North Carolina Mountains - Beautiful Vistas & Great Retreats!

[giradman]

BRAHM (Blowing Rock Art & History Museum) - Part 2

The largest and most interesting exhibit for me was the Jagged Path: the African Diaspora in Western North Carolina in Craft, Music, & Dance which had a standing 6-panel (2nd pic below) discussion of African American culture in the NC mountains, both slaves and freemen in the antebellum area. African slaves were brought to the area as early as the 1540s as part of the Hernando de Soto expedition. I was most interested in the music and dance portions of the exhibit, including the steel body guitar of Houston Stackhouse (1910-1980), who was actually a Mississippi born Delta Blues guitarist and singer; of course, the banjo, an African instrument plays such an important role in the music of the American Southeast, especially in Bluegrass music. Dave

 

[giradman]

North Carolina Mountains - Banner Elk - July 2024 Trip

July is our anniversary month, so decided on a mountain trip AGAIN! This time staying in a small cabin (first pics below from their website), location on Sugar Mountain - we're at 4240 ft! Left Winston Salem about 12:30 PM and the temperature was in the low 90s (F) - has been hot for a while and the lawns look terrible - arrived at our rental house and was 78º F - what a relief. Last pics my own, i.e. view from one of several porches - ate at Sorrento's tonight (described in more detail with menu a page or two back) - Susan had shrimp francese (which she loves but rarely sees as a selection); I had one of the half dozen specialties for the night halibut, pan seared with a beurre blanc sauce, served with delicious garlic mash potatoes and sautéed veggies. We'll be mostly relaxing and repeating some activities described before in and around Banner Elk. Dave
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[giradman]

Lees-McRae College - Wildcat Lake - Banner Elk Winery

First afternoon activities - drive to the southern end of Lees-McRae College, small private school established in Banner Elk in 1900, named after two women, and sits in the Appalachian Mountains at 3,720 feet above sea level, the highest elevation of any American college or university east of the Mississippi River; the campus is more extensive than the first web pic below.

Wildcat Lake (aerial view second pic) is a 13-acre lake owned and operated by the college and provides a number of water-related activities along with playgrounds, covered shelters, grilling units, and rental buildings for private events. I took about a mile round trip walk and took a number of pics, below a mixture of my own and a few found online.

Banner Elk Winery for a return visit and to share an afternoon aperitif - I had a glass of their current chardonnay which was quite good (their bottle prices for this grape have really escalated over the years so did not make a purchase). Susan had her favorite, i.e. one of their sangrias but this time got a flight of all four (each described in the last pic). Easy afternoon for two oldsters, and looking forward to our dinner tonight.
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[giradman]

Anniversary Dinner at the Artisanal

Two years ago we had our anniversary dinner at this top Banner Elk restaurant (which is seasonal, i.e. May to October), so now we returned tonight - pics below of the outside and inside of the establishment (shown previously in 2022) - the offering is a 3-course prix fixe dinner - menus for the first and second course for the evening below, ending with a 3rd dessert course. Susan started with the corn & potato soup and I with the tuna tartare, then we both had the lamb tenderloin, medium rare - I also had a couple of glasses of an excellent Oregon Pinot Noir - special place for a special event! Highly recommended for those traveling in the area BUT expect a substantial bill!
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[giradman]

Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games are held annually in July and attract 30,000 - 40,000 attendees - if we are coming to the Banner Elk area that month we tend to avoid the long weekend of the games (gets really crowded and traffic congestion is an issue) - but, our anniversary date this year hit the time of the games. Over the decades, we have never attended the games (neither of us having any Scottish ancestry), but some info might be of value to readers in the region who might want to go in upcoming years (the games end today).

Below just some summaries from two links - for those interested much more at the websites, especially on the types of games which also include track and field sports. The pics below are all from the web - McRae's Meadow (second pic) on the mountain is the site of the event - tents represent the 'clans' and other offerings, such as food and souvenirs - also many attendees camp out (others stay at regional hotels and likely other rental options). The games are geared for men, women and children; apparently there are 'pro' and 'amateur' categories.

The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games is a Highland games event that has been held annually since 1956 at Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina. Celebrating the history and culture of Scots in North Carolina, it is among the first and largest modern Highland games established in the United States. Competitions and displays take place in Scottish styles of piping, drumming, costume, dance, and traditional sports. (Source)

The Scottish people have a long and rich history in the state of North Carolina. After the Battle of Cullodenin 1746, Highland Clearances left many Scottish clans with no home. During the time after the clearances, North Carolina became one of the most popular destinations. The local government in North Carolina urged Highland Scots to come to North Carolina by offering them land and tax exemptions. At first, many groups kept to the eastern shores of North Carolina, but as populations in the states rose, many went west in search of farm land and more space. During the revolutionary war, Scottish immigrants fought on both sides. (Source)

High in the Mountains of Western North Carolina the ancient Celtic spirit beckons. Answering the call, as hundreds of tartan banners unfurl, are the sounds of bagpipes echoing through the valley, and once again, thousands of kilt-clad Scots make their way to MacRae Meadows for their annual gathering and games. Nowhere in the New World is there a place more reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands than the home of America’s grandest Highland Games—Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina. (Source - from the official website reflecting the 'spirit' of the games)

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