Onward to Southwestern North Carolina

…continuing with our short exploration of North Georgia and Southwestern North Carolina.  As you may remember, we were accompanied by Laurie’s sister Bonnie and Bonnie’s husband Bill…

As we cruised north on US Hwy 441/23 through the community of Rabun Gap, toward the North Carolina State Line, I spotted a railway depot and more, alongside of the highway.  S I turned around and pulled into a partially overgrown parking area.  The first thing that I checked out was this set of railcar ‘trucks’ or wheels.  The sign proclaimed that they came from a boxcar that was part of the “Great Locomotive Chase”, a well-known event from the American Civil War.  It also stated that the boxcar was to be restored and put on display.  

Rabun Gap was named for the mountain pass where it’s located.  This unincorporated community is located 3 miles south of North Carolina and it was once served by the Tallulah Falls Railway.  Rabun Gap was sometimes referred to as “Head of Tennessee” as it’s located on the Little Tennessee River…

Next I checked out the two buildings as shown above.  The first was the old depot…except that I learned that it wasn’t old, but rather a handsome replica that had been built in 2001 by the students of the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School…which is located on the other side of the highway.  Apparently the depot/museum is no longer in operation.  Exhibits included Tallulah Falls Railroad artifacts as well as a full-size two-foot gauge locomotive and train…all of which were constructed by Rabun Gap-Nacoochee school students.

I found this old photo of the Rabun Gap replica railway depot on line.  It looked like quite a nice operation.  Sad that it's no longer in business...

The Tallulah Falls Railroad was a 58 mile long ‘short line’ railroad.  It was called the Rabun Gap Route.  It ran from Cornelia Georgia to Franklin North Carolina and it was eventually completed in 1907.  The line crossed 42 wooden-truss trestles and although it was slow, it did open up this remote mountainous area of Georgia and North Carolina.  For some time, it was the only sensible way to gain access to the region.  It ceased all operations in 1961.

Back to those boxcar ‘trucks’.  The old TF (Tallulah Falls) railroad was the location for filming Walt Disney’s 1965 movie, “The Great Locomotive Chase” starring Fess Parker and Slim Pickens.  Apparently the trucks were part of the train used for the film.

The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School was founded in 1903 and it seems like a great place to learn.  This private institution serves grades 6 through 12, includes both day students and boarding students. (USA and international) From what I read, scholarships are readily available.  To learn more about this school, go to https://www.rabungap.org/.

As you can see the scenery in this mountainous area isn’t too hard on the eyes… As we had plenty of time for sightseeing, we took GA Hwy 246 and NC Hwy 106 to the town of Highlands North Carolina. 

This is the Highlands Inn.  It is situated at the corner of 4^th and Main Streets in Highlands.  The core of this 31-room hotel is a 3-story Victorian structure that was built in 1880.  This is one of the oldest continuously-operating hotels in the highlands of North Carolina.  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.  Despite the obvious wealth in the area, the rates at the Inn are not sky high.  I looked at their website and, depending on the season, a room or suite can be had for between $139.00 and $259.00 a night.  Website: http://www.highlandsinn-nc.com/highlandsInnIntro.html.

The town of Highlands was actually founded in 1875 by two men who drew a line on the map from Chicago to Savannah and from New York City to New Orleans.  They decided that where the lines met would become a great trading center and commercial crossroad. 

This is the Church of the Incarnation.  This historic Victorian Carpenter Gothic Style Episcopal Church is located at 111 North 5^th Street in Highlands.  It was built in 1896 and it is listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The first photo shows the original church structure…now the chapel.  The second photo is of the new sanctuary which was built in 220 apparently to reflect a similar style of architecture.  The website for this church is at https://incarnationwnc.org/.

Highlands is situated at 4,118 feet above sea level, one of the highest incorporated towns above sea level in the eastern USA.  Much of the town’s and area’s growth has been the result of its mild summer climate.  In the 1930s, professional golfer and celebrity, Bobby Jones and a few of his friends founded the Highlands Country Club…and the area became a golfing mecca. 

This second church is even older than the Church of the Incarnation.  The First Presbyterian Church, located at 471 Main Street, was completed in 1885.  Surrounded by a period picket fence, it occupies a prominent site in downtown Highlands.  Built by a local master builder, it is an interpretation of Italianate architecture…shown most clearly in its belfry tower which features a flared roof with extended bracketed eaves.  This church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.  The website for the First Presbyterian Church is at https://www.fpchighlands.org/.

Given that Highlands’ permanent population is just a little over 1,000 residents, it offers a surprising plethora of services not normally found in a town of this size.  There are antique dealers, an auction house, no less than 6 restaurants that have won awards from “Wine Spectator” Magazine, plus 4 theaters an art center and many, many shopping opportunities.

At one point, I took us on a local street or road up the hill from the downtown area.  It was cool, a little foggy and quite beautiful…and at this altitude in April…spring was still getting started. 

OK…these aren’t typical homes and Highlands and the surrounding area is beyond our ‘pay grade’.  The second home was just being completed.  The one across the valley was just huge.  Consider this, with a year around census of just over 1,000 in Highlands, there are 1,713 housing units in the town.  Beyond that, in addition to the Homes built at the Highlands Country Club, there are no less than 6 other successful residential golfing communities in the immediate area.  Therein lies the reason that all those services exist in Highlands North Carolina.

Moving north from Highlands to our overnight destination in Franklin North Carolina, we headed on up US Hwy 64.  This is a winding and interesting route for sure…

This portion of US Hwy 64 is known at the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway.  This waterfall conveniently located right next to the road is named “Bridal Veil Falls”.  Much of this area is surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest.  As you can see, given the comparison of Laurie, Bill and Bonnie to the waterfall, it is higher than visitor’s initial impression. 

I’m always fascinated by tiny little micro-gardens or natures creations in the most unlikely spots.  In this case I took several photos of a variety of small plants clinging to the cliff near the waterfall.  I liked this photo better than the others.

The Nantahala National Forest, with its 531,270 acres, is the largest National Forest in North Carolina.  Second only to the Northwestern USA, the Nantahala is the wettest region in the country.  “Nantahala” is a Cherokee derived word meaning “Land of the Noonday Sun”.  In some spots, the sun reaches the floors of deep gorges only when it is high overhead at midday.  For more information about this National Forest, go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48634.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

More Shopping and Lunch Too

…continuing with our stop in Clayton Georgia during our brief exploration of North Georgia and Southwestern North Carolina.  As it turned out, this little town with a population of about 2,000 residents is a shopping mecca.  I’ve included a sampling of the retail offerings we explored while in town…

Lots of photos with this post…

Dogwoods Home was founded in 2016 when an artistic entrepreneur and her husband moved to Clayton after their children had graduated from school.  They had dreamed about moving to the mountains of North Georgia for many years.  The owner combined her antique and interior design business with her love of painting.  The quality of the items offered in this store is superior to most stores of this type…and it’s easily seen by shoppers as they browse through the items on display.

This store even held my interest and I really don’t like shopping after all my years in the retail industry…

The items offered in Dogwood Home are a carefully selected combination of vintage, antique and modern pieces.  The store offers original art as well as classic contemporary furniture, antiques, mirrors, lamps, pillows, pottery, candles, vintage rugs, women’s apparel, jewelry, accessories and more…

Dogwood Home is located at 41 North Main Street in Clayton Georgia.  Phone: 706-960-9232.  Website: https://www.shopdogwoodshome.com/.

Another store that we visited was Isadora Popper – Well Made Goods.  This store also features quality items.  As stated the items offered are “not only chosen for their charm and appeal but for the heart behind them”.  Items are selected with the following considerations in mind… “Does it work, is it beautiful and will it last?”

Isadora Popper entices shoppers with a wide mix of products ranging from apparel and accessories to books, items for children, kitchen and pantry, yarn, bath and body, puzzles, stickers and even classes and events.  I also noted that this store sells “Dad Grass”.  As per their website, “Dad Grass” is described as a “casual smoke.  Their 100% Organic hemp flower and pre-rolled joints serve up a clean buzz without the fuss.”

Isadora Popper is located at 33 North Main Street.  Phone: 706-782-7029.  Website: https://www.isadorapopper.com/.

Our next stop was at Lu Lu and Tully’s.  To describe this store as an eclectic place to shop would be an understatement!  Again…even I was interested in looking around!

Lu Lu and Tully’s Mercantile features products created by local artists and crafters that range from clocks to pottery, paintings and soaps.  This store provides an outlet for those who are skilled in creating quality and clever items for the consumer.   The store sells consignment items from artists as well as unusual items from other sources.  In addition, Lu Lu and Tully’s offers classes in painting as well as pottery and soap making.

These 4 photos will give you an idea of the variety and quirkiness of the items offered at Lu Lu and Tully’s.  This store was established in 1973.

I love the use of that old bicycle and I was mesmerized by the display of creative clocks by Carol Louise Mayer.  A former furniture designer, since 2005 she’s been focused on creative clock making.  Her husband is a professional fly fisherman so she features a pheasant’s feather with all of her clocks…even the truck shown above. 

There was a lot to look at in this store!  Lu Lu and Tully’s Mercantile is located at 11 North Main Street.  Phone: 706-960-9446.  Website: https://www.luluandtully.com/.

After Lu Lu and Tully’s, we headed over to Butler Galleries.  This very large shopping venue was founded in 1996.  The items for sale in the store were sourced by 19 different individuals.  I was especially interested in the antique selection…despite the fact that we have so many antique items at home already...including yours truly

As it turned out, I did find a significant selection of true antiques in Butler Galleries.  The problem was that the area containing most of the items I was interested in was inaccessible…just stuffed with incoming product to be put out on display. (Note the top edge of the carton at the bottom of the second photo) In any case we certainly don’t need any more antique porcelain figurines, platters, mugs or pitchers.  We have quite a few at home and they all have seriously declined in value…not a great investment. 

The rule of thumb with antiques is that unless you are an expert who knows the market, only buy items that you really like.  Laurie lives by that motto, but her area of interest was centered in the home décor portion of the store.  I wisely walked away from any antique purchases while Laurie did very nicely for herself…picking up a few items for the house.

With 19 different vendors, each with a significant portion of the store, the variety of items for sale at Butler Galleries surpassed the variety of any other store that we patronized in Clayton.  Butler Galleries is located at 74 North Main Street.  Phone: 706-212-0155.  Their website can be found at: https://butlergalleries.com/.

Our last stop before finding a place for lunch was at Wander North Georgia.  Although the company has been around the area for a number of years, this new large facility just opened in August of 2021.  With its primary focus as an ‘outdoor store’, this retailer/reseller sources products from over 70 small family run businesses from across the USA, half of them from within 100 miles of the store.  At my stage and age, ‘outdoors’ is walking to the mail box, viewing scenery from a flat surfaced paved lookout, etc.  Still, I had to recognize that this was yet another classy store for the town of Clayton.

Wander North Georgia is located at 87 North Main Street.  Phone: 770-750-4470.  Website: https://wandernorthgeorgia.com/.

Time for lunch and since Universal Joint was right next to or across the street from the last 2 stores we visited, I decided to check it out.  After looking at the menu and the seating options, I gave our little group the ‘go ahead’ and we sat down for lunch.  This restaurant prides itself in offering 17 rotating draft beers, including some of the best from Georgia and the Carolinas.

As you can see from the showing the exterior of the restaurant, there is a huge outdoor dining area or patio.  Note the giant fire pit.  There is a stage just to the right of the photo where live music is offered on weekends.

One positive note is the fact that Universal Joint has repurposed an old gas station for its use as a restaurant.

This restaurant features a large bar area as well as indoor seating.  As you can see, the bar is fully stocked and it’s surrounded by the obligatory TV sets.  As it was a bit chilly and windy on the patio, and even though it was a bit dark and gloomy inside, we decided to dine indoors.  I took this photo of Bonnie, Bill and Laurie…once again avoiding the camera myself!

We decided to start with an order of Universal Joint’s Sunset Queso and Salsa, tortilla corn chips with cups of smoked tomatillo cheese dip and house-made salsa.  The cheese dip and salsa were OK but those corn chips were just too thick, at least for our taste.

Laurie loves quesadillas!  She ordered the Arugula and Mushroom version that came with the titled ingredients plus feta, tomatoes, cheese, salsa and sour cream. ($10.50) She didn’t care for her entrée…

I got pretty excited when I saw the Brisket Dip on the menu. ($14.00) I love good brisket!  Universal Joint’s brisket is house smoked and is topped with Monterey jack cheese on a French roll with horseradish cream sauce and au jus… It was just OK.  It missed the mark both with the flavor of the brisket and the bland au jus.

Bill ordered the Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla.  It consisted of shredded buffalo flavored chicken, blue cheese crumbles and cheddar cheese.  It came with bleu cheese dressing and celery.  Bill reported that it was OK but nothing to write home about.

Bonnie decided to keep it simple.  She ordered the Half Pound Chuck Burger with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle.  She stayed consistent with our other comments about the meal.  It was OK.  All of the entrees came with a side.

To be fair, Universal Joint enjoys a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0 possible stars on both Google and TripAdvisor although Yelp only gives 4.0 stars to this restaurant.  Of course, 4 stars isn’t bad either.  Between Google and Trip Advisor, there have been about 3,000 customer reviews…so maybe we just didn’t get ‘it’.

Universal Joint in Clayton Georgia can be found at 109 North Main Street.  Phone: 706-782-7116.  Website: https://www.ujclayton.com/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Northeast Georgia on our Spring Time Road Trip

…continuing with our brief exploration of North Georgia and Southwestern North Carolina.  This little road trip took place in April and we were accompanied by Laurie’s sister Bonnie and Bonnie’s husband Bill.

Our next stop was in Hiawassee Georgia, just south of the state line with North Carolina.  I always look for historic sites and this classic structure is the Old Towns County Jail.  It was completed in 1936 by Depression era workers employed by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration at the cost of $4,353.  I love the fellow’s first name who is credited for heading up the project.  It was Ordinary J.F. Johnson.

This jail was originally furnished with the 1901 cells that were moved here from the previous facility.  The jailer and his family also lived in the structure.  Later this building served as Hiawassee’s City Hall and Fire Department.  Now it is occupied by the local Historical Society and it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This is something that you don’t come across very often.  It is an antique horse drawn road grader from the early 1900s.

Hiawassee, with a growing population of almost 1,000 residents, is the county seat of Towns County.  The county, which at about 12,000 residents, is also growing in population.  It was named after George W. Towns, a former Governor of Georgia.  Hiawassee itself has an advantageous location as it’s situated beside Lake Chatuge, a Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir that was created in 1942.

I don’t have any information about these cabins along the road in Hiawassee…but I liked their appearance.  I favor the home on the left but the log cabin is quite interesting as well.

There is some disagreement as to the origin of Hiawassee’s name.  Wikipedia states that its name was “derived from the Cherokee…or perhaps Creek…word Ayuhwasi, which means ‘meadow’.  The Cherokee’s own history describes the area as being originally occupied by snake idol worshippers and/or a people called the Itza.  The Itza Maya in Mexico were known as “the Children of the Serpent”.  In the Itza language, 'Hiwasee' literally means “Children of the Pit Viper”.   

Town’s County was previously occupied by Native Americans but they were driven out by European American forces “in a night of massacre in 1776”.  Hiawassee itself was settled ca. 1820.

As many of you are aware, I love finding and photographing old train depots, old railway equipment and related structures.  Laurie spotted this fine looking depot in Hiawassee.  I did a u-turn and pulled into this State Farm Insurance office to take a couple of photos.  When I looked for any information about this ‘old depot’, I eventually discovered that it is a very attractive ‘replica’ depot.  Nice…but still a ‘bummer’.

Note: When the Cherokees were forced from their homes and villages, they were forced into ‘removal forts’ before they began their forced march west on “The Trail of Tears”.  One of those ‘removal forts’ was located where the town of Hiawassee is now located.

Time for a little shopping!  The Creekside General Store on US Hwy 76 just outside of Hiawassee was well rated by TripAdvisor participants and it was on our route to Clayton Georgia, our next planned stop.  Plus it was Bonnie and Laurie’s first chance to shop on this particular day!

Reviews stated that the staff were both friendly and helpful.  Plus this was a great place to shop for items from the surrounding area…souvenirs that aren’t cheap and gaudy.  We agree!  The store features ornaments, postcards, t-shirts, local pottery, handmade candles, wall plaques, dog treats, costume jewelry and much more.

Creekside General Store is at 2955 US Hwy 76 East in Hiawassee Georgia.  Phone: 706-986-9448.  The store’s website can be found at http://www.creeksidegeneralstore.com/.

When we arrived in Clayton Georgia, my first stop was to take a photo of this historic church.  Despite my efforts at research, I couldn’t locate any specific information as to its history.  Clayton’s First Methodist Church at 71 South Main Street was built in 1923 from stone quarried locally.   

Clayton Georgia, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the county seat for Rabun County.  At first the settlement, founded in 1821, was called Claytonsville.  Currently, with about 2,000 residents, the town’s population is stable while the county is showing steady growth.  Originally, the area that has become Clayton was called the “Dividings” as it was at the intersection of 3 important Cherokee people trails.  Two of those old trails are now included in key portions of US Hwy 76 and US Hwy 23/441.

As I was taking these photos along the main street of Clayton, Bill and our wives were already visiting local merchants to see what might catch their eye and lighten our wallets. .  That ivy covered 2-story brick building in the second photo it the White Birch Inn, a boutique bed and breakfast that opened in 2013.  Built in the 1920s, it is a beautiful building and from their website photos the interior is rather spectacular.  Room rates from April until after Christmas start at $230 a night and go up to $400 depending on the time of the week.  This Bed and Breakfast has 6 suites and rooms.  Website: Homepage | The White Birch Inn | Clayton, Georgia.

Weather Notes:

         ·         In 1936, Clayton Recorded 30 inches of snowfall, the highest annual total for anywhere in Georgia.  The town’s elevation is at 1,929 feet above sea level.

         ·         In 2018, Rabun County set an annual record for rainfall that totaled almost 116.5 inches.

Movie History:

         ·         In 1936, Walt Disney Studios filmed part of “Old Yeller” in Clayton.

         ·         The movie “Grizzly” was filmed in town in late 1975 into early 1976.  This independent motion picture cost only $750,000 to make and it grossed $39,000,000 at the box office.

         ·         The movie “Blastfighter” was filmed in and around Clayton in 1984.

         ·         So, who is this fellow and what does he have to do with movies?  Billy Redden is from Clayton Georgia and he is best known for his role as a backwoods mountain boy in the 1972 film “Deliverance”.  He played Lonnie, a banjo-playing teenager in north Georgia who played the well-known “Dueling Banjos” in the movie with Ronnie Cox.

John Boorman selected Redden for the role due to his skinny frame, large head and almond-shaped eyes.  Boorman had been looking for an albino to cast in this role…  I was interested to learn the Redden couldn’t play the banjo and that he wore a special shirt which allowed a real banjo player to hide behind him in the scene and who actually played the banjo.

Redden was interviewed in 2012 regarding his role in “Deliverance”.  To quote: “I’d like to have all the money I thought I’d make from this movie.  I wouldn’t be working at Walmart right now.  And I’m struggling to make ends meet.”  Redden did have minor roles in 3 other films, the most notable of which was Tim Robbins’ “Big Fish”.

 

Back to reality!  The next image is Laurie and my ‘reality’ for the next several months…

This is our new view out of the front windows of our home… This is a real ‘bummer’…pun intended!  The good news is that if the toilets in our home were to malfunction, we now have an alternate right across the street.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Next time we’ll go shopping and stop for lunch.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

This and That Right Around Here

…taking a break from my travelogue as regarded our short family trip to North Georgia and Southwestern North Carolina.

Here are a few happenings from close to or at our home in East Tennessee.

Another day and the deforestation in our neighborhood continued… In this photo, a load of gravel has been dumped at the lot right across the street and a piece of heavy equipment has begun clearing the next lot as well.  The gravel is roughly where the concrete for the driveway of the house right across the street will be poured.

While we obviously knew that change would come as our community was built out, thanks to Covid-19 with its early retirements, the high cost of living in states like California, New York and Illinois and our relatively low cost of living…we are acquiring new neighbors sooner rather than later. L

Just a day later, the local deer herd decided to take advantage of the browse available along the edge of the cleared lot across the street from our house.  The herd consisted of between 12 – 14 deer and the photo was taken by Laurie from one of our second story windows.

Laurie also captured this cute photo.  She was on the front porch with her phone when she noticed this little face appearing in the ‘doorway’ of one of our birdhouses.  This baby bluebird didn’t care who or what might bring it food…but it’s clearly saying ‘feed me’!

On a recent day, Laurie and I decided to try a new restaurant (actually relocated) that we hadn’t dined at previously, but which had drawn a lot of positive feedback.  This is “The Café by LeeEllen” on Grove Street in Loudon Tennessee.  This business is so new in this location that there wasn’t any easily visible sign telling folks passing by just who is occupying the building.

Upon our arrival at about 1:30 PM on a weekday, the restaurant was quite busy.  The décor is simple with mismatched tables and chairs.  I asked Laurie to count the clientele when we finished our luncheon.  The ratio was 5:1, women vs. men.  LeeEllen is the gal taking an order who is wearing a baseball hat and a pink apron.  In the second photo, it was interesting to note that those 2 tables by the window were occupied by a group of ladies who were playing mahjong.

Laurie looked over the menu and decided to order something that wasn’t expected on a small town menu.  It was a curry chicken sandwich on a croissant with a fruit cup and chips on the side.  She loved this creation!

As for yours truly, I stayed with the familiar.  My selection was this large club sandwich with chips and the fruit cup.  FYI, those tall stacks actually separate into 4 sections that are manageable for the average diner.  Everything was fresh and I thought that it was a very competent club sandwich.

The Café by LeeEllen is located at 307 Grove Street in Loudon Tennessee.  The restaurant is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 AM until 8 PM and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM until 8 PM.  The Café is next to the old railway depot and just 3 blocks up Grove Street from US Hwy 11 and the Tic Toc Ice Cream Parlor.  Phone: 865-224-9888.

At this point, I couldn’t find either a website or Facebook link for The Café by LeeEllen.

Once a week on Wednesdays, Tellico Village features a farmer’s market event located behind the welcome/information center, at the only stoplight just off TN Hwy 444.  Our booty for the week was minimal but memorable.  We bought a bag of Memoirs Coffee from a local roaster, a honeywort for Laurie’s deck based plantings and a big bunch of terrific…and very large fresh radishes.  They were big enough that most took 4 or 5 bites to finish.

No…those flowers did not come from the local farmer’s market.  Instead, once again I’d visited the endodontist.  Laurie had accompanied me this time and the endodontist’s overly happy staff presented her with these Alstroemerias…aka Peruvian lilies.  Hopefully, this was my last appointment for quite a while!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave