2017-2018 Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Guide & Members’ Directory
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2017-2018 Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Guide & Members’ Directory Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce PO Box 406 | 132 Park Avenue | Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828/295-7851 | www.BlowingRock.com | www.BlowingRockNCChamber.com 2017-2018 Calendar of Events For a complete list of events, visit our website at www.blowingrock.com. May August 6 Music on the Lawn, Inn at Raggged Gardens 1-6 Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show, starts and runs through October Tate Show Grounds 20 Art in the Park, Downtown 7 Monday Night Concert Series, Broyhill 21 Concert in the Park, Memorial Park Park Gazebo 25 Farmers Market Thursdays’ starts and runs 12 Art in the Park, Downtown through October 12 Shagging at the Rock, The Blowing Rock Attraction June 13 Concert in the Park, Memorial Park 2-4 Nature Photography Wknd., Grandfather Mtn. 19 Art Ball, BRAHM 8-11 Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show, 26-27 Railroad Heritage Weekend, Tweetsie Tate Show Grounds 10 Art in the Park, Downtown September 11 Concert in the Park, Memorial Park 9 Art in the Park, Downtown 24 Blood, Sweat & Gears, 100-mile Bike Race 10 Concert in the Park, Memorial Park 25 Singing on the Mountain, Grandfather Mtn. 16 The Blowing Rock Music Festival, The Blowing Rock Attraction July 29 Tweetsie Railroad Ghost Train begins 1-31 An Appalachian Summer Festival 1 Independence Day Parade and Activities, October Downtown 7 Art in the Park, Downtown 2 4th of July Park Dance, Memorial Park 9 Boone Heritage Festival, Horn in the West 4 Fireworks Extravaganza, Tweetsie 17 Valle Country Fair, Valle Crucis 6-9 Highland Games, Grandfather Mtn. 28 Halloween Festival, Downtown 10 Monday Night Concert Series, Broyhill November Park Gazebo 19 Choose & Cut Christmas Trees Season 15 Art in the Park, Downtown 19 Area Ski Resorts Open 16 Concert in the Park, Memorial Park 24 Christmas in the Park & Lighting of the 17 Monday Night Concert Series, Broyhill Town, Downtown Park Gazebo 25 Blowing Rock Christmas Parade 24 Monday Night Concert Series, Broyhill Park Gazebo December 25-31 Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show, 1 Glow Time in Blowing Rock Tate Show Grounds 31 New Year’s Eve, Appalachian Ski Mtn. 28 Symphony by the Lake at Chetola January 28 Blowing Rock Tour of Homes 25-28 Blowing Rock Winterfest 28-30 Blowing Rock Art & Antiques Show 31 Monday Night Concert Series, Broyhill February Park Gazebo 14 Valentine’s at Appalachian Ski Mtn. March 1-15 Spring Skiing, Area Resorts Close Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce For a complete description of members, visit our website at www.blowingrock.com. History of Blowing Rock A Place To Live From its humble beginnings, Blowing Rock has Today, the tranquility, natural beauty and history become a bustling year-round resort. 3 of the area remain for all to enjoy. Whether you want to be a part of Blowing Rock for a season Blowing Rock Recreation or become a year-round resident, we have a If tranquility and natural beauty are what you seek, place for you.. 71 Blowing Rock offers that in abundance too. 6 Construction Products & Services. 73 Blowing Rock Events Home Maintenance & Improvements. 74 Fun annual events to look forward to. 8 Interior Designers. 76 Things To Do Real Estate Agencies. 78 Throughout the year, a visit to Blowing Rock can Real Estate Developments. 81 keep you busy with family attractions, shopping, Retirement Communities. 83 recreation, art festivals and fun activities. 9 Other Services Antiques & Collectables. 10 Blowing Rock is a premiere resort community Art & Craft Galleries. 10 offering businesses and services that cater to Attractions & Events. 12 residents and visitors. 85 Clothing & Accessories. 20 Churches. 86 Gifts, Crafts & More. 22 Civic & Non-Profit Groups. 86 Home Furnishings & Interiors. 28 Educational Services. 90 Jewelry. 30 Events, Weddings, Parties & Florists. 92 Outdoor Recreation. 30 Financial & Legal Services. 93 Shopping Centers. 34 Health Facilities Products & Services. 97 Spas & Leisure. 36 Insurance. 99 Places To Stay Media & Marketing Products & Services. 99 Blowing Rock accommodation choices are broad Municipal & Government. 102 and diverse and no matter what your choice, Photography, Video & Sound Services. 102 you can expect friendly greetings and personal Professional & Personal Products attention. 39 & Services. 103 Bed & Breakfasts. 40 Utility Companies & Communications. 107 Cabins & Vacation Rentals. 41 Visitor Info & Tourism. 108 Hotels, Inns & Lodges. 46 Residential Member Listing Resorts. 53 Residential members that support the Blowing Conference Centers & Retreats. 55 Rock Chamber of Commerce.. 70 Campgrounds. 55 Member Listing Places To Eat Alphabetical listing of all 2016-2017 business Whatever your culinary pleasure, from hearty members of the Chamber of Commerce.. 109 home-style mountain cooking to the most elegant cuisine, you can find it all in Blowing Rock. 57 Fun Facts Who would have thought it?. 84 Catering, Food Items & Beverages. 58 Coffee Shops & Baked Goods. 60 Restaurants. 61 The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Todd Bush, Amanda Lugenbell, Appalachian Ski Mtn. and the Blowing Rock TDA for Spirits, Wineries, Breweries & Social Clubs. 69 use of photography. 1 Proud of the Past, Poised for the Future. Blowing Rock is a vibrant small town whose pristine landscapes and easygoing atmosphere have endeared it to both seasonal visitors and full-time residents for over 125 years. Throughout its history, the village has preserved its humble roots while transforming into a nationally-renowned vacation destination, and today, it entertains tens of thousands of first-time visitors and returning guests each year. With a wealth of opportunities for recreation, shopping, dining, and cultural amenities, in addition to first-rate accommodations and local institutions, Blowing Rock represents a wonderful fusion of the nostalgic and the modern. 2 A History of Blowing Rock Adapted from works by Jerry Burns In September 1752, a team of eight men set out from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania toward Edenton, North Carolina. They were commissioned by the Earl of Granville to locate lands that had been purchased for a future Moravian settlement. It was not meant to be an arduous journey. Several members of this party were familiar with the foothills of North Carolina. Group members Herman Lash and Andrew Lambert had even lived in the region, while two other men in the group were experienced guides. But, shortly after crossing over the state line, the party missed the eastern trail which would take them into the Yadkin area. Instead, they moved west into the Blue Ridge Mountains, and this mistake was not caught until the swift, punishing arrival of winter. Once inclement weather set in, the Bethlehem group was forced to continue 3 moving west in search of shelter. They camped first in the Globe Valley and continued north toward the summit of the mountain. Moravian bishop August Spangenburg, who had accompanied the group, described their experiences in his personal journal: “…we came into a region from which there was no outlet, except by climbing up an indescribably steep mountain. Part of the way we had to crawl on hands and feet; sometimes we had to take the baggage and saddles and the horses and drag them up the mountain (for the horses were in danger of falling down backward– as we once had an experience), and sometimes we had to pull the horses up while they trembled and quivered like leaves.” While Native American tribes, most notably the Cherokee and Catawba, had lived and fought over this rugged land for many years, there were few settlers living in the area until the mid 18th century. But, as the Native Americans were pushed west and began migrating to other parts of North Carolina or to other states, the Appalachian region began to attract small groups of immigrants, mostly people of Scottish or Irish descent. These immigrants realized what Bishop Spangenburg eventually noted once he reached the summit of the mountain, where Blowing Rock is today: “…we have found an enchanting place, rich in potential for farming, logging and hunting. There is suitable land for raising wheat, corn, oats, barley and hemp, and excellent opportunities for milling and collecting building materials.” In the early part of the nineteenth century, the Blowing Rock area was made up of family farms and was characterized by subsistence living, cattle and hog driving, and as a source for good lumber. Most of the visitors to the area were personal guests or relatives of those already living in the village, but soon the first seasonal tourists began to trickle in. These visitors either camped in the area or stayed with local families in their homes. During the Civil War, Blowing Rock served as a haven for families who could afford to send their loved ones out of harm’s way. It also served as a stopping place for people seeking to join the Northern Army, or people avoiding the wrath of the Confederate Home Guard. While there were some skirmishes in western North Carolina, it was General Stoneman’s raid through Blowing Rock in 1864 which caused the most direct damage to the village. 4 In the antebellum period, as summer tourism rebounded, small boarding houses like the Hayes or Martin Houses were built on Main Street. Chetola– then called the Silverlake resort– was first conceived and constructed as a boarding house. And as more visitors flocked to the area, more space was needed to accommodate them. The last two decades of the nineteenth century saw construction of beautiful Victorian hotels such as the Watauga, Green Park Inn and the Blowing Rock, all before the turn of the century. On March 11, 1889, a group of influential citizens asked the North Carolina General Assembly to award a charter to the village of Blowing Rock.