John Dilbeck Musings

Admission Is Free To September 4 Heritage Walk and Festival in Murphy, NC

What began in 2001 with fewer than 100 souls braving the pouring rain to take a “heritage walk” through historic Murphy has blossomed into a 4th annual series of events coming Saturday, September 4, 2004.

Last year over 3,000 people turned out for a day long celebration of traditional mountain music, arts and crafts, blue ribbon memories of the county fair, and the heritage walking tours with characters from times past. Produced by Heritage Partners of Cherokee County in collaboration with a host of volunteers and sponsoring organizations, this year’s Heritage Walk and Festival features:

• The Heritage Walk — historic trade and commerce tours departing at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.; pyramid tours departing at 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. from the Old LandN Depot

• The Cherokee County Heritage Fair — blue ribbon competitions in the traditional home survival skills, special events and community exhibits on display at the Old L and N Depot and outdoor county fair tent (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• The Appalachian Heritage Crafters Show — area artists and crafters on the Railroad Street festival grounds, behind the Old LandN Depot and Hackney Warehouse (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• Mountain Song — all day live stage performances feature traditional bluegrass, old-time and more on the Railroad Street festival grounds, behind the Old Hackney Warehouse (10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• Becky and the Robber of Buckhorn Ridge — one act play performances by the Murphy High drama students, based on Jean Bravick’s story of pioneer life in Cherokee County’s 1840 Valleytown (First United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 1:00 p.m.)
• Cherokee County Historical Museum’s Heritage Day — a celebration of pioneering history and Cherokee Indian culture, on Peachtree Street
• Farmers Market
• Food Vendors
• Pocket Parks Collectibles Fair
• rides and activities for children
• and more.

And, it’s all free.

The public is invited to come out, and all festival guests are encouraged to park in town and walk to all events. Visit heritagepartners.org for more information.

The Scenic Circle

New Day Trip Guide Scheduled for Release September 4 at Heritage Walk & Festival in Murphy, North Carolina

Imagine a 50-mile radius circle drawn around the Cherokee County courthouse in historic Murphy, NC, and something to find your way to the outdoor wonders of that area. Heritage Partners of Cherokee County is pleased to announce its first publication of The Scenic Circle, scheduled for release at the September 4 Heritage Walk & Festival in Murphy. First in a series, the guidebook provides directions for easy day trips to mountain balds, lakes and rivers, waterfalls, trails and other outdoor attractions to be explored in the northwest quadrant of The Scenic Circle. And, as the first edition is coming off the presses, destinations for future editions are already being assembled for the northeast, southwest and southeast quadrants.

Elizabeth Carter, a part-time resident of Apalachia Lake who has a number of published trail guides to her credit, volunteered her time and energies to author The Scenic Circle. Enthusiastic about her soon to be full-time home, Carter is quick to say “the economics of heritage and ecological tourism are so important to our community, and the outdoor attractions of this beautiful mountain region are certainly something to share and celebrate.”

The OEO Small Growing Opportunities grant program agreed, having provided funding for the project’s first publication. Jonathan and Tammy Fleischer of The Computer Workshop in Murphy lined up to do the layout, photography and printing of the guidebook. Jonathan looks back with a smile about preparing for the publication, saying “we ventured out as a family and found every site on the map. It was really neat to see so many places we’d always heard of, but never knew much about or even how to find them.”

Copies of The Scenic Circle will be on sale for $3 each, or 2 for $5, at the Heritage Partners booth on September 4 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by the Old L&N Depot. Author Elizabeth Carter will be there to sign copies of the book between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

All proceeds benefit the nonprofit works of Heritage Partners, proud sponsors of The Murphy River Walk Project, the annual Heritage Walk & Festival, the annual Holiday Taste of Cherokee County Home Tour, the historical children’s story set in 1840 Valleytown — Becky and The Robber of Buckhorn Ridge — and most recently The Scenic Circle outdoor day trip destinations guide series.

For more information about Heritage Partners, visit heritagepartners.org.

The one day event will be held on Saturday, September 4 from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm at the Old L&N Depot, Railroad Street Park and the Pocket Parks in the historic town center of Murphy.

Produced by Heritage Partners of Cherokee County, the annual event began in 2001 with the Heritage Walk and a group of 100 enthusiastic walking tour guests. Last year’s festival events drew more than 3,000 people and organizers are gearing up for an even larger crowd on September 4.

More information is available online at:

http://www.heritagepartners.org/hwf.htm

and in Murphy at the Appalachian Heritage Crafters shop on Hwy 64 West, the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce on Hwy 64 West, and The Pickled Parrot in town on Valley River Avenue.

For more information, artists and crafters may contact Claire Groff at 828-837-9636 or by email at clairepg@aol.com; all other vendors and exhibitors may contact Barbara Darling at 828-837-9636 or by email at daraff@dnet.net

“Our volunteers and sponsors are looking forward to the big day. We hope everyone will come out and enjoy this celebration of our local history and heritage of music, artistry, craftsmanship and traditional home survival skills,” said event director and Heritage Partners president Barbara Hughes.

Community clubs and individuals interested in entering the products of their home canning, baking, quilting, vegetable and flower gardening skills in this year’s Heritage County Fair blue ribbon competitions and exhibits may contact Jessica Roberson at the Cherokee County Cooperative Extension Service at 828-837-2210 or by email at jessica_roberson@ncsu.edu for more information and registration details.

This year’s Heritage Walk & Festival includes the Heritage Walk tours, the Appalachian Heritage Crafters Show, the Heritage Music Festival, the Heritage County Fair, produce and plant growers, food vendors, and special fun for children.

Admission to all events remains free of charge and open to the public.

Heritage Partners is an all volunteer, nonprofit organization building on the heritage of Cherokee County — North Carolina’s first, last, and finest place to be.

Agenda: final input on comprehensive plan update (meeting #3 of 3)

Facilitator: Ron Ruehl, NC State Heritage Development Officer, western NC region

Saturday, February 28
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Andrews Community Center*

*please note the change in location (the old furnace died at the Valleytown Cultural Arts Center, and total heating system replacement is now in progress there)

Important Note: for organizations based in Cherokee County with an emphasis on the arts, history, cultural and historic resources, and the natural environment: the updated heritage development plan will be used by a variety of regional and state entities to identify and find ways to support Cherokee County’s heritage development initiatives and achieve the economic benefits of heritage and eco-tourism. It will serve as the reference for Cherokee County’s priority initiatives being undertaken by local governments, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, community clubs and associations, and other community development oriented entities.

If your organization has any role to play in heritage development, please make sure it’s actively represented in the process. The resulting plan document will be the authoritative reference for Cherokee County, and will include:

(1) a roster of contact and other important information about heritage development related organizations based in Cherokee County;

(2) an inventory of sites and attractions;

(3) a calendar of major annual events;

and most important:

(4) summaries of priority projects requiring funding support now, or in the future (”brick and mortar” as well as other program or development funds).

If your organization has not received the input forms package, Gabby Hudson says call her at the Chamber of Commerce (828-837-2242) and she’ll be happy to oblige.

Questions? Contact Heritage Partners of Cherokee County, NC.