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Backus Lodge: Remnant of an Era

 

Front view of Backus Lodge, circa 1988

At the turn of the century, many urban industrialists were drawn to the southern Appalachian mountains as an escape from the stresses of their city lives. In 1906 one such man, Edward McAllister Backus of Brooklyn, New York, bought 1450 acres of land straddling the line between Jackson and Transylvania Counties atop Cold Mountain Gap in Lake Toxaway. He was a frequent visitor to the area, thanks to the Toxaway Inn where he spent his leisure time with prestigious guests such as George Vanderbilt, Carl Schenck, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and Henry Ford. He immediately had “Backus Lodge” built in the Adirondack style that was popular at the time.  

The Lodge was built using unpeeled chestnut logs which were packed in straw before being loaded onto ox-driven carts to protect the character of the bark during the bumpy journey up the mountain. The  Lodge's interior is fully hardwood, with exposed poplar ceiling beams and oak planking for both the walls and floors. In addition to the main lodge, a stable and servants’ cottage were constructed. Earth mounds and a block-and-tackle pulley system were utilized in the construction of all buildings, and afterward the dirt was redistributed to even out areas around the small lake that was also created at that time. Backus/Baccus Lodge is on the National Historic Register and is unique in that other than kitchen updates and the addition of electricity in 1986, it remains true to its original construction and unaltered.  

After the bursting of the Toxaway Dam in 1916, Backus sold his property to Jerome Moltz and left the area for good. Moltz was a lumber baron from Pittsburgh and may be remembered by his ownership of what is now the Greystone Inn. He owned the railroad in that area for lumber transportation and extended the tracks to reach The Lodge. In 1922 Moltz sold the ten-acre tract that contained the lodge, stable, and cottage to Sallie Joyner Davis of Greenville, NC. 

Rear view of Backus Lodge, circa 1988

Upon obtaining ownership of Backus Lodge, Sallie, her mother, and her sister Katherine renovated the caretaker’s cottage and stable to include a board-and-batten second story and added a shingle cottage, now known as Davis Cottage, that they used as their family home. They opened the property as an exclusive girls’ camp catering to the wealthy known as “Camp Toxaway” and renamed the main lodge building “Cold Mountain Lodge”. The camp closed in 1935. Katherine continued to live on the property as a private residence until she sold it to Rev. Dan and Christine Williams of Greenville, SC.  

Rev. Williams also constructed two additional buildings: a recreation building and an A-frame chapel. He redubbed the property “Canaan Land” and designated it as a religious retreat. All of the buildings were given Biblical names, which they still bear today. In the mid-1980s Williams passed away and the property was purchased by George and Nancy Corbett of Florida. The Corbetts continue to run Canaan Land as a private retreat for ministry workers and their families.  

The Corbetts purchased approximately 10 acres that they have since added to the property and have continued to improve the land. One such improvement is the addition of twelve “birdhouse” cabins that were transported from another local Christian summer camp, The Wilds, during their camp renovation. Although Backus Lodge has passed through many hands, it’s been preserved as a remnant of an important era in history. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.  

C.M. Doyle: Turn of the Century Hardware Man

 

This photo was taken shortly after a barn raising party in 1910 on property owned by Southern Stock & Farm.

On January 19, 1906 new advertisements began appearing in the Sylvan Valley News for Southern Stock and Farming Company of North Carolina. The company was owned by B.G. Estes of Hamburg, New York and managed locally by Charles Montegue “C.M.” Doyle. Doyle was born in Pittsburgh, PA and lived in New York prior to moving to Brevard to manage the business. Estes also moved to Brevard according to the 1910 Census, but then moved away sometime before 1920. The storefront was in the McGaha building until the end of September 1907 when Doyle moved it to the Pickelsimer building. The Pickelsimer building at that time was located where OP Taylor’s and Blast From the Past and Gravy Gift Shops are located today. Behind the building where the locally famous Pickelsimer building would be built in 1922 were a hitching shed and a number of small warehouses for vendors.  Their advertisements predominantly featured farming implements, fencing, horse-drawn buggies, fertilizer, and seed potatoes. The company received its official charter of incorporation in October of 1908.

Southern Stock and Farm was not a long-lived company in Brevard. In March of 1912, Doyle was overseeing the division and sale of at least a portion of the company’s land into residential lots along what is now Broad, North Country Club, Turnpike, and Ashworth roads. Doyle himself purchased a lot located roughly where Gordon Family Pharmacy is today. The last advertisements in the Sylvan Valley News for Southern Stock and Farm appeared in April 1912.  Over that summer Doyle ran a few ads in the newspaper independent of the company, advertising clover and grass seed and selling out of C.C. Yongue’s Grocery.

Charles Montegue Doyle. Photo courtesy of Andy Doyle.

In December of 1912, Doyle opened Brevard Hardware in the same location. It would seem that he had purchased Southern Stock and Farm from Estes as he advertised that he was selling off their old stock and all debts previously owed to the company were now payable to him. Doyle ran Brevard Hardware until October 1919 when Harry P. Clark bought an interest in the store and took over as manager, and Doyle departed on a “business trip north.”

In July of 1920 the Brevard News reported that Doyle had returned to Brevard for a short visit after spending several months in Cuba, Florida, and Texas, and would leave for New York and other northern cities in a few weeks. The brief story closed with “While C. Doyle is as quiet as the Sphinx, at the same time we predict that he will again startle Transylvania in the way of a big business venture in the near future.” It was not to be however. By 1925 Doyle appears in the city directory for Forth Worth, Texas. According to the 1930 Census records he sold life insurance and his wife Blanche was a school teacher. The Doyles remained in Fort Worth until his death in 1961 and hers in 1962. 

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Associate Hale Durant. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

Thelma Harrington Bell and Corydon Whitten Bell: Husband and Wife Writing and Illustrating Team

Corydon and Thelma Bell

Corydon and Thelma Bell moved to Rainey Knob in Sapphire in 1944. The duo partnered on seven children’s’ books: Thelma as the writer and Corydon as the illustrator. Many of their books featured the North Carolina highlands as a setting, such as "Mountain Boy." At the time, children’s books were an up-and-coming genre, and their unique perspective on southern Appalachian life was novel and previously unseen in children’s book publishing.

Thelma was born in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Western Reserve University with B.A. in English and minor in Psychology. She worked as a copywriter in advertising for a large department store in Cleveland, Ohio before marrying Corydon and putting her career on hold to focus on raising their three children: Patricia, Whitten, and Nancy.

Corydon was born in Tiffin, Ohio and attended the University of Michigan as a pre-med major, but his studies were interrupted by World War I before completion. He was stationed at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, working as a bacteriologist on the base during the day and conducting the camp’s theatre orchestra in the evenings. Post-war, Corydon abandoned the idea of becoming a doctor and turned to graphic arts. He and Thelma opened an advertising studio in Cleveland, Ohio where he created advertising art while Thelma wrote the copy for their clients. 

After the children were grown, the couple left Cleveland and moved to Rainey Knob in the Sapphire area of Transylvania County. Thelma loved the plant life that now surrounded them and in addition to writing, painted rhododendrons, mushrooms, and flowers of the southern Appalachians. Her art was more than a hobby – her plant illustrations were published and in high demand.

Thelma was an award-winning children’s author. In 1959 she received the AAUW Award in North Carolina for “Captain Ghost”, and in 1961 the same title received the Dorothy Sanfield Fisher Children’s Book Award. “Captain Ghost” and “Yaller Eye” were both Junior Literary Guild selections. In addition to her fiction writing, she also wrote children’s science books such as “Thunderstorm,” “Snow,” “The Riddle of Time,” and “North Carolina.”

"Mountain Boy" illustration, published in 1947

Corydon was one of 150 artists whose works were included in the Ford Times Collection of American Art. The collection, created by the Ford Motor Company, was grouped into 12 exhibits that traveled the world. He illustrated numerous magazine articles and children’s books in addition to those written by his wife. He also was a writer and completed a history of the Champion Paper Company that is currently held in the Western Carolina University Special Collections.

In addition to being a skilled artist, Corydon was also a proficient musician, playing both piano and organ as well as composing his own musical works. The Bells had a close relationship with the Brevard Music Center’s director, James Christian Pfohl, when the site was known as Brevard Music Camp. Some of Corydon’s compositions were played by the NBC Orchestra in Cleveland, Ohio and the Transylvania Symphony under Pfohl’s direction. The couple donated Corydon’s large collection of sheet music to the Western Carolina University music department in 1978.

Corydon passed away in 1980 in Knoxville, TN. It’s unclear why the couple moved there, but five years later when Thelma also passed away, she was also in Knoxville. The impact they left on children’s literature and the admiration that they gave to this region will be forever remembered. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

The Ecusta Medical Center: Ahead of Its Time

 

The construction of the Ecusta Medical Center in February 1951, as published in "The Echo" company magazine.

The Ecusta Paper Plant was once a major employer for the region, with over 2,000 employees working on their 225-acre site. It’s hard to believe that one of the few remnants of this once-expansive site is the medical center building, which is in the process of transforming into the new home for Ecusta Brewing.

Built in 1951, the 8,800 square foot building was more than just brick and mortar—it was a revolutionary approach to health and wellness for industrial workers. Harry Straus, the founder of the company, had a vision for the medical center when he brought on his personal friend, Dr. Mac Roy Gasque, as the medical director for the planned facility. When Straus approached Gasque, he expressed the intention of collaborating to create “the best industrial medical department anywhere.”

Gasque was involved in all parts of the planning and implementation of the initiative. As the years went by, Gasque also stayed with Ecusta through its transition to Olin and eventually became the company president before his retirement. Ahead of its time, the facility focused on preventative medicine, though they also provided medical and surgical care, counseling, and routine examinations for employees. The facility was meant to supplement, not replace, the employees’ regular physicians. The concept was so revolutionary that Gasque even won awards and the facility’s initiatives were written about in prestigious medical journals.

When the plant changed hands and then closed in 2003, the medical center was the only building left. It now takes on a second life as a community hub and part of the thriving tourism industry that now bolsters the local economy. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

 

Long Hunters of Transylvania County

Long hunter James Washington Fisher Jr. and his wife Darcus Levisa Fisher in their golden years

Untamed and unnamed Transylvania County had a number of men known as “long hunters” in the 1800s who would make a living by embarking on hunting expeditions for six months at a time. From October to March, they would travel and hunt, preserving the meat, tanning the hides, and preparing pelts that they procured along the way. When they returned to civilization, they would often distribute their goods to prearranged buyers in larger towns of the area, such as Greenville, Spartanburg, and Asheville.

One well-known base camp was situated near Mount Toxaway, then known as “Hogback Mountain.” From here, the long hunters could replenish supplies and gather a group when it was time to set out on a long hunt. The animals they hunted included deer, bear, fox, beaver, and even the occasional panther. Hunting dogs were usually part of the team and were employed to help bring down the largest game, such as bear.

Notable long hunters of what would become Transylvania County included Nathan Lankford, Aleck Wood, John J. Green, and Jim Fisher.

Part of the camaraderie of these groups included sitting around a campfire and telling tall tales of their hunting exploits during their leisure time. These stories were not expected to be entirely true; in fact, it was a badge of honor to elaborate and embellish one’s story for the utmost effect. For this reason, these gatherings of hunters were known as “lying camps.” James “Jim” Washington Fisher Jr., was one of the most well-known long hunters. He often won these impromptu competitions and was also renowned for his fiddle music. The winner got to wield a carved powder horn until a new winner was declared.

The exploits of the long hunters might have been lost to history if not for the writings of a Charleston-based author named William Gilmore Simms who immortalized them in his short stories, essays, and books. Simms was taken out on an expedition in 1847 that included the notable long hunters of our region. He glorified their adventures and shared them with a public eager to hear stories of the untamed frontier lands of the rugged Appalachian mountains. Their remarkable stories now live on, and it us up to the reader to decide how much of these tales is true.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

Westall Vineyard

 

Westall Vineyard in 1974

One mile east of Penrose, Thad Westall, retired Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army, owned and operated a vineyard from 1964 to the late 1970s along with his wife Geri. Thad grew up in Flat Rock and bought a couple of acres in Penrose for retirement in 1962. The first couple of years were spent in renovating the house. Later he purchased an additional 27 acres and began cultivating grapes. At the time, laws were still in place to limit the production of alcohol other than for personal and home consumption, and so Westall was sure to get federally licensed to make wine for his own use. What grapes he couldn’t use for his own wine production were made available to the public as a “pick your own” vineyard experience.

The way that Westall approached wine production was similar to how hobbyist microbrewers might approach crafting beer today. He often created small, distinct batches of wine in an experimental fashion, learning from each attempt. He tended to keep each strain of grapes separate and did not dabble in blending, as is common in commercial wine production, though he did cross-breed grape varieties and create cultivars.

Westall devoted his time to developing the best kind of wine grape for the region. One difficulty with grape production in the western North Carolina mountains is the short growing season, so it was important to grow a variety that could ripen in time before the cold season. Although hobbyist gardeners have long cultivated Concord grapes successfully for food consumption, the different varietals needed for wine production did not easily flourish in this climate. It took research, trial, and error for Westall to find the right variety of grapes for the region.

Thad Westall in the fermenting room 1974

He created his own cultivars, the “W 101” and “W102” named for the W of Westall, tried out growing the “Fontaine,” and worked on cross-breeding the “1918 G.B.” Each grape variety seems to have its own story. Legend has it the 1918 G.B. was brought from Europe to the U.S. in 1918 by a soldier in World War I and the “G.B.” stands for golf ball, in reference to the grape’s large size. Fontaine was an heirloom variety from Transylvania County created in the 1920s by a man with the last name Fontaine who cultivated grapes on his property near where Brevard Middle School is located today and only quit when prohibition made his wine production illegal.

As Westall experimented with grape production, he got help from the Extension Services chair, Jim Davis, to learn more about farming and growing grapes specifically. Westall also found a fellow grape-growing enthusiast in local physician Dr. J.B. Scroggin. They exchanged information through the years as they learned more and more about farming grapes for wine production.

Although now long-gone with the road name “Vineyard Loop” as the only remnant, this early wine production was ahead of its time in the Penrose community of Transylvania County. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

A Brief History of the White Squirrel Festival

 

A car show was part of the first White Squirrel Festival in 2004

This year’s White Squirrel Weekend has started a new era for spring downtown events, and so a retrospective seems in order. The downtown festival, which traditionally was held on Memorial Day weekend, started in 2003. The inaugural event kicked off with the unveiling of a white squirrel sculpture outside of City Hall created by local artist Kathryn Wilson. The White Squirrel Festival began as a street festival with events like a car show and developed into a way to highlight local and regional musical talent. With each year, it grew to incorporate new events and highlights.

Common features of the festival included vendors for food, drink, and art; kids activities, a photography competition, and guided tours to see the white squirrels that reside on Brevard College’s campus. The event often aligned with downtown Brevard’s “4^th Friday Gallery Walks”, which would extend the hours of local art galleries for visitors. In 2007, the Squirrel Box Derby began and was held every year except 2015 until the final run in 2018 when a tragic accident led to the decision to discontinue the event.

2008 brought three new features to the festival: the first being beer sales, the second being the Rotary Club sponsored 5K and 10K races, and the third being a Memorial Day parade to honor fallen soldiers.  At that time, there hadn’t been a Memorial Day parade in over 25 years, though they were once a regular part of community celebrations in bygone days. In partnership with the parade, memorial services at one or more historic cemeteries followed by the opportunity to decorate grave markers of fallen soldiers helped to remind the community of the ultimate sacrifice made by service men and women. These memorial services were at times led by the American Legion Post 88 and the Waightstill Avery chapter of the DAR.

To give everyone a chance to see a white squirrel, “Pisgah Pete” was available for visitors during the festival from 2015-2019. This white squirrel ambassador was known for his weather and Superbowl predictions that coincide with Groundhog Day, though he recently retired and has passed the torch to his niece, Pisgah Penny.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was no festival in 2020 or 2021, making 2019 the last year of the festival in that iteration. The decision to switch the festival to the weekend after Memorial Day weekend provided an opportunity for reimagining what the festival’s focus would be and to extend the number of weekends with happenings in downtown. The first annual White Squirrel Weekend is now in the books as a brand-new conjunction of community, culture, and fun.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

Pisgah National Forest Gate

 

The Pisgah National Forest gate in the 1930s

Many residents recognize old photographs of the gate that once graced the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest. This photo from the 1930s shows how the original gate looked  --a pair of crenulated stone pillars flanking the highway, an arch emblazoned with the forest’s name topped with an eagle with outspread wings. The eagle and castle-like pillars are long gone, though a portion of one stone pillar remains.

It may not be immediately apparent that the stone pillar that still exists today is not part of the original construction. The original gate was constructed and dedicated to the memory of fallen soldiers in 1920 just after World War I and displayed two plaques honoring Transylvania County residents who lost their lives in that war. Native stone and two bronze plaques from the original gate were used to create the second gate, and it was rededicated in a ceremony documented in the August 7, 1941 Transylvania Times. Part of the second gate still remains at the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest on Highway 276, honoring the sacrifice of the enlisted decades later.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

French Broad Camp for Boys

 

1917 campers from a promotional brochure for French Broad Camp for Boys.
Jack Humphreys is front and center wearing black shorts.

Summer camps are a vital part of the Transylvania County economy and have been for over a century. The first summer camp, Camp Sapphire, began in 1913 and sparked a flurry of summer camp creation for the area. By 1929 when Porter Sargent’s seminal guide “Summer Camps” was published, Transylvania County was lauded as “the most important center for camps in the South,” with at least a dozen camps operating in the county at that time.

The French Broad Camp for Boys was the second summer camp established in Transylvania County. It opened in July 1914 under the leadership of Major Henry E. Raines of Charleston, SC and his colleagues Capt. John W. Moore and Prof. A.L. Hodges. Raines was a graduate and then faculty member of the Citadel military college and employed his military background to create structure and discipline for campers, while also providing independent outdoor experiences.

The original camp spanned 60 acres of land adjacent to the French Broad River and grew to over 200 acres over time. In addition to river access, the site also boasted a private lake, which provided extensive opportunities for water recreation.

41 campers were enrolled for the first 8-week long season, and the camp grew in popularity year after year. They engaged in activities such as hiking, swimming, canoeing, baseball, basketball, tennis, track games, music, photography, and social events.

The camp itself had two permanent buildings: the club house and dining room. The club house included music instruction facilities and staff offices in addition to a large meeting area centered around a fireplace. The campers stayed in furnished tents which had spring cots and mattresses. Numerous athletic fields were part of the facilities, including an indoor target practice shooting range.

Good natured competition and educational opportunities were part of the experience as well. Learning to swim was mandatory for all campers, with special instruction being given to those who did not already know how to swim before arrival.

14-year-old Jack R. Humphreys of Greenwood, Mississippi created a scrapbook for the time that he spent at French Broad Camp in 1916, which is now a part of the NC Room collection at the Transylvania County Library. This scrapbook provides some of the only images the collection has of the effects of the July 1916 flood that ravaged western NC and beyond. Through his eyes, we see not only his experience as a camper, but a view of how the landscape changed during this time.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

The Federal Distillery Building

The Federal Distillery Building circa 1990, front view

 Built by “Babe” Cooper in 1854, the federal distillery building still stands today on Highway 276 and is part of the offices of Camp Rockbrook. The distillery was regulated by the federal government and originally had an attached mill that served the community by grinding grain for both food and liquor production through the decades.  

A flume diverted water from Dunn’s Creek to power the mill wheel as it ground grain. The front porch was built at wagon height for easy loading and unloading of the final product. Retail sales for the distilled whiskey operated directly at the site in addition to bulk sales that were transported to distributors in the region. Throughout the years, several families rented the space and operated it as a general store as well.  

The Federal Distillery Building circa 1990, rear and side view

Several different operators kept the distillery running until production shut down during prohibition in the early 1920s. It was at this time that Henry and Nancy Carrier inherited the building and used it for antique reproduction furniture manufacture. The mill wheel was relocated and used to provide electricity for Camp Rockbrook.  

One of the main craftsmen there, Walter Cantrell, eventually rented the building and used it for his own woodworking and furniture making business for over forty years before relocating further up the highway and shifting focus to antiques. This remnant of the past has shown that adaptability is the secret to longevity. 

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820. 

The Art Loeb Trail and Its Namesake: Part Two – Arthur J. Loeb

 

Art Loeb, Shining Rock Wilderness, 1963

In last week’s article, the Art Loeb Trail’s formation and location were described. In this second and final article, the focus will be Art Loeb’s life and accomplishments.

Arthur Joseph Loeb was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 27, 1914. His father Adolf Loeb immigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany in the late 1890s and worked in the family tobacco importing business known as K. Straus & Co. Inc., which was started by Adolf’s uncle Karl Straus. Karl had learned the process for making fine papers in Germany, and the family business expanded to include the production of thin paper made from flax and used for Bible pages and cigarette wrappings.

Arthur, known to many as Art, grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Mercersburg Academy and Yale University. After graduating, he began to work for the family business and was in charge of sourcing raw materials, including flax, from all over the country. During his business travels, he met Kathleen “Kitty” Vachreau in Minnesota. The couple married in 1940, and in 1942, Art served in the U.S. Army Air Corps for 4 years, achieving the rank of captain before being discharged from service. He and his wife moved to Brevard, where Art was hired by his cousin Harry Straus as the assistant to the research director. They raised a family there and had three girls: Barbara, Joan, and Katie.

Over time, Art worked his way up in the company, eventually becoming the vice president and general manager of the Ecusta Paper Division of Olin Matheson Chemical Corporation. He was actively involved in the community as a member and officer in local civic groups, such as the Transylvania Community Hospital Board of Trustees, the National Advisory Council of the Brevard Music Center, and the Carolina Mountain Club; as well as numerous national groups, such as the Advisory Council of the School of Engineering at N.C. State University, the North Carolina Tobacco Advisory Council, and the Society for the Advancement of Management.

Art Loeb, Pisgah National Forest, 1965

Art had a family predisposition toward heart disease and a high-pressure work environment, so it is not surprising that he had a heart attack in his mid-40s. His doctor advised regular cardiovascular exercise, and this is what sparked Art’s passion for hiking. He began by exploring the areas within walking distance of his home in what is now Straus Park, eventually branching out into further and further areas near and in the Pisgah National Forest. Hiking was a different experience than today, and it often required bushwhacking, orienteering, and utilization of not-always-accurate maps. Art and his friends in the Carolina Mountain Club created or connected many of the trails that enthusiasts of the region enjoy today.

It was this connection that inspired the Carolina Mountain Club to name the connected trail system in honor of  Arthur J. Loeb after he unexpectedly passed away in 1968 from a brain tumor. His legacy of conservation, trail maintenance, and community involvement lives on with his namesake trail, a truly iconic recreational institution so representative of the beautiful Pisgah National Forest.

Thanks to a generous donation by Art Loeb’s daughter Joan, the Local History department of the Transylvania County Library now holds in safekeeping Art’s backpack, hiking boots, walking sticks, camp stove, and memorabilia associated with his namesake trail. A display is forthcoming. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

The Art Loeb Trail and Its Namesake: Part One -- The Trail

 

The original blaze for the trail -- a yellow hiker's silhouette, 1971

The Art Loeb Trail, the longest and most challenging trail in the Pisgah National Forest, winds through some of the most rugged parts of North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest. The thirty-mile trail gains 4,000 feet of elevation one way, and 3,000 feet of elevation if hiked in the other direction, giving credence to the idea that it’s “uphill both ways.”  It takes you through meadows, river valleys, the Shining Rock Wilderness, and across the well-known peaks of Cedar Rock Mountain, Black Balsam Knob, Pilot Mountain, and Tennet Mountain.

There are four distinct sections of the trail, which was created by the Forest Service from several smaller trails. Many side roads and trails connect to the Art Loeb Trail, making it easy to choose shorter and less strenuous hikes to enjoy parts of the daunting trail. One end is located at the Davidson River Campground and the other is at Camp Daniel Boone off NC Highway 215. It’s a foot-traffic-only trail that does allow backwoods camping and is marked by white blazes, though the original blazes were yellow and included the silhouette of a hiker.

The Carolina Mountain Club is responsible for the creation of the Art Loeb Trail. The CMC began in 1923 and over time, the group developed their focus on group hiking, trail construction and maintenance, and social activities related to hiking and conservation, such as hosting speakers and advocacy. Early efforts were focused on the Appalachian Trail, but later, more trails of the region were added.

The original plaque at Black Balsam Knob (later stolen) which shows
the intended path of the Art Loeb Trail over Cold Mountain, 1985

When CMC vice-president and board member Arthur Joseph Loeb passed away in December of 1968, the club looked for a way to honor his memory. The trail seemed a fitting tribute to his memory, considering how much time he and other club members had spent creating and maintaining the many trails, footpaths, and old roads that would eventually be consolidated into one hiking trail bearing his name. Passage over Cold Mountain was originally proposed, but the land was not in the possession of the U.S. Forest Service, and so it was re-routed. The trail does connect to a spur that leads to Cold Mountain, for those who wish to follow the originally intended path. The CMC filed their trail proposal in June of 1969, and in November, the dedication of the Arthur J. Loeb Memorial Trail, now more commonly known as the Art Loeb Trail, took place.

In next week’s article, learn more about the life and accomplishments of Art Loeb and why a trail was dedicated in his memory. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Girl Scout Little House

The Girl Scout "Little House" today

The Girl Scout “Little House” is nestled among the trees in Franklin Park and has been providing meeting space for Girl Scout troops of Transylvania County for decades.

Girl Scouting in Transylvania County began in the 1920s under the supervision of Florence Lyle, Annette Patton, and Bertie Ballard. A few years later, Elizabeth Zachary replaced Annette Patton, and it was Zachary who began fundraising for a scout building. Completion of the project was a long time in the works, however.

Early in its formation, sponsorship of Girl Scouts in Transylvania County was taken on by the Wednesday Club, a women’s club that met (and continues to meet) regularly to exchange ideas, listen to speakers, and engage in charitable efforts in the community. The drive to fundraise for the construction of a meeting house unfortunately hit a slump when the Wednesday Club discontinued sponsorship in the 1930s. The Girl Scouts continued on in Transylvania County without sponsorship due to the sole efforts of leader Rebecca Macfie.

In 1940 the Girl Scout Executive Council was formed, and with the reorganization, a significant amount of fundraising toward construction of a meeting house was accomplished. War years put the construction on hiatus, and it wasn’t until 1948 that the dream finally came to fruition.

The Girl Scout Little House held an open house on October 24, 1948, boasting a large recreation room, kitchen, bath, and storage rooms. The fireplace is original to the design and was a functional part of the heating of the building from the onset.

Girl Scout troops continue to share use of the building, which is on property owned by the City of Brevard, as they engage in activities to promote their growth, leadership, and service to their community.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Calvert Prison Camp

 

Calvert Prison Camp

Transylvania County has operated several jails in its history, including the original one located in the courthouse.  However, many residents are unaware that a state prison camp was also once located here. In the fall of 1933, the state of North Carolina purchased 50 acres of land from Tom Galloway in the community of Calvert near Rosman to build a prison camp.  The property was located near the current New Excelsior plant, once the home of Coats America and American Thread.

The number of prisoners the state said would be housed in the camp changed continually, with various estimates ranging between 75 to 125 men. The purpose of the facility was to use inmate labor to build and maintain county roads.  The camp would also provide local jobs for a superintendent, a steward, and seven to ten guards, good news during the hard times of the Depression. 

In June of 1934, construction began on what was officially called the Calvert State Prison Camp.  Labor was provided by “grade A prisoners” and a number of local craftsmen. The main building was built of brick.  A deep well was dug for a water and a sewage disposal plant was built on site.  Electric lights were installed by the Rosman Tanning Extract Company of Rosman. 

Construction was in full swing when work suddenly stopped after the Department of Corrections was informed the Tennessee Valley Authority was considering building a storage dam on the French Broad River.  This plan would inundate large sections of Transylvania and Henderson counties and flood the prison camp site. When the TVA finally decided they would not construct the dam, work on the camp continued.

Historic map showing the location of Calvert Prison Camp

In addition to the prison building itself, there was also a farm which prisoners worked in order to make the camp self-sufficient.  According to the Transylvania Times, there were “…nine acres of Irish potatoes, growing nicely; tomato and cabbage plants out and thriving, and other garden crops making a fine showing.”  Pigs were also raised.

To celebrate the completion of the Calvert prison camp in January of 1935, an open-house for the general public was held.  The final design allowed for 75 inmates. It was announced that Fred Johnson of Brevard would be superintendent of the camp.  Originally, the camp was intended to hold white-only inmates, but, after a series of delays, 65 African-American prisoners were assigned to the prison in August of 1936.

There is evidence of several escapes including three inmates who escaped from a road detail and a trustee named Jess Harris who simply walked off the farm.  The prison owned their own bloodhounds, which were once even borrowed by local law enforcement officers to help apprehend and arrest three men with two car loads of illegal liquor.

The Calvert prison was closed by the state in the fall of 1962 and the inmates were sent to other facilities.  The rationale the state provided was that Calvert was one of the smallest prison farms in North Carolina and larger prisons were more economical.  The state said they were willing to sell the prison camp for “a bargain”.  

With the prison sitting empty, there were discussions in the county about what to do with the building and land.  The Transylvania Times commented in a headline that the “abandoned prison camp mars the progress of Transylvania.” One proposal was to transform the prison into a factory, similar to what another county in the eastern part of the state had done, converting theirs into a factory making “junior miss dresses”. The record remains silent on the eventual fate of the Calvert prison camp.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History assistant Joe Russo. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

The Bearwallow Springs Jelly House

 

Elise Greer, owner, outside the Bearwallow Springs Jelly House in Sapphire, NC circa 1961

The Sapphire community once was home to the Bearwallow Springs Jelly House. The Jelly House was started by Herman and Elise Greer in 1945. The Florida natives moved to Sapphire in 1940 along with their two children, Marie and Everette. Herman was a certified public accountant, and Elise was an art teacher in public schools before the move. Once they purchased land and built a house , they ran a filling station which sold fuel and picnic supplies such as non-perishable items and ready-made sandwiches. In addition, Elise taught private art lessons in a studio she rented above Varner’s Drug Store. Herman continued to work as a CPA in addition to assisting with management of the store.

Eventually, Elise began stocking the shelves with her own canned goods. The unique flavors of homemade jellies and jams she made were so popular that they soon eclipsed the profitability of the fueling station. The Greers focused the business on preserves production, even fulfilling mail orders much the way a small business today might have online sales in addition to a shop front. They employed kitchen help and bought produce from local residents, some of which was cultivated and some of which was harvested from the wild.

Unique flavors set apart the preserves from store-bought goods and captured the whimsy of mountain culture for customers locally and from afar. Though familiar favorites like scuppernong grape jelly and wild strawberry jam were available, there were also unusual options such as wild crab apple jelly, spiced pumpkin sweet pickles, blue damson plum jam, and artichoke relish. The NC Room has copies of their product catalogs from 1965 and 1972 for the curious who wish to see the entire array of preserves created by Elise Greer and her staff. The Bearwallow Springs Jelly House operated for more than 30 years until Elise and Herman retired in 1977.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.

Hooker Falls: The Site of Two Mills

Moore Mill, the first mill near what would later be named Hooker Falls

Hooker Falls is a well-loved recreation destination in DuPont State Forest. During the early settlement of what is now Transylvania County, it was seen as a more functional location. Though the original ownership date is not known, the first recorded owner of Hooker Falls was Clinton Moore and his wife Sallie, who owned property on Steel’s Creek, Little River, James Johnston Creek, Green River, and Crab Creek. Moore operated a grist mill known as Moore Mill at what is now called Hooker Falls for many years. In 1870, his son William purchased the property and continued to operate the mill. The deed stipulated that Clinton Moore and his wife Sallie would still be allowed to use the mill after the land sale. 

Postcard showing Hooker Mill, the second mill built near Hooker Falls

In 1882 all the property surrounding the mill was sold to John W. Hooker and his brothers Spencer and Edmund by William Moore and his wife Sarah. John was the only one of the three brothers to stay in the area; Edmund and Spencer moved to South Carolina. John Hooker built a cabin on the property as well as a second mill on the opposite side of the river, known as Hooker Mill. Reports claim that the cabin remained intact until the early 1940s, though the original location is unknown. 

Hooker sold the land where Hooker Falls is located to Tench Coxe in 1910. The sale included the mill and all its fixtures. Coxe also owned land in the area that was dubbed Buck Forest. In 1956 Coxe sold much of his land, including the piece that included Hooker Falls and the two mills, to the DuPont corporation. It is said that the millstones remained for many years, only being removed in the early 1970s.  Hooker Falls remained the property of DuPont until 1997 when it was sold to the state and became part of the DuPont State Forest. 

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.