Orchard Lake Campground in Saluda. Visit websitefor directions. Fireworks will be held on Saturday, July 2 and start at dark.  A Donation Bucket will be passed around and proceeds raised will go to the Saluda Fire & Rescue Department who will be supervising the fireworks.  

Fabulous Fourth on July 4 in Columbus from 10 to 10.  Music, Food, Amusement Rides, Fun for all ages!  Fireworks start at 9:45.  

Saluda Running Club will host the second annual Columbus Firecracker 5K run Monday, July 4 in Columbus.  For more information and registration, please visit firecracker5k.org.

The 28th annual Fabulous 4th 100K Bike Tour is scheduled for Monday, July 4.  Tour starts at 8am at Harmon Field in Tryon.  Pre-register online at fabulous4thbiketour.org.

We wish all of our Saluda friends and family a safe and fun-filled holiday as we celebrate our country's independence.   

Cathy Jackson Realty office will be closed on Monday, July 4 and Saturday, July 9 so that we can celebrate the holiday and the Coon Dog Day reunion with our family and friends.  

Happy Holiday and Coon Dog Day!   

Debbie, Amy, Greaton, Cathy

Cathy Jackson Realty

New Bridge Lessons At The Saluda Center - The Club Series

For beginners or for those who want to improve their bidding skills.

What:   Eight 2 hour Bridge Classes

Where:  Saluda Center, Saluda, NC

When:   On Mondays from 9:30-11:30 AM

beginning July 11, 2011

Taught by Certified Bridge Teacher, Tollie Ross.

Cost:  $80

For information please call: 

Tollie Ross 706-936-8877 or Email: tross0063@aol.com 

Line dance will be at the regularly scheduled time at 12:30 pm on Monday's.  

Book club meeting on Monday, July 11 at 2:00pm.

Single Women United potluck dinner will be on Thursday, July 14 at 6:00pm.

Community potluck will be on Thursday, June 30 with entertainment from Jay Lichty. Bring your favorite dish and enjoy a night out with friends.

Bridge every Tuesday from 10am-2pm.

SAVE THE DATE! W.O.W.-Wellness on Wheels will return to the Saluda Center on Tuesday,  July 12 from 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

If you would like to receive the Saluda Center calendar via email, please contact Donna at saludacenter@hotmail.com to be added to our email list.

Please refer to the Saluda Center calendar for all regularly scheduled activities.

There is no membership fee.

Notice! A Thrifty Barn's basement is looking for household donation items.

A Thrifty Barn's basement is OPEN Wed., 10am-4pm, donations accepted, and basement sales every 1st and 3rd Sat. from 9am-3pm. A Thrifty Barn is OPEN Wed.-Sat., 10am-4pm, donations accepted  on Wed. Please call 749-3320 for more information.

The Saluda Center is delighted to present for the July art exhibition:

"Looking Back: Paintings By John Waddill, 1948-2011."

Waddill's life as an artist began after attending Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida and then three years of study at Parsons School of Design in New York City. The following three years, John worked as a designer of home furnishings. He returned to his native South Carolina and became a fine artist for two years, but with two children later, John reflects,"I had to take a "paying job" with a new textile company, and I remained there for thirty-five years, painting part-time."

Retired for twenty years, Waddill has continues to enjoy painting the familiar images found in nature using tempera, watercolor, acrylic and oil as his media and continues to work in various styles of execution. His paintings are found in numerous private and corporate collections.

Please join us for a reception honoring this talented Saluda resident on Thursday, July 7 from 5:00-6:30 PM at the Saluda Center, 64 Greenville Street in Saluda.

Mr. Waddill has graciously offered a portion of the proceeds from the sale of paintings in this exhibition to The Saluda Center for use in the continuation of the many programs and events provided to the citizens of the Saluda area. This exhibit can also be enjoyed from July 5-29 during regular hours at The Center. For further information, please call The Saluda Center:828-749-9245 or Anne Jameson: 828-749-3101.  

Saluda Artist Invited to Curacao 

Jim Carson, Saluda artist, has been invited to the first annual Plein Air Curacao to be held in Willemstad, Curacao, a small Caribbean island in the Dutch Antilles, 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela. It will be held August 28-Sept 3.(www.pleinaircuracao.com)

The plein air festival will be a daytime component to the annual North Sea Jazz Festival, also held in Curacao.

Last year's Jazz Festival brought over 10,000 people to Curacao. This year's Jazz Festival will feature Stevie Wonder, Sting, Earth Wind and Fire, Dionne Warwick, the Danilo Perez Trio, Branford Marsalis Quartet, Ruben Blades, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Ronchi Matthews and his All Star Band, Roberto Forseca and many more.

During the day, the invited plein air painters will paint the beautiful vistas of Curacao. The paintings will be sold at the end of each day to tourists, residents, etc. Curacao has the perfect combination of stunning geography, rich cultural and architectural resources, and that indefinable quality of being authentic and compelling.

Jim will also participate in Plein Air Easton in Easton, Maryland, July 17-24.  Locally, Jim's studio will be open during the Art Trek Studio tour on Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31, with the preview party at the Upstairs Artspace on Friday night, July 29.

Thanks to all who participated in our observance of Saluda's 130^th birthday by naming some of Saluda's oldest trees.  These trees will be identified in coming issues of Saluda Lifestyles.

For information about this group, please contact us by mail to Judy Sienkiewicz, 3 Bernwood Drive, Taylors, SC  29687; email JTS1@charter.net; or Ruth Anderson, PO Box 744, Saluda, NC 28773, phone 828-749-9718.

Thank you.

Ruth Anderson

The SCLT had another successful road clean up in June.  We have adopted a two mile stretch on highway 176 on both sides of town.   Though the teams were small, we were able to work quickly and efficiently while enjoying the morning camaraderie. Thank you for not littering!

SCLT is working with the Saluda Dog Society in creating a dog park. We thank the city of Saluda for all the hard work put into leveling and clearing the area. The Dog Park is located on Chestnut Street, and volunteers are needed to help with fencing and landscaping. For more information on this, please call Dave Prudhomme 828-749-9172.

Scheduled hikes for the summer will be on the first and third Sunday of the month. We will meet at the library at 2pm to carpool. Remember to bring water and always be aware that there may be poison ivy nearby. Wear appropriate clothing and shoes, and be ready to commune with nature and your neighbors. There is always something new to discover, and it's a great way to start your week.

Kudzu work on the corner of Ozone and Thompson Road was put on hold in June while waiting for the site to be mowed. We will pick back up on this area starting in July and may be working other areas as well. Thursday is kudzu day, and we will work 8am until 10am, weather permitting.

In the meantime, we have worked along the bank at the city parking lot. This is also a great area to decrown kudzu. We are looking for areas in Saluda that need help and are working on a strategy that will benefit our community. Areas will need to be worked differently according to the level of the kudzu problem.

SCLT always needs your help. If you would like to volunteer for any of our projects, become a member or just inquire about a project, please call our office at 828-749-1560. Leave us a message, and someone will get back to you promptly. Or go to our website.                  

In June, the Saluda Garden Club enjoyed a field trip to Motlow Creek Gardens in Campobello where we learned about summer swap out for container plants, both in the sun and in the shade. This is a wonderful nursery, and if you have not been, you must take the time to walk their garden to check out all their wonderful plants.

The Saluda Garden Club will not be meeting in July but will have a meeting on August 15^th. The plan at this time is to visit some local gardens to see what our neighbors have to show and tell. Saluda has some beautiful home gardens that have been tended to with loving hands. Some are very old, and it's great to know that the spirit of a home garden is still a tradition that is living among us.

The Spring Garden is something that we lovingly tend to year round. Throughout the summer, we will continue to water and weed so that you may enjoy this peaceful sanctuary. Remember to be gentle as you stroll through and to leave things where they are since this is how a stable garden remains so.

For more information please call Anita Severn at 828-749-3155 or Susie Welsh at 828-749-3900. 

 

School is Out!  Have a Safe Summer! 

2^nd Super Sizzlin' Summer Adventures!  This summer enrichment program is sponsored by area churches and will be held July 11 through August 5.

Visit Saluda School to learn more about the North Carolina A+ Schools Program. 

Vision Becomes Reality with Alexander's Ford at Bradley Nature Preserve

The County of Polk just acquired Alexander's Ford at Bradley Nature Preserve from the Bradley Fund of the Polk County Community Foundation, and a family's philanthropic dream of enhancing our community for generations has been realized anew. In 2006, the Board of the Marjorie M. and Lawrence R. Bradley Endowment Fund committed to preserving the historic 163-acre property by purchasing the land from Tryon Arts and Crafts and establishing conservation easements to protect it forever.

The Polk County Community Foundation had lacked the assets to save Chocolate Drop Mountain from eventual development, but when the opportunity to preserve Alexander's Ford presented itself, the timely sale of the Bradley Estate just months beforehand enabled the Board to act decisively. With just a few weeks' notice, the Community Foundation and Bradley Board worked quickly, stepping up to keep the property from being sold to an individual with full development rights. The purchase was the first step in working with the County to create a public nature preserve and it immediately safeguarded against losing another extraordinary natural resource to development.  The Bradley Fund chose to protect and hold the property, allowing the County time to secure grant funding to acquire the land for permanent public benefit. A $50,000 grant from the Bradley Fund and a price well below the appraised value enabled the County to acquire and develop this park without using County funds. Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy wrote grants on behalf of Polk County and helped manage the project, with funders covering the costs of project administration.

The final purchase represents years of coordination between Polk County and the Community Foundation. The County and its partners successfully raised enough funds through grants and local contributions that zero Polk County dollars were needed for the purchase. Meanwhile, the Foundation confirmed that the property would be permanently protected  after the sale through comprehensive conservation easements and deed restrictions. As a result, Alexander's Ford at the Bradley Nature Preserve will now be able to move ahead as intended under the direction of Polk County, which will begin planning and preparing the site for public access.

The Bradley Board is delighted that a land so ecologically rich and steeped in history will remain unspoiled for generations of residents to enjoy. Located along the Green River in Mill Spring, the property has impressed environmental surveyors with its botanical diversity, including several rare plant species and identification of significant natural heritage areas. The site also boasts exceptionally high water quality.

Experts have determined that trails running through Alexander's Ford were likely travelled for centuries by Native Americans, and studies indicate that the site may have been used as an encampment by the Cherokee. The land is probably best known in the community for including a significant section of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail. Patriot militiamen are said to have camped at Alexander's Ford before being alerted to turn toward King's Mountain for a battle with the British, which, according to Thomas Jefferson, "was the joyful annunciation of that turn of the tide of success which terminated the Revolutionary War with the seal of our independence."

Maps of the Overmountain Victory Trail, including information about Alexander's Ford, are available at the Community Foundation office at 255 South Trade Street in Tryon. The Community Foundation fulfills the charitable wishes of donors like the Bradleys through a variety of grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the Polk County area. The Bradleys gave funds to the Foundation to establish a separate charitable corporation, and this is one of many projects that the Bradley Board has supported in their name. For more information regarding grants, scholarships or charitable giving options, please contact the Community Foundation by visiting our office, calling (828) 859-5314, or checking online at www.polkccf.org. 

-Article submitted by Noah Wood, Polk County Community Foundation

AT&T Acquisition of T-Mobile Would Expand Mobile Broadband Service in Polk

Saluda would see faster wireless broadband service under AT&T's plans to purchase competitor T-Mobile.

Combining the wireless frequencies - called spectrum - owned by both companies would enable AT&T to improve service quality and network capacity, while encouraging innovation and expanding the deployment of 4G LTE mobile broadband technology to more than 97% of the U.S. population. LaVoy Spooner, AT&T's Regional Director, said the expansion would reach 55 million more people than under the company's previous plans. It would enable 4G LTE deployment to an additional 1.2 million square miles, equivalent to 4.5 times the size of the state of Texas, and would include service in Polk County.

The acquisition will increase AT&T's infrastructure investment in the U.S. by more than $8 billion over seven years. The company previously announced it plans to invest $19-billion in its national wireless and wireline networks and other capital projects in 2011.

The steadily-increasing use of wireless services is especially true in the popularity of smartphones which allow the user to surf the Internet or even watch HD movies on their handheld device. Over the past four years, data usage on AT&T's wireless network has increased 8,000 percent. This tsunami of wireless demand is forcing all wireless companies to look for ways to address the coming problem of spectrum shortages. The proposed $39 billion merger provides a fast and efficient solution to meet the needs of AT&T's and T-Mobile's customers.

Reviews of the proposal by Federal regulators are expected to continue through the end of the year.

On Sunday, July 3, at 10:30 am, The Church of the Transfiguration will celebrate the anniversary of our Nation's independence with a festival service of Holy Eucharist. The prelude, beginning at 10:15 am, will be Musick of the Fife and Drum-Revolutionary War tunes compiled by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

The fife and drums will also be used to enhance our many patriotic hymns as well as Irving Berlin's God Bless America which will be sung by the choir.

Please join us for our Independence Day festivities. The Church is located at 72 Charles St in Saluda. More information may be obtained by calling 828.749.9740.

The Life and Times of Apostle Paul

Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

72 Charles Street, Saluda, NC (Parish Hall)

10:00 am. Thursdays, beginning July 21

Six Sessions

Leader:  The Rev. Paula Morton, Rector

Open to the Community

The Apostle Paul:  has anyone in history been so praised and so maligned?  He is sometimes credited with singlehandedly "founding" Christianity, often commended for his openness to other cultures, yet just as often accused of narrow-mindedness and rigidity.  Almost everyone would agree that he's one of our religion's most fascinating, most elusive personalities.  So who was he, really?  What did he teach, really?  Who did he encounter in his travels, and how did he interact with them...really?

This series will focus on Paul as a historical figure and the cultures in which he preached.  Buckle your seatbelts, because it will be part travelogue, a "virtual journey" through time to the first-century cities of Jerusalem, Corinth, Galatia, Philippi, Colossus, and Ephesus.   Paula's primary texts will be selected New Testament readings; What Saint Paul Really Said, by N.T. Wright; and St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen, by W. M. Ramsay.  Participants may wish to purchase the two books for their own reading, but it will not be necessary.  Paula will use the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, but participants may bring their favorite translation.

There will be a copy of the books for your perusal at the first session.  You can order from Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and if you have a Kindle or Nook, they can be downloaded immediately.  The costs of the books are:  $12.00 (What St. Paul Really Said);   $13.00 (St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen)

You may sign up by email to:  1transfigsaulda.org@gmail.com

All Saluda School students, past, present, and teachers-anyone who has ever attended-- are invited to the Saluda School Reunion.  It will be held August 19, 2011 at the Saluda Mountain Jamboree.  BBQ and Chicken dinner starts at 6pm.  Cost is $23/person.  Please mail checks to be received no later than August 16. Checks payable to Peggy Johnson, PO Box 187, E Flat Rock, NC 28726.

For more information, please contact Tona Lawter at 828-674-2629. 

US Post Office Store Hours

Mon-Fri 9:00am-1:00pm and 3:00pm-4:30pm

Sat 9:30am-11:00am Sun closed

Get directions by clicking here  

102 E MAIN ST SALUDA, NC 28773-7812 

Mark your calendars and plan on these events throughout 2011.

July 1 - Free Square Dance Lessons; Saluda Mountain Jamboree 7:00pm to 9:00pm. 

July 2 - Oral History DVD will be shown and will be on sale; Saluda Mountain Jamboree 5:00pm - 6:30pm.  Celebration Square Dance at Saluda Mountain Jamboree from 7pm-10pm, $5 donation.

July 4 - Celebration birthday cake and pot luck at McCreery Park from 6-8pm with Jeff Hayes Bluegrass Band.  Bring your own chairs. Paperware will be provided.  

July 9 - City of Saluda Coon Dog Day 

July 29 - Macon Bank Open House with refreshments 

August - "Saluda Art Images" at Saluda Center all month.

August 10 - Horace Pace Video

August 14 - Children's Concert at the Purple Onion with Sol Driven Train 

August 17 - Authors of Saluda  

August 24 - Charlene Pace: Stories of Saluda Past 

August 31- Martha Ashley's Bus Tour of Saluda Inns 

September 10 - Charlie Ward's Memorial Pig Out

September 12 - Masonic Lodge Open House and Presentation

September 27 - Music in the Park Picnic; McCreery Park; 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

October 15 - Celebration Antique Car Club. Antique store highlights.

October 28-29 - Visions of Saluda Art Exhibit at the "Upstairs Room" at Historic Thompson's Store. 

October 31 - Halloween Stroll and Ole' Timey Dress Up

November 29 - Saluda School Pageant "Saluda's Past" at 6pm Saluda School Auditorium

November - Turkey Dinner by the Methodist Church, and Singing for the Soldiers.  Details and times to be announced.

December 4 - Free Christmas Concert at the Jamboree

December 9 -Hometown Christmas stroll

December 10 - Celebration Christmas Parade at 2pm.

December 17 - Celebration Christmas Home Decoration Contest.  Judging on December 17, must be within Saluda city limits, outside decorations and lighting.  Prize:  Commemorative 130th Plaque.  To enter, email Catherine Ross at carnc@charter.net. 

Call Terry Baisden at 828-749-3789 if you have any questions about these events. All events are subject to change. 

All proceeds raised through fundraising will contribute to Saluda's 130th Anniversary events and restoration of City Hall. 

Jar of Pennies at City Hall  

Guess the amount of money in the jar and win the amount in the jar.  Donate $1 per guess.  Winner will be announced in November and will not have to be present to win.  

130th T-Shirts

T-shirts of all sizes for adults and youth can now be ordered online.  Please click here to place your order.   

Call for Entries - Christmas Parade

If you are interested in entering the 130th Celebration Christmas Parade on December 10, 2PM, please call 828-749-3789 or email Terry Baisden at terrybaisden@tds.net for information.

The Carolina Special Cresting Saluda Mountain. The epitome of dramatic North American railroading was the cresting of Saluda by Southern Railway's Carolina Special, powered by a green and gold trimmed Mountain type locomotive with an assist from a Mallet Helper on the rear.

This train, which ran from Charleston to Cincinnati, was a typical passenger train of the steam era.  It consisted of mail and baggage cars, coaches, a diner and Pullmans.  It once boasted an observation car proudly marked "Carolina Special."

This oil painting by Howard Fogg, commissioned by Frank Fishburne, shows the most dramatic phase of the Carolina Special's journey:  climbing the nation's steepest standard gauge main line rails up Saluda Mountain, with grades reaching 5.3%.

The Carolina Special ran for over half a century and was one of the nation's longest-lived passenger trains.  It started in 1911 and endured until its last trip up Saluda on December 5, 1968.

Get Your Home Photographed 

By Architectural Photographer

John Fowler

You may have seen John's work around town, or seen him on the side of the road somewhere with his tripod

and camera. John love's Saluda and wants to offer his services to people of Saluda.  John will come out and spend time around your property to capture creative images of your home then put together a nice framed

collage of your Saluda treasure. You can see samples of this work in town at Biddie's Antiques on Main Street. 

For more information contact John at

johntfowler@hotmail.com  or 864-380-9332.  

Beauty births the morning and shakes our dreaming true and shadows last night's rain, gifting the ridges with blue. 

It breathes the sky from the sea and folds in mountain air our ladies, who comb its silver currents into their hair.

Now the town draws in for sleep and the breeze lifts again, and the birds nest down for night, and the foxes warm their dens,

but beauty doesn't slow or shift its unwavering course:  the moon rises high again and sings us to its source. 

By Mike Cass

"Cathy, as I read the Saluda Lifestyles I realize how much time and talent you put into its publication every month.  I think it is such a commendable read, it should get some recognition somewhere.  Besides who would think that a little town like Saluda has such color, such activity, such vitality.  Congratulations on a very fine job of putting all of this together in such a delightful venue."

Saluda's 48^th Annual Coon Dog Day

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Don't miss Saluda's 48th Annual COON DOG DAY on Saturday, July 9--a homecoming and celebration for dogs and their people! Great food, live music, parade, crafts, street dance, and more.   

The Coon Dog Day Royalty Race is underway, and you can vote for your favorite candidate by placing money in their jar. Jars are located at City Hall and several other places around town.

Don't miss your opportunity to be in a parade and a chance to win a trophy.  Businesses and individuals are encouraged to participate in the parade by entering a float.  This is great free advertising for local businesses. There will be judges, and plaques will be given for the following categories of floats: Best Commercial, Best Civic, and Most Original.  This year's plaques are hand-carved originals from a local artist, so don't miss your chance to win one.  Plus, it's fun for everyone to be involved in building the float and riding in the parade.

Parking this year will be provided by the Saluda Mountain Jamboree.  The City will have a trolley service shuttling festival goers from the Jamboree to town and back all day.  Parking is $10 and will include use of the Jamboree building for restrooms and the trolley shuttle service. Parking and shuttle service is included in the registration fee for all 5K participants!

Schedule of Events

Special Events

8:00am     Coon Dog Day 5K Race.  Click here to pre-register.  Registration begins at 6:30am and ends at 7:30am at the Saluda Mountain Jamboree.  Spectators can cheer the race participants around 8:00am as they run through downtown shortly after the race begins.

6:30am - 10:30am     Benefit Breakfast at the Saluda Masonic Lodge.  Enjoy a hearty breakfast of eggs, grits, sausage or bacon, biscuits, and gravy for only $6 per plate.

1:00pm to 3:00pm     The Historic Saluda Committee will be showing sneak previews of the Oral History DVD; Home, Hearth, and History:  Stories of Old Saluda.  DVD's will also be available for purchase.  This showing will be in the Fellowship Hall of the Saluda Presbyterian Church on Carolina Street.

Coon Dog Events at the Saluda School Ball Field

1:00pm     Bench Show ($15 entry fee)

3:00pm    Treeing Contest ($5 entry fee)

8:00pm     Annual Night Hunt ($20 entry fee)

Coon Dog Events are sponsored by the Central Carolina Benefit Coon Club.

On-Stage Entertainment

8:30am - 9:00am     The Green River Boys - Saluda's own gospel bluegrass.

9:00am - 9:45am     Flaco & Ze Clownettes - an interactive performance for the whole family.

9:45am - 10:15am    Coon Dog Day 5K Race Awards Ceremony - recognizing the participants.

10:15am - 11:00am   The Green River Boys - another set for your favorite locals.

11:00am-12:30pm The annual Coon Dog Day Parade with Master of Ceremonies, Hop Foster!

12:30pm - 1:00pm    McGuire's Pipe Band - The bagpipe showband of the south!

1:00pm - 2:00pm     Aaron Burdett - Folk rock from right here in Saluda.

2:20pm - 3:20pm    Old School - Acoustic Blues/Roots:  traditional freestyle guitar

3:40pm - 5:40pm    The Folsom Prison Gang - Music from the Johnny Cash era.

6:00pm - 7:40pm    Unspoken Traditions - Taking bluegrass to a whole new level!

8:00pm - 11:00pm   The Lonesome Road Band leads us into the night with the sounds for our annual Night Street Dance with square dances called by local Archie Hardy-grab a partner!

Thanks to Monica Pace, administrator for the City of Saluda, for providing this information.

Poster by Carey Pace

Times and Location

Date: Saturday, July 9th, 2011

Time: Run begins at 8:00 AM

Race Day Registration begins at 6:30 AM - No registrations will be accepted after 7:30 AM

Address for parking area and registration table on race day:

Saluda Mountain Jamboree, Friendship Church Rd., Saluda, NC 28773, Phone: 828-749-3676

For directions, click here to visit their website. 

Registration and Awards Information

Cost: $30 per registration; includes parking, performance tee, race day goodie bag, and shuttle trolley ride to downtown following the race.

Goodies: All pre-registrants are guaranteed a Coon Dog Day 5K Run Tee (T-shirts are moisture-wicking performance tees).  Race day registrants will be provided T-shirts as supplies last. (Must be present to receive tee)

Awards: Awards will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for both male and female in each of the following age divisions:

12 & under, 13-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, and 55 + years of age. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall male and female winners will receive a grand prize.

Registration: Register online at: Coon Dog Day 5K or by completing this registration form and returning it, along with payment in full, to:  Saluda City Hall, PO Box 248, Saluda, NC 28773.

All registration forms must be received by Friday, July 2nd to qualify as pre-registered. One form per registrant, please.

For more information or questions regarding the race, to volunteer for race-day assistance, or if you are interested in making a donation or sponsoring Coon Dog Day events, please contact Monica Pace at City Hall: 828-749-2581 or via email at admin@cityofsaludanc.com

130th Celebration July Events

July brings these events in celebration of Saluda's 130^th birthday.

July 1 - Free Square Dance Lessons; Saluda Mountain Jamboree, 7:00pm to 9:00pm. 

July 2 - Oral History DVD will be shown and will be for sale; Saluda Mountain Jamboree 5:00pm - 6:30pm.  Celebration Square Dance at Saluda Mountain Jamboree from 7pm-10pm,  $5 donation.

July 4 - Celebration birthday cake and pot luck at McCreery Park from 6-8pm with Jeff Hayes Bluegrass Band. Please bring chairs. Paper and plastic ware will be provided. Rain or shine!   

July 9 - City of Saluda Coon Dog Day 

July 29 - Macon Bank Open House with Refreshments  

Click here for more 130th events.   

Click here to "Keep the Celebration on Track." 

Historic Saluda Committe Releases Oral History DVD

Home, Hearth & History: Stories of Old Saluda

The Historic Saluda Oral History Committee is pleased to announce a release date for its inaugural oral history DVD entitled Home, Hearth & History: Stories of Old Saluda. Copies of the DVD will be available at the film's premiere scheduled for July 2, 2011 at 5 pm at the Saluda Mountain Jamboree.  The premiere is being held prior to the Saluda 130^th Birthday Celebration square dance that will be held that same night at 7 pm.
Eljapa Media Group has worked with the Oral History Committee to record over 14 hours of oral history video interviews, copied hundreds of old photographs from private collections and received more than a dozen original cassette tapes of interviews conducted by Charlene Pace and Anne Osborne for their 1981 book Saluda, N.C. 100 Years 1881-1981. Participating in the inaugural DVD are Martha Anderson, Bill Russell, John Rhodes, Dr. George Jones, Charlene Pace, Henry Twiggs, Martha Ashley, Betty Pace Thompson and Ruth Pace Lawter. It is hoped that future interviews will be compiled into additional DVDs and then archived on a Historic Saluda website.

The City of Saluda provided seed money to launch this project, and generous donors have helped fund the remaining cost of this grassroots project. The Oral History Committee is a sub-committee of the Historic Saluda Committee, founded in May 2010 by interested citizens, and operates under the jurisdiction of the City of Saluda. Admission to the film premiere is free; however, donations will be accepted to help with future oral history interviews. A $5 donation will be requested to participate in the square dance which follows the premier showing of the DVD.   

A preview of the Oral History DVD will be shown during Coon Dog Day at the Saluda Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. Showings will run from 1-3.  

For more information, contact Cindy Stephenson Tuttle at cindystuttle@gmail.com or call the City of Saluda at 828-749-2581.

On its 112^th anniversary, M.A. Pace General Store has re-opened under the proprietorship of Leon Morgan, and his daughters, Tangie Ciarvolo and Tonya Pace.  Robert Pace died October 1, 2010, and the family-run store closed its doors for the first time in over a century.  Robert's daughter, Kay Richardson, who lives in Clinton, NC wanted the store to reopen without many changes being made.   Natives of Saluda, the Morgan family has operated retail businesses on Main Street for many years.  Their antique store, "Somewhere in Time," is adjacent to M.A. Pace General Store and, the Morgan family has grown up as neighbors to the Pace family.

Many Saludians wanted the store to stay the same and to become a "museum" and historical landmark.  Sensitive to this desire, the Morgan's enriched the historical content in the store by displaying the Pace family portraits, antique pictures of Saluda, vintage clothing, farm and kitchen tools, and more turn-of-the century items found in storage. 

The store is stocked with a lot of the favorite items that Robert Pace sold, including old-fashioned candies, jellies, preserves, sauces, toys, and most importantly, hardware.  Robert's early 1900's cash register is still being used, and you may get a whiff of the old oil-stained wood floors.  Books from local authors will be sold again. 

It feels good to see the doors opened once again, and Saluda is grateful to the Morgan family for maintaining the Pace family legacy.  Saluda is so fortunate to again have two of its historical institutions; Thompson's Store/Ward's Grill and M.A. Pace General Store have survived, unlike many other multi-generational businesses featured in the documentary, "Our Vanishing Americana."  

Click here to read an article on the opening by Samantha Hurst of the Tryon Daily Bulletin.

Photos by Cathy Jackson, Chuck Hearon, and Greaton Sellers.

The latest news and the unusual offerings provided by Saluda shops, restaurants, accommodations, outdoor recreation, artists, and craftspeople.

"Thank you, Charlie Ward."  The new proprietors of Saluda Mountain Lodge, Wayne and Wendy Auman, drove through Saluda many times searching for just the right mountain town to call home.  They were intrigued by the charm and beauty of Saluda, but it was the hospitality and the friendliness offered by Charlie Ward that let them know there was much more to Saluda than charm.  And in 2006, Wayne and Wendy moved their family from Hilton Head to Saluda where they have lived on Fork Creek Road. 

Now in 2011, they aim to continue showing Saluda hospitality and warmth to others.  The Auman family, Wendy and Wayne, and their four sons, plan to open Saluda Mountain Lodge the weekend of July 1st.  They are ready for the July 4th holiday and for Coon Dog Day.  They want to entertain their guests and spoil them by making each one feel special just as Charlie did for many years.  Stop by, sit awhile, enjoy the view, and get to know Wendy, Wayne, Connor, Tristan, Trevor, and Grayson.  Contact Saluda Mountain Lodge at 828-749-4951 or visit their website at Saluda Mountain Lodge.

The Adventures of Rattler and Friends, a children's book written by Jonathan Thompson, son of Pam and Clark, is now available for purchase at Historic Thompson's Store or through our  website. The story centers around three critters, Rattler the coon dog, Rascal the rabbit and Rowdy the raccoon, who have found their way to Saluda where they have become good friends. They reside in the barn out back of Thompson's Store and are cared for by the employees. This illustrated book is suitable for kids of all ages and makes a great gift for any special occasion. Price - $6.95

Our new blue grass CD will be available for purchase starting the week of July 4. Several of these classic songs have been customized to reflect our own community. Larry Keith of the Lonesome Road Band does the vocal portion while Bobby Hicks and Randy Kohrs, respectively, provide the fiddle and dobro sounds. Hicks spent 20 years with Bill Monroe, 23 years with Ricky Scaggs, is the recipient of 10 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Fiddlers Hall of Fame, and in 2004, celebrated 50 years at the Grand Ole Opry.

Randy Kohrs has performed on over 600 CDs during his time in Nashville and won his first Grammy in 2008. He is considered the finest dobro player anywhere.

We were fortunate to capture so much quality talent on our cd and know you will love it once you hear these songs of the past.  Price - $14.95

Thompson's Store is located at 24 Main Street, in the heart of downtown Saluda.   

Contact the store at 828-749-2321 or visit

Thompson's Store online.

The Time Has Come at The Oaks Bed and Breakfast

Green River BBQ  

Join us for local draft beer. We have local drafts from Asheville, Spartanburg, and Atlanta.

Narraganset pints are $1.50.

We still have our daily specials every week day that have been a big hit!

Hope to see you Coon Dog Day!

Contact Green River BBQ at 828-749-9892 for takeout orders or visit them at Green River BBQ.  Visit their Facebook page to get extra daily coupons!

Warrior Mountain Local Grown Produce is located at 459 Hwy 176 (across from Tickle Family Health Center). Stop by the stand Wednesday through Saturday from 12 noon to 6pm.  Home Grown Produce in Season:  beets, broccoli, green lima beans, carrots, corn, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, greens (collards, turnip, kale, mustard, spinach), lettuce, okra, potatoes (red, white, Yukon Gold), peppers (sweet, red, yellow, jalapeno), spring onions, squash (yellow, zucchini, acorn, butternut, buttercup), vine ripe tomatoes, peas (English, crowder), melons (honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon).  Also stocked with market produce including fruits, homemade potato chips, green boiled peanuts and fresh cut flowers.  For more information and availability, please contact Wendell Gilbert at 828-595-1400.

Wildflour Bake Shop offers sweets and fine pastries, breakfast, lunch (soups, salads, sandwiches, quiche, pizza, and daily specials), as well as our great selection of Wildflour breads, crackers and granola.  Always fresh baked, always from scratch, always delicious!

Thursday..........8 am - 4 pm
Friday..............8 am - 5 pm
Saturday..........8 am - 5 pm
Sunday............9 am - 3 pm

Wildflour Bake Shop  828-749-3356
Wildflour Bakery  828-749-9224
Check us out online at wildflourbakerync.comfor daily specials or use the good ol' fashion way...828-749-3356.   

Tan-Tastic Tanning Saluda will open the first week in July, located in former Wildflower Bake Shop spot at Nostalgia Courtyard, Suite 19, Pearson Falls Rd, Saluda. Phone number will be 828-749-1000.  A nail tech for manicures, pedicures, and acrylic nails will join the staff.   

For more information, please contact Tonya Foster Jackson or Mark Jackson at 828-817-6163.  Hours of operation will be: Monday through Thursday 8am till 7pm, Friday 8am till 6pm, and Saturday 10am till 3pm, closed on Sunday.  

The Old Chicken House welcomes new members of our Chicken House family:  Doug Honeycutt, painter and sculptor, and Niece Lundgren, fine artist and basket weaver. Come by and say hello.  See work in progress or completed, including Ray Pague's art and Ruthie's wreaths.  Ray's studio has been located in the Chicken House since 2004.

The Old Chicken House is located approximately one mile from Main Street across the railroad tracks and up Greenville Street.  It's open Friday and Saturday 11-6 or by request.  For more information, please contact Ruth Anderson at 828-749-9718.

Thank you,

Ruth Anderson

Macon Bank will celebrate Saluda's 130^th Birthday in the Saluda branch on Friday, July 29^th.  The Historic Saluda Story Board will be on display in the bank.  Macon Bank invites the Saluda community to join the celebration and enjoy cake and punch.   

Painting with oil pastels

 "In the fine arts it is only the convention, the form, the incidentals that change: the fundamentals of passion, of intellect and imagination remain unaltered."    

-- Aldous Huxley   

From drawing to painting there are lines, colors, various media, shapes and values.  The medium of OIL PASTELS includes and suggests both painting and drawing.  This column emphasizes some painting aspects of oil pastels such as:

·         Color mixing

·         Subtlety of color by layering

·         Thin color

·         Thick color

·         Dark and light colors

·         Contrasting colors

Here are some ways you can start to "paint" with oil pastels.  Start by peeling off the paper that covers each oil pastel.     

The pastel then behaves more like a paint brush and works artistically well for covering large areas.  It usually requires cleaning/wiping off each pastel after using it to have its color clear and bright for its next use. 

• Try various ways of mixing colors:
• Use thin lines of color next to large masses of color. 
• Add several layers by scribbling one layer and painting back and forth over it with large swipes for more layers.
• Overlap primary and secondary colors in places.  
• Vary pale and light with dark and heavy. 
• Use your fingers to rub colors together.

With oil pastels you can also vary the textures on which you paint, such as using a sketch pad or water color paper, canvas or wood, or other.  Oil Pastels are a wonderful versatile medium where the passion, intellect and imagination used in the fine arts can be fully applied.  Experiment and repeat what you like.  

Oil Pastels are excellent for traveling- the only supplies you need
are a sketch book and a box of oil pastels- no liquid, no mess.

Thanks to my granddaughter, Louise, for demonstrating painting with pastels.

Beverly Bowden Pickard
www.beverlysart.com
bbpickard@charter.net
828-749-1248

The 130^th Birthday Celebration Committee is pleased to invite you to enter your artwork at the "Art of Historic Saluda Exhibit" in Saluda NC, October 28-29, 2011 from 10am to 5pm.  The committee is calling all local and regional artists in all visual art forms to participate in showing and selling your artistic views of Saluda.

Your artwork of Saluda will be on exhibit to the public October 28 and 29 in the "Upstairs Room" at Historic Thompson's Store, 24 West Main St., Saluda NC.  20% of your sales will be donated to the 130th Birthday Celebration fund-raising campaign.

Exhibit Information and Guidelines:

• There is no cost to exhibit your creation.  The image must be of something in Saluda.  
• You may receive a tax deductible form denoting the amount as a donation to the City of Saluda.
• Artistic rendering and artwork set up Thursday, October 27 from 1:00 pm -5:00 pm.
• If needed, please bring an easel to display your work.
• All work not sold must be picked up by Monday, October 31 between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm.
• Historic Thompson's Store is located at 24 West Main, Saluda NC.
• You do not have to be present during the Exhibit hours.
• The "Upstairs Room" will be secured during the Exhibit days.
• Call 828-749-3789 or email carnc@charter.net for more details.  

Fall is a beautiful time to visit Saluda, and the town draws many tourists coming to the mountains to view the brilliant foliage colors at that time of the year.  Saluda's historic district and natural beauty are popular subjects from which to create art.  This is an opportunity for local artists to exhibit and to show and sell their work, while also helping to raise funds for the 130^th  Birthday Celebration.  We encourage all artists, whether amateur or professional, to participate in "Visions of Saluda."

Buy a raffle ticket and you may be the winner of a week at Indian Beach Resorts, which is an exotic destination situated on a barrier island on the West Coast of Florida.  It is easy access to Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater.  Check out more information at floridabeachcottages.com.

You may win a week-long stay (from Saturday to Saturday) at a two bedroom cottage on the dates of your choice from August to December 15, 2011, and from April to December 15, 2012--subject to availability.

Raffle tickets will be available to purchase at the Fire Department Open House on June 25, the Square Dance at the Jamboree on July 2, the Pot Luck Supper at McCreery Park on July 4, and at a  table set up in front of City Hall/Police Department on Coon Dog Day on July 9. 

One ticket is $5, and 5 tickets are $20, etc.  Cash or check is accepted for payment.  Prize drawing will be July 14, 2011.  You do not have to be present to win.  For more information, please contact Terry Baisden at 828-749-3789.

Proceeds will go toward the 130th Celebration events and Historic Saluda fundraising efforts. 

I was so happy to hear about the square dance over at Jamboree and about the free lessons.  Even if you think you can square dance, I would advise taking the lessons...especially you guys.  It's not as easy as it looks.

Years ago when my parents were first married, they ran a square dance place.  It was a covered pavilion by a lake.  They only operated it on Friday and Saturday nights.  My Father was the caller, and everyone claimed he was good.  My Mother loved to dance, and she usually had no trouble finding a partner since she was heavy in the bosom.  My Father made more money from selling Moonshine than from selling tickets for square dancing.  Lots of  guys would never get on the dance floor without a few swigs of home brew.  But that's why you need those free lessons.

Square dancing is fun...even if you don't know how.  But it's dangerous, too.  I would recommend two things for guys:

1.  Don't wear a felt or straw cowboy hat.  You might look good, but they are very little protection when you are ready to dance and bow to your partner.  I got a huge knot on my head bowing to my partner.  She and I were both overly enthusiastic.  She didn't get a knot...I think her bangs saved her.

2.  Wear a motorcycle helmet.

I have had two big square dance parties where we hired a square dance club to give lessons and a professional caller to send us around the floor.  My wife said no one would like it, but everyone who didn't get knots on their heads had a great time.

For a corporate party, we rented a big barn that had been built just for square dances.  One of my fondest and funniest memories was from the dance.  A guy who worked for me came and brought his wife who really didn't get out a lot (or drink a lot).  The two of them were in our group.  After dancing for a while, we would have a rest and more instructions.  At one of the rest breaks, my friend's wife sat down on an open window to have a cigarette.  No one else noticed but me, but she fell out of the window backwards.  It wasn't a big fall; I saw her legs sticking up in the air but then they disappeared.

When the music started, my friend turned to where his wife had been.  He was surprised that she was not there.  Then he looked to his left...no wife....then he looked on the floor...then he looked up on the ceiling.  I was laughing the whole time and pointing out the window.  At that point, she was getting herself up, obviously wondering where she was, and he was saying, " What are you doing out there."

I don't think she is coming to the Jamboree Dance.  In fact, I don't think she has ever square danced again.

But you can come. Grab a partner and do-si-do.

Send Joe your comments and thoughts by emailing him at americaohyes@gmail.com. 

By Frank Middleton, a Saluda native

Stay tuned next month for more youth stories from Frank about growing up in Saluda.  

When I was 9 years of age, I began to experience pain in the heel of one foot and wrongly assumed for a long time that it was the result of bruising caused by playing on large boulders in the woods between Mountain Manor and the school playground. Eventually, Mama took me to Hendersonville to see a physician and during the exam, he discovered a heart murmur. Further testing indicated that I had rheumatic fever which would require full bed rest for an indefinite period of time. Since this diagnosis occurred in the month of January, it also meant missing the rest of my third grade school year. On doctor's orders, I was put to bed as soon as we arrived back home where I remained completely bedridden for five months. I was only allowed a small thin pillow for my head, and I was not permitted to sit up in bed or lift my head off the pillow. Total bed rest was standard protocol for rheumatic fever in those days so I was only allowed to get up, with assistance, for bedside potty calls or for an occasional washcloth type body cleaning. To help alleviate the boredom, my bed was placed in our dining room next to a window. However, my mama had to go to work which meant I was alone from early morning until late afternoon, which made for many hours of agonizing loneliness and sheer boredom. Reading and listening to the radio provided the only mental stimulus. The uncertainty weighed heavily on my young mind as to whether or not I would be bedridden for life, or whether I would be able to lead any type of normal life with a damaged heart. It also created great fear regarding my future. Hours of being alone in the house likewise added to the anxious feelings, self pity, sadness and bouts of crying.

My illness resulted from having an untreated case of strep throat the previous summer, after which the infection began to damage my heart.

The amazingly kind physician supervising my medical recovery was Dr. Richard A. Porter, who passed away in 2007 at the age of 90. For several months, he would close his offices every Tuesday at noon and drive from Hendersonville to Saluda for my weekly checkup, which included listening to my heart, drawing blood samples and injecting penicillin shots for the ongoing infection. In that time, penicillin was about the only antibiotic generally available. The most memorable visit was when he told me that I had improved enough to sit in the warm summer sun for one hour, but only if someone could carry me from my bed. During the months of bed rest, my muscles atrophied which meant a slow recovery period of learning to walk again. I still remember so vividly the euphoric feeling of hope that this monster, which had taken me from a very vibrant, energetic and happy nine year old to a bedridden skeleton-like figure with withered muscles, was finally being conquered. The routine for a while was one hour of sitting in the sun each week, and then progressing to one hour twice each week, and so on. Soon I was able to begin learning to walk again which helped build back my leg muscles. By September, Dr. Porter had seen enough progress to permit me to go back to school, although I was still prohibited from participating in sports or other similar activities. 

Luckily, the school socially promoted me to the fourth grade despite my missing over four months of third grade classes, but with the understanding that I would be moved back if I could not keep up academically. It was only after Dr. Porter's death in 2007 that I learned from his widow that he was a fairly new, sole practitioner during the time of my illness and had a family of his own to take care of financially. Yet this wonderful young doctor willingly closed his offices each Tuesday at noon, drove to Saluda and used his best skills to make a young kid whole again. His charge for all this? House calls amounted to only $2.00. The charge for the penicillin injections were $1.00 and for drawing and having the blood samples tested for the infection....well that was another whopping $2.00. That meant that no visit exceeded $5.00. It was quite obvious to Dr. Porter that my family had very few means with which to pay, but it never stopped him from offering me his dedication and lifesaving skills.

Regrettably, from a child's eyes, I always thought of Dr. Porter as an old man even though he was only in his early 30's at the time of my treatment. After growing up and moving away from Saluda, I lost contact with him and made the false assumption that he likely had passed away many years ago. I was very surprised to read of his eventual passing in the Hendersonville paper in 2007. Since then, I have been able to communicate with his widow and daughter, but I still regret that I did not seek him out in later years to express my deepest gratitude for the excellent care he gave me so many years ago and for helping me lead a very happy and healthy life.

By Clark Thompson