Beverly-Hanks Welcome magazine

Welcome Serving the Greater Asheville, Hendersonville & Waynesville areas

TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES | Welcome to Western North Carolina

That

Traditional Sound

Blue Ridge Music Trails highlight top venues

Charles Frazier

Cold Mountain Author Calls Asheville Home

Cosmopolitan Cuisine

UNIQUE, CREATIVE CHEFS FLOCK TO WNC

A Passion for Whitewater

LIQUIDLOGIC KAYAKS FOUNDER IS IN HIS ELEMENT

RELOCATING TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA?

BENEFIT FROM OUR EXPERIENCE

Moving can be an exciting and stress-free process when working with the trained professionals at Beverly-Hanks & Associates.

We can connect you to valuable resources

Relocating to our mountains can be tricky for large out-of-town moving trucks. Our longstanding relationships with local moving companies can minimize expense and ensure a smooth move.

We’ve got you covered.

WE’RE READY TO MANAGE YOUR MOVE FROM START TO FINISH.

RELOCATION@BEVERLY-HANKS.COM | (866) 319-4158

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EQUAL HOUSING

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WELCOME TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

W

“Choosing the right real estate company to assist you with exploring this area is important.”

- Neal Hanks Jr., President

Welcome. It is our privilege to introduce you to this beautiful region that we call Home. We know that to truly discover Western North Carolina, one must experience the splendor of our mountains and communities. We are confident that when you do, you will find out why most people who visit never want to leave.

Choosing the right real estate company to assist you with exploring this area is important. You want to be sure you choose the best, and in Western North Carolina, that choice is Beverly-Hanks & Associates. With over 300 full-time professional real estate brokers who have the experience to handle your specific needs, we have earned a reputation for looking after our clients like no other real estate company in the area. If you are a first-time homebuyer or an experienced investor, whether you are interested in residential or commercial real estate, our sales associates can assist you.

Not only do we know the market, we know the area, because it is our home.

We know the schools, the hospitals, the churches, the cultural opportunities, and who to call if you have a need. We can inform you on taxes, subdivision restrictions, zoning, home inspections, and more. When it is time for a move, we can assist with the relocation of your household. We even have in-house mortgage services. In many ways, we make your move a pleasant experience.

Every year, thousands of buyers and sellers choose Beverly-Hanks & Associates to handle their real estate needs. Many have used our services before, and others are referred from previous customers, from the business community, or from one of the numerous relocation companies who value our professional expertise. Regardless of the source, our clients come to us for the professional service and consul that has been a hallmark of BeverlyHanks & Associates, REALTORS®, since 1976.

It is my hope that you will find the information contained in Welcome magazine useful in your exploration of Western North Carolina. We look forward to being of service to you.

Warm regards,

ClientServices Services Client 866.858.2257 toll free 866.858.2257 toll free Downtown Asheville

Downtown Asheville

300 Executive Park 300 Executive Park Asheville, NC 28801 Asheville, NC 28801 800.868.7221 toll free 800.868.7221 toll free 828.254.7221

828.254.7221 North Asheville

820 Merrimon Ave. North Asheville Asheville, NC 28804 820 Merrimon Ave. 800.277.2511 toll28804 free Asheville, NC 828.251.1800

800.277.2511 toll free South Asheville 828.251.1800

1 Town Square Blvd, Ste. 140 South Asheville Asheville, NC 28803 1 Town Square 800.868.8999 tollBlvd, freeSte. 140 Asheville, NC 28803 828.684.8999

800.868.8999 toll free Hendersonville 828.684.8999 512 North Main St. Hendersonville, NC 28792 Hendersonville 800.868.0515 toll free 512 North Main St. 828.697.0515

Hendersonville, NC 28792 Waynesville 800.868.0515 toll free 74 North Main St. 828.697.0515 Waynesville, NC 28786 800.849.8024 toll free Waynesville 828.452.5809

74 North Main St. Lake Lure Waynesville, NC 28786 112 Mountain Blvd.

800.849.8024 toll free Lake Lure, NC 28746 828.452.5809 828.694.3001

Lake Lure

Saluda 109East Arcade 153 MainSt. St. Lake Lure, NC 28746 Saluda, NC 28773 828.625.8846 828.749.3504

Beverly-Hanks Beverly-Hanks Mortgage MortgageServices Services 30 Blvd., Ste. 202 30 Town TownSquare Square Blvd., Ste. 202 Asheville, NC 28803 Asheville, NC 28803 828.775.9179

828.775.9179 NAI Beverly-Hanks NAI Beverly-Hanks Commercial

Neal Hanks, Jr. President, Beverly-Hanks & Associates

410 Executive Park Commercial Asheville, NC 28801 410 Executive Park 828.210.3940 Asheville, NC 28801

828.210.3940

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Contents

Features g g g g g g g g g g g

8 Colleges & Universities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Health Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Nonprofit Sector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Recreation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Cuisine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Something Brewing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Nightlife. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Arts & Culture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Touring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Golf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Primary Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Locales g g g g g g g g g g g g g

64 Arden & Mills River. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Weaverville & Barnardsville. . . . . . . . . . . 96 Black Mountain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Hendersonville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Fletcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Haywood County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Madison County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Chimney Rock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Yancey County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Polk County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Brevard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Jackson County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Asheville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Resources g g g

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62 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Useful Numbers & Links. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 WNC Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ELEVATE THE WAY

YOU PLAY.

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VIEWS & LOCATION You Can Have It All

Amazing Views. Location Unmatched.

The Boulders is the area’s newest gated mountain conservation community, blessed by exceptional views and a location that is unmatched. Live amid mountain wonder where everything you want is mere minutes away. Ideally placed where Asheville & Hendersonville meet, The Boulders brings you the best of both worlds: 6 minutes to Hendersonville’s Main St. and less than 25 minutes to downtown Asheville. Discover a luxury community coming to life.

Breathaking views, nature and convenience. It’s the heartbeat of The Boulders.

Call for a private tour 828.333.4230 TheBouldersNC.com

A New Luxury Gated Community .

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Build your Custom Dream Home .

Mountain & Cottage Home Collection GPS: 279 Randy Drive Hendersonville, NC

Let Spicer Greene Jewelers be part of your Western North Carolina family and help you celebrate all of life’s special moments.

Spicer Greene Jewelers is more than just jewelry. It’s a message that you are more precious than diamonds, more valuable than gold. And very, very special.

121 PATTON AVENUE ASHEVILLE, N.C. 828.253.1805

www.spicergreene.com

Welcome to Western North Carolina ISSUE 11

ON THE COVER: Originally from Russia, painter Olga Dorenko has become a beloved ďŹ xture in the River Arts District of Asheville. A lifelong artist, her work is an explosion of color that provides the observer with a sense of warmth and clarity, a sort of dreamlike state when viewing her swirling landscapes and devil-may-care scenes of Americana.

PUBLISHED BY:

SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, LLC

Publisher/Editor Scott McLeod

Advertising Director Greg Boothroyd

Writing Garret K. Woodward

Art Director Travis Bumgardner At Carlton Edwards, design matters and construction matters. Our creativity and professionalism as architects paired with our craftsmanship and cost sensitivity as builders is realized through an architect led design build process. From concept to completion we are your dedicated advocates helping to make North Carolina your new home.

Sales Hylah Birenbaum

Design Micah McClure Emily Kepley Moss

Contributing photographers www.carlton-edwards.com

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Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

Max Cooper Mark Haskett Margaret Hester Garret K. Woodward

DESIGN • BUILD • INT TERIORS n-key team in Ashevillle—our goal is With a strong turn to make the creattion of your home enjo oyable while achieving superio or quality in all aspectss of design, construction and d interiors. From smart--sized d cottages to fully custom ho omes, we are proud to be a Featured Builder in The Ra amble at Biltmore Forest to create the home of your dreams. e The time is now to t build your dream home.

Call or visit us on nline today.

(828) 318-8338 • dillardjones.ccom

Education

Academic Pursuits

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City of Asheville ne of the most important Asheville City Schools has more than 4,000 students, things to consider when you’re having experienced a significant increase in enrollment in thinking about moving is the recent years. The number of students enrolled at Asheville Middle School is the highest it has been in a decade. Each of quality of the schools. Even if you five elementary schools is a “magnet school,” meaning don’t have children or they are out of the that parents may apply for admission to the school that best the nest, you want to know how good suits their child’s interests.

Asheville High School, a four-year-school of 1,033 of an education the area provides. students, occupies a stately stone building designed by Art

Western North Carolina’s school systems and private schools consistently rank among the state’s best. The public schools that serve the area include Asheville City Schools, Buncombe County Schools, Henderson County Schools, Transylvania County Schools, Haywood County Schools, Madison County Schools, Jackson County Schools and Polk County Schools.

Deco master Douglas Ellington. In 2016, the school had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 52.3% in English II (43.9% state) and Level 5 (Superior Command) of 18.9% in biology (15.8% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 11.2% in English II (5.7% state).

With 698 students, Asheville Middle School, which ranges from grades six to eight, had a Level 5 (Superior

Asheville High School.

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Command) of 25.5% in reading (11.3% state), 26.2% in math (17.6% state) and 31.3% in science (21% state) for 2016.

Claxton Elementary (477 students) integrates the Arts and Humanities into curriculum teaching through drama, dance, music, visual arts and creative writing. In 2016, the school had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 43.7% in reading (34.5% state), 37% in math (29.4% state) and 47.3% in science (42.1% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 13.9% in reading (11.3% state).

Hall Fletcher Elementary (377 students) emphasizes science, math and technologies through course work such as science lab, its greenhouse and “HopSports,” which works technology into physical education.

Ira B. Jones, a “Global Scholars school” of 503 students, includes Spanish, multicultural awareness and environmental stewardship in its studies. In 2016, the school had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 42.3% in reading (34.5% state), 35.6% in math (29.4% state) and 45.1% in science (42.1% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 17.6% in reading (11.3% state) and 20.7% in math (17.6% state).

Isaac Dickson, an experiential learning school of 513 students, bases its core principles on the educational ideals of Dewey, Piaget, and Montessori. In 2016, the school had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 41.3% in reading (34.5% state), 30.1% in math (29.4% state) and 45.3% in science (42.1% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 24.3% in reading (11.3% state) and 32% in math (17.6% state).

With 318 students, the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences, in 2016, had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 68% in English II (43.9% state), 36% in math (34.3% state) and 50% in biology (31.5% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 13.4% in English II (5.7% state), 25.6% in math (15.6% state) and 23% in biology (15.8% state).

Vance School of Human Diversity and Ecology invites its 477 students to study the people and cultures of the world and examine their relationships with the natural environment. In 2016, the school had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 37.9% in reading (34.5% state) and 33.2% in math (29.4% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 24.7% in reading (11.3% state), 26.4% in math (17.6% state) and 37.8% in science (21% state).

Buncombe County Reflecting the diverse nature of the area’s population, Buncombe County Schools serve children of many different

ethnic backgrounds. Students in 44 schools speak more than 55 different languages. The 11th largest school system in the state (and largest in Western North Carolina with more than 25,500 students), Buncombe County Schools employs nearly 4,000 people, making it the county’s second largest employer.

High school students SAT scores consistently rank among the top districts in North Carolina. SAT scores in math, writing and critical reading exceeded state and national averages. The “graduation initiative” began in 2006 to examine and put into motion the long-term changes to improve graduation rates. Since its inception, the program has decreased the dropout rate by 35% in the system.

With 1,279 students, Reynolds High School, in 2016, had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 51% in English II (43.9% state), 36.6% in math (34.3% state) and 35.3% in biology (31.5% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 12.7% in English II (5.7% state) and 18.4% in biology (15.8% state).

One of the highest performing schools in the region, Early College is home to 263 students. In 2016, the school had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 74.1% in English II (43.9% state), 42.4% in math (34.3% state) and 56.1% in biology (31.5% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 6.9% in English II (5.7% state) and 19.3% in biology (15.8% state).

Located in Candler, Pisgah Elementary and its 230 students are a shining example in the district. In 2016, they had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 48.8% in reading (34.5% state), 42.6% in math (29.4% state) and 61.4% in science (42.1% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 25.6% in math (17.6% state).

Among Buncombe County Schools’ education initiatives is “Learn and Earn Online,” a program that allows sophomores, juniors and seniors the opportunity to take online college-level courses taught by instructors from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Students may also take classes not offered at their high schools through North Carolina Virtual Public School, which sets up coursework, group discussion and student-teacher interaction via the Internet.

Henderson County Henderson County Schools’ vision is “that every student will achieve success and graduate as a life-long learner, globally competitive, prepared for career, college, and life.”

The system has both one of the highest graduation rates in the state and a

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Asheville City Schools 85 Mountain Street Asheville, NC 28801 828-350-7000 ashevillecityschools.net

Buncombe County Schools 175 Bingham Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-255-5921 buncombe.k12.nc.us

Haywood County Schools 1230 N. Main Street Waynesville, NC 28786 828-456-2400 haywood.k12.nc.us

Henderson County Schools 414 4th Avenue West Hendersonville, NC 28739 828-697-4733 hendersoncounty publicschoolsnc.org

Jackson County Schools 398 Hospital Road Sylva, NC 28779 828-586-2311 jcps.k12.nc.us

Madison County Schools 5738 US 25/70 Marshall, NC 28753 828-649-9276 madisonk12.schoolfusion.us

Polk County Schools 125 East Mills Street Columbus, NC 28722 828-894-3051 polkschools.org

Transylvania County Schools 225 Rosenwald Lane Brevard, NC 28712 828-884-6173 transylvania.k12.nc.us

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Asheville Catholic School Grades PreK-8 12 Culvern Street Asheville, NC 28804 828-252-7896 ashevillecatholic.org

Arden Christian School Grades 5-11 2568 Hendersonville Road Arden, NC 28704 828-687-0704

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Education dwindling dropout rate. Its four middle schools have been nationally designated as “Schools to Watch” because of their emphasis on strong academics and their sensitivity to their students.

As the biggest in the district, West Henderson High School has 1,074 students. In 2016, they had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 50.6% in English II (43.9% state) and 43.1% in biology (34.3% state).

They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 11.7% in English II (5.7% state) and 18.8% in biology (15.8% state).

With 1,061 students, North Henderson High School is the second-largest institution in the district. In 2016, they had

grades three through eight. Scores were considerably higher than the state average in Geometry, English 1 and Algebra 1 and 2. Achievements for both males and females exceeded state scores. Every classroom in the 13,000-student system has access to the Internet.

Henderson County Schools owns Historic Johnson Farm, a heritage education center, making it one of only three school systems in the United States to own a farm. The farm, open to the public and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, teaches students about farm life on its 15 acres of farmland, forest, fields and streams. The school system also

48.2% in English II (43.9% state) and 44.1% in math (34.3% state). That same year, Brevard Middle School (500 students) had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 36.4% in math (29.4% state) and 47.9% in science (42.1% state), and also a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 15.4% in reading (11.3% state) and 29% in science (21% state).

To help prepare its more than 3,500 students for careers in the computer age, the school system offers classes in network engineering and webpage development, as well as a Cisco Academy.

On their first attempt, more than 98 percent of its eighth graders met state standards for technology competency.

The school system has also made steady improvement in its student-to-adult ratio.

It has sought and received state and federal grants for technology, reading improvement, exceptional children’s programs, school resource officers, library books, juvenile justice programs, and quality management practices.

In conjunction with the Brevard Chamber Orchestra, the system implemented a strings program in its elementary schools.

It also started a New Century Scholars program that provides support and college tuition for at-risk students.

Haywood County

a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 50.3% in English II (43.9% state) and 41% in biology (31.5% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 20.7% in biology (15.8% state).

Home to 190 students, Henderson County Early College is the top performing school in the district. In 2016, they had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 77.1% in English II (43.9% state) and 48.8% in math (34.3% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 22.9% in English II (5.7% state), 48.8% in math (15.6% state) and 60.8% in biology (15.8% state).

Compared to the students throughout the state, Henderson County’s scholars scored better in ABC End-of-Grade tests in

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has the Bullington Center, a 12-acre horticultural education center that holds workshops to teach children and adults about gardening and plant science.

Transylvania County The Transylvania County school system operates four elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and one alternative school. It consistently ranks among the top school systems in North Carolina in its students’ performances on the state ABC tests. Student attendance is among the best in the state.

In 2016, Brevard High School (727 students) had Level 4 (Solid Command) of

“Success for today, preparation for tomorrow and learning for a lifetime” sums up the vision of Haywood County Schools. With schools far smaller than the state average, the system is able to offer its 7,700 students a great deal of personal attention.

In terms of student performance, Haywood was honored in the 2011 as having a “National Blue Ribbon School,” which was bestowed upon the Haywood Early College. In 2016, the school (of 162 students) had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 71.1% in English II (43.9% state), 72.2% in math (34.3% state) and 47.8% in biology (31.5% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 13.3% in English II (5.7% state) and 22.2% in math (15.6% state).

In 2016, Tuscola High School (1,018 students) in Waynesville had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 49.4% in English II (43.9% state) and 37.5% in biology (31.5% state), while that same year, Pisgah High School (968 students) in Canton had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 48.6% in English II (43.9% state) and 39.1% in biology (31.5% state).

During a recent school year, all 16 of Haywood County’s schools made the

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Asheville Christian Academy Grades PreK-12 74 Riverwood Road Swannanoa, NC 28778 828-581.2200 acacademy.org

Asheville Montessori School Grades Pre-K-K 15 Julia Street Asheville, NC 28801 828-645-3433 ashevillemontessorischool.com

Offering Grades 6-8

Asheville School Grades 9-12 360 Asheville School Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-254-6345 ashevilleschool.org

Asheville-Pisgah Christian School Grades Pre-K-8 90 Academy Drive Candler, NC 28715 828-667-3255 ashevillepisgah.org

Azalea Mountain School Grades Pre-K-5 587 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-575-2557 azaleamountain.org

Carolina Christian School Grades PreK-12 48 Woodland Hills Road Asheville, NC 28804 828-658-8964 carolinachristianschool.com

Carolina Day School Grades PreK-12 1345 Hendersonville Road Asheville, NC 28803 828-274-0757 carolinaday.org

“Nurturing

the Girl; Empowering the

Emerging Woman.”

Christ School Grades 8-12 500 Christ School Road Arden, NC 28704 828-684-6232 christschool.org

Emmanuel Lutheran School Grades PreK-8 51 Wilburn Place Asheville, NC 28806 828-281-8182 emmanuellutheran.info

Fletcher Academy Grades 9-12 185 Academy Drive Fletcher, NC 28732 828-687-5100 fletcheracademy.com

www.hangerhall.org | 828.258.3600 Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

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Education state ABC program’s expected growth marks, with 14 of them achieving high growth. Less than a third of school districts in the state had 100 percent of its schools meet or exceed the academic growth standard, and Haywood County was the fourth largest district in the state to have done so.

Riverbend Elementary School and Haywood Early College were recognized as Honor Schools of Excellence for having more than 90 percent of their students score at or above standard on mandated state tests. More than two thirds of the system’s schools were state-designated “Schools of Distinction,” compared with less than one third for all state school systems as a whole.

Clyde, Hazelwood, Jonathan Valley, Junaluska and Meadowbrook elementary schools, as well as Pisgah and Tuscola high schools and Waynesville Middle School, were all Schools of Distinction, meaning that at least 80 percent of students performed at or above grade level on endof-grade tests.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS French Broad River Academy Grades 6-8 191 Lyman Street, Suite 316 Asheville, NC 28801 828-348-4320 fbra-avl.org

Hanger Hall School for Girls Grades 6-8 30 Ben Lippen Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-258-3600 hangerhall.org

Immaculate Catholic School Grades PreK-8 711 N. Buncombe Street Hendersonville, NC 28791 828-693-3277 immac.org

Learning Community School Grades K-8 PO Box 1143 Black Mountain, NC 28711 828-686-3080 thelearningcommunity.org

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Madison County Schools’ 2,600 students attend two early childhood education centers, four elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and one early college high school. Madison High School has also been designated a School of Distinction.

Madison Early College High School SAT scores were higher than state and national averages, possibly because a higher percentage of its middle school teachers than other teachers in the state have advanced degrees. In 2016, the school (215 students) had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 63.5% in English II (43.9% state), 39.3% in math (34.3% state) and 35.7% in biology (31.5% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 32.1% in biology (15.8% state).

Compared to state averages, Mars Hill Elementary (492 students) had higher testing scores in almost all of its classroom testing. In 2012, the school was recognized as a School of Progress for its high

Montessori Country Day Grades PreK-K 158 Bradley Branch Road Arden, NC 28704 828-654-9933

Montessori Learning Center Ages 18 months-6 years 1 School Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-259-9880 mlcasheville.org

academic growth numbers. For 2016, the school had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 41.9% for reading (34.5% state), 34.7% for math (29.4% state), and also a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 33.3% for science (21% state).

With some of the best educational facilities in the state, the board of education has led an effort to rebuild and/or remodel all facilities over the last decade.

Jackson County Tracing its history to the mid-1880s, Jackson County Schools received the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s ABC of Education Annual Accountability Report. The schools have joined other county agencies in challenging its staff and 3,600 students to improve their health through fitness.

The system has nine schools, all configured to meet the needs of a large county with few concentrations of population: Smokey Mountain Elementary, which has students from pre-K to eighth

New Classical Academy Grades PreK-8 38 Stoney Knob Road Weaverville, NC 28787 828-658-8317 thenewclassicalacademy.org

North Asheville Christian School Grades PreK-12 20 Reynolds Mountain Boulevard Asheville, NC 28804 828-645-8053 rmcacademy.org

Mount Pisgah Academy Grades 9-12 75 Academy Drive Candler, NC 28715 828-667-2535 pisgah.us

Odyssey Community School Grades PreK-12 90 Zillicoa Street Asheville, NC 28801 828-259-3653 odysseycommunity.org

Nazarene Christian School Grades PreK-5 385 Hazel Mill Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-252-9713 ashevillefirstnazarene.org

New City Christian School Grades K-5 216 Shelburne Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-252-8173 newcitychristian.org

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Madison County

Rainbow Mountain Children’s School Grades PreK-8 574 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-258-9264 rmcs.org

Temple Baptist School Grades PK-12 985 ½ Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28806 828-252-3712 templebaptistschool.org

Veritas Christian Academy Grades K-12 17 Cane Creek Road Fletcher, NC 28732 828-681-0546 veritasnc.org

CHARTER SCHOOLS ArtSpace Charter School Grades K-8 2030 US 70 Swannanoa, NC 28778 828-298-2787 artspacecharter.org

Brevard Academy Grades K-8 299 Andante Lane Brevard, NC 28712 828-885-2665 brevard.teamcfa.org

Evergreen Community Charter School Grades K-8 50 Bell Road Asheville, NC 28805 828-298-2173 evergreenccs.com

An Education n for an Inspired d Life Asheville School prepares high school students for a lifetime of education. Motivated by a challengiing academic experience, our students t d t d develop l critical iti l thi thinking ki skills, kill communicate i t effectively, and form strong study habits. Students learn life lessons in a nurturing, close-knit community of 285 students from 20 states and 16 countries. The majority of our recent graduates are attending colleges and universities Barron’s rates as “highly selective” and “most selective.”

For more than a century, Asheville School has fostered lives of leadership and service. We invite you to discover Asheville School and learn why our students have a competitive edge.

Contact us today to schedule a visit, request an admission packet, attend an open house, or inquire about our merit scholarships.

ashevilleschool.org a Ashevillee • North Carolina admission@aashevilleschool.org 828.254.6345

Visit ashevvilleschool.org/app Rated #7 among the top 50 U.S. boarding schools - Town & Country Magazine

Education CHARTER SCHOOLS FernLeaf Community Charter School Grades K-3 58 Howard Gap Road Fletcher, NC 828-398-9268 fernleafccs.org

Francine Delaney New School for Children Grades K-8 119 Brevard Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-236-9441 fdnsc.net

grade; Blue Ridge, a Pre-K to 12th-grade school (one of the few in the state); the K-8 schools of Fairview, Cullowhee and Scotts Creek; the Pre-K through 12th-grade School of Alternatives for students with special needs; Smoky Mountain High School; and Blue Ridge Early College and Jackson County Early College.

The largest institution in the district, Smoky Mountain High School enrolls 848 students and has been named a School of Distinction. In fact, half of the system’s

receive the honor. For the 2011-2012 school year, Tyron, Saluda and Polk County Early College were named Schools of Excellence by the North Carolina Department of Public Institution, while Polk Central and Polk County Middle and High Schools received marks as Schools of Distinction.

In 2016, Polk County Early College (64 students) had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 56.3% in English II (43.9% state), 64.7% in math (34.3% state) and 52.9% in biology (31.5% state).

The Smoky Mountain High School Mustangs take the field. MARK HASKETT PHOTO

The Franklin School of Innovation Grades 6-12 21 Innovation Drive, Asheville, NC 28806 828-318-8140 franklinschoolofinnovation.org

Invest Collegiate 1000 Brevard Road, Suite 175 Asheville, NC 28806 828-633-6491 icimagine.org

The Mountain Community School Grades K-8 613 Glover St. Hendersonville, NC 28792 828-696-8480 tmcschool.org

Shining Rock Classical Academy Grades K-6 21 Shackleford Hall Drive Lake Junaluska, NC 28745 828.738.2665 shiningrockclassical academy.com

Summit Charter School Grades K-8 160 Frank Allen Road Cashiers, NC 28717 828-743-5755 summitschool.org

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Welcome Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

schools have been designated Schools of Distinction.

In 2016, Jackson County Early College (142 students) had a Level 4 (Solid Command) of 90% in English II (43.9% state) and 48.5% in biology (31.5% state). They also had a Level 5 (Superior Command) of 21.2% in biology (15.8% state).

Polk County Polk County Schools serves about 2,500 students in a system that ranks high on state and federal lists of academic achievement. All seven schools — Tryon Elementary, Saluda Elementary, Sunny View Elementary, Polk County Middle, Polk County High, Polk Central and Polk County Early College — made “adequate yearly progress” for the 2010-11 school year.

Saluda was recognized in 2012 as a “National Blue Ribbon School”, becoming one of only 269 nationwide systems to

The system is one of the highest among the 115 school systems statewide in local per-pupil spending. The ratio of teachers to students is one of the highest in North Carolina. Test scores for students in grades 3-12 have consistently ranked among the top of both state and national averages in recent years. Every school has a fully equipped and staffed computer lab and media center.

U.S. News & World Report magazine named Polk County High School a Bronze Medal School in its Nov. 2007 report on America’s best high schools. Sunny View and Tryon elementary schools were named National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Dept. of Education in previous years. High school students can take advanced placement English, science, history and math courses. They can also earn college credits through several iSchool courses offered in conjunction with University of North Carolina-Greensboro. n

Transforrmations begin heere.

CarolinaDay.org

At Carolina Day Schoo ol, we inspire students to become innovative thinkers who communicate with inte elligence and clarity, create wiith vision and purpose, and ac ct with courage and compassiion to confidently make a mea aningful diff erence in the world. l

Schedule your cam mpus visit today. 828-407-4442

admission@carolinaday.org

FOR COMMUNITY • FOR HEALTH • FOR ALL

When you join the YMCA of Western North Carolina, you don’t just join a gym. You join a community dedicated to health and wellness, youth development, and giving back to our neighbors. » Learn more today at ymcawnc.org «

YMCA OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

15

Higher Education

Higher Learning

Graduation day at UNC Asheville.

A

s the 21st century rolls along, the need for higher education and employees who are diverse in their talents and goals comes to the forefront.

Catering to a diverse population with a wide range of interests and talents, Western North Carolina offers residents an outstanding array of higher education choices.

UNC Asheville, the only dedicated liberal arts institution in the 18-institution University of North Carolina system, has been called one of the best colleges in the country for the money by the Princeton Review and Bankrate.com. It fosters critical thinking by exposing students to areas of interest that are outside of their chosen ďŹ elds.

Offering 30 different majors, the school employs about 216 full-time faculty members (86% have terminal degrees), giving its 3,900 undergraduate students an average class

16

Welcome Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

size of 20. Students from 37 states and 28 countries have enrolled at UNC-Asheville, one of the top public liberal arts universities in the nation, where they are able to pursue bachelor of arts, bachelor of science and master of liberal arts degrees. The university has 15 NCAA Division I teams.

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College has the highest enrollment of any Western North Carolina higher education institution, serving more than 27,000 students annually. Established in 1959 as a trade school, A-B Tech offers 39 career programs, as well as courses that are transferable to any university in the UNC system.

One of the oldest and largest schools in the North Carolina Community College System, A-B Tech has ďŹ ve schools: Allied Health and Public Service Education, Arts and Sciences, Business and Hospitality Education, Continuing Education, and Engineering and Applied Technology. It also has a popular continuing education program.

The college has added several new programs, including an associate degree in healthcare business informatics, a mobile development diploma, a bio-gas option in industrial

WCU at Biltmore Executive Director Dr. Kevan Frazier. WCU PHOTO

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY @ BILTMORE PARK

EDUCATION AT YOUR DOORSTEP “We think it’s important to go where the students are,” said Dr. Kevan Frazier.

Executive director of Western Carolina University at Biltmore Park, Frazier oversees dozens of programs and hundreds of students at the campus just south of Asheville. With the main campus in Cullowhee (an hour or so west of Asheville), the Biltmore Park location has remained a vital direct connection of undergraduate and graduate education for Asheville, Hendersonville and surrounding communities.

“Biltmore Park is very much part of WCU’s community-based outreach,” Frazier said. “We’re the principal provider of graduate education in Western North Carolina, and in addition to those graduate programs in Cullowhee, we’ve been able to build on that at Biltmore Park, cultivating a number of our own programs.”

With the average age for Biltmore Park students of 32, what is evident is the need for flexible instruction as people continue their daily lives, with education being something that works with their schedule and does not conflict with it.

“Most of our students are already working professionals,” Frazier said. “And they’re looking to advance their degrees with graduate work. We look at finding ways to make higher education something of a convenience to fit into their lives.”

With programs ranging from nursing to business, engineering to education, the Biltmore Park campus has become and academic beacon within Buncombe County. And with WCU hovering around 11,000 students, the growth of the satellite campus has been noticeable in recent years.

“For us, and for Western North Carolina, there are two key growth groups — baby boomers and millennials, which are two demographics we’re serving to what their education needs are,”

“Most of our students are already working professionals. We look at finding ways to make higher education something of a convenience to fit into their lives.”

Frazier said. “Folks also aren’t being drawn away to other metro areas because they’re able to get the education they desire right here in their backyard.”

As a native Ashevillian, Frazier is endlessly amazed by how much his city has changed, and all for the better.

“The Asheville I grew up in was radically different than what it is today,” he said. “Back then, downtown was empty and all but collapsed. And in the last 35 years, we’ve seen so much smart growth, — Dr. Kevan Frazier from manufacturing to technology to the creative sector — there’s a lot of great energy and it’s exciting to be part of it.”

The Biltmore Park campus is currently expanding its program selection. There will soon be certificates available in other industries of value and importance in Western North Carolina.

“One of the big things is the very dramatic increase in professional development,” Frazier said. “We’re offering certificates in event planning and nonprofits, and also expanded programs in law, engineering and accounting. It’s about serving the community better, where we work closely with local industry to know exactly what they need, and what we can and will ultimately provide them.” wcu.edu

Welcome Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

17

Higher Education COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College 340 Victoria Road Asheville, NC 28801 828-254-1921 abtech.edu

Blue Ridge Community College

systems technology and a geospatial technology option as part of surveying. A-B Tech has additional campuses in Enka and Marshall.

Founded in 1889, Western Carolina University in Cullowhee serves more than 10,800 students from 39 states and 42 countries. Programs offering more than 220 majors include the nation’s highestranked entrepreneurship and project management programs and a teacher

Conference, it fields teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

Selected by the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 as a Top 20 “Best Buy” school in the nation for the eighth time since 2005, Warren Wilson College is an environmentally friendly school whose students enhance their academic experience by working 15 hours a week on campus. They also must

180 W. Campus Drive Flat Rock, NC 28731 828-694-1700 blueridge.edu

Brevard College 1 Brevard College Drive Brevard, NC 28712 828-883-8292 brevard.edu

Haywood Community College 185 Freedlander Drive Clyde, NC 28721 828-627-4667 haywood.edu

Mars Hill College 100 Athletic Street Mars Hill, NC 28754 866-642-4968 mhc.edu

Montreat College 310 Gaither Circle Montreat, NC 28757 828-669-8012 montreat.edu

Southwestern Community College Sylva, NC 28779 828-339-4000 southwesterncc.edu

University of North Carolina at Asheville 1 University Heights Asheville, NC 28804 828-251-6600 unca.edu

Warren Wilson College 701 Warren Wilson Road Swannanoa, NC 28778 828-298-3325 warren-wilson.edu

Western Carolina University N.C. Highway 107 Cullowhee, NC 28723 828-928-4968 wcu.edu

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The Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation Associate Degree in Applied Sciences is a popular program at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. A-B TECH PHOTO

education program that has won national awards. Boasting the nation’s first accredited four-year emergency medical care program, the university also has a criminal justice program upon which North Carolina has modeled an accreditation program. Students earn bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degrees.

With an enrollment of 1,379 students, Mars Hills College was founded in 1856 and is affiliated with the North Carolina Baptist Convention. It offers 35 majors and 33 minors on its large, leafy campus in the Madison County town of Mars Hill. It has five schools: Business, Social and Behavioral Sciences; Education; Fine Arts; Humanities; and Mathematics and Natural Sciences. A member of the South Atlantic

complete 100 hours of community service over four years. The college’s 900 students earn bachelor’s degrees in 34 majors and concentrations and 24 minors. Taking at least one class within each of the school’s eight liberal arts areas, they attend classes that average 14 people in size.

“Christ-centered, student-focused, servicedriven – equipping agents of transformation, renewal, and reconciliation” is the motto of Montreat College, a small four-year school in Montreat. Its liberal arts curriculum includes traditional and selected undergraduate and graduate professional degree programs, including degree programs for adults in the areas of business, education, management and nursing. Founded in 1897, Montreat College is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of the United States. In recent years,

it had an enrollment of 755 students, with a student/faculty ratio of 9:1.

Brevard College in Transylvania County offers more than 40 major and minor degree programs, including those in art, biology, English, environmental studies, exercise science, history, mathematics, music and psychology. Its pre-professional studies include pre-dentistry, pre-law, pre-medicine and pre-nursing. With a student body over 708 students in 2015, the institution has 51 full-time faculty members with a student/faculty ratio of 12:1. The college has more than 30 student clubs, as well as lots of intramurals and outdoor adventure opportunities.

Among its 18 varsity sports are baseball, basketball, cross-country, cycling, football, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field and volleyball.

Offering 30 areas of study, Blue Ridge Community College near Flat Rock in Henderson County has more than 100 degree, diploma, and certificate programs, many of them qualifying students to work immediately after completing their course work. About 2,000 students are enrolled at its main campus and a satellite facility in Brevard. It has one of the largest continuing education programs in North Carolina.

Haywood Community College, serving primarily Haywood, Jackson and Buncombe counties, offers more than 50 programs. Its 2,011 students may select coursework in the departments of Advanced Technologies, Arts & General Education, Business & Entrepreneurship, Creative Arts, Health & Human Services and Natural Resources Management. It also offers distance learning and continuing education opportunities. Like all of North Carolina’s community colleges, it offers general education courses that transfer to the state university system, allowing students to get their first two years of classes completed at a bargain price.

Serving the people of Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, Southwestern Community College in Sylva offers coursework in arts & sciences, career technologies and health services. More than 2,600 students are taking classes within more than 60 programs, while another 5,500 participate in the college’s ongoing continuing education programs. n

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YOUR DREAMS

OUR MISSION Numerous degree programs, continuing education and community enrichment classes. Find your future at A-B Tech.

Visit abtech.edu or call 828.398.7900

ASHEVILLE • MADISON • ENKA • SOUTH • WOODFIN • (828) 398-7900 • ABTECH.EDU

Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

19

Health Care

In Good Hands

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA’S MEDICAL COMMUNITY

ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL PHOTO

P

eople seeking better health have been coming to Asheville and the surrounding mountains for decades, drawing upon the area’s reputation for restorative air, healing waters and stimulating altitude. That history continues today, giving the Asheville area one of the state’s highest concentrations of physicians in the state.

20

Welcome Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

Because the area is so attractive, Asheville has more doctors per capita than most cities of its size. But the wealth of talent and commitment isn’t confined to the region’s largest city. Western North Carolina has several fine hospitals that practice the latest techniques in treatment, surgery and preventive care.

Leading the way is Mission Health, based in Asheville, the state’s sixth-largest health system and the region’s only notfor-profit, independent community hospital system governed and managed exclusively in Western North Carolina. Mission Health, which traces its roots in the region back to 1885, operates six hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers, post-acute care provider CarePartners, long-term acute care provider Asheville Specialty Hospital and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center.

Its medical staff consists of more than 1,000 physicians and is certified in more than 50 medical specialties and subspecialties. Mission Health has seven Centers of Excellence: Cancer, Heart, Mission Children’s Hospital, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Trauma and Women’s Health.

Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, is the system’s flagship hospital and is licensed for 763 beds. It is the regional referral center for tertiary and quaternary care. It also includes Mission Children’s Hospital – the region’s only children’s hospital. Other Mission Health member hospitals include Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital in Highlands, McDowell Hospital in Marion and Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard.

With approximately 10,700 employees and 2,000 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina.

Mission Health, which traces its roots to the 1880s when the local women of the “Little Flower Mission” paid weekly visits to the homes of the needy, has been recognized for delivering world-class care to the people it serves. Truven Health Analytics, formerly Thomson Reuters, has recognized Mission Health as one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems 2012-2015. Mission Health is the only health system in the nation to receive this recognition four years in a row, and the only health system in North Carolina to achieve Top 15 recognition. Mission Hospital has been named one of Truven Health’s Top 100 for seven consecutive years, and Mission Heart has been named by Truven Health a Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital 10 times. Just five hospitals in the U.S. have been named to the Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital list more times than Mission Heart. According to Truven, if all cardiovascular hospitals in the nation performed at the same level as Mission and the other top 50 heart hospitals, more than 8,000 lives would be saved and nearly 3,500 medical complications would be avoided each year.

Mission Children’s Hospital has 60 board-certified pediatric subspecialists in more than 20 different specialties.

Urgent g t Car C e open eveeryy dayy, includingg holidaayysss.

Hopefully thhings go smoothhly as yoou find yoour way aroundd, develop e new relationships, start that neew job, or enroll in new schools. Shoould anything poop up - like a minor m injury or illlness we’vee got you o covver e ed! d

Minor Emergenciees.

With i two convveenient locations, yo you can promptly receivvee complete, quality medical care and quickly q get back to settling in. Let Pardee Urgent Care be b your o neew w medical home until you become established with a health care providerr..

Major j Attentionn.

Hendersonville: 828..6977.3232 212A Thompson Strreeet | Off Fo Four Seaasons Boulevvard ard

Fletcher/Arden: 828..651.6350 2695 Hendersonville Ro Road | Mission Pard ardee Health Ca Campus

To find a physician, visit p parrdeehospital.org

Health Care MEDICAL FACILITIES Angel Medical Center 120 Riverview St. • Franklin, NC 28734 828-524-8411 angelmed.org

CarePartners Rehabilitation Hospital 68 Sweeten Creek Rd. • Asheville, NC 28813 828-277-4800 carepartners.org

Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Rd. • Asheville, NC 28805 828-299-2519 asheville.va.gov

Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde. HRMC PHOTO

Harris Regional Hospital — A Duke LifePoint Hospital 68 Hospital Rd. • Sylva, NC 28779 828-586-7000 westcare.org

Haywood Regional Medical Center – A Duke LifePoint Hospital 262 Leroy George Dr. • Clyde, NC 28721 828-456-7311 haymed.org

Highlands-Cashiers Hospital 190 Hospital Dr. • Highlands, NC 28741 828-526-1200 hchospital.org

Mission Health 509 Biltmore Ave. • Asheville, NC 28801-4690 828-213-1111 missionhospitals.org

Pardee Hospital 800 N. Justice St. • Hendersonville, NC 28791 828-696-1000 pardeehospital.org

Park Ridge Health 100 Hospital Dr. • Hendersonville, NC 28792 855.PRH.LIFE (855.774.5433) parkridgehealth.org

St. Luke’s Hospital 101 Hospital Dr. • Columbus, NC 28722 828-894-3311 saintlukeshospital.com

Swain Community Hospital 45 Plateau St. • Bryson City, NC, 28713 828-488-2155 myswaincommunity.com

Transylvania Community Hospital 260 Hospital Dr. • Brevard, NC 28712 828-884-9111 trhospital.org

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Welcome Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

With 130 beds, Mission Children's Hospital averages 3,000 patient admissions to its pediatric inpatient units, 4,500 outpatient pediatric surgeries and nearly 14,000 pediatric emergency department visits annually. Each year, about 700 ill and premature newborns receive lifesaving care in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Babies admitted to the NICU at Mission Children’s Hospital go home 13 days earlier than the national average.

Mission Health's network of primary care physicians and specialists provide quality convenient care close to where you live or work. To find a provider close to you, visit mission-health.org.

Mission Health’s focus is, has been and will always be to ensure that high quality, convenient, accessible and affordable care is available to everyone while ensuring the ability to meet the region’s population health needs for decades to come. Mission Health's ultimate goal is to support all people to “Be Well, Get Well and Stay Well.”

Western North Carolina is served by several other excellent hospitals, such as Angel Medical Center in Franklin, CarePartners Rehabilitation Hospital in Asheville, Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville, Harris Hospital in Sylva, Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital in Highlands, Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville, Park Ridge Health in Hendersonville, St. Luke’s Hospital in Columbus and Transylvania Community Hospital in Brevard.

Created in 1923, Angel Medical Center in Franklin is part of the Mission Health System of Asheville. Angel is an 80-bed hospital (59 in-patient, 21 psychiatric beds) with seven operating rooms and an 80-person medical staff, the majority of them board certified. Its emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day by nurses and physicians. Among the hospital’s latest additions is a digital mammography system that spots abnormalities to help doctors diagnose breast cancer in its earliest stage. Angel provides a safe patient experience through its patient safety team, medication usage review group and environment of care team. It emphasizes exercise as a way for patients with cardiac and pulmonary problems to regain strength and health.

CarePartners Rehabilitation Hospital in Asheville is an 80-bed regional referral center with programs for those suffering stroke, brain injury, spinal chord injury, multiple trauma, amputation, joint replacement and neurological disorders. The only licensed rehabilitation hospital in Western North Carolina, it is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, meaning that it has met or exceeded rigorous rehab standards. Its therapists have an average

Because the area is so attractive, Asheville has more doctors per capita than most cities of its size. But the wealth of talent and commitment isn’t confined to the region’s largest city.

Don’t miss special moments.

Don’t miss life’s special moments.

If knee or hip pain is keeping you from experiencing the joys of living, it’s time to seek professional medical help. Board-certified orthopaedic surgeons Brian Rosenberg, MD, and Thomas Cadier, MD, FAAOS, as well as the team at St. Luke’s Hospital, have the reputation for getting people back on their feet in record time. With advanced procedures like direct anterior hip replacement and custom-fit knee replacements, you’ll experience less pain, a shorter (but impressive) hospital stay, and a quicker recovery. Some moments are too special.

Choose exceptional care close to home.

Rosenberg

Cadier

Rosenberg Bone & Joint | 89 W Mills St, Columbus, NC 28722 | (828) 894-3718 | www.SaintLukesHospital.com

Health Care

Mission Memorial in Asheville is the largest hospital in Western North Carolina. MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

of 14 years of experience, and its patient-to-nurse ratio is 6 to 1. It participates in a national database that compares its patient outcomes to similar rehabilitation hospitals around the country, which allows it to continually assess and improve the quality of its rehabilitation programs.

Charles George VA Medical Center is a 116-bed acute care facility with a separate 120-bed extended care and rehabilitation center serving more than 31,000 veterans from the Western North Carolina area and portions of South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. It provides primary, tertiary and long-term care in areas of medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, oncology, dentistry, ophthalmology, geriatrics, women’s health, spinal cord injury, physical medicine and rehabilitation. Because the hospital is a teaching hospital, it provides a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology and programs in education and research.

Haywood Regional Medical Center is a 169-bed hospital serving Haywood and surrounding counties with 160-plus physicians on its medical staff. Haywood Regional Medical Center offers a comprehensive array of services, including imaging, orthopedics, spine services, cardiology, general surgery, thoracic and vascular surgery, women's care, birthing center, wound care center, home care, emergency medicine, behavioral health and 12 multi-specialty physician clinics. The campus, located in Clyde, is also home to the 54,000-squarefoot Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center, the 44,000-square-foot Haywood Regional Outpatient Care Center (outpatient surgery center, laboratory, imaging center including women's imaging and physician practices) and nearby, The Homestead, an inpatient hospice facility.

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Welcome Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

Haywood Regional Medical Center also operates two urgent care centers in the county, in Hazelwood and Canton. As a part of Duke LifePoint Healthcare, Haywood Regional Medical Center is supported by Duke University Health System’s world-renowned leadership in clinical excellence and quality care and LifePoint Health’s extensive resources, knowledge and experience in operating community hospitals.

Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, established in 1925, is an 86-bed acute and specialty care facility serving Western North Carolina with more than 100 physicians practicing in locations throughout a multi-county region, including Harris Regional Hospital Medical Park of Franklin, an outpatient facility in Macon County. Harris is also affiliated with Duke LifePoint.

Swain Community Hospital, established in 1950, is a 48bed Critical Access Hospital serving a multi-county region with primary care, emergency medicine and subspecialty care, including a pain clinic and a transitional care unit.

Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital began an affiliation in 1997 and joined Duke LifePoint Healthcare in 2014.

In Highlands, the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital — part of the Mission Health System headquartered in Asheville — has 24 hospital beds, four operating rooms and 84 nursing home beds. Its board-certified physician staff covers 14 areas of healthcare in specialties usually found only in much larger facilities. It continues to update its range of diagnostic procedures by adding new state-of-the-art equipment. The hospital provides general surgery, as well as hand, orthopedic, ophthalmology, gastrointestinal, dermatology and plastic surgery. Nearly all of its physicians’ offices are on the hospital campus.

GREAT CARE should

ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE

close to home

Haywood Regional is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

Haywood Regional Medical Center is committed to providing the highest quality care possible, along with the expertise and leading edge technology you expect at larger hospitals, all conveniently close to home. We are supported by Duke Health’s clinical quality and patient safety and LifePoint Health’s extensive resources, knowledge and experience in operating community hospitals.

Services encompass over 30 medical specialties, including: • • • • • • • •

Cardiopulmonary Services Diagnostic Imaging Emergency Services Fitness Center & Wellness Programs Home Health / Hospice In-Patient Psychiatric Unit Intensive Care Unit Women’s and Children’s Services including OB/GYN, Labor & Delivery, Prenatal Classes, Pediatrics, Lactation Consultants.

• • • • • • • •

Laboratory Services Primary Care Clinics Rehabilitative Services Sleep Medicine Sports Medicine Urgent Care Wound Care Surgical Services including Vascular/Thoracic, Spine, General, GYN, Orthopedics, Ear Nose and Throat, Eye, Oral and Podiatry

262 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, NC 28721 | 800.424.DOCS | MyHaywoodRegional.com

Health Care Tracing its history back to 1913, Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville is a not-for-profit hospital managed by UNC Health Care. Licensed for 222 acute care beds, Pardee also has multiple facilities separate from its main campus throughout Henderson County, south Buncombe County, and Haywood County: A new, state-of-the-art Cancer Center, a comprehensive physician practice network, two urgent care locations, three rehabilitation and wellness centers, and five orthopedic clinics. The medical staff represents more than 40 specialties, including oncology, interventional cardiology, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, pulmonology, women's health, family medicine, internal medicine, diabetes care, rheumatology and more.

As Henderson County's second-largest employer, Pardee has more than 1,200 employees.

Pardee Hospital has been honored with a number of awards and accreditations for patient safety, service, quality and value by many well-known organizations, including Healthgrades, The Leapfrog Group, U.S. News & World Report, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Healogics, Women's Choice Awards and Nerd Wallet.

Park Ridge Health, also in Hendersonville, has a total of 103 hospital beds and eight operating rooms. A one-building care center, the only faith-based hospital in Western North Carolina has 141 physicians among its more than 1,100 caregivers.

Among the services it offers are audiology, behavioral health, cancer and cardiology services, dermatology, family practice, internal medicine, ophthalmology, orthopedics, pediatrics, podiatry, respiratory therapy, urology and wound care.

The award-winning experience goes beyond patient care.

Park Ridge Health is repeatedly ranked a top place to work.

Gallup recently named Park Ridge Health a Great Workplace for the fifth year in a row. In 2015, Prevention Partners awarded Park Ridge Health the WorkHealthy America Excellence Recognition. The PRH Wellness programs, including Fit 4 Life and Fitbit incentive programs, locked in this ranking for the second year in a row. Among its other

People seeking better health have been coming to Asheville and the surrounding mountains for decades, drawing upon the area’s reputation for restorative air, healing waters and stimulating altitude. honors and rankings, Park Ridge Health was rated No. 1 in Western North Carolina in Patient Engagement by Becker’s Hospital Review and Becker’s ASC Review. In 2015, Park Ridge Health patients made the hospital No. 1 Patient Pick Hospital in North Carolina. Business North Carolina bestowed that honor on Park Ridge Health because 85 percent of patients who experienced care in they hospital said they would always recommend Park Ridge Health to others.

St. Luke’s Hospital is a not-for-profit community hospital that has served Polk County and the Carolina Foothills for 87 years. Tucked away on a hill and surrounded by hardwoods, St. Luke’s provides pristine views and a safe comfortable environment for quality medical care provided by dedicated professionals. Services include 24/7 Emergency Services and advanced orthopedic and rehab care by

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Pardee Hospital’s South Asheville facility. PARDEE HOSPITAL PHOTO

licensed professionals in a beautiful new patient wing. With two orthopedic surgeons on staff, patients receive the latest procedures for hip and knees replacement along with a short but impressive hospital stay. St. Luke’s is also known for behavioral health services, surgical services and imaging services including MRI, CT, bone densitometry, nuclear medicine, ultrasound and sensory-surround digital mammography, all supported by a full-service laboratory and other ancillary services. And a new outpatient Pain Clinic is utilizing a variety of alternatives to provide pain relief for chronic issues. Recognized as a “Top Performer” by Carolinas HealthCare System and The Joint Commission, St. Luke’s Hospital is best known for providing patients and family members with attentive, compassionate care for an exceptional patient experience.

Transylvania Regional Hospital — also part of the Mission Health System headquartered in Asheville — is licensed for 92 beds and has six operating rooms. It opened the 4,000square-foot Brevard Cancer & Infusion Center at the hospital in 2009 and has treated hundreds of patients. That same year it launched “The Joint Experience,” enhancing its joint replacement surgery services. The hospital also has a digital mammography system that allows images to be archived so they can be easily recalled for comparison with future tests.

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Health Care TRAINING CAREGIVERS:

A-B TECH ALLIED HEALTH There are no excuses.

“And there are so many excuses,” said Dolly Horton. “One thing is they have to overcome their fears. You have people who haven’t been in a classroom in years. They don’t have confidence in themselves, and that’s where we meet them — we find ways to make it for them.”

Dean of the Allied Health Division at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech), Horton has heard every reason in the book for someone avoiding a chance to forward their education, especially in the growing field of health care, an industry A-B Tech has become a leader in amid Western North Carolina.

“When you find someone who went to a community college, you’ll find someone who had their life changed for the better because of that school,” Horton said. “Our vision is strengthening lives and changing communities, and that’s what we continue to do here at A-B Tech.”

With a variety of programs — health care, child care, public service — this branch of the institution has attracted students from around the region and across Southern Appalachia. The school offers a range of options, from 16-week certificates to one-year diplomas to two-year associate degrees.

“Each program has three parts to it,” Horton said. “You have the didactic learning, which is theory and textbooks; laboratory procedures, where they perform skill sets they learned in the classroom; and then they transfer those skills into a live patient or laboratory setting, and that ranges from the Mission Health System to long-term health facilities or physician practices.”

Horton pointed to three reasons why Allied Health stands apart from similar programs at other community colleges.

“For one, we teach a very specific skill set, so that once students complete their schooling, they’re employable,” she said.

“And while most community colleges like Allied Health are governed by SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and School), we place another level of accreditation from an outside agency.

We’re also very scripted, where each class is meant to build atop the one just completed — it’s a very standardized and defined line of courses.”

And it is these exact things that ensure the quality of students being let out into the workforce.

“The rules and regulations on what we teach and how we teach it, how often we access it, even the type of instructors we hire, it’s all governed very carefully,” Horton said. “And what results is a quality and qualified student that is very desirable in the health care system.”

Within the popularity of Asheville and Western North Carolina, two demographics have increased exponentially, especially in

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A-B TECH PHOTO

“We have a great dialogue with the communities and health providers here.

They tell us what they see and need coming down the pike.”

— Dolly Horton, Dean of the Allied Health Division at A-B Tech terms of health care needs — young families and senior citizens.

“There are a lot of folks moving here to retire, and the need for health care has skyrocketed,” Horton said. “Folks are living longer, staying healthier, and also leading more active lifestyles.”

Though the foundation of Allied Health is on solid ground, A-B Tech continues to find and implement new and innovative ways and means by which health care is taught and also provided to the general public.

“We’re always keeping our finger on the pulse of what the community needs and where we can grow as an institution,” Horton said. “We have a great dialogue with the communities and health providers here. They tell us what they see and need coming down the pike. It’s about always adding more strategic programs — what more can we do to be a step ahead?” n abtech.edu

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Nonprofit

Picking a Path

BLUE RIDGE MUSIC TRAILS OF NORTH CAROLINA

I

t’s over a decade in the making, but its origins are hundreds of years old.

Partnering with the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, the North Carolina Arts Council launched the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina, a wide-ranging and vital initiative that came to fruition in 2013. Encompassing 29 counties in Western North Carolina, the trails were created to preserve, interpret and promote these rich pockets of sound and dance that have had a profound impact on American culture and beyond.

“This region has an incredible wealth of history and heritage around our music,” said Angie Chandler, executive director of the nonprofit BRNHA. “It has been part of these

Left: The cosmic cowboy himself, Peter Rowan, performing at Isis Music Hall in Asheville. Above: Raised in Western North Carolina, fiddler Danielle Fowler is a rising star in the bluegrass scene. GARRET K. WOODWARD PHOTOS

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Nonprofit mountains for hundreds of years and we want to share all of that.”

When Congress designated the BRNHA in 2003, five areas of focus were identified — agriculture, Cherokee, craft, music and natural heritage. These areas have been explored over the course of the last decade, with each continuing to evolve and thrive. Though the first Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina guidebook was published in 2003, it was the updated, more comprehensive edition of the book that made 2013 the year for concentration on music trails — a movement that continues to make steady ground, in sound and in action.

“This is North Carolina’s definitive map to the traditions of old-time bluegrass music and dance,” said Dale Bartlett, BRMT coordinator for the B R N H A .

“We’re developing this initiative to bring together these regions and make it marketable. As the heritage area has been able to spread its wings, finding opportunities and partnerships, it has been able to label these areas as assets that should get more attention.”

Working with Appalachian folklorists Fred C. Fussell and Steve Kruger, the book identifies 60 locations within the 29 counties as major events, key historical sites and traditions that have been longstanding. The BRNHA itself has named and catalogued over 160 sites, venues and events that occur in Western North Carolina (all of which are available in full detail on their website: blueridgemusicnc.com.

“This book is for the consumer, the historian, the music buff and the curious traveler,” Bartlett said. “Now we’re taking it back to the people who have nurtured the asset throughout the years, helping them with promotion, cross-marketing and anything we can do to help build the network for the local resident and tourist.” blueridgeheritage.com.

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LAURA BOOSINGER:

RIGHT FROM THE SOURCE

T

hough a lifelong musician, it wasn’t until renowned banjoist/storyteller Laura Boosinger came to Western North Carolina as a teenager that she truly connected the beauty of sound and those who played and danced to it.

Attending Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa in the late 1970s, she found herself right at the source of real mountain culture and music. At that time, legendary banjoist/historian David Holt began to develop and direct

12, Boosinger fell in love with the banjo when banjoist Marc Pruett (of Haywood County group Balsam Range, the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year”) gave her one to take home, look at and learn to play. It was at that moment when she began her journey down the rabbit hole of mountain music history and the faces behind the instruments.

“If you really think about it, how bluegrass grew out of old-time music, and how it developed, it wouldn’t have existed without North Carolina,” she said.

“People like Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson, what they brought to the music in terms of style and finger picking, were huge for how the sound evolved.”

Boosinger points to the current state of mountain music, where it continues to seep back into the mainstream consciousness after decades of depleting interest. With highly successful artists like Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, The Carolina Chocolate Drops and Yonder Mountain String Band gaining acclaim worldwide, the sounds ap-

“It was the people that fascinated me. Why did these people do this? Why were these traditions in their families? I mean, I didn’t have any traditions that were generations old.”

— Laura Boosinger

the Appalachian Music Program at the college. The program was ahead of its time in terms of preserving the oldtime music and also bringing forth legendary musicians from their front porches to the stage.

“I didn’t really know anything about mountain music. The music was incredible, but it was the people that fascinated me,” she said. “Why did these people do this? Why were these traditions in their families? I mean, I didn’t have any traditions that were generations old.”

An acoustic guitarist since she was

pears to be in good hands, at least in music circles.

Then, when you add in renowned festivals like Merlefest, where old-time and bluegrass music is one of key genres showcased, one begins to see the importance of preserving and promoting the original places and faces that make all of this possible.

“My hope is that this music will still remain a cultural treasure,” she said. “These families continue for generations and this music needs to stay in people’s focus because it’s still evolving.” n

Outdoors

Mountains of Adventure

R

ecreation is truly “re-creation” in the Blue Ridge, whose mountains offer lucky residents and visitors the chance to renew their spirits through a rich variety of outdoor opportunities.

There’s plenty of fun to be had, and if you like sports, you’ll find plenty to root for here. Asheville turns out in force to watch the Asheville Tourists, affiliated with the Colorado Rockies, a Major League Baseball team that sends many of its first-round picks here to gain valuable experience. Grab the family, a sack of peanuts, and a couple of hot dogs, and watch some excellent baseball on a warm summer’s eve. It seems like everyone’s friendly in a minor league ballpark, and that’s no truer than at their venue, McCormick Field.

For something quirkier, roll over to the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville to watch the Blue Ridge Rollergirls, members of North Carolina’s first all-female, flat-track roller derby league. The matches combine fashion, camp and fierce competition in an event that draws a spirited crowd as fun to watch as these young athletes going ‘round and ‘round.

Coached by basketball coach Nick McDevitt, UNC Asheville’s Bulldogs have been getting a lot of attention in the Big South League, playing to near capacity crowds in at

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the Kimmel Arena. In nearby Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is home to Division 1 gridiron football, playing against the likes of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers in recent years. Soccer and volleyball rule at Montreat College and Mars Hill College.

The Mountain Sports Festival in Asheville every Memorial Day Weekend is a three-day celebration of all things outdoors. Races and events take in the sports of trail running and biking, cyclocross, ultimate frisbee, rock climbing and dodge ball. Everyone from amateurs to professionals takes part in competitions and clinics that make participants better competitors. The festival also stages a lot of free music around downtown.

Less than an hour and a half from Asheville, the Nantahala Outdoor Center can provide just about any kind of adventure you’d want, from biking to climbing to hiking to river floats to lake kayaking to jet boat rides to tickets to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

The Wildwater Rafting centers on the Nantahala, Chattooga and Pigeon rivers offer exhilarating guided whitewater raft rides that roll over rapids in trips that last about three hours. Other adventurous explorers might opt for harnessed canopy tours conducted in the beautiful Nantahala Gorge over six aerial bridges and numerous zip lines. The rides, meant to be more informative than jaw dropping, go through several ecosystems, and guides share cultural and ecological tidbits along the way.

For those who like two feet on the ground, the region offers unparalleled hiking in Pisgah National Forest, Joyce

Kilmer Memorial Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and state parks at Chimney Rock, DuPont, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain, Lake James and South Mountains. There are several hiking clubs in the area, including the Carolina Mountain Club, established in 1923 and now the oldest and most active hiking club in Western North Carolina.

Julian Price Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway’s largest campground, offers ranger-guided hikes during the day. The National Park Service also provides car camping in maintained sites at Linville Falls, Crabtree Meadows, Mount Mitchell and Mount Pisgah. For backpackers, there’s excellent primitive camping in Linville Gorge. Closer to Asheville, Ziplining at Navitat Asheville. NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES PHOTO public campgrounds exist at Lake Powhatan, North Mills River and County. In the last two years, experienced Davidson River.

Lake Powhatan is in the Bent Creek area riders call home to professional dirt of the Pisgah National Forest, just south courses at the Kolo Bike Park in Asheville of Asheville, and home to miles of and The Bike Farm in Brevard. Don’t mountain biking trails. DuPont and Pisgah forget Tsali Recreational Area, home to state parks have lots of trails, as does the some of the finest riding trails in the Jackrabbit Mountain biking and hiking trail entire country, only an hour and a half system just outside of Hayesville in Clay from downtown Asheville. Road riders will

love the popular flat cycle along the French Broad River between Asheville and Marshall. The Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Asheville Bicycle Racing Club and the Asheville Women’s Cycling Club host events, club rides and races.

Whitewater Paddling magazine has named Asheville a “Top 10 Whitewater Town,” but the glory is shared by many towns on the French Broad, Pigeon, Nantahala and Nolichucky rivers. The Biltmore Estate has many outdoor experiences, including river floats, fly fishing, horseback riding, hiking and biking.

The fun doesn’t stop with the warm weather. Strap on your skis and head to Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley, Wolf Ridge Ski Resort near Mars Hill or Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain in Banner Elk. All have runs for various levels of expertise, as well as super-fun inner tube rides and ski lodges to nurse any sore muscles. Want to go cross-country skiing?

Then head up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, closed to automobiles in the winter, but not to those strapped in with poles ready to tackle the beloved road.

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Outdoors FINDING THE PERFECT LINE:

LIQUIDLOGIC

handful of us that started Liquidlogic,” Benedict said. “As a group we came out of the gate running.”

Deciding to make Liquidlogic’s headquarters between the Green River and Asheville was a no-brainer for Benedict, who to this day looks at their location in Western North Carolina as the “best of both worlds.”

“Asheville and the Green River is the perfect combination,” he said. “And it’s that combination of a great city and an wild river that has made the paddling community what it is here. That

When Shane Benedict hits the river with his kayak, it’s all about a smooth ride.

“There are so many different approaches to the river, but what I like about it is the smoothness of running a line in a rapid,” he said. “My favorite way is to make a line really smooth, with the fewest strokes possible, just turning and gliding down that river. I’m very lucky to have been doing this for a long time — it’s like walking for me it’s so engrained.”

Sitting behind his desk within an enormous warehouse in Fletcher (just south of Asheville), you can see Benedict’s eye light up when asked about what it’s like to be out there, on the river and in the elements of the Green River in Saluda — home to some of the finest paddling anywhere in the country.

“On a personal level, it’s about being in that water, in that sticky summer air, pushing through some rhododendron thickets, along ancient bedrock that the river flows over and around,” he said. “And with the Green River, you can hit the water year-round, which just makes this place that much more popular with paddlers from all over.”

A lifelong paddler, Benedict is the The Green River Narrows Race. co-founder of Liquidlogic, one of the premier manufacturers of freestyle kayaks. Strolling the 100,000- community has exponentially grown since we showed up. I mean, square-foot Fletcher facility, Benedict noted there are 44 employees how many outdoor enthusiasts can there possibly be in one and 20 dogs within the building, a large family of passion and region? It’s mind-boggling to see where it is now.”

With their 20th anniversary just a few years down the road, progress within an independent and locally minded business model. For the 2016 calendar year, the company built over 10,000 Benedict is in awe of Liquidlogic’s humble beginning, and where it aims to go. It’s an internal drive to bring the sport of paddling kayaks, each one shipped out into every corner of the globe.

“It never gets old when I’m traveling somewhere and see one of to the next level that never seems to waver within Benedict and our kayaks atop a vehicle heading down the road,” Benedict said. his colleagues.

“We’re in the water and we’re thinking about how to deal with “All of this started with such a simple base philosophy, which was it, what we need to do to keep making a better product,” he said. that we wanted to make the boats that we wanted to paddle.”

Hailing from just “over the mountain” in Knoxville, Benedict “We’re at the core of this sport and we want to keep being that. came to Western North Carolina as a young kid, camping and We want to make the boats that are fun for all of us to paddle — paddling the Green River. It became an aquatic sanctuary for him, to push the sport forward.” n a place he would soon call home when he arrived in Asheville liquidlogickayaks.com during his college years.

“This was just the beginning of Asheville becoming this hip and up-and-coming city,” the 50-year-old said. “It’s wild just to see how far the city and region has come, especially when it comes to outdoor recreation, and the culinary and music scenes.”

Initially, Benedict was working for a renowned kayak manufacturer in Upstate South Carolina. But, he and several of his co-workers felt the products they were making weren’t representative of what they as hardcore paddlers were looking for, let alone something that could evolve the paddling industry in the right direction.

“When we started in 2000, we were the new company in the industry, but we had a 100 years of experience between the — Shane Benedict, Liquidlogic

“All of this started with such a simple base philosophy, which was that we wanted to make the boats that we wanted to paddle.”

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Food

Cosmopolitan Carolina Cuisine

Western North Carolina has become a foodie paradise, as seen by restaurants like Roux (left) and TacoBilly (right).

W

hat started as a job while in high school turned itself into a lifelong career and passion for Josh Monroe.

“It’s about using the best possible ingredients you can find and being able to let those ingredients shine in every dish,” he said.

Owner/head chef of The Chef’s Table in downtown Waynesville, Monroe has created for his customers an atmosphere of incredible food, flair, family and friends.

Originally from Fairview, Monroe fell into the food industry by helping his father run the family diner in Asheville. From there, he went to culinary school at nearby A-B Tech and worked in a variety of area kitchens, most notably at the four-star former Richmond Hill Inn. With the styles and flavors of Italy as the platform, Monroe has taken his love of fine food to the highest levels possible, even beyond farm-to-table.

“It’s seed-to-table here,” he grinned. “There’s nothing better for a chef to put on the plate than something just picked.”

You see, Monroe also owns and operates a 12-acre organic

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farm the next town over, in Canton. It’s a farm homestead that he and his family brought back to life, back to what the original agricultural landscape of Haywood County resembled. Alongside his goats and chickens, he grows his own mushrooms, squash, corn and beans, among other produce. Recently, he also planted 100 blueberry bushes.

“It’s a really nice thing to have a customer ask you where an ingredient came from and you know exactly where in your field it was picked from,” he said. “And for me, I love being able to learn about the nuances of the ingredients — the weather conditions involved, the seasons, knowing what to grow and the timing of when to pick it.”

A few doors down from Monroe resides Frogs Leap Public House. With a philosophy of offering fresh, local farm ingredients, the location makes sure to always serve what’s in season or what’s on the market that can fit perfectly with their farm-to-table cuisines.

“My whole goal is to feature Waynesville and Western North Carolina through art, food, music and culture,” said Kaighn Raymond, head chef at Frogs Leap. “Everything we do here at the restaurant is about trying to showcase the qualities and great life we live here in Western North Carolina. I love it all, which is why I moved here.”

Food

The Sweet Onion in Waynesville is home to many popular farm-to-table dishes and delicious desserts.

While the culinary scene of the Since it opened in 2011, Curate, an Learn more about dining TV region expands, and palettes become authentic Spanish tapas restaurant in in the Asheville area more sophisticated, the passion and downtown Asheville, has become a beverly-hanks.tv love put into a meal comes from the prized centerpiece of a lush, evermere fact that the restaurant chefs, growing food scene in and around owners and servers all reside in the city.

“Our name means ‘to cure and take care of yourself,’ and Western North Carolina — a place they are proud to call home.

And for Button and Curate, it’s about quality over quantity, that’s what we’re telling our guests they can do here,” Executive Chef/co-owner Katie Button said. “When you walk with her restaurant a prime example of what can happen into this place on a Saturday night, the kitchen and the when a dream is put into motion.

“Nowadays, my expectations are high, and my biggest fear audience are going back and forth. It’s a ball of energy that’s is not meeting them,” she said. “I want my guests to walk out so contagious you want to be part of it.”

Button’s intent for individuality in the kitchen is a notion of here knowing they had one of the best meals of their lives. wafting through restaurants around Western North Carolina. It’s all about the food, the service and the people.”

Head chef at The Sweet Onion in Waynesville, Doug Over the past decade, there has been a food revolution in the area. Along every downtown, you’ll find anything from Weaver is also at the forefront of a pioneering culinary Cajun to French, Asian to Italian, Mexican to Mediterranean. movement in greater Western North Carolina.

“The thing is, Haywood County is becoming a place that Whether it’s local establishments incorporating different dishes into the menus or the troves of culinary artisans when people are in the area they may go to Waynesville or relocating here, the desire to try something new and different wherever around here because there is this restaurant they have to try,” he said. “There are a lot of people planning their is all around in this land of cosmopolitan country cuisines.

“The professionals and entrepreneurs here are trips around what places to eat here.”

Residents and visitors alike are starting to take note. Go unbelievable,” Button said. “The community immediately welcomes outsiders and something completely unique to into any restaurant on a weekend evening or during the Asheville. You can relate to other business owners, and we’re busy summer tourism months and you’ll see bellies full by a made-from-scratch or farm-to-table meal. all here for the same reasons.”

BH

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“We have many restaurants that can go head to head with any restaurant across the country, and we want to make sure that we continue to have the variety we have,” said CeCe Hipps, president of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce.

Launched in 2007, The Admiral has held a steady course as a word-of-mouth culinary sensation within Asheville.

With a specialized menu that switches up monthly, The Admiral offers everything from flat iron steaks to a San Francisco style seafood stew to farm-to-table dishes that incorporate any number of fresh produce items bought directly from farmers and growers in Western North Carolina.

“We change up — Randy Dunn, Roux things seasonally, and we’ll have people knocking on our door every day with local greens and produce we’ve never used before,” said co-owner Drew Wallace. “Sometimes we’ll have fresh foraged mushrooms or a new pork product, which are all great things we have available locally here in Asheville.”

Executive chef at Roux, a “new southern”-style restaurant at the Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park, Randy Dunn has spent the last six years turning the space from a blank canvas into one of the culinary destinations within the city.

“I just love serving people,” he said. “Feeding them, making them happy — that’s what it’s all about.”

One look at the menu and you can see the intricate thought and passion put into the meals showcased. It’s taking beloved dishes and putting a southern “twist” on them. And by “twist,” many-a-time Dunn is referring to the local ingredients that Roux gathers from the nearby farmer’s market in Biltmore Park or from regional vendors who personally come into the restaurant with the freshest items available anywhere.

“On Wednesdays, we’ll walk up to the farmer’s tailgate market, get what we need, and head back down to the restaurant and cook it,” Dunn said. “It’s great when people are enjoying their meal and ask me about the food, and I’m able to tell them it’s right from here in Western North Carolina.”

Of those local items, Roux gets their burger meat, sausages and ribeye steaks from Hickory Nut Gap Farm (Fairview), fresh produce from Cane Creek Valley Farm (Fletcher), jams and jellies from Claire’s ABC Gourmet Preserves and bread from Annie’s Bakery (both in Asheville). Add in local dairy products and apples (Henderson County) for seasonal dishes and you have yourself a menu that is as sustainable as it is delicious.

“What’s there not to love about living and working here?” he said. “I love being in nature, and there are so many great outdoor things to do here. And for a small city like Asheville, the food scene is huge. You could try a new restaurant every night of the week for a year, and yet there’d still be places you haven’t tried or just opened — there’s always something going on.” n

“It’s great when people are enjoying their meal and ask me about the food, and I’m able to tell them it’s right from here in Western North Carolina.”

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Food ASHEVILLE’S FOOD TRUCK FRENZY:

MEALS ON WHEELS

It all started with 12 lunches.

“I was painting trim underneath this desk in this office building,” Jeremiah Jackson said. “And the secretary was complaining about how they couldn’t get 12 meals made and delivered there. So, I popped my head up and said, ‘I can do it.’”

And it was the simple interaction that led to Jackson creating the Farm-to-Fender food truck in Asheville. At that time (2013),

Jackson, with an extensive culinary background as an executive chef, was working construction and landscaping to pay the bills.

He wasn’t finding his ideal outlet for his passion of food and cooking. But, with that small start of 12 lunches, his orders and customers spiraled out from there. Now there are now two food trucks, the catering company, and a café of the same namesake.

“After that, I’d get another gig, and from those events, I’d book more jobs,” Jackson said. “Every time we were feeding people, the people wanted more. And that’s when we decided to start the food truck.”

Over the last few years, dozens of food trucks have sprung up in Asheville and greater Western North Carolina. Parked at local breweries, sporting events, outdoor music venues or simply at some open lot around the corner, these mobile hot spots are a growing trend in culinary scene, one that seemingly has no end in sight.

“It’s putting high-quality, restaurant-style food out of a tin can,” said Chris Cogswell, co-owner of the Appalachian Chic food truck.

“This is an eccentric area with all kinds of different people interested in different things, and food trucks provide that kind of atmosphere — from deli sandwiches to carnival food to every kind of ethnic cuisine you could imagine.”

“Every truck is their own personality,” Jackson added. “You’re tasting the personality of that chef and of the distinct and delicious cuisines.”

Cogswell estimated that since he launched his truck almost two years ago, there have been about 20 or so new vehicles on the scene. And with a city as welcoming and collaborative as Asheville, the saying “the more, the merrier” really does come into focus, especially in terms of the farm-to-table movement.

“All of our ingredients are locally sourced, with everything made from scratch,” Cogswell said. “The influences with our sandwiches are southern-rooted, with our meats and veggies coming from farms around the area.”

With a name like Farm-to-Fender, Jackson also procures his ingredients (milk, cream, peppers, meats, potatoes, etc.) from local farms and producers.

“This is an eccentric area with all kinds of different people interested in different things, and food trucks provide that kind of atmosphere.”

— Chris Cogswell

Meals to-go from Farm-to-Fender (left) and Appalachian Chic (right).

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in Western North Carolina, “When you’re talking to me and Lee and his wife fell in or any other of these love with the area. executive chefs in these food “We just found the trucks, you’re learning about mountains here such a that farmer and their beautiful place,” Lee said. “My products that we directly talk wife was a chef back in Seoul, with,” he said. “And with that, and I also worked in you’re only three steps away restaurants. When we came from where your food comes to Asheville, we decided to from, and not thousands of open the food truck and miles away and shipped here bring our favorite Korean in a freezer container.” foods to the people here.”

A mainstay in the Asheville Though Cogswell grew up food truck scene is El Kimchi, just down the road in which is Korean-style Brevard, Jackson found his barbecue with a Mexican flair way to Asheville from a (tacos, burritos, quesadillas). whirlwind culinary excursion Bouncing around the city around the world that almost everyday, El Kimchi is included stops in Charleston, in demand, and probably SC, and New Zealand. somewhere nearby.

“I like that I’m taking “Our mission is that the ingredients from my customers like what we’re backyard and making food doing, that maybe it’s El Kimchi co-owner Don Lee (right) and his food truck crew, which includes his wife (left). that people enjoy. It’s about something new that they’ve sharing that love and never tried before, said El Kimchi co-owner Don Lee. “People here are interested in trying passion with others,” Jackson said. “For all of us food truck owners and chefs, every day is an adventure. Those mornings new things, and they like it, which makes us very happy.”

Lee moved to Asheville from Seoul, South Korea, 11 years you hit the road with the mountains right in front of you — it’s ago. His daughter had been an international exchange student living your dream.” n

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Breweries

Tap into Appalachia

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA’S CRAFT BEER BOOM

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oug Riley, the owner and head brewer at Asheville Brewing Company, is sitting in a booth at his South Slope location.

The late fall sunshine spills into the popular downtown establishment. Looking out the bay windows onto Coxe Avenue, Riley remembers how quiet the Asheville craft beer scene was when he opened the brewery in 1999.

“It was no man’s land at the time,” he chuckled. “With Highland and Green Man (breweries), we were only the third to open in the city. And in the last five years, it’s really exploded, especially to where the South Slope is the place to be since we opened here in 2006.”

In recent years, South Slope has become the epicenter of a craft beer movement, one that now includes dozens of breweries within the Asheville metropolitan area. Within a stone’s throw of Riley, you have Burial Beer Co., Hi-Wire, Wicked Weed, Bhramari, Twin Leaf, Catawba, The Funkatorium and Green Man. “It’s about quality across the board,” Riley said. “The first time somebody tastes craft beer — your craft beer — is the

first time they know just exactly what you’re all about. It has to be great with every sip because you’re reputation and standard is always on the line.”

With around 50 independent establishments in Asheville and Western North Carolina, the craft beer industry is booming in these parts. Voted “Beer City USA” in 2010 and 2011, Asheville has become the epicenter for a beverage movement unseen in not only the industry, but also the nation as a whole.

In 2014, craft beer pioneer and industry leader Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, California) opened its $200 million, 217-acre East Coast production facility in Mills River, right outside Asheville.

“The community around Asheville attracts such an artistic and eclectic mix of people, a very similar mix of people like Chico,” said Ken Grossman, founder/owner of Sierra Nevada.

“The outdoors is something I try to do on a regular basis — get outside and hike. We’re near mountains, streams and places to recreate in Chico, and Asheville is just like that.”

Alongside Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, industry giants New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, Colorado) and Oskar Blues Brewery both opened East Coast headquarters in Western North Carolina. Coming into 2016, New Belgium fired up its

There’s plenty on tap at Wicked Weed Brewing in Asheville (left) and Innovation Brewing in Sylva (right).

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$140 million facility in the River Arts everyday is like Christmas out there.”

Opening in 2013, Burial Beer Co. in District of Asheville, a property that has become a beacon of economic and Asheville became an immediate hit with craft beer drinkers and the region as a cultural significance for the city.

Owner/founder of Oskar Blues, Dale whole. The brewery produced 150 Katechis has built a wildly successful barrels on a one-barrel system its first brand of craft beer that is rapidly spilling year, with that number skyrocketing across the country. Originating in Lyons, when their new expanded system was Colorado, the business opened an installed, which will hold the foundation enormous nine-acre $10 million east for the main facility, as plans are in the coast facility in Brevard in 2013. works to build an urban farmhouse Katechis decided on the location after brewery outside of Asheville.

“It’s been crazy to keep up with the years of visiting the region, soaking in the ideal combination of southern demand. Word-of-mouth popularity has culture and endless outdoor recreation. been catching up with us, but that’s a “I fell in love with this area,” he said. good problem to have,” said Burial co“When we were looking to build, Brevard offered quite the temptation. I knew my quality of life was not going to suffer being here.”

Home to three breweries, Waynesville has become a scene in its own right, with Tipping Point, Frog Level and Boojum serving up a wide array of selections that perfectly compliment the innumerable varieties brewed in Asheville.

Co-owner/manager of Boojum, Kelsie Baker and her family have quickly established themselves as one of the “must try” craft beer destinations in Western North Carolina. Amid a highly competitive industry — locally, regionally, and nationally Franklin is home to two breweries, Lazy Hiker — where your reputation (above) and Currahee. resides in every beverage poured, Boojum has risen to the upper owner Jessica Reiser. “Seeing people echelon of flavor, style, and selection. sitting out here and enjoying our beer is Between their off-site brewery and a surreal thing, and we have more downtown taproom, the business is a exciting things to come.”

With the craft brewery explosion in social and economic anchor within the Asheville and greater Western North community.

“From day one, we’ve always said that Carolina, Hi-Wire Brewing co-owner we want to keep it fresh and exciting, to Adam Charnack sees it all as friendly never cut corners,” Baker said. “We’re competition.

“This industry is filled with really passionate about what we do — always experimenting, reading, learning camaraderie,” he said. “So what about new techniques and ideas. We use high competition? The more, the merrier. quality, difficult to get hops, yeasts and Asheville is this Mecca for craft beer, flavorings (i.e. real raspberries and and the more people that place the peanut butter), and these things are words ‘Asheville’ and ‘craft beer’ in the expensive and generally more difficult same sentence, the better.”

And for Grossman, it’s about to work with, but the result is a much continuing to achieve perfection in a better product.”

With brewing beer comes the keen rapidly growing industry, one that has philosophy of “work hard, play hard.” become a centerpiece of the Western For Katechis, coming eastward was as North Carolina economy.

“We invest in quality, invest in people, much a business decision as it was a chance for adventure in the Great and invest in systems,” he said. “We’ve been focused on quality since day one.

Smokies and beyond.

“We ride bikes and we drink good And, I just like beer, I enjoy the whole beer, and we want to turn other people science and alchemy of turning barley, into that,” he chuckled. “I don’t clock out yeast and hops into something amazing and go home. I hit the trails and and wonderful.” n

ASHEVILLE BREWERIES Archetype Brewing Asheville Brewing Bhramari Brewhouse Burial Beer Co. Catawba Valley Brewing French Broad Brewing Ginger’s Revenge Green Man Brewery Habitat Brewing Hi-Wire Brewing Highland Brewing Hillman Beer Lexington Avenue Brewery New Belgium Brewing One World Brewing Oyster House Brewing Thirsty Monk Brewery Twin Leaf Brewery UpCountry Brewing Wedge Brewing Wicked Weed Brewing

WNC BREWERIES Andrews Brewing Co. (Andrews) Basic Brewery (Hendersonville) BearWaters Brewing Co. (Canton) Blind Squirrel Brewery (Burnsville) Blue Ghost Brewing (Fletcher) Blue Mountain Brew Pub (Weaverville) Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) Brevard Brewing (Brevard) Catawba Valley Brewing (Morganton) Currahee Brewing (Franklin) Ecusta Brewing (Brevard) Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) Heinzelmannchen Brewery (Sylva) Hickory Nut Gorge Brewery (Chimney Rock) Hoppy Trout Brewing (Andrews) Innovation Brewing (Sylva) Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) Lookout Brewing (Black Mountain) Mills River Brewery (Mills River) Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) Nantahala Brewing (Bryson City) Newgrass Brewing (Shelby) Oskar Blues Brewing (Brevard) Pisgah Brewing (Black Mountain) Santuary Brewing (Hendersonville) Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Mills River) Sneak-E-Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) Southern Appalachian Brewery (Hendersonville) Tipping Point Brewing (Waynesville) Valley River Brewery (Murphy)

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45

Nightlife

Painting the Town Red

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fter a great day frolicking around the mountains and valleys of Western North Carolina, the fun only heats up when the sun goes down.

One of the biggest events of the year, Warren Haynes’ “Christmas Jam,” brings together world-class musicians at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville to raise money for the local Habitat for Humanity. Past artists have included Bruce Hornsby, Sheryl Crow and The Tedeschi Trucks Band (pictured). GARRET K. WOODWARD PHOTO

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION:

THE MAGNETIC THEATRE

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tepping into 375 Depot Street in the River Arts District of Asheville, there’s an odd, yet welcoming, energy in the air.

You leave the busy sidewalk, only to navigate through the joyously decorated hallways until you enter The Magnetic Theatre.

“This is one of the loveliest black box theatres in the world,” Steven Samuels said. “It’s intimate. It’s spacious. It’s an inviting space, one where people tend to walk into and be in awe of.”

Grabbing a seat on a nearby couch, Samuels, the artistic director at Magnetic, is as animated with his mannerisms as he is warm and jovial in conversation. This is a man who lives and breathes theatre. This is “the source,” one might say, when it comes to learning, appreciating and participating in one of the great art forms and contributions by humanity to the universe.

“It’s the immediacy, the direct interaction with not only all the players, but with the audience that changes the show on any given night,” Samuels said. “Theatre has everything that any of the great

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Asheville comes alive with standup comedy at Pulp or The Odditorium, screenings of documentaries, foreign and independent films at the Fine Arts Theatre, stage productions at the Magnetic Theatre, gypsy jazz at 5 Walnut Wine Bar, international dance troupes at the Diana Wortham Theatre, symphony orchestras at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, rock ensembles at The Orange Peel or funk nights at the Asheville Music Hall — it’s all here, and more.

Heading down the road, the options are just as tempting.

Catch an old Hollywood classic flick at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville, bluegrass legends at The Colonial Theatre in Canton, nationally acclaimed folk troubadours at 185 King Street in Brevard or a beloved Broadway production at the Flat Rock Playhouse in Hendersonville.

And that leaves you with only one question — what to do tonight?

On stage at The Magnetic Theatre.

producing original works — an ideology that remained with Samuels when Magnetic came to fruition.

“I worked closely with Charles, who was such a profound force in theatre,” Samuels said. “And the Ridiculous became one of the world’s leading comic troupes of its kind.”

From 1967 to 1987, the Ludlam and Ridiculous garnered wide acclaim until his untimely passing.

Samuels took his knowledge and experience from the Ridiculous and applied it to working with large-scale theatres in Washington, D.C. and around the country. But, after several years of being part of a big fundraising machine, where many-a-time artistic vision is traded for the perceived desires of the donors, Samuels decided it was time to get back to his roots.

“What I had known at 16 is what I again realized later in life,” Samuels said. “ And that was if I wanted to write and get my work on the stage, I’d have to start and run my own theatre again, dedicated to original works.”

Unsure of whether or not he was at the end of the line with theatre, Samuels had his internal antenna honed to the sky above, eager for some force of energy and creativity to strike him. With his wife’s family from nearby Morganton, Samuels visited Asheville one weekend and was sold — this was the place, the muchneeded spark.

“I just fell in love with Asheville,” Samuels said. “There was this energy on this streets here that made no sense to me, this crackling energy that reminded me so much of Greenwich Village in the 1980s. And it made no sense, where we had over a million people in Greenwich, but, at that time in Asheville, there was only 75,000.”

That epiphany was a decade ago. In 2009, Samuels and his colleagues launched The Magnetic Theatre. Performing all original and locally-written works, the comic troupe performs upwards of 50 weekends a year, with sell-outs and overwhelming enthusiasm from residents and visitors alike a common sight in the 99-person (give or take) black box stage.

“Theatre is one of the last democratic, public forums for ideas available to a community. It’s a handmade product, one from the soils of your own backyard. If you care about a voice of a place, that’s a very good reason to be supportive of a place like this,” Samuels said. “It’s hard to believe I get to be here, surrounded by these wildly talented actors, writers and designers, all these people who share this vision. Nothing is more exciting than when the audience is as engaged in a performance as we are, and that happens with such frequency here.” n themagnetictheatre.org DONATED PHOTO

“Theatre is one of the last democratic, public forums for ideas available to a community. It’s a handmade product, one from the soils of your own backyard.”

— Steven Samuels

narrative art forms has, where you get to tell stories filled with human beings, but here, it’s real and alive. We get to share our lives together, and that’s a pretty precious thing — gathering together and sharing an experience.”

A Brooklyn native, Samuels, 62, found himself at the center of the theatre world as an adolescent running around Greenwich Village in the 1960s, starting small theatre companies and doing anything and everything to always keep one foot in the door of performance art. At that moment, Samuels was witnessing an explosion of creative freedom whose endlessly inspiring ripples can still be seen, felt and heard to this day.

“It was ‘off-off Broadway,’ which was very intentional and delightful,’” Samuels said.

And it was around this time when Samuels “washed ashore” at the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, a pioneering and legendary avant-garde comic troupe in the heart of Greenwich Village.

Operated by Charles Ludlam, Samuels found himself under the wing of the theatre icon, writing, designing, performing and

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Arts&Culture

From Their Hands

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA’S CRAFTING TRADITION

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sing your hands to make what you need or desire is a unique trait in Southern Appalachia — the idea that if you can’t find it or afford it, you build it. That notion is soaked into the creative minds and curious spirits of Western North Carolina.

Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual in Cherokee.

MAX COOPER PHOTO

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This region has a storied history of handmade crafts, ranging from weaving to woodworking, pottery to jewelry.

From the passed down traditions of basket weaving and stonework of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to the arts of metalsmithing and glassblowing, there has always been a rich atmosphere of creation in these parts.

Throughout the year, Western North Carolina plays host to numerous art and craft festivals, shows and exhibits, all in an effort to provide the crafter with a platform to share their wares with locals and visitors in search for that perfect piece.

THE ART OF SYNERGY:

WEDGE STUDIOS

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alking up the stairs of the Wedge Studios, a world of art swirls around you with each step. From painting to pottery, glass to wax, textiles to jewelry, the entire spectrum of creative mediums spills out of the multiple floors of the epicenter of the River Arts District (RAD).

“I like being around other artists because I can be inspired by them,” said painter Sandra Bottinelli. “If I ever have a mental block, I’ll just go around and see what everyone else is doing in the other studios, and I’ll get new ideas, where it opens up other doors of creativity.”

Tucked cozily upstairs and to the back of the Wedge Studios, Bottinelli is one of dozens of artists who create, display and sell their work within the building, not to mention the hundreds of other artisans in several other buildings within a stones throw away.

“Art is good for people, it’s as simple as that,” Bottinelli said. “It makes a huge difference when you have art in your home, and how it affects you emotionally. I love doing art, and I get so excited coming here to work and create everyday — I’d live here if I could.”

Michael Hofman Specializing in hand-built porcelain, ceramist Michael Hofman came to Asheville from San Francisco 14 years ago in search of a fresh start within a collaborative and welcoming city of artists and creative minds.

“I think life is easy here,” he said. “It’s affordable and accessible, and it’s surprising how sophisticated of a city it is for being the size that it is — it’s always growing and evolving.”

When constructing his works, Hofman rolls out the clay like pie crust, then takes antique lace or other textile patterns and presses it into the clay, pulling it up and leaving behind designs of the fabric.

“The clay tells you what it wants to be,” he said. “If you’re ripping the clay and it rips a certain way, then maybe you go in another direction than you had planned to go.”

Located at the ground floor of the Wedge Studios, Hofman likes the notion of having so many talented folks right outside his front door.

“Almost every studio you go into is a working studio, which is something you really don’t find anywhere else in the art world.

Everyone is creating right where they showcase their pieces,” he said. “It’s such a wonderful place for people visiting, and for the artists, too — we collaborate, we’re all friends.”

And when someone leaves with one of his pieces, Hofman sees them walking away with something that’s covered with his physical and emotional fingerprints.

“The clay is so rich and finicky, but it’s just a joy to manipulate and no two pieces are the same,” he said. “When people get excited about it, they get it, they see what we’re doing — it speaks to them.”

Philip DeAngelo Peering through the large bay window of Philip DeAngelo’s studio, the painter is busy with his latest work, and yet immediately stops what he’s doing, only to offer a friendly handshake, smile and conversation to those that cross the threshold of his gallery space.

“I love texture and colors, simple stories,” he said. “I use a lot of

Michael Hofman at work in his studio.

implied symbolism, lots of trees with are iconic for life and creation, and red in color theory to represent life, love and passion.”

Originally from New Jersey, DeAngelo and his wife found themselves in Asheville eight years ago. What initially was a “quick trip” to see what the fuss was all about turned into a scouting mission that led to the couple calling the city home.

“We just fell in love with the mountains and a how supported the arts community is here,” DeAngelo said. “The RAD is something that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the art world, not on this scale with the number of artists here. Usually being an artist is an insular thing, but here, it’s open and flowing.”

Adorned on the walls are numerous examples of DeAngelo’s talents. The bright colors seem to burst right off the canvas, exposing the playful, whimsical and intriguing depths of humanity — real or surreal. And yet, as you wander the room, DeAngelo is right there, not hovering in hopes of a quick buck, but rather engaged in talk about anything under the sun, where the sincerity of his art is only mirrored by his presence.

“This studio is like our living room because we spend so much time in here. Our dogs are wandering around and we’re always exciting to meet new people coming in,” he said. “You’re not just selling something to someone. All of us in the River Arts District just want people here to enjoy art — period. riverartsdistrict.com

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Arts&Culture

INTERVIEW:

Art by Jenny Buckner.

“At these shows, you can see the love and compassion that come from each individual piece. Sometimes it makes you want to cry because you see so much love exhibited in their work — our souls are absolutely in our work,” said Cherokee silversmith General Grant. “They’re not just ‘taking it home with them,’ they’re coming in to get what they were looking for. People are looking for something to feel real, they’re drawn to certain pieces and can’t put them down.”

And in a 21st century global society, many of these cherished skills can fall through the cracks, gone forever. But, luckily, that’s not the case in Western North Carolina.

“It’s amazing how easily things can be lost, where a family technique can die out in a generation,” said local weaver Amy Tromiczak. “There’s something incredible about working with your hands, and that everything you put into a piece really does matter.”

As a painter, Jenny Buckner constantly changes up her technique, almost as if to cover up her tracks before others can find her and pigeonhole who she “really is” as an artist. It is that unrelenting work ethic and internal drive of “catch me if you can” over a course of years which has resulted in Buckner becoming one of the most sought after painters in the Southeast.

“A painting creates an emotion just like a story does,” she said. “As long as your emotionally involved somehow, you’re going to keep on reading, you’re going to keep looking, keeping being drawn into the story, into the painting.”

Along with innumerable artisan galleries in every downtown and home studios dotting the mountainous landscape, there’s also a handful of renowned academic institutions promoting and teaching the specific skills to the next generation of crafters. From the acclaimed Penland School of Crafts in Bakersville to the professional crafts program at Haywood Community in Clyde, the future of handmade items is not only in safe hands, it’s revitalizing what it means to make something and be able to find a market for it.

“The professional crafts program at HCC is very unique. It promotes not only creativity and craft, but also how to market yourself as an artist,” said Amy Putansu, fiber instructor at HCC. “The students here are learning to make things, and make things well, with the emphasis around their ethics very positive, very minded in the local sustainability movement. I love it because they’re creating a whole new future, a different shape of manufacturing in America, a new design in conjunction with manufacturing.”

With textile crafting a large part of the heritage in Western North Carolina, the students are not only preserving traditional skills, they’re perpetuating them.

“It’s about staying in touch with history,” Putansu said. “It’s maintaining that thread through generations, time and history. It’s about what we do, the objects we make, and it’s really important that history doesn’t get lost.”

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CHARLES FRAZIER

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hat does it mean to share the depths of your soul and imagination with the world, and yet you find solace in solitude and those moments of silence only gathered on your own time and terms?

For Charles Frazier, it’s disappearing into the backwoods of Western North Carolina on his mountain bike or perhaps sliding into the back of a raucous music venue and just taking in the sights and sounds from his own quiet corner of the universe.

Bestselling author of Cold Mountain (1997 National Book Award for Fiction), Thirteen Moons and Nightwoods, Frazier has spent his career crafting intricate literary works, all of which flow as freely as they do open up the internal conflicts of humanity.

Born in Asheville, Frazier still calls the city home. It’s a place that is at the foundation of his dreams. It’s where he first dove down the rabbit hole that is a bookstore, and also where he took off into the nearby mountains for a day of curious frolicking.

You see, the thing about Frazier is that “he gets it.” He knows that literary celebrity is but a title, one that he’d seemingly rather just place on a nearby bookshelf and dust off occasionally, all while grabbing his muddy mountain bike with eyes aimed at DuPont State Forest.

For life is about those loving people and endless ideas that swirl around you everyday, always within reach when the creative spark illuminates the hearts and minds of writers and readers alike. It’s something Frazier is well aware — and in awe — of.

Beverly-Hanks: What are you working on right now?

Charles Frazier: I’ve got this novel that supposed to be finished by January. I’m hoping it will be by then. It has a lot to do

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Arts&Culture with the aftermath of the Civil War, during the Reconstruction Era. It’s a fictional book about the life of Jefferson Davis’ second wife, who was a really fascinating, smart and well-educated woman, and the consequences of being on the wrong side of history.

downtown Asheville now. Sidewalks filled with people, outdoor tables in front of restaurants. Asheville has always been a tourist town. The first tourist resort here was opened not long after the Revolutionary War. The beauty of the place has attracted people forever, and will continue to, I’m sure.

B-H: What is the place of the novel in the 21st century, with a modern world caught up in fast-paced priorities?

CF: Well, one of the things that novels do, that the Internet mostly doesn’t, is to have a considered prospect on a subject, to take some time to think about and explore the subject matter. There’s certain leisure to it that ends up with different results from immediacy.

B-H: And you’re seeing this resurgence in Southern Appalachian noir books in recent years. What do you attribute that to?

CF: The one thing that occurred to me, that especially over the past 25 years, the pseudo-subcultures of the United States have disappeared to a great degree. And I think as we lose those individual bits of American cultures, it’s because we’re not as isolated as we used to be. People move around more, interact more with other cultures. When I go to family reunions, there’s a sharing of the history, the stories about those in our family, walking through the cemeteries and learning about our ancestors.

B-H: Author Ron Rash had mentioned the novel being as important now as it ever has been, in terms of sitting down with an idea and fleshing it out as a reader and a writer.

CF: I totally agree. And it’s important because there’s so little of that way of thinking and approaching material in the current world.

B-H: What is it about the geography and the people in Western North Carolina that has led to such a rich history of writers from here?

CF: Yeah, it is a rich history of producing our own writers, and of attracting well-known writers from the outer world. I mean, Asheville itself, the literary history of this small city is amazing.

B-H: There’s a lot of pride shared.

CF: Yeah, and it’s pride of settling “this place,” the difficulty of surviving hard economic times.

“When I go to family reunions, there’s a sharing of the history, the stories about those in our family, walking through the cemeteries and learning about our ancestors.”

B-H: What’s it like for you these days writing, with the success of your novels, and this current chapter of your career?

CF: Except for going up to West Virginia [as the award-winning “Appalachian Heritage Writer In Residence” at Shepherd University], I’ve been writing everyday for the last 70 days. I’m not a fast writer. It’s a lot of sitting and staring at the screen.

Everyday I try to have the same sort of day. I go for a mountain bike ride, get back to the office at 3 o’clock in the afternoon and work until the stopping point, which is around 10 o’clock at night.

B-H: And then you have the Cherokee and the British Isles influence on the area, which are two groups with storytelling at the core of their cultures…

CF: That old Celtic kind of thing is — Charles Frazier certainly a big part of it. The Cherokee oral tradition is still alive and doing pretty B-H: And now that you’re 65, how has your outlook on well these days, at least with all the efforts to preserve it. A lot of us here grew up hearing stories — hearing hunting life changed or shifted?

CF: Well, you hope you’ve achieved a little more sense of tales and ghost stories — told by older folks. wisdom or experience over time. I don’t claim a whole lot of B-H: That’s something you notice about this area, that. I’m still just interested in what I’ve always been which is people truly sit down and talk with people, they interested in — always excited about music, books, and the outdoors. listen and soak in the conversation.

CF: That oral tradition of not just telling a story, but also B-H: What has being a writer shown you about what listening, too. it means to be a human being in the world?

CF: Well, answering that question, it’s kind of like being at B-H: What is it about Asheville that makes you still the heart of a novel. That immersing yourself in another, a want to call it home?

CF: I was born in Asheville, and right now I’m sitting less created person, to try and understand what their thoughts than half a mile from the building I was born in. I loved are, to empathize with their thoughts and concerns, it’s a Asheville as a kid, as a teenager, where I bought books and process that opens you up to try and understand people records, where I got my bicycle fixed. I love being in and their actions.

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CAPTURING THE MAGIC:

ECHO MOUNTAIN RECORDING STUDIO

The main recording studio at Echo Mountain.

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ithin an earshot of Patton Avenue — a main artery of hustle and bustle into downtown Asheville — stands an old church. On the outside one might mistake it to be abandoned or forgotten. But, upon entering the nondescript side door, the sounds of string instruments and poignant vocals ricochet around Echo Mountain Recording Studios.

“I love the sound of this room. From the studio and through the speakers, it’s an organic kind of trail,” said bluegrass legend Jerry Douglas from behind the helm of the recording console. “The space is so big that it lets things dissipate and decay naturally, and not just cut things off — it’s a pretty alive room.”

A Nashville icon, Douglas was there that day producing the latest Steep Canyon Rangers album. Calling Western North Carolina home, the Grammy award-winning Rangers have come into prominence in recent years with genre-bending records, sold out tours and also backing the one-and-only Steve Martin.

Sitting in the state-of-the-art facility, Douglas reminisces about arriving in Asheville decades ago. It’s a city he looks forward to visiting and immersing himself in, time and time again.

“I’ve always loved Asheville, ever since I first came here in the 1970s,” Douglas said. “I love the surroundings and all the nice folks that live here. Here, I feel like I can be in the country, but also have that city feeling, too — all the great restaurants, the incredible music, everything is wonderful.”

Atop being the launching pad for the “Godfather of Bluegrass,” Bill Monroe, Asheville and greater Western North Carolina have always had a reputation as one of the music capitals of America

and beyond. From mountain music to southern rock, country to blues, every night in this region is another chance for a melodic adventure.

“The music scene in Asheville is constantly growing and evolving. With a multitude of venues, concert halls and festivals, I’m amazed at how many musical options we have for a small city,” said Autumn Greenfield, assistant studio manager at Echo Mountain. “I feel Asheville is becoming well known as a ‘music destination,’ with people traveling from all over the world to visit our mountain town.”

And at the center of this whirlwind of strings and songs is Echo Mountain. When one peruses their list of past clients, it’s like reading through a music industry “who’s who” — Widespread Panic, The Avett Brothers, Zac Brown Band, T. Bone Burnett, The Smashing Pumpkins, just to name a few.

“Every musician grows up dreaming of recording in the studio one day. With the advent of technology and the Internet, it has become much more affordable to set up home studios,” Greenfield said. “Even so, I believe most musicians would prefer to record at a professional studio if their budget allows for it, not just for the amazing gear, but also for the opportunity to work with professional engineers and producers. The sound of the room and the console are also huge deciding factors for most artists.”

Hailing from just down the road in Hendersonville, Greenfield grew up in the music business, being involved in instruments sales and the service sector. A musician herself, she still is in awe of Echo Mountain each time she enters the building for work or showing around a potential client.

“I love giving tours to new clients and hearing the chorus of ‘this place is amazing’ and ‘when can we record here?’” she said. “We feel the recording experience should be as comfortable as — Jerry Douglas possible for clients. Upon the completion of the session, most artists leave telling us what a wonderful experience they had, and how they can’t wait to come back for the next album.”

But, beyond the inspiring atmosphere at your fingertips inside Echo Mountain, what the musicians and engineers alike find to be the difference maker is the age-old saying, “location, location, location” when it comes to the aesthetic and social beauty of the Asheville and the surrounding region.

“As an outdoor enthusiast, I love the natural beauty of this area,” Greenfield said. “The scenery is accentuated by the mild climate and the diverse culture that comes not only from the rich history of Western North Carolina, but also the eclectic mix of people who have been drawn to this area and made it their home.” n echomountain.net

“I love the sound of this room. From the studio and through the speakers, it’s an organic kind of trail.”

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Touring

The Parkway

T

he Blue Ridge Parkway unravels gracefully across the landscape, at times suspended from high cliffs and etched into rocky crags, then deftly shifting gears to skim over hayfields and past log cabins bound by split-rail fences.

AMERICA’S FAVORITE DRIVE

Abbott and his colleagues applied a mathematical formula to achieve the serpentine line.

Abbott was a master of the spiral curve, a highly engineered and deftly calculated arc that eases cars gently into a curve and exits them smoothly. The turning radius broadens as you move through the curve, much like a spiral expands as it moves outward from the center. The Parkway owes its sweeping nature to the equation, which avoids the unpleasant centripetal force of standard curves. The formula was perfected by railroads in previous decades.

Abbott deployed another geometric tool called the reverse curve, essentially two back-to-back spiral curves in opposite directions. Drivers barely exit one turn before they slalom into the next one. The reverse curve creates a

The road seems unfazed by mountain topography. The Parkway moves so harmoniously through the scenery and lays so gently on the terrain, it seems possible that perhaps the Parkway was there first, or at the very least born at the same time as the mountains themselves.

Devil’s Courthouse “I can’t image a more creative job than Overlook is located locating that Blue Ridge Parkway, because along the Blue Ridge you worked with a 10-league canvas and a Parkway. brush of a comet’s tail,” said Stanley Abbott, the chief landscape architect of the Parkway during its construction in the 1930s.

The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway celebrates its official 82nd anniversary in 2017. It is a unique unit of the National Park Service, a scenic roadway through the rural mountain area of Western North Carolina and Virginia. It both moves people from place to place and also binds the region together.

The task facing early Parkway designers was enormous, with little more than vague parameters of where to put the Parkway.

Blazing a scenic road through high and rugged mountain passes in the 1930s was an engineering and artistic feat. It also pushed the boundaries of competing American ideals.

The country was in the midst of a burgeoning national rhythmic experience, as if swaying back and forth through park movement, and many in the general public had already the mountains.

Not only do they achieve a rhythmic motion, but they aim accepted a popular concept of preserving America’s grand landscapes. Meanwhile, a love affair with the automobile the car’s windshield toward the views, whether it’s a had likewise gripped the country. These two notions gave mountain vista on the outside curve or a rhododendroncapped boulder after rounding the bend. rise to the Parkway concept.

While the Parkway often changes, the grade is gentle, Abbott, just 26 years old when he was hired as chief landscape architect for the Parkway, possessed both the skill another area of careful calculation.

The notion of Abbott penning the Parkway’s design in one and instinct to capture the Appalachian countryside and its sweeping mountain vistas from behind the windshield of an fell swoop is far from the truth. Abbott plugged away automobile. He often likened his approach to that of a dutifully from 1935 to 1944 until he was called into service cinematographer, training his camera on one frame after for World War II. By then, only two-thirds of the road had been completed. Construction resumed immediately after the next and eventually producing a 469-mile masterpiece.

While the Parkway’s design is often compared to art, the war and continued in sections until 1967. The final missing link around Grandfather Mountain wasn’t finished until 1987.

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BRUCE DICKENSON PHOTO

OFF THE PAVEMENT, INTO THE UNKNOWN:

EUROSPORT ASHEVILLE

The real adventure is what you can’t see.

“If you’re coming all the way here just to ride the Tail of the Dragon, you’ve missed the point,” said Thomas Montgomery.

The “Dragon” as in the legendary Western North Carolina motorcycle route on the Tennessee state line, which features 318 curves in just 11 miles. Sure, it’s a world-renowned road that snakes through the rural natural beauty of the region, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg not only in terms of what riders traverse, but also discover.

“I think it’s the amount as much as anything — you get quantity and quality,” Montgomery said.

“There are a lot of roads in the country that people talk about, but here there are so many roads, and roads just as good as the key ones that nobody even knows — Thomas Montgomery about.”

Along those legendary lines of the “Dragon,” motorcycle enthusiasts also point to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Cherohala Skyway as “top tier” rides. But, even more than that, when you dive below the surface of the main attractions, one finds a never-ending plethora of rural wellmaintained roads and backcountry dirt logging trails. And as the owner of Eurosport Asheville (which specializes in BMW motorcycles), Montgomery knows just how wild and wonderful riding can be in Western North Carolina.

“Here there are so many roads, and roads just as good as the key ones that nobody even knows about.”

“About 80 percent of my riding is off-road — that’s my preference,” he said. “It’s really interesting when you can stumble on something you’ve never been on before, and to bring other riders with you and show them something they’ve never seen, too.”

Montgomery started riding when he was just 3 years old. Now, some 44 years later, that passion for getting on his bike remains, something that continues to grow and flourish each season.

“It’s just a natural feeling,” he said. “When you grow up with it, it becomes second nature.”

Relocating to Asheville from Denver in 2001, Montgomery and his wife knew there was something unique about the city and surrounding areas.

“There’s a comfort you find here that you don’t find elsewhere in the country,” he said. “With all the outdoor activities, it’s what keeps us healthy, outside and active in what there is to see and do here.”

In regards to the business relationships coming through the showroom doors at Eurosport Asheville, Montgomery noted the importance of lifelong connections to their clients, who are just as eager to hit the road or trail as those behind the sales counter.

“We take a different approach than what you would find industry-wide,” he said. “We’re not a high-pressure sales situation.

Everything that’s in the store is tested by one of us. Everybody that works here rides. It’s not necessarily about the bottom line, but more about riding.” n eurosportasheville.com

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Golf

Swing for the green

Reems Creek Golf Club.

AREA COURSES Asheville Municipal Golf Course Municipal 226 Fairway Drive, Asheville 828-298-1867 ashevillenc.gov

Biltmore Forest Country Club Private 31 Stuyvesant Road, Asheville 828-274-1261 biltmoreforestcc.com

Black Mountain Golf Course Municipal 15 Ross Drive, Black Mountain 828-669-2710 blackmountaingolf.org

Broadmoor Golf Links Public 101 French Broad Lane, Fletcher 828-687-1500 broadmoorlinks.com

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T

here’s nothing like playing a round of golf at high elevation to quicken the blood and make you feel alive. Golf courses in Asheville and Western North Carolina have attitude as well as altitude, challenging golfers in the most gorgeous of settings.

Condé Nast Traveler Magazine included the golf course at Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in its list of “Top 20 Southern U.S. Golf Resorts.” Designed by Donald Ross in 1926, the 18-hole, par 70 course has an undulating front nine and a back nine that can be steep. Over a decade ago, the resort invested $2.5 million to restore the course in a manner that Ross would approve. Players who have enjoyed its challenge include golf immortals Bobby Jones, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, as well as other PGA stars like Doug Sanders, Gene Littler, Fuzzy Zoeller and Chip Beck.

The Country Club of Asheville has an 18-hole, par 72 Donald Ross-designed course with a distinctive clubhouse that

overlooks the Blue Ridge Mountains. It also boasts a state-of-the-art indoor tennis facility that has eight outdoor clay courts and a modern fitness facility. Also available are a 25-tee driving range and putting and chipping greens.

One of the oldest golf courses in Western North Carolina, Asheville Municipal Golf Course is an 18-hole, par 72 course that opened in 1927. The front nine of this Donald Ross-designed course measures 3,246 yards from the back tees, calling for a driver on every hole. The course is open daily to the public, weather permitting.

The 18-hole golf course at Biltmore Forest Country Club recently underwent at $2.5-million restoration, accom-

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The Ramble Preview w Center · 5 Valley a Springs p s Road · Asheville, NC 288803 Marketed exclusively by Beverly-Hanks & Associates, Assheville, NC. The Ramble Biltmore Forest® is a trademark of, and developed by, Biltmore Farms, LLC. This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of off de ffers to bbuy real estate in The Ramble® by residents of CT, HI, IL, NY, NJ, OR, PA andd SC or in any jurisdiction where prohibited by law. No offering can be made to residents of New Yoork until an offering plan is filedd with the Department of Law of the State of New York. o This offer is void where prohibited. All prices and plans are subject to change c without prior notice. © 2016 Biltmore Farms, LLC

Golf panied by an $8.5-million renovation of the clubhouse, bringing both back to their 1922 splendor. Over the years, the course has attracted the likes of Bobby Jones, Bill Tilden, John D. Rockefeller, William Jennings Bryan, William Howard Taft and Calvin Coolidge.

Sporting the only golf course in Western North Carolina designed by Jack Nicklaus, The Cliffs At Walnut Cove is a par 71, 18-hole course that opened in tournament-ready conditions, according to the PGA Tour.

Its greens, bent grass fairways, clever bunkering and elevation changes make it a challenge that calls for a sharp eye.

In Weaverville, just north of Asheville, is Reems Creek Golf Club, an 18-hole, par 72 course. Located in the beautiful Reems Creek Valley, it’s surrounded by tall mountains through which the Blue Ridge Parkway passes.

The 6,492-yard course was designed

by Hawtree & Sons, a British firm that worked on Royal Birkdale, a course that's in the British Open rotation.

South of Asheville in Mills River is High Vista Country Club, whose golf course is open to the public. Established in 1976 and designed by Tom Jackson, the 18-hole course has dramatic elevation changes and winding fairways. Nearby, Etowah Valley Golf Club has three 9-hole courses, all knitted together in one spectacular championship golf experience. Create the combination you want from six tee positions on a scenic mountain plateau 2,200 feet high.

Height matters at Mount Mitchell Golf Club, located near Burnsville.

Lying at about 3,000 feet elevation and bordered by peaks that exceed 6,000 feet, the course is relatively flat.

The South Toe River runs through it, a factor that must be taken into account for many shots.

In the mountain region west of the Asheville area, there are a handful of top-notch public courses, including the Sequoyah National in Cherokee (designed by Robert Trent Jones II) and the historic 27 holes at Waynesville Inn, Golf Resort and Spa. In the Cashiers area of Jackson County, the scenic High Hampton Inn has one of the most picturesque courses in the country.

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The Omni Grove Park Inn, located in Asheville.

AREA COURSES, CONT. Cliffs At Walnut Cove

Private 268 Walnut Valley Parkway, Arden 888-988-3040 cliffscommunities.com

Country Club of Asheville Private 170 Windsor Road, Asheville 828-258-9762 countryclubofasheville.net

Crowne Plaza Tennis & Golf Resort Public 1 Resort Drive, Asheville 828-253-5874 ashevillecp.com

Cummings Cove Golf & Country Club

Public 20 Cummings Cove Parkway, Hendersonville 828-891-9412 cummingscove.com

Etowah Valley Golf Club Public 470 Brickyard Road, Etowah 800-451-8174 etowahvalley.com

High Hampton

Semi-Private 1525 Highway 107 South, Cashiers 800-334-2551 highhamptoninn.com

High Vista Country Club

Public 88 Country Club Road, Mills River 828-891-1986 highvistagolf.com

Mount Mitchell Golf Club

Public 11484 N.C. 80 South, Burnsville 828-675-5454 mountmitchellgolf.com

Orchard Trace Golf Club

Public 3389 Sugarloaf Road, Hendersonville 828-685-1006

Reems Creek Golf Club

Semi-private 36 Pink Fox Cove Road, Weaverville 828-645-4393 reemscreekgolf.com

Rumbling Bald Resort

Public 112 Mountain Boulevard, Lake Lure 828-694-3000 rumblingbald.com

Sequoyah National Golf Club Public 79 Cahons Road, Whittier 828-497-3000 sequoyahnational.com/

Smoky Mountain Country Club Public 1300 Conley Creek Road, Whittier 800-474-0070. smokymountaincc.com.

Southern Tee Golf Course

Public 111 Howard Gap Road, Fletcher 828-687-7273

Springdale Country Club Public 200 Golfwatch Road, Canton 800-553-3027 springdalegolf.com

The Omni Grove Park Inn Public 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville 800-438-5800 groveparkinn.com

Waynesville Inn, Golf Resort & Spa Public 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville 800-627-6250 wccinn.com

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SOUTH ASHEVILLE (828) 684-8999

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Golf PROFILE:

RUMBLING BALD It’s about the best of both worlds.

“I get to enjoy the company and get to know our members who live and play here, as well as the new people each week visiting here at the resort — it’s such a wonderful place for so many to call home,” said Adam Bowles.

A PGA professional, Bowles is the Head of Golf Operations at Rumbling Bald, a Lake Lure resort tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina just south of Asheville. The resort is home to two 18-hole courses — Apple Valley and Bald Mountain.

Each offers a view as captivating as it is challenging and enjoyable, with design aspects to attract the novice golfer and veteran player.

“The fact that we offer two fantastic courses that are so different for our members and guests to play really makes us a golf destination,” Bowles said. “Our moderate temperature is a plus, as well. Our temperatures are very much in line with Charlotte and the Piedmont area, so we get a mild winter.”

Growing up in Thomasville, Bowles was first introduced to the game of golf as a kid, watching his grandfather play the Lake Ju-

“I’ve learned that it will not always go my way out there on the course, and in knowing this is true, I have gained more ways to teach this to other golfers.”

— Adam Bowles, Head of Golf Operations, Rumbling Bald naluska course in Haywood County. A lifelong athlete, Bowles began getting serious with golf following college, ultimately earning his membership into the PGA when it came time to choose a career path.

“A large part of my job is certainly making sure people enjoy their experience here at the golf course. I spend the majority of my time and effort in making sure this happens,” he said.

“Nothing makes me more happy than seeing someone leave the course happy. In teaching, I get satisfaction from seeing a player achieve something they were not able to do before they got there. My job is not to fill their head with all the things I know about the golf swing, it is to give them the confidence to go out and be capable of hitting a quality golf shot, no matter their ability.”

And as he has pushed further into the depths of golf — a day to learn, a lifetime to master — Bowles looks at the game as

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something that has shaped him into the person he is today, on and off the course.

“The game of golf has helped me be more humble in my competitive spirit. I’ve learned that it will not always go my way out there on the course, and in knowing this is true, I have gained more ways to teach this to other golfers,” he said. “Working in the service industry, which is what I love, has helped me in my normal dealings of daily life. Everywhere I go, I try to remember how I felt being the one behind the counter and how that person has to deal with so many different personalities.”

When Bowles approaches that first tee box on a course, he makes sure to put his competitive nature in check, where all that goes through his head is the notion that a calm nature and thought process can result in the ideal shot.

“In golf, you have to be calm and collected to be able to perform. Any emotion can find itself present in a daily golf game from joy, anger, confusion, or doubt,” he said. “So, when I step on the first tee, I try to remember to take it one shot at a time. The Achilles heel of most golfers is pride. They all too often try to play above their ability. I teach my students to slow down and think — be present in the current shot and don’t worry about what your playing competitor is doing, worry about yourself.” n

BY THE NUMBERS APPLE VALLEY Designed by Dan Maples and opened in 1986, it has been dubbed one of the most beautiful mountain courses around

by Golf Digest’s “Places to Play.” The course measures 6,756 yards from the championship tees, has a slope rating of 140 and a 73.2 USGA rating.

BALD MOUNTAIN Designed by William B. Lewis and built in 1968. This challenging course is complemented by gorgeous mountain views and the towering rock faced cliffs it was named for. It receives high marks from Golf Digest’s readers. The course measures 6,283 yards, has a course rating of 70.9 and a slope rating of 128.

rumblingbald.com

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820 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804 800-277-2511 Toll free 828-251-1800

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Asheville

Altitude With Attitude

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W

ith a population of 88,000 and growing, Asheville is the largest city in Western North Carolina and serves as the area’s economic and cultural nerve center in many ways.

Billed as a place where “altitude affects attitude,” Asheville is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and is just a short car ride to the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s been renowned as a place to retreat and take in natural wonders since the 1800s.

Over the last decade, its once-dormant downtown has exploded with commerce and entertainment that is second to none in the Southeast.

With a theme of “cosmopolitan country,” the culinary scene is bursting at the seams in and around the city.

The Daily Meal ranked Asheville “The #1 Locavore City in America” (food that comes from within a 100-mile radius), while The Huffington Post named it one of the “Cities You Need To Visit.”

As far back as 2007, Asheville started getting noticed.

It topped the Relocate-America.com list of the 100 best places to live that year, while U.S. News & World Report named it one of “America’s best affordable places to retire” for 2009. And in an August 2011 report, Good Morning America pegged Asheville as one of the “10 most beautiful places in America.”

There are nearly two dozen craft breweries in Buncombe County, with their delicious output lauded by beer enthusiasts. In 2009, Imbibe magazine’s readers voted Asheville the “best craft beer city in America,” and from 2010-2012, Asheville has won a national online poll for the coveted title of “Beer City USA.” In 2014, the city was named one of the “Top Ten Foliage Destinations” in the United States by USA TODAY, ranked one of the “Best Places to Live” by Livability.com and one of the “Smartest Cities in America” by Forbes.

It was also recognized by National Geographic on their list of the “World’s Best Cities,” who described the location as “a mecca of awesome mountain scenery, bohemian art and southern cuisine.”

These days, Asheville is firming up its reputation as a culinary center with a sizable and rapidly evolving food scene. They city has some 250 independent restaurants and 12 farmers markets. Livibility.com named it one of the country’s top-10 “surprisingly vibrant food cities,” and the Huffington Post listed it among the top “undiscovered local food cities.” The best of the city’s culinary offerings is celebrated at

Asheville is known as the “Paris of the South.”

MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

events like the Asheville Wine & Food Festival, an annual weeklong event featuring cuisine and spirits from dozens of area eateries, wineries and breweries.

Outdoors enthusiasts find no shortage of activities in Asheville, whether it’s hiking, biking and climbing, paddling and fishing on the French Broad River and local lakes, careening through the trees on a zip line, or golfing at one of the area’s renowned courses. Asheville is such an outdoors destination that a few years ago Outside magazine named it “Best Southern Town” for outdoor adventures. And of course, no survey of Asheville’s outdoor offerings would be complete without a mention of the area’s stunning leaf season.

TripAdvisor.com recently named the city the best place in the nation to view fall foliage.

Amid this renowned city are six distinct areas — Downtown, Biltmore Village, Biltmore Park, North Asheville, River Arts District and West Asheville — each as unique as the people, places and things that inhabit them.

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Asheville

Downtown

T

he heart of the city, downtown Asheville is a cultural mecca. For several years Asheville was voted the “top small-city arts destination” in the country, just one of many labels this vibrant, evolving district has been tagged with.

Downtown is full of galleries and shops displaying all manners of art, from traditional mountain crafts to more modern creations.

The Asheville Art Museum, which has helped anchor the arts scene for decades, recently announced major expansion plans. The Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center hosts exhibits, talks and workshops that celebrate the legacy of the college, a noted avant-garde institution from 1933-1957.

The performing arts also flourish in Asheville, with dozens of venues hosting live music, readings, theatre and comedy on a nightly basis.

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GARRET K. WOODWARD PHOTO (ABOVE) • MARGARET HESTER PHOTOS (ABOVE AND TOP)

305A Airport Rd. • Arden, NC 828.687.8770 www.novakitchen.com

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MAX COOPER PHOTO

Within this renowned city are six distinct areas — Downtown, Biltmore Village, Biltmore Park, North Asheville, River Arts District and West Asheville — each as unique as the people, places and things that inhabit them.

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The U.S Cellular Center is the largest, with both a 7,600seat arena and the 2,400-seat Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.

The center hosts everything from performances by the Asheville Symphony Orchestra to roller derby bouts starring the Blue Ridge Rollergirls. More intimate performances take place at the Diana Wortham Theatre, a 500-seat venue that is part of a downtown cultural and educational center, Pack Place, and the recently opened Altamont Theatre, a 120seat performance spot that boasts some of the best acoustics in the area.

The Orange Peel, a renovated 1970s-era music club, draws national acts on a nightly basis and was recently named one of the best rock venues in America by Rolling Stone. And on just about any given night, innumerable bars, breweries, clubs and restaurants around the city feature live music of various genres.

There’s also a burgeoning comedy scene, with both amateur and professional stand-up comics performing several times a weeks on various stages. The annual Laugh Your Asheville Off, held in in July, is the biggest comedy festival in the southeast.

Some of the area’s biggest art events take place in Asheville. In July and October, the U.S. Cellular Center is home to the four-day Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, which has taken place for more than 60 years. At the event, more than 200 local and regional craftspeople fill the center, offering their creations of clay, fiber, glass, leather, metal, mixed media, natural materials, paper, wood and jewelry. A newer event, The Big Crafty, has exploded in popularity in recent years. Held in July and December at Pack Place, it’s a kind of community bazaar, with quirky handmade crafts, local food and beer, and live music.

DESIGNER CLOTHING

The annual Mountain Sports Festival hosts an array of outdoor gear demonstrations, live music and craft beer each Memorial Day weekend in nearby Carrier Park. For those who find large-scale festivals too big for their liking, there’s a smaller, but still-vibrant event in September: the Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival — a family-friendly celebrating the funkier side of Asheville’s underground arts and music.

Of course, traditional music also gets its due. On Saturday nights throughout the summer, thousands of mountain-music fans gather for the Shindig on the Green. The outdoor event was founded back in 1930, as the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, by legendary Appalachian song collector and folk historian Bascom Lamar Lunsford. It’s still one of the best ways to take in mountain music and dance performed by the young, old and everyone in between.

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Asheville also has a vibrant literary culture that springs from deep roots. The great American novelist Thomas Wolfe was born and raised here, and other noted writers of his era, including O. Henry and F. Scott Fitzgerald, did some of their best work while staying in Asheville.

The Thomas Wolfe Memorial, a state historic site in Wolfe’s restored childhood home, hosts tours, readings and other events to celebrate his rich body of literature.

The city has recently emerged as a center of local, specialized food production, thanks in part to Blue Ridge Food Ventures, an 11,000-square-foot kitchen that’s part of Asheville-Buncombe Technical College, which is home to a renowned culinary-education program.

With its cooking and food storage capacity, along with classes and marketing assistance, BRFV has helped scores of food entrepreneurs find a recipe for success.

The sky’s the limit for activities and opportunity in downtown Asheville. Food to festivals, crafts to craft beer, music to mountains — it’s all here, ready for the taking.

FINE ART + CRAFT

The birthplace of novelist Thomas Wolfe, now a state historic site.

Blue Spiral 1 presents contemporary Southeastern fine art and craft through 30 annual exhibitions in a stunning three-level, 15,000 sq. ft. setting.

The gallery features the work of over 100 artists.

View all exhibitions at BlueSpiral1.com DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE 38 Biltmore Avenue 828.251.0202 Mon-Sat 11- 6 • Sun 12-5 www.BlueSpiral1.com

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Asheville

MAX COOPER PHOTO

GET ON THE BUS:

LAZOOM

You have to wave. You just have to.

Strolling the streets of downtown Asheville, one will soon hear a commotion in the distance. Yelling. Laughter. Soon, a large purple bus rounds the corner. Arms sticking out of every window, endless hands waving in your direction. Before you know it, everyone around you on the sidewalk is reciprocating the motions. And just as soon as it came into your vision, the LaZoom bus is gone — around another corner, onward to entertain more unsuspecting folks.

“You see the bus go by,” said Kelly Molony, sales and human resources manager for LaZoom. “And once you ride the bus, you understand why everyone waves at it. You just can’t help it — it’s like you’re in a parade.”

For the last 10 years, the LaZoom comedy bus tours have become an iconic sight in Asheville. Featuring sketch comedy — on and off the bus — all while patrons can enjoy wine and beer (BYOB), the company continues to meander around the city, all in hopes of putting smiles on the faces of locals and visitors alike.

“We’re a city tour with a twist, where we try to provide a different experience than what you might expect with a tourist bus in other cities,” Molony said. “Your tour guide is dressed up in character, telling jokes while educating you about the city, and you run into other costumed characters on the street as you ride through town.”

LaZoom was created by Jim and Jen Lauzon, who were street performers that moved to Asheville from New Orleans. They wanted to try and start something completely different from anything else in Asheville, a city that prides itself in being open and supportive to any idea that is planted and cultivated with passion and zest.

“It’s a rolling circus,” Molony said. “A lot of people might think we’re just a party bus, and to an extent we are, but the core of

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LaZoom is that we’re a traveling theatre — the ‘party’ is the cherry on top of the performances.”

The company began with Jen in character on the bus, Jim on the street performing, and a driver. Nowadays, they employ upwards of 20 people, with the scripts and sketches always evolving.

Alongside their daily tours, there are also craft brewery treks (which includes a live band on the bus), haunted rides, and also an excursion for kids on Saturday mornings.

“The core of LaZoom is that we’re a traveling theatre — the ‘party’ is the cherry on top of the performances.”

— Kelly Molony, LaZoom

“It’s a very familial environment to work in, one where I get to wrangle in all these crazy and wild actors, all these characters and personalities,” Molony chuckled. “And that plays into Asheville as a whole, which is this community of people following their dreams.”

With memorable characters like “The Nuns,” “Anita Valium,” “Hellena Handbasket” and “Earlene Hooch,” the group consists of seasoned actors who immerse themselves in their characters while the busses roll through downtown. It’s as much about comedic chaos as it is simply enjoying the essence of Asheville.

“There’s this whole ‘Keep Asheville Weird’ concept, and I think we provide that experience,” Molony said. “Asheville is this quirky, hip and interesting artist town, and people who come here to live or visit really embrace this culture.” n lazoomtours.com

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Asheville

Biltmore Village

Biltmore Village is made up of streets lined with high-end boutiques, fine dining and one-of-a-kind galleries. Right: the famed Biltmore House. MARGARET HESTER PHOTO • THE BILTMORE COMPANY PHOTO

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ne of the most unique shopping experiences in the South, Biltmore Village is home to high-end boutiques, open-aired restaurants, locally owned retailers and other points of commercial and residential interest. Built as a community entrance for the renowned Biltmore Estate, the village is filled with tree-lined streets, historic homes and majestic architecture.

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Nearby is the Biltmore Estate, site of the Biltmore Mansion, one of the largest private residences ever built.

Completed in 1895, today the 250-room, French renaissance-style house and the 8,000-acre grounds are open to guests for tours, dinners, concerts and outdoor activities. The gardens, stables, restaurants, winery and hotels all help make this North Carolina’s top tourism destination, with more than a million people now visiting each year. The estate’s Biltmore Winery is also one of the largest in the Southeast, and features both tours of the vineyards and an expansive tasting room.

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Asheville A DAY TO LEARN, A LIFETIME TO MASTER:

CURTIS WRIGHT OUTFITTERS It’s all about that “Zen” moment.

“For me, it’s the peace and quiet of it,” said Jeff Curtis. “It’s so consuming. When I’m fly fishing, I’m not thinking about anything else. You become so absorbed with it that you forget about everything else — work, daily life, stress.”

A lifelong fly fisherman, Curtis is the founder/owner of Curtis Wright Outfitters, which has locations in Asheville at Biltmore Village and also on Main Street in Weaverville.

“In Western North Carolina, we have such an incredibly beautiful backyard to play in,” he said. “There are so many opportunities — fly fishing, hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing, it’s all here.”

Born in Ohio, but raised in Florida, Curtis first came to Western North Carolina as a teenager, staying with his family at a summer home. His father befriended a ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway, who also had a son close the same age as Curtis.

“It was this small creek, and I can still remember it clearly,” Curtis said. “Learning how to cast and trying to catch that rainbow trout.”

“Whether you catch something or not, you’re standing in a creek, in the mountains, away from it all — what more do you want?”

— Jeff Curtis, Curtis Wright Outfitters

For the better part of the last 30 years, Curtis has called Western North Carolina home. It’s a place that is not only close to his heart, it’s also the ideal platform to let his dreams blossom and grow.

“I like that we’re a local business and not a chain. It can be hard to be the little guy, especially when you have these big conglomerate outdoor stores,” Curtis said. “But, we’ve always focused on what we need to do better, and how to cherish those relationships with our long-time and first-time customers. We worry only about our four walls and how to have smart growth.”

Amid the fly fishing meccas of the United States — Jackson Hole, Lake Placid, Missoula — Asheville has remained a beacon of the sport and of enthusiasts in Western North Carolina and greater Southern Appalachia.

“People might try to argue we don’t have fishing like they have out west,” Curtis said. “But, out west, they don’t have what we have out here, which is warm water and cold water species, and yearround fishing — it’s wonderful.”

Curtis noted the unique and important traits of why and how fly fishing has become such a resource and sought-after outdoor recreational activity in these parts.

“It’s the delayed harvest and the hatchery support, which are some of the most successful programs of their kind out there,” he said. “It’s the wild waters and the solitude of the rivers, where you

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Western North Carolina is home to some of the finest fly fishing in the country. JACKSON COUNTY TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY PHOTO

won’t see another person all day long as you’re rock hopping up these riverbanks and creeks.”

Though Curtis has been a fly fisherman for the majority of his life, he emphasizes the idea that the sport itself takes “a day to learn, a lifetime to master.”

“Fly fishing isn’t as complicated as we fly fisherman like to make you think it is. There’s no secret handshake — it’s fishing, it is just fishing,” he smiled. “And the great thing about it is that trout don’t live in ugly places. What we do here is try to take the complication out of it. So, take it a step at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the stuff we have here in the store. Go enjoy the beautiful places.

Whether you catch something or not, you’re standing in a creek, in the mountains, away from it all — what more do you want?” n curtiswrightoutfitters.com

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Asheville

Biltmore Park

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“fresh re-imagining of the Main Streets of the past, made to meet today’s standards of smart growth, green living and reduced driving,” Biltmore Park is just minutes from downtown Asheville. Between an array of apartment, condo, townhouse and residential home options, the strength lies in the vibrant commercial/urban core of the community, which extends outwards into neighborhoods as unique as the people who inhabit them.

Biltmore Park is a modern take on an upscale small town, with shops, restaurants and other amenities. MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

ALL WRAPPED UP:

NEO BURRITO It’s about sustainability, delicious sustainability.

“Food is what brings people together. It should always be celebrated and made special through delicious food and impeccable customer service. I want customers to not only feel at home in a pleasant atmosphere, but also know that they are contributing to the betterment of the environment,” said Walter Godfrey. “When a patron compliments our food and mission of sustainability, it’s a homerun for us. My goal is for customers to enjoy our food while embracing our efforts towards healthy living and environmental awareness.”

As head of operations for Neo Burrito, Godfrey and the company stand at the crossroads of the farm-to-table movement, a growing scene and tightly held sentiment that permeates the culture of Asheville and greater Western North Carolina.

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At the center of the town are numerous restaurants, cafes, spas, health clubs, boutiques and gathering spots.

Consumers and residents alike enjoy catching a flick at the Regal Biltmore Grande Stadium 15 & RPX movie theater or perusing retailers like REI, LOFT and Barnes & Noble. Amid these stores are plenty of local, independent businesses and world-class merchants.

“My goal is for customers to enjoy our food while embracing our efforts towards healthy living and environmental awareness.”

— Walter Godfrey, Neo Burrito

“Our motto has always been, ‘Making the world a better place one burrito at a time.’ We do our best to provide fresh ingredients to customers by utilizing local farms around the area, and also our own farm,” Godfrey said. “I strongly advocate the growing demand for ‘farm-to-table’ restaurants and feel that the market has shifted

Asheville

Another delicious, sustainably-created meal at Neo Burrito. NEO BURRITO PHOTO

towards this concept. Neo Burrito was a pioneer in the Asheville culinary scene with the idea of utilizing locally sourced food and being environmentally conscious. More restaurants have already adopted the local ingredients motto, but I foresee many places also embracing a shift towards sustainability as we’ve already done.”

With three popular locations around the city, Neo Burrito aims to be at the forefront of what it means to be a positive influence on Asheville, as it has become a well-known beacon for green and sustainable businesses.

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“Our mission is to provide an example of sustainability for others to follow in order to maximize the impact on the environment. In order to achieve this, we constantly reach out in the community to partner with businesses, friends and clients, and form long-lasting relationships,” Godfrey said. “The goal is to not only provide a quality product, but also reduce the amount of waste in terms of electricity, water and food. Our Biltmore Park location has solar panels that decrease our electricity usage and tanks that collect rainwater for use in toilets. We compost food from each store and take it to our farm where it is reused as soil and feed. The cars and trucks in our fleet are fueled by vegetable oil that is taken from the stores and processed through our filtration system.”

Originally from nearby Arden, and having lived in Asheville most of his life, Godfrey has seen the city change from a once-forgotten business town to a sprawling metropolis, one of craft beer, culinary and creative innovation, all cradled by the ancient mountains of Western North Carolina.

“Asheville provides a big-city feel in terms of the diverse backgrounds and cultures of people living here, but it has a small-town vibe because of the focus on local businesses and building an integrated community,” he said. “I love being able to go to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a quick drive during the day or a weekend hike or mountain biking excursion. Western North Carolina is blessed with a gorgeous landscape of mountains, waterfalls, cities, suburban areas and farms.

There is something here for people of all ages, and that’s why it has become such a popular tourist spot and place to live.”

And with Neo Burrito’s ever-evolving and green-minded business practices, Godfrey looks at his continuing experience within the culinary industry as something not only worthwhile, but also genuinely meaningful.

“The culinary industry is a great environment but is full of stress, turnover and changes. Most of all, this field has taught me to adapt and ensure that patrons are happy, while also staying true to our concept,” he said. “Today’s society is fast-paced, and sometimes it’s a struggle to keep up with the ‘next best thing.’

Over time, however, I’ve learned that consistency is key not only in a workplace environment, but also on a personal level when things are constantly shifting. Yes, it’s important that things don’t become stale or common, but confidence in a product or idea is what fuels the motivation to succeed.” neoburrito.com

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Asheville

West Asheville Q

uite possibly the fastest growing area in the city, West Asheville has become home to numerous small businesses. From cafés and breakfast nooks (West End Bakery, Biscuithead, Sunny Point Café) to restaurants (Nine Mile, The Admiral, West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen), music venues (The Mothlight, Isis Music Hall, The Odditorium) to breweries (UpCountry, Oyster House), and everything in between, the area offers a warm welcome to the possibilities of niche commerce. The section is known for its “neighborhood friendly” image, where you’ll see just as many baby-strollers and joggers moseying down the sidewalks as patrons heading toward a concert or lunch date.

Haywood Road is the main artery of business and entertainment in West Asheville. MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

MAKING DREAMS A REALITY:

WISHBONE TINY HOMES Tiny homes come true.

That’s the motto of Teal Brown, co-owner and builder at Wishbone Tiny Homes based in West Asheville.

“A lot of people dream about having a tiny home,” he said. “And we’re making these dreams possible.”

And in recent years, the small structures have become popular in the city and greater Western North Carolina.

“For one thing, the mentality of a tiny home really fits in this area, and that’s because a lot of people here believe ‘less is more,’” Brown said. “Another component, which I think is the real driver, is that people are looking for more affordable options, whether they’re wanting a primary or second home.”

With an increasing interest in folks relocating to Asheville and surrounding towns, there a great need for open lots, atop a redhot real estate market in the existing home markets. According to Brown, with a median home in Asheville hovering around

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Tiny homes are a popular option in Asheville.

Welcome to our neighborhood by the lake.

ith more than 1,000 acres encompassed by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Biltmore Lake provides a picturesque backdrop and an outdoor playground for residents. The master-planned community is centered around a shimmering 62-acre lake and offers an array of living options that are seamlessly connected by way of streets, sidewalks, trails, and common areas. While each neighborhood offers a unique perspective, they all maintain the same idyllic mountain character that embodies life at Biltmore Lake. With miles of well-kept trails, campsites, playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts, and opportunities to enjoy fishing and non-motorized boating, community life at Biltmore Lake is a celebration of friends and place.

The Biltmore Farms Homes Cottage Collection The Cottages at Biltmore Lake begin in the $400s and range from 1,300 to 4,400 s.f.

®

Learn more about the Cottage Collection by visiting BiltmoreLakeCottages.com.

Want to discover Asheville’s premier lakeside community? Visit the Biltmore Lake Sales Center at 80 Lake Drive, Candler, NC. BiltmoreLake.com

828-209-LAKE(5253)

Biltmore Lake is marketed exclusively by Beverly-Hanks and Associates, Asheville, NC. This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to residents of CT, HI, ID, IL, NY, NJ, OR, PA, and SC or in any jurisdiction where prohibited by law. No offering can be made to residents of New York until an offering plan is filed with the Department of Law of the State of New York. All prices and plans are subject to change without prior notice. ©2017 Biltmore Farms, LLC.

Asheville Wishbone Tiny Homes aims to build sustainable structures and also sustainable relationships with local nonprofits.

$235,000, a turnkey tiny home can run around $150,000.

“You see more people, and more of the workforce, building tiny homes behind existing homes or on small lots because it’s more cost effective,” he said. “With a tiny home, there’s a significant savings on the front end, all as you’re able to still capture the functionality of a regular-sized home. These tiny homes are also built very efficient, which means energy costs are very low, as they’re easy to heat and cool.”

In recent decades, Western North Carolina has become a destination for retirees and second homeowners. But, as the popularity of the region has skyrocketed, so has the growing demographic of young families looking to also plant roots in Southern Appalachia.

“People are looking for an affordable second home that’s easy to maintain when they’re not there,” Brown said. “And there’s this ‘across the spectrum’ growth in tiny homes for all the housing needs here.”

Originally from Asheville, Brown was raised in the building industry, working alongside his father who also found himself in the trade. When he was in high school, Brown took carpentry and cabinet making courses, something he continued to hone and dig deeper into as he entered adulthood.

“I guess you could say building is in my blood,” Brown smiled.

Initially, Brown pursued a successful career as a musician. But, he soon returned to building, which offered him the best of both worlds — artistic creativity and financial stability.

“Building has a little more structure, and yet still allows me to create,” Brown said. “Doing tiny homes requires a lot of creative problem solving, and I really enjoy solving the space and energy solutions.”

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“With a tiny home, there’s a significant savings on the front end, all as you’re able to still capture the functionality of a regular-sized home.”

— Teal Brown, Wishbone Tiny Homes When meeting with a client, Brown taps into Wishbone’s keen sense of tailored service, especially it terms of tiny homes that bring about the essence of a person, couple or family.

“These homes are very personal is a lot of ways,” he said. “They distill down what people want and need in their lives to such a small scale. You really get to know people, their personal lives.

And as a builder, you have to offer the sensibility and patience to want to understand people at that level.”

And as the spotlight brightens on Western North Carolina, Brown himself enjoys the shifting physical and societal landscape.

“I love these mountains,” he said. “I’ve traveled quite a bit, and there are a lot of nice places, but what Western North Carolina has is very unique and serene, with such a beautiful vibe. Even though I grew up here, it feels like a new city every year. There are so many new and interesting people coming in who are adding great energy and ideas to Asheville.” wishbonetinyhomes.com

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Asheville

River Arts District

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rising jewel of the Southern Appalachian arts scene is the River Arts District, an everexpanding complex of studios and galleries near the French Broad River that’s also becoming one of Asheville’s culinary and entertainment hubs.

The River Arts District is the creative heartbeat of Asheville.

The Grey Eagle, a nationally-renowned music venue in the RAD, brings in top talents from around the region and across the country, and has bubbled up to become one of the acclaimed spots in the Southeast for live entertainment. Brewing some of the finest craft beer in the region, The Wedge is tucked behind the dozens of artists showcased in the Wedge Studios, all within an earshot of numerous restaurants (White Duck Taco, The Bull & Beggar, All Souls Pizza) and performance spaces (Magnetic Theatre, The Bywater) that dot the RAD. Coming into 2016, the centerpiece business became New Belgium Brewing Company, one of the largest craft beer companies in the country (based out of Fort Collins, Colorado), who recently opened their $140-million east coast production facility in the heart of the RAD.

MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

FROM THE HEART, THROUGH THE FINGERS:

COVER ARTIST OLGA DORENKO

C

rossing the railroad tracks in the River Arts District, a large brick building looms high over Lyman Street. As the artistic haven of Asheville, the RAD is home to hundreds of artisans, each as unique as the next, all with a wild and wonderful story of how they ended up in Western North Carolina.

But, for Olga Dorenko, her journey — physically and emotionally — is a little longer than what one might come across in the RAD. Entering the brick building, known as the Warehouse Studios, Dorenko sits behind her desk, her signature smile and laugh echoing throughout the second floor of the structure, which is home to several other artists.

“I just love people,” she said. “And for me that’s a big plus, because lots of artists like to create, but they’re shy and they hide.

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“People ask me what inspires me, and I say life — how I feel, what I do everyday, sometimes it’s just whatever I’m seeing.

I have my view. I’m a painter and I can express myself. Not everybody can express themselves.”

— Olga Dorenko Even if my English isn’t perfect, I love meeting people and talking with them.”

With her thick Russian accent, Dorenko has become a beloved fixture in the RAD. A lifelong painter, her work is an explosion of color that provides the observer with a sense of warmth and clarity, a sort of dreamlike state when viewing her swirling landscapes and devil-may-care scenes of Americana.

“People will say to me, ‘Your pieces are happy,’ and I’ll say, ‘Yes, because I am a happy person,’” Dorenko said.

BENBOW & ASSOCIATES FINE CABINETRY

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INTERIOR DESIGN

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Asheville

Finding an early passion for painting as a child, Dorenko entered art school in the former Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.). Her parents always encouraged her creativity, even if what she wanted to do didn’t fit the mold of the Communist nation.

“It was very hard in the Soviet Union. This was at a time when everyone was the same, and everyone did the same thing,” Dorenko said. “It was the same ole, same ole. Even if you went to art school, the teachers would still say you were doing something wrong because you didn’t fit into their formula.”

But Dorenko’s creative spirit never wavered. Though her father was in the military, he also was a musician, while her mother, a teacher, also dabbled in the arts. And just when all seemed to be against Dorenko, she found artistic strength from her mother’s words of wisdom.

“She always told me ‘to be different,’” Dorenko said. “I owe a lot of who I am and what I became to her and how she would tell me that all the time.”

Following art school, Dorenko got married and had a son. But, eventually, she had aspirations to head for America in search of her dream as an artist. With green card in hand, she and her 12year-old son immigrated to the United States in 1998.

“I was very excited to come to America, but it was difficult when I arrived,” she said. “Coming to America was like landing on the moon, but you don’t know how to live on the moon.”

Finding herself in Winston-Salem, Dorenko found work on commission, painting murals and doing odd jobs. For her, any work was bountiful work, especially if it put food on the table.

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“I painted a lot of Old Salem — it helped me and my son survive,” she modestly said.

Soon, she entered local arts shows. And during one the events, she met the man would eventually become her husband, an artist from Illinois. By 2004, they packed up and headed for Asheville.

“I love the people and the culture here, the beautiful mountains and the soft weather, especially after living in Siberia for several years — I’m allergic to the cold now,” Dorenko chuckled.

Being part of the extensive community of artists in the RAD is something Dorenko doesn’t take for granted. Rather, it throws more logs onto the fire of her creative intent and vision, something each artist in the RAD harnesses and radiates back into the world.

“There’s all this energy between the artists,” Dorenko said.

“Everything pops here like popcorn when you meet other artists and see their work.”

Standing next to Dorenko in her studio, she truly makes you feel at home, welcomed with such a sincere sense of kindness and zest for life, you feel like a magnet to her whimsical work.

“People ask me what inspires me, and I say life — how I feel, what I do everyday, sometimes it’s just whatever I’m seeing. I have my view. I’m a painter and I can express myself, not everybody can express themselves,” she said. “And maybe you can see the train differently or a tree differently. I’m lucky as a painter, I just pick up the brushes and it just comes out of my mind and my fingertips.

It’s not just about selling a painting, you can feel like your time on this planet isn’t wasted because you’re doing something that people enjoy.” olgadorenko.com

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Asheville

North Asheville

W

ith a large focus being placed on the rest of the city, North Asheville has been working behind the scenes, creating a steady stream of new, small business and eccentric development. Once overlooked, it is rapidly becoming a hot spot for retail and commercial businesses looking to stake out their own piece of land to pursue and cultivate their dreams.

Science and education also loom large in the North Asheville community. The University of North Carolina at Asheville’s 3,600 students participate in such projects as the local hub of the statewide Renaissance Computing Institute, or RENCI. RENCI’s mission is to “bring the latest cyber tools and technologies to bear on pressing problems.”

The North Asheville Tailgate Market offers local produce and artisan crafts. MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

TASTE THE LOVE:

LUELLA’S BAR-B-QUE

I

t’s 11 a.m. when they open the doors at Luella’s in North Asheville. The long shotgun style “drive-in” parking lot is empty, very quiet and unassuming from any passerby motorists on the busy Merrimon Avenue. But, by 11:15 a.m. there isn’t a spot available. Eager patrons might have to spend a few extra minutes tracking down a place on a nearby side street to ditch their car before their hunger gets the best of them.

“My passion is making people feel great from the moment they enter the door,” said owner and pit master Jeff Miller. “Any emotional qualities we can put into our cooking and ingredients will come out in the flavor.”

Opened just under a decade ago, the company specializes in North Carolina style barbecue (vinegar based sauce, with a dash of honey, garlic and tomatoes), Texas style brisket, a St. Louis dry

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Jeff Miller.

MIKE BELLEME PHOTO

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Asheville

MIKE BELLEME PHOTO

rub for the smoked turkey breast, and their signature New Orleans/Creole andouille sauce.

And it’s that wide spectrum of influences from around the country that’s at the heart of Luella’s, a culmination of Miller’s travels and unrelenting curiosity as to just what that place around that corner, and in that town on the horizon, might offer that can’t be found anywhere else.

“Food has been a passion of mine since I came out of college,” Miller said. “I moved around the country, always in search for great cuisine, great ingredients and flavor.”

Hailing from rural Iowa, Miller remembers his earliest interactions with “good, down home cooking” at his grandparents’ house, where there was a robust garden tended to by his grandmother, and also the usual mushroom foraging alongside his grandfather.

“My grandparents put real food on the table in the 1970s, in an era when processed foods and TV dinners were at a fever pitch,” Miller said. “And being around my grandparents, that set the tone for my life. It showed me that this is the way we’ve grown food and eaten for centuries, this is the way you should eat — you can taste difference with real food.”

Following college at the University of Iowa, Miller bounced around America, from California to Colorado, ultimately landing in North Carolina when he set down roots in Chapel Hill, working in chef-owned restaurants, and also immersing himself in the local food scene.

“Growing up in the Midwest, I wasn’t into barbecue. It was sweet and sticky sauce, where I thought barbecue was K.C. Masterpiece,” Miller laughed. “But, then I moved to North Carolina, and my co-workers and I would hit the road in search of barbecue on our days off.”

It was tracking down those back alley, back woods and off-thebeaten path barbecue joints that really exposed Miller to the possibility — and true beauty — of a food that defines areas of the Southeast as much as it does with college football/basketball and blues/bluegrass music.

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“Barbecue became a passion of mine from that point on,” he said. “Food really represents the people and culture of a region, and barbecue does that on so many levels.”

Having traveled to Asheville numerous times while in Chapel Hill, Miller set his sights on the Western North Carolina city when he returned from the west once again in the early 2000s.

“I just fell in love with the vibe of the people and the mountains here in Asheville — this is a community of strong and supportive people,” he said. “This is a fabulous place to raise children. And it doesn’t matter your age, there are just so many fun things to do, with outdoor recreation, the craft beer and live music scene.”

Looking around at the growing culinary reputation of Asheville, it doesn’t surprise Miller that the city has become a “foodie mecca” for the Southeast — Jeff Miller, Luella’s Bar-B-Que and beyond.

“The food scene has changed dramatically here, and I think the quality of food and the dining experience in this city has shifted greatly,” he said. “There’s always been a lot of variety and creativity in the Asheville food scene, but I feel that every place is hitting those standards found in other great food cities. More and more people are moving here and visiting here, and the expectations have been raised — and we’re meeting and exceeding those expectations.”

Coming into their 10th year as a beloved culinary and cultural icon of Asheville and the great barbecue communities of Southern Appalachia, Luella’s remains a steadfast and compassionate establishment.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years already,” Miller smiled.

“The easiest thing to do is open a restaurant, but the hardest thing is to keep that restaurant open 5 years, let alone 10 years. We’re still competitive and we’re still relevant, and that comes from our employees and how we’ve always evolved for the better.” n

“Any emotional qualities we can put into our cooking and ingredients will come out in the flavor.”

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Locales

Arden & Mills River

BUNCOMBE COUNTY

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n Arden and Mills River, there’s lots of room to roam — and you don’t have to go far to experience some of the finest facets of mountain life.

only for distributing strategies, but also for an unparalleled quality of life for their employees.

Another nearby community, Skyland, is home to scores of additional eateries and shops and more recreation facilities. The county-run Zeugner Center has a heated indoor pool, measuring 35-by-75 feet, that hosts water exercise classes and open swim times for the public.

Another county-run facility, Lake Julian Park, is popular among local families. The 300-acre lake and surrounding park offers picnicking spots, boating, fishing and a playground. The lake has an abundance of fish, including bass, brim, catfish, crappie and tilapia. Anglers can fish from the shore and, for a small fee, from

Arden is an unincorporated community in south Buncombe County. It’s a quick jump off of Interstate 26, with Asheville 15 minutes to the north and Hendersonville 15 minutes to the south.

It’s just a few miles from the Asheville Regional Airport and right next door to some of the best spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The community is bordered to the east by the French Broad River and just down the road from the North Carolina Arboretum. An extraordinary public garden that adjoins the Parkway, the 434-acre Arboretum has 65 acres of cultivated gardens and 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, hosts one of the most unique bonsai collections in the country, and stages a steady stream of exhibits on subjects ranging from mountain quilts to rare plants.

Also nearby is Bent Creek Research and Demonstration Forest, a federal facility that’s part of the Pisgah National Forest, and the Lake Powatan Recreational Area, which together offer dozens of mountain trails and lakeside camping sites.

A favorite Arden locale for kids is Jake Rusher Park, a huge public park with playgrounds and a walking area. One of the play areas includes several castlelike structures, so some locals call the Visitors sample beers in the taproom of Sierra Nevada Brewery. VISITNC.COM facility “Castle Park.”

One of Arden’s most impressive historic structures is the Blake House Inn Bed & Breakfast, which was built as a summer retreat in 1847 by the son of a Charleston plantation owner. The house is a rare example of Italianate architecture with Gothic Revival influences. It has been restored and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

In August 2014, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. opened a $100 million, 180-acre facility (with around 150 acres remaining a natural landscape) in Mills River, right next door to the Asheville Regional Airport. As one of the pioneers of the craft beer industry, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has become a leader in their field and privately owned or rented boats. The park also rents paddle boats maker of some of the finest microbrews for the last 35 years. and canoes, and provides free use of a pontoon boat for people Based out of Chico, California, the company hit 1 million barrels with disabilities, senior citizens and student groups. On the shore, for their 2013 production year. With those staggering numbers, there’s a sand volleyball court and horseshoe pits.

The park is open year-round, though the hours vary with the the company felt it was time to open an East Coast headquarters, with Asheville and Western North Carolina their ideal location not seasons. In addition to the regular offerings, Lake Julian is center stage for special annual events, including fireworks displays on July 4, fishing tournaments and the Festival of Lights. n

The 434-acre North Carolina Arboretum has 65 acres of cultivated gardens and 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, and also hosts one of the most unique bonsai collections in the country.

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Locales

Weaverville & Barnardsville

BUNCOMBE COUNTY

MARGARET HESTER PHOTOS

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wo communities in north/central Buncombe County offer laid-back living opportunities a short distance from the hustle and bustle of Asheville.

Weaverville, population 3,900, has had a mini growth spurt in recent years. The town is situated in the Reems Creek Valley, adjacent to Interstate 26 and just five miles north of Asheville, where many Weaverville residents work.

The town has its own economic base, with local favorites on Main Street like Blue Mountain Pizza & Brew Pub, Well-Bred Bakery & Café, The Glass Onion, Main Street Grill, Twisted Laurel, and Mangum Pottery Studio & Gallery, amongst other beloved businesses.

Weaverville has earned a reputation for keeping its neighborhoods clean and green. It’s garnered the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA certification every year since 1990, and in 2009 the foundation named it the top “Tree City” in the state.

The town maintains Lake Louise Park, a hub of local recreation.

The small lake is surrounded by picnic tables and shelters, outdoor

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grills, a playground and a walking trail, making it a perfect spot for family and community events, exercise and romantic strolls.

From Weaverville, it’s just a 15-minute drive to the scenic roads and trails of the Blue Ridge Parkway. And the town is home to Reems Creek Golf Course, a semi-private course designed in part

by Hawtree & Sons, British architects who specialize in crafting classic Scottish-style links.

Weaverville prides itself on a tradition of neighborliness, offering residents ample opportunities to get to know each other, be it in a park, at a local pub or sporting event, or at the Weaverville Downtown Go Around, a casual monthly event that’s one part meet-and-greet, one part walking tour.

A key part of Weaverville’s recent growth has been in its bustling art scene. Local galleries and studios showcase the work of jewelers, painters, potters, glass artists, sculptors and fiber artists.

In September, there’s Art in Autumn, which fills Main Street with arts and crafts. And twice a year, in May and October, there’s the Weaverville Art Safari, a free, self-guided studio tour featuring faceto-face encounters with dozens of area artists and craftspeople.

One of Weaverville’s main attractions is the Vance Birthplace, a state historic site. There you can visit the restored childhood homestead of Zebulon Baird Vance, a storied North Carolina leader who was the state’s Civil War governor and also served in the state legislature and the U.S. Congress. The property, in a serene part of Reems Creek Valley, hosts regular tours, re-

enactments and educational presentations. The Vance home, a five-room log cabin, has been reconstructed around the original chimney and preserved in appropriately rustic, early-19th century style, as have the six original log outbuildings.

Ten miles northeast of Weaverville is the bucolic community of Barnardsville, set amidst rolling hills, pastures and mountain farms. Like Weaverville, it’s home to both folks who enjoy a relaxed environment and a substantial number of professional artists.

Barnardsville was once a town, but the residents decided to go unincorporated in 1970. As it shed its municipal government, it found other ways to build community connections.

A local association coalesced and founded the Big Ivy Community Center, which has evolved into a vibrant hub of activity. The center hosts a swimming pool and provides space for an array of gatherings, events and services, including a pre-school, after-school programs, a community library, a book club, senior lunches, bingo bouts, computer classes, and yoga and zumba sessions. The space is also available for rent, and is used for workshops, reunions, birthday parties, weddings and other special events. Every October, the center hosts Mountain Heritage Day, featuring local cuisine, crafts, music and exhibitions on traditional mountain living.

The center’s grounds are also home to the Big Ivy Historical Park, which is dedicated to preserving local heritage. The

Weaverville prides itself on a tradition of neighborliness, offering residents ample opportunities to get to know each other.

The Vance Birthplace is a state historic site.

centerpiece of the park is the pre-Civil War cabin of Henry Carson, grandson of the community’s founding family, the Dillinghams.

There’s also a replica of a one-room schoolhouse that was built in the 1890s.

Barnardsville is in a part of Buncombe that’s full of farms, so fresh, local food is literally a part of the landscape. There are several community-supported agriculture options, and weekly farmers markets at the Old Barnardsville Fire Station, so residents often buy their produce from their neighbors. n

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Locales

Black Mountain

BUNCOMBE COUNTY

A haven for artists, Black Mountain is also home to the Lake Eden Arts Festival (right). PHOTOS: MARGARET HESTER; THE LEAF

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estled in the Swannanoa Valley, Black Mountain enjoys proximity to nearby mountain vistas, rivers and trails, and has plenty to offer in its own right.

The town of almost 8,000 residents has a vibrant but quaint commercial center and is noted for its cultural and recreational offerings. It’s a community that breathes with a particular kind of mountain energy, embracing both its natural surroundings and its tastefully configured, small-town urban core.

Part of Black Mountain’s vitality can be attributed to its draw as place to gather, consult and worship. Popular retreats and conference centers include the Blue Ridge Assembly, Christmount, The Cove, Ridgecrest, and the Montreat Conference Center. The last of those centers is located in Montreat, a small village

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adjoining Black Mountain that is also home to evangelist Billy Graham and a liberal arts school, Montreat College.

Downtown Black Mountain features a hearty cluster of independent restaurants and bars, gift stores, craft shops and art galleries, and nearly 50 antique dealers. Town Hardware & General Store, on State Street, offers an inventory of 35,000 items and the quintessential old-timey shopping experience.

The town’s historic feel is enhanced at local institutions like the Swannanoa Valley History Museum, located in the former Black Mountain Fire Department building, which was designed by Richard Sharp Smith (project architect for Asheville’s Biltmore

mansion) in 1921. Also downtown is the nicely preserved historic train depot, which is run as a gift shop and event and display space by a crew of volunteers.

To take in one key part of the town’s history — the distinguished run of the avant-garde Black Mountain College, which was located next to Lake Eden from 1933-57 — travel fifteen miles to downtown Asheville and visit the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, which pays homage to the iconoclastic institution with an ongoing roster of exhibits, talks and performances.

Outdoor recreation is one of Black Mountain’s hallmarks.

Nearby fishing holes abound, and just north of town, the 10-acre Lake Tomahawk and its bank-side walkways are a favorite spot for a stroll, fishing off the pier or a non-motorized boat ride. Several local summer camps are some of the oldest in the area.

The Black Mountain Golf Course, which is run by the town, has a special claim to fame: one of its 18 holes is a whopping 747-yard par 6. And just a few miles away is the Cliffs at High Carolina, a wellness-focused high-end community. And the town hosts numerous footraces, bike rides and other athletic contests on a regular basis.

Unique festivals and gatherings take place in Black Mountain throughout the year. The last Saturday morning of each month, for example, Town Square hosts CRUZ-N, a casual gathering of classic car, truck and motorcycle enthusiasts. The Black Mountain Arts and Crafts Show takes place each June, and on a mid-August weekend, the town stages the annual Sourwood Festival, a street fair that brings tens of thousands of visitors for a celebration featuring mountain handicrafts and art, rides, games, traditional foods, music and dancing.

Several local institutions, including Montreat College and nearby Warren Wilson College, offer frequent concerts, theatre

Buckminster Fuller in his geodesic dome at Black Mountain College, 1949. COURTESY OF THE ESTATE OF HAZEL LARSEN ARCHER AND THE BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM + ARTS CENTER

productions and dances. Twice a year, in May and October, the Lake Eden Arts Festival brings together local and national artisans and musical acts. Visitors to LEAF, which often sells out early, can camp on the festival grounds or opt for day passes. n

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Locales

Hendersonville & Flat Rock

HENDERSON COUNTY

Downtown Hendersonville is filled with restaurants and shops.

MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

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endersonville, long known for its historic charms, is blooming into the future. The town, population 13,800, is the largest in Henderson County and is the county seat. In recent years, it has revitalized the local business scene and advanced its reputation as a place that offers something for just about everyone.

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The town’s many tranquil neighborhoods and housing developments all surround a sturdy core — a downtown that’s a unique blend of the past and the present. It’s full of pubs, restaurants, museums, general and specialty stores and other independent businesses, welcoming to pedestrians, bikers and cars all at the same time.

Few downtowns in the area can boast such a concentration of attractions, especially museums. The Henderson County Heritage Museum is housed in the historic old courthouse, built in 1905.

The Mineral and Lapidary Museum on Main Street offers geologic highlights from near and far. Also downtown are Hands On!, a free educational museum for children, and the Historic Hendersonville Train Depot, home of the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club. The club has installed a remarkable scale model railroad that has over 600 feet of track. And just outside of town is the Western North Carolina Air Museum, the first air museum in the state, which features restored and replica antique and vintage airplanes.

Downtown bustles with special events throughout the year. In the summer, the free Monday Night Street Dances take place, bringing traditional mountain music and dancing. Attendees are welcome to tap their toes as spectators or cut a rug on Main Street.

Music on Main Street, a weekly summer concert series on Friday nights, showcases diverse styles of local live music. And again, visitors are free to sit and watch or to join in on the dance area.

The biggest event of the year is the North Carolina Apple Festival, held every Labor Day weekend for more than 60 years. A celebration of the county’s major crop, the festival pays tribute to everything the fruit has to offer, along with other local foods, crafts and entertainment.

Local foods get a boost at the Henderson County Curb Market, a farmers market held downtown three days a week during warmer months and once a week during winter. The market has a true local focus. Vendors must be county natives and all items for sale are required to either be handmade or locally grown.

The arts also make a strong showing in and around Hendersonville, with the Arts Council of Henderson County taking the lead. The council recently launched a performing arts series.

The Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra, which celebrates its 46th anniversary in 2017, stages frequent performances and conducts both music education programs and a youth orchestra.

The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design also makes a major contribution to the local arts scene. Based at a 50-acre facility in Hendersonville, the center is a project run by the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Its programs include craft and design research and publishing, exhibitions, public art projects and conferences that draw artists from across the country.

The town of Hendersonville manages a splendid array of local parks, which are integrated into a comprehensive greenways plan.

BILL RUSS — VISITNC.COM

A celebration of the county’s major crop, the North Carolina Apple Festival pays tribute to everything the fruit has to offer, along with other local foods, crafts and entertainment.

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Locales The Flat Rock Playhouse (also the official State Theatre of North Carolina) draws around 100,000 patrons each year.

SCOTT TREADWAY PHOTO

Berkeley Park presently has a baseball park and a large pavilion, and plans are being advanced to develop a nature trail there. Boyd Park has two tennis courts and a unique municipal park feature: a miniature golf course. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park features picnic tables, a walking path and a granite memorial to King. The park also has a baseball field, a mile-long nature trail and a half-mile walking trail. Lenox Park is another popular picnicking spot, as are Toms Park, which has more than 20 shuffleboard courts, and Sullivan Park, which has basketball courts and a playground. The two-mile-long Oklawaha Greenway Trail passes through several of the parks.

Patton Park is one of the larger facilities. The 19-acre park has two baseball fields, a football and soccer field, basketball, racquetball and tennis courts, pavilions, picnic tables, two gazebos, a playground, a walking trail, an Olympic-size swimming pool and skate park.

When it comes to outdoor recreation, Hendersonville is uniquely situated. It’s close to the Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and several mountain lakes and rivers. Just five miles from downtown is Jump Off Rock, a storied scenic overlook. According to local legend, hundreds of years ago, a Cherokee Indian chief and his sweetheart would meet on the rock, until he was called off to battle. She waited at the rock for him to return, but he was killed in combat, so she leapt to her death. Her ghost, the legend goes, appears on moonlit nights.

Whatever the truth to the story, today the views remain fantastic, and the trails around Jump Off Rock are popular with hikers.

The Holmes Educational State Forest, eight miles from downtown, offers more opportunities to explore nature in a managed forest setting. There’s a series of trails and several picnic areas, all surrounded by hardwood trees, azaleas, rhododendron and wild flowers.

Henderson’s ties to traditional mountain agriculture and culture are on display at Historic Johnson Farm, a former farm and tourist retreat that was established in the late 19th century. The centerpiece of the property is a house built from handmade

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bricks, the home of a wealthy tobacco farmer. Several outbuildings, including a blacksmith shop, barn and cottage, have also been lovingly preserved. In 1987, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and today the 15-acre site is owned and run by the county school system, and provides a unique range of heritage education programs, including field trips, tours, classes on farm animals and guided nature walks. A renovated boarding house is home to the Heritage Weavers & Fiber Artists, a group dedicated to preserving the history of local textile arts.

Another historic Hendersonville treasure is the Mountain Farm & Home Museum, which is dedicated to preserving agricultural and domestic equipment, methods and literature related to rural life in 19th century Western North Carolina. The museum offers a trip back in time, and is packed with such relics as a 16-foot water wheel, a local doctor’s buggy, grain reapers and threshing machines, and antique engines, tractors, butter churns and tools.

The cornerstone of higher education in Henderson County is Blue Ridge Community College, the main campus of which is just south of Hendersonville. The two-year, comprehensive postsecondary school serves more than 15,000 students a year. The college, which recently celebrated its 48th anniversary, offers 100 programs of study and one of the largest continuing education programs in the state. It has placed special emphasis on technical programs in automotive technology, emergency response, law enforcement, nursing, engineering and machining technology.

Hendersonville is neighbored by smaller towns that also have much to offer. Nearby Flat Rock, once known as “The Little Charleston of the Mountains,” has long been a resort escape for southerners fleeing summer heat. It’s home to the Flat Rock Playhouse, where the many and varied performances draw some 100,000 visitors each year. It’s also where you can visit the Carl Sandburg Home, where the renowned poet and writer lived out his last 22 years. The estate, which Sandburg christened “Connemara,” is a National Historic Site and welcomes the public to view everything from Sandburg’s 10,000-volume library to the goat farm that was lovingly tended by Sandburg and his wife.

Etowah, also close by, has become a residential and retirement haven that features some of the finest golf courses in the area. n

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Locales

Fletcher

HENDERSON COUNTY

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small town that enjoys close proximity to some of Western North Carolina’s biggest attractions, businesses and natural wonders, Fletcher is no longer simply a sleepy stopping point between Asheville and Hendersonville.

The town’s motto, fittingly, is “Pride in our past, and faith in our future.” Fletcher is growing at a steady and smooth pace, with its current population of 7,340 more than double what it was a 20 years ago. The town sits on six square miles of relatively flat land, with the Blue Ridge Mountains on the close horizon.

Located in north Henderson County, Fletcher is just a quick jaunt from some of the most vibrant and culturally rich cities and towns in the region. Asheville, Black Mountain, Brevard, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Mills River, Lake Lure and Saluda are all within a 20-mile radius of the town.

Fletcher is uniquely positioned for national and international travelers, and a great spot to host visitors from near and far. In addition to ready access to the nearby Interstate 26, residents are just minutes away from Asheville Regional Airport, which offers nonstop flights to almost all major U.S. cities. The airport is going through a growth spurt of its own, adding new routes on a regular basis.

In recent years, the town has expanded its health and recreation initiatives, implementing a greenways master plan that makes the community more walkable and bikable. At present, there are 4.5 miles of connected trails; the plan envisions expanding the network to some 13 miles. Two local parks offer opportunities for exercise and enjoyment close to home: The 60acre Fletcher Community Park features playgrounds, picnic areas, walking trails and baseball and soccer fields, and Kate’s Park, adjacent to the Fletcher Library, has playgrounds, trails and an outdoor grilling area.

Community celebrations, from free concerts to parades, take place throughout the year. Many annual highlights are staged in the fall. Pickin’ in the Park, a bluegrass-infused get-together in September, turns Fletcher Community Park into a center of mountain music, local food and kids’ activities. And in October, Kate’s Park hosts an annual Halloween Carnival that offers safe (if slightly spooky) fun for families.

The biggest festival draw of all is the weeklong Western North Carolina Mountain State Fair, held each September at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher. The state-run fair is a counterpart to the annual North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh. The Mountain State Fair draws an estimated 175,000 attendees from around the region.

The WNC Agricultural Center’s 87-acre multi-use facility hosts events year round, including horse and livestock shows, a variety

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of professional conferences, classic-car events and multiple trade shows.

Several times a year, the Ag Center welcomes thousands of arms aficionados to the Land of the Sky Gun and Knife Show, which outgrew its traditional home at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville. The show has expanded significantly, adding 130 new vendors (upwards of 450). The upsizing was made possible by the recent completion of the Davis Event Center, a 45,000-square-foot arena that’s outfitted with huge exhibit spaces, several conference rooms and an onsite restaurant.

Other new economic opportunity is brewing in Fletcher, as the town, in conjunction with the Fletcher Area Business Association, is developing a “Heart of Fletcher District.” The mixed-used district is being tailored to support small retail businesses, professional offices and independent restaurants, and will feature a new Town Hall complex, built in part with a special $5 million communityfacilities loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition, Fletcher has long been home to (and close to) major manufacturing and industrial facilities. n

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n a prrivate settiin ngg - just n stt 10 10 minute minut minutes nute te from vibrant dooowntown ntow tow H Hendersonville dersonville ersonville nville - Fox Ru un Preserve ve is a gated d community with large wooded lots and aabundant ope open space. Wiith only 44 h home ho me sit s tes on n 86 acres in n an iidyyllicc mountain untain ntain setting nt se gg, more re than a fourth h oof the land in Fox ox Run R n Preserve Ru reserve serve is d di dedicate dic ted dica d to t green een space, spa a commun ommun nity pond, parks, and and walki walking lki g trails. Land/hom Land/home packagees from the Biltmore Biltmor Farms C Cottage Collection Collect

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Locales

Main Street in Waynesville (left) and the elk in Cataloochee Valley (right). PHOTOS: MARGARET HESTER; HOLLY KAYS

Haywood County

WAYNESVILLE, CANTON, MAGGIE VALLEY & CLYDE

W

aynesville and its quaint, historic Main Street are just part of what makes it a unique mountain community. Haywood includes Maggie Valley, a small town long popular to visitors, and Canton, a longtime industrial town that takes pride in its blue-collar roots.

Where to Retire magazine named Waynesville one of its 100 Best Places to Retire, calling it the best mountain town and saying it had the best main street. It also referred to Waynesville as a “low-cost Eden.” The town’s proximity to Asheville offers residents the best of a larger city while still holding on to its small-town amenities.

Downtown is a pedestrian’s dream with much to choose from, including working art studios, fine restaurants, breweries, a local bookstore, coffee roastery, gift shops, a bakery and more. The first Friday of each month is Art After Dark, a gallery stroll with meetthe-artist events that is almost like a street party due to the number of people who show up.

There are also the popular Mountain Street Dances on several Friday nights during the summer beginning at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Haywood County Historic Courthouse, a fun, free event where you can listen to live music and take part in the traditional

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dancing. No worries for those new to the art form, as the caller takes his time and walks everyone through the steps.

Waynesville is also one of those mountain towns that provides a great jumping off point for a mountain vacation. It’s close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Pisgah National Forest, mountain biking trails and whitewater rafting rivers.

Just outside of Waynesville is Cold Mountain, the peak that Charles Frazier used to name his acclaimed novel that also became the title of the subsequent film. Hiking the mountain requires a map and an entire day, but you can view it by following U.S. 276 out of Waynesville until you hit the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Cold Mountain overlook is right at the U.S. 276/Blue Ridge Parkway intersection.

On the west side of Waynesville is Hazelwood Village, which has merged with the town but has maintained its own identity and evolved into a revitalized retail district, including pottery studios, coffee roastery, gourmet restaurant and a business that makes homemade soaps and lotions (which make great gifts). Hazelwood also is home to the Folkmoot Friendship Center, which serves as the headquarters for the two-week international dance and music festival that is held every July.

Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center is home to the World Methodist Conference and the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church. It features a public, 2.5-mile paved

Where to Retire magazine named Waynesville one of its 100 Best Places to Retire, referring to the mountain town as a “low-cost Eden.”

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Locales Waynesville is home to three craft breweries, including the popular Boojum Brewing Company (left) on Main Street. Canton’s historic downtown has seen a resurgence in recent years (below).

MARGARET HESTER PHOTOS

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walking/jogging path around the lake with a 1.5-mile extension available. There are ducks, geese and swans, benches, bridges, a dam, butterfly garden and a rose walk along the path. In addition to lodging accommodations open, a couple of good restaurants and the World Methodist Museum also are on the grounds, along with a native plant garden and meditation labyrinth. Paddleboats can be rented on the lake. There is also a pool and playground.

The lake is just off U.S. 19 north of Waynesville and east of Maggie Valley.

Waynesville is also home to the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts, which is located in the historic Shelton House and features 19th century crafts, including pottery, quilts, baskets and woodworking.

Just 10 miles outside of Waynesville is Maggie Valley, a quaint mountain delight that sprang up to cater to visitors and still rolls out the welcome mat to traveling tourists. From spring to autumn, the valley is also packed with motorcyclists from around the country, who come to traverse the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, motor through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and enjoy the camaraderie of other riders who make annual treks to Maggie Valley to visit the Wheels Through Time Museum. The museum is among the highlights of a visit to Maggie Valley, featuring a world-class collection of historic motorcycles and cars.

Cataloochee Ski Area features the best skiing in the southern mountains and typically is one of the first ski resorts in the East to open. Near the ski resort is the Cataloochee Ranch, which has cabins, horse stables, a grand old lodge and restaurant, all atop a 5,000-foot mountain. Those not staying at the ranch are invited to join staff and visitors for evening cookouts, where you might even hear some local storytelling and mountain music.

From Maggie Valley, it’s a short drive to Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Elk again roam free in the valley, thanks to a re-introduction program. Dusk is the best time for guaranteed sightings, but please, stay away from the elk — they have antlers for a reason.

For true local charm, look no further than Canton and Clyde, the neighboring towns nestled in eastern Haywood County. They are situated around the Evergreen paper mill, which has been running steadily for more than 100 years.

Canton is a snapshot of a classic mill town, with many of the unique and beautiful bungalows and buildings once built for mill workers and managers still intact. The downtown district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its crown jewel is the Imperial Hotel. Originally crafted as a stately home, it currently includes Southern Porch, a popular restaurant.

The restored Colonial Theatre features concerts, shows, films and other entertainment events in a beautifully restored historic theater. The stage features a winter music series hosted annually by the International Bluegrass Music Association award-winning local group Balsam Range.

Clyde, a hamlet that lies between Canton and Waynesville, can boast as its own the oldest structure in Haywood County. The Shook-Smathers House, home to the Shook Museum, was built around 1820, with additions and renovations made for decades, producing the finished product we see today. The home’s attic chapel played host to many storied circuit preachers over the years, many of whom have left their mark in the collection of signatures that decorate the chapel’s walls. n

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Locales

Madison County

MARS HILL, MARSHALL & HOT SPRINGS

L

ocated in a mostly rural, picturesque part of Madison County, Mars Hill is a small town that’s big on mountain traditions.

There are 1,800 residents within the town limits, and 11,000 within a five-mile radius of downtown. Mars Hill sits close to Interstate 26, offering quick access to Asheville, which is 15 miles south. The state’s border with Tennessee is just 11 miles north.

Mars Hill University contributes much to the character of the town. A private liberal arts school with an enrollment of more than 1,400 students, the university is affiliated with two Baptist institutions. It was founded in 1856, making it one of the oldest educational facilities in Western North Carolina.

The university’s artistic and cultural offerings are considerable.

The Rural Life Museum preserves and presents artifacts of traditional Appalachian communities, and the Weizenblatt Art Gallery shares both visiting exhibitions and student and staff works.

The 1,800-seat Moore Auditorium hosts frequent concerts and other performances. The Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre, founded in 1975, has become one of the region’s top theater draws.

Come winter, nearby Wolf Ridge Ski Resort is open for business.

The resort recently expanded its operations, and now offers 82 acres of terrain for skiers and snowboarders.

The area around Mars Hill is rich with other outdoor opportunities, including nearby stretches of the Appalachian Trail, numerous other trails in the Pisgah National Forest, and the fishing- and paddling-friendly French Broad River.

From June through August, the town stages the Mars Hill Music & More Summer Series, a free monthly event that brings folks out for music and dancing. Throughout the year, the Ebbs Chapel Performing Arts Center’s 250-seat theater hosts musical performances ranging from the classical to the traditional.

Two other small Madison County towns, Marshall and Hot Springs, have made the most of riverside living.

Marshall, population 870, is the county seat and sits on the banks of the French Broad River some 20 miles north of Asheville.

The town is an enclave of artists, local galleries and studios.

Stroll down Marshall’s Main Street and you’ll find a bookstore, numerous cafes, galleries, antique shops and eateries.

One mainstay is The Depot, an old-timey general store. It’s a great community shopping spot that doubles as a performance venue on Friday nights, when local musicians strike up a soundtrack of traditional bluegrass and country music. There’s also plenty of music to be heard at the town’s regular French Broad Fridays, a series of free outdoor concerts.

Several other institutions keep Marshall’s art scene humming.

The Madison County Arts Center, also on Main Street, presents exhibitions of both traditional and contemporary art.

About 15 miles northeast of Marshall is the resort town of Hot

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MAX COOPER PHOTO

Springs, which is also nestled next to the French Broad. Though its resident population is only 560, the town’s numbers swell with visitors seeking relaxation and recreation.

Hot Springs got its name from one of the region’s extraordinary natural features: mineral springs with a temperature of more than 100 degrees.

The town itself is quite quaint, lined with cafes, coffee shops and gift stores. The real action is in the surrounding waters and ridges, which are renowned for outdoor activities including biking, fishing, kayaking and tubing.

Hot Springs’ real outdoor claim to fame, though, is its intimate relationship with the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT passes literally right through the town, bringing hikers to Hot Springs throughout the year. Each April, the town hosts the weekend-long Trailfest, a celebration of all things AT complete with live music, local foods and athletic events.

In May, Hot Springs sponsors the annual French Broad River Festival, featuring an impressive roster of musical groups, whitewater and bike races, arts and crafts vendors and a kid’s village. In September, the town also plays host to the French Broad Fall Fest, a celebration of craft beer and live music set against the beauty of fall leaf season. n

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Locales

Chimney Rock MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

O

ff the beaten path, about 20 miles southeast of Asheville via N.C. 74A, is a Western North Carolina community that enjoys spectacular views, an abundance of outdoor activities, a temperate climate and a unique ecosystem.

The expansive Hickory Nut Gorge, nestled between the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky mountains, feels like a land unto itself.

The 14-mile mountain canyon is split by the Rocky Broad River, which ultimately flows into Lake Lure.

Four small townships are in the gorge: Gerton, Bat Cave, Chimney Rock Village and Lake Lure. Each has its own particular charms, but a common thread that benefits them all is the natural setting, which is famed for its biodiversity.

Hickory Nut Gorge is home to 14 rare animal species and 36 rare plant species, and is a haven for biologists, geologists and birders. It’s teeming with streams and stunning rock formations, as well as Hickory Nut Falls, a waterfall with a 404-foot drop that’s one of the biggest in the region. The falls made a big splash on the big screen, serving at the setting for a fight scene in the 1992 film “The Last of the Mohicans.”

The crown jewel of the gorge is the 4,000-acre Chimney Rock State Park, home to a hulking granite monolith that the park is

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named after. A climb up the stairs to the top of 315-foot-tall Chimney Rock (or an elevator ride there) is rewarded with panoramic views to spots as far as 75 miles away.

The park has an extensive network of hiking trails and ample opportunities for bouldering and rock climbing. And impressive as it is, Chimney Rock isn’t even the high point. Other easily accessed features above the rock include the Opera Box, a stone enclosure with a broad opening where you can sit and take in the stunning sights, Devil’s Head, a menacing rock “face” perched over the gorge, and Exclamation Point, the park’s highest point, some 200 feet above Chimney Rock.

The park has a rich history that gives it appropriately deep ties to the region. The land it sits on was bought and developed by a Missouri native, Lucius Moore, a doctor who was diagnosed with tuberculosis circa 1900. Moore moved here to clear his lungs with the mountain air, and went on to develop both the park and the nearby resort town of Lake Lure.

After being privately owned for more than a century, the site was purchased by the state of North Carolina in 2007.

In August there’s the Race to the Rock, which is actually two races: a 5K run and a 25-mile bike race, both of which end at Chimney Rock. In September, there’s the weekend-long Flock to the Rock, a celebration of the area’s exemplary birding scene.

Nearby are the townships of Bat Cave and Chimney Rock Village. In Bat Cave, the Old Cider Mill sells mountain crafts and curios, and, during apple season, fresh-pressed cider. In Chimney Rock Village, Bubba O’Leary’s General Store offers a trip back in time to an era before chain stores and strip malls.

Hickory Nut Gorge also hosts a wide range of lodging options, from short-term cabin rentals to stately mountain inns. n

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Locales

Yancey County

BURNSVILLE & MOUNT MITCHELL

Y

ancey is an elevated county with some of the highest mountains to be found in Western North Carolina (and in the eastern U.S. for that matter). It makes sense, then, that the county offers living situations and outdoor experiences that go above and beyond the norm.

The county is bordered by Tennessee to the north and a stretch of the Appalachian Trail to the south. There are 11 townships in Yancey, the largest of which, Burnsville, is the county seat and has 1,700 residents. Located in the center of the county, Burnsville is 35 miles north of Asheville and 50 miles west of Johnson City, Tennessee.

Just a few miles from Burnsville looms Mount Mitchell, the tallest peak east of the Mississippi River, reaching to 6,684 feet above sea level.

The mountain is surrounded by the 2,000-acre Mount Mitchell State Park, which is full of choice spots for hiking, camping, picnicking and outdoor education. Several trails of varying lengths lead to the summit of Mount Mitchell, where a recently built observation deck offers the perfect perch for high-altitude sightseeing. Flowing right by the park is the Toe River, which offers premium trout fishing and whitewater rafting.

In addition to its peaks and valleys, Yancey County is known for its extraordinarily rich artistic output. The county boasts more that 400 full-time and 200 part-time working artists, including basket makers, glassblowers, metalsmiths, painters, paper makers, potters, quilters, sculptors and weavers.

Twice a year, the Toe River Arts Council sponsors the Toe River Studio Tours, as scores of local artists, from both Yancey and neighboring Mitchell County, open their studios for a free, upclose look inside the creative process. And each August, downtown Burnsville comes alive with local art at the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair, celebrated for more than 50 years.

The Carolina Mountains Literary Festival is held in Burnsville each September. It started as a small gathering of authors and readers in 2005, and has blossomed into a full-fledged literary happening complete with readings, workshops, plays and seminars.

The performing arts have a strong presence here as well. The Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville, founded in 1947, is the longest running community theater in North Carolina. It produces a wide

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MAX COOPER PHOTO

range of performances, and has a special dramatic arts education program for children age 4 to 18. A nonprofit group, the Burnsville Little Theatre, performs fundraising shows for various local nonprofits.

Another standout Burnsville’s institution is the Nu-Wray Inn, built in 1833. The oldest lodging house in the region, it’s hosted such notables as Mark Twain, Thomas Wolfe and Elvis Presley. The inn is known both for its historic charms and its signature Southern breakfasts, with most menu items sourced from local farms.

The John Wesley McElroy House was built around the same time, in 1840. McElroy, a local businessman and lawyer (and later a Confederate brigadier general) constructed the 3,000-square-foot home as a mountain mansion for his wife, Catherine. In later years, the family of William Moore, a state senator and Union Army officer, took residence in the home. The home got a new lease on life in 1987 when a local historical association purchased it and established the Rush Ray Museum of Yancey County History.

Yancey is also home to one of the most unique communities in the South — Celo, a settlement and land trust founded in 1937.

There, some 40 families adhere to a loosely defined humanist ethic and help run a collective farm and the Arthur Morgan School, a progressive middle school with roots in Quaker values and the Montessori educational approach. n

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Locales

Tryon & Saluda

POLK COUNTY

States. It is also well known for its charming town center, with a main street lined with cafés, restaurants, antique shops, art galleries and historic buildings like the M.A. Pace General Store, a hub of local commerce and community that recently celebrated its 115th birthday.

Tryon has long been a haven for artists, crafters, musicians and writers. Back in the early 1900s, when Tryon was a small village, artists flocked in from Europe and major U.S. cities like Chicago and New York, establishing an informal creative colony. Today, the town’s art scene still thrives, with numerous studios, galleries, art schools and theaters.

The art of toy and craft making was an integral part of the town’s development. Tryon ToyMakers and Wood-Carvers operated from 1915 to 1940, cranking out small wooden figurines and toy animals.

While the company is long gone, crafting businesses still boom in Tryon, and the recently opened Tryon ToyMaker’s House Museum pays tribute to the town’s handmade traditions.

Tryon has also taken recent steps to celebrate the legacy of its most famous native, the late jazz and soul great Nina Simone, who was born there in 1933. The heart of downtown features Nina Simone Plaza, home to a striking bronze sculpture of Simone playing piano keys suspended in midair.

Polk County is home to dozens of parks and recreation areas.

In Saluda, the Green River Cove Recreation Area offers access points for fishing, tubing, kayaking, canoeing and hiking. Tryon’s 50-acre public park, Harmon Field, sits next to the Pacolet River and features wading areas, a playground, tennis courts, a walking track, sports fields and horse rings. There are scores of hiking trails, ranging from easy to moderate to strenuous, in the county, and Polk is noted for its numerous summer camps.

The county can rightly boast of hosting some of the finest public events and festivals in the region. In April, there’s the Block House Steeplechase, a day of races that’s the longest running steeplechase in North Carolina, now celebrating its 71st year. The event is sponsored by the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club, which also stages horse shows throughout the year. The Foothills Equestrian Nature Center also offers regular equestrian events at its 400-acre facility in Tryon.

May brings the Saluda Arts and Music Festival, and in July, Saluda hosts the lively annual Coon Dog Day Festival, a bark-filled celebration of the mountains’ favorite canine that includes a classic car show and parade. The Art Trek Tryon Studio Tours, held each July, showcase the town’s many artists, as does the Tryon Arts & Crafts Fall Festival in October. Each June, Tryon hosts the Blue Ridge BBQ Festival. The event includes the state barbecue championship, featuring some 90 competing teams. And several of the county’s wineries and vineyards host tours and feature tasting rooms. n

“Tryon has taken recent steps to celebrate the legacy of its most famous native, the late jazz and soul great Nina Simone.”

A $100 million state-of-the-art 1,450-acre facility opened in 2014, the Tryon International Equestrian Center is the next chapter in a town where history and horses intersect. Featuring 10-riding arenas, over 1,000 permanent stalls, elevated and shaded viewing decks, restaurants, family activities, boutiques and more, the center takes a love for horses to the next level.

T

outed as the “First Peak of the Blue Ridge,” Polk County has long welcomed flatlanders to a higher altitude, offering foothills rich with history, culture, crafts, vast natural areas and unique culinary traditions.

Elevations in the county range from 300 feet to 3,200 feet. Most of Polk’s 20,000 residents live in or near the county’s three main towns – Columbus, Saluda and Tryon.

Columbus, the county seat, is a scenic small town dotted with historic houses and other noted buildings, such as the Polk County Courthouse, which has been preserved in all its 1859 splendor.

Saluda is nestled in the mountains in the southeastern corner of the county, and in fact its borders stray over into neighboring Henderson County. The town is famous for sitting atop the Saluda Grade, once the steepest railroad grade in the United

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Locales

Brevard

LIFE IN THE LAND OF WATERFALLS

B

eing a small town doesn’t mean you can’t offer some of the finest charms Western North Carolina has to offer. Just ask the 7,600 residents of Brevard, the county seat of Transylvania County. The town has distinguished itself as an epicenter for nearby outdoor adventures, education, art and music.

Transylvania can justly claim to be “The Land of Waterfalls,” as some 250 waterfalls exist in the county. Some are relatively small and gentle. Others take big, breathtaking plunges into mountain pools. Looking Glass Falls, for example, drops 60 feet amid a stunning crop of boulders and is one of the most photographed waterfalls in the country. The wildly popular Sliding Rock is a natural waterslide where thousands of visitors slide down its long, slick surface into a 6-foot-deep pool at the bottom.

Remarkably, more than half of the land in Transylvania is publicly owned and protected, including 88,000 acres of Pisgah National Forest, the 10,000-acre DuPont State Park and the 7,600acre Georges State Park. Together, these offer myriad opportunities for biking, camping, climbing, hiking, horseback riding, paddling and sightseeing.

Another natural treasure, tucked within the Pisgah National Forest, is the Cradle of Forestry, site of the first forestry school in the United States. The national forest is also home to the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, a state-run facility that hosts students of all ages to learn about the region’s unique biodiversity.

The headwaters of the French Broad River, one of the oldest rivers in the world, are located near Brevard. A few miles west of the town, the master guides at Headwaters Outfitters help residents and visitors alike take advantage of all the river has to offer. It’s a hot spot for tubing, canoeing, kayaking and fly fishing.

Nearby, the Davidson River, another renowned trout-fishing destination, flows through the Pisgah National Forest.

There’s also plenty to enjoy in the heart of Brevard, a vibrant and walkable hub of independent shops, boutiques, galleries, pubs and eateries. Between April and December, the Fourth Friday Gallery Walks — a monthly celebration of local art, food, wine and music — offer an especially pleasant way to peruse local businesses and get to know neighbors. More local arts are highlighted on the Scenic 276 South Fine Art & Craft Corridor — a 13-mile stretch of state road that showcases numerous galleries and studios.

It’s a rare town that can boast of hosting an equal number of barbecue joints and Asian restaurants — and just as many ice cream parlors — but in Brevard it’s true.

The Brevard Music Center has hosted noted performers for the past 81 years. Its signature event is the annual Brevard Music

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Downtown Brevard is home to numerous shops, breweries and art galleries. MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

Festival, which spans seven summer weeks and features more than 80 different acts. Local music aficionados also take in shows at Brevard College’s Paul Porter Center for the Performing Arts.

Contributing to the town’s special character is Brevard College, a small liberal arts school of over 700 students founded in 1934 and located adjacent to downtown.

In March, the college hosts the world-touring Banff Mountain Film Festival, a big-screen celebration of films and documentaries about life and sports in the wild. In May, the town pays tribute to its signature furry creature with the White Squirrel Festival. White squirrels, you ask? As it happens, the Brevard area is home to a rare concentration of, well, white squirrels. The festival features a parade, free concerts, a “Squirrel Box Derby” and other, well, “nutty” amusements.

Come summer, Brevard’s Main Street becomes a prime place to cut a rug. Each Tuesday night, Old Time Street Dances are held to a soundtrack of live bluegrass.

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE:

THE CRADLE OF FORESTRY

I

t’s a crisp fall afternoon in the depths of Pisgah National Forest, growth, a concept that spread throughout the decades — across the another day of endless sunshine and outdoor possibility in the vast nation and around the world. mountains of Western North Carolina. Sitting at a table on the back And although it took many years before the environmental patio of the Cradle of Forestry, Devin Gentry scans the bright and robust movement went mainstream in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the foliage surrounding the large building. foundation for that shift in public opinion was planted in Western North “I think about it everyday,” he said. “I live nearby in Brevard and I drive Carolina. In 1968, the Cradle of Forestry opened, with the Interpretive up to work in Pisgah. I think about the fact it was just a few people Association coming online four years later. With over 40,000 visitors making a few decisions way back then that affected the entire country.” between April and November 2016, the center aims to increase those Director of Operations at the Cradle of Forestry, a 6,500-acre numbers exponentially in the coming years. heritage site and interpretive center right off U.S. 276 between Waynesville and Brevard, Gentry is at the forefront of a storied and vital history that continues to ripple into the waters of change today.

“The Cradle celebrates the beginning of forestry and forest conservation in America,” he said. “And by learning about this history here — either through school groups, special events or visitors — we’re becoming more educated and inspired to leave the world in a better place than when we found it.”

What the Cradle of Forestry represents is the birth of the conservation movement in the United States, which began right here in Western North Carolina. In 1898, Dr. Carl A. Schenck started the Biltmore Forest School, which was located near the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. At the time, George Vanderbilt brought Schenck to America from Germany to manage the enormous forest surrounding his estate, and to also have Schenck teach his forestry techniques to others.

Coming into the early part of the 20th century, George’s wife, Edith, had decided they would sell their 85,000-acre forest to the U.S. government. Though NATIONAL FORESTS OF NORTH CAROLINA HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS, D.H. RAMSEY LIBRARY, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE. George had already entered into a private logging contract with the property, the sale to the government still went through with the idea that the land would be preserved and “In the early 1970s, you had the Clean Air and Clean Water acts, and restored for future generations, all while providing the much-needed also the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),” natural resources to the general public for consumption.

Gentry said. “There was this awareness going on about environmental “Just like it did then, today we’re still inspiring the next generation of activism. Science was also catching up with the need for resources. At forest stewards. We’re giving people the historical context of what that time, the Forest Service and the logging industry really wanted to could have been, in terms of clear cutting without regard for the future,” show that what they were doing could be sustainable. They wanted to Gentry said. “This place was about making sure we’d have natural show Americans that though we are dependent on these natural resources for the future, and it showcases the beginning of forestry resources, there were ways to go about it to make sure the needs of the when science was applied to managing a forest.” people and the forest were both met.”

With that initial 85,000 acres, the Pisgah National Forest now Strolling the numerous trails within the heritage site, there are encompasses over 512,000 acres. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in several buildings and items that have been relocated to the property — October 2016, Pisgah remains a beacon of conservation and smart Schenck’s German-style backwoods cabin, a general store, logging train, trout hatchery and more. There’s also the original one-room schoolhouse where Schenck spent years teaching the many students who came to him with a pioneering spirit for preservation that reverberates through these ancient mountains.

“If you’re visiting anywhere in Pisgah or the Biltmore Estate, or Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock, this place ties so many things together,” Gentry said. “The Cradle gives you a better appreciation for when you climb that mountain, sit underneath that waterfall or cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway. You realize what this place looked like a century ago — that sense of importance, greatness and natural beauty — Devin Gentry, is still here.” n Cradle of Forestry director cradleofforestry.com

“This place showcases the beginning of forestry when science was applied to managing a forest.”

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Locales

Jackson County

SYLVA, DILLSBORO, CASHIERS & CULLOWHEE

J

ackson County, which includes the county seat town of Sylva and the high-altitude village of Cashiers, has some of Western North Carolina’s most spectacular scenery.

The county was established in 1851 from parts of Haywood and Macon counties and named after President Andrew Jackson. The Tuckasegee River winds through the county, boasting some of the best trout fishing in the region. In fact, Jackson County is home to the WNC Fly Fishing Trail.

Jackson is also home to part of the Nantahala National Forest, the largest of the four national forests located in the state. Nantahala is a Cherokee word for “land of the noonday sun,” and the Nantahala Gorge in adjoining Swain County is considered one of the top whitewater rivers in the East. National Geographic magazine called the river the number one water tourist destination in the country, and it attracts more than 250,000 paddlers a year. The 2013 World Freestyle Kayaking Championships was also held in the gorge at the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Sylva has one of the most vibrant downtowns in all of Western North Carolina. It boasts an assortment of art galleries, furniture and clothing stores, restaurants, coffee shops, a bakery, breweries and more.

The town’s bustling farmers market is also open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, April through October. Sylva’s tree-lined streetscape, dotted with benches, provides visitors with an afternoon of easy walking. There is even an official 1.2-mile tree walk, featuring 44 of the more than 50 species in Sylva, designated a Tree City USA. The Sylva Garden Club currently maintains the walk, which features a guidebook, map and small signs at the base of each tree indicating its common name. The walk officially begins in the shade of Bicentennial Park near the historic courthouse.

Speaking of the Jackson County Courthouse, it is often called the most photographed courthouse in the state. And why not, as it sits atop a knoll accessed by 107 steps. Those steps are what gives local highway N.C. 107 its name.

Friday Night Live brings music to downtown Sylva with an everchanging list of locations and bands. The popular Sylva After Dark gallery stroll is held on the first Friday of each month.

The Bridge Park Pavilion is a popular gathering place for events in downtown. The Scotts Creek Bridge conveniently connects the Bridge Park and Poteet Park.

Nearby Western Carolina University’s Fine Arts Center and Museum has an excellent permanent collection and visiting exhibits, along with a great line-up of nationally-known performers.

With over 10,000 students, WCU also is home to the Mountain Heritage Center, which features exhibits, demonstrations and educational programs on mountain society, past and present, from the migration of the Scotch Irish people to basket making traditions.

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Sylva is a small mountain town with cafés, breweries and boutiques, with Western Carolina University nearby. MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

A mysterious collection of Native American petroglyphs known as Judaculla Rock is located on Caney Fork Road off N.C. 107 between Cullowhee and Glenville Lake in Jackson County. In the late 19th century, Cherokee groups were known to have ceremonial assemblies around the rock. Archeologists who have perused the stone claim it was carved sometime in the Late Archaic Period, about 3,200 to 5,900 years ago. At this crossroads of the town is the Village Green, a commons area lined with shops with a stage that also hosts a full lineup of free performances.

You’ll find plenty of hikers and rock climbers amongst the permanent residents in the area. Panthertown Valley boasts 6,700 acres of sheer rock, waterfalls, and hiking and biking trails.

Cashiers also has excellent golfing and country clubs. High Hampton Inn and Country Club and Fairfield Sapphire Valley are full-service resorts that provide rooms, golfing, dining and other amenities. In the village proper, a walking trail leads shoppers to the many retail shops and restaurants. Whitewater Falls, the tallest waterfall in the east, is located 10 miles from Cashiers.

CULLOWHEE RIVER CLUB,

conveniently nestled between Western Carolina University and the scenic Tuckasegee River in Cullowhee, NC, offers an active recreational lifestyle in a vibrant university community, set in the tranquil splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

• COTTAGES • CABINS • TOWNHOMES • CONDOS

Come Visit Us! • Model Open p Daily y 16 Chimney y Stone Way y • Cullowhee • NC • 28723

1.877.258.2522

•

www.CullowheeRiverClub.com

Obtain the Property Report required by federal law and read it before signing anything. No federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. This does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation to buy real estate, to residents of any state or jurisdiction where prohibited by law, or where prior registration is UHTXLUHG EXW KDV QRW \HW EHHQ IXOÀOOHG &XUUHQW GHYHORSPHQW SODQV DUH VXEMHFW WR FKDQJH ZLWKRXW QRWLFH DQG VRPH SKRWRJUDSKV PD\ GHSLFW DUHDV QRW ZLWKLQ WKH SURMHFW There is no guarantee that facilities, features, or amenities depicted or otherwise described will be built or, if built, will be of the same type, size, or nature as depicted RU GHVFULEHG :H ZLOO XVH \RXU FRQWDFW LQIRUPDWLRQ WR SURYLGH \RX LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW XV H[FHSW ZKHUH SURKLELWHG E\ ODZ :H DUH LQ FRPSOLDQFH ZLWK 7LWOH 9,,, RI WKH &LYLO Rights Act of 1968. We have not and will not discriminate against you because of your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status or handicap.

EQUAL HOUSING

OPPORTUNITY

FORGING A WAY FORWARD:

THE JACKSON COUNTY GREEN ENERGY PARK

S

tepping into the blacksmithing studio at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro, the continuous sound of hammers crashing down on metal echoed loudly out of the warehouse and into the high peaks of nearby mountains.

“And when I hear that hammering, I know we’re on the right track,” said Timm Muth, director of the GEP. “It’s a fantastic thing for us to see this, because this is what we’re here for — to give artists a place to work, to bring in people from around the community and far away, people who want to learn these skills.”

Muth walks across the large studio and flags down Brock Martin, a blacksmith and Western Carolina University alumnus, who now teaches an array of courses at the GEP. Martin looks up from his station, filled with handmade tools and a 2,400-degree metal forge that can be felt several feet away before you even realize it’s there.

“It’s pretty much who I am and what I love to do,” Martin modestly said about his passion for the craft. “It — Chelsea Miller, Green Energy has its challenges for sure, but I couldn’t imagine Park program assistant doing anything else with my life.”

Martin was the first metal intern at the GEP, which runs on methane gas from an old landfill a stone’s throw across the parking lot. He came to the GEP when he was a freshman at WCU, majoring in entrepreneurship and Japanese. Martin soon found an enduring love for blacksmithing once his art instructor suggested he checkout the program at the GEP, which has had a long and bountiful partnership with the university.

As with anything worthwhile, practice makes perfect. Martin kept coming back to the GEP. He honed his skills, rigorously studying techniques and fundamentals. After a few years, he felt confident enough in his evolving skillset to start teaching courses around the region. He also hits the road doing demonstrations at cultural festivals, Renaissance fairs and comic conventions (that couples with a rebirth in Medieval history and fashion in recent years, as seen by the popularity of the television show “Game of Thrones”).

“These skills are important because they’re fundamental to our lives,” Martin said. “It’s a primitive skill-set, one that also applies to today, too. It’s very self-reliant. You can make anything you can imagine or improvise. And it’s crucial that we keep these skills and traditions alive.”

Martin holds these monthly blacksmithing classes at the GEP. It’s in an effort to share his ancient skills, and also grow his career as an artist and educator in a space that fosters such intent.

Watching Martin instruct the class, Muth can’t help but feel justified in his mission, which is the foundation of the GEP — making a career out of your passion.

“It means a lot to have alumni come back and teach courses, and to see folks coming in to learn from these talented artists,” Muth said. “It’s hard to not be impressed with that, just with the amount of skill it takes, and then when you figure in that the property is running on gas from this big pile of trash over there — it blows people’s minds.”

“Doing this, and having the Green Energy Park here, gives people a better appreciation for people working with their hands and a better understanding of how things are made.”

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The Jackson County Green Energy Park offers numerous classes for metalsmithing enthusiasts and professionals. GARRET K. WOODWARD PHOTO

Meandering around the GEP is Program Assistant Chelsea Miller.

Another WCU alumnus, she found herself at the GEP one day, and seemingly never left. A “jack-of-all-trades,” she has apprenticed with Martin, becoming one of the few female blacksmiths around the area. She also has acquired skills in glassblowing, which the GEP offers in the other side of the building.

For Miller, she’s been able to put her art education degree to good use, leading tours of the GEP and also hosting live demonstrations for school groups, children and the curious alike that wander in.

“Doing this, and having the GEP here, gives people a better appreciation for people working with their hands and a better understanding of how things are made,” she said. “It shows how viable the arts are in a community, the amount of skill it takes to create these pieces, and the amount of talent the resides within these walls.” n jcgep.org

Calendar

Upcoming Events

The Brevard Music Center (left) and the Folkmoot U.S.A. international festival (right). BREVARD MUSIC CENTER PHOTO • PATRICK PARTON PHOTO

• Jan. 13-15 — Big Band & Swing Dance Weekend, Grove Park Inn, Asheville. groveparkinn.com • Jan. 23 — Winter Warmer Beer Festival, Asheville. uscellularcenterasheville.com • Feb. 3-5 — Classic Rock-N-Roll Weekend, Grove Park Inn, Asheville. groveparkinn.com • Feb. 13 — Asheville Symphony. Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville. uscellularcenterasheville.com • Feb. 17-19 — Arts and Crafts Conference, Grove Park Inn, Asheville. 800.435.5800. groveparkinn.com • Feb. 24-26 — Comedy Classic Weekend, Grove Park Inn, Asheville. groveparkinn.com • March 3-7 — Southern Conference Basketball Championships, ExploreAsheville.com Arena, Asheville. uscellularcenterasheville.com • March 12 — Asheville Symphony: The American Four Seasons, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Asheville. uscellularcenterasheville.com • Late Winter/Spring — Festival of Flowers at Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Enjoy the beauty of tulips, azaleas and countless flowers as spring takes over this historic site. biltmore.com • March 23 — Harlem Globetrotters.

ExploreAsheville.com Arena. Asheville. uscellularcenterasheville.com • April-December — Art After Dark, Waynesville. First Friday of the month. Evening stroll of galleries, restaurants and breweries in downtown. downtownwaynesville.com

• Early April — Do Tell Storyfest, Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown Theatre. Listen to tales from rhymes to folk tales to history to modern personal stories from the region’s best performers. dotellfestival.org • Mid-April — Mélange of the Mountains, Laurel Ridge Country Club, Waynesville. Experience the culinary talent of some of Western North Carolina’s most regarded restaurants and vendors as area chefs compete in categories ranging from salad to seafood to dessert. haywood-nc.com • April 12 — Celtic Woman, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville. uscellularcenterasheville.com • April 16 — Asheville Symphony, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville. uscellularcenterasheville.com • May-September — Downtown After 5, Asheville. Monthly concert series on Lexington Avenue featuring local and national acts. ashevilledowntown.org • May-September — Rhythm & Brews Concert Series, Hendersonville. Monthly series featuring an array of local and regional music acts. downtownhendersonville.org • Mid-May — Lake Eden Arts Festival. Held twice a year in Black Mountain, LEAF aims to connect cultures and create community through music and art in the great outdoors.

Music, poetry, dancing, camping, kids activities and more. theleaf.com • May 14 — Asheville Symphony, Thomas Wolfe

Auditorium, Asheville. uscellularcenterasheville.com • Late May — Asheville Beer Week. A weeklong event celebrating the craft beer scene in Asheville and greater Western North Carolina. avlbrewers.com • Late May — White Squirrel Festival, Brevard.

Weekend event of live music, craft beer vendors, and more. whitesquirrelfestival.com • Late May — Beer City Festival, Asheville.

Featuring dozens of local, regional and national craft breweries. avlbrewers.com • Memorial Day Weekend — Sandburg Folk Music Festival, Carl Sandburg Home, Flat Rock. nps.gov/carl • Memorial Day-Labor Day — Concerts on the Creek, Sylva. Weekly concert series featuring local and regional acts from all genres. mountainlovers.com • June-August — Brevard Music Center Concert Series. A wide-array of outdoor events at the center featuring some of the finest national and international classical, opera and string performers on the beautiful mountain campus. brevardmusic.org • Early June — Brevard Blues N’BBQ Festival.

Serving up fine southern barbecue and blues music. brevardmusic.org • Early June-Labor Day — Pickin’ in the Park, Canton. Weekly jam session showcasing local and regional musicians. cantonnc.com

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Calendar

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands (left) and the LEAF festival in downtown Asheville (right). SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS CRAFT GUILD PHOTO • LAKE EDEN ARTS FESTIVAL PHOTO

• June 10-11 — Blue Ridge Barbecue and Music Festival, Tryon. Considered one of the most popular sanctioned barbecue competitions in the United States. All proceeds benefit the local chamber of commerce. blueridgebbqfestival.com • June 11 — Art in the Park, Asheville. Dozens of artisan vendors, with live demonstrations. ashevilleartinthepark.com • Mid-June — Appalachian Lifestyle Celebration, Waynesville. Celebration of mountain culture, featuring live music, food, dance and crafts. downtownwaynesville.com • June 18 — Art in the Park, Asheville. Dozens of artisan vendors, with live demonstrations. ashevilleartinthepark.com • June 18-19 — PlottFest, Maggie Valley. Festival honoring the Plott Hound, the state dog. Live music, crafts, clogging, dog competitions and trout fishing. plottfest.org • June 25 — Art in the Park, Asheville. Dozens of artisan vendors, with live demonstrations. ashevilleartinthepark.com • Late June — Art Trek Tryon. Dozens of artisan studios open to the public. romanticasheville.com • July 2 — Shindig on the Green, Pack Square Park, Asheville. Free traditional music concerts held outdoors in downtown. folkheritage.org • July 4 — Independence Day, with celebrations, parades and fireworks around Western North Carolina.

• July 9 — Shindig on the Green, Pack Square

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Park, Asheville. Free traditional music concerts held outdoors in downtown. folkheritage.org • Mid-July — Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, U.S. Cellular Center, Asheville. southernhighlandguild.org • July 16 — Shindig on the Green, Pack Square Park, Asheville. Free traditional music concerts held outdoors in downtown. folkheritage.org • July 21-31 — Folkmoot USA, Waynesville. Twoweek international dance and music festival.

Headquartered in Haywood County, but events also held at venues throughout Western North Carolina. folkmootusa.org • July 23 — Shindig on the Green, Pack Square Park, Asheville. Free traditional music concerts held outdoors in downtown. folkheritage.org • Late July — Smokin’ in the Valley WNC BBQ Festival, Maggie Valley. maggievalley.org • Late July — LEAF Downtown Asheville. A weekend of live music, dance and culture put on by the Lake Eden Arts Festival. theleaf.com • Early-August — Sourwood Festival, Black Mountain. Music, dancing, arts and crafts, super food, kid’s rides and games, face painting and more in a no alcohol environment, along with gourmet sourwood honey. sourwoodfestival.com • Aug. 4-6 — Mountain Dance & Folk Festival, Diana Wortham Theatre, Asheville. Since 1928, mountain fiddlers, banjo pickers, dulcimer sweepers, dancers, balladeers and others have gathered the first weekend in August at the event. folkheritage.org • Aug. 13 — Shindig on the Green, Pack Square Park, Asheville. Free traditional music concerts

held outdoors in downtown. folkheritage.org • Aug. 13 — Blue Ridge Breakaway, Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. An annual cycling event in support of the initiatives of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. blueridgebreakaway.com • Mid-August — Asheville Wine & Food Festival.

Culinary event showcasing dozens of restaurants, breweries, wineries, and more. ashevillewineandfood.com • Mid-August — Waynesville Beer Faire.

Pouring local and regional craft beers, with live music and food. waynesvillebeer.com • Mid-August — Laugh Your Asheville Off. Weekend comedy festival featuring local, regional and national comedians. laughyourashevilleoff.com • Aug. 20 — Shindig on the Green, Pack Square Park, Asheville. Free traditional music concerts held outdoors in downtown. folkheritage.org • Aug. 27 — Shindig on the Green, Pack Square Park, Asheville. Free traditional music concerts held outdoors in downtown. folkheritage.org • Labor Day Weekend — Smoky Mountain Folk Festival, Stuart Auditorium, Lake Junaluksa. Two nights of the finest traditional music and dancing in the region. smokymountainfolkfestival.com • Labor Day Weekend — Canton Labor Day Celebration. Live music, vendors, rides and children’s activities. cantonlaborday.com • Sept. 3 — Shindig on the Green, Pack Square Park, Asheville. Free traditional music concerts held outdoors in downtown. folkheritage.org • Sept. 9-18 — The NC Mountain State Fair,

Western North Carolina Agricultural Center, Fletcher. Celebrating mountain traditions with rides, exhibits, art, food, concerts and more. mountainfair.org • Mid-September — Mountain Song Festival, Brevard Music Center. Food, local artists, children’s activities, nature exhibits and more. mountainsongfestival.com • Late September — Greek Festival, Asheville.

Sample traditional foods while enjoying Greek music, dance and culture. romanticasheville.com • Late September — Mountain Heritage Day, Cullowhee. Annual celebration featuring live Appalachian music and dance, with artisan crafters and demonstrations. wcu.edu • Oct. 1 — Art in the Park, Asheville. Dozens of artisan vendors, with live demonstrations. ashevilleartinthepark.com • Early October — Taste of Sylva. Culinary event showcasing restaurants in downtown and around the community. mainstreetsylva.org • Early October — Maggie Valley Oktoberfest.

Live music, craft beer and food vendors. maggievalleyoktoberfest.com • Oct. 8 — Art in the Park, Asheville. Dozens of artisan vendors, with live demonstrations. ashevilleartinthepark.com • Early October — ColorFest, Dillsboro. Local artisan demonstrations. mountainlovers.com • Mid-October — Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, U.S. Cellular Center, Asheville. southernhighlandguild.org

• Mid-October — Lake Eden Arts Festival. Held twice a year in Black Mountain, LEAF aims to connect cultures and create community through music and art in the great outdoors.

Music, camping, kids activities and more. theleaf.com • Mid-October — Church Street Art & Craft Show, Waynesville. Over 20,000 visitors pass through this festival throughout downtown.

Dozens of artisan booths, food vendors, as well as live Appalachian music and craft demonstrations. churchstfest.com • Oct. 15 — Art in the Park, Asheville. Dozens of artisan vendors, with live demonstrations. ashevilleartinthepark.com • Mid-October — HardLox Festival, Pack Square, Asheville. Jewish food and entertainment. hardloxjewishfestival.org • Mid-October — Oktoberfest, Asheville. Live music, craft beer and food vendors. ashevilledowntown.org • Mid-October — Apple Harvest Festival, Waynesville. Live artisan demonstrations, Appalachian music/clogging and dozens of craft booths and food vendors. Over 40,000 people stroll through downtown during the celebration. haywoodapplefest.com • Early November — WNC Pottery Festival, Dillsboro. Featuring master potters, the daylong event includes live demonstrations and craft booths. The festival was recently named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism Society, which represents 12 states. wncpotteryfestival.com

• Early November — Tryon Beer Fest.

Celebrating all things craft beer. tryonbeerfest.com • Early November-Jan. 1 — Christmas at Biltmore Estate. The grand estate puts on a show every holiday season with lighting, lit fireplaces inside, special musical performances and other events. biltmore.com • Mid-November-Early January — National Gingerbread House Competition viewing at the Grove Park Inn. Walk through the inn and see hundreds of intricate gingerbread creations and the award winners. groveparkinn.com • Month of December — Dillsboro Luminaries & Lights. Jackson County town is lit with luminaries, stores host open houses, Santa, children’s activities, horse and buggy rides, music. visitdillsboro.org • Mid-December — 28th annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam. A popular all-day concert fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, presented by Haynes (guitarist for Gov’t Mule and The Allman Brothers Band). uscellularcenterasheville.com • Mid-December — “A Night Before Christmas,” Waynesville. A family holiday celebration in downtown, filled with live music, caroling, oldfashioned wagon ride, storytelling and a special appearance by Santa. downtownwaynesville.com • Dec. 31 — First Night Asheville. Entertainment, games, fireworks in an alcohol-free atmosphere. ashevilleparks.org

Celebrating its 28th anniversary in 2016, the Christmas Jam is a legendary day-long music celebration in Asheville held by guitar legend Warren Haynes in December, with proceeds going to the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. Pictured are Alison Krauss and Bob Weir, who appeared at the 2016 Christmas Jam. GARRET K. WOODWARD PHOTO

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Info

Getting Started 20 56

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111 144 137 187 275 247 281 293 339 495 563 714 773

138 123 165 215 260 275 309 321 366 463 591 682 801

153 112 178 169 279 288 322 335 380 500 604 719 815

132 152 157 183 283 267 301 314 359 503 583 722 793

January February March April May June July August September October November December

46 50 58 67 74 81 84 83 77 68 58 50

27 29 36 44 52 60 64 62 56 45 37 30

3.07 3.19 3.83 3.16 3.53 3.24 2.97 3.34 3.01 2.40 2.93 2.59

VOTER REGISTRATION

Henderson County

Buncombe County

Jackson County

35 Woodfin St., Asheville • 828-250-4200

Haywood County 1233 N. Main St., Waynesville • 828-452-6633

Henderson County 75 E. Central Ave., Hendersonville • 828-697-4970

Jackson County 401 Grindstaff Cove Road, Sylva • 828-586-7538

Madison County 5707 Hwy. 25-70, Marshall • 828-649-3731

Polk County 40 Courthouse St., Columbus • 828-894-8181

Transylvania County 221 S. Gaston St., Brevard • 828-884-3114

Yancey County 225 W. Main St., Burnsville • 828-682-3950

DRIVERS LICENSE Buncombe County 85 Tunnel Road, Asheville • 828-252-8526 1624 Patton Ave., Asheville • 828-251-6065

Haywood County 290 Lee Road, Clyde • 828-627-6969

125 Baystone Drive, Hendersonville • 828-692-6915 876 Skyland Drive, Sylva • 828-586-5413

Madison County 164 N. Main St., Marshall • 828-649-2248

Polk County

Welcome Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

$33,091 $36,795 $34,029 $38,385 $31,065 $39,257 $42,257

$39,906 $43,805 $39,042 $46,047 $38,077 $46,574 $52,029

$46,917 $43,287 $41,214 $47,761 $38,645 $46,556 $53,657

SOURCE: N.C. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Madison County 133 S. Main St., Marshall • 828-649-3528

Transylvania County 69 New Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest 828-883-3251

Yancey County 14 Town Square, Burnsville • 828-682-2312

130 Ward St., Columbus, • 828-692-6915

Transylvania County 50 Commerce St., Brevard • 828-883-2070

Yancey County 116 N. Main St., Burnsville • 828-682-9619

VEHICLE REGISTRATION Buncombe County 85 Tunnel Road, Asheville • 828-252-8526 780 Hendersonville Road, Asheville • 828-667-2104

Haywood County 478 Champion Drive, Canton • 828-646-3406 80 Waynesville Plaza, Waynesville • 828-452-1577

Henderson County 145 Four Seasons Mall, Hendersonville 828-692-0648

Jackson County

126

Asheville City Buncombe County Haywood County Henderson County Madison County North Carolina United States

2014

36 100

2008

Brevard

22 60

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME 2000

Waynesville

12 59

Avg. Precip.

Weaverville

15 80

Avg. Low

Hendersonville

Asheville Airport Greenville/ Spartanburg, SC Charlotte, NC Knoxville, TN Columbia, SC Atlanta, GA Raleigh, NC Charleston, SC Myrtle Beach, SC Savannah, GA Wilmington, NC Washington, DC Orlando, FL New York, NY Miami, FL

CLIMATE

Asheville

(IN MILES)

Avg. High

DISTANCES

454 E. Main St., Sylva • 828-586-3886

TAX OFFICES Buncombe County 828-250-4910 buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/tax

Haywood County 828-452-6734 • haywoodnc.net

Henderson County 828-697-4870 • hendersoncountync.org/ca

Jackson County 828-586-7541 • jacksonnc.org/tax-collector

Madison County 828-649-3402 • madisoncountync.org/-tax

Polk County 828-894-8954 • polknc.org/departments/taxassessor

Transylvania County 828-884-3200 transylvaniacounty.org/tax-administration

Yancey County 828-682-2198 • yanceycountync.gov

PROPERTY TAXES

Helpful Links ELECTRICITY

Duke Energy duke-energy.com Haywood EMC haywoodemc.com Progress Energy progress-energy.com

NATURAL GAS

Progress Energy progress-energy.com PSNC Energy psncenergy.com/en

PUBLIC UTILITIES

City of Asheville Water Resources ashevillenc.gov/departments/water Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County msdbc.org City of Asheville Sanitation ashevillenc.gov/departments/ sanitation Henderson County Utilities hendersoncountync.org

INTERNET/ PHONE/CABLE

AT&T att.com Charter Communications charter.com DirecTV directv.com Mountain Area Information Network main.nc.us Skyrunner Internet skyrunner.net StarBand starband.com TDS Telecom tdstelecom.com Verizon verizon.com

AIRPORTS

Asheville Regional Airport flyavl.com Hendersonville Airport hendersonvilleairport.com

TRAINS

CITY/COUNTY GOVERNMENTS BUNCOMBE COUNTY buncombecounty.org Asheville ashevillenc.gov Barnardsville barnardsville.com Biltmore Forest biltmoreforesttownhall. homestead.com Black Mountain townofblackmountain.com Fletcher fletchernc.org Montreat townofmontreat.org Weaverville weavervillenc.org

HAYWOOD COUNTY haywoodnc.net Canton cantonnc.com Clyde townofclyde.com Maggie Valley townofmaggievalley.com Waynesville townofwaynesville.org

HENDERSON COUNTY hendersoncountync.org Flat Rock Village villageofflatrock.org Hendersonville cityofhendersonville.org Laurel Park laurelpark.org

JACKSON COUNTY jacksonnc.org Sylva townofsylva.org

MADISON COUNTY madisoncountync.org Hot Springs townofhotsprings.org Marshall townofmarshall.org Mars Hill townofmarshill.org

POLK COUNTY polknc.org Columbus columbusnc.com Tryon tryon-nc.com

Amtrak amtrak.com Great Smoky Mountains Railroad gsmr.com

RUTHERFORD COUNTY

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY

Buncombe County Transportation buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/transportation

rutherfordcountync.gov Lake Lure townoflakelure.com transylvaniacounty.org Brevard cityofbrevard.com

YANCEY COUNTY main.nc.us/yancey Burnsville townofburnsville.org

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Asheville Area ashevillechamber.org Black Mountain-Swannanoa blackmountain.org Brevard/Transylvania brevardncchamber.org Carolina Foothills polkchamber.org Cashiers Area cashiers-nc.com Downtown Waynesville Association downtownwaynesville.com Haywood County haywoodnc.com Henderson County hendersoncountychamber.org Jackson County mountainlovers.com Madison County madisoncountync.com Maggie Valley maggievalley.org Polk County polkchambernc.com Saluda Business Association saluda.com Yancey County yanceychamber.com

TOURISM

Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority exploreasheville.com Cashiers cashiersnc.com Dillsboro Merchants Association visitdillsboro.org Haywood County Tourism Development Authority visitncsmokies.com Henderson County Travel and Tourism historichendersonville.org Jackson County Travel and Tourism mountainlovers.com Lake Lure Tourism rutherfordtourism.com Madison County visitmadisoncounty.com Polk County nc-mountains.org Transylvania County Tourism visitwaterfalls.com Weaverville Tourism visitweaverville.com Yancey County visityancey.com

Buncombe. . . . . . . . $0.604 Asheville. . . . . . . $0.475 Biltmore Forest. . $0.385 Black Mountain. $0.375 Montreat. . . . . . . . $0.41 Weaverville. . . . . . $0.42 Woodfin. . . . . . . . $0.305 Haywood. . . . . . . . $0.5661 Canton. . . . . . . . . . $0.58 Clyde. . . . . . . . . . . $0.43 Maggie Valley. . . . $0.39 Waynesville. . . . $0.4382 Henderson. . . . . . . . $0.565 Flat Rock. . . . . . . . $0.11 Fletcher. . . . . . . . . $0.34 Hendersonville. . . $0.46 Laurel Park. . . . . . $0.43 Mills River. . . . . $0.1124 Saluda (in Henderson). . $0.605 Jackson. . . . . . . . . . . $0.37 Dillsboro. . . . . . . . $0.21 Forest Hills. . . . . . . $0.15 Highlands (in Jackson). . . . . $0.164 Sylva. . . . . . . . . . . . $0.30 Webster. . . . . . . . . $0.05 Madison. . . . . . . . . . . $0.52 Hot Springs. . . . . . $0.51 Mars Hill. . . . . . . . . $0.47 Marshall. . . . . . . . . $0.49 Polk. . . . . . . . . . . . $0.5375 Columbus. . . . . . $0.415 Saluda (in Polk). . $0.605 Tryon. . . . . . . . . $0.5708 Rutherford. . . . . . . . $0.607 Lake Lure. . . . . . . $0.276 Transylvania. . . . . . $0.511 Brevard. . . . . . . $0.4725 Yancey. . . . . . . . . . . . $0.60 Burnsville. . . . . . . . $0.50

PUBLICATIONS

Asheville Citizen-Times citizen-times.com Asheville Magazine ashevillemagazine.com Asheville Tribune thetribunepapers.com Black Mountain News blackmountainnews.com Crossroads Chronicle crossroadschronicle.com Hendersonville Times-News blueridgenow.com Hendersonville Lightning hendersonvillelightning.com Mountain Xpress mountainx.com The Blue Banner thebluebanner.net

Welcome Beverly-Hanks Beverly-Hanks&&ASSOCIATES ASSOCIATES

127 127

Info PUBLICATIONS

The Mountaineer themountaineer.villagesoup.com The Smoky Mountain News smokymountainnews.com The Sylva Herald thesylvaherald.com The Transylvania Times transylvaniatimes.com The Tryon Daily Bulletin tryondailybulletin.com Yancey County News yanceycountynews.com

MAGAZINES

Blue Ridge Outdoors blueridgeoutdoors.com Capital At Play capitalatplay.com The Laurel of Asheville thelaurelofasheville.com Smoky Mountain Living smliv.com Sophie Magazine sophiemagazine.com Verve Magazine vervemag.com WNC Magazine wncmagazine.com WNC Woman wnc-woman.com

TELEVISION STATIONS WYFF-TV 4 (NBC) Greenville • wyff4.com WLOS-TV 13 (ABC) Asheville • wlos.com WSPA-TV 7 (CBS) Greenville/Spartanburg wspa.com WYCW-TV 62 (The CW) Greenville/Spartanburg carolinascw.com WHNS-TV 21 (FOX) Greenville/Spartanburg foxcarolina.com

AM RADIO STATIONS

570, WWNC news, radio wwnc.com 880, WPEK news, talk therevolution.com 920 WPTL country, news, talk wptlradio.net 1230, WSKY Christian wilkinsradio.com 1310, WISE sports, talk 1310bigwise.com 1450, WHKP news, music whkp.com

128

FM RADIO STATIONS

88.1, 95.3, WCQS NPR news, classic music • wcqs.org 88.7, WNCW eclectic music, news wncw.org 90.5, WWCU Western Carolina University • wwcufm.com 92.5, WYFL Bible Broadcasting Network • bbnradio.org 93.7, WFBC Top 40 b937online.com 96.5, WOXL Lite rock 965woxl.com 98.1, The River 981theriver.com 99.9, WKSF Kiss Country 99kisscountry.com 103.5, MAIN-FM Community programming • main-fm.org 105.1, WQNS Rock • 1051rocks.com 105.9, WTMT Rock 1059themountain.com

MEDICAL CENTERS

Asheville Specialty Hospital missionhospitals.org Blue Ridge Regional Hospital spchospital.org Care Partners Rehabilitation Hospital carepartners.org Henderson County Red Cross hcredcross.org MedWest haymed.org Mission Hospitals missionhospitals.org Pardee Hospital pardeehospital.org Park Ridge Hospital parkridgehealth.org Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care urgentcares.com St. Luke’s Hospital saintlukeshospital.com Transylvania Regional Hospital trhospital.org VA Medical Center asheville.va.gov

TOURS

Asheville Urban Trail romanticasheville.com Asheville Historic Trolley Tours ashevilletrolleytours.com Brews Cruise Brewery Tour brewscruise.com Lazoom Tours of Asheville lazoomtours.com Segway Tours movingsidewalktours.com Walking Tours of Historic Asheville history-at-hand.com

Welcome Beverly-Hanks & ASSOCIATES

LIBRARIES

Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional Library amyregionallibrary.org Buncombe County Public Libraries buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/Library Haywood County Public Library haywoodlibrary.org Henderson County Public Library henderson.lib.nc.us Jackson County Public Library fontanalib.org/sylva Madison County Public Library madisoncountylibrary.org Transylvania County Public Library library.transylvaniacounty.org

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Asheville City Schools ashevillecityschools.net Buncombe County Schools buncombe.k12.nc.us Haywood County Schools haywood.k12.nc.us Henderson County Schools hendersoncountypublicschoolsnc.org Jackson County Schools jcps.k12.nc.us Madison County Schools madisonk12.schoolfusion.us Polk County Schools polkschools.org Transylvania County Schools transylvania.k12.nc.us

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Asheville Catholic School ashevillecatholic.org Asheville Christian Academy acacademy.org Asheville Montessori School ashevillemontessorischool.com Asheville School ashevilleschool.org Asheville-Pisgah ashevillepisgah.org Azalea Mountain School azaleamountain.org Carolina Christian School carolinachristianschool.com Carolina Day School carolinaday.org Christ School christschool.org Emmanuel Lutheran School emmanuellutheran.info Fletcher Academy fletcheracademy.com French Broad River Academy fbra-avl.org Hanger Hall School for Girls hangerhall.org Immaculate Catholic School immac.org

Learning Community School thelearningcommunity.org Montessori Learning Center mlcasheville.org Mount Pisgah Academy pisgah.us Nazarene Christian School ashevillefirstnazarene.org New City Christian School newcitychristian.org New Classical Academy thenewclassicalacademy.org North Asheville Christian School rmcacademy.org Odyssey Community School odysseycommunity.org Rainbow Mountain Children’s School rmcs.org Temple Baptist School templebaptistschool.org Veritas Christian Academy veritasnc.org

CHARTER SCHOOLS

ArtSpace Charter School artspacecharter.org Brevard Academy brevard.teamcfa.org Evergreen Community Charter School evergreenccs.com FernLeaf Community Charter School fernleafccs.org Francine Delaney New School for Children fdnsc.net The Franklin School of Innovation franklinschoolofinnovation.org Invest Collegiate icimagine.org The Mountain Community School tmcschool.org Shining Rock Classical Academy shiningrockclassical academy.com Summit Charter School summitschool.org

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College abtech.edu Blue Ridge Community College blueridge.edu Brevard College brevard.edu Haywood Community College haywood.edu Mars Hill College mhc.edu Montreat College montreat.edu Southwestern Community College southwesterncc.edu University of North Carolina at Asheville unca.edu Warren Wilson College warren-wilson.edu Western Carolina University wcu.edu

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S E R V I C E S

CONTACT A LOAN OFFICER TODAY.

HENDERSONVILLE (828) 697-0515

DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE (828) 254-7221

WAYNESVILLE (828) 251-1800

NORTH ASHEVILLE (828) 251-1800

SOUTH ASHEVILLE (828) 684-8999

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COMMUNITY OFFICES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE REGION Downtown Asheville

Hendersonville

Saluda

300 Executive Park Asheville, NC 28801 (800) 868-7221 toll free (828) 254-7221

512 North Main St. Hendersonville, NC 28792 (800) 868-0515 toll free (828) 697-0515

153 East Main Street Saluda, NC 28773 (877) 557-8512 toll free (828) 749-3504

North Asheville

Waynesville

820 Merrimon Avenue Asheville, NC 28804 (800) 277-2511 toll free (828) 251-1800

74 North Main St. Waynesville, NC 28786 (800) 849-8024 toll free (828) 452-5809

Beverly-Hanks Mortgage Services

South Asheville

Rumbling Bald Resort on Lake Lure

NAI Beverly-Hanks Commercial

112 Mountain Boulevard Lake Lure, NC 28746 (866) 858-2257 toll free (828) 694-3001

410 Executive Park Asheville, NC 28801 (866) 810-5893 toll free (828) 210-3940

One Town Square Blvd, Ste. 140 Asheville, NC 28803 (888) 684-4324 toll free (828) 684-8999

30 Town Square Blvd., Ste. 202 Asheville, NC 28803 (828) 775-9179

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