HC Magazine August 2015

10th Anniversary Issue August 2015

2005

Celebrating 10 Years!

2015

DI A N N E DAVA N T & A S S O C I AT E S EXCELLENCE BY DESIGN SINCE 1979

B A N N E R E L K , NC 82 8. 898 .98 8 7 P O RT S A I N T L U C I E , FL 77 2. 34 4 .31 90 B

High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

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High Country Magazine

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High Country Magazine

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High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

WHERE SUMMER IS COOL AND THE MOUNTAINTOP GOLFING IS MATCHLESS.

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here are thousands of golf communities across the country, but not all are created equally. If your dream is to enjoy world class golf with innumerable amenities in a wonderful setting, there’s only one choice...Linville Ridge.

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More than just golf. #LIVETHERIDGE

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August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

Magnificent acreage tract along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina’s High Country

D

irectly accessible off the Blue Ridge Parkway and Phillips Gap Road, this incredible 269 +- acre tract is indeed a very unique and rare find. A short 0.2 mile, well maintained road leads from the property’s Parkway entrance to open meadows with vast and stunning, long range, panoramic views of the mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia to include Grandfather Mountain, Beech Mountain, Mount Jefferson, Rich Mountain, Roan Mountain, and White Top Mountain.

Such breathtaking vistas usually require much longer and steeper ascents in remote areas of the High Country of North Carolina, further emphasizing the uniqueness and rarity of this beautiful land. Located just a 10 minute scenic drive north along the Parkway from 4-lane, US Highway 421 in Deep Gap, the acreage includes elevations up to almost 3,700 feet. These elevations are among Ashe County’s highest on privately owned land along the Parkway and provide numerous potential building sites.

This conveniently located property in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina is only 20 minutes from Boone and West Jefferson, 30 minutes from Blowing Rock and North Wilkesboro, 1 hour 20 minutes from Winston-Salem, 1 hour 40 minutes from Greensboro, and 1 hour 50 minutes from Charlotte.

Multiple opportunities exist for this magnificent mountain acreage tract to include a residential estate, a multi-functional retreat, a picturesque horse or cattle farm, or a valuable land investment for the future. Sunrises and sunsets along with nighttime shows created by the lights of cities and towns in valleys below greet anyone fortunate enough to have a presence on this very secluded and special place. The first time offering is very realistically priced at $2,200,000.

Weber, Hodges & Godwin Commercial Real Estate Services, LLC Dan Godwin // Debbie Godwin

Office: 828.264.0019

153 Crossing Way, Suite 102, Boone, NC 28607 August / September High Country Magazine 7 dan@weberhodgesgodwin.com //2015 www.weberhodgesgodwin.com

C O N T E N T S

38 Solar Trailblazers

North Carolina has earned its spot as a leader in the South for installed solar capacity, but the impending expiration of certain tax credits threatens its position at the vanguard of renewable energy investments in the U.S. Find out why these credits are important and why local advocates want to keep them around.

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48 Taking the Stage

It’s no secret that the mountains of North Carolina have produced many a great musician. A number of talented performers have hailed from the High Country over the years, and many rising stars are breaking in their careers right in our own backyard.

Meet one such band, Cane Mill Road, and find out what inspires them.

56 Communities Working Together

In a suffering economy, lack of access to resources can be a problem for families who work hard to make ends meet. It truly takes a village to lift our friends and neighbors out of poverty, and that’s why WAMY Community Action is committed to building a sustainable community one step at a time.

64 Fiber-Optic Fast

Tired of your Internet speed always slowing you down? Yancey County’s solution to the problem has online capabilities growing by leaps and bounds for its local business owners and its residents. Learn about this new technology and find out how a public-private partnership is making big waves in this community.

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74 A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out

What happens when local families have to compete with college students and second homebuyers for affordable housing in the High Country? Find out how Habitat for Humanity has been building better communities and brighter futures in our area. They’ve made great strides in 25 years, but they need your help to grow.

84 Following the Champions

Who better to tell the greatest victories of Appalachian State University’s athletic programs than someone who’s followed them diligently for more than a quarter century? Relive the history, glory and excitement of many Mountaineer accomplishments in football and men’s basketball through the tales and experiences of Tommy Bowman, a seasoned Winston-Salem Journal sportswriter.

100 Mountain Home Makeover on the cover Our Art Director, Debbie Carter rolled up her sleeves and went to work tracking down all our front covers, that she then arranged for our 2005 10th anniversary cover.

Celebrating 10 Years!

Luck was on her side; the 2015 63 covers fit perfectly.

Then she topped it off with the graphics depicting our decade of magazines.

8 High Country Magazine August / September 2015 10th Anniversary Issue August 2015

What do you do when you don’t love your mountain house as much as you love its location? That’s easy.

Consult with local experts and remodel it to match the sweeping, gorgeous views. Homeowners Keith and Aleshia Fife explain how they converted their Beech Mountain hideout into a dream home in the hills.

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READER SERVICES ABOUT US

The first High Country Press newspaper was published on May 5, 2005, and the first issue of High Country Magazine went to press in fall 2005. In March of 2012 the newspaper made the transformation to an online newspaper at our new website: www.HCPress.com. Our new “webpaper� is still packed with information that we present and package in easy-to-read formats with visually appealing layouts.

Our magazine represents our shared love of our history, our landscape and our people. It celebrates our pioneers, our lifestyles, our differences and the remarkable advantages we enjoy living in the mountains. Our guiding principles are twofold: quality journalism makes a difference and customer care at every level is of the greatest importance. Our offices are located in downtown Boone, and our doors are always open to welcome visitors.

G A L L E R Y

&

F R A M E M A K E R S

where hills meet sky | tony griffin

July 29 - august 8

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Our magazine is a wonderful way for businesses to advertise to our readers. Our magazines tend to stay around for a long time, on coffee tables and bed stands, and shared with family and friends. To find out about advertising, call our offices at 828264-2262.

BACK ISSUES

Back issues of our magazines are available from our office for $5 per issue. Some issues are already sold out and are no longer available.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography and page reprints are available for purchase. For sizing, prices and usage terms, please call our office. Some photos may not be available and some restrictions may apply.

FREELANCE OPPORTUNITIES

Writers and photographers may send queries and samples to the editor at hcmag@highcountrypress.com.

ComPoseD reAlism loren DiBeneDetto AnD DAViD BirminghAm

AUGUST 12 - AUGUST 22 Contact us at:

High Country Press/Magazine P.O. Box 152 1600 Highway 105 Boone, NC 28607 www.hcpress.com info@highcountrypress.com 828-264-2262

Friday Wine Flights - AUGUST 14 & 28, 5-6:30 PM Coffee Talks | SATURDAYs IN AUGUST | 10 to noon works on PAPer exhiBition

Curated Works by Gallery Artists August 26 - September 26 artcellaronline.com | 828-898-5175 | info@artcellaronline.com 920 Shawneehaw Avenue, Hwy. 184, Banner Elk August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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FRO M T HE PUB L ISH ER

A Publication Of High Country Press Publications Editor & Publisher Ken Ketchie Art Director Debbie Carter Contributing Writers Jesse Wood Jessica Isaacs Bernadette Cahill Ken Ketchie

Whew - Our Magazine Made It To 10

W

ell, we made it to 10. Truth be told, though, it wasn’t all that easy getting here! We began publishing High Country Magazine a few months after we launched our weekly newspaper in the summer of 2005. The good news was that the magazine took off like a rocket ship; the downside of that success was that we had a tiger by the tail that was whippin’ us around like crazy as we tried to figure the ins and outs of publishing a magazine. Although similar to a newspaper, a magazine had its own unique set of challenges that we learned to overcome the hard way, one at a time.

Then just as we were settling into that groove, the Great Recession hit, and we began to see our page count shrink as the pricey advertising rates of a glossy magazine became out of reach to many of the small business owners who were struggling themselves to stay a float as the recession really started to kick everyone’s ass.

We held on, like many, but just barely, like many. As the black cloud of the recession began to lift, as we were still licking our wounds, we were then faced with the Internet becoming apart of our entire waking life, and with advertisers believing that the World Wide Web would be its silver bullet for all of their marketing needs.

So what a long strange trip it’s been! In the last year, our pages have been filling back up with advertising, and our stories, photography and layout, I think, are the best they’ve ever been.

Looks like we could be around for another 10 years!

And I hope so because looking on the bright side . . . I can’t think of anything more rewarding than publishing a magazine. I still feel that excitement when a new issue arrives back from the printer. The work around deadline can be intense, but creating each issue together is still as fun as it ever was – as fun as that first issue in the summer of 2005.

From start to finish every issue is different. Dreaming up the story ideas and then going to work to make them happen involves many conversations with our subjects and pairing a writer together for the interview process. And throughout you are thinking about the photography and graphic elements – a lot of which I enjoy doing. And finally it all comes together in designing the pages for the final look.

Of course there are ads to be sold, designed and proofed. And this gives me a chance to get out from behind the computer and see old friends and meet new ones in the business community.

Perhaps the best part is the satisfaction of bringing all these stories to the community in what we think is the best-read publication in the High Country. Here’s a heartfelt thanks and kudos to all of the subjects of our stories, the readers and advertisers and the many contributors who have lent their talents. You certainly keep us going. You are the reason we’re still here.

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High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

David Coulson Melanie Bullard Josiah Han Clark Jeff Green Contributing Photographers Frederica Georgia Sarah Weiffenbach David Coulson Advertising Director Jeffrey Green

SHARE WITH FRIENDS You can share our magazine with friends that are out of town by sending them to our website. Just click on “Magazine” in the Menu Bar and that will take you to our online magazine where you can flip through an issue online - just like you would with a printed copy.

www.HCPress.com HIGH COUNTRY MAGAZINE P.O. Box 152, Boone, NC 28607 828-264-2262 Follow our magazine online where each issue is presented in a flip-through format. Check it out at:

HighCountryMagazine.com Reproduction or use in whole or part of the contents of this magazine without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Issues are FREE throughout the High Country. © 2015

by High Country Press. All Rights Reserved.

August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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Calendarof Events august 2015

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Banner Elk Concerts: The DeLuge, Tate-Evans Park, 828-898-8395

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Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music: Mipso, Legends @ ASU, Boone, 828-964-3392

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Peter Pedroni Memorial Charity Golf Tournament, Boone Golf Club, 828-264-8760

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Concerts on the Lawn: Marcy Marxer and Cathy Fink and Tellico, Jones House Community Center, downtown Boone, 282-268-6280

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Music on the Lawn: The Harris Brothers, The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

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Music in the Valle: Surefire, Valle Crucis Community Park, 282-963-9239

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Blowing Rock Rotary Annual Charity Auction, American Legion Hall, www.blowingrockrotary.org

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Banner Elk Concerts: The Flying Saucers, Tate-Evans Park, 828-898-8395

27

High Country Trolley Tours: Art Galleries and Wineries, Avery County, 828-898-5605

28

Concerts on the Lawn: Strictly Strings and Spencer Branch, Jones House Community Center, downtown Boone, 282-268-6280

28

Music on the Lawn: Possum Jenkins, The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

28

Music in the Valle: The Mountain Laurels, Valle Crucis Community Park, 282-963-9239

29

High Country Beer Fest, High Country Fairgrounds, www.hcbeerfest.com (see next page)

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Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music: Carl Johnson and the Elkville String Band, Blue Ridge Ballroom, ASU, 828-964-3392

RAILROAD HERITAGE WEEKEND, TWEETSIE RAILROAD, AUGUST 29-30

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Music on the Lawn: Smokey Breeze, The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

4

Music in the Valle: Zoe and Cloyd, Valle Crucis Community Park, 282-963-9239

5

Appalachian State Opening Football Game vs Howard, Kidd Brewer Stadium, 3:30 pm, 828-262-2079

5-6

Mile High Kite Festival, Beech Mountain, 800-468-5506

Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music: Walt Michaels and Company, Harvest House Performing Arts Venue, Boone, 828-964-3392

6

8-12

Avery Agricultual and Horticultural Fair, Heritage Park,Newland, 828-387-6870

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Music on the Lawn: Soul Benefactor, The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

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Music in the Valley: Folk and Dagger, Valle Crucis Community Park, 282-963-9239

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Grandfather Mountain Kidfest, Grandfather Mountain, 828-733-2013

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Todd Summer Music: Melissa Reaves, Cook Memorial Park, www.toddnc.org

29

Beauty of the Night Guided Hike, Grandfather Mountain, 828-733-2013

15-19

29-30

Railroad Heritage Weekend, Tweetsie Railroad, 828-264-9061

On the Same Page Festival, West Jefferson, 336-846-2041 (see next page)

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29-6

Ensemble Stage: “Ears on a Beatle,” Blowing Rock, 828-414-1844

High Country Trolley Tours: Art Galleries and Wineries, Avery County, 828-898-5605

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september 2015

Music on the Lawn: The Harris Brothers, The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

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Grandfather Mountain Girl Scout Day, Grandfather Mountain, 828-733-2013

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Music on the Lawn: The Lucky Strikes, The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

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3

Banner Elk Concerts: The Whip Daddies, Tate-Evans Park, 828-898-839

High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

DON’T FORGET

EVENTS

High Country Beer Fest

Join your friends and 50 craft breweries, many from North Carolina, at the High Country Fairgrounds off of Roby Greene Road in Boone on Aug. 29 from 3-7 p.m. for the eighth annual High Country Beer Fest. This annual celebration will showcase craft brew, the science behind it, great food pairings and so much more with educational seminars, live music and good eats from nine local food vendors. Any way you look at it, there’s a lot of fun on tap. Make plans to attend this event now, because tickets will go fast! For every ticket sold, the festival will donate $1 to Quiet Givers, a group committed to anonymously connecting local philanthropists with folks in need. For more information, visit http://hcbeerfest.com.

August 29

On the Same Page Festival Do you love to escape the pressures of the world by diving into a new book? Or maybe you enjoy the release of bringing your ideas to life on pen and paper. Whatever reading and writing mean to you, you’ll soon have a chance to celebrate them both. Make your way to West Jefferson for the annual “On the Same Page” Literary Festival — a five-day series of collaborative events hosted by the Ashe County Arts Council and the Ashe County Public Library. Readings, writing workshops, discussions, visual and performing arts, film, spoken word, crafts, food and more will bring storytelling and mountain culture to life Sept. 15-19. Visit www. onthesamepagefestival.org or call the library at 336-846-2041 for more information.

king n, par . o i s s i ice dm Free a huttle serv s and

Sept. 15-19

Sugar Mountain Resort

1009 Sugar Mountain Drive • Sugar Mountain, NC 28604 www.skisugar.com/oktoberfest • 800-Sugar-MT August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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mountain

echoes

Women Empowering Women C

alling all women in the High Country! Are you looking for a chance to make new friends and build stronger connections in the community?

If so, a relatively new organization, Watauga Women in Leadership, might be just the thing you’re looking for, and you still have time to join their next soiree.

Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Director of Operations Barbara Armstrong was among the small group of women from the professional community who first discussed the need for a ladies’ empowerment and networking program in the area.

In the fall of 2014, along with several other leading ladies who represented local governments, businesses and institutions, Armstrong organized the inaugural gettogether. The luncheon served as a meet-and-greet with Dr. Sheri Everts, who had just begun her first term as chancellor of Appalachian State University.

The group’s inaugural meeting with the chancellor was well received in the community, and WWIL was later adopted by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce as the first all-women group of its kind in the High Country.

The group is not limited to members of the local chamber, however, and anyone in the area that’s interested in networking is encouraged to get involved.

Unlike other leadership organizations, Armstrong said WWIL does not require fundraising, dues or anything else of its members.

“Whether its management or business owners in the community, WWIL allows us to get to know one another on a more personal level … ” Armstrong said. “ … that’s the whole purpose of WWIL — it is women supporting each other in what we already do without requiring any-

thing else of us.”

Since the initial event, WWIL members have hosted get-togethers in their own businesses, including luncheons and dinners at Everett Nissan and Blowing Rock’s Meadowbrook Inn. Chancellor Everts even welcomed more than 80 WWIL members to lunch in her own home.

Moving forward, the group plans to host quarterly events that bring participating ladies together for networking, fellowship and empowerment.

“It is amazing what we can do when you put women

By Jessica Isaacs

together,” Armstrong said.

Ready to get involved? Join the WWIL’s upcoming “Simply Southern” good ole fashioned pig-pickin’ and covered dish event from 2-5 p.m. on Aug. 23 at 409 Monte Verde Road in Deep Gap. Wear your favorite T-shirt and get ready to unwind with friends old and new as you enjoy dinner, wine from the Country Vintner and beer from Lost Province Brewing Co. for just $10 per person. Call 828-264-2225 to register or to learn more about the group.

FROM LEFT: Leslie Eason, Sallie Aceto, Vicky McLean, Babette McAuliffe, and Maggie Tilley

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Enterline & Russell Builders is a full service custom residential and commercial construction company…

Building some of the finest homes in the High Country since 1983

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High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

JEANS / LEATHER and CUSTOM JACKETS / BOOTS / MUCH MORE

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High Country Magazine

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mountain

echoes

Art and Culture at Appalachian State R

ich history, perfect weather and sweeping mountain views make North Carolina’s High Country unique in many ways. It’s a place of natural beauty, adventure, wonder and allure.

Thanks to Appalachian State University, it’s also a place of culture, craft, art and wisdom.

Conveniently located in the heart of Boone, the University’s on-campus Schaefer Center for Performing Arts brings a world of marvels to the area every year, and 2015-16 will be no exception.

ASU’s Office of Arts and Cultural Resources recently wrapped up another successful year of An Appalachian Summer Festival, its multidisciplinary art series that brings folks from across the southeastern United States to enjoy art, music, theater and film in the High Country.

Although the magic of summer draws to an end, rest assured that the university has a brilliant lineup of talented performers slated for the academic year.

Following ASU’s solid tradition of memorable experiences coupled with educational outreach, the Schaefer Center will again this year offer an array of exceptional performances for students, faculty, staff and the community.

Tickets for all events range from $15-$40 each and go on sale at 9 a.m. on Aug. 17.

Call the box office at 828-262-4046 or visit http://theschaefercenter.org to purchase tickets and learn more.

The annual Schaefer Center Performance Series will include the following programs in 2015-16: Sept. 24: Rhiannon Giddens — Appalachia-inspired singer/songwriter,

By Jessica Isaacs

violinist, banjo player, Greensboro native and founding front woman for the Grammy Award-winning group The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Oct. 7: Lakota Sioux Indian Dance Theater — A world-renowned company that communicates the powerful messages and resonance of dance and song in Plains Indian Society; directed by acclaimed choreographer Henry Smith.

Oct. 23: An Evening with David Sedaris — One of America’s pre-eminent humor writers whose satire slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness with sardonic wit and incisive social critiques; regularly featured in The New Yorker.

Nov. 7: Jason Isbell — American singer-songwriter and guitarist pursuing a solo career after six years with Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers, backed by a new band called “the 400 Unit.”

Jan. 29: American Shakespeare Center, “Julius Caesar” — a powerful story of history, patriotism, honor, love, betrayal and violence in ancient Rome.

Jan. 30: American Shakespeare Center, “Henry V” — the touching, heroic, savage and comic story of England’s hero-king and the greatest upset in European military history.

Feb. 13: Dr. John and the Nite Trippers — boogie-woogie New Orleans jazz with funky, bluesy influence led by Grammy Award-winning Hall of Fame writer, producer and recording artist.

April 22: Contra Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theater — Los Angeles-based dance company founded and directed by Ana Maria Alvarez fusing Salsa, Afro-Cuban, contemporary urban and abstract dance.

Open for Public Play!

Book Online Now

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High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

Boone’s Premier Tile Showroom

Owners Trudy and David Shell

STore HourS: Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5pm Saturday: By Appointment 1852 H w y. 105, Bo one • 828-265- 0472 • w w w.Mo un t a inT il eNC .c o m August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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2005

By Jesse Wood

W

hat a wild 10 years it’s been since the first issue of High Country Magazine came out late summer 2005. For this retrospective our publisher, Ken Ketchie, tasked me with putting into words the roller coaster ride it’s been from 2005 to 2015. As we tossed around ideas for this piece, Ken kept saying that history will look back at this moment in time as a “disruptive mess.” The Great Recession, as it’s now known, fell right in the middle of the past decade, and since our publishing business involves dealing with hundreds of local small businesses – either through advertising sales or business features and stories – Ken wanted to put in perspective what it was like living through this as a small business owner.

When the very first issue came out, it was a happy time.

The independent restaurants and boutiques were full of hungry diners and eager shoppers spending their extra cash. The real estate industry in the High Country was booming. The stock market peaked from the dot-com bubble. Banks were lending out equity loans left and right, and gas prices hovered under $2.50 per gallon.

Ken, who had been sitting around the house for the past three years after selling The Mountain Times thought he’d like to get back into publishing. In the spring of 2005 he put together a small staff and found some office space in Downtown Boone and just like that he was back in business!

On May 5, 2005 the first issue of the weekly newspaper of High Country Press hit the newsstands. After the community cleared all of our ad-packed issues off the newsstands throughout the summer, Ketchie and staff started dreaming about adding a new product. Why not publish a glossy magazine?

“We were so confident when our newspaper took off so quickly, that like everybody else, we said, ‘Let’s do something else,’” Publisher Ken Ketchie said. “It was that type of time where everything seemed possible.”

Thus is the beginning of High Country Magazine, now celebrating its 10th anniversary this month.

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High Country Magazine

Aof Decade

Extremes

That first issue in the late summer of 2005 featured 32 pages with stories about Daniel Boone (of course), former Boone Mayor Velma Burnley, a golf story by Harris Prevost (of course) and a showcase of a Dianne Davant-designed home. Not bad for a startup.

Come the May/June issue in the following year, the magazine featured almost 130 pages. It was now 2006 and unemployment rates hovered in the 4-percent range. By the next summer in 2007, High Country Magazine published a 200-pluspage opus as the August/ September issue. This is all noteworthy because the easiest and most practical way to gauge the health of a magazine – or newspaper – and really the local economy is to notice the thickness of the publication and count the pages. Recently a local gallery owner brought this to Ken’s attention when she was characterizing her perspective on the last 10 years by holding up her fingers spread apart showing the thickness of the local papers in 2005 – and then shrinking the gap between her fingers to show how small the papers became as the recession really kicked in. With that 200-page magazine in 2007, Ketchie thought he had the “tiger by the tail.”

But by the next summer cracks were forming in the national economy. Bears Stearns collapsed in March of 2008 and that was a prelude to the meltdown in the banking industry across the United States and the world that culminated in September 2008 with the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, and the subsequent global financial crisis of 2008–2009.

That 2007 issue was the biggest, had the most pages and most stories and most ads by far since the inception of the local glossy. Unfortunately, it still is the thickest issue – because shortly thereafter the economy collapsed and gas prices went above the $4-per-gallon mark, which was particularly rough on a tourism-dependent economy.

August / September 2015

By December 2008 the unemployment rate climbed to 7.3 and eventually peaked at 10 percent in October 2009. While the unemployment rate never went any higher, the impact of the Great Recession still hadn’t filtered down to every community.

It was around this time that I came to work at High Country Press. I had been working at Vaughn Woodworking in Foscoe, a woodshop that catered to high-end homebuilders.

I had, of course, read the headlines, but

it didn’t quite affect me until a few years into the Great Recession. Business at the woodshop slowed down dramatically, and I could see the writing on the wall. I told my boss that a writing position in Boone had opened, and I was leaning towards a new full-time career. He essentially said it was for the best – one less body for him to keep busy. Unfortunately as I came on board, the same thing was happening at High Country Press.

The Great Recession was both swift and steady at the same time, and Ketchie, as an advertising salesman, had a unique perspective on its impact in the local business community.

He said the trickle down affect didn’t seem to rear its head in the High Country until about 2009-10. In the beginning of 2009, local business owners started to become “worried” or “alarmed,” but they put on a façade and acted like nothing was wrong.

“Small business owners have got to be

eternally optimistic,” Ketchie said. “It’s very natural for small business owners to nod and keep smiling. That’s how it was in 2009. ‘Something’s going on here, but we’ll make it through.’”

The following year, though, in 2010, was when the bottom really fell out. This was when foreclosure filings by homeowners or businesses peaked in North Carolina to the tune of more than 65,000.

Matt Capehart Long, a partner in Capehart & Washburn, a construction company in Boone, remembers how bad things got. His construction company had at least eight full-time employees, comprised of a few crews that were doing several jobs at once. While they noticed work slowing down, eventually the well of work went completely dry.

“It really slowed down to the point in which Phil (Washburn) and I ultimately

no longer had employees,” Capehart said.

“A few people knew things were getting tough and chose to pursue other options and a few of them we had to let go as well because we didn’t have enough work. We tried to keep them on as long as we could.

Ultimately, we were paying them to do jobs we could be doing ourselves … We went form a few crews to just Phil and I doing really whatever we could do, whether it was home repairs to really there was nothing that we wouldn’t try to do to try to pay the bills. It was very tough.”

This is the same thing that Ketchie noticed.

“By 2011, people were starting to throw in the towel,” Ketchie said. “People started losing jobs as businesses slowed down. Another thing I remember is nonprofits starting to hurt as they depended on local businesses for fundraising events.

So that started hurting the groups that were trying to help people in need” Ken saw this over and over. Being on the front line, so to speak, Ketchie had a heart-to-heart with many of these business owners who also happen to be his friends.

He could see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices.

“I’ve had people tell me they were that close to going bankrupt,” Ketchie said, holding his fingers together to about the size of the lowliest one of High Country Magazine’s post-recession issues, the 56-pager in February/March 2011.

Several months later, High Country Press published its last hard-copy newspaper.

(Ironically, the last story I wrote for the printed edition was about home foreclosures in the High Country and beyond.) It was a shocker, but there wasn’t another viable option – especially with the coming of age of the Internet, which completely revolutionized how information is consumed with the empowerment of the individual, the dominance of social media and access to all of the World Wide Web literally at your fingertips.

“I think one of the struggles of the small business guy is it’s really hard to let go of your employees. They are local and you know them, and a lot of small businesses held out as along as they could on their payroll. In many cases that eventually drained away any cash reserves businesses had built during the good times,” Ketchie said.

And he wasn’t the only one.

“Being in that position and visiting the business weekly and on a monthly basis, I

Best and Worst of Times The

could see the strain on their face. I could see the stress and feel the stress,” Ketchie said.

“And I heard them tell me sorry Ken, we just can’t afford to advertise. We want to and we love you, but we just can’t afford it.”

Most businesses across the country – small or corporate – during the past several years, learned how to survive through efficiency – essentially doing more with less. It has become the new normal.

High Country Press Publications, for example, is a staff of four, performing the job that a staff of 10 was doing just several years ago. For many businesses, it got to the point that the tiniest uptick in margins in 2013 was magnified because businesses were operating in a bare-bone fashion.

Now it’s 2015, and for those who hung in there and adapted to the times, things are looking better, and for High Country Magazine, getting a little thicker, so to speak.

Long of Capehart and Washburn had a similar response when asked how things were going now. He mentioned that the past two years seem to be better than the last, and in fact, 2014 was the best year since 2007.

“This year we are kind of tracking right on course for last year as far as volume and work, and we are back to now over 10 full time employees,” Capehart said.

Maria Hyde of Alta Vista Gallery added, “In thinking about the past 10 years, it’s quite a feat to have succeeded during difficult economic times. However, we all learned lessons from the tough times that make us better business owners now that things are good again. We learned how to budget more carefully. We learned to market more purposefully. We learned to be truly thankful for every customer -- and show them how much they mean to us.

Following Memorial Day weekend, Bob Meier, owner of Doe Ridge Pottery, talked to me about holiday business. He mentioned that the perfect weather and the traffic jams on King Street were a welcome sight.

“Business here was pretty good,” Meier said. “But, of course, it could always be better.”

We’ve got our fingers crossed.

2015 August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

19

Real Estate Broker Offers Another Perspective on the Great Recession When Sue Glenn wrote a story about the progress of the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum in our very first issue, little did we know what the future had in store for Blowing Rock and beyond a few years later. Below Sue Glenn, owner/broker of Blowing Rock Realty, reflects on the challenges of the economic collapse and the new lessons and skills learned since then.

S

eptember 16, 2008, the day after the big stock market dream and vision of the future. With such an uncertain future crash, we in Blowing Rock and the High Country had in their range of vision, people were unwilling to invest in no idea that our world had just become radically differ- their own dreams. Foreclosure, bargain, and “bulk” land sales ent. I have been in the real estate business in Blowing Rock of whole subdivisions were taking place for remarkably cheap since 1972, and have seen a variety of financial crises clob- prices, but individuals were too frightened to even think about ber the rest of the country over the years but leave bucolic buying land for themselves.

The signs of hope that first appeared, Blowing Rock largely unscathed, unafhowever, were the day-tripper tourists fected. Gas prices went up, gas prices who returned to the mountains just as went down, interest rates soared, interest soon as the weather allowed them to esrates dropped. Blowing Rock had always cape for a day of enjoyment. They disbeen insulated from general economic cacovered that there were free parks to vistastrophes elsewhere. But this crash was it, trails to hike, backroads to cycle, shop different. It affected and frightened absowindows to explore, a surprising number lutely everyone in some fundamental way. of affordable delights to entertain them, And it happened overnight. The rug was and some of the most magnificent scenery pulled out from under everyone with virin the world just a short distance from tually no warning whatsoever. Even those their homes and freely available. Though in a more secure and protected financial they weren’t buying expensive boutique position found themselves clobbered subitems from the mountain shops or second stantially. Overnight we discovered that homes in the mountains, they were eneverything a mountain resort community joying an ice cream cone, a comfortable had to offer was suddenly a completely stroll, and the cool mountain summer discretionary “extra” that deserved no atSue Glenn climate. They came to the mountains to tention until the fundamental needs were made secure and put in better order. While other crises had share the experience with their children, family, and friends been short-lived, typically less than a year in duration, this one and refused to be denied that experience despite their changed was so deep and so hard that it went on and on, and is still circumstances. They were coming for exactly the same reasons that their parents and grandparents had come. affecting us.

Over the 43 years that I have been part of it, the Blowing Before the crash, High Country developers and builders had seen nothing but sunshine on the horizon. Regional lend- Rock real estate market has generally been characterized by ers scrambled to make development and speculative loans to people buying conservatively for their own satisfaction rather catch the rising tide. As a result, after the crash hit with full than to show off to someone else. They truly care about the effect, many of the new subdivision developments and high- community, they typically buy considerably less than they can end spec homes were quickly gobbled up in foreclosure ac- afford, and they are people who feel comfortable in their own tions that spit them out on the other side for a fraction of their skin. Though it has taken some patience to wait for their original purported values. Resort communities with high lev- return, they are once again feeling comfortable enough to els of financing and reliance on resort rental incomes were hit venture into the market to get on with their lives. They are especially hard and are only beginning to recover. More con- also buying land again, and contracting with local builders to servative, established communities like Blowing Rock, didn’t construct their mountain dream homes – perhaps much smallsee many foreclosures, but saw real estate sales grind to a halt. er than their original dream homes, but their dream homes Values decreased across the board by the slowed or bruised nonetheless. This crash will have a permanent effect on all market. People who had bought just before the crash were who experienced it, just as the Great Depression affected our likely to lose money on resale. But analysis that we did in the grandparents and parents, but we have all learned new skills midst of the crisis showed that Blowing Rock sellers who had and lessons and are emerging from this challenge stronger, owned their property for more than ten years were still able smarter, and better because of its tests. to see a profit of more than 3% per year. No boom there, certainly, but no complete bust either.

Sue Glenn, Owner/Broker The biggest surprise was that people were no longer buyBlowing Rock Realty ing land for their own use. We hadn’t realized how much a August 7, 2015 land investment in a resort area is truly an investment in a 20

High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

HCPress.com “I heard a guy once explain the beauty of a newspaper. The newspaper, he said, was an adventure through your hometown, and as you flipped through the paper you never knew what you might find on the next page. That’s what made the local paper a part of your life, and that’s what we hope our website can still be – a window to our local communities where our readers are always finding something new as they scroll down our front page.”

– Ken Ketchie

We'll bring you great local journalism right to your computer .

With 35 years of experience covering the news, the events and the stories that have been the High Country, you can count on HCPress.com to keep you up-to-date with what's going on. / September i g h C o with u n t rall y Mthe agazine Now, with our website, we have an unlimited amount of spaceAugust to bring you 2015 all theHstories,

photographs and words necessary to give you the full picture. Breaking news and events are posted

21

10

Years of Covers

Below is the first issue from August 2005

Covering the Past Decade On the following three pages we present, in chronological order, the covers for all 64 issues of High Country Magazine published in the past decade. The shared love of our history, our landscapes and our people is the inspiration behind the covers and stories of High Country Magazine, which celebrates our trailblazers, lifestyles, four seasons and the remarkable advantages that set us apart from so many other communities.

Volume 2 • Issue 2 • May/June 2006

Volume 2 • Issue 4 • 2006 Winter Holiday Issue

FREE

In Memoriam—Hugh Morton PHOTOS & RECOLLECTIONS

Who Designed the Course?

BLOWING ROCK’S GOLF MYSTERY

Eleganza! Toasts the Arts A BEHIND-THE-SCENES PEEK

Norman Cheek’s Heart of Gold SUPPORTING TEENS & TROOPS

Volume 2 • Issue 9 • August 2007

FREE

Colonial Revival

Boone’s PO Is Steeped in History

All Aboard!

Reliving the Heyday of the ET&WNC

Great Scot!

Harvey’s Ritch Musical Influence

Celebrating Silver

Linville Ridge—Looking Great at 25

22

High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

FREE

Volume 4 Issue 1 August 2008

Volume 3 • Issue 6 • June 2008

Volume 3 • Issue 5 • April / May 2008 • FREE

Precision Clogging Instructor Vanessa Minton with her students

Fleet Feet

It All Comes Down to

PolItICs

Flatfootin’ & Clogging in the High Country

Saucy, Steady & Simply Perfect Together The Unbeatable Duo of Lulu Belle & Scotty Wiseman

Music + Mountains + Home

Joe Shannon’s Dream Celebrates Its 15th Year

MerleFest by Firelight Community Bonding in Worship & Fellowship Tracing the Traces of Daniel Boone Local Color on Sqrambled Scuares Carolina Theatre —Amazing Past, Promising Future

Mesmerizing & Tranquilizing:

Fly-Fishing at Its Best

Community and Commodities

VeteRAn PolItICIAns tell tHeIR stoRIes Gene Wilson • Pinky Hayden

PlUs: BeInG In wAsHInGton, D.C.

125 Years at the Mast General Store

Timeless & Charming:

Blowing Rock

Down On The Farm • DANIEL BOONE DAYS • ASU Marching Band

Volume 4 • Issue 5 April 2009

The NexT GeNerATioN of MouNTAiN SoNG

JAM

Junior Appalachian Musicians

Heroes

Volume 5 • Issue 1 AUGUST 2009

before ‘GreeN’ wAS cool ShooTiNG STArS booNe druG AT 90

Volume 5 • Issue 2 OCTOBER 2009

Among Us VoLUnteer FireFighterS

We’re Off...

Beech Mountain’s Yellow Brick Road

Old Buildings Rock

The

Watauga River

New Book Preserves Architectural History

Powerful Waters Worth Preserving

PLUS: The King Bees’ Blues • Stick Boy Bread • Peace Through Yoga • and Much More!

C

Welcome to the (New) Rock w Boone Chamber Turns 60 w When Cabbage Was King HigH Country Magazine

Februar y / March 2007

2010 >

Volume 7 • Issue 1 August/September 2011

Volume 6 • Issue 7 July 2011

Savoring Summer Eat, Drink Be Merry

&

A History and Celebration of Dining in the High Country

August / September 2015

Downhill Diehards • ASU’s Solar Homestead • Young Philanthropists

High Country Magazine

23

Volume 7 • Issue 2 October/November 2011

Volume 7 • Issue 4 May 2012

Volume 7 • Issue 3 December 2011

Autumn Allure

Appalachian Voices Is Celebrating 15 Years Avery County Now Has A New Animal Shelter One Of The Greatest Basketball Coaches

Happy Holidays

Discovering the Dark Sky Observatory

App Ski Mtn Celebrates 50 Years Giving Big Appalachian Roots

The Science of the Brown Mountain Lights A Photographic Journey Through Appalachia

Spring Renewal (

Happy Holidays!

)

TThanks For R Reading Us

Volume 8 • Issue 5 April / May 2013

Volume 8 • Issue 3 December 2012

Bring it on

Spring Time

featuring

Shoe Box Gifts Christmas Trees Model Trains

Merry C hristmas 2 0 1 2

Volume 8 • Issue 6 June 2013

Volume 8 • Issue 7 July 2013

Volume 9 • Issue 1 August / September 2013

The

Merry Christmas

Autumn Drive

A SUMMER OF

Volume 9 • Issue 3 December 2013

Volume 9 • Issue 2 October / November 2013

CASCADING Welcome Back Summer Residents

Make

A

WATER FALLS

Gem Mining Wahoo’s Is 35 Chris Clark Gallery Plus Anniversaries for

Date

Take in a Town

Buildings of Lees-McRae • The Forum • 1861 Farmhouse

App State’s New Coach

Daniel Boone Native Gardens & Grandfather Home for Children

Be Sure to Check Out Our Local Restaurant & Shopping Sections

Volume 9 • Issue 4 April / May 2014

Volume 9 • Issue 5 June 2014

The Old Cranberry School A Visit to Abingdon

Be Sure to Check Out Our Local Restaurant & Shopping Sections

Mayor Clawson Autumn at Oz Gaylord Perry The Wine Maker

Chetola Ryan Costin New Old Boone

Volume 9 • Issue 7 August/September 2014

Volume 9 • Issue 6 July 2014

Awesome Autumn

Twelve Dates For This

Summer

Beech Mountain View

C RUISIN ’ HWY

Bringing You Great Reading In

Volume 10 • Issue 2 October/November 2014

105

The Foscoe Stretch

2014

Welcome Back Summer Residents

Our Arts Councils The Life and Times of Wiili A Woodworker, a Risk Taker, a Violin Maker

Introducing 12 Events for the 12 Weekends of Summer

The Liberty Parade • Blowing Rock Inns • and A Sign Maker

Valle Crucis Boulder Bash

10th Anniversary Issue August 2015

Volume 10 • Issue 4 April / May 2015

Volume 10 • Issue 3 December 2014

McFarland Publishing The Town of West Jefferson Bill Leonard’s Family Business

Volume 10 • Issue 5 June 2015

Volume 10 • Issue 6 July 2015

Blowing Rock Country Club

100

Year Evolution of a National Treasure

The

Grandfather Mountain Forever Protected

2005

Celebrating 10 Years!

2015 Remembering

Merry Christmas 24

P.B. Scott's Music Hall

High Country Magazine

Welcome Back Summer Residents

August / September 2015

Mark Harrill’s Echota Terry Brewer’s Gardens and Our Bucket List For Your Summer

Dan'l Boone Inn • Our Museums • Ronnie Wilson • Postcards

Oh, The People We Have Seen In 10 Years!

W

e’ve seen our fair share; that’s for sure.

The individuals and families listed below are the focus of dozens of stories in High Country Magazine throughout the past decade.

(While hundreds of other names have been etched into the magazine, the list below is condensed to only feature the main “subjects” from our 64 issues.) The folks featured in our magazines invited our writers and photographers into their homes, places of business and favorite hotspots. They took time out of their busy schedules to share their history, their oldygoldy pictures and their memories - all of which are the foundation for a captivating story. We’re grateful for that. So thank you, and we can’t wait to hopefully see what the list looks like on our 20th anniversary.

Accetturo Family • Sorrento’s World Famous Bistro • August 2007 Gil Adams • Beech Mountain Marketing Manager • March/April 2006 Sam Adams • Golfer • April 2009 Dana Addison • Air Haven Limousines • June 2010 Web Alexander & David Harwood • Post Card Collectors • July 2015 Wiili Armstrong • Artist • April 2014 Debbie Arnold • Artist • July 2012 Elaine Arnold & Lynne Marshall • Artists • May/June 2006 Sandee Ashby & Burt Myers • Café Portofino • April/May 2007 Kelly & Marco Azzaro • Ashi Therapy • December 2007 Roger Banks • Basketball Coach • April 2013 Greg Barrow • Edge Of The World • February 2007 David Bartlett • Speckled Trout Café • May/June 2006 Rob Baskerville & Penny Zamagni • THE KING BEES • August 2009 Lulu Belle & Scotty • Country Music Sweethearts • April 2008 Buzz Berry • Local Game Show Host • April 2008 Brenda Binning • Sugar Mountain Ski Instructor • February 2007 John Blackburn • Eseeola & fundraiser • August 2007 Daniel Boone • Frontiersman • July 2008 Michael Boone • Magic Cycles • August 2013 Hanes Boren • Footsloggers • December 2006 Claire Boyce • Equestrienne • July 2007 Sally Breslauer • Bj’s Resort Wear • August 2007 Wayne & Terry Brewer • Mountaineer Landscaping • June 2015 Dr. Thomas Brigham • Father Of Southern Skiing • February 2008 Zoey Brookshire • Artist • August 2009 Mack Brown • Entrepreneur • August 2010 Tommy Burleson • Basketball Player • July 2011 The Burnett & Griffin Families • Musicians • April 2013 Velma Burnley • Boone Mayor • Autumn 2005 Dr. David Bushman • Lees-Mc-Rae President • May/June 2006 Bernadette Cahill • Author • October 2008 Ray Carlton • Music Promoter • April/May 2007 Ray & Sharon Carlton • High Country Cotillion • April/May 2007 Toni Carlton • Artist • July/August 2006 Norman Cheek • Car Dealer & Philanthropist • July/August 2006

Chris Clark • Artist • July 2013 Addie Hardin Clawson • Our First Woman Mail Carrier • December 2010 Loretta Clawson • Boone Mayor • October 2013 Carson & Mindy Coatney • Boone Bakery • August 2009 Charlie Cobb • Appalachian State Athletics Director • August 2012 Susan Wright-Cochran• Nursery Owner • May/June 2006 The Cockman Family • Musicians • April 2013 J.J. Collier • National Champion Snowboarder • December 2006 Jeff Collins & Gregg Parsons • Peabody’s • October 2008 Eustace Conway • Mountain Man • February 2013 Ray Costin • Beech Mountain • February 2007 Jim Cottrell • French Swiss Ski College • March/April 2006 Lenny Cottom • Hawksnest • February 2007 Brenda Councill • Artist • October 2007 Wesley Crum • Club Shop Peanuts And Golf • May/June 2006 Jim Deal • Watauga Country Board Of Commissioners • April/May 2007 Bill & Donna Dicks • The Sign Shop • July 2014 Hugh Durham • Ncaa Basketball Coach • May 2012 Armanti Edwards • Appalachian State Quarterback • October 2008 Eggers Family • Law Firm Of Eggers, Eggers, Eggers & Eggers • July 2009 Mary Guignard Elder • Centenarian • April 2015 Josey Ellis • Hiker • April 2010 Tom Enterline & Raeford Russell • Builders • May/June 2006 Tom Eshelman • Valle Crucis Conference Center • October 2014 Dr. Sheri Noren Everts • Appalachian State Chancellor • December 2014 Addie Fairchild • 12-Year-Old Rodeo Rider • October 2012 David Finck • Luthier • April 2014 Willa Finck & Ledah Finck • forget-me-nots • April 2010 George Flowers • Photographer • June 2008 Mark Freed • Musician • April/May 2007 José Fumero & Herb Cohen • Artist • August 2007 Lee Gardner • American Soldier In World War 11 • June 2011 Willard Gayheart • Musician & Artist • April 2009 Jim & Bill Goodnight • Goodnight Brothers Ham • December 2006 Dr. Herman Godwin • Physician • June 2008 Ken & Wendy Gordon • The Gamekeeper Restaurant • May/June 2006 Floyd Gragg • Banjo Player And Honey Seller • October 2007 Susan Graham• Nursery Owner • May/June 2006 Asa Gray • Botanist • July 2008 David & Robin Greene • Farmers Ski Shop • February 2008 Jack & Becky Hall • Sunset Tees & Hattery • December 2011 Bill Harmon • Sawmiller • December 2011 Mark Harrill • Echota • June 2015 Joe & Robert Hartley • grandfather mountain • December 2009 Pinky Hayden • Politician & Educator • August 2008 C.J. Hayes • Expert Classic Car Restorer • Winter 2005 Lowell Hayes • Artist • February 2012 Joan & Dick Hearn • Super Citizens • July 2011 Ben Henderson & Mary Underwood • Bare Essentials • July 2010 Ron Hester • Music Collector • December 2007 Orville Hicks • Storyteller • August 2007 Ray Hicks • Author • October 2008 Louise VonCanon Holshouser • Centenarian • April 2015 August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

25

Doc & Rosa Lee Watson

George Flowers

Ray Hicks

Jack Wiseman

Tommy Burleson

Wesley & Suzanne Crum

Mazie Jones Levenson

Gaylord Perry

Darrell & Ellen Watson

JB & Lynn Lawrence Coach & Margaret Moore

Armanti Edwards

Janet Speer

Greene Family

Coach Satterfield 26

Sepp Kober

Joan & Dick Hearn

Jim Deal

Les Broussard

High Country Magazine

Lowell Hayes

Olivia Waters August / September 2015

Brenda Binning

Gil Adams

Tom McAuliffe

Joe Shannon

Tatum Family

Sam Tate

Rob Holton

Bill Hensley

Mike Boone

Mack & Willa Brown

Addie Clawson

Louiva Ward

The Forget-Me-Nots

Rick Mattar

Amy Michael

Harry Robbins

CJ Hayes

John Winer

Keith Lane

Hugh Durham

Ruth Taylor

Oh, The People We Have Seen In 10 Years!

Rob Holton • Entrepreneur • August 2008 Jim Houston • Woodlands Barbecue & Pickin’ Parlor • May/June 2006 Larry Imeson • Blowing Rock Grille • July 2007 Bob Inman • Novelist, Playwright & Screenwriter • Winter 2005 Herb Jackson • Artist • August 2014 Paul Johnson • Georgia Tech Football Coach • December 2008 Randy Johnson • Author • March/April 2006 Gunther Jochl • Sugar Mountain • March/April 2006 Jan Karon • Author • August 2007 Gaines Kicker • Silversmith • October 2014 Ryan Kirby • Artist • December 2014 Jerry Kirksey • Singing News • July 2013 Sepp Kober • National Ski & Snowboard Hall Of Famer • February 2010 Brandon & Jason Langdon • Shoppes At Farmers Hardware • October 2013 Father Rick Lawler • St. Mary Of The Hills Episcopal Church • December 2009 J. B. Lawrence • Mayor Of Blowing Rock • June 2008 Tyler & Riley Lecka • Snowgroomers • February 2009 Bill & Susan Leonard • Ski Country Sports • February 2007 Leonard Family • high mountain expeditions • August 2014 Ben Long • Artist • December 2006 Donald MacDonald • Grandfather Mountain Highland Games • July/August 2006 Howard Marmon • Racing & Luxury Car Industry • April 2010 Richard Mattar • Attorney & Model Train Collector • December 2012 Danny Mauney • Red Onion Café • July 2008 Andy McDaniel • Artist • December 2006 Robert McFarland Franklin • Mcfarland Publishing • August 2014 Pam McKay • Art Cellar Gallery • August 2007 Bob Meier • Doe Ridge Pottery • July 2012 Amy Michael • Breast Cancer Survivor • February 2013 Valerie Midgett • Neighborhood Yoga • April 2015 Tim Miller • Blowing Rock Frameworks & Gallery • July 2014 Jerry Moore • Appalachian State Football Coach • May/June 2006 Grady Moretz • Appalachian Ski Mountain • March/April 2006 Moretz Family • Appalachian Ski Mountain • February 2009 Robert Morgan • Author • Autumn 2005 Catherine Morton • Grandfather Mountain • July/August 2006 Hugh Morton • Photographer & Grandfather Mountain • July/August 2006 David Patrick Moses • Architect • Winter 2005 Roger Allen Nelson • Artist • October 2007 Scott Nicholson • Author • October 2008 Robby Norris, John Bryan & Tom Isaacs

Surefire Bluegrass Band • April 2008

Barack H. Obama • United States President • February 2009 Susan Owen • Nursery Owner • May/June 2006 Dr. Kenneth Peacock • Appalachian State Chancellor • May/June 2006 Rick Pedroni • Casa Rustica • Winter 2005 Raymond Pennington • Stockcar Driver • October 2012 Jack Pepper • Pepper’s Restaurant • Winter 2005 Mario & Diana Perret-Gentil • Boone Bowling Center • February 2011 Gaylord Perry • Mlb Pitcher • October 2013 Buzz Peterson • Appalachian State Basketball Coach • December 2009 Fred & Margie Pfohl • Fred’s General Mercantile • March/April 2006 April Pope • Director Of Veteran Services • June 2014

Harris Prevost • grandfather mountain • October 2010 Bob Quinlan & Hiram Lewis • Alpine Ski Center • March/April 2006 Lee Rankin • Apple Tree Farm • February 2010 Melissa Reaves • Singer • December 2010 Bill & Maureen Rhinehart • benefactor • December 2007 Todd Rice & Jeff Walker • Boone Brewing Company • July 2009 Harvey Ritch • Bagpiper • July 2007 Granny Robbins • Natural Healer & Midwife • July 2008 Grover, Harry & Spencer Robbins • Developers • June 2009 Tom Robbins • Author • August 2014 Max Robertson • Congressional Page • August 2008 Larry Ruppard • Historian • December 2011 Dr. Ray Russell • ray’s weather • Winter 2005 Scott Satterfield • Appalachian State Football Coach • August 2013 Maura Shawn Scanlin • forget-me-nots • April 2010 Richard Schaffer & Marsha Turner • Dewoolfson Down • December 2009 Lois Sermons • Centenarian • October 2010 Jack Sharp • Camp Sky Ranch • July 2010 The Sheets Family • Musicians • April 2013 Chris Smart • Chainsaw Artist • October 2007 Edward Snyder III • Landscape Design • July 2007 Richard Sparks • President/Ceo Of ARHS • April 2013 Dr. Allen Speer • Author • July 2010 Dr. Janet Speer • Lees-Mcrae Summer Theatre • August 2009 Jeff Spellman • Dan’l Boone Inn • July 2015 Spencer Family • Fiddle Makers • April 2009 Dr. William E. Spooner • Magician • August 2012 Jeff Stanley • Wahoo’s • July 2013 Lisa Stripling & Rob Dyer • The Best Cellar • June 2014 Sonny Sweet • American Red Cross • July 2010 Kent Tarbutton • Chetola Resort • December 2013 Sam Tate • High Country Radio • August 2012 Steve & Sally Tatum • Tatum Galeries • December 2010 Ruth Taylor • Author • July 2007 Butch & Gina Triplett • Woodlands Barbecue & Pickin’ Parlor • May/June 2006 Richard Tumbleston • Artist • June 2010 John Turchin • Eagles Nest • December 2006 Lillian Turchin • PatRon Of The Arts • Autumn 2005 Wayne Underwood • Mystery Hill • June 2007 Henry Vaughn • Woodworking Artist • July 2012 Louiva Ward • Foster Children parent • December 2012 Olivia Waters • Actor • June 2012 Doc Watson • Musician • July 2012 Ellen & Darrell Watson • Watsonatta • April 2011 Nancy Watson • Author • April 2013 Bill Wilkinson • Grandfather Trout Farm • July 2009 Kenneth Wilcox • Local Businessman • July 2001 Gene Wilson • Politician / dan’l boone inn • August 2008 Ronnie Wilson • The Stone Jewelers • July 2015 John Winer • Blacksmith • April 2010 Jack Wiseman • Linville Falls Winery • October 2013 Dick Wolfe • Banner Elk Winery • July/August 2006 Todd Wright • Musician • June 2008 August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

27

Loretta Clawson

Coach Johnson

Melissa Reaves

Buzz Berry

wiili Armstrong

Merle Watson

Richard Sparks

Folks From Around the High Country

We simply asked them questions and put their story to paper

H

By Jesse Wood

ere’s an ode to the folks who’ve lived the stories we’ve published. They’ve done the hard work, filling shoes nobody has filled before. We simply asked questions and put their story to paper.

Pick out any issue of High Country Magazine in its 10-year history and you’ll learn about all kinds of people and the good work they are doing in the community, their unique skills and talents or their fascinating ancestry and history.

For example, take the Winter Holiday Issue from 2006, which was picked out at random.

This issue is brimming with names some you may know.

Consider the profiles we published for that particular issue: Hanes Boren, then owner of Footsloggers; J.J. Collier, a professional snowboarder and executive who began his career in Banner Elk; Ben Long, an Western North Carolina artist who is world famous and one of the few masters of the fresco-style painting; cousins Jim and Bill Goodnight, who continued the family ham business at Goodnight Brothers in Boone; members of the historically black Junaluska community, such as David Horton, Virgil Greer, and Marcella Whittington; and Andy McDaniel, a concrete artist operating on Howard Street.

Or consider the December 2011 issue – again randomly selected. This issue featured 77-year-old sawmiller Bill Harmon

Bill Wilkerson 28

Richard Tumbleson

High Country Magazine

Gunther Jochl August / September 2015

of Sugar Grove; the Moretz family that founded Appalachian Ski Mtn.; Banner Elk native Larry Ruppard; and Becky and Jack Hall, owners of Hatchet Jack’s and Sunset T’s in Blowing Rock.

And those are just some of the names and figures featured in those two issues.

The number of people whose names and images adorn the pages of High Country Magazine is in the hundreds – but listed here are nearly 200 individuals or families who were spotlighted throughout the years.

Included are those whose fame extends well beyond the High Country and Western North Carolina, such as Doc Watson, Ben Long, Tom Robbins, Ray Hicks, Hugh Morton and Gaylord Perry. Others are more visible in the local community such as Sonny Sweet, Joan and Dick Hearn, Ray Russell, and C.J. Hayes. Perusing the pages of High Country Magazine, you’ll learn about others you might already know just by living in the High Country, visiting their shops, enjoying their cooking or artistry or simply marveling at their leadership and can-do attitude in the community.

Folks of All Stripes You name it and we’ve probably profiled someone within that space and time.

Consider this swath of careers profiled: volunteers and university leaders, business and nonprofit executives, natives

Bill & Donna Dicks

Jeff & Lilly Stanley

Bob Gow

Harvey Ritch

Janet Marsh, Lou Zeller

Amy Fiedler

John Blackburn

Charlie Cobb

Pinky Hayden

Chancellor Peacock

Lois Sermons

and transplants, race car drivers and rock climbers, developers and conservationists, conservatives and liberals, lawyers and moonshiners, physicians and sawmillers, chefs and small business owners, painters and art collectors, skiers and snowboarders, midwives and healers and on and on and on.

Crucis; Toni Carlton, an artist and gallery owner in the randfather Community; Bob Meier, owner of Doe Ridge Pottery in downtown Boone; Tom Robbins, international best selling author who was raised in Blowing Rock; and Henry Vaughn, a master woodworker in Foscoe.

Artists, Musicians and Craftspeople

Adventures and Sports

A number of artists, musicians, craftsmen and others with inherent creative talents have graced the pages of High Country Magazine – whether it’s the late, great Ray Hicks spinning tales about life in the old days on the backside of Beech Mountain or Chris Clark, owner of Clark Gallery in Banner Elk, talking about brushing shoulders with a who’s who of the art world in Aspen, Colo., before moving back to the High Country.

In the spring of 2014, former staff writer Madison Fisler interviewed friends and family for a profile on the eccentric street artist Wiili Armstrong. Although he passed away in 2013, Armstrong is still remembered. He painted more than 1,000 works and was a fixture in downtown Boone, where he set up in front of the old Boone Drug pharmacy and sold his paintings.

His bold color and bold brushstrokes led folks to dub Armstrong “The High Country Van Gogh.”

Looking back through the archives, we found other stories on bagpipers, potters, silversmiths, actors, sculptors, woodworkers, a publisher of a gospel magazine, radio announcers, saxophone players, painters of wildlife and the abstract, oldtime musicians and more – although none were quite as eccentric as Wiili.

Here are a few other craftspeople and their media who’ve been featured within the bound pages: Bill Dicks, a sign maker in Banner Elk; David Finck, a woodworker and luthier in Valle

The High Country is well known for its outdoor adventures, such as rock climbing and whitewater boating, both of which are considered to be world class in and around Boone.

Appalachian State University, on the other hand, holds down the fort as far as team sports go, and the university as certainly made a name for itself, especially on the football front.

Last year, I wrote features on Blood Sweat and Gears, a charity cycling ride featuring 50-mile and 100-mile rides in June, and Hound Ears Bouldering Competition, a rock climbing completion in October that raises money for land conservancy and climbing access.

In these two stories, you get to meet Sonny Sweet, a co-founder of BSG, Brenda Bining, a volunteer with BSG and Jim Horton, founder of the local rock climbing competition. To harp a little more on Sweet: Look up the definition of generous and you’ll find Sweet’s picture – at least that’s how BSG Ride Director Scott Nelson described Sweet in the July 2014 feature. In that same story, you’ll see a picture of local rider Ray Reid proposing to his wife and recalling that moment in time. You’ll also read about Reid describing the hundreds of riders as a “school of fish” traveling out of Valle Crucis.

In previous years, High Country Magazine contributor Tim Gardner has penned several stories on Avery County athletic alumni such as Roger Banks, who coached at Avery County High School in the 60’s and was known as a super

In spring 2014, we profiled eccentric street artist Wiili Armstrong, who used to set up in front of the old Boone Drug pharmacy on King Street to sell his paintings.

Sonny Sweet

Jeff Collins, Gregg Parsons

Bill Leonard & Family August / September 2015

Todd Rice & Jeff Walker High Country Magazine

29

Grover Robbins

Danny Mauney

Joe Miller

Eustac Conway

Ryan Costin

JJ Collier

Lulu Bell & Scotty

recruiter in college, landing and coaching the likes of Domi- ister Software) out of his apartment as an ASU student studynique Wilkins and Charles Barkley; Paul Johnson, a Newland ing marketing. Since then it has grown on to become Boone’s native who coaches football at Georgia Tech; and Gaylord greatest business success story and has operated on Howard Perry, who is pitching legend in Major League Baseball and Street since 1992.

The pages of High Country Magazine are filled with storesides in Spruce Pine.

We’ve also featured the Watauga County Sports Hall of ries of enterprises that began with “$500 and a dream,” such Fame. The following are in the local Hall of Fame as of 2014: as the Halls, who own Hatchet Jack’s Trading Post and Sunset Sam Adams, Steve Gabriel, Jack Groce, John Hollar, Bob T’s and Hattery in Blowing Rock. The pages are filled with Matheson, Cleone Hodges, Carter Lentz, Jack Roten, Brenda stories of businesses that take readers back to an era of the Taylor, Randy McDonough, Lan O’Loughlin, Leigh Cooper High Country that will never be again, one that can only be Wallace, Dave Warren, J.W. Welborn, Steve Breitenstein, Jon relived through memories, images and words – take, for three examples, the Mast General Store, Steinbrecher, Danny Triplett, Ben the Green Park Inn or Shoppes at Ward, Joe Critcher, Larry Horne, Farmers Hardware.

Herman Triplett, Lindsay Taylor, Consider the December 2011 To read these stories you learn April Guinchard, Bill Maudlin, Jim issue that featured the 77-year-old about what downtown Boone, Deal and Bobby Harmon.

Blowing Rock and Valle Crucis was And we can’t forget about Apsawmiller Bill Harmon of Sugar like in the late 1800s or beyond the palachian State University football Grove; the Moretz family that turn of the 20th century. program that won three straight In the 70’s, John and Faye Coonational championships in FCS and founded Appalachian Ski Mtn.; per bought the original Mast Genupset the University of Michigan Banner Elk native Larry Ruppard; eral Store, which was built in Valle powerhouse. College Football Hall of Fame Coach Jerry Moore and and Becky and Jack Hall, owners of Crucis more than 130 years ago, and turned it into a popular monhis successor Scott Satterfield have Hatchet Jack’s and Sunset T’s ey-making tourist destination. The both been featured in the magazine, Coopers renaissance of Valle Cruand former staff writer and huge in Blowing Rock cis and input from the community Mountaineers fan Anna Oakes sat led to the Valle Crucis Community down with local legend, ASU quarPark on the banks of the Watauga River and other touristterback Armanti Edwards. driven businesses in that part of the county.

Local Entrepreneurs Read contributor Donna Akers Warmuth’s take on The They always say that small businesses are the backbone of Green Park Inn in the June 2008 issue and learn that “Blowthe American economy, and that’s certainly been the case for ing Rock’s last Victorian Dame,” as the inn was described, our newspaper, website, magazine and visitors guide for the entertained a remarkable cast of guests in its heyday: Herbert Hoover, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Mitchell, Calvin last 10 years.

Not only does the advertisements allow us to bring you Coolidge and John D. Rockefeller.

When Farmers Hardware in downtown Boone closed in these stories, these business owners have been the subject of quite a few stories in the glossy magazine. Did you know about 2004 because of the influx of big box stores, the great-grandECRS’ story? We featured this business in our April 2009 is- children of Clyde Greene, who opened the business with some sue. In 1989, Peter Cateo started ECRS (Electronic Cash Reg- partners in 1924, saw an opportunity. The following year,

Brad & Grady Mortez 30

High Country Magazine

Todd Wright August / September 2015

Eggers Family

Ray & John Costin

Lee Gardner

Jack Pepper

Valerie Midgett

Toni Carlton

brothers Jason and Brandon Langdon opened the Shoppes at Farmers Hardware kiosk mall. (Since then Sam Parker, owner of Our Daily Bread and Greg Parsons and Jeff Collins, owners of Peabody’s Wine and Beer Merchants, opened Benchmark Provisions on the lower level of the building and Valerie Midgett, owner of Neighborhood Yoga, is preparing to move in on the second floor this fall. Those happen to be other people who have graced the pages in print or images in the magazine, too.) Perusing the article about Farmers Hardware takes you back to how King Street looked decades ago and how other generations experienced main street.

Here’s a sampling of many of the other business owners that keep the local economy humming and have seen time in our magazine: Bill Wilkinson, owner of Grandfather Trout Farm; Ben Enderson and Mary Underwood; owners of Bare Essenstials, the Leonards, owners of Ski Country Sports, High Mountain Expeditions and Sugar Creek Gem Mining; Jack Wiseman of Linville Falls Winery; Mike Boone of Magic Cycles; Toni Carlton of Carlton Gallery, Darrel and Ellen Wat-

Roy Krege

Harris Prevost

Rick & Elizabeth Pedroni

son of Watsonatta Western Wear; Rick Pedroni, owner of Casa Rustica; and Wayne and Terry Brewer, owners of Mountaineer Landscaping.

Good Causes Whether it’s for profit or not, High Country Magazine has that covered, too.

The June 2007 issue, for instance, featured Marian Peters and the new Community Care Clinic that she fought to open and Janet Marsh and Lou Zeller, who founded Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League whenever a nuclear waste dump was planned near their backyard in Ashe County. Zeller and Marsh were successful and the organization continues today to partner with local coalitions to preserve residents from harmful development.

Our feature on Appalachian Voices in 2013 quoted Matt Wasson, program director at the nonprofit, Harvard Ayers, founding member, and the late Lenny Kohm, who was cam-

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High Country Magazine

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Kenneth Wilcox

Addie Fairchild

Dana Addison

Jane Lonon

Sue & Raymond Pennington

Jim & Sue Taylor

Allen Speer

paign director for Appalachian Voices. It was an honor to be about Clawson growing up on the backside of Beech Mountain and being related to Daniel Boone somewhere down the able to speak to Kohm, who passed away last fall.

KAMPN (Kids With Autism Making Progress in Nature) is line. “I cherish the people of Old Beech Mountain, and the another of our features that certainly falls in the “good causes” values they instilled in me growing up,” Clawson told concategory. Before we published this story, KAMPN Director Jim tributor Virginia Roseman.

Clawson’s predecessor Velma Burnley, Blowing Rock Taylor stopped by the High Country Press’ office on N.C. 105 to share his story. Taylor’s inspiration to form KAMPN de- Mayor J.B. Lawrence, former N.C. Reps. Pinkey Hayden and rived from his grandson, Charlie, who was diagnosed on the Gene Wilson have all shared their story with High Country Magazine. Hayden, a Democrat, and the late Wilson, a Reautism spectrum.

Other good causes or nonprofits featured in the magazine publican, were featured in the same issue on August 2008.

After recalling a supposed “off-thein the past decade include: Nationrecord” discussion with a reporter al Committee for the New River, that made its way to The AssociHigh Country Conservancy and Or consider this passage from ated Press, Hayden told contribuBlue Ridge Land Trust, High Countor Bernadette Cahill, “I thought try Hospice, Hospitality House’s the December 2007 article a shredder was for cabbage only Bread of Life, Salvation Army and a describing the beginnings of until I got into politics.” number of articles based on “green living” and church spotlights.

Mount Vernon Baptist Church:

Leaders and Officials

“The roar of cannons from the Civil War had barely ceased when the settlers in the Bamboo area near Boone sensed God calling them to begin a church.”

Well, if we’ve covered the regular Joe’s that make the world go ‘round, we also saved some space for community leaders, officials and politicians that move our community forward. For instance, Appalachian Regional Healthcare Services CEO Richard Sparks was featured for his more than 35 years of work and his friend, ASU Chancellor Ken Peacock, who retired last year, has been in the magazine more than few times over the years.

Grandfather Mountain founder Hugh Morton, whose advocacy for the environment led to substantive changes that lowered air pollution in North Carolina and helped to spawn the passage of the state’s Ridge Law, graced the cover in Aug. 2006. We’ve also featured the stories of Morton’s children, Jim and Catherine, and new developments on the mountain over the years.

When Boone Mayor Loretta Clawson retired in 2013, she was featured in High Country Magazine, and readers learned

Jim Cottrell 32

Faye Bining

High Country Magazine

Cindy Keller August / September 2015

Other Tales, Inanimate Tales?

Just like all the individuals we’ve written stories about and photographed, the towns in the High Country have personalities, too!

Some are as charming as Watauga County Board of Commissioner Jimmy Hodges. Blowing Rock, for example, is always described as a quaint and charming village – one that, some constituents and council members say, is supposed to stay as a small village and not grow into a small town.

Consider Foscoe or West Jefferson as well. Both of these communities and its residents were featured in our August/ September 2014 issue – and we’ve featured other local areas such as Blowing Rock, Boone, Valle Crucis, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, Linville and more in the past decade. s West Jefferson, for example, has transformed itself into a progressive arts district while retaining its roots with painted fire hydrants, old-timey murals and craft breweries. Foscoe, on the other hand, is a no-stoplight community along N.C. 105, and the business owners and residents have resisted talks of

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High Country Magazine

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Richard Schaffer

Gary Everhart

Patrick & Laurie Bagbey

Sam Adams

widening that stretch of highway to four lanes. As Bill Wilkinson, owner of Grandfather Trout Farm and Gem Mine, which we’ve covered more than once, said, “The valley’s growing, but it’s not a corridor – not like 321.”

In the past 10 years we’ve written stories about many churches and their congregations in the same towns and communities that we’ve covered: Banner Elk Christian Fellowship, Boone United Methodist Church, Cornerstone Summit, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Presbyterian Church of Boone, Poplar Grove Baptist Church and many more mountain community churches.

These articles to you back in time and describe the earliest members of congregation. Consider this passage from the December 2007 article describing the beginnings of Mount Vernon Baptist Church: “The roar of cannons from the Civil War had barely ceased when the settlers in the Bamboo area near Boone sensed God calling them to begin a church. On April 21, 1866, the church

Chris Clark

Chancellor Everts

David Bartlett

Debbie Arnold

Todd Nolt

Talia Freeman

began in the home of Adam and Delphia Cook, under the leadership of Parson Joseph and Nancy Harrison. The church met in the Cook family home for four years.”

It’s All About People Without people, none of the stories would be jotted down and published. While it’s easy to think of the individual subjects in a personal or family profile, stories behind the nonprofits, churches, organizations, businesses and the like wouldn’t happen.

It seems fitting that one of the first articles ever written for High Country Magazine featured the headline, It’s All About People. The story happened to be about Bob Inman, a news anchor turned novelist.

“I often told the young journalists in the newsroom that you can take any complex subject and make it understandable and interesting by putting it in human terms,” Inman said.

“My whole approach to news and journalism was that everything is a story about people.” 

Jim & Hugh Morton

Randy Kelly

Spenver Robbins

Tim Miller

To all these folks depicted and listed and to those who didn’t make it in this time, we thank you very much for telling your story on the pages of the High Country Magazine.

Cherry Johnson 34

High Country Magazine

Brandon & Jason Langdon August / September 2015

Gene Wilson

Becky & Jack Hall

Harris Prevost: Author of 31 Golf Stories in 31 Issues

I

n the fall of 2005, Ken Ketchie published the premiere issue of copies of the articles to give to their staff for training purposes.

I wrote mostly about the history and significance of the land High Country Magazine. He asked me to write a golf article on the Elk River Club for its 20th anniversary celebration. The and the people involved in the course. Describing each hole didn’t interest anyone. I did talk about some of the signature holes of each article was three pages long and the magazine, 32 pages. course. Ken made sure each course had great Ken was pleased with the story and asked photography to accompany the articles. me to do an article in his next issue, the spring I wrote articles on every course in the area of 2006, on Wesley Crum and his, as everyone plus some golf-related stories such as the concalled it, “Peanuts Golf Shop.” Apparently the nection to our area with Augusta National, the readership of the magazine was very pleased connection of the golf cart to our area (it was with the quality of the publication because major!), the golfing Adams family, the state of by the next summer, it has expanded to 128 the golf resorts during the Great Recession, pages. the finest sand in the world for golf bunkers High Country Magazine continued to (from Spruce Pine) and how to find golf balls. grow in size and stature. People were amazed By the fall of 2012, I had run out of golf that a magazine of that quality could exist in courses and run out of interesting golf stories. a rural area such as ours. I felt honored to be able to join some wonderful writers with my Harris Prevost surrounded by Ketchies, My final story was on Boone’s golfing Taylor Ken on the left and his father Homer on family. I did come out of hibernation this sumgolf articles. the right at an August 5th golf game mer to write a story on the history of Blowing Ken asked again if I would write an article on the Blowing Rock Country Club for the summer issue of the Rock Country Club for its 100th anniversary celebration.

I would write my main article on a course and then include magazine. At that time, there were four issues — winter, spring, summer and fall. The magazine quickly grew to six issues and the a related side story or two. One of those was about “lost golf courses” in the High Country. After doing some research, I found readership demand for them grew even more quickly.

Ken felt the golf articles were popular enough for them to be- there were so many lost courses that they deserved their own come a fixture in the spring/summer/fall issues. He asked if I could story. That turned into a series of three articles covering around do articles on all the courses. The magazine grew to 200 pages by 35 courses! From comments I heard, they were my most popular articles.

2007-08, so Ken gave me the space to write much longer articles.

I have made many friends from writing the golf articles and I had three objectives in writing articles about our golf courses.

One was to make those who play the courses proud of their course. I have frequent requests for copies of various articles (I got eight Second was to surprise them with information about their course the day I am writing this!). Thank you Ken Ketchie and High they didn’t know. Third was to make the article, the definitive ar- Country Magazine for giving me this incredible, life-changing opticle on their course, one they could use to provide information to portunity. And the five cents/hour I got for writing them is icing other writers or prospective members. Some courses even made on the cake!

August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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10 Years of Contributors

T

Writers • Photographers • Graphic Artists • Administrators

his glossy wouldn’t be what it is today without the talented contributors - writers, photographers, graphic artists and administrators - who have been apart of the 64 issues we’ve created in the past 10 years. Below these people are listed in chronological order as they appeared in our staff box. Starting off the list is Aaron Burleson, a graphic artist who owns Spokesmedia. Aaron took the idea that High Country Press folks presented to him and turned those many ideas into our first printed issue. That look and template he created is pretty much the same as we use today. Whether it’s a regular staff contributor or someone who took a few photos for just one issue, everyone listed below has left their mark on the High Country Magazine.

Aaron Burleson Kathleen McFadden Jim Morton Randy Johnson Leigh Ann Henion Harris Prevost Sue Glenn Sam Calhoun Robert Morgan Todd Bush Sharon Caldwell Deidra J. Smith Bob Inman Scott Pearson Jamie Goodman Frederica Georgia Lewis McNeil Katherine Osborne Laila Patrick Lois Carol Wheatley Sally Treadwell David Brewer David Coulson Linda Kramer Greg Williams Kelly Jordan Tim Salt Beverly Giles Susan Fabbri Curtis Smalling J.D. Dooley

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High Country Magazine

Jim Cottrell John DeMers Kellee McDowell Bill Sheffield Sam Cassidy Lorrie Tomlinson Michelle Bailey Courtney Cooper Celeste von Mangan Katie Philipp Darren Sheely Ivan Ditscheiner Neil J. Auspitz Garrett Simmons Dan Kaple Ben McKeown Lonnie Webster Corrine Saunders J.D. Dooley Donna Akers Becky Alghrary Tim Gardner Les Simmons Colin T. Ramsey Bob Caldwell Julie Ellsworth Kathy Blair Jim Thompson Deidra J. Smith Nan Chase Katrina Benton

August / September 2015

Jason Sakurai Patrick Pitzer Owen Gray Karen Lehmann Tommy White Bryan McGuire Val Maiweskij-Hay Cotton Ketchie Bill F. Hensley Jason Gilmer Barbara Adams Ron Davis Peter Damroth Anne Baker Amy Fiedler Eric Crews Lynn Willis Amber Smith Jesse Woods Kristian Jackson Mark Roberts Megan Northcote Kyle Grove Hannah Townsend Debbie Carter Angela Rosebrough Catherine Morton Paul Choate Amanda Giles Rebecca Gitlen Ben Wofford

Michael Hardy Maria Richardson Samantha Floyd Chelsea Pardue Rebecca Gitlen Anthony Wyatt Ethan Woodhouse Clare Tager Heather Wolf Andy Pennestri Madison Fisler Rob Moore Jacob Voigt Virginia Roseman Megan Hall Katie Warren Mark Kenna Chelsea Charping Jason Reagan Amy Morrison Charlotte Coulson Jeffrey Green Travis Miller Jordan Nelson Emma Speckman Eric Heistand, Melanie Bullard Kate Cahow Sarah Weiffenbach Jessica Isaacs Josiah Han Clark

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By Josiah Clark

A

cross North Carolina, thousands of homes and businesses enjoy the benefits of renewable solar energy. The state’s prosperous solar industry will face a dilemma if helpful tax credits are allowed to expire at the end of this year, potentially stunting the growth of the highly profitable industry. Until then, impassioned environmentalists are working hard to install as much solar technology as possible.

Over the past decade, North Carolina has received international recognition for its high-caliber universities and academic institutions which have extensively studied renewable energy options. By employing effective energy policies, including the adoption of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS), N.C. earned a place as a national leader in renewable energy by becoming the 4th state in the country to surpass 1,000 megawatts of installed solar capacity in 2015. This achievement has garnered national attention from solar companies nationwide, attracting more outside companies in recent years to invest and create new jobs. With nearly 37,000 homes powered by solar, N.C. is unquestionably the #1 leader in the South in installed solar capacity, which generated $2.67 billion in renewable energy investments from 2007-2013.

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High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

The trio of environmentalists who brought the Solarize Campaign to Boone with the 2015 Clean Energy for Boone Campaign. Pictured left to right: Dave Harman, Director of Finance & Administration for Collaborative Solar, Landon Pennington, Founder & President of Collaborative Solar & Dr. Harvard Ayers, Executive Director of Climate Voices US. The 2015 Clean Energy for Boone Campaign is scheduled to complete solar installations on 40 residential homes and 5 commercial businesses by the end of the year.

‘Effective Public Policies’

For years, N.C.-based solar companies, installers and investors have relied heavily upon the Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and the N.C. Renewable Energy Tax Credits. Both offer tax credits from 3035% towards the installation of solar technology. In Boone, the average investment for a 5-kilowatt home system installed at $3.50-$4.00/watt costs approximately $20,000 - a sizeable initial investment without a tax credit.

Without a renewal, the N.C. Renewable Energy Tax Credits will expire Dec. 31 of this year, and the Federal ITC will drop from 30% to 10% on Dec. 31, 2016. The expiration of these tax credits could drastically reduce the number of families and businesses who can afford to transition to solar energy; it could also affect the 177 N.C.based solar companies who employ more than 5,600 people.

Understanding Tax Credits

Tax credits and deductions are not the same. N.C. residents who pay some federal and state tax and are interested in investing in a renewable energy project qualify for a tax credit, which is an amount that reduces your final tax bill dollar-for-dollar. If you were to

make a renewable energy investment of $10,000, then a federal income tax credit of 30% - or $3,000 - would automatically be earned.

When the REPS came into effect in 2008, public utilities were required to begin sourcing some of their energy from renewable sources, and were allowed to offer consumers a choice in their energy supply. Since then, the newly freed-up

solar industry has generated thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investments for the state. A 2014 study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that total spending on state incentives for the N.C. solar industry amounted to $135 million, which in turn generated $2.67 billion in revenue from clean energy investments - a 20 to 1 return on investment. “Effective public policies are paying huge dividends for the state’s economy,” said Rone Resch, President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

With a standing governor who was formerly employed by Duke Energy, and lobbying from the Charlotte-headquartered company, it seems unlikely that the tax credits will be renewed since solar and clean energy companies are often in direct competition with the interests of coal and fossil fuelbased conglomerates. The study by the Pew Charitable Trust predicted that the expiration of the investment tax credits will ensure a temporary downtrend in N.C. solar capacity additions. Although the state’s solar industry will continue to generate hundreds of millions in revenue from investments, some industry insiders feel a loss of the tax credits would be a giant step backwards. “As an industry, we’re strongly urging North Carolina’s

August / September 2015

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Looking down onto an array of solar panels from the roof of a modern solar home located just outside of Boone.

Owned by Eric and Teresa Plaag, their solar home is outfitted with a 4.725 kW system.

Adrian Tait and Chuck Perry were commissioned to design and build the solar home.

Congressional delegation to support extending the federal investment tax credit for at least five years,” said Resch.

Did you know that North Carolina has more installed solar capacity than all other Southeast states combined?

N.C.’s Solar Industry: the Facts

✓✓There are 1,011 megawatts of solar energy currently installed statewide. ✓✓Statewide solar power has increased rapidly, from 1 Megawatt (MW) in 2007 to 470 MW in 2013, to 1,000 MW of installed capacity in 2015. ✓✓N.C. now supplies nearly 6% of all solar 40

High Country Magazine

energy in the nation. ✓✓ $652 million was invested on solar installations in North Carolina in 2014. ✓✓ There are 177 solar companies statewide that employ more than 5,600 people.

A recent report by RTI and Scott Madden Consulting found that nearly 20,000 jobs were added from 2007-2014 as a direct result of the 2008 REPS, which succeeded the 2005 Energy Policy Act that began the investment tax credit incentives.

Could the thousands of North Carolinians employed by solar companies lose their jobs? “Not necessarily,” says Landon Pennington, a Professor at Appalachian State University and Caldwell Community College, who founded his own solar installation company: Collaborative Solar, and actively collaborates with local environmentalists in the Clean Energy for Boone campaign. “Without a renewal, the solar

August / September 2015

companies will have to become more competitive. This is still a young, immature market,” he said.

According to Pennington, the investment tax credits towards solar installations have done tremendous good for the state, especially in rural areas and agrarian farmlands. “Although North Carolina’s 4th place ranking in installed capacity has been dominated by utility-scale solar developed by those with large tax burdens, the economic multiplier has provided rural counties with jobs and benefits much greater than the state expenditures,” he said. “It would be nice to see the credit extended for a short while longer.”

Western North Carolina’s Solar Trailblazers

In 2013, 28 year-old environmentalist and entrepreneur Katie Bray brought the Solarize Campaign to North Carolina by

starting the Solarize Asheville campaign, which combined nonprofits and community organizers with solar companies to help homeowners install solar panels and offset growing energy costs. The movement to solarize Western N.C. inspired like- minded energy entrepreneurs in Boone to follow Bray’s example, which ultimately culminated into the Clean Energy for Boone Campaign.

Organized by a trio of High Country environmentalists, including Collaborative Solar Founder and President Landon Pennington, along with Director of Finance and Administration Dave Harman and Dr. Harvard Ayers, Executive Director of the nonprofit Climate Voices US, members of The Clean Energy for Boone Campaign have worked tirelessly to carry out their 2015 Campaign: an effort to install as much solar technology as possible in residential and commercial structures throughout the region. “We did it to become part of a broader coalition,” said Pennington.

“Solar was already here, but it wasn’t gaining the traction we would have expected for a progressive area, so we decided to adopt the Solarize Campaign model and brand it as ‘Clean Energy for Boone’ — or clean energy for us.”

Initially, project leaders found the cost of parts and the quality of equipment was all over the board. “We wanted to use the best equipment while offering a flat price for everybody,” added Pennington, who worked with Consolidated Electrical Distribution to create a coalition of local solar equipment companies in order to keep costs down. They primarily use parts from only three solar equipment companies: SolarWorld, Solaredge and UNIRAC. “We set out to simplify the process,” he said. “And are able to offer the cheapest solar campaign of its kind in the state.”

Last spring, Climate Voices US hosted several community events at the Appalachian Enterprise Center to raise awareness for the solar option. So far, the 2015 Clean Energy for Boone Campaign has been considered a success. There are plans for a new campaign in 2016, though details have yet to be determined. For Pennington, the campaign has been successful since they offer free energy audits, use local installers and offer significant rebates.

Members of the 2015 Clean Energy for Boone Campaign have outfitted solar panels on 30-40% of the 40 residential homes and 5 commercial businesses that are scheduled so far, averaging 1-2 installations per week.

Landon Pennington is pictured here atop Matt Hrenak and Leighann Henion’s solar home, which is equipped with a custom 7.56 kW system.

Matt Hrenak and Leighann Henion’s solar home. “Matt is a local contractor and wanted to participate in the campaign,” said Pennington.

“He’s a very capable local builder who did much of the work himself.”

Landon Pennington’s wife, Cassie, together with their son Everett August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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Landon Pennington, Founder and President of Boone-based solar installation company Collaborative Solar. When Landon is not completing solar installations for The Clean Energy for Boone Campaign, he pursues his interests in Biology and Spanish. He teaches at Appalachian State University and Caldwell Community College, and is also the cofounder of the Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy.

In addition to installing residential and commercial solar panels, the Town of Boone has accepted the Climate Voices US-led Community Solar Proposal: a green project to build one or more structures which embody solar PV systems. The 50ft Lumos LSX “solar canopy” will be constructed on Depot St. near Lost Province Brewery and Melanie’s. The structure, which will also double as a bus shelter, will capture sunlight to send out into the electrical grid. As stated by Pennington, the structure consists of many solar panels, but “will also double as a rain shelter and a community events space.” The solar panels will be initially owned by investors, though there are plans to “transfer the array to the Town of Boone in the future.”

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Light at the End of the Tunnel

“It has been calculated that enough solar energy strikes the earth every day to power

Rob and Diane Griffith had their Molly’s Branch farm in Todd outfitted with photovoltaic array that will supply up to 2/3 of their energy use. “Rob and Diane have been long time supporters of renewable energy and community-oriented initiatives,” said Pennington, whose graduate school class previously installed a microhydro system on their farm in 2006.

®

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the panels flows into a meter which produces cash for the investor. Likewise, the panels will produce energy for homeowners and businesses who use solar. It could bring great PR benefits for the town and produce non-polluting electrons for the planet. It’s a win for everyone.” Other projects include The Depot Street Community Solar Project. For the project, two Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargers will be constructed on Depot St., allowing electric car drivers to charge their vehicles, as well as promoting an “EV adoption in the town.”

August / September 2015

Top: Last spring, Climate Voices US hosted several community events at the Appalachian Enterprise Center to raise awareness for the solar option.

Left: Dave Harman, Director of Finance & Administration for Collaborative Solar, speaks at a community event in Boone to promote awareness for solar technology and explain the process of carrying out residential and commercial solar installations. “There were three meetings in January, February and March where we educated people on who we are, and the programs and local incentives we were offering. At that meeting, we had folks sign up to get their homes and sites assessed, and from there we gave them a proposal,” said Pennington.

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Joe Davis and other members of The 2015 Clean Energy for Boone Campaign installing solar panels. “The first thing we do is mount a pair of rails to the roof, then the solar panels are connected in a series and bolted to the rails themselves.” Solar panels contain many photovoltaic cells, which carry elements that produce an electrical current when exposed to sunlight. all of the energy needs for the earth for an entire year, if it could be harvested,” said Dave Harman. “This planet is in trouble.

We have a carbon problem and the technology to fix it, but we don’t have the political will to fix it.” To address the problem, members of Climate Voices US said it is necessary to educate law makers, and to advocate and “promote better laws to further encourage the adoption of renewables.”

Our sun will continue to burn with the same intensity for at least another 4-5 billion years, which makes solar energy an indefinitely renewable resource. Thanks to progress in technology, today’s solar panels require minimal maintenance after installation, and operate quietly and efficiently. Solar energy is not without its disadvantages. The initial investment cost for a home installation is a staggering sum for the average American homeowner especially if the tax credits expire. Some

If the tax credits disappeared, “I wouldn’t be surprised if a number of solar companies just closed up shop.”

opponents of solar technology have noted a lack of overall consistency in solar energy output and production, and have expressed concerns over toxic metals like mercury, lead and cadmium that go into photovoltaic panels. Despite arguments from both sides, solar energy will certainly be available in abundance for as long as humans are likely to remain on earth, and many industry experts believe that solar is among the best options at our disposal for renewable energy alternatives.

The entire solar energy industry is changing. With continual improvements to the technology, new ways and methods of storing energy are discovered each year.

“It’s exciting for us to be working locally with an industry that will be responsible for a cultural change in how we see and relate with energy, and it’s nice to have regional utilities like New River Light & Power and BREMCO that understand what is coming

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and understand that the old business models must shift,” said Pennington. “For the first time since the electrification of our cities and towns, customers may decide what they buy from the utility.”

In the meantime, Climate Voices US will forge ahead with its Clean Energy for Boone Campaign, and will continue to install as much solar capacity as possible in the High Country before the day arrives where the tax credits may no longer exist. If that day comes, solar companies will have to engineer new strategies to adapt to an ever-changing world.

To learn more about Climate Voices US, the Clean Energy for Boone Campaign, the Depot Street Community Solar Project, as well as other advocacy work, visit www. climatevoicesus.org or call 828-406-8200.

To learn more about Collaborative Solar, visit www.collaborativesolar.com or call 704-438-2222.

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Starting a Musical Journey with

T

By David Coulson Photography Courtesy of B Chord Photography, Deb Miller 48

High Country Magazine

August / September 2015

here is something extra special for fans when they are in on the ground floor on a group of budding musical prodigies.

Discovering something fresh in the world of music can be an exhilarating experience both for an audience and musicians alike.

Music lovers in the High Country, regionally and now even around the world are learning that first hand as they watch the development of Cane Mill Road, a group of teenagers who are already making an impact internationally.

Cane Mill Road straddles the line between the deeply-rooted, mountain traditions of bluegrass, with the fresh approach of youthful exuberance as it carves out a unique niche on the music scene.

Frontman Liam Purcell — who just turned 13 — is like a pint-sized, pied piper, on stage and off, as he shows his proficiency on fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin, among a growing number of other instruments, such as dobro and mountain dulcimer.

Kinsey Greene slices a striking figure as she plays an upright bass that is barely taller than the 17-year-old and explores the well-engrained, Appalachian Mountains vocal traditions she has embraced since she learned to talk.

Eliot Smith — the old man of this group at 18 — is an unassuming, soft-spoken guitar technician, who built his own instrument and exudes enough confidence to make an impact in two local bands, Cane Mill Road and Strickly Strings.

Those three traveled to Argentina this spring as part of a United Nations program to perform their music before an international audience, most who were hearing bluegrass for the first time.

The El Concierto En Iguazu (Iguazu in Concert), held for the sixth time from

May 25-30, annually brings together musicians that represent a particular musical culture from each country represented.

The music director of the festival wanted to highlight American bluegrass this year and after discovering the prodigious talent of Purcell on YouTube, she invited Cane Mill Road to perform.

On their return from this life-changing experience, the trio added a fourth member to the band after playing with several other performers in their first year as a band.

Tray Wellington is an easy-going, 16-year-old, banjo player, who has quickly adapted his style and low-key personality to form an already tight approach to the music, surprising for a group with such a limited amount of practice time together.

The newly reformatted quartet had something of a coming-out party in a pair of gigs at the Doc & Rosa Lee Watson Musicfest ‘N Sugar Grove earlier this summer, including a performance as the opening act on the main stage at 10 a.m. on a Saturday morning.

“Good morning, y’all,” Purcell greeted the small, but enthusiastic crowd that gathered at such an early hour. “Free coffee for everybody,” They have also performed at the iconic Merlefest in Wilkesboro and many other festivals during the past year.

Purcell, Greene and Smith have played together in the band for a little over a year, but have been friends since they were kids, taking music lessons together at the Jones House.

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“We’ve kind of known each other perpetually,” said Purcell. “We are all like siblings.”

That closeness has helped the original trio build a unique musical chemistry that is easily noticeable when they perform together and Wellington has only added to the mix.

“There is something to be said that we are all close friends away from the band,” Smith explained.

Cane Mill Road epitomizes the concept of an organically-formed group, something that many in the music industry seem to have forgotten (yes, we’re looking at you, Simon Cowell).

While even the closest of friends sometimes struggle with each other in the

S

omeday in the future, folks around the High Country just might refer to the members of Cane Mill Road as their very own “Fab Four.”

Steeped in the traditions of such local legends as Doc and Merle Watson and influenced by modern bluegrass proponents 50

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intense crucible that musical creation and performance spawns, this group of friends has learned an important lesson early.

“We don’t argue at all,” said Greene.

“When we were in Argentina, we didn’t spend a moment without laughing.”

Despite the closeness of the trio, they had desperately tried to find a fourth member who could measure up to their musical standards, but even more importantly mesh with them on a personal level.

Wellington has met both criteria amazing well.

“He’s growing up like the rest of us,” said Greene.

“There is no other banjo player in our age group around here like Tray,” added

Purcell.

The four prodigies could easily struggle with competitive urges, but they have determined they will encourage each other instead.

“We are all pushing for the same goals,” said Greene, who is showing budding skills as a songwriter.

And all of those music aficionados who have embraced them, from fans to veteran bluegrass performers, seem to sense that there is something extraodinary about this young band.

Years from now, if and when these talented youngsters carve out a larger audience, those who were there at the beginning will look back at Cane Mill Road with fondness. 

like Alison Krauss, this is a young band worth keeping an eye on and one that is almost certain to increase its musical reach far beyond the Appalachian Mountains that birthed them and their heritage.

They have already played at a number of prominent music festivals in the south-

east, been recruited to play in Argentina and have appeared on both NPR and PBS for their performance at the Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour.

Here is a look, individually, at the multiple, award-winning members of this incredibly talented quartet:

August / September 2015

Liam Purcell

On his 13th birthday last month, the parents of Liam Purcell planned the perfect party — an open jam session — on a Monday evening at the Jones House.

Some of the best bluegrass musicians in the area showed up to honor this budding prodigy.

Purcell was the center of attention, not only because it was his special day, but also because of his delightful, charismatic personally. If ever there was someone who seemed born to perform, it is this 5-foot-4inch-tall, 95-pound firecracker.

Purcell was just six years old when he started taking guitar lessons one summer in a special children’s program at the Jones House.

“Me and four other kids,” Purcell remembered.

The impact was immediate.

“He absolutely fell in love with it,” said his father, William Purcell.

The young Purcell came back in the years to come to learn the fiddle, the banjo and the mandolin and also crafted relationships with a pair of other musicians who would form the foundation of Cane Mill Road, Kinsey Greene and Eliot Smith.

“He is the closest thing that I have to a little brother,” said the gleaming Greene.

“He is like a 16, or 17-year-old in a 13-yearold body.”

The young Purcell had an even earlier exposure to bluegrass music that made a

Kinsey Greene

Greene’s first memories of music were trying to sing “as soon as I learned to talk.”

When she was 11, she began taking guitar lessons at the Jones House to learn to ac-

gigantic impression.

As a preschooler at Parkway Elementary, one of his teachers frequently played an Alison Krauss piece, called “When You Say Nothing At All,” during daily nap time.

“I never slept,” said Purcell, who was entranced by the tune.

Purcell has already won a closet full of awards, including the 2014 Brian Freisen Award for banjo and was named as an official artist at the most recent Bluegrass Music Association’s Wide Open Bluegrass Festival.

At the age of 10, Purcell was invited to play at the Blue and White Bluegrass Festival in Foscoe.

Playing a variety of instruments that grows by the years “comes naturally for me,” Purcell admitted.

The Deep Gap native spends an hourand-a-half to two hours daily practicing by himself, in addition to his weekly practices with his bandmates from Cane Mill Road.

Of late, he has also been showing up for weekly jam sessions at Murphy’s Restaurant in Boone.

With one three-song CD already under his belt, Purcell is busy recording for future projects in a simple home studio and doing work at a studio owned by Greene’s uncle on Castleford Road, just outside of Boone.

As a four-year-old, Purcell went to the Deep Gap Post Office one day, where he noticed an elderly gentleman pull up in a “battered blue van.”

“This man would climb out of the van and I could tell he was blind,” Purcell re-

called. “I knew he was somebody famous.”

The man, who was being driven around by the grandfather of future Cane Mill Road member Eliot Smith, was one Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson.

Purcell already has his sights set on continuing his education in the East Tennessee State bluegrass program and would eventually like to study at the Berkelee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

“I want to get an education in bluegrass,” Purcell said.

Not a bad plan for a home-schooled youngster who isn’t even in high school yet.

company herself as a singer.

Taking mandolin lessons one summer with Purcell.

“He was so good at mandolin, I quit,” said Greene.

As a little girl, this Boone native was taken to a Doc Watson concert by her grandfather, C.J. Hayes, during a Fourth of July party at the house of local instrument builder Gerald Little.

As Greene watched Watson perform, she came to a stunning revelation.

“Mom, he’s blind!”

By the time she saw Watson perform, “the bluegrass bug had bit me.”

Greene described herself as “people person,” off-stage after playing and singing at the recent Doc & Rosa Lee Watson Musicfest ‘N Sugar Grove earlier this summer.

“I knew from the time I was a toddler that I wanted to be a performer.”

Though she is adept on several string instruments (guitar, mandolin, fiddle, classical

violin and even cello), one year at Christmas, there was a beautiful, upright bass sitting under the tree — an instrument that her grandfather had bought for her from Little.

She told herself “I’ve got a bass, I better learn how to play it.”

The talented Greene taught herself the instrument and grew to tower just under its impressive height. She now strikes a dominant place on stage, next to the tiny Purcell.

Entering her senior year at Watauga High School, Greene is also thinking about her future. She intends to study at East Tennessee State, with the idea of balancing music education with a career as a pediatric oncology nurse.

Music therapy is another subject that grabs Greene’s interest.

But all of those things take a backseat to bluegrass.

“I want to be able to travel the country and play bluegrass,” Greene said. “That would be a dream come true for me.”

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Eliot Smith

It is one thing for a teenager to travel around and perform compelling music, but how many of them are able to play those tunes on an instrument they built themselves?

Smith is a poster boy of the overachiever.

He is currently playing in two bands, balancing the bluegrass flavor of Cane Mill Road, with the old-time music traditions of Strictly Strings.

He is also thankful for all of the doors

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August / September 2015

that music has opened for him.

“I’m super grateful for getting to do all of this stuff,” Smith said. “It has been pretty amazing.”

Soft-spoken and a lower-keyed personality than Purcell, or Greene, Smith says plenty with his hand-built guitar in hand. But the Deep Gap resident can also dish out the humor with his longtime friends when he is off-stage.

Coming from a musical family, Smith naturally fell into performing and is another product of the fine Jones House music program.

Besides guitar, Smith also plays banjo and mandolin with precision.

“It is amazing that we get to play as much as we want to,” said Smith. “We’re just seeing where it goes. Right now, we’re just enjoying playing with each other.”

Smith is also looking ahead to college and to twin goals.

“I want to build instruments and I want to continue playing music.”

Smith was encouraged in that regard last fall when he attended some of the events at Appalachian State University’s Convocation, featuring musician and guitar builder Wayne Henderson — the subject of Allen St. John’s New York Times best-selling book “Clapton’s Guitar.”

On the music side of things, Smith said: “We’re just seeing where it goes. Right now, we’re just enjoying playing with each other.

Photo Credit: Crystal Genes

Tray Wellington

Wellington may be new to the group, but he has made an immediate impact and his relaxed style on the banjo has allowed him to seamless fit into the band.

That might seem surprising when you consider his background, which differs distinctly from the others in Cane Mill Road.

At the age of 10, this Jefferson native picked up an electric guitar and began playing rock and jazz.

“My family was into classic country, so I branched out into acoustic guitar,” Wellington said.

But it wasn’t until two years ago that he found his true musical love.

“When I first heard the banjo, I decided I had to get one,” Wellington said. “The first year, I was just up in my room, playing banjo.”

It wasn’t long before he was working on a CD, which is a couple of songs from being complete.

Wellington has known Smith for a number of years and considers him “one of my best friends.”

He met Greene at a fiddle convention two years ago and was introduced to Purcell a year later.

Wellington had been reluctant to join other bands, but jumped at the chance to accept Cane Mill Road’s invitation.

“I’ve been offered the chance to be in other bands, but they didn’t feel right to me.”

This Ashe County High School junior wants to continue with his music education at ETSU, but he has high hopes for his new band.

“I think Cane Mill Road will go somewhere.”

So do a lot of other people.

“Cane Mill Road straddles the line between the deeply-rooted, mountain traditions of bluegrass, with the fresh approach of youthful exuberance as it carves out a unique niche on the music scene.”

– David Coulson, pictured at left with Kinsey Green

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El Concierto En Iguazu (Iguazu in Concert)

W

hen William Purcell, the father of bluegrass prodigy Liam Purcell and the manager of the group Cane Mill Road, received an invitation last winter for the youngsters to perform at the El Concierto En Iguazu (Iguazu in Concert) in Argentina during its May 25-30 run, he admitted to being stunned.

“Honestly, our first reaction was to question if it was a hoax,” the elder Purcell, who also works as an associate professor in the Communication Department at Appalachian State University, told Richard Thompson of Bluegrass Today. “I know that sounds bad, but we couldn’t believe our ears.”

But a little research proved to William Purcell that the correspondence from the El Concierto En Iguazu festival director was legitimate and the group was able to raise the approximately $6,000 needed to send Liam Purcell, Kinsey Greene and Eliot Smith to South America for the United Nations-sponsored event — the largest in54

High Country Magazine

ternational musical festival for children in the world.

Over 700 young musicians from five continents and dozens of countries participated.

Much of the money needed for the trip was raised by private donations, the release of CD of Cane Mill Road’s music and a “gofundme” campaign.

So why was this group of local youngsters invited?

“Cane Mill Road was selected for its brilliant live performances, the artistic level and the excellent sound,” said festival director Andrea Merenzon. “We pay attention to the artistic expression on the stage and making a unique setup to delight the public at this amazing music festival. This is the first time that the Iguazu En Concierto Festival has the honor of having bluegrass music.”

Merenzon had discovered the band through Liam Purcell’s performances on YouTube.

August / September 2015

The festival director painted an amazing picture of what the festival is like: “Iguazu En Conceirto is an amazing music festival where children from five continents play music together in one of most amazing natural scenarios of the world: the Iguazú Falls and the Misiones forest in its entire splendor, being one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature of the World.”

With that as the backdrop, the musicians are inspired to tremendous heights of performance.

“During eight days, free concerts are held at the best hotels of the region, La Aripuca, the Puerto Iguazú amphitheater and the Espacio Takuapu,” Merenzon said.

“The festival closes with a mega-concert at the Sheraton Hotel gardens, within the Iguazú National Park. An outstanding staging that gathers orchestras, choirs and soloists in a single stage with the Iguazú Falls as background.”

As expected, it turned out to be a life-

changing opportunity for the three High Country youngsters.

“Only a couple of people in the crowd had ever heard bluegrass live,” said guitarist Eliot Smith. “They were so enthusiastic.

There was something incredible about that, like an out-of-body experience.”

Cane Mill Road played three concerts together during their 10-day excursion to Argentina and also performed in a variety of situations with other musicians of different musical backgrounds.

“It really awakened me to other forms of music,” said Liam Purcell. “It really humbled me.”

Some 4,000 people lined up for seven blocks to get into one of Cane Mill Road’s concerts, filling the 2,000-seat venue to overflowing. After the group played for one standing-room-only crowd, they were escorted out and the second group of fans were allowed to watch the rest of the concert.

“It was the best set we’ve ever done,” said Liam Purcell.

This pint-sized performer received a rock-star-like reception when he crowd surfed during one part of the concert.

Liam Purcell received the additional honor of playing as a mandolin soloist during the grand finale concert, which featured over 700 musicians performing together.

“They treated us like rock stars,” said bass player Kinsey Greene. “I did six television interviews.”

But the concerts were not just about blowing up young egos.

“It was a very encouraging experience, spending time with so many people from other countries,” said Smith. “The whole experience was like a big adventure.”

The performance that made the most impact on the trio was a concert they gave to one special fan.

An employee at the hotel where all of the musicians were staying was unable to attend any of the formal events, so Cane Mill Road brought their music to him at the hotel — a gesture that brought tears to the man’s eyes.

“One of the things we realized from meeting so many people from other cultures is that they are just like us,” said Greene.

“We were out of our element, living for 10 days in the middle of a rain forest.”

The Argentina adventure also created a special bonding experience for three already-tight-knit musicians.

“It definitely made us closer as a band,” said Smith. “You can’t have an experience like that and not be closer.”

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Gap Story by Melanie Bullard

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August / September 2015

Photography by Sara Weiffenbach

Creating opportunities for our neighbors to become selfsufficient, thereby increasing the sustainability of our communities.

– WAMY Community Action Agency Mission

I

n London, England, the phrase “mind the gap” refers to the space between the public transportation train known as “the tube” and the platform, a dangerous breach that can lead to disastrous consequences if an unfortunate traveler were to fall into it.

In the North Carolina counties of Watauga, Avery, Mitchell and Yancey, “mind the gap” has an entirely different meaning — but here, too, the gap is a serious void. It is the space between need and self-reliance.

WAMY Community Action Agency, which has been a fixture in these mountains for more than 50 years, is all about filling the gaps that exist among other social services in the area. Gaps into which many of our neighbors can and do fall.

Melvin Trivette

“For every $1 we spend on the voucher, the families harvest $25 worth of produce.”

August / September 2015

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“

They come in because they need help with their electric bill, they are being evicted, they have no food, or gas to get to work. We guide them to local agencies who offer those services.

Melissa Soto, WAMY Director

”

– Melissa Soto, WAMY Director

The Gardening Stipend

Take for example, Melvin Trivette.

Melvin, a WWII veteran, lives with his wife of 65 years in a modest white-frame house, with a sturdy redbrick chimney nestled into the crook of an eastern Watauga County hollow. He once raised hundreds of chickens a year for Holly Farms, sold 3,600 eggs (300 dozen) a week in Boone and farmed 10 acres. At 96, Melvin has slowed a bit, but he still tends more than 32 honeybee gums, as he refers to them, and raises a half-acre garden. His wife Hallie helped until she recently fell. Now she can’t get around very well, so Melvin tends the land all by himself.

WAMY makes it possible for Melvin to provide for his bride through its gardening program. According to WAMY Director Melissa Soto, the initiative gives garden vouchers of $50 to low-income and elderly families to allow them to have a home garden. It is worth so much more than it seems.

“For every $1 we spend on the voucher, the families harvest $25 worth of produce. Gardening also keeps them active, mentally alert and gives them a sense of purpose — things for which there is no price tag.”

This year, Melvin used his voucher to 58

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purchase seeds and fertilizer. He expects to raise about 10 bushels of corn and a myriad of vegetables. Longtime customers still crave his homegrown produce and, if they are lucky, he’ll share

Avery YO!

Forty miles away, during the school year, nearly 90 children enjoy mentoring, tutoring and math and science enrichment thanks to Avery Youth Opportunities, which was created through a partnership with the 4H. The supervised after-school program, which also provides nutritional

August / September 2015

education, costs approximately $80 per week per student and is funded through a federal Department of Public Instruction grant.

“It is one of the coolest programs in the state, and the only afterschool program in Avery County” Soto says. “We spend about $266,000 annually to provide this opportunity for the children, but it goes well beyond helping the at-risk children.

It helps their families keep working and not worry about where their children are after school.”

The gardening stipend and afterschool initiative are two of five major programs currently being offered in the fourcounty area. Also included are a home weatherization program and a communitysupported agriculture voucher that provides local produce to lowincome families. All are designed to help people help themselves, and Soto says WAMY provides services that are not offered anywhere else in Watauga, Avery, Mitchell or Yancey counties.

“Every three years we conduct a Community Needs Assessment,” she says.

“From Buleah Dean to Deep Gap, we look at what is being offered, what are

Local children participating in WAMY’s Avery YO! supervised after-school program enjoy learning and playing outside at Banner Elk Elementary School.

Vice President Hubert Humphrey (right), President Lyndon B. Johnson (center) and his wife Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson (left) are pictured at the signing of the Medicare Bill in 1965.

the needs and what can we do to make a difference for the next few years.”

At one time there was a need for a farmer’s market. WAMY started it. There was also a need for public transportation to take senior citizens shopping and to the doctor. Soto says WAMY is responsible for initiating Appalcart. Across its 50-year history, this is one community action agency that has been determined to accomplish what is was designed to do — meet the unique individual needs of the poor in these western North Carolina mountains.

History

Community action agencies, including WAMY, began under President Lyndon Johnson, who, declaring a war on poverty, sponsored the largest reform agenda since Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal in 1932. The following is an excerpt from Johnson’s speech in 1964 reinforcing his commitment to the war on poverty and vision of “a great society.”

“The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization.

Your imagination and your initiative, 60

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and your indignation, will determine evicted, they have no food or gas to get to whether we build a society where work,” says Soto. “We guide them to local progress is the servant of our needs, agencies who offer those services. We may or a society where old values and new not be the source for immediate assistance, visions are buried under unbridled but if someone is willing to work, then we growth. For in your time we have the work to help them get to a better place opportunity to move not only toward long term. Sometimes people just need a the rich society and the powerful socibreak.” ety, but upward to the Great Society.

Those breaks are good for the commuThe Great Society rests on abundance nity, too. and liberty for all. It demands an “For every family we get off of public end to poverty and racial injustice, assistance, we save the county and state to which we are totally committed in $18,804 per year,” Soto says. our time.”

In 2013-14, nine families were as- Lyndon B. Johnson sisted in moving from dependency to selfCongress passed the bipartisan Eco- sufficiency through WAMY’s Total Family nomic Opportunity Act of 1964 and with- Development program. Families are helped in nine years the national poverty rate fell with educational and employment goals. more than 42 percent. Now, 50 years later, the battle to North Carolina 11th Congressional eradicate need continues.

District Poverty Report

A Will and a Way

Today, 90 percent of people who walk through WAMY’s doors on Birch Street are seeking emergency assistance.

“They come in because they need help with their electric bill, they are being

August / September 2015

(Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2013)

19% Number of families living below the poverty level or $23,834 annual income for a family of 4

26.1% Number of children under 18 living below the poverty level

21% The poverty rate for working-age women ages 18-64

The WAMY staff. Back row from left: Bridgette Moore, Colleen Bare, André Largente. Front row from left: Ashley Cook, Melissa Sota

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“

This year Melvin used his voucher to purchase seeds and fertilizer. Long time customers still crave his homegrown produce and if they are lucky, he’ll share.

”

Local farmer Melvin Trivette (right) and his wife of 65 years, Hallie, enjoy spending time together on the front porch of their home.

Typically, this is through a community college or even a four-year university if they are in their last year.

Home weatherization programs put more than $40,000 back into the pockets of clients. Instead of exorbitant energy expenses, they are now able to pay for medi-

cine and food. And speaking of food, 32 families are eating better because of the community agriculture stipends.

President Johnson’s vision of abundance for all may not yet be achieved, but as far as Soto is concerned, what WAMY Community Action Agency does today will go a long

way toward creating “a great society.”

“The improvements we make on homes, the changes people make in their lives — these last forever. So multiply the annual savings by the number of years that an assisted family exists and the numbers are astronomical.”

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High Country Magazine

63

Privateers and Quick Tempers

Burnsville, Yancey County and Life Beyond Grandfather

By Bernadette Cahill • Photography by Frederica Georgia

F

rom the heights of the Blue Ridge at Blowing Rock, mountains such as Hawksbill, Table Rock, Beech and Grandfather stand out even with some clouds in the air. Generally, it appears that those mountains are all there is to see.

Yet, when the atmosphere is clear like crystal the less familiar appears and Mount Mitchell emerges in pale outline against the distant sky.

Early explorers must have felt in two minds about that view.

The earth disappears so far away that the furthest mountain must have seemed impossible to reach. On the other hand, crossing such a distance must have presented a tantalizing challenge to find out what else might be there.

Mount Mitchell is one of the Black Mountains – a fish hookshaped distinct range west of the Blue Ridge whose name comes from the darker vegetation in the higher elevations. During the 64

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August / September 2015

time of the early explorers, established communities were hard to come by. Today, at the foot of that range nestles the town of Burnsville, the seat of Yancey County.

With a population of about 1600, Burnsville is an old-fashioned town with a modern edge. A central square anchors the community and it comes with a history featuring snap dragons and yellow jackets. Of a gentle human scale, it is easy to get to know, its history quarter is excellent, and the little town is a center of a surprising amount of arts and entertainment. In sum, Burnsville is a delightful tourist destination.

Today, the distance from the High Country may be the same as explorers of long ago saw, at least as the crow flies.

Getting there, however, is now an easy matter. Just follow the road from Boone to Spruce Pine via Linville and from there onto Burnsville.

Nestle in a valley amongst the Black Mountains sits Burnsville at an elevation of 2,817 feet, the county seat of Yancey County. Burnsville is an old-fashioned town with a modern edge and is a center of a surprising amount of arts and entertainment.

The Mountains Against the East Burnsville’s creation in this valley at an altitude of 2,817 feet commemorates two historic figures.

By the 1820s, with the advent of peace and western growth after the war of 1812, North Carolina mountain communities wanted a say in their own government.

To their aid came an unlikely hero: Captain Otway Burns. From the eastern seaboard, Burns won fame during the War of 1812 as owner and captain of the Snap Dragon, one of the most famous vessels in the history of privateering in the United States.

Although recognized by the United States government for his line of work, some condemned Burns as a licensed robber. Unhindered by such criticism, Burns took 42 British vessels, worth $4 million, and August / September 2015

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Yancey’s superfast internet (see story p. 70) enhances an historic town where festivals such as the Old Timey Fall Festival, the Carolina Mountains Literary Festival and the annual Music in the Mountains Folk Festival, all in September, bring history alive.

300 sailors during the war, which helped the United States cause the center of the new county. The town fathers honored the reconsiderably. Later, he became an Assemblyman and then Senator quest of Yellow Jacket that the county seat be named for the state Senator whose daring vote had made their county possible, so the in North Carolina.

Pursuing their dream of local government, in 1825 inhabitants new town was christened Burnsville. of the western lands petitioned An Award-Winning for the creation of new counties.

Little Town Adopting once again an unpopular role, Captain Burns supportThis colorful beginning coned the political ambitions of the tinues in today’s colorful little mountain folks against the fierce town. The only incorporated opposition of establishment town in the county, civic leadpoliticians who resisted sharing ers and community groups have their power with citizens in the worked diligently to preserve wilderness. At the cost of his poits historic character while eslitical career, Burns cast the vote tablishing guidelines to ensure that broke the deadlock over the continuing enhancement, said creation of the new counties.

Dean Gates, Burnsville’s PlanThe victory in this political ning Board Chair.

The crowd at this year’s Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair enjoy a struggle came in 1833. Yancey Several years ago, for examperformance in the Town Square on August County appeared at this time, ple, an old car dealership steps named for Bartlett Yancey of from the town square was too Caswell County who had also advocated the creation of these unsafe to remain standing. A civic building, the Town Center was new western local governments. The county seat followed in erected in its place, in perfect scale and character to fit in amiably.

1834, platted on 100 acres of level land called Ray Flats – a do- This building has become the location of the weekly Farmer’s nation from one of the area’s colorful characters, John “Yellow Market from April to December, the place to go for countless Jacket” Bailey, a man renowned for his quick temper. cultural events, and a base of some of Burnsville’s outstanding The location was not only flat with ample water flowing from festivals. the surrounding mountains; it was also conveniently located in The ongoing work to maintain Burnsville’s traditional charac66

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Burnsville’s Nu-Wray Inn, still an operating hostelry, on the south side of Town Square is just the oldest of several historic buildings that create Burnsville’s atmosphere of an old town with a modern edge and provide a welcoming setting for the town’s festivals.

The former Citizens Ban building adjacent to the Inn which for many years served as the library, today houses Burnsville’s technology center and makes its awesome internet available to anyone. ter has included involvement in the North Carolina Main Street program which helps small towns develop economically through historic preservation. This focus has brought the community several prestigious awards, among them the North Carolina 2015 Best Public Place People’s Choice Award, which was made possible by the work of countless volunteers and town workers, such as retired town administrator George Nero who helped to set the restoration movement going.

History Beside the Ultra-Modern In spite of modern enhancements, Burnsville is stamped with history. Town Square, which the Yancey County Board of Commissioners named Bailey Square in September, 1930 to commemorate Yellow Jacket – is one of those old-fashioned places that

feel so comfortable it begs for exploration. The unexpected park where a court house usually stands features a statue of Burns, installed in 1909. The Square is the location of the day-long Old Timey Fall Festival which the Yancey History Association hosts each September. Except when closed off for such festivals, the square is an easy place to park, conveniently close to attractions and shops.

The central park is where the first county court house stood, but in 1908 a new building replaced it. That building still stands on the southwest corner of the square, owned by the town since 1974 and since then renovated to accommodate the town’s government departments. It is one of several historic buildings listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

In the next block, the original Citizens Bank Building and un-

The Yancey County Board of Commissioners gave Town Square the name Bailey Square in September, 1930 to commemorate Yellow Jacket Bailey – the man who donated the 100 acres of flat land on which Burnsville was laid out. The original Court House stood here, but a new building on the southwest corner of the square (above) replaced it in 1908. Today, the town owns the former new court house, and houses the town’s government. It is one of several historic buildings listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

August / September 2015

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(Right) Actor Spencer Maore, rehearsing earlier in the summer outside the Parkway Playhouse for an upcoming production.

The View From Mt. Mitchell On a clear day, at 6,684 feet at the viewing platform on top of Mount Mitchell the familiar outlines of Grandfather, Grandmother, Table Rock and Hawksbill Mountains stand out clear against the sky, but from the completely opposite direction. Mount Mitchell became North Carolina’s first state park in 1915 after then Governor Locke Craig declared it a “sacred place” needing protection from the clear-cutting of timber that ravaged Yancey County’s mountains a century ago.

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Robert Thompson of Bee Log Garlic and Flower Farm enjoys conversation with a customer during Burnsville’s regular Farmer’s Market. til about four years ago the Yancey Country Public Library is a mid-1920s structure that today houses a center for information about the town’s revolutionary plan to make fiber-optic internet available for every citizen and is where anyone can log on and browse.

Close by this ultra-modern venture, the 1833 Nu-Wray Inn, which predates the town, still operates as an hotel known for its excellent breakfasts. Beside the Nu-Wray stands the 1914-15 Chase-Coletta House, the only remaining private residence on a public square that a century ago featured six or seven stylish homes.

Today, a church, a bank, the Snap Dragon restaurant and some stores all in the right human scale, interspersed with attractive

Melanie Barr (left) and Michelle Hager enjoying some of the pottery at the Toe River Arts Council Gallery on West Main, just steps from Town Square gardens and greenery, combine into an inviting public space set within spectacular mountains.

This starting point is just perfect for a stroll, for example to follow the stops on the historic walking tour brochure available in the Chamber of Commerce. Simpler, perhaps is to visit South Main’s Old Country Store, or head along West Main to the stylish Appalachian Java coffee shop, make a quick visit to the Monkey Business Toy Shop, or browse through the Something Special gift shop.

Just beyond, not to be missed is the Toe River Arts Gallery, which showcases some of the many professionals who cluster in Yancey and at nearby Penland, making the county a national leader in professional artists.

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Getting Round the Mountains - FAST Yancey County’s Awesome Internet

O

like they do with utilities like power and ne hundred pages of an upcom- and drummed up the customer-base.”

Country Cablevision provided the in- gas. The cost of Yancey’s superfast internet ing issue of High Country Magazine all together take about two ventive solution to the problem of not be- for residences depends on the specific serhours to upload to the printers in Mem- ing able to move mountains, the expertise, vice chosen. For a business it costs $399 a some of the financing and submitted in month, said McMahan. phis, Tennessee.

If the same kind of project were being 2009 a grant application with the county Yancey has also created a public service by handled in Yancey County today, it could for second-round federal stimulus funds providing wide-open use of free internet in a and loans. happen in the blink of an eye. technology center housed in the former pub“The total package was for $25.3 mil- lic library in the Town Square. Open about a This is because of Yancey’s awesome internet technology, completed earlier this year, lion,” said McMahan. Six years later, “in- year, this project marries the latest thing with which has made super-fast speeds available ternet service by fiber-optic is available one of the town’s historic buildings. to every residence in the county and light- to all of Yancey County. We are the only “It’s very well utilized by individuals county in the state [with] fiber-optic cover- and small businesses.” said McMahan. ning uploads available to every business.

The internet uses fiber optic cables, age for 100 per cent of the area.”

Yancey County is very proud of the pubwhich like old-fashioned power cables, “Most technology is really good with lic-private collaboration that has brought this physically link houses and about. businesses to the service.

“I credit Ray Vance “The total package was for $25.3 million and six Miller of Country CableBut fiber optics are from the world of tomorrow today, vision for his inventiveyears later our internet service by fiber-optic is allowing information to be ness. He said to me that available to all of Yancey County. We are the only this technology is to this moved so fast from one site to another that it’s imposgeneration what land-line county in the state with fiber-optic coverage for sible to see it happening. [phones were] three genThe project is an exam100 per cent of the area. Most technology is really erations ago. Hats off to ple of how this mountain him,” said McMahan, who good with speeds of 25 to 65 megabits a second, is amazed by the number region and its county seat, Burnsville, have collabobut we have anywhere from 65 to 100 megabits a of people who would do rated with private business anything for such mindsecond for residential service.” to give their historic area a boggling internet speeds. decidedly modern edge.

He cites a friend living just It came about because of beyond the county line, Yancey County’s major tourist attraction speeds of 25 to 65 megabits a second,” he who suggested Yancey County just extend : seventeen local mountains of more than said, “but we have anywhere from 65 to 100 the cables.

6,000 feet, including Mount Mitchell, the megabits a second for residential service.”

“Why don’t you just move here?” rehighest east of the Mississippi – plus a host The fiber optic system really comes plied McMahan, who laughs at the unexof others at lesser, but still striking eleva- into its own for industry and business, pected outcome, for if Yancey County now tions, said Jamie McMahan, County Plan- whose speeds reach up to one gigabit a leads in county-wide delivery of super-fast ner and native of Burnsville. second, which is as fast as the internet can internet, “We didn’t plan to do that,” he In 2009, the county was looking for currently reach. said. “We ended up doing it anyway.” a way to expand broadband in the area, The county is very glad they overshot “One gigabit a second is incomprehenwhich large wireless internet companies sible,” said McMahon. the mark. Major cities like Chattanooga, simply could not offer because of the toBut not to a small business which could Tennessee have already entered this marpography. Quite simply, wireless signals save two hours – less one second – for up- ket and it has generated new business. don’t travel round or through mountains. loading a magazine and would make dead- Yancey County planners hope for the same The way to get round the mountains lines less harrowing. It is a quantum leap results. fast and to supply the best internet for the in efficiency, which Burnsville’s businesses This is a surprising position for the greatest number, planners found out, was have been quick to enjoy. One large truck county to be in, given the incongruous state not only through fiber-optic connections, company in the town can now upload like of Yancey’s communications. While its inbut in partnership with local businessman magic complicated computer schematics ternet superhighway is wide open for busiRay Vance Miller of Country Cablevision, to locations anywhere it wants. ness because of fiber optics, it is also one of which is headquartered in Burnsville.

A requirement of the stimulus grant last counties in North Carolina to have an “Fiber optic is very expensive,” said was that the fiber-optic cables would de- actual four-lane highway, said McMahan.

McMahan, “so we created a public-private liver internet right to the door of all resi- The construction currently causes inconvepartnership. We generated public interest dences, where a customer hooks up just nient congestion outside Burnsville.

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Rhea Ormond’s Wizard of Oz mural fits perfectly into Burnsville’s urban setting, where mountains form part of the picture from every location.

Beyond the gallery, a restored 1930s Union Gas Station serves as the home of the Chamber of Commerce, which features a display of the historical development of transportation in the county and a panel of a major quilt project depicting Burnsville’s history. Just behind, the John Wesley McElroy House is home to the Rush Wray Museum of Yancey County History.

This house, which dates back to the 1840s, depicts domestic life in Burnsville’s early days. It also houses civil war memorabilia to commemorate the skirmishes in favor of both sides that Chris Carter, a member of the board of the Yancey History Association talks of with relish.

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Opened in August 1939, its first presentation was “Our Leading Citizen” starring actor Bob Burns – appropriately enough.

Today, the latest movie equipment operates in this landmark building, while the décor maintains the old-fashioned charm.

The Yancey regularly screens movies for family viewing.

Further out, Parkway Playhouse is the oldest continually operating summer theater in North Carolina. Established in

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Perfect Summer Wines for Perfect Summer Times ✹ Wine Tastings ✹ live music saturdays & sundays ✹ special events ✹ festivals

Christina Gordon from Fun Frolic Farm tans a hide in the old-fashioned way at the Farmer’s Market.

1947 by a drama professor at a precursor college of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, since the 1990s it has been the home of a professional theater company.

For its home on a hill in an old barn, the laid-back welcome of staff and players, the little bar that allows patrons to enjoy a glass of wine during the show, the warm blankets handed out in the early fall to guard against chills, and most of all for the plays – this theatre alone makes Burnsville worth the drive. Earlier this season, Esley told the story of Lesley Riddle, the local boy who introduced the Carter family to spirituals and blues and became famous with A.P. Carter for the Worried Man Blues.

Still to look forward to in August and September, Parkway Playhouse’s bill includes All Shook Up (ends August 8), a 2004 musical with Elvis Presley songs based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night; Red the 2009 award-winning play about artist Mark Rothko; and Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie.

Further events to look forward to in Burnsville are the Mount Mitchell Crafts Fair on August 7 and 8, which this year celebrates its 59th season. September 10-12 the three-day Carolina Mountains Literary Festival takes place to promote local authors and literature. September 26 sees the day-long renowned Music in

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The Yancey Theatre is one of western North Carolina’s remaining old-time movie theatres. Opened in August 1939, today, the latest movie equipment operates in this landmark building, while the décor maintains the oldfashioned charm. The Yancey regularly screens movies for family viewing.

tremendous selection ...

Market stall-holders also feature customs from the past. (Above) Theo Thudpucker sells his traditional walking sticks and canes the Mountains Folk Festival takes place in the Town Center.

Yancey County’s Main Attraction Burnsville was only a young thing when Yancey’s special landscape began to attract explorers and tourists: though Yancey is a small county, around and within its boundaries seventeen peaks of more than 6,000 feet reach towards the heavens.

Mount Mitchell is known today as the highest peak east of the Mississippi, but it didn’t win that title until the mid-nineteenth century, when Elisha Mitchell, in a feverish hunt to prove that he himself had identified not only the highest mountain in the Blacks but a peak higher than Mount Washington in New England, fell down a waterfall to his death. The interpretation center at the top of the peak commemorates the third of Yancey’s colorful characters, Big Tom Wilson, who apparently located Mitchell’s body clairvoyantly.

Mount Mitchell became North Carolina’s first state park in 1915 after then Governor Locke Craig declared it a “sacred place” needing protection from the clear-cutting of timber that ravaged Yancey County’s mountains a century ago. Today, it affords many hiking opportunities.

The road to Mount Mitchell via Micaville features the studios of some of the nationally renowned woodworkers, glassblowers, potters, metalsmiths, weavers, papermakers, painters, photographers and sculptors, who help to make Yancey County special.

Atop the mountain a restaurant offers meals and spectacular views, while a deck furnished with rocking chairs allows time for reflection in an environment surrounded by towering peaks.

A climb to the top of the mountain, however, brings a unique reward for venturing beyond the familiar. For up here, at 6,684 feet on a clear day, Grandfather, Grandmother, Table Rock and Hawksbill Mountains stand out clear against the sky. The mountain sweep stretches so far beyond them, early explorers might have felt in two minds about what they were seeing. The earth disappears so far away, the end must have seemed impossible to reach. Yet going that distance meant a tantalizing challenge to find out what else might be there.

And if they set out on that search, they would ultimately find themselves back home in the High Country, but now knowing about life beyond Grandfather. 

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Watauga County Habitat for Humanity

Building a Better Community

One Family at a Time

By Jessica Isaacs

•

Photography by Sara Weiffenbach

I

n the High Country’s unique economy and real estate market, folks looking for affordable housing often have to compete with tourists, part-time residents seeking second homes and college students who can collectively afford higher rent prices by entering into joint-lease agreements. So where does that leave local families?

According to recent census data, the average home value was higher in Watauga County than compared to the state average, and the average household income was lower.

Take a look at these numbers (published online by the census bureau) for 2009-2013: • Median household income: $34,293 in Watauga vs. $46,334 in North Carolina • Median value of owner-occupied housing units (including homes, town homes, condos and trailers): $228,700 in Watauga vs. $153,600 in North Carolina With that kind of imbalance, it’s no surprise that 31.3 percent 74

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August / September 2015

of people in Watauga were living below the poverty line in that same period of time, compared to just 17.5 percent of people across the state.

It’s difficult, and some might say impossible, to qualify for a bank loan and take the traditional path to homeownership when you’re making less money and everything’s more expensive.

What options do local people have when they’re working hard to support their families, often making minimum wage, but they’re still not earning enough to make hefty mortgage payments? There aren’t many, that’s for sure.

For some folks, agencies like Habitat for Humanity are the only way to achieve homeownership in a struggling economy.

The Watauga County affiliate has been doing just that since its inception in the late 1980s and it’s still working diligently today.

Leadership within Watauga Habitat has plans to expand the organization’s reach in the future, but, like most nonprofits, it’s going to need help from the community to continue growing.

Watauga Habitat Construction Manager Jim Rogers is pictured at the site of the organization’s latest building project in the Grandfather Community

Because of that financial responsibility, interested partner families must have a steady source of income.

So, who qualifies for a Habitat home?

In many cases, Habitat families have enough monthly income to make a small house payment but not enough to qualify for a bank loan.

Habitat’s income guidelines are dethem, also known in the organization as ABOUT HABITAT signed to approve families who meet 30Watauga Habitat is a branch of Habitat “partner families,” who must meet certain 60 percent of the county’s median housefor Humanity International, a nonprofit criteria before beginning their journey to hold income (as determined by HUD). ecumenical housing ministry that seeks to homeownership through the agency.

Under those guidelines, approval for a Once complete, the homes are not givput God’s love into action to build new family of four would require a total househouses and create safe, healthy, comfort- en away but sold to the partner family as a hold income ranging between $18,650 zero-interest mortgage loan.

Even without able homes for families around the world. and $37,300. the expense of labor, Habitat homes cost With local affiliates across the globe, “If you’re in the lower income range, the organization seeks to further the mis- approximately $100,000 to build in our you have to have stellar credit to qualify area, which leaves the average Habitat homsion its founder, the late Millard Fuller.

A self-made millionaire before the age eowner with a monthly mortgage payment for a mortgage, and typically that’s just of 30, Fuller was led by personal struggles of $450-$500, including taxes, insurance not the case,” said Hooker. “It’s so expensive to live up here and that causes a to reevaluate the direction of his life, and property owner’s association fees. lot of low-income famiHabitat.org explains. In Volunteers set trusses for the roof of an ongoing construction site for the lies to go into debt. the early 1970s, he and People can make one home of the latest Habitat for Humanity partner family in Watauga County his wife sold all of their mistake that hangs out possessions, donated the their credit, or they’ve money to the poor and racked up debt from credmoved to Africa to estabit cards or student loans, lish a housing project that or sometimes they’re not would practically apply making enough money so the teachings of Christ. they have to use credit for Not long after, Habieveryday things.” tat International was While a decent credit born, and his work is still history is required to be continued today in countapproved for a Habitat less communities. home, the agency often works with interested HOW IT WORKS buyers to help them manHabitat homes are age their debt. built using volunteer laQualifying partner bor with the help of the families also go through families who receive August / September 2015

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Watauga Habitat volunteers are pictured working at the home of Lisa Shook, the organization’s latest partner familyCommunity criminal background checks and must be willing to invest “sweat equity,” or volunteer hours, into the construction of their own home and the homes of other partner families.

Once approved, Habitat provides family mentors who aid in the home buying process and train new homeowners to be successful in making payments, maintaining their property and connecting with the community.

Building costs are kept low due to the “sweat equity” invested by families and other volunteers throughout construction. Once the families are moved into their brand new, energy-efficient homes, their small house payments are recycled into the organization’s operating budget, which allows it to continue its work for other partner families.

WATAUGA HABITAT

Habitat for Humanity of Watauga County was first incorporated in 1987 under the name “Blue Ridge Habitat for Humanity” in collaboration with what is now Habitat of Avery County. As one agency, the two partner groups worked together to serve the High Country until they separated in order to build more resources and reach more families in 1993. That same year, Watauga Habitat completed construction on its very first house, which is located south of Boone near the hospital off of Bamboo Road.

“At first we were Blue Ridge Habitat and then we split into Watauga and Avery,” said Watauga Habitat Executive Director Alex Hooker. “There was more potential for fundraising in our individual counties, and we knew we would have more capacity to serve more families.”

Hooker, who has always been passionate about helping others in need, joined 76

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Watauga Habitat as a board member in 2007.

“I volunteered when I was in college and when I had a construction business in Chapel Hill. I came to the mountains, got a master’s degree, built violins and made music for 10 years,” he said. “Then I got my real estate license and that’s when I started working with Habitat. They wanted to have a real estate agent on the board and, with my construction experience, I fit the mold.”

He remained active in the organization, took over responsibility as board president in 2008 and was later selected as Habitat’s executive director.

“In 2010, our director left. I was pretty involved and I really enjoyed what I was doing, so I just threw my name in the hat and was lucky to get hired,” he said.

“We are always looking for board members and people with a passion for mission that can help with their head and their heart. There are so many different ways to help. Whatever your skills — marketing, accounting, construction — you just need the passion and that philanthropic nature to get out there and help people.”

on utilities.

“We wanted to build a community that would work for a lot of different reasons,” Hooker said. “We wanted it to look good and to be a place where families could build up equity, be proud of where they live and have a safe environment.”

The high quality materials that make GreenWood homes more energy efficient — including hemlock wood, SmartSide panel siding, tin rooves and insulated concrete form walls — also increase property values and help build equity for the homeowners.

The gable ends, clean lines, simple design and premium materials allow GreenWood houses to blend comfortably with the mountain home aesthetic that’s often seen in the High Country.

Plans for the future of GreenWood including the construction of 16 more homes.

There are plenty of families in need who would qualify to buy in the neighborhood, but Habitat needs help in the form of monetary contribution and volunteer hours to keep up with the demand for affordable local housing.

RECENT PROJECTS

A HAND UP, NOT A HAND OUT

In 2011, after nearly two decades of building in Watauga, a sizeable donation allowed Habitat to make a down payment on a 20-acre lot in the Green Valley community. This property would soon become home to the agency’s first subdivision, named GreenWood.

Since then, four partner families have moved into beautiful, sustainable homes in the neighborhood of which they can be proud. Homes in this development also feature energy-saving extras and are built well beyond typical code standards, saving families between $200-$300 each month

August / September 2015

This year, Watauga Habitat is building a home outside of the development in the Grandfather community for its latest partner family. Homebuyer Lisa Shook already owned the property on Grandfather Road near the Watauga/Avery line, and the organization was happy to work with her in building in her preferred area.

Shook said she’s looking forward to her move-in date and sharing the new place with her 19-year-old son, Dakota.

“Where we’re living now you can sit in the living room and feel the air blowing through in the wintertime,” Shook said.

Volunteers from Banner Elk Presbyterian Church work to set trusses for Lisa Shook’s new home in the Grandfather Community “Although we aren’t where we want to be in terms of capac“The new house will be warm, it will be clean, it will be comfortity and building more houses, the impact that we can make one able and it will be mine.”

As an employee of Lowe’s hardware, Shook has often volun- family at a time is very important. It takes so much of the worry teered on Habitat worksites in Avery County with the company’s out of life.”

Hooker noted that kids do better in school when they have annual Women Build events, which encourage local women to get involved in the construction process and give their time to the safe, healthy places to call home, and that parents feel less worried about money when they can afford their own homes, which organization.

“I’ve always been supportive and I try to go work on someone leads to families spending more quality time together.

“When they’re not paying so much they’re less stressed and else’s home to show that we women can do just as much as a man can when it comes to construction,” she said. “Habitat is a big families can talk more and they’re together more,” he said. “If you help for a lot of people, like myself, who don’t have the money can take that stress out of the situation it makes a big difference. for a conventional loan.”

She’s also been investing a lot of sweat equity in Habitat volunteers build a playground in the agency’s GreenWood subdivision, her own new home and has enjoyed working alongwhich is already home to four partner families and still has room for 16 more side volunteers from her church family at Banner Elk Presbyterian.

“Habitat is a very nice organization to work for and it is Christian, which is important. My church members are phenomenal — they’re really an awesome group of people,” Shook said. “The most important thing is knowing that there’s a means to an end and that my son and I will have a nice place to live. It feels good to be out there working and doing your own thing.”

In the future, Shook said she hopes to see more community education, awareness and support for the work that Habitat does.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about Habitat and people think you just get a house for free, but that’s not the way it works. People who qualify for a Habitat house do work hard and they’re not getting anything for free,” she said. “People just aren’t that familiar with what the organization is doing. It’s a hand up, not a hand out, and it really helps.”

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Despite a serious lack of affordable housing in the High Country, Hooker said Habitat is able to make a difference for a lot of people.

“You’re looking at a $70,000 difference in the average home price up here,” Hooker said. “Combine that with the fact that people who are looking for something affordable are competing with students and second home-buyers, and you can see why housing costs are so high.

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Photos show a home in Watauga Habitat’s GreenWood neighborhood, located in the Green Valley community, during and after the building process.

side of Habitat’s work that Hooker would like to expand in the future.

With a small staff and limited resources, Habitat’s home repair program has little reach right now, but Hooker hopes to partner with Appalachian State University to get it off the ground.

“If we had a program set up with a network of community partners who can make those repairs, we would know immediately who to call and set it up,” Hooker said. “We kind of have a loose network of that now, but it could be really streamlined if we had someone who was dedicated to doing that.”

In July, Habitat International was awarded $3.89 million in grant funding through the Corporation for National and Community Service.

In July, the Corporation for National and Community Service awarded to Habitat International $3.89 million, which will be used to place full-time organizational leaders in Habitat affiliates across the country through the AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) program.

According to the CNCS online, AmeriCorps VISTA Also, people can be proud of where they live instead of feeling members are folks who ashamed. Instead of being embarrassed they want to show it off.” make yearlong, full-time commitments to serve specific projects While it’s already making significant impacts, Watauga Habi- and programs that aim to lift families and communities out of tat has thus far been limited to constructing only one new home poverty. per year at most. With added resources and more help from the “VISTA members generally do not provide direct services, such community, however, Hooker as tutoring children or building said the agency could do reach homes,” the site explains. “Inmore families. stead, they focus their efforts on building the organizational, FACILITATING administrative and financial CHANGE capacity of organizations that Watauga Habitat primarfight illiteracy, improve health ily works on new construction services, foster economic deprojects for its partner famivelopment and otherwise assist lies. Occasionally, however, low-income communities. VISthe agency has the opportunity TAs develop programs to meet to network with local experts a need, write grants and recruit and make much-needed imand train volunteers.” provements for existing homIn a release following the Construction volunteers are pictured during the building process at eowners in the community — a announcement of the $3.89 a home in the GreenWood subdivision.

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Facts About Housing in Watauga County

The ReStore

(according to 2009-2013 census records):

The local ReStore is Watauga Habitat’s primary source of income. Families, individuals and businesses in the community donate new or gently used home goods, mostly furniture and appliances, which are then sold from the ReStore to support Habitat’s operating budget.

Pick-ups are available for larger items, although most donations are made at the store.

The next time you need something for your own home, stop by the Watauga ReStore, which offers 14,000 square feet of retail space, and make a difference for a family in need.

The Watauga ReStore is located by the Habitat office at 1200 Archie Carroll Road in Boone. To contact a store employee, call 828-268-9696.

• Median household income: $34,293 in Watauga vs. $46,334 in North Carolina • Median value of owner-occupied housing units (including homes, town homes, condos and trailers): $228,700 in Watauga vs. $153,600 in North Carolina • 31.3 percent of people were living below the poverty line compared to 17.5 percent of people across the state • Facts about Habitat for Humanity • Families must meet income requirements, have decent credit history and go through background checks to qualify for a Habitat home.

• Approved partner families are required to invest “sweat equity” (volunteer hours) into building their own homes and the homes of other partner families.

• All Habitat homes are built using volunteer labor to keep costs low.

• Habitat homes are sold to partner families through zerointerest mortgages.

• On average, it costs about $100,000 to build a Habitat home in Watauga County.

• On average, a monthly mortgage payment on a Habitat home in Watauga County costs $450-$550 and includes taxes, insurance and property owner’s association fees.

• Habitat homes in Watauga County are built with energysaving features that help partner families save on utilities.

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Watauga Habitat Executive Director Alex Hooker is shown at the worksite for Lisa Shook’s home, which is located in the Grandfather Community million award, Habitat International explains that AmeriCorps has been one of its strongest allies since the two organizations first teamed up in the early 1990s.

Since then, AmeriCorps has allowed more than 8,000 people to serve Habitat affiliates across the country and helping more than 20,000 families, the release said.

The latest grant funding from CNCS will place 315 AmeriCorps members in Habitat programs across the country.

With that in mind, Hooker is already working with ASU’s Appalachian Energy Center — a strong partner in the agency’s work to promote sustainable living — to bring a VISTA member to Watauga and get the repair program off the ground.

“This would be for people who already own their home. They don’t need a completely new house, but maybe they have a deck that’s not stable and we can go in to make that a safer place,” Hooker said. “If someone has aged then we could go in and make the home more accessible by adding handicap ramps.

“There’s a lot of need for home repair up here and this would be kind of like neighborhood revitalization. Habitat could facilitate the meeting to bring everyone to the table and help get everything going. An AmeriCorps VISTA could come in, set the program up, do inventory on who could do the work and where the 80

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work is needed.”

Establishing a home repair program is just one of the plans that Hooker and his team have for growing Habitat and its influence in the High Country.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

In order to extend the agency’s reach in the High Country, Hooker said that Habitat has set some important goals for the future: • Enlist more volunteers for worksites • Build better relationships with churches and the faith-based community • Develop more corporate sponsorships • Raise awareness and educate the community on the organization’s mission • Encourage passionate, caring people to get involved and use their gifts for good The volunteers who build Habitat homes vary from project to project. While there are a handful of groups who volunteer at the worksites consistently four to five times a year — including Boone United Methodist, Sunrise Rotary and the occasional student group — the organization is in need of help from anyone who is willing to contribute.

Jobsite teams work at least two days a week under the supervision of Construction Manager Jim Rogers, and, as it stands, the agency typically has enough

August / September 2015

resources to complete one new home per year. Volunteers of any age and skill level are invited to join the building process, which runs year-round if there’s enough manpower to build the foundation for a second new home before winter.

Hooker said being part of the process is a rewarding experience for anyone who gets involved, and he hopes that more business, churches and students will volunteer to help in the future.

“Volunteering for Habitat is a good teambuilding experience, especially for local businesses,” he said. “It’s a win/ win for us both. They get to know each other a little more by working outside of the office and they’re doing it while helping family that is out there working with them a lot of the time.”

Watauga Habitat is also in the process of hiring a full-time director of development who can facilitate community education and raise awareness for its work and its vision.

“We have had someone in this position part-time and it is just a tough job and not something somebody could do effectively at 20 hours a week,” Hooker said. “We need somebody to get out in the community and talk about what we’re doing.

“Messaging is important. If we have more people out advocating, more people will understand that Habitat is not just a giveaway, and more people will want to get involved.”

Additionally, Hooker and his team are encouraging local churches to jump in and play a part in Habitat’s growth in the future.

“Healthy Habitat affiliations have strong faith-based relationships. It’s at the heart of what we do … it’s in our DNA as a Christian organization,” he said. “We don’t go out and proselytize, but our work is part of our Christian roots. It’s important that we really keep a strong relationship with our churches, so we’re working on those.”

Through an increase in support from the community through volunteer hours, sponsorships, donations and education, Hooker said Habitat can continue to grow and help establish healthy lifestyles for more and more families in the area.

“It’s really a great way to put your faith into action so that you’re not just talking about doing something, you’re actually doing it,” he said. “It’s not just a Christian principle, but all religions seem to have tenets to get out and help your fellow man.”

Avery Habitat

The Avery County affiliate of Habitat for Humanity is based at 151 Friendship Lane in Elk Park, North Carolina. The staff operates from an office at its Gilmer Community Center, which serves as a common living and gathering space for the Avery chapter’s subdivision, Milford Meadows.

Avery Habitat has already completed a16 homes in the Milford Meadows neighborhood and has five lots left for building. The homes are built on ¾ acre lots that are included in the sale to each partner family.

The Avery Habitat ReStore is located at 2170 Millers Gap Highway in Newland. To reach a store employee, call 828-733-2025.

To learn more about this Habitat affiliate, visit www.AveryCoHfH.org.

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Ashe County Habitat for Humanity has been an affiliate of the international ministry since October of 2008. Like other branches, it is dedicated to raising community awareness about the organization, raising funds, building for families in need and incorporating green technologies to reduce energy costs and foster good environmental stewardship in the community.

To help make a difference through Ashe Habitat, consider volunteering on the jobsite, joining a committee to help support the program or raising awareness in the community.

Ashe Habitat’s mailing address is P.O. Box 392, West Jefferson, North Carolina, 28694. The office is not staffed regularly, but call 336-8462525 and leave a message to contact this affiliate. Visit www.AsheHabitat. org for more information.

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What You Can Do

So, how can you help Habitat make a difference? Don’t worry; there are more ways than one. Here are some great ideas to get you started: • Get your church involved. Contact Hooker, talk to the church relations committee and find out how a mutually beneficial relationship between the faith community and Habitat works.

• Contact Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Ramey and sign up to join a worksite.

• Make a monetary donation to the organization.

• Shop for household goods at the Habitat ReStore.

• Coordinate with Ramey to make lunch for volunteers.

• Visit www.WataugaHabitat.org and read more about what these hardworking folks are doing.

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• Tell your friends and family about the Habitat mission and help spread the word about its work.

Watauga Habitat has been teaming up with partner families to help them achieve their dreams of homeownership in the High Country for a quarter of a century, and together they’ve built more than 25 homes.

Its work has allowed those families to improve their health, build on their children’s potential in education, experience financial stability, save for the future and enjoy life in a safe, comfortable community.

Hooker and his team have the passion, the know-how and the motivation to grow the organization, and now all that’s missing is you. 

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What happens if a problem arises after a homebuyer moves in? This is an additional benefit provided by the title insurance industry. An Owner’s Policy of Title Insurance remains in effect as long as the policyholder (or their heirs) owns the property that is insured. And, an Owner’s Policy covers legal expenses involved in defending the title on behalf of the homeowner.

Let’s face it – a homebuyer certainly has more than enough to think about during the closing process when purchasing a new home. An Owner’s Policy provides the peace of mind that comes from knowing their investment is protected.

The American Land Title Association (ALTA) helps educate consumers about title insurance so they can better understand their choices and make informed decisions. Homebuyers, regulators and legislators are encouraged to check out the website, www. homeclosing101.org, to learn more about title insurance and the closing process.

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“

I worked as a news reporter.

I found out real quick that covering sports was a lot more fun.

�

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The

FINAL Word

Veteran writer Tommy Bowman reflects on 28 years of describing Mountaineer sports highlights for the Winston-Salem Journal STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID COULSON

T

ommy Bowman has seen most of the modern history of Appalachian State athletics with his two eyes, but the first time the veteran Winston-Salem Journal sportswriter covered an ASU game, he did it with his ears.

When Bowman reported on an App State-South Carolina football game on Sept. 5, 1987, he had to rely on a Mountaineer radio broadcast rather than a seat in the press box.

South Carolina beat the Sparky Woodscoached Mountaineers 24-3 that day before 68,830 fans.

“I don’t remember why we didn’t cover the game in person that day,” said Bowman, who rarely missed a Mountaineer football, or men’s basketball game over the following 27 years. “I do remember trying to learn as much as I could about the team before hand.”

What he wrote about App State that day has also faded into history, but you can cut the personable and engaging journalist some slack when you consider Bowman

would be on hand to chronicle over 300 Mountaineer football games during his career.

Bowman retired in June after 28 years at the Journal, 27 of them as a full-time reporter.

Maybe there was a bit of omen for Bowman’s career when he was born in 1960 in Hillsville, Virginia, known best as the hometown of longtime Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer.

Growing up in the small town of Woodlawn, Virginia., Bowman was like many youngsters.

“I just always loved sports,” said Bowman. “I was a Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Colts fan.”

By the time he was in high school, Bowman had begun working for a local newspaper in Carroll County, Virginia.

“I worked as a news reporter,” Bowman remembered. “I found out real quick that covering sports was a lot more fun.”

After several other stops, including six years as the sports editor of the Galax Gazette and one year covering Winston Cup

for a magazine run by NASCAR publicist Hank Schoolfield, Bowman finally landed at the Winston-Salem Journal.

By 1990, he was covering the Mountaineer beat on a regular basis, viewing the blue turf at Boise State and the splendor of Hawaii first hand.

“One of the perks of this is you get to travel a lot,” Bowman said.

He also was in the house at the Big House on a memorable summer afternoon in 2007 when Appalachian State stunned

“ There is not enough paper to tell all of the great

things about Tommy. I have always thought he was really fair in his assessment of our teams.

He put a lot of effort into his work. I considered him a friend, not just a reporter who covered us.

It was really a great relationship.”

Jerry, Moore, Former Appalachian State Head Football Coach August / September 2015

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Tommy Bowman wrote this season preview for the Winston-Salem Journal before the 1988 season, noting that the Sparky Woods’ coached Mountaineers needed to find leaders in the wake of its No. 1 seeding in the 1987 NCAA I-AA playoffs and its run to the playoff semifinals.

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David Coulson, a free-lance writer who lives in the Powder Horn Mountain community of Watauga County, is executive editor of the website College-Sports-Journal.com and an adjunct professor in the Communication Department at Appalachian State University. He has covered Mountaineer athletics frequently for the past 23 years and has been a frequent contributor to High Country Magazine.

Coulson’s career has included a two-year stint at the Los Angeles Times and three years as the executive director for college football at The Sports Network, where he ran the national awards program for the Football Championship Subdivision. His book Magic on the Mountain was published by Parkway Publishers and followed the 2005 Appalachian State football team on its journey to the NCAA Division I national championship and is available from the author.

August / September 2015

Bowman had a birdseye seat for 28 years in following Appalachian State Univeristy athletics. the college football world with a 34-32 over the Michigan Wolverines.

“What I remember the most about that is watching the final minutes from the sidelines and thinking I’ve seen this movie before.”

Bowman referred to App State’s propensity for near upsets in his previous years covering the Mountaineers, such as a 22-15, final-seconds loss at Auburn in 1999 on a busted pass coverage after ASU had dominated play.

This time, however, a late drive, led by quarterback Armanti Edwards resulted in a Julian Rauch field goal and Corey Lynch’s block of Michigan’s final kick preserved a stunning victory over the Wolverines.

“The amazing thing wasn’t that App won, but how they won,” said Bowman.

The victory set off an unprecedented week of attention for Mountaineer football.

“That was so crazy that I was being interviewed the next week,” Bowman said.

The highlights outweighed the lowlights as Bowman chronicled the Mountaineers’ rise in the football world.

Bowman was just establishing himself

on the App State beat when the Mountaineers earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and advanced to the I-AA semifinals, knocking off two-time defending national champion Georgia Southern, 19-0, on one of the coldest days in Kidd Brewer Stadium history.

A week later, he reported on a 24-10 loss to arch-rival Marshall — the first of several postseason disappointments before the Mountaineers broke through for three consecutive national titles from 2005-07.

He was there for Jerry Moore’s entire 24-year, College-Football-Hall-of-Fame coaching career at App State, watching first-hand as Moore won 215 games, 10 Southern Conference championships and those three national crowns.

“You can’t help but admire and respect someone like that,” Bowman said of his relationship with Moore.

Bowman has fond memories of the 12-0 start for the Mountaineers during the 1995 season, where a senior quarterback

“ Tommy is a consummate professional and a

great friend. I don’t say that because he was an Appalachian State homer in any way — quite the opposite, in fact. He just reported the facts in a fair and entertaining way, which was a great benefit to us at Appalachian but also a great service to his readers across the region and, thanks to the internet, worldwide.”

Mike Flynn, Appalachian State Assistant Athletics Director August / September 2015

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Bowman (right) wrote about Scott Satterfield’s career at Appalachian State from his quarterback playing days through Satterfield’s first two years as head coach. named Scott Satterfield directed the ASU offense and linebacker Dexter Coakley was winning the first of two Buck Buchanan Awards as the I-AA defensive player of the year.

“Dexter Coakley was the best defensive player I ever saw.” said Bowman.

At the final home game of the regular season, Bowman sat comfortably in the old Kidd Brewer Stadium press box as App State defeated Western Carolina, 28-3, to not only retain the Old Mountain Jug, but also clinch a share of the SoCon title.

“I remember that is was pouring down rain at the start of the game and by halftime, it was snowing,” Bowman said.

A week later, he watched as Appalachian struggled against The Citadel on a hot, fall afternoon in Charleston, S.C. before little-used receiver Ron Gilliam pulled down a Satterfield pass for a game-winning touchdown in a 28-24 win that preserved a perfect regular season.

During the 2000 season, those of us covering the Mountaineers embarked what seemed like the road trip from hell during the playoffs as App State played in Alabama, Kentucky and Montana on three successive weekends.

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After wins over Troy State and Western Kentucky, Bowman had to work his way through several plane connections to finally reach Missoula, Montana for the I-AA semifinals.

“I didn’t think I was ever going to get there,” Bowman explained.

The game went to overtime before Montana finally pulled out a 19-16 win on as two future NFL players, receiver Jimmy Farris and cornerback Corey Hall battled for a pass in the corner of the end zone on a snow-covered field. Farris won the battle to send the Grizzlies to the championship game and left the Mountaineers disappointed again.

Nine years later, Appalachian State and Montana would battle again in Missoula with a slot in the championship game up for grabs. The game came down to one final play in regulation, with cornerback Trumaine Johnson knocking an Edwards pass at the goal line away from Brian Quick for a 24-17 win in blizzard conditions.

“Both of those games were great,” said Bowman. “Those were two of the most fun games I ever covered.”

Bowman was there for every game of Edwards’ record-breaking college career,

August / September 2015

including two Walter Payton Awards as the best player in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Even after years of following the Mountaineers, nothing could have prepared Bowman for Oct. 12, 2002 at KBS. Bowman had witnessed many classic, down-to-the-wire games between Furman and App State through the years and when the Paladins scored a touchdown with seven seconds left on a pass from quarterback Billy Napier to Bear Rinehart, it looked like the Mountaineers had lost another dramatic game, trailing 15-14.

“I had a relationship

with Tommy as a player and it never changed as an assistant coach and now as the head coach.

He has always showed great professionalism.”

Scott Satterfield, Appalachian State Head Football Coach

Quotes by Tommy Bowman About These Powerhouses!

photo by keith cline

“You can’t help but admire and respect someone like (Coach Jerry Moore)” “Dexter Coakley was the best defensive player I ever saw”

Tommy Bowman’s career included covering two-timw PayBuchanan Award winner Dexter Coakley, two-time Payton Award winner Armanti Eadwrds and Robinson A Keith Cline photoward winner Jerry Moore

“Armanti Edwards just turned in amazing feats on the field”

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“I feel like there are writers

and other media members that struggle with the line of objectivity when it comes to covering a beat.

I think Tommy Bowman was a shining example of how beat reporting was to be accomplished.

I don’t think it’s any secret that App State fans feel Tommy was “our guy,” with the Winston-Salem Journal, but that feeling came more from the respect that they could trust his reporting to be objective and honest.”

David Jackson, The Voice of the Mountaineers

But when Furman went for two points on the next play, AllAmerican defensive end Josh Jeffries dropped into pass coverage unexpectedly and intercepted a Napier pass on the tunnel screen.

Jeffries ran as far as he could upfield before pitching to speedy cornerback Derrick Black, who took the ball the rest of the way for a two-point defensive conversion and a stunning 16-15 victory.

When Appalachian State finally broke through in 2005 with the first of three national championships, Bowman was there in Chattanooga, Tennessee to describe it all to his loyal readers — from injured quarterback Richie Williams coming off the bench in dramatic fashion to guide his team to a win over Northern Iowa (with a big boost by Jason Hunter’s fumble recovery and game-clinching touchdown). through Kevin Richardson’s record-setting scoring against Massachusetts and Ed-

wards’ dissection of Delaware.

“The three title games were such big news events,” said Bowman. “App had such a great group of players during those years.”

In recent years. Bowman has covered the end of the Jerry Moore era and Appalachian’s venture into the Sun Belt Conference and the world of the Football Bowl Subdivision under Satterfield as coach.

For 22 of those years, I had the pleasure of sharing a press box with Bowman and participating in even more memories.

On more than one road trip, Bowman served as a chauffeur for those of us in the ASU media contingent. There also were many post-game trips to off-the-beaten -path restaurants, though we always managed to survive the experiences.

Bowman was always quick to help a fellow reporter on deadline with a quotes, or an anecdote.

“We all helped each other out,”

high hopes for app state football Scott Satterfield was reflective of a 19year, Mountaineer career that started as a freshman quarterback in 1991 as he watched Appalachian State open football practice Aug. 4 with high hopes for the 2015 season.

Now in its second year as a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team, with a full complement of 85 scholarship players, and having completed a two-year, NCAA-mandated transition period from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), App State has been picked by most national football observers to challenge for the Sun Belt Conference championship and is eligible for the first time to compete for a berth in a Division I postseason bowl game.

But while the goals may be different for 2015, winning and losing will come down to some of the same basics that were present when the third-year head coach was in his first season as a player with the Mountaineers.

“When we run the football well, we are pretty hard to beat,” said Satterfield. “We are going to try and stick to that formula.”

Struggling to a 1-5 start last season after compiling a 4-8 record in Satterfield’s first season replacing the legendary Jerry Moore 90

High Country Magazine

in 2013, Appalachian was at a crossroads when it faced Troy on the road on Oct. 18.

But a 53-14 victory was like a shot of adrenaline into the heart of the Mountaineers and they burned their way to a six-game winning streak to finish a 7-5 campaign.

Appalachian finished in third place at 6-2 in its initial Sun Belt campaign.

Improved line play on both sides of the ball and the emergence of running backs Marcus Cox (1,415 yards, 19 TDs rushing) and Terrence Upshaw (573 yards, four TDs rushing) fueled that success and built confidence for 2015 as App State heads into a pivotal season.

With 44 lettermen and 22 starters returning and a host of newcomers waiting to make their marks, the Mountaineers boast their most experienced squad in decades.

“We’ve been training for (the 2015 season) since last season ended,” said defensive end Thomas Bronson, one of 19 seniors on the squad. “We got a taste of winning ballgames last season and we built a lot of confidence from that.”

With the Sun Belt securing bowl tie-ins with four postseason games, the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the GoDaddy Bowl (Mobile, Alabama), the Raycom Media Ca-

August / September 2015

mellia Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama) and the new Cure Bowl (Orlando, Florida), the Mountaineers have an excellent shot of being among the 84 FBS schools invited to one of the 42 bowl games (the College Football Playoff series will culminate with one more game to crown a national champion in Glendale, Arizona).

While winning the Sun Belt title would secure an automatic bowl bid, the Mountaineers will need to win at least six games in the regular season and continue to show strong home and road attendance figures to maximize their hopes of earning one of those other bowl slots.

“The unknown is scary,” Satterfield admitted. “But as long as we’re unselfish, we will be a good team.”

App State opens the season at home against FCS opponent Howard on Sept. 5 and has additional home games against Wyoming (Oct. 3), longtime rival Georgia Southern (Oct. 22), Troy (Oct. 31), Arkansas State (Nov. 5) and Louisiana-Lafayette (Nov. 28).

The Mountaineers will be on the road at Clemson (Sept. 12), Old Dominion (Sept.

26), Georgia State (Oct. 10), Louisiana-Monroe (Oct. 17), Idaho (Nov. 14) and South Alabama (Dec. 5)

“ Tommy was so laid

back, He wasn’t a homer.

He was fair about writing what he saw. You could tell that his relationship with Jerry Moore was obviously special.”

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Don Heath, Former Sportswriter and Columnist, Savannah Morning News said Bowman.

One night, Bowman, former Charlotte Observer writer Chris Hobbs and this reporter were covering the opening round of the Southern Conference men’s basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum.

While each of us was trying to finish writing their stories that night in the press room, a janitor insisted we had to leave immediately, or he was going lock us into the historic arena. We scrambled to grab our bags and then, working as a team, had to find somewhere else in town to quickly transmit our stories back to our respective newspapers.

While best known for his coverage of App State football, Bowman also covered the Mountaineers in sports like basketball, track and field and baseball.

He was there as coaches like Buzz Peterson and Linda Robinson led their men’s and women’s teams to NCAA hoop tournaments and when the Mountaineer baseball squad came within a win of the NCAA Super Regionals in baseball in 2012.

One of the most tragic stories Bowman covered was the drowning death of basketball star Rufus Leach in 2000, just a short time after helping App State win a Southern Conference championship and advance to its first NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament since 1979.

“By far, that was the toughest story I ever had to write,” Bowman said.

Fortunately, Bowman had more fun stories to tell than sad ones as he left an indelible mark on App State athletics.

In retirement, Bowman has just completed work to get his real estate license and will continue to write on a free-lance basis. And he will be remembered fondly for his sense of humor, his easy-going personality and his willingness to help friends.

“The highlight for me is the relationships you build,” said Bowman. “That’s the thing I’ll miss the most.”

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August / September 2015

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Dine Out! OUR SUMMER DINING GUIDE

EAT CROW EAT PIE EAT PIE EAT PIE EAT PIE EAT PIE EAT PIE EAT PIE EAT PIE

Sandwiches

(Served on our homemade bread)

Feed All Regardless of Means REAL. GOOD. FOOD. “Wall Street Journal Says It’s a ‘Must-Stop’ ”

Trip Advisor Review

The F.A.R.M. Cafe is revolutionary and delicious!

Yelp Review

617 W. King St., Boone 828.386.1000 Monday - Friday 11:00 am until 2:00 pm www.farmcafe.org 92

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August / September 2015

Pies • Cakes Shepherd’s Pie Steak & Ale Pie Chicken Pot Pie English Specialties Catering (On Request)

Serving Dinner Twice Monthly Call or Check our Website for Dates & Menu

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EAT CAKE EAT CAKE EAT CAKE EAT CAKE EAT CAKE EAT CAKE

Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am-5pm 9872 Hwy. 105 S. in Foscoe (across from Mountain Lumber)

Canyons Blowing Rock. Located just off of the scenic, winding highway 321 in Blowing Rock, this historic restaurant and bar is well known all over the High Country for its spectacular and breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, its scrumptious southwestern choices and unique takes on classic American food or dishes. All dishes on the menu are freshly prepared in house with the finest ingredients available. Canyons in Blowing Rock regularly offers a wide variety of seasonally fresh items, so ask about the fantastic nightly specials in addition to the daily menu selections. Every Sunday, enjoy a delicious brunch accompanied by live jazz music. Canyons also offers a diverse selection of domestic and imported wines and a large selection of beers chosen to complement the items on the menu. Just ask a member of the friendly staff for a recommendation, or try something new. n 828-295-7661. www.CanyonsBR.com.

See ad on page 95

at the green park inn

CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN Casual Mountain Dining Under New Culinary Management in 2015

CASA RUSTICA BOONE. Casa Rustica is breathing new life into the Boone Golf Club and the restaurant’s catering operation with a new venture at the Fairway Café and Venue. Not only will the venue be open to the public during normal lunch hours and for golfers through the evening, Casa Rustica owner Rick Pedroni has created a new space for the community to hold special events – from weddings and corporate gatherings to parties and dinner-theatre nights.

“We’re dusting it off and putting new life into [the Fairway Café],” Pedroni said. “[The golf course] has a lot of history, a lot of people, believe it or not, in the community met here, wed here and had parties here.”

Along with cosmetic renovations and revamping the kitchen to accommodate public lunches, food and drink for the golfers, special events and the catering home base, Pedroni hired Michael

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Foreman, who is an acclaimed culinary specialist behind Blowing Rock establishments: Gideon Ridge Inn, Bistro Roca and the New Public House and Hotel.

The Fairway Café and Venue features a diverse menu with the following themes: Southern BBQ, High Country, Low Country, Traditional American, Italian, Mexican and an array of appetizers. Groups can request plates off the menu or a private buffet.

Fairway Café, which can accommodate about 140 people (inside and outside), is open to the public for lunch. Call 828-264-0233 or click to www.crcateringco. com to reserve the space for special events or for catering at the club or onsite. n 828-262-5128. www. casarustica1981.com. See ad on page 99

CHESTNUT GRILLE AT GREEN PARK INN BLOWING ROCK. Taking local and sustainable to new heights, the Chestnut Grille restaurant maintains its own 1/3 acre garden on site, which supplies the kitchen with a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs throughout the summer and fall seasons. We offer contemporary American fare that’s unique, yet familiar, in a warm, and casual setting. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free guests will find the menu, and our chef very accommodating. We offer an extensive and thoughtful wine list along with a selection of seasonal and local craft beers. Located just inside the Green Park Inn. Listed on the National Historic Register. Patio dining is offered seasonally. Live piano music in our lobby Friday and Saturday nights, year round, and live music on the Veranda, seasonally. n 828-414-9230. www.greenparkinn.com. See ad on page 93

DIVIDE TAVERN & RESTAURANT BLOWING ROCK. Located in the lobby of the Historic Green Park Inn, the Divide Tavern sits directly astride the Eastern Continental Divide. Long a gathering place for Captains of Industry, Heads of State, and celebrities from authors to actors, the Tavern offers unique pub fare, as well as chef designed pub classics. Experience a less formal dining alternative while still enjoying delicious fare, all set in the ambiance of a bygone era. Local, craft and draft beers, seasonal and specialty cocktails offer guests a tempting twist alongside classic cocktails. We also offer an impressive selection of wine by the glass, or the bottle. Enjoy live Sunday music on the veranda (seasonally) and live piano in the lobby Friday and Saturday nights, year round. n 825-414.9230. www.greenparkinn.com. See ad on page 93

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EAT CROW BANNER ELK. Eat Crow is a wonderful little cafe specializing in fresh baked, delicious goods including a large variety of baked pies and cakes.

These delectables are offered by the slice, or you have the option to order a whole one to take home and enjoy.

We also offer fresh made sandwiches at lunch time that can not be compared to any other “sandwich shop” in the area. Since we know life can be very hectic, for your convenience we prepare whole meals and fresh soups daily that are ready for you to take home and heat up for your family. These entrees vary daily. We are always creating something delicious!

All sandwiches are served on farmhouse or whole wheat bread. Choices of sides include fresh fruit, firecracker coleslaw or chips. We are open Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and are located near Foscoe on Hwy. 105 between Boone and Banner Elk. n 828-963-8228. See ad on page 92

The High Country's Sweet Spot

Locally Sourced, Farm-Fresh Cuisine Thursday Night Seafood Buffet Superb Selection of Fine Wines, Craft Beers and Cocktails

Call Today For Reservations: 828-733-4311 www.Eseeola.com

The Eseeola Lodge linville. Guests enjoy breakfast and dinner daily as part of their accommodations package, but all High Country visitors are welcome to enjoy the finest cuisine. Spend a leisurely morning with us, or grab a quick bite on your way out for the day. Either way, an outstanding breakfast awaits you each morning in our dining room.

Then enjoy lunch at the Grill Room in the Linville Golf Club, where resort casual wear is appropriate for daytime meals. For the evening meal, select your choice of seven meticulously prepared entrees crafted by Chef Patrick Maisonhaute at the helm of your culinary experience. The menu changes daily, and also offers an extraordinary seafood buffet every Thursday evening with seatings at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Reservations are required, and gentlemen are required to wear a coat for the evening meal. n 800-742-6717. www.eseeola.com.

See ad on page 95 August / September 2015

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WE’RE SERIOUS ABOUT GOOD GRUB AAA FOUR DIAMOND RATING NINE YEARS RUNNING

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AND STILL DOIN’ IT. BLOWING ROCK, NC • 828-963-7400 RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

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& Friday and Saturday until Midnight Full Bar (open until 2am) 14 Beers on Draught focused on Imports and Micro Brews

R

Restaurant & Pub

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Six Pence

A Taste of England here in Blowing Rock

Featuring British & American Fare

828.295.3155 } } 1121 Main Street, Blowing Rock, N.C. 96

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F.A.R.M. CAFÉ boone. In May 2012, F.A.R.M. Cafe opened its doors with our mission to build a healthy and inclusive community by providing high quality & delicious meals produced from local sources, served in a restaurant where everybody eats, regardless of means. Our meals are nutritious and delicious! Some meals include items with meat, some are vegetarian and/or vegan. Our menu changes daily and is served by our volunteers and staff. F.A.R.M. Cafe tries to have something for everybody each day, so we also always have gluten free and dairy free items. Our daily menu can be viewed at www.farmcafe.org/menu or on Facebook or Twitter. We are located in beautiful Downtown Boone. n 828-386.1000. www.farmcafe.org.

See ad on page 92

Gamekeeper Blowing Rock. You haven’t fully experienced the region until you’ve dined at The Gamekeeper. It’s a true gourmet restaurant, with the perfect blend of upscale elegance and simple mountain charm. The Gamekeeper is famous for Southern favorites - ultimate in comfort food - prepared with creativity and originality, offered through an evolving seasonal menu that blends the traditional with the exotic, satisfying both the meat lover and the vegetarian.

Housed in a 1950s stone cottage, The Gamekeeper is an upscale restaurant that offers an eclectic mix of Southern foods and mountain cuisine, offering a selection of unique meat dishes including mountain trout, buffalo rib eye, ostrich, duck and beef tenderloin.

The friendly staff literally waits on you hand and foot, assuring that you’ll leave happy and satisfied. The restaurant is located off Shulls Mill Road near Yonahlossee Resort. n 828-963-7400. www.Gamekeeper-NC.com. See ad on page 96

JOY Bistro Boone. Joy Bistro is known all over the High Country as the resident purveyors

of Fine Food & Drink. Chefs and Owners Melissa Joy and Gary Claude welcome you to come in and enjoy delicious, unique food selections and delightful cocktails in a casual, warm and inviting setting. Enjoy a relaxed and inviting atmosphere while you experience their unique, handcrafted cuisine. Exclusively fresh and always seasonal ingredients are expertly utilized in their many nightly specials as in all of the daily items in their superb menu. Enjoy scrumptious selections like the famous firecracker shrimp, the unique blood orange salad, local meats and pasta options, and a wonderful dessert like creme brulee or espresso torte. The friendly staff is always on hand to assist you with expert recommendations for dining selections and wine pairings for your choices. Joy Bistro also serving lunch this summer and offers a full bar, an extensive wine list, & craft beers for guests to enjoy. n 828-265-0500 www.joybistroboone.com. See ad on page 98

THE LOCAL BOONE. A place to enjoy a fresh meal, crafted in-house from local High Country ingredients. Serving traditional southern favorites, she-crab soup and shrimp & grits, as well as grass-fed beef burgers, specialty sandwiches, unique tacos, wood-fired flatbreads & pizzas, quinoa bowls, steaks, seafood and plenty of gluten-free and vegan choices.

The Local also features 20 taps, serving mostly local and regional beers, as well as national favorites. At The Local you can enjoy drinks & appetizers while relaxing on comfortable leather couches in the lounge, play a game of billiards, or watch your favorite sports event on large flat screen TVs. The Local is also the place to be for Live music performances on Friday and Saturday nights.

Experience Local. Open Daily 11am.

Sunday Brunch 11am-4pm. n 828-2662179. www.TheLocalBoone.com. See ad on page 97

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Outdoor Covered Patio Dining 227 Hardin Street in Boone

Red Onion Café Boone. Established in 1985 as one of the classic restaurants in Boone NC, the Red Onion Café opens daily at 11am and serves continuously to hungry

Casual sophistiCation

We have Wi-Fi!

828/264.5470 theredonioncafe.com

serVing lunCh & dinner August / September 2015

seVen daYs a week High Country Magazine

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SUMMER DINING GUIDE guests well into the evening. The Red Onion Café has created its niche in the High Country for more than 30 years by offering customers a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere and an extensive menu at affordable prices. The café has something for every member of the family, including burgers, sandwiches, wraps, pizza, pasta, fish, steak and delicious homemade desserts.

Look for weekly dinner specials and the kid’s menu items as well. The Red Onion Café also offers several of the region’s top beer and wines to compliment any meal as well as friendly staff on hand to assist with your choices from the extensive menu. The outside patio is perfect for a comfortable outdoor lunch or for a cozy dinner on warm evenings. n 828-264-5470. www.theredonioncafe.com. See ad on page 97

river dog coffeehouse & cafe linville. Located in Linville, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Offering delicious espresso drinks, coffee, homemade baked goods, soups, breakfast and lunch items. Cozy mountain setting with free Wi-Fi. n 828-733-9333. www.theriverdogcoffeehouse.com.

See ad on page 98

six pence pub Blowing rock. In 2001 Six Pence opened in Blowing Rock, North Carolina and has been a Blowing Rock staple for visitors and residents alike ever since. Known all over the High Country for establishing itself as a fine example of British fare, the friendly staff, delicious food and extensive beer and wine selection make this local watering hole a local favorite. From traditional British favorites like Shepherd’s Pie and fish and chips to American-

Delicious Espresso & Coffee Drinks Homemade Baked Goods Breakfast, Lunch & Soup Items Cozy Mountain Setting Free WIFI

P

3616 Mitchell Ave., Suite 1 Linville, NC • 828-733-9333 Mon-Fri 7am-3pm • Sat & Sun 8am-3pm 98

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style burgers, house made soups and salads, this eatery and bar alleviates everyone’s hunger pains and provides a unique dining experience right on beautiful Main Street. Who knew that one could find such exceptional British cuisine in the heart of the High Country? The pub now proudly features a new patio so guests can choose to sit outside and enjoy their meals and enjoy the beautiful views of Main Street.

Or step inside to the air conditioned interior to beat the heat this summer season. n 828-295-3155. www.sixpencepub.com. See ad on page 96

Speckled Trout Café Blowing Rock. When you come to Blowing Rock, look around, see the sights, do some shopping, then come down the quaint downtown street until you reach the corner of Main and Highway 221. It’s on this corner that you will find the Speckled Trout Cafe and Oyster Bar. Since 1986, the Speckled Trout Cafe & Oyster Bar has been pleasing both locals and visitors every evening with its exquisite choices for dinner. The house specialty is smoked rainbow trout which is fished from local waters, but the extensive menu covers everything from terrestrial meat choices like steak and ribs to fresh seafood and so much more. The Speckled Trout is also pleased to be serving lunch for patrons to enjoy either inside the restaurant or for easy take out for a picnic on the Parkway. The restaurant also proudly features a beautiful outdoor patio overlooking Main Street for guests to enjoy their meals in the beautiful outdoors as well as an air-conditioned interior to beat the heat this summer season. n 828-295-9819. www.speckledtroutcafe.com. See ad on page 99

timberlake’S RESTAURANT AT CHETOLA RESORT BLOWING ROCK. On July 28, 2012, Chetola officially opened Timberlake’s Restaurant in the historical building, with a menu inspired by worldrenowned North Carolina artist and

designer Bob Timberlake’s culinary favorites. The restaurant features three dining rooms, an intimate wine room and waterfront dining on the Patio. The charming and warmly outfitted Headwaters Pub is just inside Timberlake’s main entrance. Bob Timberlake, who is known for creating things of exceptional artistry and imagination, used his deeply rooted love of food as the impetus behind the distinctive menu. From Mesquite-dusted shrimp and salads of mountain-grown spinach, to Carolina-raised trout and roasted Carolina quail, each dish will be one worth savoring. A mouth-watering array of brick-oven pizzas, tender Angus beef filets, seafood, poultry, and an inspired selection of health and wellness dishes will also tempt palates of all tastes. n 828-295-5505. www.chetola.com. See ad on page 94

vidalia Boone. Centrally located on King Street in downtown Boone, Vidalia is a casual, upscale restaurant featuring “creative American cuisine.” Featuring creative menu items for lunch and dinner, it offers daily specials, various events, wine tastings and special nights. Famous menu items include the apple and gorgonzola salad, shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles and mushroom ravioli, with finishing choices like stone ground grits and cheddar mac n’ cheese. All of these choices come to you from the culinary mind of Chef Samuel Ratchford, who also owns the restaurant with his wife Alyce. Taking pride in the local community, the restaurant is proud to offer various local ingredients and choices to patrons who are looking to try local fare. Vidalia holds all ABC permits and has an extensive wine list which routinely features over 60 different wines which can be expertly paired with meals by the staff, a large selection of craft beers, martinis, whiskeys, scotches and cordials. Vidalia’s menu changes twice a year to keep it seasonal and practices farm-to-table food, using local vendors as much as possible. n 828-263-9176. www.vidaliaofboone.com. See ad on page 92

Chef and Owner David Bartlett Is Celebrating His 30th Year In Blowing Rock

It’s Always Trout Season In Blowing Rock!

At The Corner of Main Street and Hwy. 221

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August / September 2015

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Always Fresh

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An Ugly Duckling on Beech Mountain

Becomes a Beautiful Swan

by jeffrey green

N

ew construction was all the rage when real estate was booming in the High Country in 2007. Since the game-changing economic downturn of 2008, however, more people are choosing to remodel existing properties in light of the housing market’s slow-moving recovery.

Today, new construction costs continue to rise, while prices on existing homes are having trouble bouncing back.

Although the High Country Association of Realtors reached a total of 144 units sold in June 2015 (the best number it’s had since October 2007), local experts say the average home price in the area is still way off the peak.

“We are excited that the market has picked up and buyers are getting great deals on our local real estate,” said HCAR President Pam Vines.

“The median price so far in 2015 has recovered to $209,000, but is still more than seven percent below the peak media price of $225,000 in 2007.”

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For builders in the area, the price differential between new and existing homes has fueled a boom in remodeling projects.

“I must agree that remodeling is what has kept our local construction industry afloat, my business for sure,” said David Scott, president of the High Country Builders Association. “New homes have been slowly returning for the last few years, but nowhere near where we were before 2008.”

Local homeowners Keith and Aleshia Fife are among the growing number of folks who found it makes more sense to renovate in today’s market than it does to build a brand new house.

This leads us to the nondescript home with little curb appeal and low ceilings on Charter Hills Road on Beech Mountain that they purchased in November of 2006.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE The Fifes bought the house, which was built in 1996, as a vacation property to which they

“We could not quite envision it, so we left some leeway to our renovation partners on the stairwell and front porch.”

Before (opposite) and after (above) photos of the exterior view of the Fife’s home show the drastic changes made during the remodel process. The homeowners allowed the renovation experts to get creative with certain elements within the home, including the custom stairwell, which mirrors the detail on the front porch rails (both pictured below).

– Aleshia Fife, Homeowner could retreat with their family and friends.

The relatively new home boasted magnificent, long-range views in every back window. Despite the ample space that it offered, though, the house simply couldn’t compete with the beautiful setting and offered little in the way of the classic lodge-style feel that many homeowners want in their mountain homes.

They’ve enjoyed the Beech Mountain getaway over the years, but they have since started thinking about the future. Their youngest son graduates from high school in 2016, and the Fifes believe they might feel less attached to their hometown of Gaithersburg, Maryland once their children have all grown up.

With plans to relocate in the coming years, the couple spent some time looking at other lots and homes in the area. Despite its shortcomings, however, they came to realize that nothing could beat the views from their Beech Mountain property.

Soon after, they made the decision to turn their August / September 2015

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Moving the master bedroom and en-suite to the added second floor gave the homeowners room to build their dream kitchen (pictured above). Before (below, left) and after (below, right) pictures of the Fife’s living room depict the transformation of the room and the incredible stonework that now shows off the new fireplace.

Charter Hills house into their dream home. They sat down with Bill Dacchille of Dachille Construction and devised a relatively simple wish list for the renovation, which included: • Expanding and opening up the kitchen • Improving the master bedroom • Developing some curb appeal for the property Dachille, a mechanical engineer from New York who understands the debate regarding remodels versus new construction, decided to bring in local architect Hunter Coffey for the Charter Hills home project.

“Right now, it is cheaper to buy a house with good bones and remodel than it is to build from scratch,” Dachille said. “When I 102

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August / September 2015

do a remodel, I want the final product to look like it has always been there. That’s why I use an architect on a lot of my jobs.”

Coffey participated in a consultation and agreed to join the team, despite some early reservations.

“I thought it was a prefab or a mobile home when I first saw it,” he said.

The first time he walked through the front door, however, the sweeping mountain views helped him understand the potential that the Fifes saw in the home.

Clients’ remodeling priorities often represent the major problems they see in a house, Coffee said, establishing a detailed conversation on the overall improvements they would like to make. When

The Architect

fife renovation

1033 charter hills road the summit, beech mountain, north carolina

Hunter Paul Coffey - AIA, NCARB Hunter Coffey was born and raised in Boone, North Carolina. He received his undergraduate degree in design from Clemson University, where he participated in the CAC.C program in Charleston, South Carolina and graduated with Senior Departmental Honors. His graduate work, culminating in the design of a Center for Appalachian Culture, earned him a professional degree in architecture from North Carolina State University.

His interest in design and travel led Coffey to grow his career in various places, including architectural firms in England and Switzerland. Working abroad enabled him to travel and study architecture throughout Western Europe.

In 1995, Coffey moved to the North Carolina coast.

He spent 11 years there, contributing to the growth and success of Wilmington-based Kersting Architecture and developing a portfolio of work focused on highly-crafted, site-sensitive, custom residential and commercial design. In 2006, he returned to the High Country to open a mountain office.

As a native of the northwest mountains of North Carolina who has gained perspective from traveling the world, Coffey now boasts a unique appreciation and a comprehensive understanding of the region.

He strives to make a positive contribution to an area that he and his family have called home for generations.

Coffey Architecture 8857 Highway 105 South, Suite 2 Boone, North Carolina 28607 Phone: 828.963.7639 Fax: 828.963.7629 hunter@hpcarch.com

The tile vendor

The Remodeler

south elevation 3/32”= 1’-0”

THE DRAWINGS AND DESIGN DEPICTED HEREIN ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF HUNTER PAUL COFFEY ARCHITECTURE, PLLC AND SHALL NOT BE USED, REPRODUCED, EMULATED, OR REFERENCED WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSTENT OF HUNTER PAUL COFFEY ARCHITECTURE, PLLC. COPYRIGHT 09.16.13

Dacchille Construction

The son of a plumber-turned-real estate developer, Bill Dachille grew up in Staten Island, New York. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, where he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and later a Master’s in Business Administration. He worked for General Electric for five years, but fairly quickly decided that working for corporate America was not for him.

His love of skiing brought him to the High Country in the early 1980s, and he started looking around for a job to support his skiing habit. Like his father, he quickly acquired a real estate license, a plumber’s license and a general contractor’s license. Dacchille Construction was born in 1983.

Since then, he’s built 56 new homes and completed countless remodeling projects. While the businesses is always active, high interest rates in the ’80s cramped new construction, and Dacchille spent a number of years traveling 12 states as a sales representative for a national ski company.

In 2002, when his sons were 12 and 8, he got off the road for good. Today, remodeling jobs large and small make up the bulk of the business for Dacchille and his two site supervisors. On any given day, you can find them juggling up to a dozen projects at a time.

Stone Cavern – John Buford

Dacchille Construction 1040 Poplar Grove Road • Boone, NC 28607 (828) 964-5150 • Fax (828) 263-4475 bdacchille@earthlink.net

Stone Cavern

Grandfather View Shopping Center 9872 Hwy 105 South, Unit 8 Banner Elk, NC 28604 828-963-TILE www.stonecavern.com

John Buford has been in the stone and tile business for over twenty years. He opened Stone Cavern in 2005, but he wanted to be more than just another store selling tile.

He operates a full service retail showroom out of The Grandfather View Shopping Center in Foscoe where his customers can pick out the stone or tile they want. But, then John takes customer service a step further with design services including CAD drawings so the customer can actually see what the patters and designs would look like.

He also offers installation. Rather than using the more traditional backerboard, Stone Cavern is certified Schluter Systems Installer.

In the case of the Fifes’ they used Schluter KERDI-BOARD, a waterproof and vapor retardant foam panel that enables the installer to lay the tile on a perfectly flat, level and square surface for maximum aesthetic impact.

John has an ongoing relationship with Dacchille Construction and really enjoyed working with the Fifes’. Additional examples of his work and instructional videos can be found on the Stone Cavern website.

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“I love the house, love the atmosphere … all of the stone and wood is art.

I’m ready to spend more time here.”

– Aleshia Fife, Homeowner Project Site Supervisor Keith Grogitsky crafted the stairwell and the Fife’s custom dining room table, which complements the mountain lodge feel of the newly remodeled home. they began that conversation with the Fifes, Aleshia showed interest in adding on to the house by creating a second floor.

Although Keith didn’t like the idea at first, it gained more traction when Coffey and Dachille noted that adding an additional floor could maximize the views in the master bedroom and change the whole exterior profile of the house.

“The house needed to be equal to the view,” Coffey said.

“The clients embraced the concept and decided, ‘if we are going to fix it, let’s make it the house we want.’”

Coffey, who says the architect’s role in any remodeling project is “to wow them with the possibilities,” developed a quick elevation drawing of what the house could look like from the street with an additional floor. One look at the sketch and the homeowners were sold!

SHARING IDEAS With basic concept approval in hand, the harder work began in fleshing out the new floor plan. The team agreed to move the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom upstairs, giving the Fifes complete privacy on the second floor and enabling the bedroom to own the striking mountain view.

A hallway with view windows and lots of upstairs closet space on the opposite wall would connect the new staircase to the master bedroom along the back of the house. The new master bath would be perfectly positioned off the bedroom behind the closets.

“He’s an artist when you put a chainsaw in his hands.”

Stone work by the front entrance begins a journey that draws guests, and beautiful natural elements from the outdoors, into the home.

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– About Keith Grogitsky, Site Supervisor who created the custom carved staircase and beautiful dining room table for this house

Not only did the addition of a second floor allow for a spacious redesign on the main level, it gave the homeowners a space of their own to enjoy the sweeping mountain views in privacy. It also gave them plenty of room for an impressive en-suite bathroom, which incorporates many natural elements and adds to the elegance of this sophisticated home.

Dachille and Coffey were enthusiastic about the unlimited possibilities that awaited them on the main floor, which would be opened up when the bedroom was moved upstairs.

“Renovation is most cost effective when I can stay within your existing exterior footprint, but most creative when I

Drexel Grapevine Antiques

can assume nothing on the inside exists,” Dachille said. “Hunter is extremely creative when given a blank canvas.”

In the Fife’s house, that canvas allowed for a spacious new laundry room that would replace part of the old bedroom, as well as a kitchen expansion that would relocate the door to the garage. The cramped

dining room would be moved away from the front door, and interior walls would be removed to open up the great room.

Two other main level bedrooms would be retained and repositioned so that each could enjoy a new en-suite bathroom.

Space under the new stairwell would create a half bath for guests, and the back

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High Country Magazine

105

Project Site Supervisor Keith Grogitsky is pictured in the Fife’s new kitchen. deck would be updated with repositioned columns and the installation of wind-breaking glass panels.

With five bathrooms, three of them completely new, and the laundry room, tile and stone work was a large part of the updating of the look and feel of the home.

Bill brought in another long-time vendor partner, John Buford of Stone Cavern, to ensure the Fifes’ would be happy. That included new tile in all the bathrooms and an electric floor warming system in the new upstairs master bath. Stone Cavern is a full service retail operation with complete design services as well as their own installers.

Plans included completely removing the roof and adding an additional two feet to create taller ceilings on the main level before the second floor could be added.

Perhaps the most ambitious part of the project, this task would require the installation of steel, load bearing beams across the midsection of the house.

BUILDING DREAMS With plans on paper, Dachille and Coffey got work in making the Fife’s dream home a reality and construction was soon underway.

Michigan native Keith Grogitsky brought his expertise to the table and joined the team as site supervisor.

Thanks to his background in log home construction, he’s an artist when you put a chainsaw in his hands, and he lent his talents to creating a custom-carved staircase with On the main level, the renovation team added a stunning half bathroom intricate wood railings that added the mountain home (top) beneath the stairwell. They also completely remodeled the two existstyle that had been lacking before. ing first floor bathrooms, incorporating colors and elements that add to the “We could not quite envision it, so we left some leemountain lodge feel of the home. way to our renovation partners on the stairwell and the front porch,” Aleshia said.

Grogitsky also contributed a custom-designed and An additional bedroom and office lower level were left un-built dining room table that now extends the lodge style-look changed, but the bathroom was completely remodeled. from the stairwell into another part of the house. He boxed in The HVAC equipment was replaced and relocated to a lower unattractive but functional support beams with hand-carved faux crawl space, eliminating unsightly ductwork and opening up a timber that now adds to the mountain atmosphere. large, comfortable area for a projection TV, card table and bar.

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Our partners Local Vendors, Suppliers & Craftsmen That Worked On The Project New River Building Supply Perry Yates • 828-264-5650 www.newriverbuilding.com Windows; Siding; Framing Materials

Volunteer Flooring Rob Honeycutt • 423-772-4947 www.volfloorcovering.com Hardwoods; Carpeting

SEVEN DEVILS DISCOVER OUR POSITIVE ALTITUDE!

Stone Cavern John Buford • 828-773-4235 www.stonecavern.com Tile Supply & Install

SunVolt Electrical Brian Revell • 828-773-2008 sunvoltenergy@gmail.com Electrical Systems & Whole House Generator

Innovative WaterWorks Bobby Plemons • 828-406-0000 bobbyplemons@gmail.com Plumbing Systems

Edmisten HVAC

Play tennis, hike, shop, tube, zipline or just relax while enjoying some of the best views around! From nature lovers to adrenaline junkies, there is so much to do and see in the area, and staying in Seven Devils makes everything easily accessible from our great central location. You will find an array of lodging choices... whether you stay for a weekend, a season or a lifetime!

David Shore • 828-264-0130 www.edmistenhvac.com HVAC Systems

Hartleben Painting Edgar Hartleben • 336-452-2042 Paint & Stain

Proffit Logging Sam Profitt • 828-964-3224 sam.proffit1@gmail.com Heavy Equipment; Stone Wall Construction

Ferguson Enterprises Jodie Huff • 828-265-1555 www.ferguson.com Plumbing & Electrical Fixtures

Town of Seven Devils For Zip Line: 828/963-6561

For Information on the Town of Seven Devils: 828/963-5343 • www.SevenDevils.net Ad Sponsored by the Seven Devils Tourism Development Authority

August / September 2015

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107

The old kitchen cabinets, refrigerator and microwave were recycled to an under-used downstairs area, creating a workbench and a kitchen to serve the downstairs great room.

A large space that was previously inaccessible sits beneath the garage slab. The renovation team cut through the cinderblock to create a door to the game room, opening that once unused space for storage and allowing a trap door to the crawl space. This change also now allows the homeowners to access to the HVAC units and other utilities without having to go outside, which will be helpful during the winter months.

No renovation project goes completely as planned, and the Fife home was no exception. Due the setbacks of Beech Mountain requirements, Coffey was unable to expand the garage and could not build the front porch as wide as he would have liked. However, Dachille and Grogitsky were able to excavate the front yard, adding some much-needed drainage and creating more accessible off-street parking.

Months of hard work and careful planning paid off for the Fifes, who relied on a local architect, a mechanical engineer from Staten Island and a Michigan log home craftsman to bring their dream home to fruition.

The end result was an impressive mountain retirement retreat with spectacular views that the couple can now call their own.

“I love the house, feel safe, have no worries and love the atmosphere. All of the stone and wood is art,” Aleshia said. “I’m ready to spend more time here.”

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The Fifes enjoy an impressive view from the back deck of the home (top).

After the remodel, they can also now enjoy great views from inside the new media room on their projection television (above).

Stone Cavern

VISIT OUR WEBSITE! TILE & Stone Showroom

828-963-8453

The High Country’s One-Stop Location for Sales • Design • Installation of Tile & Stone

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Design Consultation 25 different floor displays to help you visualize your tile dreams Check Out Our GallerY on our website

Located in Grandfather View Village at the base of Grandfather Mountain (across from Mountain Lumber) 9872 Hwy 105

828-963-TILE • CALL FOR MONTHLY SPECIALS • WWW.STONECAVERN.COM August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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ADV E R T I S E R S I N D E X Please patronize the advertisers in High Country Magazine, and when you purchase from them, please be sure to mention that you saw their ad in our pages. Thank them for their support of this publication by giving them yours! Without their support, this magazine would not be possible. To all of our advertisers, a most sincere thank you.

All Area Codes are 828 unless noted.

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The curtain rises on another day

in historic Abingdon.

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August / September 2015

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Parting Sh ot.

e Blowing Rock

Th SANTA CLAUS: HERE COMES the Watauga ching bands,

Two mar Band eded in line eer Marching anta Claus, prec Hig h School Pion ol’s clad horses, nty Hig h Scho by two holidaythe Ashe Cou and Band, ing Rock rd Marching rides in the Blow Husky Vangua k. The season. truc the of old ds an in soun de performed the Christmas Para to rday, arriving early was held on Satu Crowds begin annual parade g the d of ont spot alon draw ing a crow secure their upfr November 24, n Mai Ken er n’s Photograph the sma ll tow parade route. thousands to half an hour and a n.

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By Frederica Georg

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TO S PR I N G I N

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Part ieing Shot...

Ken Ketch

WHITEW ATER TH RILLS

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See the New Watauga High Sc hool July 30

144

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d Fred ,” sai of hard ’ve had work will weears le soon come to a close. The snowfall] al Mercanti completion of the the [most Gener Watau d’snew ga High School (WHS been converted to deleting the Pfohl, owner of Fre ) building will be forma presentation space and then s, complete with with lly celebrated Board ly . a dedic tial ain ationura w, n-cut multiple Smart and ribbo l sno s and moveable furnit e. m sequen ch Mount ting ceremony Friday tur the nat Bee pic of on t ure. “We’re excited the nce ela , July 30, at 10:00 amoun Following the cerem ool about having this ense a.m. pant for ed parts of schonies tici , a fre of eed and imm e for the students par ann ber unn facility Th , g curre km lin nt WHS students will t num to have a 21st centu highes yle Bec in Beech er ver, as g a wil lead public tours thethrou ath we h din ed ry education,” said gh we ho wit the Fin bas d y, build ent ple Ashcraft, spokespers er Marshall t of e of inclem ing. al ski ot was eas the cou on sho aus photograph for sho as Watau s bec ll ga thi oto we led Coun loc ph ty Schools.

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Parting Shot...

THE PRESIDENT VISIT S

DOC COMES FULL CIRCLE

Watson Sculpture early 1,000 people attended the Doc to watch Doc Watson Celebration at the Jones House House lawn, which is Jones The music. play friends d his to strap a tin can to his oss the street from where Doc used with people who danced itar and play for tips, overflowed the aisles and in the grass. the statue project, said John Cooper, who spearheaded thanked the supportacious words before the music and of Depot and King s of the statue that rests at the corner

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e ens of for lti-hued gre a h the mu June, July e mi xes wit months of cool of Jun ers as the linger, oful wildflow . to orf try d col un ten an e Co and m to hav gh Country er. For p the High see Hi ath elo ms the we env far t of of s y rural Augus rts whe he season zling displa living on counterpa d all but Children g in a daz son seeme d, big cit y s— not ten mi xin winter sea in midtheir lowlan of season this yea r’s revisit us tage over cha nging to van ls are ly the ma on ils ng instance, ani w, but celebrati e of April, ering daffod oming ane comes to cat tle, the passag and ice cov expect flowers blo gone with born foa ls, peratures e come to with new are trees and ed, w freezing tem the area hav lly, pictur ir numbers to their to s May with Ke the rs add to lor ito ing and g oods. Vis ns, which it all is Tay be- add se, ducks and dogw Enjoying ather pat ter velers often e through gee and birds. h Wh ected in we tains. Tra p. pat of un exp a Ga ts un g mo gin the Deep to the r first hin efully for mstead in of coming ge with ou , she he will gle parents’ far enjoyment of her home lowlands the Blue Rid hens on her or l residents heat of the journey to cken coop gin their ll that the chi g the anima ld days and we mi sin l the ’s m ful cha t try no be ow ing Coun eggs fro spring, kn tends to the gathering h the High mother in afa r— as he t behind wit for sleeping. soon be lef lbeit from seasons, as hts made cha nge of her dad —a y cool nig ris Kelly t in cedar wonderf ull , revel in the oto by Ch laid to res especially , Ph are ren eild ans Ch w more fre and tobogg ts, sca rves r dresses allo e wa rming heavy coa and summe Th play suits activities. chests and childhood vement for 9 200 e dom of mo Jun

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by Jesse Wo Ketchie, cam et lead- to half tour promoting era in cribed as a qui the music hall his American hand, happen a “sponta cation into n has been des with edu nno ut met Sha Jobs Act bill. ed to be one of abo ate re he was Florida e And lucky few was passion the returned to like many trav months, whe n 200 attende - er, one who who were allo nnon recently the past few the more tha elers to the are M conce wed to oe Sha his remaining days with fame and, of course, music. In gnitions from a, get close he made sure nce a final MH ber of reco to the preside to live out shine Stat to pay a visit to Dav - to experie ived a num nt as he ed in the Sun alachian Cul he has rece board member rais the App M h was MH his reets. the Hig sho He As tor ng the ok ily. ic Mast Gener hands in the men includi or so in the ed his wife Rosa Lee, al Store on and awards filled with “tre middle of the Order of past 35 years After the kind words, Doc mention the air was King Street, wh King Street; ved as an edbut spent the ent Award and les for several months. He said, or’s office. The tural Enrichm others dow nto ere he loaded he became belo sorrow” – smi ho has been in the hospital for up watched wn Country, where r of Mountain Home Music, Long Leaf Pine from the govern the first MHM bittersweet tears because Joe h on sweet trea I wouldn’t take nothing from a distan ed ts from the fam is where was and and founde form ch ’ve been married for 65 years and Joe tor whi was – t pe uca ce, ic ne tha step love as iast I ous cret Ser Sen of Boo nnon people, and sic series Candy Barrel. ll, yet enthus vice officers hel nts of Tow Although Sha alachian mu r any of those years. I love to entertain held to a sma d crowds an App ago to showcase the vast tale aurant on of the nonpro family.” concert was back about 50 After spendi tive director Daily Bread rest arning a living for my wife and my 20 years e in the Our yards away fro council ecu lining hea ng a Jeff Little, ienc dec at Holt, n abo aud his David nno ut r of ns. friends, his e nea 10 the preside ed Sha m minutes in the Doc played with local musicia of becaus et – recogniz blessing ed with cancer nt’s bus. store, Obama King StreDSHIP a resolution hour or so. In between was diagnos y STEWAR FOUNDA e. He gave his ptingTION. AIN ShannonGRANDF motherap exharles Welch and Herb Key for an MOUNT ATHER nity continu ited , tak ing tim ial che in March, ado mury cy.

Andy Ball, PROVIDED BY 2. While init Doc. Before the song, the “comJer ut meeting tinue his lega e to sha ke han conDay ore recentPHOTOS ongs, the musicians told stories about for enriching the end of 201 i-Moto ading for abo ly reon to con tinure ds elected with the crowd obe appreciation the artistic her wantOct cer to stop spre Town,” Holt said the 4 from do ting can Girl en’t to My mo “We the wer Carried pro the sed That nts by his bus. He cau The Train Boone Tow n treatme .” wish,” MHM preserving and subsequent casual ly ask Council, spo who discovered Doc in the sic. That’s his rapidly. by hian Mountains six months, une was the song Ralph Rinzler, ed ASU stu ke briefly is declining the Appalac gather- Mu ly want of lth M e real and hea MH tag we room his last den another “So in . with was ts the preside about the foo on for the first effective and attended his - ster said n diti 60s, first heard Doc play. Rinzler con nno con Day nt during his his Sha tba ll tea m wh ick’s ounced 3– .” ile pearance apannual St. Patr Shannon ann members of on for Joe M show of 201 ing during the at West Wilke On Dec. 9,tem in the conditi at the last MH the Wh ite Ho formpera - footb er ASU licly all June 2011 e pub nnon wasn’t ing for all. tim s Hig r DocH Wats OUNTRY MAGAZINE coac use School.

IGH C Moo sadden hdy 128 Jerry on restea press pool ask will passed away on g hand able gait and cert. While Sha be inducted intowas shockin past ind Balfort ual, year l say Tuesday, May 29, ed studen s] this was just s the g twoivid tion. Their com which the College Football ered around the petiut pre ts abo g.side com Hall humblin one that made anymore important of Fame ridin and the nt of Doc Watson statu trail reall ken the at told one for the y him in 2014 ir -spo reali ect 54th ng opi him, “You’ve than anybody else. zeApri say we, I am not peti how l / May nions of the ment make them perf Aersoft e in dow ntow n al National Foot much he was reall ter/Jumpannu the night as the stopl Hun And that’s why the talking about me AZINE got ,Foun show n here com Country has so much president. thin datio ballM A GMoo y loved,” Mrs. athe Y goo the show ights reflected gree rds Dinn.er5. re said. dn Awa as coach, I a High Hostetter is HIG COUNTR ions talking about us respect for Doc. 96 inHNew g goi I G H York C O U N T Rlivia n, yellow love to Aug ng of nto the bron ze sculp 64 up to 29 City, and Moo Y MAGAZ The other port People allHover as the Appalach July ual show. re will31 re in and Doc because of his I N E ann be hono Rus the worl ture, fans stopped Boo As Coach Moore ian family, an e show, the 24 the Dece mber 2011 ne.”also d ts at the even for about two year - g the Allstate durin lightning-quick flat by to pay noted, “Like adorning ons, the red ar Bowmpi ts, were held July inuous outdoor hors s,

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him,” Holt said after the show. an excellent set, but Throughout the show Doc played seemed to perk up and the during this particular song, Doc ding. comman more was voice his of n inflectio him now,” Holt said.

“That’s one thing about playing with young Doc Watson.”

“There are definitely flashes of the received a standing ovaWhen the concert was over, Doc “Encore. Encore. Encore.” tion and the audience hollered, But Doc was done. streets of downtow n The crowd filtered onto the closed the new statue. Lo and Boone, and some gathered around to the bronze version of next sat and appeared Doc behold, his fingers over the himself. Mostly he was silent, running d for the once-in-a-lifesculpture as photographers scramble time shot. because in the late ‘40s “It’s a special way to honor Doc Welch said. “It’s almost and ‘50s he played across the street,” come full circle.”

— Jesse Wood

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I wasn’t sure I was Sug- once in a ismatic presence picking and his char the statue with flow everyone else, l st cont ing even Orleans on Jan. on stage. Of cour while we all need still in th family,” Moore said.

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The nati se Show, is celebrat l Hunter1. se, we love that, away at the age of a slap on the back iona “But even in fami Kathryn G. Clar Most rnat him play Shady Grov recen JA Inte too. Toual Rock Charity Hor .” tly, though, App 89. From humble Moore, of course, ly things don event only The always go like you e and Tennessee Classic, the USH nized Moo d and L.P. State fans recogann hearBlow ing beginnings redef was referring to Doc was born on Stud – songs he comp want it to. It was the early years the slanre and his the the circum- ence sell Hall Jumper ined – sure was a stances surroundi March 3, 1923. a great experi wife, Marg letely year this sum mer. In to span three treat. But when Doc .” ory of Molly Cro ng his dismissal aret, at Kidd Brew His music ca89th ved . mem its evol in show he streets of dow Stad and held the n as ium er the football would have never head coach of wasn’t on stage, ionforofhis induction and Derby, ntow n Boone. Acro you know n that he was team on Dec. 2, 2012 days but has grow light this port As for the ceremony, ss the street icon. mer. , the blind musician quarter cent a “somebody” – a lasted five k Charityalso the previous a heartbrea , the morning after per Classic high Roc Mrs. Moore said the ingury As one local fan said, spen legend, anbroken out through the sum would play music t on the campus king 38-37 loss to day was “overwhe unds in Tate Jum whole , the annual Blow “He never did get for tips. It and in the time weeks Illinois State in over folk revival in the ds that lming,” describin . Tate Show Gro Coun e crow above his raisin try com The fame never Steeped in tradition ever yone.High hug in the second roun munity. g it as a “very, The ‘60s that Doc beca - very special g.” show is held at the L.M over took Doc. To for d of the playoffs. usiasts from all day” from the minu me know n mean The win for enth a d for his stella r guita is ine ulus Coac w him, equ stim h Sho c Moo musi se te they woke up that acts s to put food on The previous two c was just a economi re, who led the Mountain r pick ing.

Saturday morning. erve’s Hor Park and attr a nicethree the table. It wasn Pres ide hill year ian s prov Broy have estr ard eers J.E. le who knew Doc Both over been Equ k all forw ’t a path to stard to on the coac noted the “roar” pretty rough he always said, if look iveed ys ecut only through his natio om. As h, but the event alwacons from the fans in the stadium The Blow ing Roc nal cham he wasn’t blind, he mit- come from songs or re- mech at Kidd Brewer Stad nesses and arewinn and the hugs and ight say something probably would haveover the country. ing are e” and their com used to pionships, 23 seemed to bring onsbein anic or an electricia ium from form in 24gyear handshakes Blow ing Rock busi like, “He’s one of been a states, “Ride the Blue Ridg showseas s and the some closure for er players and staff n. Before last year the best Grove, an proceeds of theupset over Mich ever grace this Eart Coach Moore. of the trails is a key s in the monumental ’s MusicFest ‘nslog and their wives. tion igan When he was a coac Doc said, “To me in 2007 h.” And that wou to. Additionally, Suga r preservation and maintenance re organiza , was emotional “Their affection h, he used to tell enter tainment is healthca ld be true. main cy shoo to t as and on all the accolades rgen k In he hand men grav eme ad. his l s after itatio a playe with Squ pleasure, but my loca motive is – and a loss, “We wasted n toward Marrs garet and fans and chatted and all the Gram Rock Rescue ual show. it’s going to get my family was awes four hours [of our June 7 support players my’s , but when as the Blow ing s who really knew this past orga a little deep right factor for the ann tions with former didn’t learn from life] if we all nigh ome. That went show took place I started out in the berniza Doc, who really on gam here – High Country, such it.” on ,000 for Octo t,” Coach Moore e day. ed portion of the folk revival, my not one knew the earn uitar, they would said. “It was an erve were rented to show Blow raised over the $30 Rock Normally main motive was The Sadd lebr “I may have wast a living for a swee ingtion, awesome talk about Doc’s night.” ent, much emo 2011 the events the Equestrian Pres to Mrs. Moore said ed two years of t little woman and character – Jerryartm was gripping her and Blue k Fire Dep All 440 stalls at ager Ladonna for his family, and my Roc 10. man didn two to life ing ’t The child erve if learn I Blow Doc ren.” pres from this,” Coach in particular, his Watson statue at Moore added that like the ane Societyhand tightly throughout according to Hum t, the Moo nty humility. stree even the cere re Cou in the corn n, the Virg inia luthi mon said, the for er auga whe y futur addi of King and Depo that featured outt n asked that “pati e he’ll stay out ng of the way ts has become the ad, Wat er and old-time ence is probably if requested, but local attraction since Ken- Rescue Squ musician, summ . tunnel, recognition at the a walk through the thing” learn he ‘60s. He told the biggest volve he would rather re. its insta llation Sho e developed in er. Folks love to way Foundation ed throughout this the High Country 50-yard line and be ind with the footb last sit next to the bron a breed of hors terview with ESPN Press last pictu all program som ock of Ridge Park ebody so famous, zed Doc and pose Saddlebreds are . ate an in- ed from poor communicatio ordeal, which result- how. res, and musicians eway, somewn as “the peac he is really humble. for y by Paul T. Cho n from both Moo love to bring out Stor “He’s style tation owners. Kno That’s and pick gone seat plan form le by re throu their er y and sadd Athle of gh guita tuck so many emotions tic Director Char one for Doc. And r or banjo I’d like to be in the used in a variety lie Cobb. [in are Doc ess the para they even harn de, at a concert in Todd tuall es,” ” Moo “Nothing tops wha idea of the statue. y warmed up to show hors re said. “I don’t s of fine care about leading 80 HIGH CO , a fan walked up the Several times last t we did here, and driving and type UNTRY M it.” to Doc sculpted summer, he sat next onor to meet you, AGAZINE when I studyas pleasure g, such ridinand self and talked to Dece mber 2014 ber 2012 sir.” Doc replied, his Augus t / Septem ing, internet,tocable thefurn hile the 0-2 start T R Y M A G A Z I N E “Why is it agre houswere peop ished le who e? I’m not the presi

By Jesse Wood er, N ed to the mak around. Doc H I G H C O U for the Appalach fitness dent. I am just one ing cent 104 of the statue on State Mou ian After a regr ent in Walopm of ntain the deve as the genuine truth ns. only ing eers Doc’ optio one ettab hous s request, a room caused the team s. on condition le incident that giate’t feel hous

By Jesse Wood . He didn drop plaque . Atouting to prospect in landed the NFL nine different of The to students the statu he biggest colle likeand have he was ones Spor leasingOne e read will s, ts Network Top oom s, “Do a local jail cell nior, and Kameron bedr of the c Wats four drons showiest, the brightest, the the People.” The Cottages onand rhododen nty is now open – ng 25 fi one Just rst Y M A G taug ased three for blossomi Aug time hile Brya am-b A Z I NaE Cou one, ust the in nt, ingh even 20-year-old Price a sophomore, thre June 2012 ing, no intercept to look cot-t years, lodges with omeigh school year. Birm came off a twow five-b the end that we turn our heads ions against Elon ht as edro er- This includes positive story -lines the future looks pension and ing. Thebrig game sus- 404 for the 2013-14 while combining don’t officially mark ge-style housBy C) has built num caught a game-hig Jesse Woo emerged during n of com passing yards and d g victo optio duplexes and cotta the incin e Communities (CC the 99 yards, h eight passes for completing 76 perc forof winter or start of summer, back at.” exes have conv ry against the Elon Capstone Collegiat coming up oneStates. But the Cotthe duo’s 33 pass five-bedroom dupl ent of Phoenix in strai week three.

From June 1 to 16, Grandyard shy of his es. Bryant had yet all over the United t. h, is its tages and red flowers of the ght men Sout pink-colo fi , fth 100base beautiful a Road again ous developments the yard e brigh out colanot perf Grov er t performance at her ormance. hosts the Forwast one,ewat ing with or with ted off Poplar own underclassmen quarterback and to bloom father Mountain Along with bein ent will have itsball Jackson had his tages of Boone, loca Londry-rhododendron seem g the first win of process on both sides of the for theouts exhi Rhododendron best showing of Catawba Also, the developm ugh bited ble High Country.

Thro the season ASU tand g perform the once season.the weather turns the corner in the Remarka g plant on site. ing ion in September first foray into the After each matchup, ances dur- Satte , the victory was also head coac argining theadwin disch of that lection and processin ect started construct Satterfield rema inste might just be the Ramble with short, guided h Scott tant to rfield’s first win The massive proj ins reluc treated water – Mou t some would call U-turn of the the at , say Country. wha the ction High who ide ation helm ntain colle will outs irrig r where eers of start just p.m. drip ASU. Before the game against the next game, und. Wate 2013 105 – - of strolls each day at 1 as we don’t know Elon, Satterfield and just n of Boone. Con 2012 off of N.C. discharge undergro In the 31-21 season. a plant that goes unnoticed much For who will start at note uts bye week gave in a stream – will lations” of the Tow victory against quarterback – aside from one trying to navi- visitors learn the ins-and-o the Mountaineers d that the in the games ahead ent, it has not the Phoenix, two wells. true freshman the “strenuous regu ed at year for the Mountain of the valuing a chance to is runn heal some of the be done through 60.7-acre developm of rhowill the upon species of back the Catawba built eers, size to the don’ Mar is of the due we bang t cus , know if the victo ages alsodense thickets of brush or gauging breakout game The deCox had a wor ed-up players as sidering one. Also gate the ry at Elon was well as game k on issues that The land the Cott roversy since day $3,174,000.in which he garnered 308 unwhich are abunjust one or, in fact, a U-tu proved costly duri been without cont total to Mon by the droop and dodendron, was purchased foryards and, athre ure out the project has enco but , temperat rn pany 00 e year outside ng from touc the com 24,7 losse this hdow tana the all s s at dim start. and N.C. A&T. ns to earn the rainf finish the $2,1 NatiLLC CCC-Boone, onal Co-Fresh M ingotou the lus- dant from MacRae Meadow FCS record-breaking tric, nowhrushC is own Elecof nt g Satterfield also 112 n t r yveloM a zed ibyn e August / man September pmea curl of its leaves during winter – at Grandfather Mountain, Roan de Vankirk the Week awa2015 contractorsHarei g said the team need The Spor feet in elevation to MacRae Peak Homecomin rd by ways to ts Netw tered delays and Subcontractors inclu ed to find Congdiork alon g Game vs. Fur cious flowers make you take notice for a 4,300 g Air make big plays has a bountiful spread, aptly called with Southern Con stron of Armonk, N.Y. er weather arrives.

Arm man feren , and to keep the offe ce acco 202 units and 5,845 feet.

- rhythm and project before wint lades for week Saturday, Oct nse in way Plumbing, LLC Catawba rhododendrons in Hall in May and June as they enliven lopment features the attri thre of weeks deve few Inc.; . e. bute 12 Suning g and d 21, livin the build June Fellow freshman lack of huge play The 106Then on Saturday, to conservatism a, After playing business 413 square feet of n State P Kenn s Law and trying to avoi

By Mark S.John Charleston tioning & Heating. an inside linethe countryside, mountain houses, a staggering 345, backer wear n Citizens dens atop Roan Mountai Souther ing No. 88, snag d turnovers on Sept. 28 – and the oppo 894 beds totaling 3-square-foot club n the day, June 22, the Roan Mountai and playing ged two intercepnents’ defense.

As the pink Catawba rhodo not include the 7,00 e a pool, sauna, tions and a fum fronts and, as the above photo depicts, The Cita Again del i th sors the Roan Mountain Rhodoace, which does

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Mountaineer r... s Look Forwar The Biggest So Fa d After 0-2 St dos, Rhodos!

W dos, Rho Rhoshot” art n every issue of High Country Magazine, we run a feature called the “parting at the end of the magazine which attempts to capture a recent moment in time. The parting shots are pretty diverse from depicting the National Guard returning from Iraq, to a visit by the President, and most recently, acknowledging retiring Watauga Elections Director Jane Ann Hodges. This mosaic is our 64th parting shot.

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Mountain d a “sea,” n the garPark. odendron

Still private. Still exclusive. Still sustainable.

With over 300 of the original 1,000 acres having been designated as a permanent natural preserve, Sunalei is truly a community within a park and not a park within a community.

Sunalei, a place for your family to gather. A place to be infused with a mountains’ presence.

A place to be inspired. A place to protect.

Custom homes $690,000 to $2,295,000 Estate tracts 2 to 20 acres

B O O N E • N O RT H CA R O L I N A

828.263.8711 w w w. S u n a l e i P r e s e r v e . c o m • w w w. B l u e R i d g e R e a l t y. n e t August / September 2015

High Country Magazine

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