kldfgjserg ejithuûfugsdi

Product: ASHBrd

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: FeaCov User: velmore Time: 09-06-2011 18:09 Color: K Y M C

HOME&GARDEN

D

SATURDAY September 10, 2011

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES • CITIZEN-TIMES.com

Alyssa Gaines prepares a milkshake for a customer at Mike's on Main Street, a restaurant and soda shop off Main Street in Hendersonville. ERIN BRETHAUER/EBRETHAU@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

SPECIAL SECTION: HENDERSON COUNTY

NEIGHBORHOOD FINDS

WHERE MAIN STREET REMAINS VIBRANT

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN HENDERSONVILLE DRAWS VISITORS OF ALL AGES

By Julie Ball jball@citizen-times.com

H

ENDERSONVILLE — Inside

Hands On! A Child’s Gallery, Janine Nelson’s children were busy one recent Tuesday afternoon.

Daughter Julia played at delivering mail, daughter Allie was exploring, and son Sam was busy testing out a funnel contraption.

“I didn’t even know they had a children’s museum until a friend told me, so we Googled it this morning,” said Nelson, of Arden.

The museum is one of the many attractions that draw families to Main Street in downtown Hendersonville.

“Within eight blocks, you have a lot packed in on the Main Street area,” said Melody Heltman, executive director of the Hendersonville Visitor Center.

The street is filled with galleries, antique stores, a variety of restaurants and three ice cream shops.

“I think it’s just very comfortable.

It’s a nice place to shop. It’s a nice place to walk,” said Gail Cheney, who was visiting from New York. “It’s artsy, but it’s comfortable. It’s nice for all ages.”

Public artwork in the form of

The Historic Henderson County Courthouse on Main Street in Hendersonville is crowned by a statue of Athena. ERIN BRETHAUER/EBRETHAU@ CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

decorated bears can be found along the street each year beginning in May and continuing through the fall.

And in the summer, Main Street hosts dancing and free music.

“We are not cosmopolitan. We are just a small town having fun with

our summer visitors. And it’s not just our summer visitors, it’s our residents that enjoy it, too,” Heltman said.

A central attraction downtown is the historic courthouse, which was built in 1904. The building was vacant for years before the county began a two-year renovation project.

The restored building opened in 2008.

In addition to some county offices and meeting rooms, the building houses the Henderson County Heritage Museum.

Admission is free, and the museum recently opened a Civil War exhibit featuring uniforms, weaponry and other items belonging to soldiers, according to Heltman.

“The courthouse, in itself, is kind of the center of the historic district,” she said.

A short walk from the courthouse, you’ll find Patty Adamic’s Mike’s on Main Sandwich and Soda Shoppe.

The building housed a pharmacy with a soda fountain from 1882 until 1993. “In the 1930s, the soda foundation that is currently in there was brought in from a pharmacy that SEE DOWNTOWN, Page D2

AN-0000286360

SEE MORE: VISIT WWW.CITIZEN-TIMES.COM FOR HENDERSONVILLE PHOTO GALLERIES.

EATING WELL: Delicious dining abounds in and around Hendersonville. Page D4

ALL THEIR OWN: K.J. Laurro and Carolyn Paden picked up where a builder left off and crafted themselves an eco-friendly Hendersonville haven.

Page D7

PLAYING HARD: With everything from colorful playgrounds to scenic green spaces, the Hendersonville area can satisfy outdoors enthusiasts. Page D11

Product: ASHBrd

D2

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-D

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

User: velmore

Time: 09-06-2011 18:10 Color: K Y M C

SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN

A S H E V I L L E C I T I Z E N - T I M E S • C I T I Z E N - T I M E S. C O M

BUYERS HAVE ADVANTAGE

IN HENDERSON HOME MARKET

By Mark Barrett mbarrett@citizen-times.com

H

ENDERSONVILLE — This is

a great time to be buying a home in Henderson County and a tough time to try to sell one.

Statistics and some local experts say the local market is still heavily tilted in buyers’ favor, with the result that sellers often have to cut their prices dramatically in order to make a sale.

But there are some signs of stability in the market, and sellers of moderately priced homes are in a much better position to command a reasonable price than those trying to unload a mansion.

The number of existing homes sold in the county during the first half of 2011 was 12.1 percent below the same period of 2010, according to figures from the N.C. Mountains Multiple Listing Service.

That figure is not as discouraging as it might look at first glance, some in the industry say, because the availability of federal tax credits for homebuyers artificially inflated the number of homes sold in 2010.

The credit was given to certain buyers who put a home under contract by April 30. The deadline to close was originally June 30, and although it was later extended to Sept. 30, that encouraged many buyers to make a purchase in the first half of last year.

“We had the tax credit last year. I’m really curious to see what the next six months are going to be,” said Steve Dozier, a broker in the Hendersonville office of Prudential Lifestyle Realty who analyzes market trends for the company.

Dozier found that even homes that sold in three months or less from July 2010 to June 2011 sold for only 94 percent of their original list price. The “original list to sale” ratio for homes that took longer to sell ranged from 92.6 percent from homes on the market for three to six months to 71.1 percent for those listed more than a year before their sale.

Those selling a home “are still trying to hold onto the prices they paid in 2006, 2005,” Dozier said.

But as time passes without a sale, they are realizing that, “If you don’t price it right, you might as well plan on sitting on it for a while.”

In fact, for potential sellers who bought at the peak of the market, “I’m telling them to ride it out for another year” if they can afford to wait to sell their home, he said.

Buyers, Dozier said, are “bottom feeding. … They’re thinking that everything should be selling for the same thing that a bankowned property or a foreclosure would sell for.”

That attitude may be unrealistic: Dozier’s figures indicate that 4.6 percent of homes on the market in Henderson County are foreclosures.

But Glenn Compton, an ownerbroker at the Hendersonville office of Century 21 Mountain Lifestyles Realty, acknowledged that the relatively large number of homes on the market does allow buyers to be picky.

“There’s a lot of choice, so the buyers are taking their time to look at everything that’s out there,” he said.

The median sale price of a

A child looks at the treats on sale at McFarlan Old Fashioned Bakery off Main Street. The bakery has been open since 1930. PHOTOS BY ERIN BRETHAUER/EBRETHAU@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

DOWNTOWN: ‘YOU’RE NEVER A STRANGER’ Continued from Page D1

home — the point at which half are higher, half lower — fell from $202,000 in June 2010 to $168,000 in June 2011, according to N.C. Mountains MLS. All but 11 of the 93 homes sold in June went for less than $300,000 and only one sold for more than $400,000.

“Most of the homes below $300,000 seem to be moving at a pace that’s pretty good” while expensive homes are sitting unsold for long periods, Compton said.

Dozier’s figures show an overall absorption rate for the county — the period of time it would take for all homes on the market to sell at current activity levels — of 15 months. That suggests an advantage for buyers, but not an overwhelming one.

However, the rate is considerably higher for homes priced at $200,000 and more.

Changes in the banking industry have made it difficult for buyers to get loans of more than $500,000, Compton said, and economic disruptions have made some buyers unwilling or unable to buy a more expensive home.

When larger manufacturers shut down, top managers who could afford more expensive homes have to move and “most of the retirees, they don’t want to clean those big homes,” he said.

Compton said brokers at his agency have contact with “two or three dozen buyers from out of the area that can’t sell their homes but would like to have one here.”

Retirees have traditionally made up a large percentage of homebuyers in Henderson County.

Renewed strength in the stock market during the first half of 2011 encouraged some retirees to jump back into the housing market, Compton said, but that is not a uniform trend.

“The retirees that are coming are coming in from the Northeast mainly. There are not a lot of Florida people, really,” he said.

was closed down in Biltmore,” Adamic said.

From 1993 to 2004, the building housed Days Gone By, which kept the old soda foundation and offered a “mom and pop” menu.

Adamic also kept the soda fountain, but she expanded on the menu. The shop offers sandwiches including grilled pimento cheese and classic grilled cheese.

The building features its original ceiling and tile floor and is filled with old bottles and other items left behind from the days when it served as a pharmacy.

Inside, old-fashioned signs advertising Biltmore Dairy Products and Cheerwine cover the walls.

The shop hosts sock hops and bike nights that draw people from Greenville, S.C. as well as Asheville.

“Our downtown is a lot of fun, and we have great shops,” she said. “It’s quaint. It’s charming … it’s a social downtown where you’re never a stranger.”

Just down from Mike’s on Main, you’ll find McFarlan Bake Shop, a Hendersonville institution since 1930.

Open the door for the smell of sweet treats including cinnamon buns, apple fritters and old-fashioned chocolate chewies.

Children are also drawn to the Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County, a free attraction that features a cast of a tyrannosaurus rex skull as well as pieces of the Hendersonville meteorite.

“That’s a big draw,” said Diane Lapp, director of sales at the museum.

The meteorite was discovered in 1901, and pieces went to Vanderbilt University and the Smithsonian Institution.

Larry Hauser, who helped start the museum, spent years writing letters to get the meteorite returned to Hendersonville, Lapp said.

For those interested in learning more about the history of Hendersonville, The Trolley Co. has begun offering historic trolley tours each Saturday morning through the fall.

The tours stops include the historic courthouse, the Curb Market, which features local growers, the Carl Sandburg Home and the Seventh Avenue train depot.

“It (the tour) is about the good, the bad and the beautiful. This is not your normal kind of tour,” said Eva Ritchey, co-owner of The Trolley Co. Ritchey said the hope is that visitors will come back once they learned more about this history of Hendersonville.

Agudas Israel Congregation 54 Morris Kaplan Drive| Hendersonville, NC 28739 | (828) 693-9838 www.agudasisraelsynagogue.org Rabbi Philip Cohen, Ph.D.| ravagudasisrael@gmail.com

For almost ninety years, Agudas Israel has been a part of Hendersonville, NC. A center for Jewish life, the synagogue offers adult education, Torah study, Friday evening and Saturday morning Shabbat services. The congregation welcomes our non-Jewish friends and neighbors to join in our holiday festivities: Hanukkah candle lighting, Passover Seder, Purim and Sukkot.

The synagogue also maintains an extensive library of Jewish literature, history and reference material for its members.

The Brotherhood and Sisterhood of Agudas Israel engage with our congregation in serving our community, including coat drives in winter, food drives to benefit the local food bank, and supporting local organizations such as the Interfaith Assistance Ministry, F.I.S.H., and Feed the Kids.

Jaelyn Krauel, 6, Kaylee Molter, 3, Juliette Krauel, 2, and Wyatte Thiel, 6, pose for a picture in front of a tyrannosaurus head at the Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County. The museum is free and open to the public.

HISTORIC HENDERSONVILLE » Trolley Tours: The Trolley Co. offers its historic tour of Hendersonville on Saturdays through the fall. The price is $25 for adults, $20 for children 5-12, and free for children 4 years and younger with a paying adult. A family ticket of two adults and two children is $60. For reservations or to find out more, call 693-7433 or email info@the trolleycompany.com. For more on The Trolley Company, visit www.thetrolleycompany.com. » Henderson County Heritage Museum: The museum inside the historic courthouse in Hendersonville is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is free. The exhibit featuring Civil War artifacts will be on display for at least the next year. Find out more by calling 694-1619. » Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County: The museum is at 400 N. Main St. Hours are 1-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is

free. Find out more by calling 698-1977 or visit ww.mineral museum.org/ » Children’s museum: Hands On! A Child’s Gallery is at 318 N. Main St. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Admission is $5 per person. Find out more by calling 697-8333 or visit www.handsonwnc.org. » Curb Market: Vendors at the Curb Market at 221 N. Church St. have been selling local items since 1924. The market is open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It also hosts special events during the year including Ole Timey Day on Sept. 24. Find out more at www.curbmarket.com. » Hendersonville Train Depot: The historic depot at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Maple Street was built in 1902, and it currently houses a model railroad put together by the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club. The depot is open on Saturdays. Admission is free.

Find out more at www.avmrc. com.

Fall Savings Event!

-17 0-17 0 10-17 September 10

Avail Sales P ay N oS ales TTax ax No Pay able oon nG arages* & Garages* Barns!

S torage B arns!

Storage 3 %C ash hB ack 3% Cash Back first two modular garages ordered by oon nC arportts! *The Carports! mentioning this ad receive an additional $500 off!

Rent -To-O wn

We also build Gazebos, Horse Barns and Chicken Coops.

Services, Activities, Events

Adult B’nei Mitzvah Program • High Holy Days Services (tickets available for non-members)

LARK Book Club (Ladies Auxiliary Reading Club) • Mitzvah Day • Monthly Movie Night Weekly Lunch‘n Learn • Adult Education • Life Cycle Events AN-0000284558

AN-0000283759

Mon-Fri 9-5 • Sat 10-2 • 828-692-8200 2327 Asheville Hwy. • Hendersonville www.deliveredbarnsandsheds.com

Product: ASHBrd

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-E User: jruminsk

Time: 09-06-2011 16:22 Color: K Y M C

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES • CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 D3

* &% &'# ,(" *&+%+)! -('$ FI

NA

NC IN G

AV AI

LA

BL E!

Starting in the $140s

River Stone Offers 3 Styles of Living…

The Meadows

The Cottages

The Reserve

-"A6"!>3 !> "18 ,)'+#

-"A6"!>3 !> "18 ,)2+#

-"A6"!>3 !> "18 ,((+#

• Floor plans from 1014 to 3167 sq. ft.

• Beautiful mountain views

• Less than 10 minutes from Biltmore Park Town Square

• Zoned for award winning • Community pool and cabana Glenn C. Marlow Elementary School • Centrally located between Asheville and • Convenient to Hendersonville leisure activities and area • Located in Fletcher, NC. attractions Easy access to I-26 and Community Pool Highway 25

5ABB ; 6 -AB8# 47.<8 *;:A?$ 2(20%2'0&)22 AN-0000284697

=!>:#;69 31"6?/<;@

Product: ASHBrd

D4

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-F User: velmore Time: 09-06-2011 18:12 Color: K Y M C

SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

A S H E V I L L E C I T I Z E N - T I M E S • C I T I Z E N - T I M E S. C O M

HENDERSONVILLE RESTAURANT SCENE OFFERS

SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY

By Jason Sandford jsandford@citizen-times.com

H

ENDERSONVILLE — Mike’s

on Main serves up a whopping helping of nostalgia to go with its sandwiches and milkshakes .

That’s because the soda shop is in a Main Street building in downtown Hendersonville that first opened in 1890 as a pharmacy and soda fountain. The pharmacy closed in 1993, but much of the décor today harkens to the way the shop looked in 1930, according to manager Randy Cox. “We do a big business in tourism. For little old Hendersonville, we have visitors from all over the world,” Cox said.

“People are looking to find a Main Street USA, so it’s fun to watch people’s expressions when they come in. It takes them back to when they were kids,” Cox said.

The unique little eatery is just one of an array of Hendersonville restaurants that offers something for just about any taste. From casual Italian food at Mezzaluna to delicious sushi offered up at Lime Leaf Thai Fusion, and plenty more in between, the dining scene sparkles in the small town a half-hour south of Asheville.

Linda Allcock, owner of Mrs. G and Me, cooks up American comfort food such as meatloaf and liver and onions. She’s operated the restaurant for about two years and says she’s made changes to keep up with the tough economic times.

“We’ve changed our menu, and I’ve come up with some really good price points” in the $8 to $10 range, Allcock said.

But not everybody has fared so well, Allcock said.

“It’s sad to say, but it helps that so many restaurants have closed,” she said, noting that about 10 Hendersonville restaurants have closed over the past couple of years. She ticked off names, including Inn on Church,

DOWNTOWN HENDERSONVILLE RESTAURANTS Black Rose Public House 222 N. Main St., 698-2622, www.facebook.com/pages/ Black-Rose-Pub Irish-themed menu with plenty of non-Irish entrees.

Cypress Cellar 321 N. Main St. 698-1005, www.facebook. com/pages/Cypress-Cellar Southern Louisiana cuisine.

Daddy D’s Suber Soul Food 411 Seventh Ave. East, 698-7408, www.facebook.com/pages/ Daddy-Ds-Suber-Soulfood/ Soul food.

Flight Wood Grill

401 N. Main St., 694-1030, flightwoodgrill.com/ Upscale Southern cuisine.

Champa Sushi and Thai 437 N. Main St. 696-9800, http://champa nc.com/ Chinese restaurant.

Hannah Flanagan’s Irish Pub and Eatery 300-A N. Main St., 6961665, http://theoriginal hannahflanagans.com/ Traditional Irish pub, daily food and drink specials.

Lime Leaf Thai Fusion 342 N. Main St., 692-3300, www.limeleaf101.com A Thai restaurant that

brings together various Asian influences.

Margaritagrille Seafood & Sports Bar 430 N. Main St., 692-3100 American food.

Mezzaluna Brick Oven and Tap House 226 N. Main St., 697-6575, www.mezzalunabrick ovenandtaphouse.com Brick oven pizza.

Mike’s on Main 303 N. Main St., 698-1616, www.mikesonmain.com Restaurant and ice cream soda shop.

Mountain Deli 343 N. Main St., 693-0093,

RESTAURANTS NEAR HENDERSONVILLE Mama Christina’s 2700 Greenville Highway in Flat Rock, 866-593-7774 Italian cuisine.

Sinbad Restaurant 202 S. Washington St., 696-2039,

www.sinbadrestaurant.com Mediterranean cuisine.

Sol y Luna Cali-Mex Grill and Bar 1715 Brevard Road, 692-4888 Mexican fare.

Blackwater Grill, Grove Street Café, Patrone and Kelsey’s.

“We’re hanging in there,” she

said.

Renee Ellender, owner of the Cypress Cellar, has also

Amelia or Camden C TTight T Top Twin Set Sale 319 Reg $489 Full Set Sale 369 Reg $529 Queen Set Sale 399 Reg $599 King Set Sale 599 Reg $899 $

99

$

99

$

99

• Laser Dentistry

• Oral Implants • Headache & TMJ Treatment • Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment

Braces for Adults & Children

(You save $121)

FREE (You save $475) Work up and Consultation

K. Donald Jackson, DDS 810.329.7440

K. Donald Jackson, DDS 810.329.7440

$59.00

900 Hendersonville Rd, Suite 107 Asheville, NC 28803 Choice of one offer per person.

Expires in 30 days.

with this coupon

900 Hendersonville Rd, Suite 107 Asheville, NC 28803 Choice of one offer per person.

Expires in 30 days.

Do you snore? or Have Sleep Apnea?

Call Today for a Free Snoring Consultation

PENLAND’S FURNITURE

($100 value)

Dr. Jackson has treated many patients without the use of cumbersome CPAP (or breathing) machines. The treatment used has exceptional levels of patient acceptance and compliance and is 95% effective.

Expires 9/30/11

www.penlandsfurniture.com Hwy 70 Swannanoa, NC 28778 • 828-686-5561 67 Main St., Canton • 828-648-4995

• General Dentistry

Initial Exam & X-Rays

AN-0000284549

*Sugg. Retail Kingsdown Mattress Any Model - 15 to choose from

5%

• Cosmetic Dentistry

Introductory Offer for New Patients!

*

an extra

• Same Day Emergency Care

• Braces for Adults & Children

 Y W

30-50% Off Plus

sugar cane farm, sits below street level along Main Street and has a loyal following of locals, Ellender said. The restaurant will be combining lunch and dinner menus and making some other changes to keep up with the economic times, but the restaurant has been doing well, Ellender said.

“The restaurant business can be a tough business,” she said, “so it’s a passion you’ve got to have.”

been hanging in there. Her restaurant, which specializes in gumbo, jambalaya and other south Louisiana fare, will celebrate its 15th anniversary in September.

“It’s true, authentic Louisiana food,” said Ellender, who is from Bourg, La. “It’s what I grew up with, and that’s what I’m here to share with the community.”

The restaurant, which also features hand-crafted cypress wood taken from her family’s

• Exclusively Mercury-Free Fillings

Your Choice:

99

Italian fare.

Umi Hibachi Grill Downtown location and 1730 Asheville Highway, 698-8048, http://umisushi nc.com/ Quick, affordable Japanese food.

Three Chopt Sandwich Shop 103 Third Ave. East, 6920228, www.facebook.com/ pages/Three-Chopt-Sandwich-Shoppe Variety of sandwiches.

West First Wood Fired Pizza 101 First Ave. West, 693-1080 Wood-fired pizza, handmade pastas and organic salads.

Excellence in Dentistry K. Donald Jackson, DDS

KINGSDOWN SALE EVENT

$

www.mtndeli.com Deli specializing in slicedto-order sandwiches.

Mrs. G and Me 502 N. Main St., 697-5350 American comfort food.

Never Blue 119 S. Main St., 693-4646, www.theneverblue.com Upscale dining with indoor and outdoor dining.

Square One Bistro 111 S. Main St., 698-5598, www.square1bistro.com Specializing in local, sustainable dishes.

Bayou Roma 123 Fifth Ave. East, 4351188, www.bayouroma. com Cajun food and classic

Creating bright smiles through quality care in a friendly atmosphere!

PENLAND’S FURNITURE

AN-0000284684

Carolyn Rutecki and her husband operate Mountain Deli on Main Street in downtown Hendersonville.

Spencer Bonvillain and Noah Rowell enjoy root beer floats at Mike's on Main Street in Hendersonville. PHOTOS BY ERIN BRETHAUER/EBRETHAU@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

900 Hendersonville Rd, Suite 107 Asheville, NC 28803

Call Today! 828-277-6800

Product: ASHBrd

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-G User: velmore

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES • CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Time: 09-06-2011 18:12 Color: K Y M C

SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 D5

HENDERSONVILLE CHURCHES, AGENCIES

REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY week. Oviedo is an ordained minister and s a part-time chaplain at Pardee Hospital. Oviedo estimated that “about 45 people attend each week and half of those are under 18.”

“We are not seeking to have a separate ethnic church,” Oviedo said. “We’re trying to integrate people from different ethnicities to Grace. We are one single church.”

The fall season at Grace Lutheran kicks off on Sunday with a Rally Day, featuring services at 8:15 and 9:45 a.m., lunch at 11 a.m., then music and children’s activities.

Learn more at www.gracelutherannc.com.

By Carole Terrell cterrell@citizen-times.com

H

endersonville’s rural areas and apple farms seem to blend easily with a vibrant town filled with restaurants and cultural activities and churches, all a part of the town’s particular character.

“In Hendersonville, the people move at a slower pace but always have a smile and wave hello,” said resident Jenny Smith.

“Hendersonville is not just a retirement town. The younger generation is falling in love with it, too. There is always something to do downtown such as shopping and great food.”

Churches are an important part of that vibrancy, offering fun gatherings as well as outreach programs that extend across the county.

“This truly is a community with a heart,” said David Cook, executive director of Interfaith Assistance Ministries. “If there is a legitimate need, this community in so many ways will rally to meet that need of their neighbors. I see that on a regular basis.”

IAM was founded and is supported by Henderson County congregations. The agency provides assistance to people with food, clothing, medical care, and money for rent or utilities.

The ministry is open “to all residents in financial crisis,” Cook said. “There is an interview process and we work to preserve dignity. Requirements are just to be a Henderson County resident.” About 100 clients are seen each month; in 2010, school supplies were given to 629 children.

IAM depends on volunteers and donors to help provide for families in need. “Over 300 volunteers last year donated 30,000 hours of service through IAM,” Cook said. Donations are accepted from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. MondayFriday.

Volunteers also form teams to participate in the Henderson County Hunger Coalition’s Hunger Walk, set for 8 a.m. Sept. 24

First United Methodist Volunteer Polly Rogers, left, helps Janell Tubbs browse items available at My Sister's Closet clothing closet for women located in the First United Methodist Church in Hendersonville. JOHN FLETCHER/JFLETCHER@ CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

this year, at Jackson Park.

“We are a primary benefactor of the walk,” Cook said. “It really helps (us to) feed the hungry, and we’re proud of that.”

Following is a sampling of faith communities in Henderson County.

St. John in the Wilderness

St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church in Flat Rock, built in 1833 and on the National Register of Historic Sites, was one of the founding churches of IAM .

St. John has about 400 members and “an average Sunday attendance of about 210,” said the Rev. John Morton. The church celebrated its 175th anniversary in August.

“We are an active parish,” Morton said. “There may be the perception that we are a kind of sleepy, old, museum church, but we’re not. It’s an active, vital parish with many ministries going on. The best barometer of the health of a parish is its outreach. We’ve been blessed and have great people doing that.”

St. John’s church and grave-

yard are open for viewing 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Call 693-9783 or visit www.stjohnflatrock.org.

Agudas Israel Congregation

Rabbi Phil Cohen is new to Hendersonville, having begun work with the Agudas Israel Congregation, at 54 Morris Kaplan Drive, on July 1. Rabbi Cohen’s installation will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, conducted by Rabbi Fred Guttman.

“It’s a sweet little town,” Cohen said. “It certainly has an above average amount of resources one looks for in a town — music, art, theater. And it’s only 20 miles from Asheville so anytime we need a bit of urban environment, we can drive to Asheville.”

Agudas Israel Congregation has about 170 members with a religious service offered at 7:30 p.m. every Friday, Torah study at 9:30 a.m. and Shabbat Service at 10:30 a.m. every Saturday, along with several classes during the week. To learn more, call 6939838 or visit www. agudasisraelsynagogue.org.

Grace Lutheran Church Grace Lutheran Church, at 1245 Sixth Ave. West, offers programs for members of all ages and as well as community programs.

“It’s a busy place,” said the Rev. Greg Williams, often called Pastor Greg. “One of the big blessings about serving here is the number of retirees who are passionate about growing their faith and serving in the church and the community. It’s like an army of volunteers.” Grace Lutheran has about 1,000 members.

Four worship services are held each Sunday: traditional services at 8:15 and 9:45 a.m., contemporary service at 11:15 a.m., and a Spanish service (servicio en Espanol) at 12:30 p.m.

“I like the small town atmosphere of Hendersonville and the variety of people and activities here,” Williams said. “There is a lot of wonderful cultural things, everywhere from affordable to free, which is really nice.”

Alfredo Oviedo helped start the Hispanic program six years ago and leads the service each

My Sister’s Closet is one of many ministries offered by First United Methodist Church, 204 Sixth Ave. W. It was started 11 years ago and provides clothing and accessories struggling women need to enter the workforce.

Kathleen Hodges helped start the program. “It has been very rewarding,” she said. “When they go down the hall with their new things, they are so happy. One woman said, ‘This is just like Christmas.’ They see themselves in a different light and their self-esteem just spirals upward.”

A group of volunteers gathers 9 a.m.-noon every Monday to sort and organize and help women choose clothing. The ministry began for Henderson County residents but “we have so many clothes now we would be glad to clothe people from surrounding counties,” Hodges said.

All sizes are available, as well as accessories and personal hygiene items.

Hodges says that high school girls can get clothing for the new school year at My Sister’s Closet.

“Fall clothing will be coming in soon and we may start carrying blue jeans because there is such a need, with the young ones especially,” Hodges said. Learn more about the church at www.fumchvlnc.org.

Product: ASHBrd

D6

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-A

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

User: jruminsk

Time: 09-06-2011 16:26 Color: K Y M C

A S H E V I L L E C I T I Z E N - T I M E S • C I T I Z E N - T I M E S. C O M

Product: ASHBrd

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: FeaHouse User: velmore Time: 09-06-2011 18:16 Color: K Y M C

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES • CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

HOME OF THE WEEK

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 D7

COMPLETING THE DREAM IN HENDERSONVILLE

K

.J. Laurro thinks Thomas Brennan would like the way the house turned out.

Brennan started it in Hendersonville for himself. But the builder got sick and had to sell when it was about 80 percent complete. He died before Laurro and Carolyn Paden finished it themselves.

“When we heard it was for sale, once we saw that it had radiant heat throughout the floors and three solar panels on the roof, it was a no-brainer for us,” K.J. said.

Even more important were the green materials that Brennan used in the house. K.J. has allergies, so those materials and the paints and finishes she and Carolyn used had to be as clean as they could be.

Carolyn Paden and K.J. Laurro completed the dream of a builder who fell ill during construction of his They may have finished the house, but they credit Brennan with giving them energy-conserving home. more than an excellent start.

“Tom sort of went all-out in building this house. It was done very nicely,” K.J. said. “That was like his dream home.”

For more pictures from the Hendersonville home of K.J. Laurro and Carolyn Paden, visit CITIZEN-TIMES.com.

The floor in the main living area is radiant heated, and there's also a fireplace.

TEXT BY PAUL CLARK ■ CITIZEN-TIMES CORRESPONDENT ■ PHOTOS BY JOHN FLETCHER ■ JFLETCHER@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Best Value in Furniture Today

Appalachian Hardwood COLLECTION

Solid Cherry

Nickel Hardware or Wood Pulls

S

ince 1991 we have offered the largest selection of quality platform beds and futon furniture in the Carolinas to fit any decor and budget. Visit our showroom at 109 Patton Avenue in Downtown Asheville. Private Parking

• Platform Beds & Dressers • Futon Furniture • Bed Quality Futon Mattresses • Futon Covers and Pillows in over 700 fabrics • Bunk Beds • Great Service

MADE IN USA AN-0000284686

109 BROADWAY

BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC 28711

(828) 669-5000

www.TysonFurniture.com

9-5:30 Mon. - Sat.

sims’FUTON gallery www.simsfutongallery.net • 252-9449

AN-0000284683

See the Rest then See the Best

Product: ASHBrd

D8

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-B

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

User: velmore

HOME OF THE WEEK

Time: 09-06-2011 18:16 Color: K Y M C

A S H E V I L L E C I T I Z E N - T I M E S • C I T I Z E N - T I M E S. C O M

The open floor plan combines the kitchen, with its generously sized counter, with the surrounding living area.

BUILDING ON A BUILDER’S DREAM Getting air K.J. Laurro and Carolyn Paden moved into the two-story house in 2009 and immediately warmed to the radiant-heated concrete floor on the lower level and the radiant-heated tile one on the main living area. The house would have qualified for HealthyBuilt status if builder Thomas Brennan had completed it.

But still, the air quality inside is wonderful, K.J. said, because of the cellulose insulation he put in and the low VOC paints she and Carolyn selected.

“You get a house that is this airtight, you want to make sure the air quality inside is healthy,” said K.J., who has been in the construction business for about 20 years.

Custom fit

Even with an open floor plan on the main floor, the temperature stays pretty consistent, with heat coming from radiant tiles and the south-facing windows.

NUTS AND BOLTS The home: A 1,700-squarefoot, four-bedroom, three-bath house with workroom, chicken coop and organic gardens.

The homeowners: K.J. Laurro, a consultant in the construction industry, and Carolyn Paden, who is in nonprofit management and consulting. They live with their dogs Puppy and Tucker and cat Bella.

Wow factor: The air inside this home’s large rooms is almost better than the air its owners breathe sitting on the screened-in porch.

Learn more: Visit the home’s website at www.67mistyview.com.

Living light

K.J. and Carolyn’s healthy living extends to the outside as well, where they exterminate weeds by pulling them, not spraying them.

“We truly try to live as lightly as we can on the earth and have as small a footprint as we can,” K.J. said. “I feel like we owe that to the earth. It has paid us forward, so whatever I can do to pay it back is good. I feel like we rescued the house from possibly sitting empty. We eat healthy and we live healthy, and this house helps us do that.”

Happy ending

Just before Brennan died, he sent word through a real estate friend that he’d like to know when the house was done and what kind of paints K.J. and Carolyn used — information they were happy to share.

“Just for him to know that someone came in and finished it felt good to us,” K.J. said.

“He was pretty thrilled.”

THE TEAM

The south-facing windows are large, so much so that "you don’t need a lot of heat, if any," K.J. Laurro said.

TO VIEW A VIDEO AND PHOTO GALLERY OF THE HOUSE, VISIT CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Pavers, Stepping Stones, Boulders, Stone, Brick, Pond Supplies, Mailboxes, Rainwater Barrels, Retaining Walls, Organic Mulch

Feather Your Nest

CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Upscale one-of-a kind furnishings, housewares, home decorative items, vintage and fine jewelry.

New items arriving daily.

203 West King Street, East Flat Rock

phone - 828-692-5716

Tues-Sat 10-4

Accepting Quality Consignments

1203 Ecusta Road, Brevard AN-0000283750

1596 Greenville Highway Hendersonville • 828-693-3535

Designer: Thomas Brennan, Better Built Inc., Hendersonville.

Builder: Thomas Brennan, Better Built Inc., Hendersonville.

phone 828-883-2711

www.casonbuildersupply.com

AN-0000284415

The south-facing windows are large, so much so that “you don’t need a lot of heat, if any,” K.J. said. Even with an open floor plan on the main floor, the temperature stays pretty consistent. Living and dining space flow into the kitchen that Carolyn, a good cook, designed herself.

Starting from nothing but hung drywall with electrical wiring poking through, she created a workspace that is low to the floor, perfect for her 5-foot-2 frame.

She chose natural granite, custom cabinetry and Energy Star appliances and hides her pots and pans in drawers that are easy to get to.

Product: ASHBrd

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-C

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES • CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

User: velmore

Time: 09-06-2011 18:11 Color: K Y M C

SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 D9

LIVE THEATER THRIVES

IN HENDERSON COUNTY

By Tony Kiss

the main theater. The 10,000square-foot space has a 21-foot ceiling, and the audience sits on raised platforms surrounding the stage on three sides. The shows are performed without microphones, but even the back rows are only about 20 feet from the stage.

This season, The Playhouse Downtown scheduled three productions, but the lineup will grow next year. By 2013, a full season will be presented there.

This year’s performances at the downtown space have concluded.

tkiss@citizen-times.com

H

ENDERSONVILLE — Fans

of live theater in Henderson County have never had to look far when it comes to finding plays or musicals in their hometown.

Both Flat Rock Playhouse and Hendersonville Little Theater have long been entertaining fans with a wide variety of staged entertainment. And the Arts Council of Henderson County also offers some theatrical productions during the year.

This season, Flat Rock Playhouse greatly increased its theatrical offerings by opening a new downtown Hendersonville theater. The company continues to perform at its longtime home in Flat Rock.

Here’s a look at what’s on stage in Hendersonville and in Henderson County.

Flat Rock Playhouse main stage

Hendersonville Little Theater

Flat Rock Playhouse has opened a new downtown Hendersonville theater at 125 S. Main St. SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES

Flat Rock Playhouse, the official state theater of North Carolina, traces its roots to 1937 with the founding of the Vagabond Players by Robroy Farquhar. The acting company migrated to North Carolina in 1940, and by 1952, the group had relocated to Flat Rock and evolved into Flat Rock Playhouse, where it has performed since.

Robroy Farquhar died in 1983, and his son Robin led the company until his passing in 2008. Vincent Marini then took over as producing artistic director — just the third person to lead Flat Rock in its 59-year history.

Flat Rock is an Equity theater, meaning its professional performers are members of the Actors Equity Association union.

This affiliation gives Flat Rock access to some of some of the country’s top theatrical talent.

Flat Rock’s main stage season is a mix of popular comedies,

Flat Rock Playhouse 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock. 693-0731, 866-7328008. www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

The Playhouse Downtown 125 Main St., Hendersonville. 693-0731, 866-732-8008. www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

Hendersonville Little Theatre 1025 State St., Hendersonville. 692-1082. www.hendersonvillelittletheater.org.

Flat Rock Playhouse performs a wide variety of shows at its historic theater in Flat Rock.

This summer's offerings included “Hairspray.”

Arts Council of Henderson County 401 N. Main St., Hendersonville. 693-8504. www.acofhc.org .

musicals and dramas. Its stage designs are always spectacular, and its musical productions are stunning.

The main stage features the Agatha Christie thriller “The Mouse Trap,” through Sunday.

The Capitol Steps political satire group performs a residency Sept. 14-25.

“Buddy: The Buddy Holly

SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES

Story” rocks the stage Oct. 5-30.

The powerful drama “Doubt” plays Nov. 3-20. And Flat Rock’s main stage season ends with the holiday show “Plaid Tidings,” Nov. 30-Dec. 22.

The Playhouse Downtown

Last season, Flat Rock Playhouse performed three shows at

the old Henderson County Courthouse in downtown Hendersonville and pulled big crowds to all of them. This year, Flat Rock took it another step and opened a second theater on Main Street in Hendersonville in what had once been an auto dealership.

The Playhouse Downtown has a different look and vibe than

Hendersonville Little Theater offers family-friendly shows at its downtown space, known as the Barn on State Street. It’s a nonprofit, nonprofessional volunteer organization run by people who work there for the pure love of theater.

The group was founded in 1966, with a debut production of “Bus Stop.” In 1969, it moved to its current location, a space that had been once used as a stable and dance hall. The company has built a strong following with a wide range of shows including musicals, comedies, dramas and thrillers.

The theater performs the beloved musical “The Music Man” through Sept. 24. The season finishes with “The Diary of Anne Frank,” Nov. 11-27.

The Arts Council of Henderson County

While not a theater, the Arts Council does offer some staged theatrical offerings.

The cabaret revue “On The Sunny Side of the Street,” will play Oct. 22-23 at the Parish Hall of Calvary Episcopal Church on Hendersonville Road in Fletcher. It’s about Dorothy Fields, one of the few women lyricists to reach the highest levels of theater in the 1920s.

YOUR HOME IS YOUR CASTLE.

We’ll help you furnish it accordingly.

Fine furniture for every room in your home.

AN-0000284685

O -

A C C D A, NC T.-S.: -; S.: -

. . --

AN-0000284673

MARTI MOCAHBEE (PHOTO: SCOTT F. SMITH)

Dining Rooms • Bedrooms Living Rooms • Family Rooms Sofas • Recliners Love Seats • Mattresses • Accessories

Product: ASHBrd

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-H

D10 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

User: velmore

Time: 09-06-2011 18:14 Color: K Y M C

SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN

A S H E V I L L E C I T I Z E N - T I M E S • C I T I Z E N - T I M E S. C O M

FROM CONNEMARA TO DOWNTOWN,

HISTORICAL SITES ABOUND

By Barbara Blake bblake@citizen-times.com

W

hile there’s plenty about Hendersonville that’s edgy and hip, Henderson County also has a bounty of offerings with a historical twist, from the 19th-century St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church to the home place of poet Carl Sandburg.

Probably the most well-known is Connemara, the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site in Flat Rock, where the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and his family lived from 1945 until Sandburg’s death in 1967.

A visit to the site includes a tour of the house, hiking trails and picnic areas, a bookstore, a 12-minute video featuring an interview between Sandburg and Edward R. Murrow, and tours to see the goats in the barn where Mrs. Sandburg operated the Chikaming Goat Dairy, renowned for the goats’ quality milk production and superior breeding.

There also are special events throughout the year, such as the upcoming Fall into the Farm from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept.

17, a day of family fun with square dancing, garden tours, children’s activities, cornhusk dollmaking, Rutabaga storytelling and other activities.

“All the tours that day will be family-friendly, and the tour fees will be waived,” said Sarah Perschall, chief of visitor services at the site. “We had about 300 people last year, and we’re expecting more this year.”

Historic Johnson Farm in Hendersonville, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offers a glimpse of life on the farm and tourist retreat in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Operated by the Henderson County school system, the property is now a hands-on museum where visitors can tour the 1880s home, a barnloft museum and 10 historic outbuildings, and engage with animals, nature trails and 15 acres of fields, forest and streams.

“They’ve preserved it in such great detail that it’s used as an educational tool for schoolchildren in the county as well as other visitors,” said Beth Carden, assistant director of the Henderson County Travel and Tourism Department.

Back in Flat Rock you’ll find St. John in the Wilderness Church, built in 1833, along with an adjoining cemetery where family members of three signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried.

“It’s a beautiful old church sitting up on a hill, and there are docents who will take you through on tours,” Carden said.

“There also are a lot of people from Charleston and other areas who came up here for their summer retreat and are buried there.”

The Hendersonville Depot, built in 1901 at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Maple Street, has been renovated and now houses the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club. The club has constructed an HO model railroad there with 600 feet of track.

The club opens to the public 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each Saturday, along with entry to its Southern Railway caboose. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

The Henderson County Curb Market at 221 N. Church St. has been an institution since 1924.

What began 85 years ago as a group of farmers bringing their extra produce to town has expanded to include plants and

Connie Backlund, the superintendent at the Carl Sandburg Historic Site in Flat Rock, gets close to one of the site's iconic goats near the barn.

ERIN BRETHAUER/EBRETHAU@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

CARL SANDBURG HOME STATE HISTORIC SITE

U.S. 25, Flat Rock Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily year-round; closed on Christmas Day. Admission is free for grounds, trail and barn; fee for house tours is $5 for adults 16 and older; $3 for seniors 62 and older; free for children 15 and younger. www.nps.gov/carl/

HISTORIC JOHNSON FARM

3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville Open 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Tuesday-Friday September-May; and Monday-Thursday June-August. Admission is $5 adults, $3 K-12 students, free for preschoolers. www.historic johnsonfarm.org.

ST. JOHN IN THE WILDERNESS EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND CEMETERY

Open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.

Free, but donations accepted. www.avmrc.com.

1905 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. TuesdaySunday, gates close 4 p.m.

Admission is free. www.stjohnflatrock.org.

HENDERSONVILLE CURB MARKET

221 N. Church St. Open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during warm months; Saturdays only during winter. www.curbmarket.com.

HENDERSONVILLE DEPOT AND MODEL RAILROAD CLUB

HENDERSON COUNTY HERITAGE MUSEUM

Corner of Seventh Avenue and Maple Street

In the historic Courthouse on

Main Street, Hendersonville Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Wednesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. www.hendersoncounty museum.org.

HISTORIC TROLLEY TOURS

Three-hour historic tours of Henderson County leaving every Saturday morning through October. Ticket prices vary. www.thetrolley company.com

Lesser quality at a lower price is no bargain. At Stone Gallery Granite & Marble we guarantee the best price, highest quality products and superb fabrication.

Granite / Marble / Glass / Onyx / Limestone / Tile Volunteer Donna Harrison holds Mara, one of the goats at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site.

JULIE BALL/JBALL@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

fresh-cut flowers, homemade jams, jellies and baked goods and handmade mountain crafts.

Coming up Sept. 24 is “Ole Timey Day” at the market, with biscuits, sausage, ham and gravy and a pinto beans and cornbread lunch available for purchase. “Ole Timey Christmas” will be Nov. 26, with fresh greenery, Christmas wreaths, crafts, carriage rides, music and refreshments.

The market is open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for much of the year, open on Saturdays only during the winter.

The Henderson County Heritage Museum is housed in the renovated Historic Henderson County Courthouse on Main Street, which was built in 1905 and designed by Richard Sharp Smith, the supervising architect of the Biltmore House.

The museum offers public display galleries, artifacts, collections, archives, libraries, demonstrations, performances and other exhibitions relating to the history, culture, heritage and stories of the county.

Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wednesday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday, with tours offered at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays.

A new offering in town is the Historic Henderson Tour operated by The Trolley Company, with tours running every Saturday morning through October. The three-hour tour, which includes a guide offering historical tidbits, takes visitors to the courthouse and museum, the curb market, Connemara, St. John in the Wilderness Church, Flat Rock Playhouse, Main Street downtown and the train depot.

1st Quality Selection Superb Fabrication

• Largest Exotic Slab Selection • Something for Every Budget

• The area’s only

water jet • Progressive Technology combined with Time Honored Technique

Flawless Installation

• Prompt • Precise • Professional

Bring us any legitimate written estimate and we’ll compare.

Apples to Apples!

WWW.STONEGALLERYGRANITE.COM 6 BRANDY BRANCH RD. • MILLS RIVER, NC (828) 891-4770 AN-0000284648

Product: ASHBrd

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-I User: velmore Time: 09-06-2011 18:14 Color: K Y M C

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES • CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 D11

PLAY OUTDOORS IN HENDERSONVILLE

SEVERAL GREEN SPACES PROVIDE LOTS OF OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES

By Karen Chávez

WANT TO PLAY?

KChavez@CITIZEN-TIMES.com

Located off Four Seasons Boulevard near downtown Hendersonville. Ball fields, tennis courts, picnic areas, walking and biking trails, greenway, concerts and other events throughout the year. Call Henderson County Parks and Recreation at 697-4884 or visit www.hendersoncountyrecreation.org.

Bird walks are held the second Saturday of every month. For more information, e-mail HCBC@gmail.com.

» DUPONT STATE FOREST

Located on the Henderson-Transylvania border. Hiking trails, waterfalls, picnic areas, fishing, horseback riding. Call 8776527 or visit http://ncforestservice.gov/Contacts/dsf.htm or the Friends of DuPont State Forest website at www.dupontforest.com.

» PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST

Nearly 500,000-acre national forest with amenities that include picnic areas, Davidson River Campground, hiking trails, fishing in Davidson River, horseback riding, Cradle of Forestry, Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. Pisgah District Ranger Office located on U.S. 276 north. Call 877-3265.

Jackson Park in Hendersonville offers a variety of outdoor recreation activity space, including trails and a greenway that host events such as the Monday evening 5K series.

JOHN COUTLAKIS/JCOUTLAKIS@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

trict, centered around Davidson River on U.S. 276 North.

Some of its highlights include Looking Glass Falls, Davidson River for its fishing, Davidson River Campground, numerous hiking trails such as Moore Cove Falls, Pink Beds Loop, Cat Gap Loop and Looking Glass Rock trails, the Cradle of Forestry in America and the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, which offer nature exhibits and educational programs.

The Carl Sandburg

Home, a unit of the National Park Service, is also a popular outdoors spot for Hendersonville residents (see Page 10). Entrance to the grounds, which include a pond, a barn and five miles of forested hiking trails, is free.

The park also hosts many free events throughout the year, such as the Fall Into the Farm Festival on Sept. 17.

But the biggest draw, said Sarah Perschall, the park’s chief of visitor services, is the outdoors .

“We have hiking trails that range from easy to moderate,” Perschall said.

“Most people come for the serenity and the beautiful

“HOME OF THE SELF-CLEANING AND CARBON NEUTRAL HOT TUB”

1478 DELLWOOD RD. WAYNESVILLE, NC 28786 • LOCALLY OWNED • SERVICE MOST BRANDS • SERVICING WNC SINCE 1994 • LARGEST SELECTION IN WNC 4 PERSON HOT TUB STARTING AT $2,988

GRANITE $3900* Countertops

per SF

Saunas

* Includes Material, Fabrication & Installation

FREE SINKS & POLISHED EDGE

2 WEEKS TURNAROUND

Visit our slab & tile showroom • 90 Colors in stock

NEW LOCATION Hendersonville Biltmore Marble & Granite Old Spartanburg & Spartanburg Hwy 6 Westside Dr • Asheville, NC 828-707-5365 828-254-3400 Monday- Saturday 8am-6pm • www.biltmoregranite.com DISCLAIMER: Biltmore Marble & Granite is in no way affiliated with or related to The Biltmore Company, Biltmore For Your Home, Biltmore Wine Company of Inn on Biltmore Estate.

AN-0000284666

grounds. You get a sense of what life was like for Carl Sandburg in the 50s and 60s. It’s a very peaceful place.”

ENDLESS SUMMER SALE!

SWIM SPAS AN-0000284599

more popular with trail runners, now serving as the venue for several races such as the DuPont State Forest 12K in March, the Morris Broadband DuPont Half Marathon in April, the Hickory Mountain 10K on Oct. 1 and the inaugural DuPont State Forest 50K on Oct. 2.

The newest race will take runners on a 31-mile odyssey across creeks, up steep climbs and over single-track terrain, said race director Lydia Odell.

“DuPont is beautiful, and it’s pretty friendly for beginning trail runners,” Odell said.

“You feel like you’re way out in the woods, but you can still have a great experience.”

Nearby is another public playground, Pisgah National Forest. The 500,000-acre forest spreads across 12 WNC counties but draws many Hendersonville outdoors lovers to its busiest area, the Pisgah Ranger Dis-

%'#($#"$#&

Richard Leppingwell doesn’t need to go to Costa Rica for great birdwatching. He can step into his greater neighborhood backyard to catch a flying, feathery, migratory feast right here in Henderson County.

Leppingwell, the president of the Henderson County Bird Club, leads bird walks in Jackson Park, a sprawling outdoor playground in the heart of Hendersonville that has also been named as one of the “stops” on the N. C. Birding Trail.

“The reason Jackson Park is such a wonderful place for birding is that it’s on the Appalachian flyway from the tropics to Canada and beyond,” Leppingwell said. “Some birds stop on their way north as far as Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, some stay in the park and raise their chicks and then turn around and go back. Some, like warblers, are here year-round.

“Jackson Park has woods, open lands, creeks, small rivers —everything they need is here.”

While the park is a nature-watching hot spot, it is also a hub of sporting events.

Close to downtown, Jackson Park is the county’s largest with 212 acres of amenities, including four picnic shelters, nine baseball fields, soccer fields, eight tennis courts, three playgrounds, walking trails and the Oklawaha Greenway.

Along with the nearby Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Fletcher’s community park, DuPont State Forest and Pisgah National Forest, it is just one of the many outdoor, greenspace havens for local residents.

The park receives some 400,000 visitors a year mostly from Henderson and Buncombe counties, said Parks and Recreation director Tim Hopkin.

“It has been sort of loved to death,” he said of the park that was first constructed in 1974 and is now in the middle of a road system redesign to improve safety and the flow of traffic .

The park attracts visitors from across the country for some of its larger events, including the N.C. Grand Prix of Cyclo-Cross on Nov. 19-20.

The two-day “steeplechase of bicycling” event draws hundreds of riders from professional to amateur levels in a unique combination of running, obstacle dodging and cycling on terrain including grass, dirt and pavement, Hopkin said.

The park holds other cycling events and is converting its BMX park into a mountain biking course.

For runners, it hosts a weekly summer 5K roadrunning series and other 5K races throughout the year.

Jackson Park also hosts festivals, such as Farm City Day on Oct. 3, which connects the rural and urban communities through a tractor pull, competitions and farm exhibits.

“Jackson Park is centrally located, it offers the opportunity to enjoy passive and active activities,” Hopkin said. “It’s a nice bit of green space in the heart of the community and adds to the quality of life.”

Further adding to the quality of life is the 10,400acre DuPont State Forest on the Henderson-Transylvania county border between Hendersonville and Brevard. The rugged state forest is dripping with creeks, lakes and waterfalls, hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails, picnic areas and endless opportunities for wildlife, wildflower and autumn leaf viewing.

It is also becoming

828.926.8484

SEASIDE CASUAL PATIO FURNITURE ON SALE EVERYDAY!

MON. - SAT. 9-5 ANYTIME BY APPOINTMENT

CASH DISCOUNTS LAYAWAY AVAILABLE

BUY ONE, YOU KNOW YOU WANT ONE!

W W W.

T H E T U B S T O R E . C O M

Beautiful Dining Room Furniture

Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...

Lamps…Lamps...Lamps...Lamps..Lamps...

Lamps..Lamps...Lamps…Lamps...Lamps...

Lamps...Lamps...Lamps..Lamps...Lamps…

Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...

Lamps..Lamps...Lamps…Lamps...Lamps...

Lamps...Lamps...Lamps..Lamps...Lamps…

Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...Lamps...

READING LAMPS

FLETCHER LAMP POST

Phone 687-1605 3917 Hendersonville Rd

Table Lamps, Floor Lamps, Wall Lamps Desk Lamps Aladdin Oil Lamps Replacement Shades Lamp Repair Open 10-5 / Mon-Sat

AN-0000284596

Home Again Furniture Quality Used Furniture & Antiques Buy • Sell Fletcher Shopping Plaza 3907 Hendersonville Rd Fletcher • 828-651-9296

www.homeagainfurniture.net AN-0000284706

Create the Kitchen or Bath of Your Dreams with SSS Countertops

Solid Surface Specialists

Featuring a complete line of Eclipse Stainless 16 gauge sinks and faucets.

62 Communication Dr. Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 452-4747 phone • (828) 452-4797 fax www.sss-tops.com AN-0000284606

AN-0000284591

Advertise in the Asheville Citizen-Times Service Directory.

Western North Carolinas Source for premium custom countertops offering a wide variety of granite, quartz, and solid surface materials.

AN-0000284512

H

» JACKSON PARK

ENDERSONVILLE —

Call Today!

828.232.5889 AN-0000284611

AN-0000284704

Product: ASHBrd

PubDate: 09-10-2011 Zone: ACT Edition: 1 Page: Features-J User: jruminsk

D12 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

Time: 09-06-2011 16:27 Color: K Y M C

A S H E V I L L E C I T I Z E N - T I M E S • C I T I Z E N - T I M E S. C O M

SALE ENDS SUNDAY

AN-0000284657