| Hendersonville |  |
 Nestled between the Great Smokies and the Blue Ridge Mountains, Hendersonville boasts of small-town charm amid an area rich in history. Located about 25 miles south of Asheville via I-26, Hendersonville is a hub for retirees and tourists alike. At 2,200 feet, Hendersonville has been referred to as the “ideal retirement community” and the City of Four Seasons.In the late 1700s, Revolutionary War soldier William Mills settled Henderson County, which was established as a county in 1838 and named after Leonard Henderson, chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. As the county seat, Hendersonville was incorporated in 1847. Today, 11,632 residents call Hendersonville home. In spite of the growth Western North Carolina has experienced, Hendersonville is able to maintain its small-town qualities, perhaps because it is so attached to its roots. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Hendersonville’s downtown includes an old-time Main Street with unique specialty shops and fine restaurants. One staple of downtown is the Waverly Inn, the oldest in Hendersonville. Built in 1905, the inn has been beautifully restored and continues to welcome guests. In fact, Waverly Inn’s motto is that “guests arrive as strangers and leave as friends.” A significant part of Hendersonville’s growth, the Historic Hendersonville Depot has been restored to its original deep yellow color. Located on Seventh Avenue between Grove and Ashe streets, the depot welcomed the first steam engine in 1897. Between 1911 and 1968, the Carolina Special ran from Charleston to Cincinnati and made stops at the depot. Today, the depot features a Southern Railway caboose and model railroad. Another local literary figure has made his mark in Hendersonville. On U.S. 64 West, Oakdale Cemetery houses the Italian marble angel statue featured in Thomas Wolfe’s book “Look Homeward, Angel.” Protected by a wrought-iron fence, the site is noted by an historical marker. Created by firing the mud of the French Broad River into bricks, Historic Johnson Farm was constructed between 1876 and 1880. Once the home of wealthy tobacco farmer Oliver Moss, Johnson Farm was donated to the Henderson County Board of Education in 1987 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The farm features the historic home, smokehouse and granary. Henderson County is North Carolina’s largest apple producer and home to the North Carolina Apple Festival held downtown during Labor Day weekend. Downtown also hosts the Farmer’s Curb Market, where only handmade crafts and locally grown produce is sold. The market, at Second Avenue and Church Street, includes crafts, baked goods, jellies, plants, flowers, toys and produce. Some of the vendors have been coming to the Farmer’s Curb Market for three or four generations. A new tradition in Hendersonville is the annual Downtown Mardi Gras in February, which began in 2003. The celebration includes merchant open houses, refreshments, sidewalk entertainment, costumes and free carriage rides. Hendersonville offers affordable housing options that range from older homes to new developments. The median house value in Hendersonville is $155,000. Northeast of Hendersonville along U.S. 64, Wolfpen offers a range of condominiums, cluster homes and cottages starting in the low $100,000’s and going up to the low $200,000 range. With a gated entrance and security, a swimming pool, tennis courts, nine-hole putting green, walking trails, pond and clubhouse with a fitness center, Wolfpen includes all the amenities of upscale living. West of Hendersonville, the town of Laurel Park rises to an elevation of 3,000 feet. Once a resort area popular for its cooler summer temperatures, Laurel Park incorporated in 1925. Housing prices are significantly more expensive in Laurel Park, with a median home price of $230,000. Just over 2,100 residents, Laurel Park is a premier residential, retirement and vacation area featuring spectacular views of the mountains and valley below. One of its most popular attractions is Jump Off Rock, a scenic overlook at the end of Laurel Park that offers a panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Pisgah National Forest. Jump Off Rock is named for a 300-year-old Cherokee legend that when a young maiden heard that her lover had been killed in battle, she jumped off the cliff. Locals say that you can still see her ghost jump on moonlit nights. Another outdoor escape is Dupont State Forest, located south of Hendersonville and occupying 10,300 acres in Henderson and Transylvania counties. With waterfalls, 80 miles of roads and trails through the mountain terrain, Dupont State Forest is open year-round for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Fishing and hunting are authorized with a permit. Hendersonville is served by Henderson County Schools, with about 12,000 students in 12 elementary, four middle and four high schools as well as an alternative school. All schools operate on a traditional calendar except Hendersonville Elementary, which has nine-week grading periods followed by three-week intercessions. East, North and West Henderson high schools are on a four-by-four block schedule and Hendersonville High has a standard seven-period day. Another educational institution, Blue Ridge Community College offers opportunities for associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in addition to continuing education programs. Blue Ridge Community College operates its main campus in nearby Flat Rock with an extension campus in Brevard. In addition to I-26, which runs through Hendersonville, the Hendersonville Airport serves Hendersonville and the surrounding county. Called “The Little Charleston of the Mountains,” nearby Flat Rock was an oasis during the 19th century as affluent plantation owners from the Low Country in South Carolina built English-style summer estates in the vicinity to escape the heat. Today, Flat Rock remains as charming as ever, with art studios and unique specialty shops. In fact, the entire district is on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1836, St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church was the parish of Low Country visitors during the summer. Its graveyard features the resting place of prominent South Carolinians and their slaves. Today, the church’s congregation exceeds 400. Originally called “The Farmer’s Hotel,” the Historic Woodfield Inn in Flat Rock was built in 1852 on 28 acres. During the Civil War, Confederate soldiers garrisoned the hotel in order to protect the local community. One of Flat Rock’s biggest attractions is the Carl Sandburg Home. Built in 1838, this 264-acre working farm is the former estate of poet and historical author Carl Sandburg. Sandburg spent the last 22 years of his life and wrote more than a third of his works here, and his wife raised champion dairy goats. A collection of Sandburg’s 10,000 books, papers and notes are on display, and five miles of hiking trails meander through the estate. The Flat Rock Playhouse, The State Theatre of North Carolina, brings in nearly 88,000 patrons annually to attend performances by the Vagabond Players and is a major contributor to the area’s economy. The group produces theatrical productions and provides educational programs in the performing arts. The nine-month season features musicals, comedy and dramatic productions. Racing fans will appreciate the Andy Petree Racing center, a new 100,000 square foot facility that showcases car displays, trophies and memorabilia of racing and teams affiliated with Andy Petree. West of Hendersonville on U.S. 64 near Pisgah National Forest, Etowah is a town of about 2,800 citizens. The Etowah Valley Country Club offers three nine-hole courses, which provides a variety of 18-hole combinations. Sixty gardens and flowerbeds are spread throughout the property in addition to a driving range, lighted putting greens, a heated swimming pool, tennis, croquet, a clubhouse, bathhouse, fitness center and pro shop. Etowah Valley Country Club also brings in numerous visitors for meetings and conventions. Part of Henderson County Schools, Etowah Elementary is a K-5 school that enrolls just over 500 students. Etowah Elementary has been named a School of Excellence for the past four years by the North Carolina Accountability Standards. PHOTO COURTESY OF CARL SANDBURG HOUSE |
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