Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1926-03-18
Fall Trip In Great
Appalachian World

Col Fred A. Olds sends the DEM
ocrat the following story, which will
be of a good deal of interest locally
If you do not know Prof. and Mrs
Isaac G. Greer of Boone, in the coun-
ty of Watauga, you have missed some
thing worth while. They arc true chill
| dren of the Appalachian world-the
''High Places" and they are the most
accomplished performers on that most
venerable musical instrument, the
dulcimer and singers Of the old-time
ballads" The mountain region is
Che land Of song, for along the coast
singers and but few and musicians
] even fewer. 1t is no wonder, then,
that the Greers are in great request
as exponents Of the music of our
! great-great-great ancestors. Up in
the mountains the folks sometimes
call the ballads, Lonesome Times"
but wait until you hear the Greers
give "Black Jack Davy," "The Ship
Carpenter" the real version of the
"Arkansaw Traveller" or Give Got a
Gal on Sourwood Mountain" with
the plaintive notes of the dulcimer
played by Mrs. Greer as a most dis
tinctive background for the voice of
her husband.
This is sort of introduction to
the Greers. It will enable the reader
to appreciate all the more the plea
sure Of days pilgrimage with these
fine folks; day in the "high places"
We went out of Boone westward by
Brushy Fork Cheese Factory, where
they make Cheddar cheese, golden in
color and the immense white Swiss
cheese, one of which weighs say 1875
pounds. There are now three other
cheese factories in Watauga, one in
Avery county and one in Henderson
county. There were few years ago
"a of them all, all cooperative, but
nearly all gave up the business be-
cause the price of milk dropped from
the "war price" of % to25 cents.
But they will be revived. The number
nf cattle has also greatly din,inishef :
for the same reason The same thing
may be said as to horse raising, folks
up there saying there is no sale for
horses"
Our route led by Villas and by Val
lie Crucis, (the Valley of the
CROSSE named by the once bishop
Ives because of the shape of two val
leys, which intersect. At Vale
Crucis Is the hime of Mrs. Finley
Mast, whose sister Polly is one of
the most accomplished weavers in
America. The weaving is done in a
charming old log house on the dear
old looms. One quietly and gladly
slips back 100 years or more in that
lovely place, which is easily one of
the "show places" in all the south.
At Vale Crucis there is an Episco-
pal mission school, where in winter
time there are 25 girl boardcrs while
in summer the building is hotel.
A church of stone from the spot, is
in process of erection. There is a con-
siderable apple orchard.
We called, in that place, on Aunt
Sophronia," aged S3, who lives in a
tiny house, like a picture in a child's
book. Her spring, which had never
before failed, had gone plumb dry"
We went right over a mountain" to
Banner Elk. There are many eek"
creeks, and this particular one was
named for a pioneer. Banner Elk
though 1000 feet above the sea-level,
is in lovely valley between Grand
father and Beech mountains, each
5000 feet high. The feature of the
place is the Presbyterian school, the
church, hospital and orphanage. The
water tower is of stone gathered on
the spot and its lower part is the
office of the head of affairs, Mr.. Ed
gar Tufts. Nearly all the buildings
are of stone There are Tennessee and
Virginia buildings, for a good many
students come from these states. In
sight is the Grandfather Orphanage,
under the same management.
At the hotel in the village We Jared
sumptuously, and also saw some par
ticularly good paintings of rhododen-
dron and other flowers, painted by
Miss Lowe, the landlords daughter.
She was selling bags of the fragrant
the Pole again, others to seek new
| lands, and. perhaps. oil. gold. etc.