French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1919-03-13
old TIMERS
(By Patsy O'Brien)

Inese old mountains that bark bac,
TO the beginning of time could tel
many strange tales. One aron
them would be the tale of the Welsh
man who started the char.?ins Iittl
settlement of English people which Ii
Known as "Bowman's Bluff" Nan,
travellers passing through the countr,
wonder at the fine old homes set II
the midst of the hills.
1t was two years after our grGr
struggle that a Welshman by the lame
of Evans came into this pars q; the
world on horseback. Heswas a Wild.
over and came to America to gel
away from familiar scenes. This will
derness in it's virgin beauty appealed
to him, and the graceful French
Broad river flowing through the mar
row valley with the high peaks of the
mountains in their blue haze crowd
ing around, held him fascinated. He
stayed and built a home after the
architectural plans OF houses i'll the
old country. The house stands on :.
bluff overlooking a sharp turn in the
river which affords it & duplex view or
a beautiful valley. The blIf Tises
some five or six hundred feet and.from
it are visible many Hc:ed peaks i'll the
Blue Ridge. The house itself is well
worth describing. Made Of cement, it
stands high on its little bluff Inc,
sunken porch, the iI0n pillars holding
up the roof, the narr1w windows that
i've hardly anything bu' air to the dark
interior, all speak Of tina old world.
Over the front door i'll cOlored glass is
this Welsh motto-"HIb INV Heb Idim
Idnw A Iiaon.' The place was named
"Brinaven' meaning Mourtain-Over-
looking-Riyer. Mr., Erai.S went back
England shortly after he built the >
house, and later bropgI::, out his Sec
Dnd wife but they ontg stayed a few
years when he sold the place and went
back for good. Thu Old house is tai
ing almost unch"ngrl. Mrs. I!a1lett'
who owns the pIaee has added a tia-'
dern kitchen Hus til. rounded fr2nt
and the huge ffOIt do0r remain as
hey were.
There is nc re2orl us TO how MI.
George Holmes came TO Western
North Carolina, 5uL we I sure that
Once getting he q he could not res Isl
he place and he either stayed OF came
back very shorty after his first visit.
His fine old place called The ilIff" IS
IN the bank of tee rive" a quarter Of Il
nile down streII from Il ~:inaven."
Mr. Holmes was All Englishman
whose home had been near Birning-
England, He bought several
thousand acres and built q charming
house on what was known as
Bluff" This bluff rises
learly a thousand feet fvom the river
md the whirling pool below is said to
ave no bottom. 1t was here the beau
ifuI Polly Bowman leaped / her
because of a hopeless q at
air. The vista from TIE Holmes
.ouse is even more extended than that
rom "Brinaven." GIt. Pisgah ana
he Rat appear to the right, lesser
eaks crowd in the foreground. 1t was
noble estate, entered by the long
rive bordered with great tall pines i'll
rofusion. To the south Of the house
a tangle OF garden with numerous
arbors covered with riot
1g vines. In the spring great docks
f wild ducks settled on the river anG
Ir. Holmes held shooting matches
here there was gr4aL riVaiIE be
the young members of the coli
Out of the waters IF the French
came delicious .r1!. md Cllltf E,
lountain feh a1d uuIer tie brow CT
ne Dull MIS-, I1OIi1lCS HdI 81 HbA0At
ouse where she COLD SIT for houI 5
18th her line angling :nr tie :nskE
lhabitants of the stream. Fhe house
as been changed by tr2 present. own
Mr.. Smythe of G~reenville, but the
LII pines still stani ~grotesquely
gainst the sky line al he Wind
ill signs through thcin to the run
ing acco apartment IF th= river :e-
W..
To Mr. Evans and AR Holmes Ge-
ing the credit of havirs he9a the f;Ist
, start The colony, Cor 1t was not III
| 1888 that the third 4ne1hEer arrl:cC
II. Frank Valentine whose ancestral
ONE in England adjornG the Holmes
lace there. The lite colony set in
re wilderness and n ~&urroE1'ling
fountains looked villa AMI cod tc
Trr Va fanfine. whose girIh0Od home