The southern Appalachian region, once an ancient home to the prehistoric Paleo Indians, hosts some 100 species of deciduous native trees. From this diversity a show-stopping foliage spectacle emerges each fall. read full storyI stumbled upon an article that was published in the LA Times highlighting 3 small towns close to Cashiers, N.C. If you plan on spending a week or more in the Cashiers, Highlands area these close by day trips are an ideal get-away.
From the Los Angeles Times
NORTH CAROLINA =3 classic mountain towns in North Carolina
These days, helicopters can deposit travelers at places that off-terrain vehicles fear to tread. After viewing killer wildlife on an African safari, you can celebrate with caviar and Champagne in a preassembled tent suite. Close your eyes, point to nearly any place on a map, and you'll find the latest and greatest anti-whatever-ails-you spa package. But for a destination that's down-home and authentic, head to western North Carolina.
Locals say the small towns of the Appalachian Mountains are some of the Old North State's best-kept secrets. Here, it's all about simpler times. A hard day's work ends with time in a front porch rocking chair. Neighbors are like family and strangers are like long lost friends. Old-timers still tell ghost stories to enraptured children sitting around crackling fires.
Not one sightseeing minute will be wasted, even in the driving, thanks to breathtaking views along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the small roads that vein these valleys and mountains. Blink, and you'll miss the unspoiled action of small burgs like Hot Springs, Waynesville and Dillsboro.
DILLSBORO, NC
This walking town -- just two blocks long -- is best enjoyed by daylight. As Herb Nolan, the town's lone employee, says: "They roll the sidewalks up at 8 p.m." Sleepy town though it may be, Dillsboro is worth a visit, because among its 235 residents are artists and craftsmen, potters, glassblowers, silversmiths and leather workers. Visitors are encouraged to tour the studios, meet the artisans and watch them work.
At Riverwood Pottery, the husband-and-wife team of Brant and Karen Barnes throw pots, oil lamps, mugs and guitar slides. Then there's the stained-glass studio of Riverwood Menagerie, KMR Handweaving, Treehouse Pottery and M.J. Jewelry.
The town also is the departure point for the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad train. On the scenic 53-mile ride, which crosses 25 bridges, you'll also see what's left of an engine that figured in the train-wreck scene in 1993's "The Fugitive," which was filmed here.
Before leaving Dillsboro, barbecue lovers should stop in for ribs at Dillsboro Smokehouse. It may seem an odd place for celebrity sightings, but the walls are plastered with letters from famous folks such as Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford. Barbecue is a noun in North Carolina, and it's almost a crime to visit the state without trying it.
HOT SPRINGS, NC
You can ask the townsfolk what keeps people coming back to Hot Springs, a town at the junction of the French Broad River and the Appalachian Trail, but don't expect a concrete answer.
"There is something about Hot Springs that can't be explained, but people visit one time and feel compelled to come back," said Heath Anthony White of Huck Finn Rafting Adventures.
Perhaps it's because a river runs through it. Or perhaps it's because the town is home to natural hot springs that are thought to contain healing properties. Native Americans discovered the hot springs, and in the early 1800s a resort was created. People flocked to "take the waters" for everything that ailed them.
Visitors still laze in the waters, but Hot Springs is also a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. The Appalachian Trail -- the 2,175-mile footpath that runs from Georgia to Maine -- makes a stop here, and the town is surrounded by Pisgah National Forest's half-million acres. Just try to check your BlackBerry while headed over a Class III rapid or as you hurtle yourself off Cody's Cliff into the cool mountain waters. For the less adventurous, there are easy, unguided float trips.
Don't miss the Bridge Street Cafe & Inn, where local musicians play regularly.
Perhaps the best testament to the lure of this tiny mountain town is one group of unusual visitors. Early in the last century, the federal government interned captured German merchant sailors in the area. Postwar, many returned to vacation at Hot Springs.
WAYNESVILLE, North Carolina
Downtown is a bustling combination of mountain charm and sophistication. On one street, you'll find handmade crafts; around the corner, a bottle of 2000 Chateau Petrus for the bargain price of $3,800.
Stop in at the Wall Street Book Exchange, on Wall Street, naturally. On shelves full of old hard-bound books, it's possible to find a mint-condition classic like "Gulliver's Travels" or "Madame Curie" for $3.
A block's walk will land you in Bob and Kathy Lang's Home Tech Kitchen Shop, where you can stock up on picnic accessories.
Pick up a fresh turkey sandwich with cranberry chutney from Patio Bistro & Coffee Shop and a bottle of wine from Classic Wine Seller. Then drive on Blue Ridge Parkway until an idyllic lunch spot reveals itself.
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Things to do this summer/fall in Cashiers/Lake Glenville/Sapphire Valley.
The Village Green, a two acre park centrally located in the heart of Cashiers, provides walking paths and a pavilion enjoyed by all that visit. Located at the Village is the Village Play. A fantastic playground, designed by the local youngsters and built with love and pride by the area residents.
The Cashiers area is blessed to have many social and cultural happenings on a seasonal and year-round basis. Western Carolina University, located only a short drive "down the mountain", is noted for its many educational, recreational, and cultural events available to the public.
If you live in Western North Carolina or Atlanta, Ga and if you can wait, crowds diminish and prices drop almost everywhere after Labor Day. Also, instead of spending extra money on airfare or having to take a tiring long-distance drive, take a luxury vacation close to home, (called a "staycataion") perhaps a few days at the Inn on Biltmore Estate, the Grove Park Inn, the Greystone Inn at Lake Toxaway or the High Hampton Inn in Cashiers.
Cashiers is a census-designated place and unincorporated village located in southern Jackson County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the community had a total population of 196. The name is pronounced "cash-ers", rather than "cash-ears" (like cashiers at a grocery store checkstand) as non-locals often mispronounce it.
It is said that the name derives from those who weighed the gemstones found in the hills of western North Carolina and paid out the cash to the miners who brought them to the crossroads there. It is also said to be a man's surname instead.
The town is served by U.S. 64 to Highlands (west) and Rosman (east), and N.C. 107 to Sylva (north) and Walhalla (south, via S.C. 107). The village is centered around the crossroads of the two.
It 2003, the North Carolina General Assembly passed local legislation allowing Cashiers to incorporate as a village, however this was turned down by a vote of 161 to 302 in a local referendum on August 12th. [1] In North Carolina, the village status would allow it to have its own government and levy taxes, but not require it to provide any services as cities must, and not allow it any extraterritorial jurisdiction as towns have.
It was apparently the issue of potential taxes that caused the referendum to be turned down. Instead, the county created zoning for Cashiers, which does not exist for most of the county, even in other similar places like Dillsboro. The zoning council for Cashiers is run by the county, therefore there are no extra local taxes supporting it.
Cashiers has a charter as a town from 1927, but this is now inactive as it has had no actual government for some time, if ever. Since this has never been repealed, it is unclear why it could not be reactivated instead. The new village would have had a council-manager government.
Geography
Cashiers is located at 35°6′43″N, 83°5′58″W (35.111978, -83.099488)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 2.8 km² (1.1 mi²), all land.
The land value in this area is high in value, making it difficult for middle income people to live in the area. Cashiers and the nearby towns of Highlands, North Carolina,
Glenville and Sapphire make up a popluar mountain vacation area at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a finger of the Appalachian Mountains. Cashiers is surrounded by scenic views, waterfalls and Nantahala National Forest lands. Visitors and vacation home owners from all over the southeast enjoy hiking, mountain biking, golf and fly fishing during the warm months of the year.
The National Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy have both worked to protect several natural areas near Cashiers, including biologicaly diverse Panthertown Valley, Whitewater Falls, and the Tuckaseegee River Gorge. The Chattooga River also rises near Cashiers.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 196 people, 96 households, and 48 families residing in the community. The population density was 70.1/km² (182.0/mi²). There were 182 housing units at an average density of 65.1/km² (169.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the community was 98.98% White, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population.
There were 96 households out of which 15.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 3.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% were non-families. 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the community, the population was spread out with 14.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 36.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $37,500, and the median income for a family was $51,458. Males had a median income of $26,339 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $22,845. None of the families and 4.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 15.2% of those over 64.
External links
Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 35.111978° -83.099488°
Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
Topographic map from TopoZone
Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
National Forests in North Carolina
The Nature Conservancy: North Carolina
Cashiers Chamber of Commerce
Jackson County Travel & Tourism
Jackson County government official website
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
If you plan on traveling to the North Carolina Mountains and would like to preview Homes for sale, pre-construction and land for sale there are many options in these areas. Most communities don't allow for sale signs so you'll need to find an agent for listing data.
An experienced Real Estate professional will be able to help you determine the type of property that best suits your needs. Contact The Carolina Plateau Group in Cashiers, NC info@carolinapg.com or for more information call us toll-free 888-277-2006 x2
