Mystery Hill

Quirky, eclectic, fun interactive entertainment awaits at Mystery Hill

BY DAVID ROGERS

Imagine yourself living in the High Country around the year 1700. You are probably a frontiersman — or a Native American. It’s wintertime and snow has piled up on the trail ahead as you pad through the forest in your moccasins. Looking at the fresh snow, you suddenly see footprints of a large bear. Pulling out your tomahawk, you are ready to spring into action. You would rather the bear be your dinner this evening than you be his.

Tomahawk throwing is a skill, and Blowing Rock’s Mystery Hill has a special feature for fun and even competition. It is called Tomahawk Hill, and it is adjacent to the the High Country’s most eclectic attraction. Attracting more than 70,000 visitors each year according to its website, Mystery Hill keeps innovating and adding new features.

The legacy attraction of course is its gravity vortex, the only one in North Carolina. Water flows uphill. Balls roll in the opposite direction from what you would expect. Individuals are pulled to stand at a 45-degree angle in spite of their efforts to stand up straight.

Matthew Underwood is the third-generation owner of the attraction that has entertained locals and visitors alike for more than 70 years.

“Mystery Hill will always be known for its gravitational anomaly because that is what the business was founded on,” said Underwood. “But over the years we have added so much more. The breadth of the Mystery Hill experience is pretty unique.”

Recently, Mystery Hill expanded its Gem Mining feature. Their Bubblerama, a room full of giant bubbles; the Hall of Mystery is a hands-on science area; Professor Finnegan’s old-time portrait parlor keeps getting bigger and better, with more costumes and more scenes.

PHOTO BY ANDREW COLE Jonas Stockner holds on tight during a mechanical bull ride at Mystery Hill.

FILE PHOTO Mystery Hill has nine unique attractions that family members of all ages can enjoy. FILE PHOTO Blowing Rock visitor Jay Janish takes aim with a tomahawk.

FILE PHOTO A guide at Mystery Hill demonstrates the gravitational oddities associated with the attraction.

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A family enjoys the gem mine at Mystery Hill. FILE PHOTO

We are keeping the store safe and healthy!

(Through Christmas)

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With so many thousands of people visiting Mystery Hill each year for three-quarters of a century — many of them repeat customers — it is easy to imagine the legions of Appalachian State students, as well as families from all over the East Coast and from around the world, whose smiles have brightened the attraction’s doorways, their laughs aplenty echoing through the halls.

Group rates are available from Mystery Hill for its interactive adventures, as well as private event bookings. Learn more at www.mysteryhill.com.

Remyington Ford tries to throws a ball through a hole at Mystery Hill.

FILE PHOTO Terry Lynn stands in the middle of a giant bubble while Catherine Stalcoskie demonstrates the phenomenon at Mystery Hill.

FILE PHOTO

PHOTO BY ANDREW COLE Mystery Hill employee Hannah Finkelstein demonstrates candle pouring during WinterFest activities.