The project turned into something more than just a business proposition for Suzanne. She discovered that her portraits are a window into the lives and experiences of families during the pandemic. Here are a few of her favorites and some reflections on what this time of COVID has meant for her … and the subjects on the other side of the camera lens.
Read MoreWhen Polly Angelakis was hired as Park Superintendent at Carl Sandburg National Historic Site, it was not lost on her that her life and that of the Park’s namesake had many similarities. Both children of immigrants, Polly and Carl struck out on life-changing odysseys as young adults after relatively cloistered childhoods. They experienced the breadth and majesty of America and witnessed first-hand the tapestry of the human condition.
Read MoreThe Playhouse Main Stage may be closed temporarily, but the outdoor scenery is in full production with an all-star cast of flowering plants, shrubs, and trees putting on a spectacular performance seven days a week.
Read MoreA chance encounter with a historic marker started the creative wheels turning in his head and Sullivan’s creative focus turned back to something that had fascinated him since he was a boy. At this point, his early fascination with the Civil War, his interest in wargaming, his corporate experience helping individuals and groups resolve thorny issues, and his relocation to Henderson County all coalesced into a remarkable premise for a new book. An idea that could only be called, “Audacious.”
Read MoreIn 2010, life served up a bowl of lemons to Flat Rock resident Bill Moss. After 12 award-winning years as Executive Editor of the Hendersonville Times-News, Bill found himself as the central character and most prominent casualty in a story about corporate downsizing at the county’s largest paper.
Two years later Bill picked himself up off the floor from an unexpected career detour …
Read MoreLauna’s great-grandmother Marie brought her gift for pasta making to the United States, and she lived long enough to have a profound effect on her great-grandaughter. “My earliest memory of my great-grandma was running into her kitchen to find noodles hanging from wooden sticks,” says Launa. “I thought it was the most beautiful and magical thing in the world. Today if I close my eyes, that memory is just as vibrant.”
Read MoreIf you happen to be new to our beautiful village, you may be wondering where on earth some of these odd names came from. Well the stories are long and many, and there’s no verification in most cases, but here goes.
Read MoreVisitors to Flat Rock often inquire, where exactly is the expanse of rock for which the village is named? And if they are standing anywhere near the intersection of Little River Rd and Greenville Highway, you might just suggest they look under their feet for the answer. The origin of the Village’s name has been addressed by several notable Flat Rock and Henderson County historians through the years. Here are some of their words …
Read MoreStill in his 20’s, he was working in heavy construction as his primary source of income. But his heart burned with a passion for cooking. And the fire of that passion was fueled with wood. During that time Starr attended a French Classical cooking school in Paris. His experience in The City of Light, in particular, helped set him on a course that would change his life and ultimately have a profound impact on the culinary scene in a small village in the mountains of western North Carolina.
Read MoreWhen Kelli Spector’s daughter graduated from college, she informed her mom that she would not be moving back to the family home in St. Louis. She went on to suggest that her mom find a better place to live. As Kelli relates the conversation now with a laugh, “I had been dismissed. I was free to leave St. Louis!”
Read MoreAt the end of the day, no one is getting rich at the Flat Rock Farmers Market. It is a place where people can sustain their passion and share their produce and crafts with people who appreciate the hard work and sacrifice that goes into providing local produce. And every vendor has a story to tell …
Read MoreWhenever you go about living in our lovely little village, you’re liable to see something new, charming, historic and interesting. A house that fits the bill is one almost everyone goes by often, perhaps without a thought about who built it, who lived there, why it’s right in that specific location, or its “life” up until now.
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This week we are sharing a column written by Flat Rock resident Denise Cumbee Long who is the Executive Director of The United Way of Henderson County. Her words recognize and celebrate the often unnoticed and unsung efforts of good people who have stepped forward to help their neighbors during this difficult time.
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Like many of you, I have been broken-hearted watching the news in recent weeks. There is so much work to be done on so many fronts, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
But, amid all the pain, I have also been inspired by people who continue to put good back into the world. People who are quietly stepping up to help. They are unsung heroes who are making things a little bit better. I met some of these heroes last week when I visited the Community Food Pantry in Edneyville.
When I pulled up to the Pantry, I immediately noticed the cars. A long line of vehicles snaked across the parking lot and up the hill across Highway 64. It was 2 p.m., and the weekly food distribution did not start for another half hour. Volunteer Norm Lyda told me that some people had arrived a full 3 hours early. All were waiting patiently to receive bags of meat, eggs, vegetables, and pantry items. For some, it was the only way their families were going to eat that night.
As I watched the cars pull up to receive bags of groceries, I thought about the way the COVID-19 crisis is affecting our community. I was reminded that we may all be in the same storm, but we are not in the same boat. Some of us are privileged to have boats that can ride out the storm with minimal damage. Others are finding themselves shipwrecked.
Those pulling up to receive food were of differing ages, genders, and races- an older woman wearing a house coat and slippers, a young Latina mother with a newborn, an older man with a walker, a large family with children, parents and grandparents all waiting in a van with a cracked windshield and a door that wouldn’t quite shut. Some had worried faces and tired eyes. But everyone seemed glad to receive fresh food and groceries.
“Thanks, Padre!” a middle aged man with a walker called to Father Richard Rowe, the Priest-in Charge at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The Community Food Pantry is a partnership between St. Paul’s and Fruitland Methodist Church. Father Rowe and a team of volunteers from both congregations were directing traffic, packing food bags, rolling carts of food outside so people did not have to come into the pantry, and loading up waiting vehicles with groceries. “Thanks so much, sweet pea!” A grey-haired woman in a battered pickup truck smiled at the volunteer who had just put food in her passenger seat. “God bless you!”
The Community Food Pantry in Edneyville is like many other organizations that have stepped up to help during this crisis: they have been able to marshal the generosity of caring people in the community who want to do what they can to help their neighbors. George, an 84 year old volunteer directing traffic in the parking lot, said he wasn’t raised to sit home when there was something he could do to help others. “Fred, the Bread Man” drove up with a car full of rolls and sandwich bread. He volunteers at the Food Pantry run by St. Antony’s in Fletcher, and they had extra bread to share. A neighbor down the street told her two sons to bring over a large donation of juice. A local apple grower asked if they could use any apples when they were ready.
As I was pulling out of the parking lot, I saw a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk between the Food Pantry and the grocery store. Father Rowe had told me that this man comes most weeks to pick up some food items, but he can’t take much since he has no way to carry the food and no permanent place to stay. From my car window, I saw another man get out of a construction truck. He was heading into the store, but he paused when he saw the homeless man, reached in his pocket, and pulled out some folded bills. Then he smiled at the man, gave him some money, wished him a good day, and went inside. This gesture of kindness touched me to the core and seemed to sum up what I had just seen at the Food Pantry and witnessed at other places throughout the community.
These are sad and uncertain times, and we are all in the same storm. But we are not in the same boat. Thankfully, there are those who are willing to step out of their own ships to help others stay afloat.
As the wise Fred Rogers once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Here in Henderson County, there are many helpers. We don’t have to look far.
Learn more about Community Food Pantry here.
Philanthropist Magazine recently profiled Flat Rock resident, Lisa McDonald, and quoted her self-description as an “unapologetic entrepreneur, philanthropist extraordinaire and lifelong animal advocate.” During a recent conversation with Lisa, it quickly became obvious that she is a person of both exceptional energy, big and benevolent ideas, and seemingly boundless compassion for the delightful menagerie of animals that share a home with her on the Sweet Bear Rescue Farm animal sanctuary.
Read MoreThe necessity of your decision was clear. Still, the words stung and left us feeling adrift. Flat Rock Playhouse is the beating heart of the village we love, and the decision to close your doors opened a gaping hole in our hearts. The
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The Wrinkled Egg anchors the iconic Rainbow Row in Flat Rock.
Known to everyone who lives in Flat Rock, has visited Flat Rock, or has even just driven through Flat Rock, the Wrinkled Egg stands out as the colorful anchor of Little Rainbow Row, the mini shopping mecca of our village.
It’s a fun and interesting journey to trace the building’s history. First, we find that its always been a retail destination of sorts and spent most of its existence as Peace’s Store. In the 1900s, there were several small stores serving the community, but it was Peace’s Store that became the place to shop for everything from penny candy to a box of nails. It was also a gathering place, a place to stop for directions, a gas station and a place to catch up on gossip!
In 1847, roughly 410 acres were purchased by Henry Farmer (1) from a group of local businessmen. They felt the village needed a good hotel rather than a scattering of inns and taverns, so they gathered together what would be called the “hotel tract” made up of adjoining acreage.
They, in turn, became stockholders and sold to Henry Farmer to build The Farmer Hotel, later the Woodfield Inn, now Mansouri Mansion, the oldest continually operating hotel in Western North Carolina. The hotel was built on the Buncombe Turnpike which served as the primary thoroughfare in Flat Rock.
As expenses grew, financial troubles came with maintaining hotel operations and by c1895, “Squire” Farmer had to mortgage the 17-acre parcel where he operated his brickyard and machine shop. In 1900 that same parcel of land, on a prime corner in the village, the Greenville Highway and West Blue Ridge Road, was sold at auction to E. J. Francis (2).
Peace’s Store in the early 1900s. Standing in front of the store are Luther Peace, Mattie Peace, Martha Peace, and Grover Peace. Seated are Melton Peace and his son, Hixie.
He subdivided the property, built the original simple structure, then sold it to brothers Luther and Melton Peace a few years later. These two fellows were the day’s entrepreneurs, and often you’d find their whole family in the store, including their nephew Clarence.
The backroom, now the Flat Rock Bakery, was added for living quarters, and then the small room, now the “connector” room on the south side, was added for nephew Clarence to use as living quarters. Country stores are always fascinating, but Peace’s Store had to top the list.
In addition to the “usual” flour, sugar, milk, jams, jellies and canned goods, you could get your hair cut in the store’s barbershop by the Peace’s brother in law. It’s hard to imagine how a country store could possibly squeeze in any other activities, but in 1904, the school was being moved from East Flat Rock to Flat Rock into a building being built in what is now Flat Rock Center. While waiting for the building to be completed, school was held inside Peace’s store. (3)
And in 1906, the very early days of mail delivery, Melton Peace was one of the first to deliver mail. The gas pumps and front porch were added sometime in the 1920s, along with a big Amoco sign on the roof.
Luther and Melton ran the store until about 1950, and then nephew Clarence ran the business until the 1980s and he died in the back room living quarters of the old store in 1984.
A Peace Family Christmas card from the late 1950’s. The Old Flat Rock Post Office is in the background and gas is selling for 29 cents/gallon.
Those who remember Clarence often describe him as a crusty character who tended to chase children away from the candy counter if he thought they were “lifting” from the candy bins! They didn’t care though - the store was a magnet for the village children. On the flip side, Clarence was an artist who painted in oils and was quite prolific.
Historic Flat Rock, Inc. bought the store from Clarence Peace’s estate. They then placed a Preservation Agreement on it and sold it to David L. Galloway with the agreement in place. (4) The property was then purchased by Starr Teel, and The Wrinkled Egg opened first its doors in 1990.
When asked if the building is perhaps haunted by the ghost of Clarence Peace, Virginia Spigener, owner of the Wrinkled Egg, just laughs. “I don’t believe it’s haunted,” she says, “But when I first opened, the front door used to blow open just about every afternoon around 3:30. After a while, I just started saying, ‘Well hello, Clarence’ when that happened.”
So now we’re full circle. We’d love to hear from anyone who might remember visiting Peace’s Store. Personal thoughts and memories always make history more interesting.
Galen Reuther
Galen has called Flat Rock home for over 20 years. She is a life long writer of articles about things that interest her. Her book "Flat Rock" can be purchased from independent bookstores, Historic Flat Rock, Amazon or from Galen direct at leegalen@aol.com.
Notes:
(1)Buncombe County Deed Book 3, P. 724
(2)National Register of Historic Places, Flat Rock Section 7, P. 111
(3)”Postmarks” by Lenoir Ray
(4) A Preservation Agreement is a protective covenant, that ensures the property is kept in it’s intended condition in perpetuity.
Photos of Peace’s cash register from Historic Flat Rock, Inc. Cultural Center
Like millions of Americans, Jessica Owenby was recently furloughed from her job as an office manager due to the COVID-19 crisis. For most people, hers would be one more story of hardship and loss during difficult times. Jessica, however, looked beyond the adversity and saw opportunity.
Read MoreFaced with a shuttered gallery and uncertain prospects about when she would be able to reopen, The Gallery at Flat Rock owner Suzanne Camarata seized upon a suggestion that she consider opening a …
Read MoreThe post on Miriam ‘s Facebook page seemed innocuous enough. A beloved older dog slowing down and needing a little more TLC and more frequent visits to the vet. In reality, however, Miriam’s Facebook message was the first post in a four-month-long social media love letter…
Read MoreWe may be stuck at home, but that doesn’t mean our creative talents can’t continue to roam free through the wild backwoods of our imagination. Enter the Getty Museum Challenge and The Gallery at Flat Rock …
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