Sandra Chambers, who visited Burnsville this past spring, has included Terrell House in her recent roundup of romantic inns in WNC on the Travel the South website. Below is a link.
All posts by Su Frost
Charlotte Magazine Travel: A Mountain Escape in Burnsville
A desire for isolation brings people here. A close-knit community keeps them. If you’re headed to the hills this fall, this town northeast of Asheville might surprise you.
By Chuck McShane
Published:
FISHING NETS, harpoons, and model sailboats in bottles line the walls of the Snap Dragon bar in Burnsville. A ship’s wheel hangs between shelves of liquor in the middle of a brick wall behind the bar. This is not the type of place you’d expect to find on a mountain town square across the street from a 184-year-old inn, a 109-year-old courthouse, and a Baptist church.
The nautical theme at Snap Dragon is a nod to Otway Burns, the town’s namesake, who never set foot in these mountains. He was a privateer during the War of 1812, when he and his 80-man crew harassed British ships from Bermuda to Nova Scotia. Later a state assemblyman, he voted to give the newly settled western areas of North Carolina, then a loose collection of rocky farms and small mica mines, more political representation in Raleigh. That lost him his seat in the state senate, but earned him the town’s name and a bronze statue in the town square, with his naval hat and sword by his side.
Burns also owned a taproom in Beaufort, a coastal town 400 miles east of Burnsville, but that little detail doesn’t make the official histories. In fact, in the town that bears his name, places such as Snap Dragon couldn’t have existed until 2010, when Yancey County became the second-to-last county in the state to allow alcohol sales. (Graham County, farther west, remains the last dry county in the state.) And while some members of the Baptist church three doors down still might not be too happy about that change, Burnsville has wasted no time embracing the newfound freedom.
Garden Deli, next door to Snap Dragon, serves beer with your barbecue. On the other end of Main Street, an old house is now a wine shop. Homeplace Beer Co. started brewing beer in June, and the Blind Squirrel Brewery taproom is open seven days a week, even for a few hours on Sundays.
About a two-and-a-half hour drive from Charlotte, up steep switchbacks and past kitschy gem mines that nod to the area’s history, Burnsville, a town of 1,653 people at 2,800 feet elevation, is full of surprises and contradictions. There is still some quartz and mica mining activity here. You can see it in the handful of bald hilltops in the distance. But Burnsville’s future lies less within the hills and more in its ability to attract tourists. An inward focus and the isolation of rough terrain have preserved some traditions here, even as the area’s natural peace and beauty have attracted people from around the world.
Judging by the cocktails on the Snap Dragon menu—sweet tea and moonshine, gin and elderflower—the decision to allow alcohol sales has merely unleashed a new burst of creativity in a town that already had plenty. You can see it there in the purple-and-yellow neon of the rehabbed art deco sign at the one-screen Yancey Theatre, and the murals painted on the sides of old brick buildings downtown—from an old Coca-Cola advertisement to Burnsville’s take on The Wizard of Oz, in which the yellow brick road leads to Burnsville’s town square. Even the old dry cleaner, with its rusted yellow aluminum shell, has a bright pinwheel quilt hanging in front.
The yellow brick road in this mural leads to Burnsville’s town square.
A few dozen painted quilt squares decorate the buildings of Burnsville, and more than 200 hang throughout western North Carolina, each representing something particular about the history or land. The best known is the elaborate sundial on the side of the Yancey Times-Journal, designed by one of many stargazers who come here for some of the darkest skies in the world. On most summer weekend nights, amateur and professional astronomers line the town square green and point their telescopes’ sights above the Nu-Wray Inn and the courthouse clock tower to the constellations above.
Just outside of town, the Earth to Sky Park and Bare Dark Skies Observatory opened this spring on the site of a former landfill. The observatory’s 34-inch telescope lens is the largest in the state open for public access—one more in a long list of accolades for Burnsville, a town at the northern foot of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Rockies.
Nearly 400,000 visitors from throughout the country hike or drive or cycle up the Mount Mitchell summit every year. Some make the 30-mile, one-hour drive descent on the narrow switchbacks into Burnsville. The guest book at a local antique store records visitors from Arizona and New Jersey, but many more from nearby. Unlike some of the pricier mountain towns in western North Carolina, a night at the Terrell House Bed and Breakfast or the Nu-Wray Inn will still run you less than $120, and you can still find yourself the only lunch customer at the Ye Olde Country Store on a random Saturday.
Pops of color in downtown Burnsville include the one-screen Yancey Theatre (top) and painted quilt squares (below).
Up the street, at the Toe River Arts Council, Denise Cook rattles off the superlatives about Burnsville’s art scene—about famous glass artists who once lived here; about the Parkway Playhouse, the long-standing summer theater with the high school improv comedy group that makes national media appearances; about the Penland School of Crafts where a thousand or so artists come for studio training each year. A map on the wall with dozens of numbered dots lists each artist’s studio within a few miles.
How is all of this in a town a North Carolina native can go a lifetime without hearing about?
“We’re proud of what we have, but we’re not out there blaring at you,” Cook says. “That’s not our style.”
***
WE FIND ONE DOT and follow the map a few short miles out of town and up a steep driveway. Wild turkeys saunter across the gravel. Around a switchback, a yard sign with yellow ducks points to the studios of Claudia Dunaway and husband John Richards’ “Yummy Mud Puddle,” a property that includes a rental house for visitors and a working area for the two artists. Inside, Richards is organizing bottle caps into plastic drawers. He looks a bit like a mad scientist, and he’s eager to play the part. His art—paper lamps in the shape of frogs, hanging fish sculptures made from old cat food lids, bugs made from old pipettes and sparkplugs—stands out in the local galleries, typically filled with glass and folk art. It also makes an unlikely pairing with Dunaway’s glazed pottery steins and pots and patterned candlelight holders, which she makes using a covered kiln outdoors.
The couple bought the property in 2003 after several years in Florida. They found in Burnsville a rare combination: a community of like-minded artists and locals for support and inspiration, along with enough space to do their own thing.
“I was worried when (the building inspector) stared at our kiln for awhile,” Dunaway says. “But then he just asked, ‘How’d you set that up? I’ve been meaning to do some foundry work.’
“That’s when I knew this was a place you could really live as an artist.”
Bald hilltops that surround Burnsville hint at longtime mica and quartz mining.
And that’s the common characteristic among people who have come to love Burnsville—this balance of isolation and community. For the astronomers, it means no streetlights competing with their views. For the bikers and hikers, winding roads with little traffic and tough climbs and waterfall trails you can find only with a local’s help. For the artists and sculptors, lots of land for spacious studios and no neighbors to complain about funky sculptures on the lawn or working ceramics kilns.
Can it last?
Last year, a widened Highway 19E cut travel times from Burnsville to Asheville, about 35 miles southeast of here, from an hour to a little less than 40 minutes. Now it’s commuting distance. The widening project continues east of town. Boosters are optimistic that the quicker route will bring more tourism and industry to this isolated town between the Cherokee and Pisgah national forests.
On the road back to Charlotte, a film of dust covers the road. Beyond the orange traffic barrels, pavers roll fresh asphalt on a newly flattened roadbed. Big, yellow bulldozers rip down spruce trees and overturn big rocks. In the stone, little specks of mica glisten in the sun.
EAT & DRINK
Garden Deli and Snap Dragon Bar and Grill
A Burnsville mainstay, the Garden Deli has been serving up deli sandwiches and meat-and-three meals in its rustic dining room and outdoor patio for decades. More recently, Snap Dragon Bar and Grill opened in 2015, offering craft beer and cocktails, including its signature hurricanes, until 11 p.m. on weekends. 107 Town Square, 828-682-3946.
Appalachian Java
Start your morning with an espresso and a doughnut at Appalachian Java. Come back for the bluegrass jam sessions on Tuesday nights. 8 W. Main St., 828-682-0120
Blind Squirrel Outpost
The original location of this brewery is in Plumtree, just 25 miles east of here. The second location, in Burnsville, is known for its pizzas and beer flights. It’s also one of a very few places in town open on Sunday. 109 W. Main St., 828-765-9696.
Pig and Grits
Opened in 2014, Pig and Grits offers a mix of traditional Southern breakfasts and classic barbecue-joint lunches and dinners. Try the Molten Mac and Cheese. 620 W. Main St., 828-536-0010.
STAY
The Nu-Wray Inn
Built in 1833, this inn on the town square has quaint rooms and common areas full of mountain crafts. Individual rooms are available, and the entire inn can be rented out for weddings or other events. On warm afternoons, the rocking chairs out front with a view of the town green are popular. 102 Town Square, 828-682-2329.
Terrell House Bed and Breakfast
In a quiet neighborhood just off West Main Street, the Terrell House Bed and Breakfast has six rooms and a classic experience. The walls are decorated with photos and artifacts from the world travels of owners Mike and Laura Hoskins, who purchased and renovated the home after two decades living in London. 109 Robertson St., 828-682-4505.
DO
Mount Mitchell State Park
The tallest peak east of the Rockies at 6,683 feet, Mount Mitchell is a popular attraction. Take the drive up the mountain for a number of hiking, biking, and camping options. 2388 North Carolina 128, 828-675-4611.
Toe River Arts Council Studio Tour
Stop by the downtown gallery of the Toe River Arts Council to pick up a self-guided tour map of the artist studios in the area. Artists’ availability will vary. Coordinated studio tour is scheduled for December 1-3. 102 W. Main St., 828-682-7215.
Solstice Cycles and Roaring Fork Falls
Cycling is big in this part of western North Carolina, and most weekends you’ll find some sort of organized ride, such as the Burnsville Metric in April or the Assault of Mount Mitchell in May. Solstice Cycles offers bike rental, repair, and lodge room rentals. A short walk along a nearby path takes hikers directly to the scenic Roaring Fork Falls. 76 South Toe River Rd., 828-765-1295.
Parkway Playhouse
Opened in 1947 by UNC Greensboro theater professor William Taylor, the Parkway Playhouse has long attracted talented and aspiring actors from throughout the South. The theater has also extended its traditional summer season. Agatha Christie’s murder mystery The Mousetrap is on stage September 30 through October 14. 202 Green Mountain Dr., 828-682-4285.
One of A Kind (OOAK) Gallery
This gallery, in an old general store on the road to Mount Mitchell, has antiques and works by local artists, along with coffee, pastries, and gelato from Maples, the coffee shop that shares the building. 573 Micaville Loop, 828-674-0690.
Ye OldeCountry Store
Antiques and Amish goods fill this store in the middle of town. 7 S. Main St., 828-687-9900.
Road Trip to Burnsville: Discover Close Encounters With Creative Characters and Starry Nights
WNC Magazine Sep/Oct 2017
Writer: Melissa Readon
Photographer: Hannah Brown
One great reason to head to Burnsville is to visit Mount Mitchell, the East’s tallest peak: The Yancey County town sits in its shadow, just north. But there are plenty of other reasons to go, including a robust artist community, a quaint and thriving downtown, and the starriest night skies around. You could make a day trip, but to take it all in, spend several days and plan to go during one of the town’s myriad celebrations, such as the Carolina Mountains Literary Festival (September 7-9).
One attraction not to miss is the new Bare Dark Sky Observatory, which opened in June at Mayland Community College’s Earth to Sky Park. Community nights are held once a week, when the public can sign up and pay $10 for the chance to peer through the largest optical telescope for public use in North Carolina. The 34-inch custom-built Newtonian scope can make visible galaxies that are around 30 million light years away. In 2014, Burnsville became the first International Dark Sky Park in the southeastern United States, a designation that recognizes and protects places with distinguished starry nights. There are currently only 52 such parks worldwide.
For as many stars as there are in the sky, the number of artists in the Burnsville area might come close. The Toe River Arts Council is the nexus for this talented community of creators, so a stop at TRAC’s gallery downtown is a must (there’s a second location in nearby Spruce Pine). You can check out the work of some 100 artists. Or better yet, plan to visit during one of the biannual studio strolls, when you can go straight to the source. The next one is December 1-3.
A quick jaunt away (four miles down NC 80) is One of a Kind Art Gallery in Micaville. Grab a coffee or gelato next door at Maples and then browse the huge collection of exquisitely crafted pottery, jewelry, garden art, and more, all made by area artists. On Thursday evenings from 7-9 p.m., the gallery hosts $5 concerts in the loft above the store. Featuring local musicians, these gatherings are great opportunities to mix and mingle with the community.
You could also cheers with local characters over a pint at one of two new-ish breweries in town: Homeplace offers a varied selection of beers made with locally sourced ingredients, and Blind Squirrel Brewery serves beer, wine, and food that can be enjoyed inside or out on the street-side patio—perfect for people-watching.
Don’t leave town without stopping into Rad Dawgz Hotdog Joint. This hip eatery serves up the chill surfer vibe in spades, with surfboards and colorful tiki-themed paraphernalia tastefully hung about. The counter-service joint offers 57-plus (a nod to Heinz 57) toppings, and recently added tacos to the menu. Upstairs, there’s a game room, retro lounge area, and I-spy tables full of vintage toys and trinkets. Conveniently, you can satisfy dessert cravings next door at the rockabilly-esque Cool Catz Candy & Cream—a sweet finale to a sweet excursion.
New Observatory Sheds Light in the Dark
By Sue Wasserman
If Jon Wilmesherr has his druthers, more Western North Carolina residents and visitors will be taking a walk on the dark side. Don’t worry. His plot isn’t sinister, just celestial. The director of Academic Support Services and Learning Resources Center for Mayland Community College (MCC) is eager to show off the recently opened Bare Dark Sky Observatory located at the college’s Earth to Sky Park in Burnsville. The observatory is named for two key donors: Warren and Larissa Bare.
The basics are stellar enough. The observatory sits at an elevation of just over 2,700 feet and offers a 360-degree view. What elevates the experience to “out of this world” status is the site’s certification as a Certified Star Park from the International Dark-Sky Association, meaning it’s about as pitch dark as possible to ensure an optimum star-gazing opportunity. This is the first such certification to be given in the southeastern US—and one of only 15 in the world.
While the dark sky provides a perfect backdrop, the sky’s the limit thanks to a custom-built f/3.6 StarStructure Newtonian telescope with a 34-inch mirror, the largest such telescope in the Southeast dedicated for public use. It has been nicknamed the “Sam” for long-time MCC funder Sam Phillips, whose Samuel L. Phillips Family Foundation provided funding.
“It took us a long time to get the observatory just right,” says MCC president John Boyd. “We’ve already fielded international calls and visits from people who are excited to see what we’ve been able to accomplish.” With the observatory launched, the college is now focused on funding a planetarium that will be constructed in the park. The goal is to integrate education and tourism.
“We look forward to being able to give our students, residents and visitors access to a facility that doesn’t exist elsewhere in the Southeast,” Boyd adds. “I have no doubt this observatory is going to become a great source of pride for the region.”
MCC Foundation executive director Margaret Earley- Thiele sparkles when talking about her most recent star-studded observatory visit. “Not only could we see Jupiter, we could see its four moons and the colors of the gas clouds surrounding it. When we looked at the moon, we could see individual craters. I felt like we were sitting in a space ship looking out. It was pretty spectacular.”
Visits to the observatory are by reservation only. The facility is also available for evening rentals. MCC provides onsite transportation. For more information, visit mayland.edu/observatory or call 828-766-1233.
Burnsville, NC Ranks #18 in Country Living’s 20 Small Towns Perfect for a Summer Vacation
Burnsville is often described as a “Norman Rockwell” kind of town, and that is truly the best way to describe this quaint locale that centers around a grassy town square. Catch some zzzs like a star at the Nu Wray Inn, the oldest operating inn in western North Carolina, which has counted Elvis, Mark Twain, and Jimmy Carter among its guests. For one heck of a view, hike to Mount Mitchell’s peak (the tallest east of the Mississippi); don’t miss the Toe River Studio Tour in June, when 100 artists open their studios along the scenic mountain back roads (there’s also the Mt.Mitchell Crafts Fair in August). The Terrell House Bed and Breakfast is a great place to stay when in Burnsville for the Burnsville Metric Bike Ride, Parkway Playhouse, TRAC Studio Tour, Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair and much more.
For more information, visit exploreburnsville.com.
Play in the 828 – Scenic Cycling: The Burnsville Metric
23rd Annual Burnsville Metric Offers Two Options
Listen to a segment about the Metric April 12th on “Breakfast with The 828” on Rewind 100.3.
23rd Annual Burnsville Metric Offers Two Options
It’s known for being one of the most scenic rides in the state, and every mile you pedal makes a difference for local heroes. Mark the start of the spring and summer cycling season with the 23rd annual Burnsville Metric, April 29 through Yancey and Mitchell counties. This year’s event includes the usual 60.7-mile loop, as well as a shorter 43-mile ride.
The ride, which is casual and not considered a race, begins and ends in downtown Burnsville on the historic Town Square. The route heads west on US 19E toward Asheville, turns north as it follows the Cane River, heads east to Bakersville and then winds its way south down NC 80 along the Toe River before returning to Burnsville.
The shorter ride splits off at mile 30, heading back to Burnsville along Jacks Creek Road.
“It’s exciting to get out first thing on a cool spring morning,” says Van Roldan of the planning committee and owner of Solstice Cycles. “People ride around Town Square to warm up. The event brings together a lot of old friends and different organizations that ride together.”
The ride is organized by a small group of volunteers who promote bicycling in the scenic northern mountains, and the event supports several nonprofits in the area. In the last five years, the Burnsville Metric has raised nearly $25,000 for local volunteer fire departments and rescue squads, along with Hospice, Healthy Yancey, Mountain Heritage Eco Club and others.
Scenic mountain roads and low population density make the area ideal for cycling.
“We love riding these mountains,” Roldan says. “And we love to share that with others. We look forward to bringing people up here to ride.”
Three well-supplied rest stops will be located along the route. Roving SAG support vehicles will patrol the course to provide mechanical assistance.
After the cyclists return to Town Square, the Nu Wray Inn will serve a post-race meal on the deck. Barbecue plates consist of pulled pork, bread, potato salad, coleslaw and baked beans. Blind Squirrel Brewery, a Plumtree-based brewery that opened its Burnsville Outpost taproom and restaurant this past summer, will provide craft beer.
Early registration, through April 15, is $45 for adults and $35 for full-time students, age 22 or younger. All registrations after April 15 are $55. The post-race meal is included in the registration fee; additional plates may be purchased for $12 each. Day-of registration and packet pickup begin at 7:15 am at Burnsville Town Center. The ride starts at 9. You can sign up here.
Christmas Among Toe River Artists
Beginning Friday Dec. 2, the landscape of Mitchell and Yancey counties changes for a weekend. As if blooming from beneath the muted grays and shadowy rusts of fallen leaves, hundreds of big red and white “Studio Tour” signs will dot the roadways, intersections, and front and side yards. All lead the way to a magical tour of arts and artists.
Each day through Sunday, Dec. 4 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. determined visitors will travel the highways and back roads in search of a piece of art and the creative artist behind it. The second of two open studio tours that the Toe River Arts Council sponsored this year, the event has been happening for over two decades in the beautiful Toe River Valley.
People plan their vacations around these TRAC fall tours, seeing artists they’ve gotten to know over the years. Many people will embark on the tour for the first time this year. Studio tour signs will help them navigate the new territory and give them comfort in knowing they are on the right path. Still others will continue to marvel at the numbers of artists who live and work so close to the Swannanoa Valley.
The signs point to studios of new, established and visiting artists working in clay, glass, fiber, wood, metal, photography and paint. Many mix media. Some make jewelry, craft soap or weave blankets. All open their studios every year for one magical weekend in December.
The tour – as much or as little as you want of it – is an adventure. And it’s free. There are excellent restaurants and hotels in the area, and gorgeous scenery to be seen.
The Toe River Arts Council hosts a reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at its Spruce Pine gallery, 269 Oak Ave. There one will find works from the participants, displayed geographically to make the tour easy to plan (the work will be on display through the end of the year). There are too many artists to visit in a day, but with the tour guide brochure, available at TRAC galleries in Spruce Pine and Burnsville, will give visitors directions.
The Toe River Arts Council, a 40-year-old, not-for-profit organization, can be contacted at toeriverarts.org, 828-682-7215 and 828-765-0520.
A Farm to Fork Feast Benefit – Sept. 4
Farm to Fork Dining on the Square in Burnsville
Long tables covered in linen will line Main Street in downtown Burnsville Sunday, September 4, when the first Farm to Fork Dining on the Square event is hosted from 6–9 P.M. The community dinner benefits the agricultural nonprofit Toe River Aggregation Center Training Organization Regional (TRACTOR).
“It will be an elegant evening,” says Robin Smith, director of TRACTOR, “a seated affair with white tablecloths and china.”
Beginning at 6 P.M., spirits and hors d’oeuvres will be served on the porch of the Nu Wray Inn. The seated meal for up to 230 guests will follow, consisting of multiple courses prepared by White Falls Catering. TRACTOR will have purchased the ingredients from farmers and proceeds will go toward the nonprofit’s mission to spread awareness of local agriculture, broaden access to fresh food, and increase farm income in the community.
TRACTOR works with more than 50 small farms throughout Yancey, Mitchell, Burke, McDowell, Avery, Madison, and Buncombe counties. The organization aggregates produce from farms, processes it, and distributes it to retailers and restaurants. “This event not only provides income to farmers, but also supports existing businesses and brings attention to the town center,” Robin says. “The broader vision is to promote agriculture as an economic driver and teach the community about how we’re all interrelated.”
Tickets are $125 per person and are available at the Yancey County Cooperative Extension office, TRACTOR office, and Yancey County/Burnsville Chamber of Commerce. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit tractorfoodandfarms.com or call 828.682.7413.
Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair Aug. 5 – 6
The Mount Mitchell Crafts Fair marks its 60th year of promoting fine craftsmanship on Friday and Saturday, August 5 and 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Sponsored by the Yancey County/Burnsville Chamber of Commerce, the fair is held in historic downtown Burnsville where the town square will be transformed into a thoroughfare with more than 200 artist booths lining the streets. Southern fair staples such as barbecue, homemade ice cream, and sweet tea will be served.
For more information, call the Yancey County Chamber of Commerce at 828.682.7413 or visit their website at yanceychamber.com/craft-fair.
TRACTOR’s Farm to Fork Dinner September 4th from 6 to 9 PM
Check out our director, Robin Smith, and grower, Adam McCurry, discussing TRACTOR and our upcoming Farm-to-Fork Dinner on WJHL’s Daytime Tri-Cities from last Friday!
The dinner is on September 4th from 6 to 9 PM and tickets are available NOW on our website.
Amy talks to Yancey County farmer Adam McCurry and Robin Smith, director of TRACTOR (Toe River Aggregation Center Training Organization Regional) about their organization and upcoming Farm to Fork Dinner on the Square event. http://wjhl.com/…/tractors-farm-to-fork-event-in-yancey-co…/
For more information, check out TRACTOR’s website.