TOWNS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 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 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 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 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 family-owned 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.

SEE TOWNS ON PAGE 18