What are some ways to save money on homeowner's insurance?  Comparing rates between companies may uncover a wide disparity in cost for the same type of coverage.  State insurance departments as well as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (naic.org) are two good sources for information on typical rates charged by major insurers.  Other commercial websites also offer the opportunity to compare the price of similar policies.  Read more...

By Gibbon Pender, Owner of the Buyers Edge Home Inspections & Breathe Well Radon Mitigation Systems. Please contact at 828-243-3908 or email at gibbon@gibbonpender.com.  Visit website.

The Saluda Center is delighted to present an Art Exhibit by students of the Saluda School from January 10-February 4 during regular Saluda Center hours. There will be a reception honoring these budding artists on Thursday, January 20 from 6:30-7:30PM at the Center, 64 Greenville Street in Saluda.

Please join us to celebrate the creativity of the children and enjoy the colorful works which grace the walls and brighten your spirits even on the gloomiest of winter days! Parents and their artists, family, friends, faculty and all area residents are invited and encouraged to attend this delightful event. For additional information, please contact Anne Jameson at 828-749-3101.

The Saluda Community Land Trust is proud to announce the lease of the "Tryon Missing 40" to SCLT from Tryon Town Council. Trails are being made and should be open to the public in the spring. It is a beautiful walk and one which the whole family can enjoy.

Trails are also being made at the old Saluda dump, and kudzu is being cut from trees as well as trails on the "Little Lot" next to Saluda School.

By spring we hope to have the community out walking and enjoying all these wonderful trails that belong to all of us!

Don't forget, on a pretty day, get out and see what can be done with your very own kudzu problem. It's a great workout on a clear and sunny day and will do wonders for your ego. In the late spring, you'll see a few kudzu plants calling for your attention. Among the new growth are other plants that have been struggling under the blanket of kudzu, in search of sun and fresh air. These plants along, with the trees, are the source for inspiration. 

Kudzu Kollege starts up again in January. To learn more about this go to kokudzu.com where you will find everything you want to know and then some. It is very educational and worth the trip.

Our next meeting to be held in Saluda will be on January 19 at 3pm in our office in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church on Carolina Street.

Please call the office 828-749-1560 if you have any questions about joining SCLT or if you would like to volunteer. Just leave a message and we will get back to you promptly.

The floors are sturdier and shiny, and new wooden easy-to-reach shelves have been installed. A new counter centers the front, a new beer and wine cooler has been added, and nostalgic pictures of the Ward family adorn the freshly painted walls.  What we have all been waiting for is finally happening in January.  Historic Thompson's Store will open, bringing the convenience of grocery shopping back to Main Street.  Judy Ward and Clark Thompson are thrilled about bringing life back to Saluda's historical general store.  Historic Thompson's will stock your favorite staples, snacks, jams and jellies, fresh produce, specialty entrees, and wine and beer.  The meat market has been expanded and they will carry steaks, hamburger, Charlie's Homemade Sausage, and other favorite cuts of meat.  Jeff Southworth,  Market Manager will be happy to cut your steaks and other items to order.   Opening date depends on when they get their final inspection permit.

News from Ward's Grill...

Ward's Grill was featured in this month's Our State Magazine as a featured breakfast place in NC.  Read the article here.

Heartwood celebrates 26 years selling 100% American craft and will take $26  off all purchases over $100 in the month of January.

Visit Heartwood  Gallery on their website and join them on .

Curtis Wright Outfitters will be holding its annual Tick Tock Sale through the first half of January; so be on the lookout for great deals store wide!  Also, if you want to sign up for a full day float trip any time between now and March 1st, we are offering a $50 discount off the price of the trip.  For more information, please call 828-749-3444 or visit their website.

Green River Hair Studio

Robert J Hernandez, Owner/Stylist of Green River Hair Studio, is celebrating his second anniversary of doing business in Saluda. He specializes in hair color, foil and haircut design. Come join his clientele! Winter hours are by appointment only. For an appointment, please call 828-749-3744.

Wildflour Bake Shop  
Daily lunch specials: Home-made soups, sandwiches on fresh baked breads, from-scratch pastries and much more.

Thursday - Bean Bowl

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - Chicken Pot Pie

Sunday - Brunch special

Wildflour Bake Shop Hours
Thursday and Friday- 8am to 4pm
Saturday - 8am to 3pm
Sunday - 9am to 2pm

Check us out online at wildflourbakerync.com and on for daily specials or the good ol' fashion way...828-749-3356. Call ahead and we will have it ready to go.  How easy is that?!!  The Bake Shop is located at 19 Pearson Falls Road, just under The Gardner's Cottage.  (Look for the blue striped umbrellas on the deck area).

The Oaks Bed and Breakfast

By Dale Potruski

 

And so a New Year is upon us...  Saluda's spirit grows even richer around the holidays.  The chipmunks are all bulked up and move more slowly as they work to hoard their last few sunflower seeds before the first snow falls.  Town folk are not in such a hurry and welcome the opportunity to grab a coffee and chat with friends. 

 

You can always count on The Oaks Bed and Breakfast to be decorated to the max -- because that's the way that Donna likes it.  Fresh cut Carolina firs sparkle with ornaments, ribbon and lights.  The Library tree is the tallest and smells so wonderful you'd wish it could stay year round.  Grab a book, sip a steaming mug of hot chocolate (with those tiny marshmallows you liked when you were a kid), and enjoy a relaxing fire.  For those looking for a little excitement, there's a jig-saw puzzle in The Parlor.  Step outside through the double French doors where, on a clear night, the stars compete with the lights on The Parlor Room tree.  Another fireplace invites you back to warm your feet.   

 

Despite every foot of garland and every candle's glow, the locals seem to love the small tree that shines like a beacon from the third-floor turret best!  I once told a small child that it was the guiding light that brought Santa safely to Saluda.

 

Retire to your chambers where thick comforters and cable TV await. In the morning, you'll be treated to The Oaks Baked Apple French Toast, Dale's Hash Brown Quiche, or a Wild Berry Strata with locally prepared pork sausage or apple wood cured bacon. Comfort food was never more comfortable!

 

Donna and I are blessed to be celebrating our fourth Christmas here at The Oaks Bed and Breakfast. Please join us to celebrate one of the most beautiful seasons of the year or treat someone special with a Gift Certificate from The Oaks Bed and Breakfast.  Call 828.749.2000.

Fresh Cut Flowers
 

Don't forget that Valentine's Day is right around the corner and a great all-time romantic gift is flowers.  You can order custom-designed,  fresh cut flowers now from Amy Beeson at Biddie's Antiques. Giver her a call at 828-749-9254.

In 1945, my parents purchased our first home next door to the Saluda cemetery. Some of my fondest childhood memories over the next several years involved playing cowboys and Indians with friends in that straw grass covered terrain. During the late summer and fall, the uncut grass provided ideal cover for ambushing an opposing force. However, successful attacks on enemy positions required great stealth and patience as we slowly inched toward the other force. With bellies hugging the earth, each movement of grass stalks made surprise attacks extremely difficult. Breezy days were much more enjoyable due to reduced risk of exposure.

Rules of engagement were basic. Even though we called it cowboys and Indians, both sides carried cap buster pistols or the more cumbersome bb air rifle. I never recall a bow being pulled or an arrow being fired during battle. The teams took turns with one side remaining in fixed position while the other side played the role of the attacking force.

The actual noises of engagement consisted of loud pronouncements of "pow, pow, pow", followed immediately by "you're dead," and then the often "no I'm not, you missed....pow, pow, your dead" response. Inevitable arguments followed with neither side willing to admit to such poor marksmanship even at fairly close range.

Another reason the cemetery made for such a great battlefield was that only one gravesite existed at that time, so no other grave markers offered interference to our wide ranging war games. Mr. M. A. Pace was the first to be interred in 1945, and as I recall, his was the only gravesite for several years.

I was reminded of those games by the passing this fall of Robert Hugh Pace, the son of M. A. Pace. I suspect that only in Saluda could one find a business operated by a father-son team for 111 years, from 1899 until 2010. Granted, Robert's two sisters, Eunice and Euva, also were active in the business for many years as well.

Being reminded of my own childhood games, acted out in the cemetery so long ago also brought home the startling realization that this final resting place is inexorably filling up with townsfolk whose headstones reflect ages well into the 80's and 90's. To me, they convey something about the tough and hardy breed of individuals who found longevity in a warm and loving community we call Saluda.

Must be in the air.

By Clark Thompson

Duels, Davy Crockett, Fiddle Playing Train Chasers and Generals

General Edward P. King & Brigadier General and Mrs. Vincent Meyer - Kim Meyer Ford wrote to say that her sister, Betsy Anderson, and she were "summer folk" and spent summers growing up in Saluda in the 1950's and 60's.  They lived at the King house on the top of the hill to the left of the old ESSO station. The house burned down in the 1980's. Mary King, sister of General Edward P. King, inherited the house from her brother. Kim and Betsy's grandparents, Brig. General and Mrs. Vincent Meyer, were good friends with the Kings and came every summer to help her keep up the house. General King was the commanding General on Bataan during WWII and had to make the awful decision to surrender his troops. General King is buried at St. John in the Wilderness, Flat Rock. Kim and Betsy have lots of stories about their summers in Saluda and about the Generals.

Davy Crockett - During Martha Anderson's interview, she told a fascinating story about her grandfather being killed in a duel. This piqued the interest of Kim Clark and Ellen Pfirrmann* who are with the film crew. They completed a similar oral history project in McDowell County and learned there was a designated "dueling ground" at Saluda Gap just across the border in SC, and folks often came to Saluda to await results of these duels. From their McDowell County, work they found that Samuel Price Carson shot and killed David Vance in a duel at Saluda Gap early in 1827, with Davy Crockett as a witness. History says that Crockett spent the night in the Saluda area, later returning to McDowell County with the results. This information has been verified by Anne Swann, historian of McDowell County and is referenced in the book, "A Long, Long Day for November," by Moffitt Sinclair Henderson. We plan to ask around to see if some of the old timers have heard such a tale. 

"Trottin Sally" - Kim Clark also learned that, shortly after the turn of the last century, there was a very eccentric and well-known black fiddler from Spartanburg, SC named George Mullins, or better known as "Trottin' Sally". Click here for more information. Not only was he a fiddler, but he loved to chase trains. John Fowler, a folklorist that Kim knows, is writing a book about him and he said Trottin' Sally" was rumored to have spent some time playing on the streets of Saluda. John says that if we talk to someone whose parents or grandparents remember seeing "Trottin' Sally" in Saluda, it would be quite a big deal in the old-time music world. "Trottin Sally" died in 1931 at the age of seventy-six. We plan to ask around to see if anyone has heard tales of this fellow.

*Kim Clark and Ellen Pfirrmann with Eljapa Media Group are proving to be two great people to work with. They are going above and beyond what is required to make this project a meaningful and lasting testament to the history of Saluda and its people. As we have mentioned before, Kim and Ellen have done a similar project in McDowell County. Click here to a link to McDowell's website that Kim and Ellen created. In addition to the DVD series, we hope to have a similar website for Saluda.

If you have more information about these stories or have other interesting stories you want us to explore, please email me at cindystuttle@gmail.com. Don't forget to donate!

Donate in Celebration of Saluda's 130^th Birthday!

The oral history project could not have come to fruition at a more perfect time since Saluda will celebrate its 130^th birthday in February 2011. Since that time and even before, lots of interesting things have happened in and around Saluda. As we continue our work with the oral history project, I am amazed at the abundance of fascinating stories that we are hearing. It's my nature to want to capture them all right this second, here and now. But in order to do this project the right way, we must give each interviewee his/her "place in the sun." It is our objective to collect the stories of those still living and intertwine them with stories of days gone by. Our list of those to interview keeps getting longer and longer. In order to capture all these great stories, we need your help. Please consider donating to this project. By doing so, you are making a personal investment in the history of Saluda. The more donations we receive, the more information we can collect, and the more interviews we can do.

All donations are tax deductible and any amount given will be appreciated. Gifts may be made in memory of, or in honor of, someone special. You can even donate in honor of Saluda's 130th anniversary! For a donation of $100 or more, names may be included in the film credits. Acknowledgement cards are also available. Please click here for a donation form.

Businesses will be given the opportunity to sponsor the DVD and receive acknowledgement in the film credits for a sponsorship of $250 or more. This is great advertising! Please click here for a business sponsorship form.

For a complete project description, click here.

Make checks payable to:

City of Saluda

c/o Oral History Project

PO Box 248

Saluda, NC 28773

All donations are tax deductible

Submitted by:

Cindy Stephenson Tuttle

cindystuttle@gmail.com

Co-Chair, Historic Saluda Committee

Chair, Oral History Committee

By Frank Middleton, a Saluda native

Yesterday, I finally got around to reading the latest Saluda Signal. In the "for sale and wanted section," I came across a want ad that caught my eye. Some gentlemen placed one concerning old "Saluda 1960 Telephone Directories."

I have some "good" news and some "bad" news for him. The good news first--I know of one still in existence, dated July 1961. The bad news is that the individual, who at this time, has it in his possession, won't part with it for love or money.

It is a small, thin, stapled booklet, eight and one-half by five and one-half inches. The covers are made of slick, thick, craft-type paper and light orange in color.

Between these bright covers are eleven pages of single-printed heavy white paper. These contain the numbers of all the business and residential subscribers on July 1, 1961.

The first page is devoted to the Saluda Volunteer Fire Department. The number to call in an emergency was 849-3666. IMPORTANT! Do not hang up phone until this number is answered.  State penalties are outlined for any misuse of the system.

Page number two was the information and warning section.  The information part gave you all the numbers you needed to contact: Long Distance, Operator Assistance, Information and Repair Service.  It was easy to remember these numbers. For any and all of these services, you only had to dial one digit. A big "0"!

To get in contact with the Saluda Mountain Telephone Company Business Office required a little more dialing--849-3601.

The middle paragraph of this page was information and instructions on the use of a party line. Party lines (more than one resident using the same telephone line) were common in those days. Private lines existed, but not too many of the Saluda rural residents were privileged to have one. Contacting someone on the same phone line as yours was somewhat complicated. It required more dialing action and thought than the "0" for Operator Assistance.

The last paragraph was a warning against the improper use of the "Party Line." In case of an emergency the line must be relinquished immediately. Not to do so was a misdemeanor under the law. Such law also provided that falsely claiming an emergency to acquire a line was also a crime.

The phone subscribers' numbers began on page three. They were listed alphabetically, resident and business together. There were no yellow pages or Hendersonville Directory.  All calls out of the Saluda area were long distance.

From page three to page eleven are 279 telephone numbers all beginning with the prefix "849."  Missing from the directory was "Q, U, V and Z."  No Q, U, V or Z's lived or worked in Saluda during that year. The highest number of phones listed was under "P" (35). The lowest under "I" and "Y," one each. The listings were phone numbers only, no addresses. (Today, December 1997, there are over 1400 subscribers and a Q, U, V, and Z addition!)

Looking down these numbers, I found many missing from today's Saluda directory. Some of us will remember fondly a few of these businesses and places:  A.G. Food Market, Blue Ridge Writers Colony, Saluda Water Treatment Plant (Saluda's water source and treatment those days.), L.L. Clippard Insurance, Duke Power Company, Fairview House (Saluda's early version of a bed and breakfast), Glynnwood Grocery, Melrose Park,  Morselands Incorporated, Mountain Manor Gulf Service Station, Pace's Hardware, Ruth's Café, Saluda Café, Saluda 66 Service Sky-Vue Lodge, Southern Railway Clerks Home, Southern Railway Company, Stephenson Esso Service, M.A. Pace's Garage & Service Station. ("My Old Home" Saluda Drug & Sundries was closed by the time this booklet came out).

All of these and many one time residents are gone now.  But, as long as this old time telephone directory exists, and some of us still remember, they will never be forgotten!