodations biltmore.com/stay Biltmore Estate provides a range of lodging experiences inspired by the Vanderbilt era, set amid the Blue Ridge Mountains. All options grant access to the estate's gardens, grounds, Antler Hill Village, and Winery, with a focus on personalized hospitality. • The Inn | 1 Antler Hill Road, Asheville This four-star hotel offers elegant, amenity-rich rooms with a sophisticated ambiance. Key features include daily Chef’s Breakfast in The Dining Room and valet parking. • Village Hotel | 207 Dairy Road, Asheville A cozy, farmhouse-style hotel nestled in Antler Hill Village, ideal for a relaxed village vibe near trails, the Winery, Playground, and Farmyard. It includes daily breakfast at Village Social and self-parking. • Cottages on Biltmore Estate | 1 Lodge Street, Asheville Historic two-bedroom, two-story cottages provide private, home-like retreats with customizable stays, a welcome gift, and concierge service. Breakfast choices span continental options, The Dining Room, or Village Social, plus valet parking and transportation. The Magnolia House 442 Gorrell Street, Greensboro, North Carolina thehistoricmagnoliahouse.org The Historic Magnolia House is a restored 1949 Green Book hotel that has hosted music icons like James Brown and Jackie Robinson during segregation. It features four renovated 1950s-60s period rooms, Sunday brunch, Wednesday jazz dinners with soulful fare, and spaces for weddings, events, and concerts. O. Henry Hotel 624 Green Valley Road, Greensboro, North Carolina ohenryhotel.com The AAA Four Diamond O. Henry Hotel blends historic charm with custom-furnished rooms adorned with original art and plush comforts. Savor Mediterranean delights at the Green Valley Grill, and enjoy afternoon tea, live jazz, and proximity to vibrant local attractions. The Carolina Inn 211 Pittsboro Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina carolinainn.com Built in 1924 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Carolina Inn has been UNC-Chapel Hill’s elegant “living room” for a century. Owned by the university since 1935, this AAA Four Diamond landmark hosts traditional afternoon teas and serves Carolina cuisine at the Crossroads Barroom and Restaurant. Recently refreshed guest rooms blend classic Southern style with modern luxury. The Washington Duke Inn 3001 Cameron Boulevard, Durham, North Carolina washingtondukeinn.com Nestled on Duke University's campus in Durham, the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club blends Southern elegance with modern luxury amid 300 acres of pine forests. This AAA Five Diamond retreat features 174 opulent rooms, acclaimed cuisine at the Fairview Dining Room, afternoon tea services, and an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones golf course.
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EIFEL KREUTZ Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina The sun sets across a Huckleberry Knob campsite in the Unicoi Mountains.
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C O N V E R S AT I O N
Guitar Grit Self-taught Virginia luthier Keith Weakley shares why he started making his own instruments Introduction and interview by Elizabeth Poland Shugg Photography courtesy of Keith Weakley
Keith Weakley of Stanley, Virginia, started playing the guitar at age 24. An executive with a background in structural engineering by day, Keith’s love for playing inspired him to take a step beyond where many amateur guitarists are willing to go. Find out how, and why, in our conversation below. How did you first become interested in handcrafting guitars? To be perfectly honest, it is because I was cheap. I bought a used Mexican Stratocaster from a pawn shop, but I really wanted a Telecaster. After checking the prices of Telecasters, which were in excess of $1,500, I convinced myself I could make one cheaper than that, so I did. Then I wanted a double fat Tele (meaning two humbuckers/double coils, versus a traditional single-coil setup), so I made that. Then I wanted a Les Paul, and after that I started designing my own body shapes and circuitry. How many have you handcrafted and about how long does it take to make one? I wish I had kept more meticulous records. I suppose I’ve made over 30 at this point. I started around 2003 or so. I tend to work on them in the winter, when the weather is worse, as I spend summertime in the garden, or cycling. If I could spend my time uninterrupted, it would be about 80 hours for each one. Most of that time would be in the finishing phase, which requires a lot of spraying and sanding, mainly by hand. The final wet sanding phase is the most tedious, using grits of 1,500 and 2,000. My work schedule has slowed down my production, but I do currently have one in the works. What kind of wood and other materials do you use to make each one? It varies. I have used all sorts—reclaimed oak from an old house I was remodeling, wormy chestnut my grandfather reclaimed from an old building he tore down, barn wood from a barn built in the late 1800s, as well a maple from a tree in my dad’s yard that was taken down. The hardware is bought from various online stores, which includes knobs, the bridge, pickups, etc. I prefer to keep it natural wood with a clear finish (no stain or paint). Wood is pretty enough on its own, so no need for paint or other things that cover that up. I made one out of sassafras and it was spectacular. As an added bonus, the shop smelled amazing, since it’s such an aromatic wood! TO P : K EITH SA ND S H IS L ATEST SEMI- H OL LOW BODY G UI TAR. B OTTO M : S O M E OF KEITH ’ S GU ITA R S, FR OM L EFT TO RI G HT, I N CLUDE T HE WORM Y CHE ST N UT T E LE , BARN WOOD S E M I- HO LLOW BODY, A ND R ECL A IMED OA K PJ BASS.
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How do you individualize each guitar so they are unique from each other? Once I settled on a unique body shape, I stuck with that (with few exceptions). Most of the customization then comes from the wood type, pickup arrangement, and circuitry. I did use bumper stickers for a Virginia Tech/Duke look on a pickguard for one guitar that was a gift. I’m currently expanding from solid bodies to semi-hollow bodies (like a Tele Thinline). This allows me to continue to use the approximately 150-year-old barnwood that I still have left that is too thin for a traditional solid body electric. Do you have a favorite, and if so, which one and why? My favorite is probably the wormy chestnut double fat (meaning two humbucker pickups) Telecaster. It was the second guitar I built and I added a coil split. I played it nonstop after I built it, even once I built others. Even though I have since improved my woodworking skills, I love the sound and tone of this as well as the playability. One of my more recent ones is a maple telecaster—on my body style—with a six-way rotary switch. It has some great tones. A normal Tele has only a three-way blade switch. Do you make these as a hobby or do you sell them to others? Explain how that process works. It’s truly a hobby. I sold one to a friend as a favor (I took a loss). I’ve kept the rest or given them away as gifts or donated them to charity. I did trade two to a singer-songwriter in Nashville in exchange for a sweet Taylor acoustic, which toured with and played on a Rascal Flatts album. That guitar sounds amazing, and it is no longer made! That singer/songwriter wrote a lot of famous songs, writing most of Jason Aldean’s newest album, and he wrote for Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Reba, and others. What advice would you offer potential luthiers who might be interested in learning this craft themselves? Don’t be afraid to give it a go! There’s a lot of information available online to help you get started—much more than when I started. This includes tutorials, videos, plans, etc. Building electric guitars is much more forgiving for those like me who are not woodworking wizards or who have limited tools. There are also lots of message boards and Facebook groups where people can share tips and help answer questions. Also, don’t be afraid to experiment, whether it’s with the body style, pickups, or the wiring/circuits. I built a Brian May setup on a Stratocaster body. It’s very different, but one of my favorite guitars! TOP : JA KE A ND ELWOOD, TH E T WO G UI TARS M ADE WI T H RE CLAI M E D BA R N WOOD TH AT KEITH TR A DE D TO A SI N G E R-SON GWRI T E R I N N ASHVI LLE . MID D L E: A TEL E STY L E CU STOM BODY SHAPE M ADE WI T H RE CLAI M E D BARN WOOD. BOTTOM: KEITH W ITH A BR IA N M AY SE T UP ON A ST RAT BODY, M ADE WI T H RE CLAI M E D BARN WOOD.
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DANIELLE ANGELL Davidson, North Carolina A vibrant camellia endures a rare southern ice storm.
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P R E S E R VAT I O N
The Dirt Road Museum BY TOM POLAND
I
pumped gas at a country store back when folks returned Coke bottles for a nickel. That was a bit after the time of Sputnik. Now Cokes are throwaway plastic ruins, paper maps are obsolete, and the old store’s roof has caved in. Worst of all, they paved the dirt road running by it, but nothing stops me from seeing that road’s billowing contrails and tasting dust when the wind comes my way. To see a dirt lane gracefully curving out of sight is to see poetry. Someday, though, the South will be down to its last dirt road. Just as gas pump globes left us, that road will surely vanish. Before it does, I hope a visionary will turn it into a museum of an era we’ll never see again. My guess is pseudoSoutherners—a mixed bag from every region you can think of—will shell out some hard plastic to see this scene from another era. We’ll christen it Memory Lane. At its far end must be a crumbling farm. Collectors of old wood and longleaf pine have stripped some barns bare. A B OV E : A N O LD GL ASS COKE BOTTL E R I G HT: A N O LD COU NTRY STOR E P HOTO S BY TOM POL A ND
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Trees obscure the farmstead, and barbed wire sags from old cedar posts. Out pasture way an old truck’s gas tank, cut in half, gives whiteface cattle two water troughs. That blue farm pond with its green veneer of grass. In it swim bluegills, big mouth bass, and shellcrackers. That statue of a boy with a cane pole over his shoulder? Look closely. It’s not Opie Taylor. It’s just a country boy and that pail he’s holding is full of red wrigglers. First along our last dirt road will be a country store whose architecture delights the eye. The store’s old gas pump gauges would delight the wallet and pocketbook. Nailed to the store’s front door is a metal ad. “Bengal Roach Spray.
P R E S E R VAT I O N
Guaranteed Extermination Overnight.” Stapled to a door is the availability of hunting licenses. A wooden bench out front has smooth places that reflect light. That’s where overall-clad men sat for decades. The workingman’s pocketknife, a Barlow, carved initials into the old bench. Around the gas pump’s base are old bottle tops pressed into the earth, no explanation necessary. Down the road a piece sits a gabled tenant home with a man in a ladderback chair. He waves to passersby, a tribute to a vanished art, porch sitting. Folks don’t porch sit anymore. Air conditioning and television keep ’em inside. Along the middle stretch sits an old church. Its tin roof curled back by storms, its longleaf pews have no choice but to battle the elements and Father Time. Up by the choir stands an old piano. In a corner sits an old pump organ. Behind the church are graves covered in seashells. The sea brought these souls to America and when they died they knew their next great crossing would be across the ocean of air to the Promised Land. The shells are here because salt was rare once upon a time. Men made pilgrimages to the coast for brilliant white salt and white shells during that time called Reconstruction. Boiled seawater they did. On down the road and off to the right a big yellow road grader, a Caterpillar No. 12, sits near a persimmon tree. It rumbled along its blade curling up dirt and clay at both ends. You could smell the raw earth as the grader rid the road of potholes and washboard ridges. Of course, they came back. Always. That’s just the way it was.
And so it is that dirt roads speak to simpler times. You didn’t see much litter but you’d see cottontails. You didn’t feel the need to speed; you enjoyed the journey. You didn’t drive past construction sites; you drove past tangles of honeysuckle and crossed wooden bridges over clear, pebbled creeks. You might even catch kudzu in bloom and inhale its grape juice fragrance. A dirt road ... it was a good place to reflect on life and a place for making memories. One more thing. When a cloud came up and those first drops spattered against dirt, folks got the smell of life itself. You’ll never get that from a paved road. So, come days when rain’s in the forecast for Memory Lane, I say we charge a little extra. It’ll be worth it, a treat to inhale that fertile fragrance of life, and if it rains hard enough, perchance visitors will get to enjoy some gen-u-ine mud.
A BOV E L EFT: A N A BA ND ONED BU ILDI N G AN D RE D DI RT ROAD | ABOVE RI G HT: AN OLD COUN T RY STORE GAS P UM P P H OTOS BY TOM POL A ND
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From Rags to Pines The art and history of papermaking
BY ELIZABETH POLAND SHUGG
I
n the misty hollows of the rural Southeast, where longleaf pines stretch like sentinels toward the sky, water-powered paper mills once dotted the landscape. Old linen rags and
cotton scraps from textile mills provided the highest-quality raw materials for making fine writing papers, banknotes, and archival documents until after the Civil War, when wood pulp began to replace them. North Carolina’s papermaking industry began in 1777 with John Hulgan’s Orange County mill. There were ten such mills in the Tar Heel State before the Civil War. Of the five that survived it, none outlasted the nineteenth century. Virginia’s early paper mills faced a similar fate. The Confederate evacuation of Richmond destroyed the Franklin Paper Mill in 1865, and the Fredericksburg Paper Mill ran from 1860 until an accidental fire destroyed it in 1877. Fires also consumed White and Bicknell Paper Plant in Columbia, South Carolina, the Pioneer Paper Mill near Athens, Georgia, and the Whiteman Paper Mill near Knoxville, Tennessee—all papermaking dynasties of their time.
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C R E AT I O N
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The Pine Pulp Takeover During the 1930s, engines of industry born from innovation during the Great Depression transformed papermaking into something vastly different. Some would say it started with Charles Holmes Herty, a Georgia chemist whose groundbreaking work transformed the region’s abundant southern pines into viable paper stock. He adapted chemical pulping processes, leading to the widespread use of the kraft method. The key was harvesting immature trees, no older than ten to fifteen years, which had lower gum content. This allowed for effective bleaching of the pulp into a crisp white paper suitable for newsprint and other important documents. Herty’s innovation conserved hardwood forests and sparked another mill boom across the South. My grandfather played a small part in pine pulp papermaking. During the early 1950s he’d instruct my father to climb pine trees and toss the green cones down, which my grandfather would drop into croker sacks for use by Georgia’s state forestry service. As the cones aged, foresters extracted and planted the seedlings to create great pine forests that, once mature, provided acres and acres of pulp. Papermaking is labor-intensive. Wood pulp must be boiled for hours to separate the fibers, then rinsed to remove impurities. Historically, the papermaker would beat it with a wooden mallet until it formed a slurry that was cloudy and fragrant with pine essence. Nowadays, it’s poured or dipped onto a screened mould, then lifted slowly and allowed to drain. The resulting thin mat of fibers is pressed between felts and dried in the sun, displaying a textured golden hue. Modern hand papermakers often use air-drying, restraint drying, or forced air for flatter results. Digital communication is transforming how newspapers and magazines operate. Still, print and digital products can coexist. Turning the pages of a favorite magazine or novel blends our senses of touch, sight, and smell—something a digital screen can’t do.
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C R E AT I O N
Try It Yourself Papermaking isn’t limited to industrial machines powered by automated technology. Anyone with a passion for the craft can make it the old-fashioned way. Here are some classes across the Southeast that focus on the art of papermaking—or just making art with paper. Some 2026 dates may not be posted yet, so check the websites for updates. Paper Marbling in the Bindery Charleston Library Society 164 King Street, Charleston, South Carolina charlestonlibrarysociety.org/series/workshops Wild Pulp: A Free Youth Paper Making Series And Then Books 400 Spring Street, Rossville, Georgia eventbrite.com/e/wild-pulp-a-free-youth-paper-making-series-tickets-1922153305279 Paper Art Classes John C. Campbell Folk School One Folk School Road, Brasstown, North Carolina folkschool.org/find-a-class/paper-art Papermaking in Layers Penland School of Craft 2687 Conley Ridge Road, Bakersville, North Carolina penland.org/workshop/papermaking-in-layers Basics of Papermaking for Printmakers and Book Artists Georgia Deal Studio 20 Evergreen Avenue, Asheville, North Carolina georgiadeal.com/workshops Paper Quilling: Pet Portraits Workhouse Arts Center 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, Virginia canvas.workhousearts.org/classes/705 Handmade Paper, Envelopes, and Books—Oh My! Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, Tennessee arrowmont.org/workshop/handmade-paper-envelopes-and-books-oh-my
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BETSY TUCKER Columbia, North Carolina A curious otter swims across Lake Phelps in Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge at daybreak on a cold December morning.
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PHILOSOPHY
Bound Together Explore walls of books in these cozy nooks BY BETH PETERSON
“Something there is,” according to Robert Frost, “that doesn’t love a wall.” Once upon a time, that was true. Nowadays, there is something that doesn’t hate them. Loves them, in fact. Builds them without our help at all. Frost lamented the isolation he felt, despite the obviously good and practical purposes of a wall. How much more would he decry the wall that technology builds around us every day? How much more would he marvel—and not in a good way—at the ability of this wall to build itself higher and higher? Yet something there is, in 2026, that adores a wall. A wall of books.
JAC K' S BOOKS F LO R EN C E , S OU TH CA R OL INA
Tearing down the kind of wall that even Frost’s aloof neighbor would have abhorred, independently owned bookstores across the Southeast are proving they are not just relics of days gone by, but important bastions in building back true community.
There are still places you can go to touch physical pages, fan them slightly, and allow the familiar scent of binding glue and ink to work their magic. Let’s explore a few, shall we? SOUTH CAROLINA
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JAC K 'S BO O K S
Jack’s Books in Florence is cozy, intimate, and inviting. You’ll find—as the shop’s website so aptly states—“stories you can’t wait to enter, from a store you won’t want to leave.” Whether it’s the sliding bookcase ladder or the pressed-tin ceiling, simply walking into this whimsical shop imparts a pensive, imaginative feeling worthy of an encounter with a brooding Heathcliff or a perpetually hopeful Anne Shirley. shopjacksbooks.com
N E VE RM O RE BO O K S
Nestled among live oak tree branches and curtains of Spanish moss, NeverMore Books in Beaufort does justice to the word “independent.” Fans of the eclectic will find it tickles their “quirky bone,” as gargoyles and crow figurines lurk from atop antique bookcases stuffed full of well-curated new and antique books. Be sure to check out their room devoted to vintage vinyl. nevermorebooks.com
PHILOSOPHY
NE W NA N B OOK CO.
GEORGIA Don’t miss Newnan Book Co. in Newnan, Georgia. Lighter and brighter than many of its contemporaries, this airy store offers sassy gifts, serious reads, and ample seating on which to snuggle up with your next favorite read. Locals gather for book clubs and talks, and craft-inspired events such as “book bedazzling.” newnanbookcompany.com
C LE A RY ' S BO O K STO RE
P RE T T Y G O O D BO O K S
Southeast of Newnan, you’ll find Pretty Good Books in LaGrange. Renowned for used as much as new books, locals flock to its “grand parlor” for lecture series and book clubs. The shop cat, Poe, serves as a mascot of sorts, but he is purrfectly well-behaved, friendly, and beloved by shoppers. One patron hilariously stated that Pretty Good Books is their “favorite used bookstore in Alabama—and it’s not even in Alabama!” prettygoodbooks.net
NORTH CAROLINA Cleary’s Bookstore in Mount Holly is named in honor of beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary and welcomes readers with a cheery, yellow front door, and equally smileinducing floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. You'll find a room dedicated to children’s books, complete with kid-friendly seating, and locals enjoy lively book club discussions and fellowship with other literature lovers. clearysbookstore.com
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PHILOSOPHY T HE WA NDE RING CROW
In Statesville, The Wandering Crow’s owners are often cited by locals and visiting customers as being particularly helpful in finding the perfect book. The shop fosters community through a variety of book clubs and local author spotlights. It’s also located right next to Lake Mountain Coffee, so you can grab your favorite latte to enjoy while escaping into a good book. wanderingcrowbookshop.com
QUA IL RIDG E B OOK S
We’re veering off the backroads to make an exception for a beloved bookstore in the heart of Raleigh: Quail Ridge Books. Founded in 1984 by Nancy Olson in a cozy 1,200-square-foot space, the store quickly outgrew its original home and now sprawls across 8,000 square feet in its new North Hills location. You’ll find meticulously curated shelves filled with new releases and staff-recommended gems across every genre—from gripping mysteries and heartfelt romances, to thought-provoking nonfiction, intriguing biographies, and enchanting children’s tales. quailridgebooks.com
VIRGINIA Middleburg Books in Middleburg, Virginia, attracts visitors from Washington, D.C., as well as Richmond and Baltimore. Truly a “destination” bookstore, its dark bookshelves and richly painted, peacock-blue walls work together to create a luxurious space in which patrons feel welcome and included. Between its immaculate book curation and partnership with local schools, Middleburg Books has become a beloved community shop. middleburgbooks.com
M IDDL EB UR G B O O K S
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PHILOSOPHY
T HE B OOK DRAG ON S HOP
The Book Dragon Shop in Staunton, Virginia’s historic district, is owned by U.S. military veteran Sandra Cararo and offers pre-orders, indie partnerships, whimsical events, and a carefully curated collection of unique gifts with free gift wrapping. The store also supports indie authors through its Indie Author Table Event program. thebookdragonshop.com TENNESSEE NE IG HB ORLY B OOK S
Maryville’s Neighborly Books is housed in an 1888 building featuring original pine floors, an exposed brick wall, and a tin ceiling that perfectly offsets striking black bookcases surrounded by rich décor. Customers enjoy a tranquil setting as they hunt for their next great read. The shop’s owner curates book selections herself. neighborlybooks.com Small-but-mighty Story Hollow Bookstore in Madisonville anchors the community with a variety of book clubs, enchanting storytimes, community events, and friendly staff that weave connections among fellow readers. Fifthgeneration farmer Steph Seibert founded the store, drawing from her childhood love of My Side of the Mountain. storyhollowtn.com Unlike Frost’s wall, walls of books in independent book shops foster our innate need to connect and commune. They link surrounding communities who grow together through book clubs, lecture series, author panels, and partnerships with local schools. These independent, small-town bookstores bring us back to ourselves, our senses, and our lives.
BOOKSHOP.ORG If you’d like to support independent booksellers but don't live near one, consider ordering from bookshop.org. Shoppers can choose a specific local bookstore to receive a commission from their purchase, or—if no store is selected—a portion of the sale goes into a shared pool that is distributed among participating indie bookstores. Bookshop.org handles the ordering, fulfillment, and shipping, making online buying easy for readers while creating a sustainable revenue stream that helps independent bookstores compete and continue serving their communities.
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J A R E D K AY Hendersonville, North Carolina The moon sets over the snow-covered Pisgah National Forest as the Blue Ridge Mountains rise behind it. Photo courtesy of VisitNC
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LANDSCAPE
View clear lake water surrounded by rolling ridgelines.
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L A K E W ATA U G A
Tucked in the mountains of eastern Tennessee, Lake Watauga offers some of the region’s clearest, most vibrant waters. Surrounded by rolling ridgelines and dense hardwood forests, the lake feels both expansive and secluded. Whether viewed from quiet coves or high overlooks, its shimmering blue surface and rugged Appalachian backdrop create a timeless and unforgettable landscape. Elizabethton, Tennessee Coordinates: ~ 36.3329° N, –82.0301° W wataugalaketennessee.com
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LANDSCAPE
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Experience early American history in a frontier fort.
W I L D E R N E S S R O A D S TAT E PA R K
Wilderness Road State Park in western Virginia preserves a landscape shaped by early frontier history and sweeping mountain beauty. Set against the Cumberland Mountains, the park features wide meadows, hardwood forests, and a meticulously reconstructed frontier fort. Walking its trails offers striking Appalachian scenery, where past and present meet in a quiet, unforgettable setting. Ewing, Virginia 8051 Wilderness Road Coordinates: 36.633168° N, –83.527348° W dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/wilderness-road
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LANDSCAPE
Walk through an 18th-century Moravian Community.
PHOTO BY JARED KAY - COURTESY OF VISITNC.COM
OLD SALEM
Old Salem in North Carolina offers an immersive step back into the 18th-century Moravian community that once thrived there. Cobblestone paths, restored homes, and historic workshops line its quiet streets, creating a living museum of early American craftsmanship and culture. View preserved architecture in a peaceful village atmosphere that creates a uniquely memorable experience, especially in winter. Winston-Salem, North Carolina 900 Old Salem Road Coordinates: ~ 36.0999° N, –80.2543° W oldsalem.org
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LANDSCAPE
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Take in a panoramic shoreline vista.
L A K E C H AT U G E
Lake Chatuge in northern Georgia offers a serene blend of mountain water and rolling Appalachian scenery. Surrounded by forested ridgelines and quiet inlets, the lake feels both open and inviting. From peaceful shoreline spots to panoramic overlooks, its clear blue waters and rugged mountain backdrop create a timeless and memorable retreat in the heart of Georgia’s southern highlands. Hiawassee, Georgia 440 Sunnyside Road Coordinates: 34.9545° N, –83.7796° W golakechatuge.com
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ROBERT CLARK Columbia, South Carolina Icy branches greet visitors at Columbia’s First Presbyterian Church, established in 1795. 80 | B ACKROAD PO RTFO LI O
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JOE DIEPENBROCK Greenville, North Carolina The bold pink wall of Backstage Coffee & Vintage features eclectic art and a playful set of handwritten house rules. Photo courtesy of VisitNC
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I N S P I R AT I O N
Inspired by our stories about southeastern independent bookstores on page 70 and the art of papermaking on page 64, we offer these unique products crafted with creativity and care.
Jack’s Box Fireside Classics, $59-$89 shopjacksbooks.com Jack’s Books curates rotating Fireside Classics in book boxes built around a beautifully bound vintage-edition classic paired with a bookmark, matchbox, mini-puzzle, signature mug, and candle. Current collections feature Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, and others. Every box arrives in a keepsake package, perfect for gifting. Awe & Awl Leatherworks Bookmark, $15 axeandawlleatherworks.com
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This unique bookmark is cut from vegetable tanned leathers, embossed, and finished with a solid brass grommet threaded with a leather lace. It also goes nicely with book gifts for the readers in your life.
Pressed Paper Studio Handmade Paper, up to $4.50 per sheet pressedpaper.net Nestled in the mountains of Tennessee, Sharon Kopko crafts buttery-textured handmade papers from cotton rag and abaca fibers, ideal for calligraphy, printing, and painting. Each sheet boasts deckled edges and natural hues, formed through meticulous handbeating and pressing processes. Place a custom order or shop from ready-made papers. The studio also offers a wholesale club for businesses interested in discounted prices. Wooden Deckle Papermaking Kit, $62.95 woodendeckle.com Create textured, colorful paper at home. Each kit comes with a 5-by-7-inch wooden mold and deckle; and an illustrated instruction booklet with recipes, flower and herb inclusions, a cellulose sponge, couching sheets, a screen, and a burlap storage bag. Add garden botanicals for personalization.
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BETTYS4240 Cades Cove, Tennessee Ice crystalizes grasslands and treetops in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Experience wintry festivals, gourmet chocolate, and roasted oysters.
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BULLETIN
Blue Ridge WinterFest | January 22-25, 2026 Blowing Rock, North Carolina
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blowingrockwinterfest.com Blowing Rock’s rural Appalachian landscape transforms into a magical wonderland. Dive into the Polar Bear Plunge, marvel at stunning ice sculptures, savor local delicacies, and enjoy family entertainment amid snowy backroads. ChocolateFest Knoxville | January 30-31, 2026 Knoxville, Tennessee
mychocolatefest.com ChocolateFest, which takes place at The Standard, indulges chocolate lovers with tastings from local chocolatiers, bakers, and candy makers. Enjoy daytime sessions featuring chocolate paired with nonalcoholic drinks, and after-dark events pairing chocolates with cocktails. Boutique vendors will be set up offering a variety of sweets and gifts. Lowcountry Oyster Festival | February 1, 2026 Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
lowcountryoysterfestival.com Boone Hall Plantation’s Lowcountry Oyster Festival includes oyster roasts, shucking contests, live music, and vendor bites. VIP perks include unlimited oysters, food, and drinks. Winterfest Lights in Pigeon Forge | Through February 15, 2026 Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
pigeonforgewinterfest.com Pigeon Forge's Winterfest Lights dazzles with over 12 million twinkling bulbs along rural Smoky Mountain backroads. Stroll the Riverwalk Nature Trail’s sparkling displays, enjoy trolley tours, craft fairs in rustic barns, fireside storytelling, and family coaster rides through snowy coves—pure Appalachian holiday magic. 86 | BACKROAD PO RTFO LI O
Enjoy maple treats, craft beers, and wing-eating contests.
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Highland County Maple Festival | March 14-15 and 21-22, 2026 Monterey, Virginia
highlandcounty.org/maple-festival Virginia’s Highland County Maple Festival celebrates the southernmost U.S. maple region countywide with free sugar camp tours, syrup demos, pancake feasts, and buckwheat cakes. In addition to maple treats, enjoy bluegrass music, clogging, artisan crafts, and a variety of food amid scenic backroads.
COURTESY OF SUWANEE BEER FEST
Suwanee Beer Fest | March 21, 2026 Suwanee, Georgia
suwaneebeerfest.com This festival at Town Center Park, spotlights 400-plus U.S. craft beers from 100-plus breweries. Enjoy live music, cornhole, axe-throwing, food trucks, and local vendors. The Georgia Beer Garden will include over 70 homegrown favorites from up-and-coming Georgia brewers. Wing & Rock Fest | March 21-22, 2026 Canton, Georgia
COURTESY OF WING & ROCK FEST
wingandrockfest.com Wing & Rock Fest, the Southeast’s largest wing celebration, celebrates its 18th year. The free, family-friendly extravaganza at Etowah River Park offers food from over 25 vendors, tribute bands like the Stone Temple Pirates and Thunderstruck, DJ sets, arts and crafts, a farmers market, a kid zone, and wing-eating contests. Yadkin Valley’s Winter Wine & Beer Passport Through March 29, 2026 Dobson, Elkin, and Mount Airy, North Carolina
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLOYD COUNTRY STORE
yadkinvalleync.com/guides/winter-beer-wine-passport Passport purchasers receive either one or two tastings at each of 12 participating locations plus discounts at local restaurants, accommodations, and businesses. Experience eight wineries and four breweries with the passport, which is valued at $350.
Floyd Country Store Sunday Music Jams Every Sunday Floyd, Virginia
floydcountrystore.com/events/list/page/2 Each Sunday from 1:30–5:30 p.m., this free, family-friendly celebration of old-time and bluegrass tunes is rooted in centuries-old traditions that foster Appalachian heritage via fiddles and banjos, flatfoot dancing, and communal song-sharing.
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Meet the people behind the stories, photography, and art featured in this issue.
CONTRIBUTORS
Elizabeth Poland Shugg
Chapel Hill, North Carolina E D I TOR A N D C O- C R E ATO R Born in Lincolnton, Georgia, Elizabeth grew up in nearby Athens on 200 acres of family land. At 13, she moved to rural Virginia, spending summers in South Carolina. Now in Chatham County, North Carolina, she lives on 3 acres and enjoys traveling backroads and exploring small towns. A professional writer and editor for 30 years, Elizabeth has worked as editor of seven magazines, four of which she helped launch. She, her husband, and their Brittany, Luna, love hiking and traveling with their three adult children.
Erica de Flamand
Olin, North Carolina A RT D I R ECTOR A N D C O -C R EATO R Erica, a UCONN Fine Arts graduate, has worked over 20 years as a designer, photographer, and creative director in adventure travel, conservation, finance, national security, and event planning. Featured in over a dozen gallery installations, she’s earned numerous awards and taught as an adjunct professor for four semesters. Erica runs The Summer House studio and a nonprofit offering nature-based mental health services in North Carolina. Erica lives in the Blue Ridge foothills with her husband, two dogs, and horses.
Tom Poland
Columbia, South Carolina W R I T E R A N D PH OTOGR A PHER Tom writes about the South’s people, culture, and nature, with interests in music, writing, and photography. His weekly column, featured in over 65 newspapers and journals, reaches 100,000 readers. His books include Georgialina, Carolina Bays, and his latest with Robert Clark, South Carolina Reflections: A Photographic Journey. A frequent speaker, Tom received South Carolina’s Order of the Palmetto in 2018. Learn more about him at tompoland.net and on Substack at tompolandwriter.substack.com.
Robert Clark
Columbia, South Carolina PH OTOG R A PH E R A resident of Columbia, South Carolina, and native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Robert’s photography has appeared in National Geographic, Newsweek, and Smithsonian. Specializing in architectural, editorial, advertising, and fine art photography, Robert has photographed seven South Carolina books, including Carolina Bays (2019) and his latest with Tom Poland, South Carolina Reflections: A Photographic Journey. Robert is also a PPA member. View his work on Instagram at instagram.com/robertclarkphotographer.
Patricia Branning
Beaufort, South Carolina W R I T E R A N D E DI TOR A Southern storyteller with a journalism degree from the University of Georgia, Patricia began her career as Women’s Editor at WSB Radio in Atlanta, later working alongside Ted Turner at his fledgling station before CNN’s rise. After marrying and moving to Beaufort, South Carolina, she embraced Lowcountry life, collecting stories and recipes that inspired seven best-selling books. As editor of Shrimp, Collards & Grits magazine, Pat celebrated Southern culture until the magazine paused during the pandemic. Now on Substack, she continues sharing recipes, history, and humor, inviting readers to savor her vivid tales of the South with a glass of sweet tea.
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CONTRIBUTORS
Beth Yarbrough
Lincolnton, North Carolina WRITER Beth is a writer living in Lincolnton, North Carolina with a husband, family, and two cats who don’t like each other. A seasoned and successful veteran of the gift and home decor industry with more than three decades of licensed art and product design to her credit, she one day decided to go for a drive, curious to see what was around the bend. Eleven years, thousands of miles, and tens of thousands of words and photographs later, she is still curious.
Beth Peterson
Cary, North Carolina WRITER Beth 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.
Bruce DeBoer
Raleigh, North Carolina PH OTOG R A PH E R A N D PA IN TER Bruce has over 40 years of experience creating visual stories through photography and filmmaking. He discovered photography at age 12 on Long Island, and earned a bachelor’s of science in advertising photography at Rochester Institute of Technology. Bruce has worked in Boston, Kansas City, and Chicago, and is now in Raleigh, and has held roles at Hallmark Cards and Erickson Productions. A founding partner at Stone Soup Productions, Bruce runs DeBoerWorks. Learn more at deboerfineart.com.
Eifel Kreutz
Charlotte, North Carolina PH OTOG R A PH E R Eifel 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.
Danielle Angell
Davidson, North Carolina PH OTOG R A PH E R Danielle resides in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and considers herself a Human Connector Enthusiast. She uses teaching, coaching, fitness, and photography to connect people back to themselves, each other, and the world at large. She is deeply passionate about bringing awareness to environmental issues, cultivating and capturing happiness, seeking out miracles of the moment, and fostering deep connections in all of her relationships.
Betsy Tucker
Advance, North Carolina PH OTOG R A PH E R Betsy lives in Davie County, North Carolina, where she works as a regulatory compliance attorney but is often found daydreaming about her next trip outdoors. Even as a child she sought out and watched wildlife, and over the years she has grown more serious about photography. She loves combining the delight of creativity with the work of figuring out where animals will be and why. It makes every successful photo feel earned.
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Stanley, Virginia PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON CAVE
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 Cori and Jason Cave Voice/Text: 540.999.1LOG jason@shenandoahwoods.com shenandoahwoods.com
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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.
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ROBERT CLARK Rural South Carolina A bluejay surveys the wintry landscape.. 92 | BACKROAD PO RTFO LI O
Columbia, South Carolina
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, follow him on Instagram or send an email if you’re interested in attending Robert’s photography workshops.
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FINALE
“The leaves, frost-crisp’d, break free from the trees / And fall" // A D E L A I D E C R A P S E Y, 1 91 6
Davidson, North Carolina PHOTO BY DANIELLE ANGELL
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