Another beautiful overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway at an elevation of 3,240 feet. The views…read morefrom Grandview Overlook are extra-special when fall colors are blazing away on the hills. Generally speaking, this region of North Carolina sees peak autumn foliage in early to mid-October unfortunately we were a little early arriving here early September but the view was still spectacular. Only about 15 minutes from Boone, the Grandview Overlook offers a superb view at Milepost 281.4 along the Blue Ridge Parkway. While you won't find picnic tables, restrooms, or other facilities, the views out over seemingly endless ridges and valleys are well worth the stop. That's especially true at sunrise!

Cool little piece of Lenoir history…read more You can go there and walk the grounds for free which I highly recommend. It's a beautiful area. If you pay the fee which was $7/person when we went then you will get a guided tour inside the house and learn about the history of William Lenoir, his family and the house he built. I think it's totally worth it if you are into that. Regardless if you do the tour or not it's definitely worth a quick stop to check it out if you are in the area.

Saw a gun and musket but my son got shot and now he looks like a crinkly raisin thanks to you…read more Pic below has his classic catchphrase

Located at the intersection of Skyland View Drive and US-321, this marker recalls the place where…read morean educator had an impact on the local community. The marker reads, "Emily Prudden, 1832-1917. Missionary. Founded 15 western N.C. schools including Pfeiffer College forerunner. Her Skyland Institute stood here." Online, there is more information. "Few educators were better known in western North Carolina at the turn of the century than Miss Emily C. Prudden (1832-1917). In his eulogy Congregational minister George Dickerman estimated that no less than 10,000 students had passed through her schools." "Prudden was one among many "Yankee schoolmarms" who came South in the late nineteenth century. At age fifty-one, she left her native Connecticut, where she had raised her late sister's orphaned children, to serve as housemother at Brainerd Institute in Chester, South Carolina. Her accomplishments over the next thirty years were all the more remarkable in light of the fact that from the age of seventeen she was deaf. She began her work in North Carolina in 1884 when she acquired fifty acres at All Healing Springs in Gaston County. Her school there was known in time as Jones Seminary and later as Linwood College. In 1888, she established Lincoln Academy nearby for black females. From this beginning she went on to found schools at Blowing Rock, Connelly Springs, Saluda, Elk Park (one white, one black), Mill Springs, Cedar Valley, Lawndale, Brevard, Tryon, and near Lenoir. This last one was her greatest success. Oberlin Home and School, transferred to the care of the Woman's Home Missionary Society in 1903, was the direct forerunner of Pfeiffer University at Misenheimer." "The strategy she followed at Oberlin was the one she used elsewhere: to establish a school and, after a few years, transfer control to an organization (usually religious and most often the American Missionary Association) better able financially than she to keep it going. Consequently Prudden usually did not stay in one community more than two or three years. Upon retirement in 1909 she returned to Blowing Rock, site of her Skyland Institute founded in 1887. Prudden's body was returned to Connecticut for burial. The site of Skyland Institute and her home is now the location of a condominium complex." [Review 15910 overall - 3126 in North Carolina - 1415 of 2021.]

It was easy to stop and read this marker which has the same text on both sides. It's located at a…read moresmall intersection along the highway and I was easily able to resume my travels. The mine itself is pretty far from here but you're probably not going to accidentally drive that far out of the way. The marker reads, "Sink Hole Mine. Among oldest of area mica mines. Evidence indicates it was first worked by Indians. Remains 4 miles southwest." This is marker number N-7 and it was erected in 1987 by the Division of Archives and History. There is more information on their web page. Commercial mining began in 1867, and the site became a key contributor to the region's mica industry, which thrived until the 1960s. Mica from the mine was prized for its insulating properties and used in various industrial applications, including electronics and wartime manufacturing. Senator Thomas L. Clingman, a former U.S. senator and Confederate general, was hired to assess the mine's potential and helped formalize its development. The mine played a central role in establishing North Carolina as the nation's leading mica producer. Though demand for sheet mica declined with technological advances, the mine remains a symbol of the region's mineral heritage. [Review 1290 of 2025 - 4435 in North Carolina - 24842 overall]

Avery County is named for Waightstill Avery, who was a colonel in the American Revolutionary War…read moreand the first Attorney General of North Carolina. The county is the last county to be formed in the state, number 100 in 1911. It was carved from portions of Caldwell, Mitchell, and Watauga counties. The original county seat was Elk Park, but after a public vote, the seat was moved to the centrally located Fields of Toe which was later renamed Newland in honor of Lieutenant Governor William C. Newland, who helped secure legislative support for the county's creation. The courthouse in Newland was completed in 1913 and is a striking Neo-Classical Revival and Beaux Arts design featuring a crowning cupola and Ionic portico. It features a symmetrical five-part façade. Inside, the original courtroom furnishings have been carefully restored, and the building retains its wide central hall and vestibule layout. Recent additions to the courthouse blend with the original design, preserving its architectural integrity while expanding its functionality. Adjacent to the courthouse is the former jail and jailer's quarters, now repurposed as the Avery County Historical Museum, offering visitors a glimpse into the county's past. It is a beautiful building and well worth a stop to tour. (It's also my 50th courthouse to visit as I make my way to all 100 of North Carolina's courthouses. https://www.yelp.com/collection/bgSlwoF6jU6MHqVx1fJ_oA/) [Review 1219 of 2025 - 4404 in North Carolina - 24771 overall]

Cute little library. Make sure to check out the books/CDs/DVDs/etc for sale in the back room!!read more

Caldwell County is named for Joseph Caldwell (1773-1835) who was the first president of the…read moreUniversity of North Carolina. The county was formed in 1841 from parts of Burke County and Wilkes County. Since then, parts of Caldwell County were used to form other neighboring counties. This is the current county courthouse, the Caldwell County Justice Center and it is a modern building designed in the late twentieth century for function, security and efficient circulation rather than ornamentation. It houses the Superior Court, District Court, and the Clerk of Court. It has a simple facade with a secure, recessed main entrance that is designed for screening and controlled access. It is a buff brown brick and concrete construction that is far from ornate. Function over form. As one would expect on a Sunday morning, it was secured but there are still grounds to explore and monuments to view. The historic 1905 courthouse, is now the Caldwell Heritage Museum and it is a few blocks south. [Review 554 of 2026 - 4648 in North Carolina - 25736 overall]

I was here for a brief moment, but the interior was nice and looks fairly new. The deputies are…read morevery helpful as well as the clerks. If this is your first time visiting, be sure to go to the entrance on the street corner. The other courthouse immediately beside of it has no entrance and is part of the old courthouse.

Boone is a good, not great, college town. Its not an Athens Georgia, but Id send my kid to…read moreAppalachian State if he wanted to go. Really nice group of eateries, a few "ok" and not so great bars. Great offee shops. Tons of outdoor experiences await nearby. Fun shopping on main street and the Wautaga Co. Farmers Market is fantastic on Saturday mornings. App State is a great school.