Long History of Biking in the Mountains

 

Eugene C. Sawyer (2nd from left) and friends, July 4, 1895

There has been a long history of biking in the mountains of Transylvania County that goes well beyond that of the mountain biking that we think of today. Looking back, we can see examples of groups getting together for a social ride as early as the 1890s, such as this scene that is part of the NC Room collection depicting Eugene C. Sawyer and friends. The inscription on the back of the photo gives some information. The photo was taken on July 4^th, 1893 at Carrier Track (presumably in Asheville, as Eugene was a resident of Buncombe County). Sawyer’s half mile time is listed as 1:19 and stamped information indicates that A.B. Pope was the photographer for this staged, professional photo.

Although this image is more closely related to Buncombe County history, there is a connection to Transylvania County. Eugene Sawyer (2^nd from left) is a young man in his early twenties in the photo who went on to pioneer the introduction of automobiles in Asheville. Sawyer started out as a bicycle merchant with his shop, Asheville Cycle Co., located on Church Street. He was a mover and shaker in the popular bicycling scene and staged a bicycle parade with his bike in the lead sporting eighteen paper lanterns.

An innovative engineer, Sawyer designed a gasoline-powered car in 1900 and sold it to the son of President Rutherford B. Hayes. The success of this sale led him to abandon bicycles and convert his shop into an automobile showroom in 1907. The building still exists today on Coxe Avenue in Asheville as condominiums. Other well-known clientele included Tench C. Coxe of the Coxe family that later purchased land in what is now the Dupont State Forest area in Transylvania County.

Bikers outside Pisgah Tavern, 1942

The tradition of bike racing in the mountains lives on with events like the Assault on the Carolinas, a fundraiser for the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club now in its 21^st year. Riders flock from all over the world to this area, drawn by the ideal conditions for both trail and road riding.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. This article was written by Laura Gardner, Local History Librarian. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Laura at laura.gardner@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

How Many Stories Can One Picture Tell?

Hume Hotel ruins with James "Perry" Cantrell,
Hettie M. Raxter Cantrell, and Walter Cantrell

One of the greatest parts about looking into history is seeing old photographs and discovering the stories behind these images of the past. Within each picture, there are numerous pieces of history that one could discover, using these clues to embark on a journey of discovery. The image included in this week’s Picturing the Past led to three distinct stories of Transylvania history. 

The first story is of the Hume Hotel, also known by the names Rock Hotel, Dunn’s Rock Hotel, Stone Hotel, and Connestee Hotel. It was built on the land of Robert W. Hume, just off the Greenville Highway near where Mud Dabbers Pottery is currently located. It is said that it was burned by bushwhackers during the Civil War, and the stone remains were a backdrop for the picture seen here. 

Morrow House

The second story is of the Royal and Louise Morrow House. After the Hume Hotel sat in ruins for decades, Royal Morrow procured stones from the site to utilize in the construction of his home on East Main Street in 1915. The Hume Hotel was the earliest known stone building in Transylvania County, and it is interesting to note that the Morrow House is now the oldest surviving stone house in the county. The Wright brothers, the stonemasons who constructed many notable stone structures in the county such as the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and the stone gates at Brevard College, are said to have also constructed the Morrow House, though some debate that fact. The house itself is notable in that it was built according to a design created by world-renowned Craftsman-style architect Gustav Stickley, which was published in The Craftsman magazine of June 1909. The Morrow House is one of the most prominent in the historic East Main Street district. 

Walter Cantrell's store for Canter Woodworks

The third story is of the Cantrell family. Seated before the ruins of the Hume Hotel is a family tableau featuring Perry Cantrell with wife Hettie Raxter Cantrell and son Walter Cantrell. Based on the fact that Walter is an infant in this picture, it was likely taken in 1912 or 1913, just a couple of years before the ruins were dismantled to be used in the Morrow House construction. Young Walter grew to have his own notoriety in the county as a woodworker. He learned woodworking through an apprenticeship in Tryon from the age of 15, in a style of learning that was common in Europe. He created Canter Woodworks in 1947, which was located on Highway 276 for many years and appeared in numerous newspaper and magazine articles during his career. 

Each story leads to another and another, the details becoming mysteries in themselves. The layers of meaning that each archival item contains are immeasurable. What other stories are hidden in the archives, awaiting discovery? Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. This article was written by Laura Gardner, Local History Librarian. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Laura at laura.gardner@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Large Brevard Home Lost to Fire

On August 5, 1914, Mr. J.A. Miller’s property on North Country Club Road
and home to Mr. E.F. Moffitt and 36 boarders, went up in flames.

On August 5, 1914, one of Brevard’s largest and finest homes went up in flames. The house was located on what is today North Country Club Road, somewhere between Gillespie Circle and Gallimore Road. The house belonged to Mr. J.A. Miller and was occupied by Mr. E.F. Moffitt and 36 boarders. Reportedly, the fire started early in the morning and originated in the third floor attic, which was located over the kitchen. The cause of the fire is unknown and was a matter of speculation at the time. Some thought it could have been caused by a defect in the electrical wiring in the attic; others pointed to the kitchen chimney flue that went through the attic. 

According to the Sylvan Valley News from August 7, 1914, “Faithful work was done by the men handling the hose and by others, but without success. A great part of Mr. Moffett’s [sic] household furniture was saved, but much on the third floor was lost. This loss he estimated at $500 [equivalent in purchasing power to about $13,650.15 in 2021], but he could not speak with certainty. Mr. Miller’s loss is considerable [sic] greater. The house was a fine brick building, perhaps the roomiest private dwelling house in Brevard. Making allowances [sic] for insurance, the loss probably [sic] was not less than $3000 [equivalent in purchasing power to about $81,900.90 in 2021].”

Ad from the Sylvan Valley News, 1914

Both Mr. J.A. Miller and Mr. E.F. Moffitt were well-known businessmen in Brevard. Miller owned a supply company that sold hardware, building material, farming implements, paints, furniture and general house furnishings. A carpenter by trade, Moffitt was also a contractor and builder, and owned a construction company that bore his name. Moffitt was also involved in the auction business of the time. In the 1900s and 1910s, Miller and Moffitt were frequently encountered names in the newspaper, as the two men heavily advertised their businesses in the newspaper, and were often mentioned in lot and land transactions and real estate dealings. 

In the photograph above, one may notice that there are some 150 people, many of them women and children, observing the efforts of a crew of men to put out the fire. Much of the salvaged furniture is assembled in the yard, on the foreground, on the left. Several men are helping to hoist and direct the water hose up the roof of the house. The house to the left, which at the time was owned by Mr. J.A. Miller, was later occupied by the Tom Shipman family, and after that by the Joe Pickelsimer family.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. This article was written by Anne-Monique Ransdell. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.