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)

A major 'Boone' in ASU fundraising

First of all, my apologies for such a horrible pun in the headline. However, the good folks up in Boone should be proud of themselves with word coming that Appalachian State University's fundraising efforts are reaching all-time highs.

The school's "supporters set a single-year school record in giving this past fiscal year, with donations of $24.7 million, ASU officials said.

"The donations of cash, securities, and other gifts, such as real estate, were nearly double the amount given the previous year," says the Winston-Salem Journal.

"The biggest single item was an estate gift of more than $8 million, which will provide money for scholarships, equipment and instruments at the Hayes School of Music. ...

"The success of the Mountaineers' three-in-a-row national champion football team also played a role in the increased giving.

"Donations for student-athlete scholarships were $2.3 million, about $1 million more than the previous year. Donations for the Athletic Facilities Enhancement Campaign, which includes improvements to the football stadium, were nearly $2 million, which is also about $1 million more than the previous year. ..."

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. ..."

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.)

Quick hits: Tiger's course boom and Boone's backyard

Tiger Woods to plot new course in WNC
"Tiger Woods will design his first U.S. golf course for The Cliffs at High Carolina, adding cachet to plans for the 3,000-acre exclusive community in Swannanoa and Fairview," writes the Asheville Citizen-Times.

"Woods and Jim Anthony, president of The Cliffs Communities, made the announcement at the company’s The Cliffs Valley community Tuesday, with the world’s top golfer promising a personal touch.

" 'I’m pretty detail-oriented, and I want to do things right,' Woods said. 'I’ll be up here as often as it takes to make things right.'

"Woods said he will own a home or property in the development and that he plans a walking course with a 'minimalist' design. ..."

Boone one of '10 great' small towns with big backyards
"Get a glimpse of the simpler life — and get in shape at the same time," writes USA Today. "Small towns can offer big outdoor adventures in the waning days of summer. Sarah Tuff, co-author of the new 101 Best OutdoorTowns: Unspoiled Places to Visit, Live & Play (Countryman Press, $19.95), shares her picks with Kathy Baruffi for USA TODAY. ...

"Boone has a built-in air conditioner for the summer months that turn the rest of the South sticky: the Blue Ridge Mountains, which keep temperatures at a lovely 75 degrees in August," Tuff says. "The town, 100 miles north of Asheville, stays hip, thanks to Appalachian State University. Get jazzed at Espresso News before heading into the Pisgah National Forest for hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing. Rafters rollick along the Nolichucky and French Broad rivers." 800-852-9506; visitboone nc.com ..."