Valle Crucis Community Park![]() Along with Grandfather Mountain, Valle Crucis is one of the sites most visited by people vacationing in the area. An area whose history is that of a quiet valley where local mountain people long ago picked up their mail and purchased the few "store-bought" goods they could afford, today it is filling up with large, expensive homes, bed-and-breakfasts, a few restaurants and, like so many places, the required "winery." As Valle Crucis has developed, some local residents have worked together to build a sense of community and the Valle Crucis Community Park has become the center of that growing community Click here to learn more . . . |
2013 Doc and Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest
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![]() Daylilies of the North Carolina MountainsIt's daylily time in the northern North Carolina Mountains and you will see them growing wild by the roadside and cultivated in manicured gardens. Daylilies are so popular because of the variety of colors, shapes and sizes available. There is no mistaking them for anything else. And we know they won't be there long so we photograph them, stop on the side of the road to gawk at them and, always, smile when we see them. |
![]() Raffaldini Winery
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![]() ![]() 2013 Watauga CountyFarmers Market Begins May 4Spring planting has begun and winter CSA activity is closing down. It must be time for the Farmers' Market. After a few years of doubt about the market's location, the Farmers' market will open in its traditional space, the Horn in the West parking lot. The market opens at around 8 a.m. and lasts until noon. The normally high spirits will be dampened this year by the death this week of leading organic farmer Charles Church. Charles' farm, Watauga River Farms, was an early convert from tobacco to organic vegetable farming and he has been a leader, co-ordinator, cheerleader and, most important, a mentor to many of the area's enthusiastic new organic and sustainable-method farmers. Click here to go to the Farmers' Market website . . . |
![]() The Biltmore House Starts Its 2013 Festival of Flowers with OrchidsThe planners at the Biltmore Estate never think small when planning events. The new tourist season begins each year with the Festival of Flowers and this year they return to one of Frederick Law Olmsted's plans for the gardens . . . orchids. |
![]() Our New River Ends in Gauley Bridge, West VAThe New River gets 2 starts in Watauga County. One of the oldest rivers on the planet flows north from Ashe County to Virginia and through a wild ride in West Virginia before it meets the Gauley River in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia and, at their confluence, form the "Great Kanawha." |
![]() Appalachian StateOld-Time Fiddlers' Convention
The 5th annual ASU Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention was held in the Plemmons Student Union on Saturday February 9, 2013. Pickers, strummers and dancers rehearsed in hallways and in stairwells while waiting for their competitions. |
![]() Wright Brothers National Memorial: Kill Devil Hills NC
First in Flight. We see it on license plates and tourism ads but how many make it to the Outer Banks, to Kill Devil Hills, to where two brothers from Ohio changed the world? While North Carolina claims the site, America claims Wilbur and Orville, two bicycle designers who read about the science that others were gathering on human flight and propelled it forward until they reached their goal. The center of the Wright Brothers National Memorial Site is a 60 foot monument on a 90 foot hill. That's a lot of elevation on the Outer Banks and it offers a hint of the view from "up there" in a flying machine. Journey to the memorial by plane and learn about two American heroes . . . |
Update: Grandfather Mountain State Park![]() The State of North Carolina purchased "the backcountry" of Grandfather Mountain in 2008, 2 years after Hugh Morton's death, and created the Grandfather Mountain State Park in 2009. In a complex deal, the Morton family inheritors kept the fun part, called "the attraction", and created a foundation to continue to develop its nature education facilities and to host the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Singing on the Mountain festivals . . . |
![]() Day Trips: Chimney Rock & Lake LureIn 1902 Dr. Lucius Morse moved from Missouri to Hendersonville, just south of Asheville, for the more favorable climate to cope with his recently diagnosed tuberculosis. During one of his day trips he found Hickory Nut Gorge and the Chimney Rock rising above the gorge and envisioned a resort attraction to rival any in the east. His vision came true but not by the path he planned . . . |
![]() MusicFest 'n Sugar Grove 2012For the 15th year in a row, fans showed up at the Historic Old Cove Creek School, home of the Doc Watson Museum, to attend the MusicFest 'n Sugar Grove. This year they gathered to pay tribute to the show's host Doc Watson, who died this May. The festival's intimate setting has forged a close relationship between audience and musicians here over the years . . . |
![]() New River WineryLocal sourcing is a way of life in Boone, fiercely important to many of the area's residents. Wine shipped from France? Australia? South America or even California? Not necessary any more. In recent years, the foothills region has developed some excellent wines, but even closer to home, in the little town of Lansing, North Carolina, winemakers Darlene Massey and Nic Slaton are making wines almost exclusively from locally-grown grapes and the early reviews are good . . . |
Doc Watson
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![]() Cove Creek Farm Heritage DaysOn September 17 the Historic Cove Creek School was the scene of the annual Cove Creek Farm Heritage Day celebration. Local farmers and craftspersons demonstrated techniques and products needed more than ever in our community. |
![]() Jones House Concerts on the LawnOn Friday August 26 visitors gathered at the Jones House Community Center in downtown Boone to hear local musicians Rick Ward and the Dashboard Hula Boys. The concert series, sponsored by the Mast General Store, is in its 19th year. |
![]() Watauga Lake TennesseeJust 45 minutes from Boone is the easternmost Tennessee TVA lake, Watauga Lake. Billed as one of the cleanest lakes in America, this 16-mile long lake is never crowded with boat traffic and its warm summer water temperatures make it ideal for swimming and boating. Learn more about one of the best kept secrets in the area . . . |
![]() Relay For Life Spring Thaw 5k RunOn a cold, wet early April morning more than 100 runners and walkers turned out the the Watauga County Relay for Life Spring Thaw 5k run. The event raises money for the Watauga Counth chapter of the American Cancer Society. . . . Click here to learn more . . . |
![]() 2010 Hickory Ridge Apple FestivalThe 30th annual Apple Festival was held at the Hickory Ridge Homestad Museum on Saturday October 9, a beautiful Fall day. The festival had games, crafts, tours food and some hints of Halloween to come. . . . Click here to learn more . . . |
![]() Health Care in the High Country: Running, Biking, Hiking & MoreWhile the nation as a whole has increasing numbers in the overweight and out-of-shape categories Boone hosts filled-to-capacity mountainous marathons, 100-mile bike races, triathlons and more. . . Click here to learn more . . . |
![]() 55th Farm City Day at
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![]() Blowing Rock Farmers MarketEach Thursday from mid-May to mid-October you can shop for local vegetables and fruits under the trees near the park in Blowing Rock. Local farmers make it easier for Blowing Rock residents and visitors to "shop local" by coming here each week. . . Click here to learn more . . . |
![]() Zydeco Moon Farm
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![]() MusicFest 'n Sugar Grove
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![]() Blood Sweat and Gears 2010The main race is 100 miles long and includes 13,000 feet uphill. It winds through rural western Watauga County past gardens, horses, farms and some breathtaking scenery . . . Read more . . . |
![]() A Day on Watauga LakeRemarkably, one of the area's best assets remains one of its best kept secrets. Just across the Tennessee border lies Watauga Lake, the easternmost of the TVA lakes. This 16 mile lake has a 100-plus mile shoreline over half of which is in the Cherokee National Forest. Public marinas, boat ramps and beaches are easily accessible from Highway 321 and the views are spectacular. It is the best place in the area for boating, fishing or just getting away. Read more . . . |
![]() Farm to Market: Springhouse FarmStill buying produce shipped over 2,000 miles from California while our local farms produce just-picked seasonal vegetables and fruits in astounding varieties? If so, it's time to take a closer look at what you are missing. As Americans reawaken to the benefits of fresh, local foods we find that we live in an area with farmers experienced in sustainable and organic farming practices ready to meet our needs. Springhouse Farm owner, Amy Fiedler, has quickly developed her farm as a significant provider of vegetables, herbs and honey and is working with other farmers to make it easy for us to buy local. Read more . . . |
![]() The Old Hampton Store and Grist Mill in Linville NCOnce a stop of the original Tweetsie Railroad, the Old Hampton Store has become a place noted for its fresh barbeque sandwiches and its annual Cornbread Cookoff. . . Read more . . . |
![]() 2010 Watauga County Farmers' MarketMay 2010Buying local may be a new trend for some but the Watauga County Farmers' Market has been selling local produce for 37 years. This vibrant market is thriving as many people reevaluate their food sources and quality . . . Read more . . . |
Local Sculptor Richard Hallier Dies![]() April 2010Renowned sculptor Richard Hallier, whose sculptures of dancers, children and mothers are seen throughout our area, died last Saturday in Florida. At left is a photo of his sculpture "Blessed Be The Tie That Binds" at the Crossnore School in nearby Crossnore, NC. Hallier was 65 years old. His obituary reports that he specialized "in life-size figurative bronze, he produced more than 200 life-size-sculptures in his body of work. His dedication to the female form, dancers and athletes won him high honors, and his work found placement in private and public collections throughout the world." Learn more about Richard Hallier on his website |
ASU 9th Annual Diversity Celebration![]() The 9th Annual Diversity Celebration was held on the ASU campus on March 23rd. The Plemmons Student Union was crowded with people of all ages walking among the wide range of performers, exhibits and food halls. Click here to learn more . . . |
March 23 - 28: Black Banjo Gathering![]() This week hundreds of musicians will gather in Boone for a reunion of the Black Banjo Gathering. Five years ago, the first "gathering" took place here and resulted in expanded opportunities for musicians involved with African American banjo music. Most famously, it led to the formation of the popular group The Carolina Chocolate Drops. Funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the reunion will take place at ASU Wednesday through Saturday, March 24 to 27. The event will open with a concert on Wednesday, March 24, at Farthing Auditorium. Click here to learn more . . . |
Biltmore Estate in Asheville NCDecember 2009Just 2 hours from Boone, a visit to the George Vanderbilt Biltmore Estate makes for a memorable day trip. See the house that is billed as the largest private home in America with 250 rooms. Visit the Biltmore winery, the River Bed Farm and the Deer Park. . . . Click here to learn more . . . |
![]() A Tribute to Armanti EdwardsDecember 2009Armanti Edwards' last game with Appalachian State provided all of the excitement that ASU fans have come to expect from him if not the desired outcome. To many in the Boone area, Edwards' graduation from ASU is the end of not just a football era but a time of positive national attention that many in the area have benefited from. Coach Jerry Moore may very well provide more of this in the future but, for now, we pause to look back at this special athlete and young man. The day after their close loss to a strong University of Montana team with tremendous home field advantage a tribute to Edwards was written in, of all places, Helena Montana. Click here to learn more . . . |
![]() Christmas Preparations Begin![]() November 2009Holiday preparations are in full swing in the High Country. The Chamber of Commerce urges local residents to "Shop Local" for the holidays, an easy assignment given the wealth of local crafts and specialty stores. . . . Click here to learn about one of the area's best sources of local crafts . . . |
![]() Hands Gallery Crafts Co-opNovember 2009Hands Gallery Crafts Co-op is the High Country's oldest crafts cooperative. It was formed in 1975 by a small group of local artists and some of its early members are still a part of the organization 34 years later . . . Read more . . . |
![]() 2009 Fall ColorThe leaves are turning red and gold at the highest elevations off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This photo was taken on October 8 2009 not far from the Linn Cove Viaduct. The trees are just beginning to turn lower down in Boone and Blowing Rock. Read more about the Blue Ridge Parkway . . . See the Fall Colors on the ASU Campus . . . See the Fall Colors at Linville Falls . . . ![]() |
![]() Linville FallsOctober 2009Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 316.4 is the park which contains the Linville Falls. This beautiful park with its trails through a hardwood tree forest shows off the falls from several vantage points. |
![]() 2009 Labor Day on Grandfather MountainThe 2009 Labor Day weekend offered beautiful weather and many sites and events to choose from. Grandfather Mountain, the newest part of North Carolina's State Park system, was host to many visitors that weekend. The view from the Mile High Swinging Bridge was far and filled with blue sky and layers of Blue Ridge Mountains. Read more . . . |
![]() Boone's Neighboring CommunitiesMany Boone visitors spend much of their time in the area outside of Boone in its neighboring Watauga County communities. The Mast Store in Valle Crucis, Grandfather Mountain near Linville, The Todd General Store and many more great places to see are nestled in communities each with unique histories and character. In Part 1 of these profiles, learn more about Sugar Grove, Cove Creek, Zionville an other small communities in western Watauga County. Read more . . . |
![]() MusicFest 'n Sugar Grove 2009July 2009MusicFest 'n Sugar Grove reached new heights this year with the return of Doc Watson and, on the same stage, the Kruger Brothers, The Carolina Chocolate Drops and The Steep Canyon Rangers. The Snyder Family Band, new to the show, earned 2 standing ovations as these very young players dazzled the crowd . . . Read more . . . ![]() |
Jones House Community Center Concerts on the LawnClick here to learn more.![]() |
![]() Daniel Boone Native GardensJuly 2009Many visitors to Boone go to Horn in the West and the Hickory Ridge Homestead and many local and seasonal residents go to the Farmers' Market in the summer but tucked away next to these sites are the Daniel Boone Native Gardens. . . . Read more . . . |
![]() The Parson's Table
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![]() The Crossnore School
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Artist Teresa Cerda "Horizons & Colors"
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![]() Reid's Café & CateringMarch 2009Located in Boone's historic old jailhouse, Reid's Café & Catering offers great weekday lunches, Thursday & Friday dinners and a well-established catering business. . . Read more . . . |
![]() Spring in Downtown Boone
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![]() Helping Others HelpMarch 2009Times are hard for more and more people and Watauga County is no exception. The Hunger & Health Coalition feeds hundreds of people in the area who might go hungry otherwise . . . |
![]() Elk Knob State ParkJanuary 2009Elk Knob State Park is one of North Carolina's newest state parks. Learn more about this beautiful mountain park . . . |
![]() ASU HomecomingOctober 4, 2008ASU play the Citadel at Kidd-Brewer Stadium at 3 p.m. on Homecoming Saturday, October 4 . . . Learn more about Appalachian State . . . |
![]() Daniel Boone Days 2008September 2008The first annual Daniel Boone Days, created and sponsored by the High Country Press and Mountain Fountain Productions, were held from Thursday September 4 through Saturday the 6th. Events included a symposium on Daniel Boone led by Boone biographer Robert Morgan, a foot race up Howard's Knob and a day of music and storytelling . . . |
![]() 2008 Watauga County
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![]() The Mast Store & Annex in
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![]() The GreenwayAugust 2008The Greenway Trail, the Don Kennedy Trails and the Watauga County Swim Complex are centrally located in Boone and are shared by residents, visitors and ASU . . . |
MusicFest in Sugar Grove July 11 - July 13![]() July 2008Doc Watson had to cancel his appearance but the Music Fest 'n Sugar Grove went on with a record crowd, great weather and fantastic music . . . |
![]() Grandfather Mountain
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![]() Ben Long's
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Glendale Springs Holy Trinity Church Fresco![]() April, 2008In the summer of 1980, North Carolina artist Ben Long painted the fresco of "The Last Supper" at Holy Trinity Church in Glendale Springs, near the Blue Ridge Parkway in the northern mountains of North Carolina. The church now receives tens of thousands of visitors each year . . . Read more . . . |
Parkway Craft Center at the Moses Cone Manor
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![]() Boone Featured in US Airways
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![]() Day Trips around BooneJanuary, 2008Jonesborough is the oldest town in Tennessee. It is a town rich in history and filled with beautifully maintained historical buildings. It the home of the National Storytelling Center and where Andrew Jackson started his law career. It has Bed and Breakfasts in old restored buildings and many unique restaurants. And it is just 1 1/2 hours from Boone . . . See more photos. . . |
![]() Shopping in & Around Boone NCNovember 2007Shopping in the Boone North Carolina area is a long-standing tradition for many people and families in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Many pick a weekend to come to the High Country to buy their Christmas trees and wreaths, have a holiday lunch and go to Downtown Boone, the Boone Mall or the Shoppes on the Parkway Outlet Mall to buy holiday gifts. . . Read more . . . |
![]() The 2007 Valle Country FairOctober 25, 2007The Valle Country Fair is a high country tradition. Each year on the third Saturday of October when the leaves are in full Fall color and the Woolly Worm Festival starts in Banner Elk, over 10,000 visitors come to this beautiful turn in the road near Boone North Carolina . . . Read more . . . |
Early Fall Color in the High Country![]() October 22, 2007A dry summer has led to a beautiful Fall in the High Country of Boone North Carolina . Read more . . . |
Tweetsie Railroad: Before it was an Amusement Park![]() October, 2007Most visitors to the North Carolina High Country know Tweetsie Railroad as an amusement park. But before there was Tweetsie as we know it today, there was the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad . . . Read more . . . |
Kraut Creek Festival 2007![]() September 22,2007The 15th annual Kraut Creek Festival was held in downtown Boone on Saturday September 22. This celebration of the downtown area and its Boone Creek (nicknamed Kraut Creek) has become a local tradition . . . Read more . . . |