Bakersville, NC

Charlotte Holland Exhibit at Anita's Atelier

Anita Connelly of Anita’s Atelier announces an upcoming Special Exhibit of watercolors by Charlotte Holland of Bakersville, NC. 

Charlotte received a B.A. degree in Fine Art and Education at University of South Florida, followed by masters level classes at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota.  She taught art in the public school systems in Florida and Pennsylvania and for many years worked as a commercial artist in Orlando, Florida. 

In 2005, Charlotte and her husband Jim retired to Bakersville where they are enjoying their grandchildren and where she has been able to pursue her dream of painting in watercolor.  She is a member of the Blue Ridge Art Guild and feels that it is “good for the soul to live among such beautiful vistas where the ever-changing beauty of the days and seasons offers endless inspiration for the artist.” 

The public is cordially invited to attend and meet the artist on June 26, 2010 at 6 p.m. at Anita’s Atelier, 14 N. Mitchell Ave., Bakersville. NC.  Refreshments will be served.  For further information, you may reach Anita at 688-1717.

Rhododendron Festival: June 18 & 19

 

For the 64th consecutive year, the community of Bakersville, NC will celebrate the blooming of the Catawba Rhododendron atop Roan Mountain.  This year’s NC Rhododendron Festival features all the signature events that have made it one of the premier summer destinations in the NC mountains.

The celebration begins Friday the 18th of June with the Jr and Sr scholarship pageant, beginning at 7 pm at Bowman Middle School Auditorium, followed by street dancing on N. Mitchell Ave.  The Wiseman’s band will be providing great bluegrass music.

Saturday will feature tours of the mountain and gardens, a 10k run at Gouge School (7:30 registration), arts, crafts and food on the Creek Walk (you can fish in Cane Creek if you wish ), Rhododendron Cruiser’s car show at Bowman Middle athletic field, tours of local art attractions, Dellinger’s Mill open to the public, the Ducky Derby at 3pm, and the finals of the scholarship pageant 7pm at Bowman Middle Auditorium followed by more street dancing from 8pm until….  Participants in the car show will “cruise in” to Helen’s Drive-In late Sat afternoon and remain there thru the early evening.

One important note about the mountain: the US Forest Service is doing extensive renovation to the parking and restroom facilities at the Cloudland site and has kept the mountain top closed to the public.  The top and gardens will be open to the public from Monday, June 7th, through Monday, Jul 5th. The bloom on the mountain is on track to coincide with the Festival and promises to be the wonderful pink extravaganza we’ve long celebrated.

For more information about the Rhododendron Festival, please visit our website.

July 4th Festivities in Bakersville

Bakersville will be having its annual July 4th activities and fireworks at Gouge Elementary School Saturday, July 4th.  Bring your lawn chair or blanket and be ready for a fun time.  Games and activities begin at 7:00 PM.  There will be a bounce house, patriotic tattoos, and carnival games such as ring toss, lucky duck, and other favorites. Bakersville's fire department will be doing BBQ  and the Back Then Band will be playing music.  Come and join us.  For more information call Town Hall at 688-2113.

Congratulations to the NC Rhododendron Festival Winners

Bakersville's 63rd Rhododendron Festival was highlighted by one of the most successful weeks in recent memory. The weather, the volunteers, the participants, and visitors were witness to a week of great fun and entertainment.

The Street Festival hosted 60 vendors with entertainment under the direction of Michelle Roberts. There was plenty of food and crafts from jewelry to baskets to inflatables for the kiddies. The Rhododendron Cruisers car show had upwards of 75 automobiles that brought back memories and dreams to hundreds of people. The Duck Race had near 350 ducks that "raced" from the gazebo to the bridge [winners: 1st place,  Barbara Buchanan of Bakersville; 2nd place, Danny Young of Spruce Pine; 3rd place, Tommy Buchanan of Burnsville].

The Rhododendron Pageant Committee crowned two new young ladies to represent Bakersville and Mitchell County for the coming year and sponsored two nights of the street dance. The "big circle going left" reached from the Bakersville Medical Clinic to the Mitchell County Historic Courthouse. Bakersville's Ruritan Club kept everyone refreshed and nourished with food and drink on the warm humid nights. [Post by Sue Ledford]

Senior Division: 2010 NC Rhododendron Queen - Liddy Matthews [$5000 scholarship] 1st Runner-up - Macie Peterson [$1000 scholarship] 2nd Runner-up - Erika Duckworth [$500 scholarship] Congeniality - Macie Peterson Interview - Liddy Matthews Talent - Macie Peterson [$500 O.D. Calhoun scholarship by Gail Robertson Walker, Rhododendron Queen 1962] Swimsuit - Liddy Matthews

Junior division: 2010 NC Junior Rhododendron Queen - Andrea Hall [$1000 scholarship] 1st Runner-up - Kaitlynn Lovelace 2nd Runner-up - Aneil Owens 3rd Runner-up - Cassie Carson 4th Runner-up - Emma Cassel Congeniality - Emily Williams Interview - Kaitlynn Lovelace Talent - Leah Blackburn

"Silver Ghosts" Visit Crimson Laurel Gallery

The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost car club visited Crimson Laurel Gallery, Bakersville, NC on the morning of May 9th and the antique cars received great interest from local Bakersville residents. The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost automobile was the premier luxury car of it's day, epitomising all that is the very best in British engineering. The companies attention to detail resulted in such an outstanding quality that this motor car rightfully was stated to be "the best car in the world."

The first public display of the 40/50 hp model as it was called then was at London's Olympia Motor in November 1906. Rolls-Royce made their world famous automobile in England from 1906 - 1925.

These 6 cylinder in-line engine in two groups of three, sidevalve, watercooled, bore x stroke are very rare, 7,874 every made. Near forty cars entered Bakersville on the Morning of the 9th of May. Average price of these automobiles ranged from $225K to over a million dollars.

Crimson Laurel Gallery organized the visit during last years leaf season when two of the tour operators visited the gallery and showed great interest in the collection of work offered and the historic nature of the the "Blevins Building," the home of Crimson Laurel Gallery. "Visits like these put places like Bakersville on the map," said John Lara, co-owner of the gallery. "We currently draw visitors from across NC to shop our collection of fine art and craft, one of the largest in the country."

Special Sterling silver jewelry items bearing the "Spirit of Ecstasy" hood ornament image were produced especially for the tour group by artist Deb Karash, ofMarshall, NC, and were a huge hit with the near eighty Rolls Royce enthusiasts. After shopping and enjoying locally baked treats, coffee and tea at the gallery, the tour continued to the Blue Ridge Parkway and lunch at Altapass.

David Trophia, Crimson Laurel Gallery

Photo Credit: Neil Prime

Bakersville Garden Club

The Bakersville Garden Club bought and filled the new planters on the Hwy 226 bridge with money from the Town of Bakersville and donations from citizens. These photos were taken as we planted the flowers under the Welcome to Bakersville sign.

The Garden Club was organized by several town residents who wished to do their part to beautify the Town of Bakersville.

Plans have been made to install planters at the bridge coming into town, hanging baskets on Mitchell Ave and Crimson Laurel Way, and to initiate, restore, and maintain gardens on the Creek Walk. For further information, contact Anita Connelly at 688-1717.

Photo Credit: Neil Prime

Courthouse Local Capital Campaign Begins

In the Spring of 2010, Mayland Community College will begin offering classes in the renovated Mitchell County Historic Courthouse in Bakersville. This is just one of many ways that the people of Mitchell County will be served when the old building is given new life. We have raised over $500,000 and are now asking the people of Mitchell County to contribute the final few dollars. If you can help, please go to our website at mitchellcountyhistoriccourthouse.org or call 828-284-1914.

Mitchell County Historic Courthouse Foundation Board of Directors Kick off $200,000 Public Capital Campaign
Front Row: Ralph Synder, Fred Pitman, Ron McKinney, Libby McKinney, Inez MacRae, Barbara Middleton, Bob Hensley.
Second Row: Silvia Peterson, Lisy Thomas, Daniel Barron, Bill Anderson, Don Baucom, Suzanne Owens, Reid Duncan
Third Row: Harper Wilson, George Wilson, Charles Vines
Unable to Attend: Richard Canipe, Dot Campbell, David Nevins, John Lara
Doug Sudduth, Photographer

Bakersville hosts economic leaders from Kentucky

On April 6^th Bakersville hosted a group of civic and community leaders from Elliot County Kentucky.  The group was sponsored by Becky Anderson, Mitchell County’s new EDC Director.  Their focus was to learn new and innovative ways to revitalize the economy in their home county. 

Bakersville’s successes in small town revitalization have made the town a showcase for other communities around the world.  The upcoming Troutacular Festival on June 6^th gave them ideas for similar events in their home town of Sandy Hook, Ky.

On April 21^st Bakersville was once again host to community leaders wishing to see the successes of small town revitalization.  Members of the Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute of the University of Kentucky came to Bakersville with Becky Anderson, EDC Director for Mitchell County to learn how art and entrepreneurs came together in a small town.  They toured the Creek Walk, downtown, heard the story of the Historic Courthouse renovation,  and had a visit to the Crimson Laurel Gallery. 

Thanks again to Becky Anderson for her help in the ongoing revitalization of Bakersville.

Becky Anderson named new Director of EDC

Becky Anderson, former Director of Handmade in America, has been named Director of the Mitchell County Economic Development Commission. She is replacing Jack Dobson, who is stepping down after two and a half years of service.

State Reopens Jail Fire Criminal Investigation

North Carolina has reopened a criminal investigation into the deadly Mitchell County jail fire following new evidence a prisoner might have set the blaze.

The 2002 fire killed eight inmates left trapped in their cells. New statements made during depositions in a civil trial accuse a surviving prisoner of setting the fire to aid an escape.

For more details, please see the full article in: Ashville Citizen-Times