Ayers Store – A Main Street Treasure

Ikey and Ednamae Ayers’ Store as it appeared in the 1960s.

Ayers Store was a treasured locale on Main Street for 52 years. Opened by J.I. “Ikey” Ayers and wife Ednamae in 1936, it started in a space half the size and then later expanded into the space next door, formerly occupied by Edna’s brother’s business (C.B. Superette). Located at 53 West Main Street in downtown Brevard, Ayers Store maintained its old-fashioned appearance for decades, despite keeping its inventory up-to-date. They carried everything from clothing to instruments to batteries.

Ayers Store in the 1970s

Ikey Ayers was born in Stewart, VA on January 10, 1910. Raised in Pine Hall, NC, he joined the CCC in the Depression and worked as a mess sergeant with the corps from 1934-1936 at the Pisgah Forest camp. He met his wife Edna, a local girl, and after they married, he went into business with Ayers Store. It was very familiar to him to start his own business because his father and siblings had all started their own businesses too. Active in the First United Methodist Church, Chamber of Commerce, Brevard Lions Club, and Woodmen of the World, he was also the Vice-President of Brevard Housing Authority and Director of the Brevard Federal Savings and Loan Association at times through the years.

Stock photo of an Arcadian Blue Falcon

Some significant events in the life of the store include when a fire damaged much of the building on February 28, 1963. It was extinguished without causing structural damage, but Ikey had to protect himself from loss by holding a fire sale for smoke-damaged items. A more welcome event took place in August 1966 when he won a two-door “Arcadian Blue” Ford Falcon at a Wallace Hardware Company sales convention as part of raffle.

James Isaac “Ikey” Ayers died July 14, 1984 at the age of 74. After his death, he left the store to his deceased wife's sister, Christine Saltz Scott, who continued on the business for at least 4 more years before the store shut its doors in 1988 or 1989 due to competition from big box stores. Many will still remember it as an iconic part of life in Brevard during that 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.

Jim Aiken – A Prominent Black Businessman from the County’s Early Days

James “Jim” P. Aiken (1862-1909), a prominent Black businessman 

James P. Aiken (March 1, 1862 - August 25, 1909) was born into slavery in the midst of the Civil War. His enslaved mother Jane Aiken didn’t publicly reveal the identity of Jim’s father, but it was believed to be Jane’s enslaver, B.F. Akin of Dunn’s Rock. After Jane, Jim, and others were emancipated at the end of the Civil War, Jane married Ben Hall in 1876. This was the man that acted as a father to Jim throughout the remainder of his childhood.

Jim married Dafna Bailey Keyth in May 1884. There is little documenting their union, though it might be assumed that they had children based on 1900 Census records listing Ida and Jennie as children with birthdates after 1884 and before his second marriage. Jim married his second wife Mary Magdalene Smith in 1891. Mary was a biracial descendent of the Allison family of Transylvania County.

Depending on the source, Jim is credited with having 14-16 children. Not all names appear in records, but those that are known to have come from his marriage to Mary include William, Jesse, George, Betty, Loretta Mary, Frank, Mary, and Melvin. Loretta Mary Aiken went on to become a comedic star under the stage name “Moms Mabley.” Loretta’s story has been covered in previous articles.

His enterprising nature led Jim to sell apple cider and homemade gingerbread at the start of his retail career. He became so successful that after five years, he built a store on Main Street (located at what is approximately 15 West Main Street today) which was a combination mercantile store, café, and barber shop. It was especially popular on court days when he would assist lawyers, judges, and other court officials with lunch and a shave. He later expanded to include a dray service, using a horse and wagon for transportation of luggage and mail to and from the railway station. A familiar and well-liked businessman who served all, Jim was known for always being immaculately dressed and for his sense of humor and fun.

Jim was the member of several civic groups, the most prominent being the Masons. His grave marker, which can still be found in the New French Broad Baptist Church Cemetery, includes an emblem for the honorable order. He was the only black member of the volunteer fire department, and it was in service to his community that he perished. On August 26, 1909, a fire broke out at Jim’s cousin’s house. The fire department brought their two-wheeled chemical engine down what is now known as Jailhouse Hill in order to fight the blaze. The steep incline was unbalancing to the chemical process used inside the tank, and when it arrived at the scene, too much pressure had built inside. When Jim went to attach a hose to the tank, it exploded, killing him and injuring several other firefighters. Just as with exact biographical details for Jim, there are varying accounts of exactly how and why the accident occurred, but this is the most accurate version that could be surmised from a close reading of many historical records, with preference given to local and timely resources.

The funeral for James P. Aiken was held at the white First Baptist Church and was well-attended by a variety of people of all backgrounds. In his will, he left his six houses and business to his widow Mary, who continued to operate the business after his death. She eventually remarried and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Jim Aiken was a pioneer, achieving great success and having a lasting impact in Transylvania County, despite his humble origins and life obstacles.

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 Toxaway Inn – Part Two: The Aftermath

Lake Toxaway dam after breaking. Note the figures on top for scale.

In July 1916 what is locally known as the Great Asheville Flood occurred. Back-to-back hurricanes kept the area under a steady stream of rain for ten days. The French Broad River crested at 17 feet above flood stage. The flood subsided, but then heavy rains continued and taxed the already weakened dam of Lake Toxaway into early- to mid-August. On August 13, 1916, the Toxaway dam burst releasing the 540-acre lake. A total of 5,376,548,571 gallons of water flooded through the gorge into miles of South Carolina lowlands below. Farms, forests, and residences were all decimated by the aftermath. Litigation against the landowner went on for months, and even then, many were never compensated for the damage.

The dry bed of Lake Toxaway after the dam burst in 1916.

The dry lake pictured is a stark contrast to the idyllic resort once enjoyed by so many. With the lake gone, the inn’s stream of guests dried up as quickly as the lake itself. The Toxaway Inn sat vacant until a group of investors in 1926 bought the Inn and property for $1.5 million (equivalent to $23.2 million in 2021). Much more was spent in trying to revitalize the inn, but before it could be put into service again, the Great Depression hit and the inn sat idle once more. The property was eventually sold for $20,000 in 1947 (equivalent to $300,000 in 2021).

The new owner, S.L. DeArmond of Knoxville, TN, chose to strip the inn bare of all valuable furnishings and sell them for salvage. Electrical wiring, hardwood flooring, plumbing, bath fixtures, timbers, and water pipes were sold en masse to the public. After the salvage sale, the inn was razed to the ground and was no more. Like our very own Titanic of Transylvania, the Toxaway Inn’s grandeur and following decay and destruction instills a sense of awe made more poignant by the contrast.

Modern-day Lake Toxaway

Lake Toxaway had new life once more in the early 1960s when Reginald Heinitsh revitalized the area by purchasing 8,900 acres to create a vacation retreat. During the reconstruction of the dam and refilling of the lake, a couple of unusual remnants of the past were uncovered. The first: the rotting hull of a steamboat, once used to carry guests on pleasure jaunts about the lake. The engine and canopy had long before been removed and sold; the boat itself was seen as valueless and left to the elements. The second remnant (now removed): A 60-foot deep hole filled with scrap iron was discovered with a pipe leading from the bottom of the hole beneath the former dam and out into the waters below. It would seem this was the source of the “mineral waters” once advertised as a benefit of the resort. Although the Lake Toxaway Inn lives on only through its legacy and artifacts, the lake it overlooked has been restored to its previous glory and once again draws those seeking an escape.

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 Toxaway Inn: Part One – The Glory Days

 

The Toxaway Inn in its prime

Lake Toxaway, named for the anglicized version of the Cherokee word for cardinal, is North Carolina’s largest private lake. First created in 1900 by investor J. Frances Hayes of Newcastle, Pennsylvania, the lake was the first of a phased plan to capitalize on the value of the 30,000 acre property. The earthen dam that created the lake from the Toxaway River and its tributaries was built for a cost of $38,000 (equivalent to $1.2 million in 2021) and created a lake one mile wide with fifteen miles of shoreline at a constant 3,100 feet above sea level in what was described as “the beautiful Sapphire country” and “America’s Switzerland.” 

Group photo of workers who constructed the Inn

Hayes bought the Brevard Railroad and extended it to the site over the next three years. Four different private rails ran to the site, boasting sleeping cars from large cities for the convenience of elite passengers. Hayes also had the Toxaway Inn constructed, hiring locals for much of the work, seen pictured here. The inn was completed in 1903 at a cost of $175,000 (equivalent to $5.3 million in 2021), was four-stories high, and boasted 250 rooms connecting to 90 baths. It was intended from the start to cater to a luxury set of clientele. The guest register reads like a who’s who of early 20^th century society: Thomas Edison, J.P. Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, “Diamond Jim” Brady, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, John Burroughs, the Dukes, the Wanamakers, and R.J. Reynolds all stayed at the resort.  

Steamboat on Lake Toxaway

The Toxaway Inn had every conceivable modern convenience: elevators, steam heat, electric lights, its own power plant, telegraph and long distance phone service, a chandelier-lit ballroom, large verandas, and open fireplaces in common areas. For guest entertainment, there were daily stringed orchestra concerts, golf, bowling, and tennis on the site’s facilities; horseback riding and hunting through the forests; and fishing in the 50 miles of streams snaking through the property. The lake itself was a source for entertainment with swimming and boating; although canoes were available, the novelty of a steam-powered boat that could hold up to 40 passengers often delighted hotel guests. 

Lunch menu from Toxaway Inn, July 18, 1916 

The pristine natural environment was also a commodity used to draw visitors to the inn. The fresh mountain air, mineral spring water, and pastoral environment was glorified in advertisement. The land itself helped to provide food for the 200 millionaires that graced the halls of Toxaway Inn in the first year and beyond. The finest foods were available on the menu which included prime rib, roast lamb, and a variety of elegant sides and desserts. They even boasted a “nature kindergarten” with a certified teacher for children that sounded a lot like the nature-based education that is so popular today, highlighting the sheep and cattle farming that was part of the property as a source for hands-on learning for children. 

Next week, part two and the destruction of Toxaway dam that led to the inn’s decline. 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.

Picturing the Past: Brevard High School Cheerleaders Boost Morale at 1950 Annual Classic

 

1950 Annual Classic with Brevard High School Blue Devils and Tryon Tigers Cheerleaders

This exuberant photo depicts Brevard High School cheerleaders on October 20, 1950 at the Annual Classic “Parent’s Night”. The BHS cheerleaders are wearing their white home jerseys with lettering that spells out Brevard, with a couple of back-up B’s. The cheerleaders in the slightly different shade and T’s on their jerseys are from the opposing team – the Tryon Tigers. This team came from the now-defunct Tryon High School, which was absorbed into the consolidated Polk County High School in the late 1990s.

Parent’s Night was sponsored by the Monogram Club, which provided free admission for all parents of football players and cheerleaders. At half-time, each team member and their parent(s) walked onto the field and were announced over loudspeakers. Alumni were also honored at these games and given a special ribbon to wear. The Brevard Blue Devils beat the Tryon Tigers 14 – 6, though the camaraderie between the cheerleaders of both teams indicates that there were no hard feelings.

1950 Brevard High School Cheerleaders, from the Transylvania Times

Cheerleaders included Georgia Ann Reid, Billy Gardner, unknown Tryon cheerleader (UTC), UTC, Joanne Newland, UTC, Donald Lee Green, UTC, UTC, Shirley Wilde, UTC, Marylyn Brewer, Virginia Osborne (chief), Shirley Gaither, and Billie Hart. Other cheerleaders not pictured included Patsy Ann Parrish and Betty Wheeler. The mascot is William Arnette.

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.