6 minute read
FLAT ROCK
The Flat Rock Playhouse is North Carolina’s state theatre.
Flat Rock – Little Charleston of the Mountains
For centuries before settlement of the earliest land grants in the area between 1789 and 1799, the “Great Flat Rock” was a gathering place for the Cherokees for trading and socializing among themselves and other tribes. The area was a wilderness with nothing more than foot trails along streams, in gullies and over and around ridges. In 1793, early land grantee John Earl (a.k.a., Earle) was paid to open a road from upstate South Carolina through the Saluda Gap to Flat Rock where he had a grist mill on what is now Highland Lake. Later, the 1820 completion of the Buncombe Turnpike over Native American trails and drover roads through Flat Rock and into South Carolina led to trade between the two areas. In 1827, Charles and Susan Baring of Charleston bought 400 acres and built Mountain Lodge, the first of many summer residences in Flat Rock. The Barings also built a private chapel on their property and in 1836, they deeded their chapel, became St. John in the Wilderness, to the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina. It is the oldest parish in the diocese and remains active today. In 1830, Judge Mitchell King of Charleston came to Flat Rock and renovated an old “two on two” trace mill house into a residence he named Argyle. This core portion of the house, which was built around 1815, makes Argyle the oldest dwelling in Flat Rock. Argyle also has the distinction of having the longest continuous possession in the same family of any place in Flat Rock and perhaps Western North Carolina. Baring and King continued to buy tracts of land at prices ranging from 25 cents to $1 an acre. Eventually, they acquired much of the Flat Rock area and then sold the tracts to other families from the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Within 20 years, Flat Rock became a colony of summer cottages and estates, thus earning its nickname of The Little Charleston in the Mountains. Today, the Village of Flat Rock retains the quiet sophistication of its Charleston heritage interwoven with the delightful flavor of the mountains. Many of the original historic homes remain today and have been lovingly restored and preserved. Historic Flat Rock, Inc. was formed as a nonprofit in 1968 to protect
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and author Carl Sandburg and his wife raised dairy goats at Connemara, a tradition that continues today. and preserve Historic Flat Rock. The organization through the years has offered house and garden tours, lectures and a variety of fundraising endeavors. As part of Historic Flat Rock Inc., a Heritage Tree Program was organized to help protect Flat Rock’s cultural landscapes and heritage trees. Historic Flat Rock, Inc. is responsible for having the Village of Flat Rock be designated as the largest Historic District in North Carolina. Flat Rock also is home to the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, a property administered by the National Park Service, and the Flat Rock Playhouse, the official State Theatre of North Carolina. In the heart of Flat Rock is a charming retail and restaurant community along Greenville Highway. Anchored by The Flat Rock Center and Little Rainbow Row – a nod to Charleston’s
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GEORGE RE AL ES TATE GROU P
LIS TE N LI V E G E O RG E RE A L E S TATE G RO U P R A D I O B ROA DC A S T
E ve r y M o n d a y @ 9A M FM95.3 WTZQ FM 95.3 AM 1600 AM1600 WTZQ.com E ve r y T h u r s d a y @ 10A M FM107.7 AM1450 WHKP.com
1150 + LOC AL PROPE RTI ES SO LD! 828. 393.0134
2720 GRE E N V I LLE H W Y, SU ITE 30 | F L AT ROC K
NEVER THE SAME STORE TWICE...
Find Unique Items Every Time You Visit.
Feather Your Nest is sure to captivate you with their large selection of home décor and accessories, artwork, furniture, tabletop and linens. They also carry an eclectic collection of jewelry hand crafted by local artists and vintage pieces. Plan to spend time exploring the store and you are sure to find that special treasure. Accepting quality consignments.
828-693-3535 1215A Greenville Highway | Hendersonville
Meet Bartram R. Bear!
He represents three generations of the First Family of Botany in America. The botany movement consisted of farmers, politicians, and explorers who were passionate about native plants.
The Flat Rock Historic District, on The National Register of Historic Places, encompasses 6.25 square miles. In 1968 a group of conservationists and preservationists banded together to form a nonprofit organization whose mission was to protect and preserve the community of Flat Rock, Henderson County, North Carolina. HFR, Inc. continues to protect, preserve and promote the Historic and Cultural Heritage of Flat Rock, NC. The values of HFR, Inc. are educational innovation, stewardship, collaboration and obligation. We share local history to ensure its future through educational efforts. In 2022, we will expand botany, historic landscapes, and community education. We hope to see you at the Preserve and Bird Sanctuary enjoying a picnic. The Cultural Center in the Old Flat Rock Post Office Building has hours of operation posted on the back door. We can also be reached through email to schedule an appointment for the Cultural Center.
TO BECOME AN HFR MEMBER TODAY OR TO LEARN MORE: HistoricFlatRockInc.com | 828.974.4242 | HistoricFlatRock@gmail.com The HFR Inc. Cultural Center/Museum 118 Village Center Drive, Flat Rock, NC
St. John in the Wilderness was originally built as a private chapel, organized in 1836 and was the first Episcopal Church in Western North Carolina.
Rainbow Row district of pastel colored historic townhouses – there are a variety of shops, eateries and other businesses. Across from this retail area is Historic Flat Rock’s Forest Preserve and Bird Sanctuary with trails, picnic tables and a kiosk for community notices. Since the early 1900s, thousands of children have made annual pilgrimages to summer camps in Western North Carolina. Flat Rock is home to some of the oldest summer camps including Bonclarken, Kanuga, Camp Pinnacle and Camp Ton-a-Wandah. Another highlight of the community is The Park at Flat Rock which is in the French Broad watershed on the site of a former golf course. The park features open fields, reforestation areas, a variety of flora and fauna and a walking trail that meanders around the perimeter of its 66 acres. The Park at Flat Rock also has a welcome center with a community room meeting space, handicappedaccessible restrooms, an open-air pavilion and a playground. Although growth in such an attractive area is inevitable, the government and villagers of Flat Rock are vigilant about maintaining woods, green spaces and the calm pace of life – keeping Flat Rock just as charming and compelling a place as it was when the Barings first laid eyes on it.
Local shops and restaurants on Little Rainbow Row
