Flat Rock

Flat Rock

Flat Rock, North Carolina, the home of one of the nation’s top ten summer theaters, is a wonderful place to enjoy a play. Begun in a tent by actor/director/producer Robroy Farquhar in 1953, it presents about ten Broadway musicals, dramas, and comedies each year.

Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock

In 1885 Chimney Rock began its long history as a tourist attraction when the first stairway to its 315-foot granite summit was completed. Missouri native Lucius Moore purchased the spectacular rock outcropping overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge in 1902.

Floods of 1916 and 1940

Floods of 1916 and 1940

Many people in the mountains of Appalachia vividly remember September, 2004. During that month, the rains and winds of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan combined to swell the French Broad, Catawba, and Pigeon Rivers to record flood levels. Several fatalities and millions of...
Ghost Towns

Ghost Towns

Towns do not survive forever. Western North Carolina has a number of its own lost towns. They disappeared for a number of reasons.

Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain

Over 700 million years ago two gigantic plates within the earth’s crust slammed together. Among the results was the creation of one of the highest peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountain range, Grandfather Mountain. At 5,964 feet, the mountain is one of Appalachia’s most visited attractions and one of its most unique natural wonders.