Ashe County My Hometown 2023-24

my 2023-2024 ASHE COUNTY hometown JEFFERSON • WEST JEFFERSON • LANSING • FLEETWOOD • GRASSY CREEK • TODD • CRUMPLER CRESTON • GLENDALE SPRINGS • SHATLEY SPRINGS • LAUREL SPRINGS • WARRENSVILLE • PARKER

The Coolest Corner of North Carolina

Retail ∙ Entertainment ∙ Restaurants ∙ Events ∙ Important Numbers Utilities ∙ The Chamber of Commerce ∙ Arts ∙ Theater and More!

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ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

WELCOME TO ASHE COUNTY

W

elcome to Ashe County, the coolest corner of North Carolina!

Whether a longtime local, a new resident

ASHE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

of Ashe, or an explorer looking to make the most of a visit to the area, begin at the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center to gather information and ideas to enhance your stay.

Ashe County’s location in the northwestern corner of North Carolina and its average elevation of 3,000 feet justify the name “the coolest corner of North Carolina,” but there is so much more that contributes to this:

our beautiful scenery, our rich heritage rooted in arts and music, our vibrant small towns, and our kind and generous people.

We invite you to enjoy a virtual tour

of Ashe County at TheCoolestCorner. com and visit our Event Calendar at AsheChamber.com to view the many exciting local events. On behalf of the Chamber, welcome to Ashe

County! We’re so glad you’re here!

Kitty Honeycutt Executive Director, Ashe County Chamber of Commerce

The communities of Ashe County

the town limits.

The town was first founded in 1799 and was named after then she County Vice President Thomas has become Jefferson. The town a mix of was originally called generational “Jeffersonton” for a families, new residents short period of time and and visitors that are originally encompassed all eager to explore approximately 50 acres everything that each corner of the county has of land. to offer.

Now, Jefferson is home to the Ashe Ashe County was County Courthouse, named after Samuel Ashe County Park, Ashe, a Revolutionary the Ashe County Law War patriot who went Enforcement Center on to serve as the ninth as well as numerous governor of North restaurants, shops and Carolina from 1795 through 1798. The county stores. The town also covers 427 square miles. has the restored 1904 Courthouse listed in Inside the county, the National Register of you will find three Places. The old incorporated towns and Historic is currently several other towns and courthouse home to the of communities that all add Ashe CountyMuseum History, something special to the right next door to only county in North the Jefferson Police Carolina that shares a Department. border with Tennessee and Virginia.

West Jefferson Below you will find some info about the The bustling towns and communities downtown area of in Ashe County.

West Jefferson is one of the most popular destinations in Ashe Jefferson County. West Jefferson Jefferson, the county currently has around seat of Ashe County, 1,300 residents that live is home to roughly within the town limits 1,600 residents within and has a wide variety of

By Nathan Ham

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Photo submitted

The Museum of Ashe County History, which resides in the old 1904 Ashe County Courthouse, sits in the heart of Jefferson.

shops, art galleries, local restaurants and much more that bring tourists to the area. The Ashe County Arts Council calls West Jefferson home, as does the Ashe County Cheese Plant, West Jefferson Park and the local office of the

New River Conservancy.

West Jefferson was first incorporated in 1909 and originally saw much of its growth and popularity increase due to the Virginia Creeper Railroad that passed through downtown.

West Jefferson has numerous events in the downtown area that take place throughout the year. In addition to concerts throughout the spring and summer months, the Christmas in July festival and the Ole Time Antiques Fair

in September are two of the largest annual events that take place in Ashe County.

Lansing

Lansing was the third and final town in Ashe SEE ASHE ON PAGE 3

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August 2023

ASHE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

County to officially be incorporated. The town of about 130 residents was first incorporated in 1928 and was another major stop along the Virginia Creeper railroad along with West Jefferson, Todd and the community of White Oak. The town has major historical significance to the area as there are currently five places in the town that are included in the National Register of Historic Places: The Old Lansing School, Perry-Shepherd Farm, Miller Homestead, Clark-Miller Mill and the Lansing Historical District.

The population of Lansing within its town limits has dropped throughout the years after the railroad industry ceased in the

county. The 1960 census showed 278 people lived in the town while the most recent census in 2020 showed just 126 town residents.

Glendale Springs

Located just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Glendale Springs is most well-known for the fresco painting at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and the Glendale Springs Inn & Restaurant, where President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore once dined after a visit to Ashe County in 1998. The Glendale Springs Inn was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

In addition to its easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Glendale Springs is near the New River and offers some beautiful opportunities

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for enjoying nature.

Fleetwood

Fleetwood is located between West Jefferson and Deep Gap and is another of the many small communities in Ashe County that offer easy access to the New River. Whether you want to kayak, canoe or float down the river, areas between Fleetwood and Todd off of Railroad Grade Road are popular places to get into the water.

Fleetwood is also home to a brand new fire department right off of U.S. 221.

Grassy Creek

The community of Grassy Creek lies right on the state line between North Carolina SEE ASHE ON PAGE 4

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File photo

The Ashe County Farmers Market in downtown West Jefferson is always a popular stop on a Saturday morning.

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August 2023

ASHE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

and Virginia. Grassy Creek is home to The Old Store and features the Grassy Creek Historic District that is part of the National Register of Historic Places. The historic district was added to the registry in 1976. As you will notice driving through the area, much of the land in Grassy Creek is used for growing Christmas trees.

Creston

Creston township can be found in the northwest corner of Ashe County. It is home to Worth’s Chapel, a church that was constructed in the early 1900s and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

A drive through Creston brings you close to the Tennessee state line in one direction. Creston is also home to the Riverview Community Center which holds numerous community events throughout the year and is home to a

By Nathan Ham

A

Photo submitted

The Old Lansing High School was built under the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration (WPA). It is now the Lost Province Center for the Cultural Arts.

local fish fry every other week.

Laurel Springs

The town of Laurel Springs is right on the border of Ashe, Alleghany and Wilkes counties. The town offers quick and easy access to the Blue Ridge

Parkway and is home to several familyowned businesses and the Thistle Meadow Winery that is open in the spring, summer and fall months. Thistle Meadow Winery offers tours and tasting events and an online store to order products if you live outside of the area.

Todd

Todd is a small town shared by Watauga and Ashe counties, nestled in a bend of the South Fork of the New River.

Todd is an area with a rich history, one dating back to nearly 6,000 years ago. According to the Todd Community

Preservation Organization, that is when the earliest human activity in the area occurred.

For more recent history, look to the Todd General Store.

Before a devastating fire destroyed the store in 2021, Todd General Store was the oldest

functional business in Ashe County. The store sold local provisions and merchandise, and is currently on the path to rebuilding.

As for recreation, the New River — one of only a few rivers in the U.S. to flow North — is the main attraction in Todd, especially in the summer.

Go fly fishing, kayaking or tubing with one of the several river outfitters in the Todd area, such as RiverGirl or Wahoo’s.

Anyone wanting to explore on their own should check out Green Valley Community Park. The park features playground equipment, playing fields, a paved walking track, a picnic shelter, restrooms, a canoe ramp, hiking trails and access to the New River.

Being one of the smaller towns in the High Country, Todd is a close-knit community.

To connect with nature (and friendly locals), be sure to check it out.

What to do for entertainment

she County has a little bit to offer everybody, whether you want to stick to the great outdoors, check out a show at the Ashe Civic Center or watch a movie in downtown West Jefferson, the opportunities are

endless.

Family Central Ashe County Parks and Recreation, located at 626 Ashe Central School Road, Unit 16 in Jefferson, offers numerous youth and adult sports leagues to sign up for, including basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball and flag

football. They have a gym full of workout equipment on site to enjoy a nice workout, and plenty of green space to walk around and enjoy nature.

To learn more about the youth and adult sports leagues, visit www.asheparks.com or call the office at (336) 982-6185.

SEE ENTERTAINMENT ON PAGE 6

Photo courtesy of Ashe County Parks and Recreation

Youth softball is just one of the many youth and adult sports leagues offered by Ashe County Parks and Recreation. .

August 2023

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

OLD BARN winery

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ENTERTAINMENT Bowie-Seagraves CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

Ashe Park

Ashe Park, located in Jefferson, is the home of one of the most popular disc golf courses in the region. The park is also the home to the annual Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention held each summer. The park features plenty of fun slides, swings and more for children to enjoy.

There is also a pond and an annual Trout Derby that happens at the opening of trout season each spring. Picnic shelters are available and can be reserved if needed for large crowds.

Municipal Park, is located just up the hill from all of the shops and restaurants that reside in downtown.

The park offers picnic shelters for parties and events, as well as new playground equipment and basketball courts.

There is a walking trail where you can take a stroll by yourself or bring along your dog for a nice walk through the park.

Lansing Creeper Trail Park

The Lansing Creeper Trail park in downtown Lansing provides a relaxing walking trail and West Jefferson Park opportunities to West Jefferson Park, fish. The park offers Photo by Erin Isley The annual Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention always brings out a big crowd each summer. fire pits, grills also known as the and a newly be sure to check out the renovated barn many murals and art Downtown West for a number of galleries that display Jefferson uses. The park some of the finest Taking a walk is also home to artwork in the High along the sidewalks the Mountain Country. of downtown West Warrior If you want to relax Jefferson gives you Renaissance and check out a movie, the opportunity to Faire that enters be sure to stop by either its second year in experience the many the Parkway Theater or shops and restaurants 2023. The park is that the small mountain the Blue Ridge Movie the host site for Lounge. town has to offer. other festivals Whether you are For a complete list throughout the looking for home of all of the weekly season, including décor items, clothing, events that happen the return of boots, a coffee, a cold in Ashe County, pick the Ola Belle beer or even a fineup a copy of the Ashe Reed festival in dining experience, the Post & Times or visit 2023 and vendor the Ashe County festivals that take downtown area has all of that available.

Chamber of Commerce place throughout in downtown West While you are taking Photo by Nathan Ham the spring, The Ashe County Special Olympics take place at Family Central. summer and fall. a stroll through town, Jefferson.

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

DIY SAVINGS Want to reduce your heating/ cooling costs by 10 to 20%, while increasing your home’s comfort?

Sealing air leaks is an inexpensive way to save energy, and anyone can do it!

CAULKING HOW-T

Mountain Times Publications • Page A7

O’SS:

• Detect air leaks aroun d doors and (Look for d windows. aylight arou nd frames. frames with O r, trace incense an d watch wh smoke is pu ere the lled.)

• Choose a silicone cau lk that will and weathe form a wate r-resistant rseal.

• Prep your surface by removing o paint. Make ld caulk an sure the are d a is dr y.

• Prep the c aulking gun and do a “t paper towe est” run on l. a • Aim and p ull the trigg er. Hold the a 45-degre caulk gun a e angle wh t ile pulling it toward you • Aftter cove . ring 2-3 fee t of the surfa damp finge ce, run a r or foam p aintbrush li the bead to g htly along seal the cau lk .

• Clean up mistakes b efore the ca ulk hardens .

Prep your home for winter by sealing air leaks now. Get more easy energy-saving tips at BlueRidgeEnergy

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August 2023

Important numbers and websites

West Jefferson Town Hall — (336) 2463551, www.townofwjnc.com.

West Jefferson Police Dept. — (336) 2469410, www.townofwjnc.com.

Ashe County Sheriff’s Office — (336) 846-5633, www.ashecountysheriff.com.

Ashe County Communications Center — (336) 846-5600, www.ashecountysheriff.com.

Ashe County Detention Center — (336) 846-5611, www.ashecountysheriff.com.

West Jefferson Post Office — (336) 2462601, www.usps.com.

Ashe Memorial Hospital — (336) 8467101, www.ashememorial.org.

Ashe County Health Department — (336) 246-9449, www.apphealth.com.

Mountain Family Care Center — (336) 846-6322, www.ashememorial.org.

Ashe County Schools — (336) 246-7175, www.asheschools.org.

Ashe County High School — (336) 8462400, www.asheschools.org/achs.

Ashe County Middle School — (336) 384-3591, www.asheschools.org/acms.

Blue Ridge Elementary School — (336) 384-4500, www.asheschools.org/bres.

Mountain View Elementary School — (336) 982-4200, www.asheschools.org/mves.

Westwood Elementary School — (336) 877-2921, www.asheschools.org/wwes Ashe County Early Learning Center — (336) 846-3221, www.asheschools.org/elc Ashe Early College — (336) 846-1881, https://www.asheschools.org/earlycollege Wilkes Community College, Ashe Campus — (336) 846-3900, www.wilkescc. edu/about-us/locations/ashe-campus/.

Ashe County Parks and Recreation — (336) 982-6185, www.asheparks.com.

Ashe County Public Library — (336) 8462041, www.arlibrary.org/ashe.

Ashe County Animal Control — (336) 982-4060, www.asheanimals.com.

Ashe County Humane Society — (336) 982-4297, www.ashehumanesociety.org.

Animal Hospital of Ashe — (336) 2463441, www.animalhospitalofashe.com.

Ashe Arts Council — (336) 846-2787, www.ashecountyarts.org.

Ashe Post & Times — (336) 246-6397, www.ashepostandtimes.com.

Ashe Chamber of Commerce — (888) 343-2743, www.ashechamber.com.

Blue Ridge Electric — (336) 846-7138, www.blueridgeemc.com.

SkyLine/SkyBest — (336) 877-1350, www. skyline.org.

Optimum. — (888) 467-8468 https://www. optimum.com/stores/nc/jefferson/360-southmain-st.html Ashe County Board of Elections — (336) 846-5570, www.ashecountygov.com/ departments/board-of-elections.

Ashe County Emergency Management — (336) 846-5521, www.ashecountygov.com/ departments/emergency-management.

Ashe County Planning Board — (336) 846-5528, www.ashecountygov.com/ departments/planning.

Ashe County Register of Deeds — (336) 846-5580, www.ashecountygov.com/ departments/register-of-deeds.

Ashe County Department of Social Services — (336) 846-5719, www. ashecountygov.com/departments/social-services.

Ashe County Environmental Services — (336) 846-3721, www.ashecountygov.com/ departments/environmental-services.

Ashe County Landfill — (336) 9822527, www.ashecountygov.com/departments/ environmental-services.

Ashe County Tax Administration — (336) 846-5577, www.ashecountygov.com/ departments/tax-administration.

E911 Address Coordinator — (336) 8465520, www.ashecountygov.com/departments/ e911-addressing Ashe County Transportation Authority — (336) 846-2000, www.actatravels.com.

Ashe County Veterans Services — (336) 846-5575, www.ashecountygov.com/ departments/veterans-services.

Ashe County Building Inspections — (336) 846-5511, www.ashecountygov.com/ departments/building-inspections.

N.C. Cooperative Extension — (336) 8465850, ashe.ces.ncsu.edu.

Jefferson Town Hall — (336) 846-9368, townofjefferson.org.

Jefferson Police Department — (336) 8465529, townofjefferson.org.

Lansing Town Hall — (336) 384-3938, lansingnc.us.

Todd Community Preservation Organization — (828) 263-6173, toddnc.org.

The future of education: Ashe County Middle School

By Erin Isley

A

fter more than two years of planning, the Ashe County Board of Education and the Clark Nexsen architectural team revealed the designs for the new middle school at a special meeting in the high school auditorium June 19.

The proposed budget for the middle school is $90 million, said Clark

Nexsen contractor Chad Roberson. The presentation included a budget breakdown and the available balance for possible contingencies during the construction process.

Clark Nexsen plans to design the building in a location that best allows the natural flow of the land to remain undisturbed, according to senior architect Becky Brady. The plans will allow the creeks and wet

areas to exist alongside the site.

The building will consist of three stories: a lower, main and upper level. Glass windows will be built into all of the building’s hallways and classrooms to let in natural light throughout the building. A long corridor will be centered on the main level to allow dual entry for students from the north and south coinciding with car and bus drop-offs. The building

will also be broken up into three sections on the main level: the classroom wing, entry and administration and the cafeteria and gym.

One of the focuses of the design presentation was the media center, which spans all three floors in different capacities. Students can hang out in their teams, classes or individually within the space. Team groups can also meet in the open shared SEE EDUCATION ON PAGE 9

Photo courtesy of Clark Nexsen

A rendering of what the north entrance bus drop-off area of the new middle school could look like.

August 2023

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

EDUCATION

bulldog to represent the middle school’s mascot.

spaces on each of the three floors right outside of the media centers.

“That was something from the student surveys. They were really proud of being the bulldogs so we want to make sure that’s celebrated,” Brady said.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

“Even from the teams above every team really does have a connection to that media center,” Brady said.

Directly connected to the media center on the main level is the maker space, which will house VR goggles and other technology-based learning equipment.

The maker space is also connected to the robotics classroom from the side opposite the media center.

One wall of the main floor’s media center design pictured a large

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The stairs connecting the three floors will be wide and open to the space around them. The stairwell consists of a regular sized stair for students to commute between the three floors and a larger stair attached to the smaller one meant for students to sit and socialize with their peers.

“Just a reminder that this is early in design so SEE EDUCATION ON PAGE 10

An artist rendering of the south entrance of the new middle school.

Your Hometown Photographer

Photo courtesy of Clark Nexsen

Mountain Aire Golf Club is an unbelievable place to golf and live.

Specializing in portraiture for families, newborns, children, and weddings

This well-maintained, public course is located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in Ashe County, just 25 miles from Boone. Eighteen holes of challenging elevations and spectacular views will make this one of your favorite places to visit.

For tee times, call the Pro Shop at 336-877-4716 or visit our website at mountainaire.com Sheila Reed Photography 2412 Tucker Road, Lansing, NC 28643 | Phone: 336-712-6513 Email: sheilareedphotography@gmail.com | FB: Sheila Reed Photography IG: @sheilareedphotography | On the Web: www.sheilareedphotography.com

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EDUCATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

everything that you see here might not be the

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

very final thing,” Brady

is the general contractor

said.

for the construction of

Vannoy Construction

An artist rendering of the media center.

August 2023

the new middle school.

Photo courtesy of Clark Nexsen

Photo courtesy of Clark Nexsen

A look at a conceptual design of what the inside of the school could look like.

Public services in Ashe County

By Nathan Ham

T

here are numerous organizations and services made available to the people of Ashe County whether they need a helping hand with food insecurity, help starting a business or additional educational opportunities.

The Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, located at 1 N. Jefferson Ave., Suite C, can help visitors find shops, restaurants and other things to do while

on their trip to Ashe County. The staff at the chamber can also help point people in the right direction if they are interested in purchasing real estate, opening a business or becoming a chamber member. Find out more info about the “Coolest Corner” of North Carolina by calling (336) 846-9550 or visiting the chamber’s website at https:// ashechamber.com/.

The Ashe County Public Library has plenty to offer children and adults that want to enjoy a good book or some fun activities.

During the summer, the library has taken part in the Caboose Kids events located on the Backstreet in downtown West Jefferson. They also host Friends of the Library meetings each month.

Visit www.arlibrary. org/ashe to learn about other ongoing events throughout the year.

Safety is of the utmost importance for both visitors and residents in Ashe County. The Ashe County Sheriff’s Office patrols the roads and assists on calls 24 hours a day to make sure that everyone is as safe as

SEE SERVICES ON PAGE 12

Photo by Nathan Ham

The Ashe County Chamber of Commerce organizes the annual Blue Ridge Brutal cycling race in Ashe County each August.

August 2023

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THE LARGEST INVENTORY IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

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SERVICES

maintenance yard at (336) 246-5287.

possible from one end of the county to the other.

Ashe County Cooperative Extension offers numerous courses and workshops throughout the year to aid farmers with everything from food crops to Christmas trees. A schedule of workshops and other events for the Ashe County office can be found online at https:// ashe.ces.ncsu.edu/.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

The Ashe County Courthouse at 150 Government Cir. in Jefferson is home to most of the county government functions that one might need in the county, including county’s DSS services, the county board of elections, register of deeds, tax administration and tag office among others.

Ashe County has over 800 combined miles of roads that the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is responsible for maintaining. For questions or concerns about road issues in the county, call the Ashe County NCDOT

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

Ashe County Environmental Services operates convenience centers around the county, plus a landfill for county residents and property renters to dispose of their trash.

Convenience centers are located throughout the county serving the communities of Bina, Lansing, Jefferson, West Jefferson, Crumpler

August 2023

Photo by Bailey Little

A partnership between the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office and Ashe County Schools helps provide children in the county with the necessary resources to prepare for the upcoming school year. Over 3,400 people attended the 2023 Back 2 School Blast.the intriguing history of the county.

and Creston. Beginning in 2023, Ashe County residents must display a sticker from the tax office to be able to use the convenience centers.

The Ashe County

Farmers Market is open on the Backstreet in West Jefferson every Saturday during spring and fall, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. with special holiday market dates announced annually.

There is always a wide variety of locally grown and fresh foods available to purchase as well as crafts and other vendors that are at the market.

The Ashe Food Pantry provides food to those that are in need in Ashe County. Volunteers work countless hours to be able to package and provide food products to many who are not sure where their next meal might be coming from.

Ashe County Schools are headquartered Photo submitted at 320 South St. in The Museum of Ashe County History, located in Jefferson, takes you back through decades of the intriguing history of the county.

Jefferson, and can be

contacted by phone at (336) 246-7175 for questions and information regarding the local school system.

For those interested in adding a new pet to the family, Ashe County Animal Control is the first place to start locally. They can be reached at (336) 9824060.

Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, a nonprofit organization, has been serving communities since 1926. Goodwill offers reasonable thrifting of clothing, furniture, home goods and more. Goodwill is located at 1291 Mt. Jefferson Road in West Jefferson and can be contacted at (336) 2190244.

Anyone interested in the area’s extensive

history can visit the Museum of Ashe County History located at 301 E Main St. in Jefferson. The old courthouse, which was constructed in 1904, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

To keep up with the latest news in Ashe County, the Ashe Post & Times is a great source. The newspaper is published weekly on Wednesdays and is updated online each day. Drop a news tip to the staff, subscribe or just visit with the news and sales staff at 7 E Main St. in downtown West Jefferson, or call (336) 846-2041 for more information.

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August 2023

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Ashe County’s theatrical entertainment

By Nathan Ham

Parkway Theater

Since opening in 1947, the Parkway Theater has aking a couple been showing popular of hours to films to residents and enjoy a movie visitors alike for over and some seven decades. Since popcorn or candy in 1984, the theater has West Jefferson leads you to a pair of locations been operated by Tony and Sharon Eldreth, and in downtown that will have watched as their have you covered. children have all helped If you would rather out around the theater see live musicals and over the years. performances, the local Ashe County Little Originally, the Theatre will have you Parkway Theater had entertained from start just one movie room. to finish as they perform Now, the theater has shows throughout the the capacity to show year at the Ashe Civic two movies at any given Center. time. With the size of the theater, there’s simply

T

not a bad seat in the house.

For more information, go to www. parkwaytheater.net or call (336) 846-3281.

Parkway Theater is located at 10 E Main Street, West Jefferson.

Blue Ridge Movie Lounge The Blue Ridge Movie Lounge, located at 17 E. Second Street in West Jefferson, has a unique approach to the films they show. Instead of sitting in your typical theater seat, they offer recliners and couches to SEE THEATER ON PAGE 14

YOUR HOMETOWN INSURANCE AGENCY Proud to p provide insurance solutions to Ashe County

then...

Photo submitted

The Ashe County Little Theatre performs a variety of plays and musicals throughout the year at the Ashe Civic Center. in Ashe County each August.

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THEATER

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relax on while watching the movie. They also offer private movie screenings if you have a group of friends that would like to get together to watch a show.

They serve a wide

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

variety of snacks and beverages, including wines and local hard ciders, as well as your traditional movie theater snacks like popcorn, candy and sodas.

For more information, visit https://www. blueridgemovielounge. com/.

Ashe County Little Theatre Ashe County Little Theatre has been the local source of community theater since beginning in 1972.

With a cast of volunteers, producers, directors and actors,

The Parkway Theater, located in downtown West Jefferson, has been in operation since 1947.

August 2023

there’s always something unique about each production.

To find out what shows the Ashe County Little Theatre is currently working on, visit www. ashecountylittletheatre. org or call (336) 8462787.

File Photo

Photo submitted

The Blue Ridge Movie Lounge is located in downtown West Jefferson and offers a unique movie-watching experience.

Ashe Memorial Hospital providing healthcare to the citizens of Ashe County

By Nathan Ham

I

t has been a busy year in 2023 for Ashe Memorial Hospital.

They have had a lot of new innovations, improvements and additional staff hires to better serve the needs of the residents and visitors of Ashe County.

In February, AMH welcomed Dr. Michael Kepley, a boardcertified obstetrician and gynecologist, to the team at Ashe Women & Children’s Health. A native of North Carolina, Kepley brought more than 35 years of experience in obstetrics and gynecological surgery and services to the county.

In his role, Kepley brings additional gynecological services to the Ashe County community, focusing primarily on minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic surgery, hysterectomy, fibroids and endometriosis, among other services.

Dr. Kepley also will be available to provide obstetric related services as well.

In May, AMH announced the installation of the Hologic Selenia Dimension 3D Performance System and the addition of breast MRI to improve the detection of breast cancer.

Ashe Memorial Hospital unveiled its new state-of-the-art

SEE HEALTH ON PAGE 15

Photo courtesy of Ashe Memorial Hospital

Sydney Grubb (left) and Hannah Osborne.

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August 2023

HEALTH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

3D mammography equipment, which is designed to provide high-quality 3D images while creating a more comfortable mammography experience for the patient. Also known as digital breast tomosynthesis, 3D mammography is the most advanced mammographic technology and is particularly advantageous at breast cancer screening in women with increased breast tissue density.

Breast MRI is a powerful imaging tool used for supplemental screening in highrisk patients, further

characterization of known breast cancers, and as an adjunct to conventional mammography and breast ultrasound for problem solving cases.

Abbreviated breast MRI will also be offered for women with dense breast tissue as a supplemental screening tool.

“We are thrilled to announce that we have just installed the most advanced 3D mammography technology available today, bringing a new level of accuracy and precision to breast cancer screening,” said Brian Yates, chief executive officer for Ashe Memorial

Mountain Times Publications • Page A15

Hospital. “This technology can detect even the smallest abnormalities in breast tissue, giving our patients the best possible chance for early detection and successful treatment.”

Through the generosity of its donors and Blue Ridge Energy, along with its community foundation, The Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation, Ashe Memorial Hospital was able to purchase this life-saving technology.

Breast Cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, and one in eight women SEE HEALTH ON PAGE 16

File photo

Ashe Memorial Hospital offers all routine and emergency medical care, along with specialty services such as chemotherapy, oncology, diabetes management and more.

Page A16 • Mountain Times Publications

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

HEALTH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

in the United States are at risk for developing breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Mammograms are among the most powerful breast cancer detection tools available and proven to save lives. Over the past five years, Ashe Memorial Hospital has performed more than 12,000 mammograms for local residents.

Most recently, the hospital has expanded its speech therapy program with the addition of Sydney Grubb, M.S., CF-SLP, to its Rehabilitation Services department as a full-time speech language pathologist, focusing on pediatric speech therapy.

A native of Ashe County, Grubb works

Photo courtesy of Ashe Memorial Hospital

Photo courtesy of Ashe Memorial Hospital

Ashe Memorial Hospital has performed more than 12,000 mammograms for local residents over the last five years.

Dr. Michael Kepley

with patients, ages one and up, specializing in the areas of articulation, autism, assisted and alternative communication, language skills, social skills, and feeding and swallowing, among others. Ashe Memorial

Hospital’s pediatric speech therapy services combine sensorybased activities, games, language sounds, and verbal expression, among other activities.

The speech therapy program at Ashe Memorial Hospital utilizes a multidisciplinary approach with the goal of creating individualized programs to best meet the needs of each child.

quilt tours that bring visitors and residents to all parts of Ashe County.

often include paintings, photography, pottery and other fine craft work.

“Each kid has something that drives

their motivation, and you need to determine what excites them and motivates them to participate,” Grubb said.

“Kids are the gateway to families, and the way he or she functions can impact the whole family.”

“We get together and problem solve with the kids,” said fellow Ashe Memorial Hospital speech language pathologist Hannah Osborne, M.S., CCC-SLP. “That’s not something you get a lot of other places.”

The art scenes of Ashe County

By Nathan Ham

T

he Ashe County Arts Council has played an instrumental role in expanding the education and appreciation of art in the county. The arts council has sponsored numerous school events and activities over the years, as well as hosting their own art exhibits, gallery crawls and barn

The art exhibits at the Ashe Arts Center in downtown West Jefferson bring in some of the finest work from all parts of the country.

In addition to these gallery exhibits, the arts council will often feature work from Ashe County students in their annual “Young At Art” exhibit. Exhibits change throughout the year and

Barn quilt tours have become extremely popular in Ashe County.

There are over 150 known barn quilts in Ashe County and there are currently six different driving tours, or “loop trails,” that offer travelers the chance to experience beautiful scenery as SEE ART ON PAGE 17

File photo

The Ashe County Arts Council building in West Jefferson was built with Works Progress Administration (WPA) funding under the New Deal and is still used today as office space and an art gallery.

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

ART

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

well as checking out the many barn quilts around the county. The loop trails all contain written instructions with mileage, landmarks and road names to help travelers find as many barn quilts as possible.

Another noticeable artistic attraction, particularly around downtown West Jefferson, are the artistic murals painted around the town. The downtown murals began appearing over 25 years ago when the first mural was commissioned

by McFarland and Company, Inc. publishing company in 1996. Jack Young’s

Mountain Times Publications • Page A17

mural “History of Ashe Through the Ages” was the first mural to decorate downtown West Jefferson. The mural was placed on the wall of Regency Properties across from the Ashe Arts Center.

While that mural no longer exists today, other murals began popping up, including work from local artists Stephen Shoemaker and R.T. Morgan as well as Robert Johnson and Marianne DiNapoli Mylet. Recent murals were completed near the Lansing Creeper Trail Park as well as at the New River State Park Wagoner Access.

The Ashe County Arts SEE ART ON PAGE 18

A ribbon cutting for this new mural at the New River State Park, Wagoner Access, took place on Oct. 7, 2022.

File photo

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Page A18 • Mountain Times Publications

ART

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Council helps support many different events that happen each year.

The Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention and the On the Same Page Literary Festival are just two of the popular annual events that people in Ashe County can enjoy.

Art on the Mountain

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

is another event that has built a strong following and tradition over the years. More than 30 artists and crafters will be at the Ashe Arts Center displaying and selling some of their finest work each fall.

Another popular traveling tour is the annual Studio Tour.

Artists and crafters open up their studios for guests to visit and see their work and

August 2023

working environments.

Those on the tour get to travel through the towns of West Jefferson, Jefferson and Lansing, but also get to visit the smaller communities like Crumpler, Creston, Glendale Springs and Todd.

For more information on the programs that the Ashe Arts Council offers, visit their website at https:// ashecountyarts.org/.

The Ola Belle Reed Mural in Lansing was created in the summer of 2022.

File photo

Ashe County Chamber of Commerce holds 2023 annual meeting

By Erin Isley

T

he Ashe County Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting at Hidden Pastures Farm Wedding and Event Venue on June 21.

During the meeting, the chamber announced a record-high amount of scholarship funds presented to students in Ashe County and recognized three community contributors, each with distinct awards.

The first award of the night, the Coolest Corner Award, was presented to the president of the Ashe County Frescoes

Foundation, Jeff Dreyer.

Dreyer accepted the award on behalf of the foundation. The Ashe County Frescoes of Benjamin F. Long IV are 1970s-era frescoes located in two of Ashe County’s churches: Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

Frescoes are made by applying waterbased paint onto wet plaster, which allows the creation to be painted into the material of the wall itself. Long’s frescoes feature a lifesize painting of the “The Last Supper,”“Mary Great with Child,”“John the Baptist” and “The Mystery of Faith.”

“They’re hidden

gems,” Dreyer said.

“Hidden treasures in this county.”

County and Blue Ridge Conservancy’s most recent acquisition of 1,125 acres in the Brushy Dreyer also recalled Mountains spanning that the Coolest Corner Award originated during through Wilkes, his time as chair of the chamber of commerce.

Alexander, and Iredell counties.

“I absolutely love working with the people here,” Brady said. “This county is special.”

Kitty Honeycutt, executive director of the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, presented the night’s last award SEE CHAMBER ON PAGE 19

The second award was presented to the Blue Ridge Conservancy.

Executive director, Charlie Brady, was present at the meeting to accept the Nonprofit of the Year Award for the organization.

Blue Ridge Conservancy has 23,012 of protected acres in seven different counties, according to the conservancy.

These protected areas include the BlackburnVannoy Farm in Ashe

Photo by Erin Isley

The Coolest Corner Award was presented to the president of the Ashe County Frescoes Foundation, Jeff Dreyer.

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

Mountain Times Publications • Page A19

CHAMBER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

to Karen Powell.

The Cabot Hamilton Community Advocacy Award is presented to an individual who has given time and effort into supporting the Ashe County community.

“This community, Ashe County, is better and will forever be better because of the passion, the love, the care, all of the facets of Karen Powell,” Honeycutt said.

Honeycutt said that Powell was an Ashe County girl who loved Photo by Erin Isley her community, family, Charles Brady, the executive director of the Blue Ridge Conservancy, was school, multiple jobs and honored with the Nonprofit of the Year Award. music.

“I’m shocked,” Powell said. “I really don’t feel worthy to be in the company of those who have received this very heartwarming and prestigious award.”

During the meeting, multiple speakers made reference to the chamber of commerce’s scholarship fund.

When the scholarship fund was started, the chamber gave two $500 scholarships to Ashe County high school and early college graduates.

In 2023, the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce gave $23,000 in scholarship money.

Photo by Erin Isley

Karen Powell received the Cabot Hamilton Community Advocacy Award.

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Page A20 • Mountain Times Publications

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

Ashe County Chamber of Commerce celebrates members

T

he Ashe County Chamber of Commerce recently updated its full list of members.

Chamber members are listed below:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2nd Street Retreat 4 Forty Four 4 Seasons Vacation Rentals and Sales A Berry Patch Farm A Designer’s Touch by Lauren A V Moving Solutions A-1 Mountain Realty A. B. Vannoy Hams AARP NC Mountain Region Above The River AgSouth Farm Credit Alan Briggs Alliance Insurance Group Amanda Pardue - eXp Realty Amato Dentistry American Emergency Vehicles Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc AMOREM - formerly Caldwell Hospice Palliative Care Andy and Pam Guion Antiques On Main Appalachian Flooring & Tile Appalachian Innkeepers & Janitorial Supply, Inc. Appalachian Memory Keepers Appalachian Regional Healthcare System AppHealthCare Ashe Alliance Church Ashe Campus - Wilkes Community College Ashe County Airport Ashe County Amateur Radio Club Ashe County Arts Council Ashe County Board of Education Ashe County Cheese Ashe County Children’s Endowment Ashe County Christmas Tree Assoc.

Ashe County Community Foundation Ashe County Corn Maze & Pumpkin Festival Ashe County Farm Bureau Ashe County Farm Bureau Insurance

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ashe County Farmers Market Ashe County Frescoes Foundation Ashe County Government Ashe County Habitat for Humanity Ashe County Hometown Heroes, Inc. Ashe County Little Theatre Ashe County Livery Ashe County Parks & Recreation Ashe County Piecemakers Quilt Guild Ashe County Public Library Ashe County Transportation Authority Ashe County Wildlife Club Ashe CrossFit Ashe Custom Framing & Gallery Ashe Food Pantry Ashe High Country Guttering, ,LLC Ashe High Country Realty Ashe Memorial Hospital Ashe Opportunities Ashe Outreach Ministries Ashe Pediatrics, PLLC Ashe Post & Times Ashe Pregnancy Care Center Ashe Rental Agency Ashe Ship And Print Ashe Shrine Club Ashe/Alleghany Home Builders Assn.

Ashelawn Memorial Chapel Ashley Hardwood Flooring Aslan Enterprizes ASU Walker College of Business Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group B & G Plumbing & Electric B B & R Insulation Badger Funeral Home Badges of Ashe Bald Mountain Baptist Church Bare Creek Land and Cattle, Inc. Barks & Co. Dog Boutique Barn Quilt Headquarters Barr Evergreens Basic Finance, Inc.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Becky Burgess Becky N Company Bella Woods Cabin Ben F. Massey, Jr. Bennett EnviroClean, LLC Bethany United Methodist Church Bill and Pat Thornton Black Jack’s Pub & Grill Blackbird Imaging, LLC Blessed With a Mess Blue Ridge Air Blue Ridge Brokerage Blue Ridge Cleaning, LLC Blue Ridge Conservancy Blue Ridge Energy Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Blue Ridge Realty & Investments, LLC Blue Ridge Resource Conservation & Development Blue Ridge Towing, LLC Bluebird Pediatric Dentistry Bluehill Farmhouse BlueMoon Dezigns Bob and Karen Powell Bohemia Gallery Bojangles #566 Boondocks Brewing Boone Family Funeral Home Brian and Cindy Dunagan Bryan and Phyllis Smith Budget Blinds of Boone Buffalo Tavern Bed and Breakfast Bull’s Burton and Sandra Prange Business Exit Strategy Team C. Randolph CPA, PLLC Cabin Store Caddell Phillips Marketing Camp Karuga Car Rentals of West Jefferson, LLC Carolina Country Wines & Craft Beer

SEE MEMBERS ON PAGE 21

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

MEMBERS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Carolina Dozer Carolina Mountain Life Magazine Carolina Mountain Properties & Rentals, Inc. Carolina Timberworks Carolina West Wireless Carrington Design Casey Miller and Family Tree Service CatchLight Gallery Charla Rae Armitage Christina H. Wagoner, CPA PLLC Christmas in July Festival Christmas Mountain Fraser Fir Clean Mountain Escapes, LLC Cline Church Nursery, Inc. Cobblestones of Ashe, LLC Country Charm Craft Bistro Craig C. Kluttz Creative Printers Credit Mountain, LLC Creekside Electronics Cruise Planners Current Chiropractic

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Custom Cornhole Boards Cutter’s Edge David and Shelia McMillan Decker Wood Designs Deeply Rooted Landscapes dba Northwest Lawn Care Derrick & Angela Osborne Diz and Trish Caldwell Document Imaging Solutions Domino’s Double A Boot Store Dr. Glenn and Becky Jones Dr. Pepper Bottling of West Jefferson, NC, Inc. Drew and Laurie Turner Driven Groundworks and Property Management Drop n’ Roll Storage Dusty Trails Outfitters Edward Jones - Jason Sutherland Elder Care of Bahama LLC Elevation Health, PC Elite Performance and Automotive LLC Elite Roof and Solar Estrada Restore & Solution, LLC Eva Ingle Explore Ashe LLC

Mountain Times Publications • Page A21

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Family to Families Ministry Farmer’s Towing Ferrellgas Finding Foxtale Stylist Firewalk Productions, LLC First Baptist Church First Citizens Bank / WJ First National Bank of PA Fleetwood Falls, Inc. FLORENCE: Florence Thomas Art School Footsloggers Forest Ridge Assisted Living & Memory Care Friends of the Library Frontier Natural Gas Company Frosty’s Choose & Cut Frugal Gourmet Catering G. J. “Chickie” Olsen GE Aerospace Gem Valley LLC Generations Ashe, Inc. Germain Media Glendale Ridge Farms, LLC Glendale Springs Inn and Restaurant Global Manufacturing Services, Inc SEE MEMBERS ON PAGE 22

Home Of The A Great Hometown Deserves A Great Pharmacy

3 Great Businesses - One Convienent Location!

Store Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 6 pm • Saturday 8:30 am - 2pm

423 E. 2nd St., West Jefferson, NC

336-246-9990 www.peoplesdrugwj.com

Page A22 • Mountain Times Publications

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

MEMBERS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Goodman & Boston, CPAs PA Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina Grassy Creek Pottery Great Southern Gothic Greater Lansing Area Development Committee (GLAD) Greenfield Campground Greenhouse Crafts Shop Grouse Ridge Christmas Trees Gum Ridge Mill & Flying Pig Furniture Hannah Abee Hart-T- Tree Farms Hatchet Coffee, LLC Haven at Greenwood Glen Helton Creek Campground, LLC Heritage Homestead Goat Dairy Heritage Properties Herman Metzler Hidden Pastures Farm Wedding & Event Venue Hidden Pastures Trail Rides LLC High Country 365 High Country Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. High Country Caregivers High Country Food Hub High Country Host High Country Peer Group High Country Performing Arts Academy High Country Press High Country Radon Solutions LLC High Country Workforce Development Board High Mountain Cabin Rentals High Mountain Creekside Cabins & Vacation Rentals Highland Meadows Cattle Co. Hill’s Mini-Storage His High Places, Inc. Hole Lotta Doughnuts Holiday Inn Express / Yadkin Valley Event Center Holiday Inn Express West Jefferson Hometown Furniture Honeycutt Farms Honeysuckle Construction, Inc. Hospitality House I. S. K. V Reeves Imagination Ashe Jane Lonon Janet Killen Moretz, CPA Jeannette and Lazaro Valdes Jeff and Shirley Vestal

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Jefferson Drug Store Jefferson Landing Jefferson Odd Fellows Lodge #38 Jefferson Rent-All, Inc./ Party Plus Jerrie Francis Jewelers of Eden Jim’s Corner Furniture Jimmy and Jean’s Family Entertainment and Arcade Joallen Lowder Joanne Myers Joe Pozo Joe Ray and Margaret Blevins Joel Carpenter General Contractor Joel W. Yates Jr., DDS General Dentistry Johnson Communications Johnston and Johnston, PLLC Jolene Snyder, REALTOR® Jonathan Jordan, Attorney-At-Law Jordan Grace Forsythe Jorge and Family June Weaver K & K Stitch & Screen Kalman’s Bon Appetit Karen Davis Kathy and Jim Carlton Kay M. Sexton Keep Ashe Beautiful Krause Family Arborist Kyle and Susan Hall L R Digital Conversions Lanny and Julie Landry Lantern Farm Laurel Ridge Camp, Conference & Retreat Center Lavender Rain Massage & Wellness Lees Taekwondo and Martial Art Leota Coffey Les and Becky Crenshaw Leviton Mfg. Co. Inc. Liberty Grove Baptist Church LifeStore Insurance Services, Inc. Lifestore Bank/Jefferson Branch LifeStore Bank/Mt. Jefferson Rd. Branch LifeStore Bank/West Jefferson Linda Slade Little Saps Log Homes of America, Inc. Loghouse at Lansing LLC Lost Province Center for Cultural Arts Lynn Graham and Pat Leone M. Colton Williams, PLLC

August 2023

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Madelyn Miller Madi’s Clothing & Accessories, LLC Maizy’s on Main Mamaw B’s Mountain Crafts Margate Health & Rehab Marine Corps League High Country Detachment #1389 Marion George Mary Kay Cosmetics Mary Lou Knox McB’s Mercantile & Ice Cream McFarland & Company, Inc. Meadowsweet Gardens Merdé Michael and Maria Whaley Michele Boyce-Obenchain Miller Architecture Miller Insurance Agency Mistletoe Meadows Misty Glen, LLC MO’s Boots Modern Ford of Boone Molley Chomper, LLC Monte DeBoard Mount Jefferson Presbyterian Church Mountain Advantage LLC Mountain Air Duct Cleaning, LLC Mountain Aire Golf Club Mountain Aire Seafood & Steaks Mountain Bound Fly Guides Mountain Connections Mountain Family Care Center Mountain Field Excavating and Hauling, LLC Mountain Hearts Center For Prevention and Wellness Mountain Heritage Systems Mountain Homes Realty Mountain Laurel Moravian Fellowship Mountain Outfitters Mountain Paradise Nursery, LLC Mountain Top Woodworking Mountain Town Dental Mountain View Pool N Spa Mountainscape Realty Museum of Ashe County History Musicians Mission of Mercy Mustard Seed Renovations, LLC Naked Creek FARMacy Nancy Kiplinger Nature’s Light Candles, LLC SEE MEMBERS ON PAGE 23

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

Mountain Times Publications • Page A23

MEMBERS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Navy Federal Mortgage NC Cooperative Extension/Ashe County Center NC Tech Paths New River Barista New River Brewing Taproom & Brewery New River Calvary Church, Inc. New River Chapter, Military Officers Association New River Conservancy New River Custom Builders, Inc. New River Escape Barn and Guest House New River Family Wellness, PLLC New River Headwaters Preserve® New River Manufacturing, Inc. New River Marathon/Blue Ridge Relay New River Realty & Rentals Northwest North Carolina Visitor Center Northwest Tree Service, LLC Northwestern Emergency Vehicles, Inc. Not Just Old, LLC NRB Smokehouse & Eatery Nuthouse Cottage (at A Point of View Mtn. Retreat) Oak Hill Academy Old Barn Winery Old Orchard Creek Farm and General Store Oldhouse Goods Operation Restart Now, Inc. Optimum Originals Only Gallery Outlander North Carolina LLC PADCO Excavating Paige and Tom Ghareeb Paige Williams Pam’s Unique Boutique Parker Tie Co Parker’s Building Supply Parker’s Electrical Service Parkway Theater Parkwood Place Partnership of Ashe Pat Considine Peak Insurance / First Security Company Pencare Total Office People’s Drug & Louise’s Sweet T Cafe Perry’s Gold Mine Peter Eller Phil and Fran Holland Phipps Country Store SEE MEMBERS ON PAGE 24

WEST JEFFERSON | 1291 Mount Jefferson Road

Mon-Sat: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. | Sun: 1-6 p.m.

Thanks to our generous donors, Goodwill stores are packed with a treasure trove of items. The result is a bargain–hunter’s paradise with proceeds of every sale supporting our local job training and employment services.

The Good We Do Is Because of You | goodwillnwnc.org

Page A24 • Mountain Times Publications

MEMBERS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Plaza Del Sol Pottery by Suz Precision Building Systems NC, LLC Pretty ‘n Pearls Priscilla L. Norris, CPA Quality Assurance Locksmith R T Morgan Art & Glass By Camille Rabon Excavating, LLC Raccoon Holler Campground & RV Park LLC Randy and Jacqui Hutton Randy Marion Ford of West Jefferson RaysWeather.com RDR Kennels Red Dog Bar/Bistro Reeves DiVenere Wright Regency Properties REMAX Realty Group RHA Health Services Richard and Nan Rideout Ridge Runner Trading Co., Inc Ridgeline Garage Doors Inc. Ridgeline Properties Ridgetop Yoga Retreat River and Earth Adventures, Inc. River Bend Hills Management River Girl Fishing Co. River House Country Inn & Restaurant Riverfront Group, LLC Riverside Canoe & Tube Rentals, Inc. Riverview Community Center RN Massage Therapist, LLC Rodney Gulsvig Roten Insurance Agency Rugby Creek Cabins & Unique Rentals Saints Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church Salvation Army Family Store of Ashe County Santos Lawn Care Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts Schrophoto Schuster Physical Therapy Scott Brothers Heating & Air Inc. Scott Harris Guitar Shop Secluded Hideaway Sexton Christmas Tree Farms, Inc. Sharp Business Systems Shatley Construction & Paving Co. Inc. Sheets Brothers, Inc. Sherman and Beth Lyle

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Sisters on Main SkyLine Membership Corp./SkyBest Communications Skyline National Bank SkyLine/SkyBest Call Center and Drive-Thru Slice WJ Smoky Mountain Barbecue Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary Spirit Canoe Lodge St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church State Employees’ Credit Union State Farm Insurance Company Stateline Outpost and Grub Stay Blue Ridge Steve & Kim McCarthy Steve and Bobbie Bryson Steve Leath & Sons, LLC Steve Trinkle Stewart’s Studio Roxie Stomp and Brew Events Sturgill Tree Farms Style Depot, Inc. Summit on Cross Mountain Sweet and Savory Taqueria La Hacienda Teri Hamilton Terminix Company The Baker’s Addict, LLC The Barn on New River The Dew Drop Inn The Dough Shed Pizzeria The Farm at Glady Fork The Foundry Downtown The Gatewood Group - Real Estate The Grapevine Retreat LLC The Honey Hole The Jewel Shoppe The Motherboard The NEST Alliance The Old Store at Grassy Creek The Rotary Club of Ashe County The Salvaged Daizy The Spice and Tea Exchange of West Jefferson The Squirrel and Nut LLC The Tavern The Vintage Farmhouse General Store, Inc. The Vintage Locket The Walker Center The Wranglin` Mae Mercantile Third Day Market Third Day of Christmas/Oldhouse Express

August 2023

•

Thistle Meadow Winery

•

Thomas and Cynthia Worth

•

Tim and Loui Beacham

•

Timber Rivers Wedding and Event Venue

•

Timothy Rector DDS, PA

•

Todd Community Preservation Organization, Inc.

•

TouchPoint, Inc.

•

Town Of Jefferson

•

Town of Lansing

•

Town Of West Jefferson

•

Turchin Center for the Visual Arts

•

Twin Creeks Antiques/Southern Market

•

United Chemi-Con, Inc.

•

Unseen Pass

•

Valencia’s Graphics

•

Village Florist

•

W J Locksmith LLC

•

W J Office

•

W. J. Hardware

•

Walt and Dee Petersen

•

Watson FOODS

•

Weaver Equipment Inc./Yamaha

•

Weaver Tree Farms, Inc.

•

Wendy Waring

•

Wes Greene

•

West End Wreaths

•

West Jefferson ABC

•

West Jefferson Community Partnership

•

West Jefferson Drone Service, LLC

•

West Jefferson Lions Club

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West Jefferson Tourism Development Authority

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West Jefferson United Methodist Church

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West Jefferson Women’s Club

•

Western Youth Network

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Westhaven Aesthetics & Wellness

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Whippoorwill Academy & Village

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Whiskey Mountain Pottery, Inc.

•

Wilkes Chamber of Commerce

•

Winkler Gardens Cabin

•

Winner’s Circle Restaurant and Steak House

•

WKSK Radio

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WMMY-FM Highway 106 and 102.3

•

Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge

•

Worley’s Electric, Inc.

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Zaloo’s Canoes Inc.

•

Zuryc, Inc.

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

By Nathan Ham

Dining out in Ashe County Grill

(336) 246-3295

A

she County continues to offer a wide selection of food for residents and visitors to enjoy. If you are looking for a delicious steak, a tasty pizza or just a smalltown diner, there will be a restaurant somewhere in the county that will meet your desires.

Restaurant hours may vary. Give them a call or check out their social media sites to plan your dining adventures.

Black Jack’s Pub &

Mountain Times Publications • Page A25

Black Jack’s Pub & Grill is probably famous for their tasty burgers, but they have other numerous selections on the menu including sandwiches, chicken tenders, wings and much more.

(336) 246-5222 Boondocks in downtown West Jefferson has lunch and dinner offerings and often host live music events on the weekend either at the restaurant or just a little bit down the street at the Brewhaus.

Copper Mine Grill (336) 982-2805 Located near Laurel Springs, Copper Mine Grill is a great place to get breakfast, lunch or dinner as you travel around the county.

best in the High Country.

Reservations can be made by calling ahead.

Cruisers American Grill

(336) 846-2789 A classic diner menu of sandwiches and dinner plates. Cruisers is located at 658 S. Main St. in Jefferson.

(336) 846-2800

Havana Cafe, located on the Backstreet in West Jefferson, offers traditional Cuban food, daily specials as well as sandwiches and desserts.

Hillbilly Grill

Kristin’s Hook’d On Smoke (336) 977-0657, or visit https://www. kristinshookdonsmoke. com/ for locations and menu items.

Kristin’s Hook’d On Smoke is one of the most (336) 846-4745 popular food trucks in Hillbilly Grill in West Ashe County. Whether Jefferson offers breakfast you want pulled pork Glendale Springs Bobby D’s all day and lunch six days barbecue, wings, burgers Inn & Restaurant a week. or any of the other (336) 846-2627 (336) 982-3103 delicious items on the Hole Lotta Donuts Italian food is the A fine-dining menu, Kristin’s Hook’d specialty at Bobby D’s (336) 846-6000 restaurant located just off On Smoke has plenty of in Jefferson. Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Fresh, homemade options available. The Business 221 between the Take in the beautiful donuts, desserts and food truck is typically Craft Bistro towns, Bobby D’s offers scenery while also tasty drinks are sure located at 602 S. Jefferson pizza, pasta, wings and a (336) 846-1512 enjoying one of the finest to fill your sweet tooth Avenue in West Jefferson. nice selection of salads. meals in Ashe County. needs in downtown West Other locations may vary.

Craft Bistro’s fine SEE DINING ON PAGE 26 Boondocks Brewing dining menu is one of the Havana Cafe Jefferson.

SLOW DOWN A LITTLE. As fast as ever.

1400 Mt. Jefferson Road Ste 6 336-219-0001 carolinawest.com

Page A26 • Mountain Times Publications

DINING

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

Monte D Rey (336) 846-2100 Monte D Rey is located near Walmart and LifeStore bank on Mt. Jefferson Road and has everything on the menu to feed your Mexican food craving.

Mountain Aire Seafood & Steaks (336) 982-3060

You will find steaks, seafood, sandwiches and more on the menu at Mountain Aire Seafood & Steaks, located at the top of the mountain near the intersection of Highway 16 and Highway 163.

New River Brewing Smokehouse & Eatery (336) 846-2739 New River Brewing in West Jefferson has their always-popular wings, pulled pork, burgers, sandwiches and wraps, as well as their tasty craft beer menu.

O’s Thai Express (336) 846-2244

O’s Thai Express has daily Thai specials throughout the week.

You can find their daily menu by searching O’s Thai Express on Facebook or go to www. osthaiexpresswj.com.

Oldhouse Goods (336) 846-1089

Find breakfast, lunch, drinks and desserts at Oldhouse Goods, located off of Highway 16 in Jefferson at Third Day Market.

Osaka

(336) 246-3300

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

Osaka offers Chinese and Japanese meals for lunch and dinner.

Oshu House

(336) 846-6748 Be sure to check out Oshu House for your favorite Japanese lunch or dinner items.

Pie on the Mountain

(336) 384-8008 Pie on the Mountain in Lansing is one of the many hidden gems of Ashe County. The pizza there is well worth the drive to the northern end of the county.

Plaza Del Sol

(336) 846-1639 Mexican cuisine served in Jefferson at 777 E. Main St.

Rodie’s Parkway Restaurant (336) 982-5400 Rodie’s offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and is located near the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Slice WJ (336) 846-2990 Slice WJ offers pizza, subs, salads, cold beer, wine and mixed drinks.

When the weather is nice, be sure to check out their outdoor seating area.

Smoky Mountain Barbecue

(336) 246-6818 Smoky Mountain Barbecue in West Jefferson has a little bit of everything on the menu, but their most popular items include their pork barbecue plates and sandwiches, ribs, fried chicken and

August 2023

country ham.

Southern Scoops

(336) 846-9257 Sandwiches and ice cream are the specialties served at Southern Scoops, located at 215 Long Street in Jefferson.

Sweet & Savory

(336) 846-8888 Sweet & Savory in downtown West Jefferson has a great selection of sandwiches, salads, soups and desserts that make them one of the most popular lunch destinations in the county.

Taqueria La Hacienda

(336) 846-2077 Venture to Jefferson for authentic Mexican cuisine at Taqueria La Hacienda.

The Dough Shed

(336) 846-2200 The Dough Shed in West Jefferson has their always-popular pizza buffet and salad bar, but you can also order your own pizza to eat in or take home with you.

Photo by Erin Isley

You can find Kristin’s Hook’d on Smoke food truck at numerous events and locations throughout Ashe County. This photo was taken at this year’s Ashe County Fiddlers Convention.

a popular patio seating area that often features live music.

Thong Summit Thai & Sushi (336) 846-6555

One of the newest restaurants in West Jefferson, Thong Summit Thai & Sushi has a great

variety of sushi rolls and Thai cuisine.

Whistle Stop Cafe (336) 384-1222 Located in the small town of Warrensville, the Whistle Stop Cafe is a tasty place to stop for breakfast or lunch.

Winners Circle (336) 246-4499

Winners Circle in Jefferson has daily lunch specials Tuesday through Friday and offers a great dinner menu of steaks, seafood, pasta, chicken, pizza, sandwiches and a famous salad bar.

The Log House at Lansing

(336) 384-7737 Located in Lansing, the Log House is a family restaurant that serves homestyle cooking, sandwiches and more.

The Tavern

(336) 846-2121 The Tavern located on East 1st St. in West Jefferson has both a lunch and dinner menu that includes sandwiches, brisket, wraps, pizza, seafood and a variety of appetizers. They have

Photo by Nathan Ham

Taqueria La Hacienda owners Leticia and Rudolfo Rosas along with Ashe County Chamber of Commerce members, town and county officials cut the ribbon on May 15 to celebrate the restaurant’s recent opening.

August 2023

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

Mountain Times Publications • Page A27

Enjoy a refreshing craft beer, cider or wine in Ashe County

3Hop IPA, named after Three Top Mountain in the county, the West Jefferson Centennial he craft beer Ale that was made in industry celebration of West expanded to Jefferson’s 100th Ashe County birthday, and the Blue a decade ago when Ridge Brutal Brown, a Boondocks Brewing brown ale named after first opened. Now, the county features two craft the Blue Ridge Brutal breweries, a winery and bike race that takes place each August in the a cidery as the market continues to grow in the county.

High Country.

For more information, you can go to their website, www.

Boondocks Brewing boondocksbeer.com, or call (336) 246-5222.

Boondocks in downtown West Jefferson has a New River Brewing restaurant and their Brew Haus just down New River Brewing the street from the originally started in restaurant that offers Lansing, but has since all of their beers on tap. grown larger and moved While they might not closer to the more sell their beers in stores, populated areas of Ashe the tasty beverages at County. New River Boondocks are certainly Brewing now operates a worth the trip to Ashe restaurant in downtown County.

West Jefferson and a taproom about a halfA few of the popular mile down U.S. Business choices at Boondocks 221 between West include their locallyJefferson and Jefferson. inspired IPA, West Jefferson Juice, the 3TopThe Farmhouse Ale

By Nathan Ham

T

and Take Me To The River lager are two of their most popular selections. If you want something a little sweeter and with a little more kick to it, try the Skeeter Pee hard lemonade that also comes in numerous flavors throughout the year including pineapple, all the berries, cherry, apple and other fruity flavors.

For more information, you can go to their website, newriverbrewing.beer, or call (919) 452-8367.

Molley Chomper

Take a trip to Ashe County to visit the High Country’s only cidery, located in the tiny town of Lansing. Molley Chomper offers a tasty variety of ciders, some of which include ciders from apples and fruits grown just a few steps from the front door, as well as neighboring areas in Ashe and Watauga counties. The Porch Swing cider is made from wild crab apples that are grown just up the hill from the building. Mountain Maelstrom features locally-grown fruits.

Molley Chomper estimates that 93% of their fruit comes from farms within 60 miles of the cidery and they purchased Photo by Erin Isley approximately 60 tons of fruit from small farms in The Ashe County Chamber of Commerce held their monthly Chamber Blast at Molley Chomper Cidery in July.

2022.

For more information, you can go online to their website, www. molleychomper.com, or call (404) 769-1439.

Old Barn Winery The Old Barn Winery in West Jefferson opened in 2022 and has become one of the most popular hangout destinations in Ashe County. Not only do they Photo courtesy of New River Brewing have a tasty selection Beer flights from New River Brewing in West Jefferson give you a chance to try four different beers. of wines to sample, but they also have music during the week as well. the winery at https:// entertainment each oldbarnwinery.com/ or Learn more about weekend and sometimes call (336) 846-6060.

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Come visit the Historic Lansing Creeper Trail Park

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Page A28 • Mountain Times Publications

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

Christmas tree industry supports local economy, boosts community pride

By Erin Isley

Association.

A

In 2017, a study by Apartment Guide showed that North Carolina produces the second most Christmas trees in the nation right behind Oregon.

t the closing of the year, Christmas promises a final season of cheer.

Homes are filled with green and red decorations, gifts are wrapped in shiny paper and tied with glittering ribbon and Christmas trees are strung with bright lights and sparkling ornaments.

The first record of a decorated Christmas tree dates back to 1510 when a group of Latvian merchants adorned a tree with artificial roses, which are a common symbol of the Virgin Mary, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.

Today, Christmas trees come in various shapes, sizes, colors and kinds.

Artificial trees allow for a single purchase of a Christmas tree to last for years. Yet, people all over the country still flock to Christmas tree farms for that nostalgic feel and the authentic scent of a real Christmas tree.

North Carolina has more than 850 Christmas tree growers in the state which produce about 50 million trees across more than 38,000 acres, according to the North Carolina Christmas Tree

Furthermore, Ashe County is the largest tree producing county in the United States, according to the Ashe County Christmas Tree Association.

County Christmas Tree Association.

Fir in the nation and

the best wreath in the For those searching for a real Christmas tree nation.” in Ashe County, Davis Tree Farm, Cline Church Nursery, Frosty’s Choose & Cut, Ivy Point Farm, Lil’ Grandfather Choose & Cut, Long’s Choose and Cut, Lyalls Nursery, Mistletoe Meadows, RRR Laurel Knob, Wayland’s Nursery, Westend Wreaths, and others will gladly help.

This specific variety of Christmas tree has also been chosen to be the official White House

Christmas tree 14 times, according to the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association.

Around 12,000 acres Cline Church nursery of Ashe County land has also been chosen to produces 20 million trees provide this year’s White for the High Country of House Christmas Tree.

North Carolina.

Among the many When families visit varieties of trees the High Country to buy available in the High their trees, they can buy Country, the Frasier trees from a lot or visit fir is special in the fact a farm and participate that it is native to North in the Choose and Cut Carolina. opportunity that most farms offer. Families stroll through the Christmas tree farms until they find the perfect tree. They can alert farm workers and have their specific tree cut down and rolled up.

It can then be bought and taken back with the family to its new home.

Trees and greenery sales contribute more than $85 million annually to Ashe County’s economy, making the Christmas tree season a vital part of the year for residents, according to the Ashe

Frasier fir trees are grown in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey counties.

“Congratulations to the folks at Church’s nursery,” said Vice Chairman of the Ashe County Commissioners, Chuck Olive at a recent meeting. “They had the national Christmas tree competition this past week in Minnesota and they won the best Fraser

Ashe County is the largest tree producing county in the United States.

Photo by Erin Isley

August 2023

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

Mountain Times Publications • Page A29

Ashe County Frescoes become staple of beauty for community

By Erin Isley

T

he Frescoes were painted

by Benjamin F. Long IV in 1974 in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

While the churches used to be separate entities, they belong now to the same congregation known as the Episcopal Parish of the Holy Communion.

The congregation rotates services between the two churches. Even month services are held at St. Mary’s and odd month services are held at Holy Trinity.

Frescoes are a method of painting with waterbased paint directly onto wet plaster. This plaster is usually on walls inside of buildings like churches, banks and government offices.

Some of the most famous fresco paintings are Michelangelo’s “The Sistine Chapel Ceiling,” Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and “The Last Judgment” also by Michelangelo.

Long collaborated with Reverend Faulton Hodge to design and create his first fresco at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church: “Mary

Great with Child.” In this fresco, the Virgin Mary is portrayed as pregnant with Jesus Christ under a solar eclipse.

Long’s “John the Baptist” followed shortly after his first piece and concluded the series with “The Mystery of Faith.”“John the Baptist” is a portrait of John the Baptist holding a wooden staff and pointing to his head, while wearing a brown cloth in the desert.

“The Mystery of Faith” is the centerpiece of this triptych. It portrays Jesus on the cross while a spiritual form of Jesus rises above the body on the cross. The spiritual Jesus has his hands open on either side of his form.

within the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Glendale Springs.

The fresco presents Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper table. One disciple is seen walking out the door of the room in the painting while another is St. Mary’s Church is walking down the stairs. located at 400 Beaver The fresco takes up an Creek School Road in entire wall of the church West Jefferson. behind the altar and In 1977, Long created is painted in softened a life-size representation tones. Long worked on Photo by Erin Isley of the Last Supper SEE FRESCOES ON PAGE 30 Holy Trinity Episcopal Church is located in Glendale Springs

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Page A30 • Mountain Times Publications

FRESCOES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

the fresco with his team of 20 students for three months.

Holy Trinity church is located at 195 JW Luke Road in Glendale Springs.

Festival of the Frescoes is held each year to celebrate the pieces of art and bring community members together. This year, the festival will be held on Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a raffle, silent auction, children’s games and activities, a bakery booth and much more at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Glendale Springs.

The Ashe County Frescoes Foundation, established in 2009, serves the community by working to preserve Long’s artwork. The foundation is a nonprofit. The frescoes are free to all who wish to stop by and marvel at Long’s work.

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

wonderful place,” said the president of The Ashe County Frescoes Foundation, Jeff Dreyer.

“Those churches are beautiful places to meditate and enjoy the art.”

Janet Pittard and David Chiswell wrote a book called “The Ashe County Frescoes of Benjamin F. Long IV.”The book was commissioned by the Ashe County Frescoes Foundation to better explain the history and spiritual meaning of the frescoes as well as explore Long’s artistic career.

Long is a contemporary portrait and fresco painter. Long was born in Texas, but grew up in Statesville, North Carolina. After

receiving a degree in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Long joined the Art Students League of New York to continue his passionate study of art.

Throughout his painting years, Long has received four distinguished awards, is the only non-Italian to have a fresco in the Abbey de Monte Cassino, has works on exhibition at the Royal Academy and the Royal Portrait Society, has combat art archived at the National Marine Corps Museum from his time serving in Vietnam and has been included in the Art Renewal Center’s “Living Masters.”

August 2023

Long has created 15 frescoes. NationsBank in Charlotte contracted Long and his team of artists to create a series of frescoes in their building, leaving the subject of the paintings to the creative mind of the team. It was Long’s first secular fresco undertaking.

Today, Long’s fresco in Charlotte’s Bank of America Corporate Center is the largest secular fresco in the United States.

For more information about the Frescoes visit www.ashefrescoes.org or call (336) 982-3076.

Photo by Erin Isley

The Frescoes inside Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

At this year’s Ashe County Chamber of Commerce’s annual event, the Ashe County Frescoes Foundation won the “Coolest Corner” Award. This award is presented to organizations and people who help to promote tourism to Ashe County.

“If you haven’t been there, your family hasn’t been there, whether you like the art or not, if you’re a religious person or not, it’s a

A look inside St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in the Beaver Creek community.

Photo by Erin Isley

Photo by Erin Isley

The Frescoes in Ashe County were painted in 1974.

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

By Nathan Ham

Mountain Times Publications • Page A31

Churches of Ashe County

F

aith and church have always been important in the Appalachian Mountains and here in Ashe County it’s certainly no different. Below is a list of locations for the majority of churches and other religious organizations in Ashe County.

Appalachian Church 787 Ray Taylor Road West Jefferson, North Carolina 28694 http://appchurch.org/ Apple Grove Baptist Church 553 Ripshin Road Lansing, NC 28643 Ashe Baptist Association 204 Beaver Creek School Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Ashe County Worship Center 863 Ray Taylor Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 http://ashecountyworshipcenter.org/ Ashe Alliance Church

220 Lynch Colvard Road Jefferson, NC 28640 Bald Mountain Baptist Church 1460 Bald Mountain Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 http://www.baldmountainchurch.org/ Beaver Creek Baptist Church 1471 Mulatto Mountain Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Beaver Creek Christian Church 1676 Beaver Creek School Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 https://beavercreekchristian.net/ Ben Bolen Baptist Church 2835 Three Top Road Creston, NC 28615 Bethany United Methodist Church 495 Highway 194 South West Jefferson, NC https://www.bumcwj.org/ Bethel Baptist Church

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15366 Old Highway 16 Grassy Creek, NC 28631 Big Flatts Baptist Church 2373 Big Flatts Church Road Fleetwood, NC 28626 Big Laurel Baptist Church 1146 Joines Road Creston, NC 28615 Big Laurel Christian Union 2550 Big Laurel Road Creston, NC 28615 Big Laurel Mennonite Church 5500 Big Laurel Road Creston, NC 28615 Blackburn’s Tabernacle 3986 Todd Railroad Grade Road Todd, NC 28684 Blue Ridge Baptist Church 407 Blue Ridge Church Road West Jefferson, NC 28694

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SEE CHURCHES ON PAGE 32

Page A32 • Mountain Times Publications

CHURCHES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

Bristol Baptist Church 1776 Old Highway 16 Jefferson, NC 28640 Buffalo Baptist Church 619 Central Buffalo Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Calvary Baptist Church 200 Oak Street West Jefferson, NC 28694 Calvary Freewill Baptist Church 3020 Old Wilkesboro Road Jefferson, NC 28643 http://www.calvaryfwbc.org/ Calvary United Methodist Church 922 Railroad Grade Road Fleetwood, NC 28626 Chestnut Hill Missionary Baptist Church 311 Chestnut Hill Baptist Church Road Crumpler, NC 28617 Chestnut Hill United Methodist 604 Martin Gambill Road Crumpler, NC 28617 Christian Unity Baptist Church 326 E. Main Street Jefferson, NC 28640 Clifton Baptist Church 972 Carl Eastridge Road Warrensville, NC 28693 Clifton United Methodist 1017 Carl Eastridge Rd Warrensville, NC 28693 Cornerstone Fellowship 270 Barnett Street West Jefferson, NC 28694 Cristo El Salvador 342 River Bend Hill’s Road Crumpler, NC 28617 Faith Chapel Christian Church 141 Campbell Glen Lane Fleetwood, NC 28626 Farmers Memorial Baptist Church Farmers Store Road Lansing, NC 28643 First Assembly of God 210 Faw Roland St. Jefferson, NC 28640 Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church 201 South Street Jefferson, NC 28640 http://www.fletchermbc.org/ Friendly Grove Baptist Church 444 Buck Mountain Road

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN West Jefferson, NC 28694 Friendship Baptist Church 891 Friendship Baptist Church Road Jefferson, NC 28640 https://www.friendshipbaptistjefferson.org/ Glendale Springs Presbyterian 350 JW Luke Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Grassy Creek United Methodist 479 Grassy Creek Road Grassy Creek, NC 28631 Happy Trails Cowboy Church 9331 NC 16 North West Jefferson, NC 28694 Healing Springs Baptist Church 9180 Old Highway 16 Crumpler, NC 28617 Helton United Methodist Church 15309 Highway 194 Lansing, NC 28643 Highlands Community Church 787 Ray Taylor Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Holy Trinity Episcopal 120 Glendale School Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Jefferson United Methodist Church 115 East Main Street Jefferson, NC 28640 https://www.jumc.church/ Laurel Fork Presbyterian Church 15232 NC Hwy 18 S Laurel Springs, NC 28644 Laurel Knob Baptist Church 3707 NC Highway 194 Todd, NC 28684 https://www.laurelknobbaptist.org/ Liberty Grove Baptist 3289 Liberty Grove Church Road Fleetwood, NC 28626 Little Helton Baptist Church 750 Little Helton Road Grassy Creek, NC 28631 Little Laurel United Methodist 2443 Little Laurel Road Creston, NC 28615 Meadowview Mennonite Church 2334 Tucker Road Lansing, NC 28643 Midway Baptist Church 1670 Mount Jefferson Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 https://www.midwaybaptistnc.org/ Mission Home Baptist Church 480 Railroad Grade Road

August 2023

Fleetwood, NC 28626 Mount Jefferson Baptist Church 1957 US 221 Jefferson, NC 28640 Mount Jefferson Presbyterian Church 201 S. Jefferson Ave. West Jefferson, NC 28694 https://mjpc.org/ Mount Laurel Moravian Fellowship Church 191 Transou Church Road Laurel Springs, NC 28644 https://mountainlaurelfellowship.com/ Mount Paddy Christian Union 822 NC Highway 88 Jefferson, NC 28640 Mount Vernon Baptist Church 2190 Cranberry Creek Road Laurel Springs, NC 28644 Nathan’s Creek United Methodist Church 422 Nathans Creek School Road Crumpler, NC 28617 New Creation Baldwin 1549 NC Highway 194 S. Todd, NC 28684 New River Baptist Church 1619 Weaver Ford Road Grassy Creek, NC 28631 North Beaver Baptist Church 8000 NC Highway 163 West Jefferson, NC 28694 https://northbeaver.org/ Oak Hill Baptist Church 1222 Deep Ford Road Lansing, NC 28643 Obids Baptist Church 194 Obids Baptist Church Road West Jefferson NC 28694 Old Fields Baptist Church 1964 Conley Cheek Road Fleetwood, NC 28626 Orion Baptist Church 477 Frank Dillard Road Jefferson, NC 28640 https://orionbaptist.com/ Peace Haven Community Church 373 Piney Creek Road Lansing, NC 28643 Pilot Mountain Baptist Church Castle Ford Road Todd, NC 28684 Pine Swamp Baptist Church 3025 Dick Phillips Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Pleasant Hill Church

SEE CHURCHES ON PAGE 33

August 2023

CHURCHES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

534 Roaring Fork Road Creston, NC 28615 Pleasant Home Baptist Church Grassy Creek, NC 28631 Pleasant View Separate Baptist 1801 Teaberry Road Warrensville, NC 28693 Riverview Baptist Church 11789 NC Highway 88 Creston, NC 28617 Round Knob Baptist Church 247 Round Knob Church Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Sabbath Home Baptist Church 1938 E Little Horse Creek Road Lansing, NC 28643 Senter Primitive Baptist Nathans Creek School Road Crumpler, NC 28617 Smethport Baptist Church 180 Smethport Dr. West Jefferson, NC 28694 Smethport United Methodist 200 Smethport Drive

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN West Jefferson, NC 28694 South Fork Baptist Church 157 South Fork Church Road Todd, NC 28684 https://southforkbaptistchurch.org/ St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church 167 St. Francis Place Jefferson, NC 28640 http://stfrancisofassisi-jefferson.org/ St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 400 Beaver Creek School Road West Jefferson, NC 28694 Sugar Tree Baptist Church 496 Sugar Tree Road Warrensville, NC 28693 Sutherland United Methodist Church 141 Sutherland Road Creston, NC 28615 Three Forks Missionary Baptist Church Cabbage Creek Road Creston, NC 28615 Three Top Baptist Creston, NC 28615 Transou United Methodist 191 Transou Road Laurel Springs, NC 28644

Mountain Times Publications • Page A33

Tuckerdale Baptist Church 2678 S Big Horse Creek Road Lansing, NC 28643 Valley Home Baptist Church 5563 Three Top Road Creston, NC 28615 Wagoner Baptist Church 115 Wagoner Access Road Jefferson, NC 28640 Warrensville Baptist Church 130 Church Street Warrensville, NC 28697 http://www.warrensvillebaptistchurch.com/ Warrensville Seventh-Day Adventist Church 227 Warrensville Drive Warrensville, NC 28697 Warrensville United Methodist Church 184 Church Street Warrensville, NC 28693 Welcome Home Baptist Church 4087 US Highway 221 Jefferson, NC 28640 West Jefferson Church of Christ 130 Robert Street West Jefferson, NC 28694 https://www.wjchurchofchrist.org/ SEE CHURCHES ON PAGE 34

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Page A34 • Mountain Times Publications

CHURCHES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

West Jefferson First Baptist Church

8 E. 2nd Street West Jefferson, NC 28694

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN https://www.fbcwj.org/ West Jefferson United Methodist Church 107 W. 2nd Street West Jefferson, NC 28694 http://wjumc.net/ Worth’s Chapel

August 2023

160 Worths Chapel Road Creston, NC 28615 Zion United Methodist Church

253 Zion Methodist Church Road Todd, NC 28684

State parks and natural areas that call Ashe County home

By Nathan Ham

F

rom the top of Mount Jefferson to the edges of the New River, the beauty of nature is prevalent across Ashe County.

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area has five miles of hiking trails and is home to over 700 native plants along the slopes of the mountain. Mount Jefferson’s peak sits 4,665 feet above sea level and is about 1,600 feet above the towns of West Jefferson and Jefferson that sit at the base of the mountain.

The hiking trails feature the Mountain Ridge Trail, the steeper Summit Ridge Trail, the Rhododendron Trail and the Lost Province Trail, the latter two being loop trails that will bring you though different views of the natural area each step of the way.

For additional information on the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, visit https://www. ncparks.gov/state-parks/ mount-jefferson-statenatural-area.

New River State Park features four different SEE PARKS ON PAGE 35

The view from atop Mount Jefferson shows the towns of Jefferson and West Jefferson at the base of the mountain.

File photo

August 2023

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

Mountain Times Publications • Page A35

PARKS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

access points: The U.S. 221 Access, Wagoner Access, Kings Creek Access and Elk Shoals Access.

Throughout the park, there are nine total miles of hiking trails as well as picnic shelters, camping sites and even trailer and RV sites.

The waters are perfect for canoeing, kayaking or simply floating down the river to enjoy beautiful scenery and enjoy some time on the water with friends and family.

The New River was designated as an American Heritage River in 1998 and flows through North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The river, which flows north for 320 miles, is widely considered to be the oldest river in North America and one of the

File photo

New River State Park has four different access points to enjoy a day on the river.

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Page A36 • Mountain Times Publications

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

Big things happening on the New River

By Erin Isley

N

open

C Highway 163 New River Access now

Over half of the New River Park Highway 163 Access ribbon cutting attendees ventured into the water after the ceremony. Some took canoes or kayaks, some brought fishing poles and others brought themselves and simply stuck their feet in the crisp, flowing water of the New River.

The access features three sand beaches, gravel trails leading down to the water, a parking lot, portable toilet and covered picnic area.

Projects like these are fairly inexpensive to maintain, Ashe County Commissioner Todd McNeill said. Besides mowing maintenance and the occasional gravel replacement, the public access should remain self-sustaining. It also did not require any new governmental staff to keep it running.

The beaches on the upper end of the curve in the New River are created so that the water flow slows down, which allows sediment to drop from the water and be

Photo by Erin Isley

People took the time to explore the New River Access area on NC Highway 163.

continuously placed back on the beaches, said Tom Davis of Foggy Mountain Nursery.

So, maintenance there should be limited as well.

Foggy Mountain Nursery did all of the landscaping for the public access. The stone steps are field stones from Virginia. They are naturally more flat and even, which allowed for easy transport and were perfect for the steps,

Davis said.

The money from the county that helped The Ashe County fund this project came Commissioners are from ordinance taxes. interested in doing more Ordinance taxes are projects like this one gathered from tourists along the New River that come to the county. in other areas of Ashe “Zero dollars of County, McNeill said. property tax went into The land where the this project,” McNeill public access to the New said.

River Park is located was The High Country originally donated to Association of Realtors, New River Conservancy, Deanna Ballard and but they have since many others helped out transferred the property with the funding of the over to Ashe County.

New River Park Highway

163 Access in addition to New River Conservancy and Ashe County. New River Conservancy applied to multiple grants throughout the project.

“This has been a dream of mine and Adam’s (Stumb) for years,” McNeill said.

New River Conservancy, Ashe County, and all those involved now welcome visitors to the public access to enjoy the New

River and one of Ashe County’s most popular attractions.

New River Canoe Race returns for 41st year Nearing the end of the summer season, New River Conservancy will also host the 41st Annual New River Canoe Race.

The race will be held on Sept. 23 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Jefferson.

Funds from the race will help to support New SEE RIVER ON PAGE 37

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

RIVER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

River Conservancy’s restoration work at the Wagoner Access to the New River.

The event will be held at Zaloo’s Canoes where participants can bring their own canoes or kayaks or rent one there at a discounted rate, according to the New River Conservancy.

The race will be five miles long taking anywhere from under 45 minutes to over an hour depending on the level of experience for the participant. The Novice and Expert classes each have seven categories of competition: men’s kayak, women’s kayak,

two-person men’s canoe, two-person women’s canoe, twoperson’s mixed canoe consisting of an adult and a youth or a male and a female, twoperson mixed canoe with adults coed and the youth category consisting of a solo participant or tandem participants under the age of 13.

There will also be a Special Class consisting of a family float, special craft race, best costume and best costume theme races. The special craft race participants could use a longboat, solo canoe, air mattress, overstuffed unicorn or any floating craft of their choosing, according to

Mountain Times Publications • Page A37

New River Conservancy.

The race costs $20 per adult per category of participation and an additional $5 for each race category of participation.

Participation for children under 12 years of age costs $5 and each Family Float Boat costs $25 with up to six people in the canoe.

The award ceremony will take place at 3 p.m.

Registration closes at 5 p.m. on Sept. 21.

For more information, visit https:// newriverconservancy. org/event/41st-annualnew-river-canoe-race/.

Photo by Erin Isley

The New River Canoe Race, now sponsored by the New River Conservancy, will return for a 41st year this September.

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Page A38 • Mountain Times Publications

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

Keeping you safe in Ashe County

By Nathan Ham

I

t’s always important to feel safe in your community.

Thanks to the hard work by the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office, West Jefferson Police Department and Jefferson Police Department, citizens in the county can have some peace of mind as they go about their daily lives.

Ashe County Sheriff B. Phil Howell has been the county sheriff since first being elected in 2018. Howell is an Ashe County native and grew up in Laurel Springs. He went to West Jefferson Elementary School and then to Beaver Creek High School before becoming one of the earliest classes of graduates at the newlyconsolidated Ashe County High School.

Under Sheriff Howell’s leadership, the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office has experienced significant growth in their community outreach programs while also adding the latest technology and safety equipment available for law enforcement officers.

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Ashe County Sheriff B. Phil Howell

File photo

ASHE COUNTY MY HOMETOWN

August 2023

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board.

Howell was officially sworn in on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2022 at his office

by NC 23rd Judicial District Judge, Hon. Laura Luffman.

Howell, who was in charge of the dispatch center at the sheriff’s office prior to running for Ashe County Sheriff, said that he had a feeling that this appointment would be coming eventually since he had plenty of experience with 911 dispatch.

“Thank you for your willingness to serve in this capacity. I am confident you will have much to offer the 911 Board and will be effective and diligent in your service to our state,” Speaker Moore said in a letter recognizing Howell’s appointment to the

“From 2006 through 2015 I was primarily law enforcement until Sheriff (James) Williams appointed me over our dispatch center here. I assume I am one of the few sheriffs that have worked in a 911 center at some point. I was the supervisor over

Earlier this year, Sheriff Howell was appointed to the N.C. 911 Board.

911 from 2015 through 2018,” Howell said.

“To me, this is a great opportunity being the only sheriff on the board and a great opportunity to learn a little more about the system and what other counties are doing as well.”

The N.C. 911 Board was founded with the goal in mind of creating a statewide 911 system for wireless and landline callers that quickly and efficiently get 911 callers in touch with dispatch centers.

In September of 1998, the North Carolina General Assembly passed

a Senate Bill that created the Enhanced 911 Wireless Fund and the North Carolina Wireless 911 Board.

The bill was revised in 2007 by the General Assembly to create a single 911 board that became responsible for managing both landline and wireless 911 communication in North Carolina.

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the biggest and most important needs that can be fulfilled with the grant money.

“All of the fees that come off of our cell phones, home phones and things like that, they go to the state and this board decides how to use them,” Howell explained.

“As far as a dispatch center, the money has to be used for the actual dispatcher.

The dispatcher has to be able to put their hands on it such as computers, consoles and infrastructure,” Howell said. “We have a rolling balance that comes to the county every year.

Every dispatch in every county does, it supports the whole 911 infrastructure system.”

The board will receive grant requests and will determine

How to get in touch with local law enforcement agencies:

Ashe County Sheriff’s Office 140 Government Circle Jefferson, NC 28640 (336) 846-5633 West Jefferson Police Department 1 S. Jefferson Avenue West Jefferson, NC 28694 (336) 246-9410 Jefferson Police Department 213 E. Main Street Jefferson, NC 28640 (336) 846-5529

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August 2023

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