Remembering Cam Boyd

Remembering Cam Boyd

This article about Cam Boyd was first published in July 2021. It was my good fortune to spend a few hours with Cam and listen to his stories of growing up in Flat Rock. Cam was a direct link to the Flat Rock of the old times and I appreciated his first-hand accounts of the days that seemed an idyllic setting for a young boy to grow up.

Cam was generous with his time and unfailingly kind as I listened to him paint a picture of a fascinating life. I will always be grateful for the chance to meet and know Cam Boyd, even if just for a little while.

Cam passed away on September 24th, 2024 at age 79.

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Christmas at Dunroy with the Thompsons

Christmas at Dunroy with the Thompsons

Elaine Thompson loves Christmas. It was her mother’s favorite holiday and a decorating feast every year for her family. It is a tradition Elaine happily carries on at Dunroy, the historic home she and her husband, Michael, own in Flat Rock. Elaine’s mother had a saying in their childhood home when the Christmas season began: “If you don’t move quickly enough, you’ll be decorated too.”

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Holy Hikes

Holy Hikes

As it turns out, the onset of a pandemic can be an opportune time to launch a new ministry. When St. John in the Wilderness struggled to find ways for church members to stay connected during the lockdown, parish member Cynthia Easterling and Father Josh Stephens discussed the possibility of doing something outdoors. The result was an unconventional way to do church and to honor the historic church's wilderness legacy.

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The Powerful Legacy of a Simple Life

The Powerful Legacy of a Simple Life

A person’s true legacy is much more than the outward trappings of success traditionally celebrated in our culture. There is a case to be made for defining a person’s legacy as “acts of kindness done well, and without expectation of reward or recognition, that find a special place in people's hearts and that are the most important.”

By this latter definition, Mike Sollum and Don Hubbs left a legacy both impressive and transformational.

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When Santa Needs a Little Help

When Santa Needs a Little Help

Thanks to the dedication and passion of four women entrepreneurs, our small village of Flat Rock is blessed with unusually diverse and intriguing options for holiday shopping. Within the space of a short walk in downtown Flat Rock, shoppers will find an enchanting assortment of crafts, apparel, jewelry, gifts, fine art, and warm smiles as they seek out that perfect gift for the special people in their lives.

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Let's Talk Turkey

Let's Talk Turkey

Much of the early religious significance of Thanksgiving has been lost and it now centers on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends. Over the years most families have developed some traditions associated with Turkey Day, from the food served to the pre and post-feast activities. My personal favorite is the pine cone turkey with colored construction paper feathers … by Missy Izard Schenck

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East Flat Rock

East Flat Rock

The community of East Flat Rock is east of the Flat Rock community; therefore, it was named East Flat Rock in the early 1900s. It is and was an area of bogs and wetlands, with numerous small creeks flowing into Bat Fork Creek. Bat Fork Creek then flows into Mud Creek. East Flat Rock was one of the earliest towns in the county.

The community was sparsely settled prior to the late 1800s and early 1900s. Until machinery was invented and purchased that could drain the bogs, making much of the area suitable for farming, early settlers found farming in the area difficult. In the first 100 or so years of county settlement, the community was considered a part of Flat Rock and the Upward community.

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The Founding of Historic Flat Rock, Inc.

The Founding of Historic Flat Rock, Inc.

When the antique beauty of Flat Rock was threatened in the 1960s with the demolition of two historic properties and the burning of another, a nonprofit organization was formed with the purpose of helping to protect as much as possible of the community’s unique character and the preservation of the area’s historic sites and values. This organization was named Historic Flat Rock, Inc.

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There's a New Ranger in Town

There's a New Ranger in Town

Although still a relatively young man, Michael Dages has managed to cram an impressive volume of experience with parks and outdoor activities into his 27 years. His latest adventure is his new job as Park Ranger for The Park at Flat Rock, and his experience and outgoing personality seem to be the perfect fit for overseeing one of the area’s favorite outdoor destinations.

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The Roads to Flat Rock - Part II

The Roads to Flat Rock - Part II

Whether it was by foot, stagecoach, train, or car, traveling to the mountains was always an exciting adventure and still is. It is hard to imagine a two-week journey by stagecoach with our 70 mph speed limit now that I-26 makes the trip from Charleston to the mountains a four-hour drive.

A further history of the evolution of transportation into Flat Rock, Henderson County, and western North Carolina.

By Missy Izard Schneck

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The Roads to Flat Rock

The Roads to Flat Rock

In the early 19th century, there were few roads in the North Carolina Mountains. More often than not, what qualified for a road was a single-track Native American footpath, a “trace,” or paths left by wildlife. Passible by nothing more than a horse and rider, these primitive roads were treacherous trails cutting through gorges and across mountain peaks. As time passed, many of these early pathways evolved into wagon roads, paved roads and even highways, some of which survive today, at least in part, along their original courses.

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Summer's End

Summer's End

Labor Day beckons those feelings that wash over me when another summer nears its end. I’ve tasted the saudade of life; the yearning for my childhood when the days would merge into one another and the passing of time was of no consequence. Labor Day reminds me that it’s time for school to begin and camp to be over. The Peter Pan in me is tormented by the exit from my favorite season that allows me to never grow up.

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