The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1886-10-10
GOMBROON.
FROM the News and obserYeE.ll

was my good fortune to visit ''Gom-
broom" the mountain home, or summer
residence, of Senator Zebulon B, Vance,
in Buncombe county, in sight Of Black
Mountain, in full view Of the Craggy,
and about eight miles from Black Noun.
tain station, on the Western North Car
olina Railroad.
At present the Senator lives in log
cabin, of three or four rooms, nestled
among the trees on the banks of the
North Fork of the SSwannanoa,-the
beautiful, limpid stream so familiar to
lovers of song. This house Is very
primitive abode, suggestive of Wild from
tier life, rather than the dWellinp-plac
of a United States Senator. It is remote
from the thickly settled portions Of the
county, touches the border of the reat
forest of the Black, and is one of he last
habitations on the way to Mitehell's
peak.
But this cottage is only the sssmpora1y
kgesidence offhe Senator. Heis establish
ing his permanent residence little high-.
er. The building-a large. eapacious
handsome edifee, fashioned after the
most modern styles of architecture, and
destined to be supplied with every con-
venience, is situated on high, tree
covered ridge or knob, overlooking the
head Of the valley and jutting out boldly
from the precipitous, wooded sides of
''Little Craggy," lying westward.
The house is of beautiful design and
admirably adapted to the location. It has
bay windows and balconies, whence
stretch fine vistas of the surrounding
country; and porticos and piazzas, whence
broader and more sweeping. views may
be had; and towers that reach up towards
the leafy crests of the grand old trees
that stand around, seeming to be gazing
in silent amazement upon the strange
structure developing in their midst. The
trees-oaks, chestnuts, pines, henlocks-
are magnificent; some of them very aged
trees that drank the dews of heaven,
or smiled in the sunshine, or wooed the
breezes, or braved wind and storm and
tempest, an hundred years ago. Many of
them, dare say, were silent companions
of the mountain crags and peaks long be-
fore theturf beneath their branches were
profaned or glorifed by foot of man; and
Quivered at the ominous sound of the
| first axe-falls of the pioneer that walked
the echoes in these solitudes of forest,
stream and mountain. The tallest and
most majestic among these trees-the one
that first catches the eye Of the sun in
the morning as he peeps over the should
ers of 'Graybeard" have been an
eyrie of eagles ages before North Carolina
became State, or ever the keels of Sir
Walter Raleigh's ships scraped the gold
| en- sands of our sea-shore, which, but for
the curvature of the earth, might almost
be seen with the naked eye from these
/ elevated regions. Among such trees, on
such spot, amid the mouptains of his
native State, has Buncombe's great son
chosen to build his home. His love of
the mountains is intense as the love of
the SWitzer for the scenery of the Alps.
/ He might say, Will Byron
High mountains ares feeling hut she hs,zn--
4 OF human cities tor ture.''
Strange contrast is the Senator's life
here to what it is in Washington City,
/ his winter residence. But It is a most
restful change and the Whirl of political
and social activity and gaieties at the
capital during the winter season, far from
weaving him from North Carolina,
"But bind him to his native mountains more"
Gombroon will be approached by a
| graded, winding, picturesque private road,
leading up from the valley. Pastures of
grass and clover are to be spread like
carpets of green over the adjacent slopes,
neighboring coves are to be jewelled with
fields of grain; gardens and vineyards,
and orchards are to enrich and adorn
the sunny hillsides that overhang the
laurellined, ivy shaded banks of the little
river flowing past on its way southwark.
Another summer Will find the house
completed, ready for occupation-ready
to he warmed up with life and anima
ton; to be graced with the wit and wis.,
dom of its master and the matronly
dignity and loveliness ofits mistress; and
to become the home of as genial, bril-
liant, high souled and public-spirited a
pair as ever feasted eye on the beauties
and grandeur of our skyland
The question is often asked, why has
Vance selected SO wild and remote place
for his home? The question was answer
ed by shrewd Dutch carpenter engaged
on the building st is because" he said,
"a statesman must have some place to
think, don't you know" Had the:.Sen-
ator searched the South over he could
scarcely have found spot more suited to
afford hiding place from the Yexations
and annoyances incident to public ca
reer; nor could he have found a more
lovely valley than that of the North Fork
of the Swannanoa. Lying as it does
among the mightiest mountains on the
continent of America, shaded and, ,adorn-
ed by groves and forests and avenues of
pine, hemlock, spruce, oak, chestnut,
maple and numerous other treesof utility
and beauty; threaded by the crystal wa
tiers of sparkling river; possessed of a
good soil and temperate climate, favor
able to the production of grain, fruits and
flowers in greatest abundance; and dotted
here and there with little farms, farm
houses and orchards, with here mill,
there school house, and there q church
to tell that the shadow of the Cross lies
lovinglY here by the side of the shadows
Iof Gods giant creations towering around,
this little valley is indeed a region of rare
beauty and attractiveness.
"There is not in the wide world valley so sweet
As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters
| meet"
Gombroon is at the head of this valley
and near the mouth of the great gorge
that, starting at Patton's, leads up among
the SUBMITS of the Black range.
The ridge on which the mansion is
situated terminates hundred yards from
the house in an abrupt precipice or knob,
drowned with trees. Here is to be the
Senator's summer house, or lookout.
The view from this point is very ex-
tensiVe and SURPRISINGLY grand and beau
/ tiful It was at noon stood here and
regaled my visual organs with the glories
of the scene. Relow NE lay the deep,
marrow, rugged ravine, choked with for
est, through which the little river MUIR
lmures along on its rocky bed; while
southwark, with the meanders of the
musical torrent, stretched the smiling
valley. A gentle breeze cool, pure and