north carolina – Page 7

North Carolina Arboretum

If you’re from Gatlinburg, or East Tennessee, you’ve likely made the short day trip over to Asheville, NC to eat, shop, visit Biltmore, etc. If you’re an outdoors-type person, or more specifically, if you’re into trees and plants, one place you should know about is the North Carolina Arboretum, if you don’t already.

To become more familiar with trees, plants and nature, visit an arboretum. The North Carolina Arboretum is dedicated to providing insight into the trees, plants and nature of North Carolina – especially those located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The arboretum’s revolving yearly exhibits ensures visitors a chance to see something brand new with each visit. The North Carolina Arboretum puts on a revolving show throughout the year, from the exhibits in the Baker Exhibit Center to the gardens outside there’s always something new and interesting to learn.

The arboretum’s sustainable shelter project has been on display since the fall. This particular exhibit gives examples of how people can use recycled materials and natural fibers in their daily life. One such example is the garden shed which not only captures rain water, but also recycles the water that you use when you are tending to garden plants. Not only is the garden shed an exhibit, it’s actually being used in the upkeep of the gardens around the shed itself. Another exhibit shows how mud-daub houses are made with natural materials. All these exhibits demonstrate the arboretum’s views about how these materials can be used to help benefit the planet. More scientific explanations for the need of sustainable shelters will be available in the exhibit hall as well.

Besides the educational aspects of the arboretum, there are also a slew of recreational opportunities. Numerous trails wind around the grounds of this 434-acre facility. In all, there are 65 acres of cultivated gardens in this park. From the winding path in the one of the most unique bonsai gardens in America to the straight trails at the quilt garden, the arboretum’s natural beauty will ease your mind and put your cares at ease while you explore the grounds.

A huge collection of sculptures also calls the arboretum’s gardens home. This outdoor art collection reflects the culture of the region and is all a representation of the area’s local artists. Take a self-guided tour of the art walk. There are brochures to get you started. The two indoor facilities also house collections of arts and crafts. Paintings of the natural landscapes in the area to mountain crafts are just a few of the noted works. Be sure to visit the arboretum website before your visit so that you can make the most of your time at the North Carolina Arboretum.

The arboretum is centrally located in Asheville, NC, and only minutes from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The cost to enter is $8 per vehicle so it is also a very cost effective place to visit during your Smokies vacation. The North Carolina Arboretum is a natural history museum that you definitely want to add to your itinerary.

Grove Park Inn

One of the most recognized and historical hotels in the United States, the Grove Park Inn rests in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in Asheville, North Carolina. Over the years it’s garnered such accreditations as being named to the National Register of Historic Places and features a world-renowned spa that vacationers flock to year round.

Edwin Wiley Grove and his son-in-law Fred Loring Seely originally came up with the concept for the Grove Park Inn. Edwin, who at one point owned a Paris, Tn medicine company, believed the Asheville climate had health benefits and would be an ideal locale for a resort-style hotel. When his doctors sent him to Asheville to see if the climate change could help relieve him of his hiccups, a seed was planted.

Grove began to buy up parcels of land for the Inn in 1910. Sunset Mountain was his destination as he purchased numerous farms in the vicinity. In 1912 the first shovel struck dirt and 11 months and 27 days later a hotel stood. Workers were said to have been paid handsomely and lived at the site during the almost 12-month build.

The Grove Park Inn officially opened on July 12, 1913. The hotel was built with granite stones and its lobby bears granite fireplaces to this day.

Over the years, the Inn became a vital resource, especially during wartime. First, during World War II it was transformed into an internment center for Axis diplomats. Then, the Navy used it as a rest and rehabilitation center for returning sailors. The Army even took hold of it from 1944-45 as a redistribution station.

In 1955, the Grove Park Inn became a part of Sammons Enterprises. Mr. and Mrs. Sammons expanded the resort and it continues to flourish in the same capacity today as a part of KSL Resorts, who acquired ownership in 2012.

You might also not know that the golf club at the Grove Park Inn was there even before construction began on the hotel itself. The first tee shot came in 1899 before it was redesigned in 1924 and is now a part of the resort. Today, it boasts a par-70 course and is open to members, the public as well as guests.

Still not impressed? If the Grove Park Inn itself doesn’t make you stand in awe, its guest list will. Over the years the Inn has played host to such notable guests as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, John D. Rockefeller, North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, current NC Governor Bev Perdue, Sanjay Gupta, musician Trey Anastasio, Presidents Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower, and Barack Obama. Other notables include magician Harry Houdini, author F. Scott Fitzgerald, golfer Bobby Jones, Will Rogers, Reverend Billy Graham, William Shatner, and many more.

The Grove Park Inn in Asheville is an experience like none other. Relax with guests the world over and see why presidents, musicians, farmers, and people from all walks of life have made the Inn a destination in itself.

Asheville Art Museum

In the heart of the metropolis that is Asheville, NC there is a bight spot of culture in the downtown area: The Asheville Art Museum. Right off Pack Square, the Asheville Art Museum is packed with art of every shape form and fashion. With a hugely popular permanent collection and traveling shows that change the experience of the museum throughout the year, and of course special events to fit every taste this is one of the best art museums in the Smoky Mountains.

The permanent collection of the Asheville Art Museum focuses on art and artists from the 20^th century forward. The art contained in their permanent collection ranges in media and subject matter. Both regional and national artists are represented in the collection as well as a diverse collection of art types and medium. In this collection there are more then 3500 works of art and almost 5000 architectural drawings (though all of this are not on display all the time).

There is also a Black Mountain Collection at the Asheville Art Museum. This collection of pieces is designed to celebrate the 24 counties of Western North Carolina, those that are located in and in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains. And, as you can see by the name, this collection also focuses on artists that have a connection with Black Mountain College. This project is an ever-growing repository of works and they are also in the process of digitizing the collection so that it will be available to people both at the museum and online. Right now, this collection houses more than 520 works of art.

The traveling shows that come through the Asheville area always have a home in the exhibits at the Asheville Art Museum. Some of these exhibits stay for years but some are there for a very short amount of time. Ranging from collections that focus on niche markets to collections of world renown artists, the special exhibits in the art museum in Asheville bring people to the area for the purpose of viewing and appreciating art, the fact that you can buy a Membership that will get you and your family into the museum throughout the year just goes to show that people come back as the exhibits in the halls change.

If you are visiting the Asheville, make sure that you take in Pack Square. And while you are in Pack Square walk towards the back of the square. Head inside the cool pristine gallery that houses one of the best art collections in the southeast. You may find that you have found one of the spots that you will revisit year after year as your knowledge and appreciation of these art forms grows.

Asheville Art Museum
2 South Pack Square
Asheville, NC
828-253-3227
Web

Asheville, NC

“Any Way You Like It”

Asheville is one of the most exciting cities in the Smokies. Combining a very cosmopolitan feel with the beauty of the Smoky Mountains gives Asheville a different culture when it comes to shopping, dining and attractions. From the Grove Arcade shopping complex to the Biltmore Estate, the upscale look and flavor of Asheville lures thousands of people to the area each year.

Named after Governor Samuel Ashe, Asheville (originally called Morristown) was settled in the 1790s. Of course, before this point the Cherokee tribes had held sway in this area of North Carolina for generations. The European settlers found that they loved the valley that Asheville sits in and in the census of 1790 it is reported that over 1000 people lived in what would become Asheville. Through the years, Asheville has kept growing and adding to both the population and the economy.

Asheville has had a very colorful history. It was heavily involved in the Civil War. In the late 1800s it got a shot in the arm when George Vanderbilt built the magnificent Biltmore Estate which employed countless people. Even through the time of the Great Depression (Asheville was one of the hardest hit cities in the country by this disaster), Asheville fought back to establish itself as a cultural gem in the Smokies. By the turn of the 21^st century, Asheville has established itself as not only a tourism driven city but also a strong economy based on the service and industrial fields.

Stats

83,393 population
2,134’ (average altitude)
35°34′48″N 82°33′21″W
Buncombe County
http://www.ci.asheville.nc.us/

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