Every North Carolinian must ______

 

I don't recall what it was that spurred this thought, but the other day I wondered, "What are the quintessential things that every North Carolinian MUST do at least once?" 

It may have been an article about the dunes at Jockeys Ridge that had me thinking about it. Or it may have been a discussion about Sliding Rock. Regardless, what do you think are the things that should be givens if you are to call North Carolina home?

Here are a few off the top of my head, in addition to the aforementioned ones:

• Attend an ACC basketball game
• Visit the Biltmore House
• Enjoy barbecue at one of the holy cathedrals of 'cue
• Spend a day (or half-day) at Tweetsie Railroad
• Test out if the legend about The Blowing Rock is legit
• Pay a visit to Old Salem
• Enjoy a pork chop sandwich and the Mayberry sites in Mount Airy
• Watch an outdoor drama like "The Lost Colony," "From This Day Forward" or others
• Play Pinehurst No. 2 (or any other great course)
  

 

What else would you include on this list? Please share in the comments.

Sliding Rock image from Blue Ridge Mountain  Life

Where to see Christmas lights

North Carolina has long been known as the "Variety Vacationland." It could also be known as the "Christmas Lights Variety Land." No matter where you are in the state this time of year, there are noteworthy light displays for your enjoyment.

I am biased toward the Meadow Lights because I grew up not far from there and we tend to make an annual pilgrimage with the kids due to its close proximity to Raleigh.  

"Out west," McAdenville, N.C., is actually known as "Christmas Town, U.S.A."  And then there is Biltmore Estate in Asheville, which has established itself as a national draw when it comes to holiday decorating.

What are some other notable Christmas light displays we should all be aware of? VisitNC.com offers some potential places to visit. Among the list are Chetola's Festival of Lights in Blowing Rock, Speedway Lights in Concord, Beary Merry Christmas in New Bern, and much more. 

Images courtesy of Mcadenville-christmastown.com and Biltmore.com.

The (first) votes are in!

The list has been whittled down in the Land for Tomorrow's Top 10 N.C. Natural Wonders survey. You have until May 18th to pick your top five (or you can pick for the same natural wonder five times).

Among the choices are:
-The Blowing Rock
-The Blue Ridge Parkway
-Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout seashores
-Chimney Rock
-DuPont State Forest
-Grandfather Mountain
-Great Smoky Mountains
-Jockeys Ridge
-Joyce Kilmer Forest
-Lake Mattamuskeet
-Linville Falls
-Linville Gorge
-Lumber River
-Merchants Millpond State Park
-Mount Mitchell
-Mountains to Sea Trail
-Natahala Gorge
-New River
-Ocracoke Island
-Pilot Mountain
-Pisgah National Forest
-Roan Mountain
-Eno River
-Outer Banks
-Wild Horse of Corolla

Some intriguing possibilities here. To be honest, I forgot about many of these; North Carolina is truly blessed. Hard to narrow down to 10.

Just looking at 'em, here are a few initial thoughts on some of the choices.

-The Blowing Rock: One of my personal favorites. It's "legend" adds to its aura.
-The Blue Ridge Parkway: At first glance, an easy top 10 ...
-Grandfather Mountain: ... as is this one ...
-Great Smoky Mountains: ... this one ...
-Jockeys Ridge: ... and this one.
-Joyce Kilmer Forest: Some of the state's oldest and largest trees reside here. An underrated place.
-Linville Falls: Very nice, but there may be more majestic falls.
-Lumber River: For thousands of years, this river was the lifeblood of natives.
-Mount Mitchell: Tallest peak east of the Mississippi seems like a no-brainer.
-New River: I think, aside from the Nile, this is the only river in the world that flows from south to north.
-Ocracoke Island: Famous for its own local "dialect," but I'm not sure it's a top 10 natural wonder.
-Outer Banks: No-brainer.
-Wild Horse of Corolla: A sleeper suggestion I hadn't thought about. Good choice.

Go here to vote.

Happy holidays, Nawth Cackylacky!

As we're approaching the end of the year, we're beginning to see lots of holiday-themed e-cards. Below are a few that I've received and wanted to share. If you have any that you've received that are N.C.-related, feel free to email me at collards12@yahoo.com and I'll post them. (And please don't solicit your own organization or business.)

From the Blowing Rock Visitors Center:





From N.C. State University:




From the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) at NCSU:



Hopefully there will be more to come!

Western N.C.: Let the explosion of fall colors begin

"Leaf hunting and viewing will consume travelers, tourists and native North Carolinians alike over the next few weeks as colors in the high forests reach an exhilarating peak," says the Asheville Citizen-Times. "It is anybody's guess where the leaves will change first or fall last but conventional wisdom says the higher the elevation, the later the color change."

The paper goes on to recommend 10 "spectacular vistas" from which one can "experience the remarkable hues of changing maple, ash, oak and more," starting with the highest elevations and making their way down ... down ... down.

These images are my own. Click through to the article for more.

Blowing Rock

Hayesville

Chimey Rock Village

Spooky N.C.

One of our most popular posts over the past couple of years (according to FEEDJIT) is our post last Halloween regarding our favorite North Carolina ghost stories.

Some of the my favorite Old North State haunts include the Devil's Tramping Ground, the mysterious footprints in Bath, the Maco Light near Wilmington, the The Little Red Man at Old Salem and, of course, dear, poor Lydia trying to get back home.

Closer to (my) home, the State Capitol is supposedly haunted, as is the governor's mansion.

Now, Virtual Blue Ridge has a list of hauntings along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a good number of which are in North Carolina. Among the haunts are the Biltmore House, the Grove Park Inn (both in Asheville) and the Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock. The site cautions that many "places listed here require special permission to visit or investigate. Many are patrolled by authorities and trespassers could be prosecuted."

I would also add the Lake Lure Inn to the list of Western N.C. haunts. I stayed there a couple of years ago and swear that there was a boy standing at the foot of my bed during the night who quickly vanished. (Of course knowing that the Inn is supposedly haunted BEFORE I went to sleep probably didn't help.)

Among the other western haunts are the Old Battery Park Hotel in Asheville ("It's said that in a private apartment building in downtown Asheville, which used to be known as the Battery Park Hotel in the early to mid 1900's, apparitions can be seen very early in the morning. Individuals who worked the morning shift in the pantry refused to go in alone because a man who was murdered there was known to reveal himself in spirit form to employees.); Appalachian State University in Boone ("East Hall is one of the dormitories for the college and is said to be haunted. Student assistants have reported being followed by unknown footsteps when on their rounds after midnight. People have also claimed that the lights will suddenly turn off in halls and you can feel someone brush against you."); and of course the Brown Mountain Lights in Linville ("At two different places on the Blue Ridge parkway you can see the brown mountain lights. There are three stories to this one. 1) It's said that there was a war between two different Native American tribes. At night when it was safe, the women would go out and look for their husbands with big bright torches, but they were killed too, so now they keep looking forever. 2) It was winter and a little girl had gone missing. Her father looked and looked for her but she died and he died as well. To this day, he continues the search. Scientist have tried to figure out what has been going on for hundreds of years and many people have seen these lights year after year. 3) The spirit of a faithful slave who is in search of his master who was accidentally wounded while hunting.... whatever they are, they appear nightly in the gorge, with no set pattern, they weave in and out of the trees until they reach the edge of the river, then they disappear only to reappear in another spot.")

Happy Halloween!

(Lake Lure Inn photo courtesy of its website)

Fall in BR

Those that know me know that Blowing Rock is one of my favorite places in the state, and also in the world. Perhaps there is no better time of year than autum to enjoy everything that "BR" has to offer. (And we are, after all, officially in to autumn.)

Here are just a sampling of the festivals and events coming up in the High Country.

-Tweetsie Railroad Ghost Train - Oct 3 thru Nov 1

-Blowing Rock Fall Weekend - Oct 4 & 5 -- a personal favorite.
"Join us in Blowing Rock for two popular events back-to-back. Art in the Park will take place on Saturday fron 10am-5pm. This juried art show features over 100 artists, and is the last show of the year. On Sunday, enjoy the sounds of Die Rheinlanders Oktoberfest Band. This group is one of the most anticipated of the year. The free concert will begin at 4pm in Blowing Rock Memorial Park on Main Street."

-Autumn at Oz - Oct 4 & 5
"Join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man and Toto! Once a year, the gates to the theme park open to greet visitors for the Autumn at Oz Festival, where colorful scenes and characters bring the beloved story of the Wizard of Oz to life. The 15th anniversary of Autumn at Oz also features a mini-museum, delectable treats and face painting! Beech Mountain. Call the Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce for more information: 1-800-468-5506"

-17th Annual Oktoberfest at Sugar Mountain - Oct 11 & 12

-28th Annual Apple Festival at Hickory Ridge Homestead- Oct 11

-31st Annual Woolly Worm Festival - Oct 20 & 21 - never been to this but have ALWAYS wanted to. A North Carolina legend.
"This is one of the most highly anticipated and well-attended events in the High Country. Woolly Worms are the feature attraction here, when the caterpillars are raced upward on lanes of string in a chase for prize money and public acclaim. The champion woolly worm is examined by festival forecasters who pronounce an official forecast for winter based upon the particular coloration of the victorious caterpillar. Food, Crafts, fun for everyone! Banner Elk.
http://www.woollyworm.com/"

-30th Annual Valle Country Fair - Oct 18

-Haunted Horn - to be announced

-3rd Annual Valle Crucis Punkin Festival - Oct 25

-Blowing Rock Halloween Festival - Oct 25

And as if that's not enough, don't forget the Blowing Rock fall foliage!

New life for Tweetsie

It looks like North Carolina tourist and cultural attraction Tweetsie Railroad can be removed from the "endangered" list.

"Watauga County commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to spend $3.15 million to help resolve a land dispute that threatened the future of the theme park between Boone and Blowing Rock," said the Asheville Citizen-Times.

"The train runs across some land it only leases and two minority owners of the property wanted to end the agree and get more money by selling or developing the land.

"The Winston-Salem Journal reported that commissioners will spend the money to buy a minority interest in the land and then lease it to Tweetsie. The family-owned theme park will eventually repay the county's cost, plus interest and expenses. ..."

$1 million pledged to Tryon Palace

Philanthropist Mariam Cannon Hayes (of Cannon Mills fame) recently bequeathed $1 million to New Bern's historic Tryon Palace, site of the first permanent capitol of colonial North Carolina and home to the royal governor.

Hayes died in August at age 91.

"The Tryon Palace money will help build a $60 million historical education center at the facility, palace Director Kay Williams said," according to the Charlotte Observer.

"The gateway in the new building will be named for Hayes' parents, textile magnate Charles A. Cannon and his wife, Ruth, and will feature information about the family's philanthropy. In the 1930s and 1940s, Ruth Cannon helped start the reconstruction of the palace, which had burned in 1798.

"Williams had discussed a donation with Hayes for several years. Construction on the education center will begin in June, and it should open in April 2010 in time for New Bern's tricentennial.

" 'She agreed the project was valuable and wanted to do something to honor her parents' involvement,' Williams said. 'In a way ... (the bequest) is a fitting memorial to her as well. It's a gift to history in North Carolina, her parents and a gift for education.' ..."

Hayes also pledged $3.5 million to UNC-Charlotte, $1million each to Davidson College and Queens University, $500,000 to the Blowing Rock Community Center and $600,000 for the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord. She also bequeathed, according to the Observer, $200,000 for a scholarship fund at Cannon School, an independent school in Concord. She forgave the debt on the 2005 sale of a Beechcraft Baron airplane to her nephew, William Cannon Jr.

"And she left her Blowing Rock property, worth an estimated $2.2 million, to the Appalachian State University Foundation.

"She gave her Concord home to the Cannon Foundation. The house, valued at $413,170 according to her estate inventory, was built in 1907 and will serve as the foundation's new home, Executive Director Frank Davis said."

Blowing Rock to honor 'Mitford'

From the Winston-Salem Journal:

"Not a day at work goes by that a stranger doesn’t approach Bill Stroh with questions as he clips and snips the flowers or buffs the wooden floors at St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church.

"Stroh is the sexton at the 89-year-old stone church in Blowing Rock, but to fans of Jan Karon’s books (photo courtesy of Amazon.com), he is working at the fictional Lord’s Chapel in the village of Mitford.

“Sometimes people knock on the door late at night and say they just have to see it,” he said. “I get a lot of people wanting to photograph me because they think I’m the sexton in the book, and I say, 'No, I took his place.'”

The books revolve around the life of an Episcopal priest at a church in the fictional town of Mitford, which is set in the foothills along the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The town of Mitford was inspired by Blowing Rock, where Karon lived in the 1990s.

The steady stream of people who visit Blowing Rock to see the inspiration for Mitford is about to become a wave of devotees. Organizers expect up to 18,000 people during the first Mitford Days in Blowing Rock. The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce is getting 50 phone calls daily about the festival, officials said.

The majestic N.C. mountains

OK, so these are a few weeks later than I originally noted, but here are some photos from the Boone/Blowing Rock area taken in mid July.

The first is, obviously, Grandfather Mountain. Even at 32 years young, I was quite nervous about crossing it. (I don't remember being so nervous the first time I did it -- some 20 years ago.)

Next are more Grandfather photos, including the attention-seeking bears, the freedom-seeking Bald Eagle and a water-seeking panther/cougar.

Next are some photos from a couple of hikes we took while along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I'm embarrassed to say that I do not remember what they are all called, but suffice to say they weren't too far from the Linn Cove Viaduct or the Parkway itself. So there. Now go find them with those kinds of hints. (Warning: I went a little Ansel Adams/B&W crazy here.)

Musical to honor Moses Cone

The Blowing Rock Stage Company will present in June "The Denim King," a musical tribue to Moses Cone, the textile magnate who built his mansion in Blowing Rock. (The house, shown on a cloudy day, is pictured.)

The play is presented and commissioned by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. It was written by Dr. Janet Barton Speer, based on the book, "A Mansion in the Mountains" by Philip Noblitt.

Kenneth Kay is directing the play, and the music and lyrics are by Jonathan Thomas Oaks.

For more information, go here.