WNC Staff

Locally sold arts and accessories, in resplendent purple

Celebrate our anniversary with top 10 lists of local albums, books, fishing spots, movies, restaurants, and more

Pamela Haddock

Seven ghoulishly good ways to celebrate Halloween’s chills and thrills

Wilma Dykeman’s posthumously published memoir revisits her mountain upbringing

Five local inventors who are changing the world, one innovation at a time

Sometimes, smaller is better.

Hugging the banks of the North Toe River, surrounded by blue-tinged mountains, the rural Mitchell County town of Spruce Pine holds a rich history, one with tales of trains and commerce, a hoard of minerals, and a nationally recognized theater. After falling in love with the community and learning of its heritage, Boone-based events planner Elizabeth Hempfling decided to pay homage. “I wanted to do something that portrayed love, but wanted it to be unique and to mean something,” she says. Hempfling staged a photo project that offers period recreations of Spruce Pine’s past, from the early 1900s to the 1950s, as well as snapshots of the thriving community today. In all, some 30 local residents pooled resources and time to stage, style, and snap pictures over four days. The result is a nostalgic portrayal of the town’s story, told with passion and reverence.

Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center welcomes its first official director

The scoop on WNC’s latest dining destinations

Distance 0.7 mile Difficulty: Easy