Every summer, snowbirds begin their migration to Western North Carolina. As many as 42,000 Floridians trade their beachside condos and villas for mountain cabins and cottages in the small towns of Western N.C., more than doubling the population of these quiet and quaint communities.
Saluda, N.C., is one of the many small areas impacted by seasonal residents. Some of them are long-time generational families with a history in Saluda, but there are a number of new settlers who now call Saluda home.
At Marked Tree Vineyard in Flat Rock, Tim Parks and Lance Hiatt have always blended vision with hospitality, built on a deep-rooted belief in the potential of North Carolina wine. With the opening of their new event and production space they’ve christened “Skyward”, Tim and Lance have taken a bold step toward reimagining what a vineyard experience can be in the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA.
Flat Rock documentary filmmaker David Weintraub will debut his latest film, Color Beyond the Lines, on June 21 at Blue Ridge Community College. The world premiere commemorates the 60th anniversary of the integration of public schools in Henderson County.
The presentation also marks the culmination of three years of research and filmmaking, focused on the largely untold story of segregated Black schools in Henderson County - and the generations of students, teachers, and families whose lives were shaped by them.
When the final chords of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical rang out after a spectacular opening performance on Friday night, few in the audience that roared its approval could have guessed just how much went into that triumphant moment. Behind the remarkable set design, dazzling stage lights, breathtaking costumes, and soaring harmonies were months of preparation, problem-solving, creative risk, and above all, the enterprising resilience that has defined Flat Rock Playhouse for nearly 75 years.
From soulful food to inclusive art and compassionate self-care, new ventures are rising where empty storefronts once stood, rekindling East Flat Rock’s legacy as a place of growth and gathering. At the heart of this quiet renaissance are three new enterprises—828 Take & Bake, The Man Cave, and Studio 116—each of which is planting something hopeful, heartfelt, and entirely their own in this historic community.
Something new is stirring in Flat Rock—and it’s not just the breeze off Highland Lake. With the joyful debut of Treska’s Tuesday Market, the Lindsey family has added another bright thread to the fabric of our vibrant community.
In the heart of Flat Rock, North Carolina, nestled among a cluster of charming businesses known as Little Rainbow Row, Starr Teel has created more than a restaurant—he’s cultivated a community experience.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of the St. John in the Wilderness churchyard, a small bronze plaque rests on a simple stone, nestled among pine straw and fallen leaves. It sits humbly within a garden of azaleas, magnolias, and rhododendrons—planted in tribute to the man it commemorates. Modest and unassuming, the memorial is easy to miss.
But the life of Dr. August Kehr, and his time in Flat Rock, is not one that should fade into obscurity. His legacy - rooted in our small village - deserves to be remembered. His story here.
Just behind our house, up a small hill and no more than fifty yards from our back door, a wildlife camera captures something remarkable. Day and night, season after season, it bears quiet witness to a world many never see — a world of deer and raccoons, bears and foxes, bobcats, turkeys, squirrels, rabbits, and coyotes. A steady procession of life passes before its lens, revealing the quiet persistence of wildness that still endures just beyond the edge of human reach.
Shortly after the Village of Flat Rock was incorporated in 1996, Gretchen Highlander — wife of Flat Rock’s first mayor, Cy Highlander — set out to celebrate the town’s rich history in a unique and lasting way. She envisioned a quilt that would stitch together the stories, landmarks, and spirit of Flat Rock, and soon rallied a group of talented residents to help bring her idea to life.
As a child, Virginia Spigener would travel with her parents from their hometown in Florida for a weekend visit with her brother attending summer camp in Tuxedo, NC. During those trips, the family would visit Flat Rock and shop at the legendary Peace’s Grocery store for supplies and cold drinks.
Although young Virginia had no way of knowing at the time, the Village of Flat Rock and the building that housed Clarence Peace’s vintage grocery store would eventually become two of the most consequential places of her adult life.
On April 17, 2025, East Flat Rock resident George Sarros will celebrate his 100th birthday.
Over the course of his 100 years, George has seen the world transformed by war, peace, tragedy, and triumph. A man of quiet humility and remarkable strength, he stands as one of the last living witnesses to D-Day, the momentous Allied invasion that changed the course of World War II. His legacy, however, extends far beyond that fateful day in June 1944. George’s story is one of family, service, love, and resilience during a long and remarkable life well-lived.
For more than a century, that narrow stretch of steel and timber carved its way through the Blue Ridge Mountains, connecting the Carolinas in a defiant dance against gravity. The Saluda Grade is a short but storied segment of railway that held the distinction of being the steepest standard-gauge mainline railroad grade in the United States. It was not only an engineering marvel, but a deeply woven thread in the industrial and cultural tapestry of the Southern Appalachians.
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site recently shared tributes on its Facebook page celebrating the remarkable lives of Carl and Lilian Sandburg’s three daughters—Margaret, Janet, and Helga.
Though each of the daughters lived uniquely different lives, they shared a deep bond rooted in creativity, intellect, and a profound love for their home, Connemara. Along with their remarkable parents, these women helped create a legacy that is still at the core of Flat Rock’s identity.
Margaret, Janet, and Helga were not only the daughters of one of America’s most cherished poets—they were vibrant individuals whose passions and quiet contributions enriched the Sandburg legacy and continue to inspire visitors today.
A century before the advent of its current commercial activity, Flat Rock Square – on the northeast corner of the intersection of Greenville Highway and West Blue Ridge Road - was primarily known as the place where thousands of area students studied, played, and acquired the basic life skills necessary for happy and productive lives.
It is also the site of one of the most infamous crimes in the history of Henderson County. A crime that ultimately led to an increasingly vibrant commercial district in Flat Rock rising from the ashes of an old school.
Lauren Rogers Hopkin’s journey with Flat Rock Playhouse began in 1992 when, as a seven-year-old, she attended what was then called Theatre for Young People. Her experience, even at such a young age, was transformational and set Lauren on a path that destined her for a career in the arts.
Now, some three decades later, Lauren has returned to the Playhouse as Director of Education, overseeing both the Playhouse apprentice program and Playhouse Jr., the education arm of Flat Rock Playhouse offering classes and camps for K-12th graders as well as adults.
In 2020, the National Park Service published a study of Black history at Rock Hill/Connemara. The study is entitled Black Lives and Whitened Stories and was compiled by David and Anne Whisnant. In their introduction, the Whisnants explain that the study was undertaken to tell the untold story of the black slaves and servants who worked and often lived at Connemara during its long and rich history.
Flat Rock resident, Laura Meherg Teel, spent years as the primary caregiver for two aging parents dealing with dementia. Although those years were frequently challenging, confusing, and at times heartbreaking, Laura was able to navigate her parents’ journey with the help of a groundbreaking organization out of Asheville called MemoryCare.
Now Laura is President of the Board of Directors at MemmoryCare and has been instrumental in arranging an upcoming workshop for caregivers of patients suffering from dementia.
High on a hill on Little River Road in Flat Rock is Saluda Cottages, or “The Wedding Cake House,” as my children named it when they were little. Built in 1836, it was once a simple, two-story home until turn-of-the-century renovations transformed it into a grander home reflecting a French Second Empire-style mansion. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Saluda Cottages sits on more than 20 acres in the heart of Flat Rock.
When Tish Hilyer first entered the building that would eventually house her new endeavor, she knew immediately that the warm and inviting room with an expansive view of Highland Lake would be perfect as a yoga studio. “They opened the door and I thought ‘This is a yoga space.’ It just felt like a straight-from-the-divine opportunity.”
One year later, Tish and her Wild Lotus Yoga Collective are thriving in their new home in Highland Lake Cove.
Singer-songwriter David LaMotte has been performing for audiences for over 35 years. During that time, he has entertained audiences in all 50 states and on five continents. Given the impressive expanse of his career, one might understandably think that his recent performance at the Flat Rock Cinema’s Magnolia Concert Series would have been just another stop in the road for such a seasoned performer.
That assumption, however, would be wrong. “I really treasure this kind of room as a listener as well as a performer,” says LaMotte. “There are major metropolitan cities in the U.S. that don't really have listening rooms as nice as this.”
On January 31st, Polly Angelakis, Park Superintendent at Carl Sandburg National Historic Site, will retire from the National Park Service after a long and varied career of 38 years. During that time, Polly has worked across these United States - at Salem Maritime NHS, USS Arizona Memorial, Everglades NP, Jean LaFitte NHP, Acadia NP, Shenandoah NP, Assateague Island NS, Olympic NP, Marsh Billings Rockefeller NHP, National Capital Regional Office, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Intermountain Regional Office, and finally here at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site.
In honor of Polly’s years in Flat Rock, we are republishing an article about her life and work originally posted in 2020.
On a Sunday morning in June of 1815, Scotsman James Brown found himself staring across the countryside of Waterloo, Belgium. A bugler for the Royal Scots Greys, Brown clutched his instrument and prepared to enter battle against the famous French army of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Just a few years later James Brown, witness to perhaps the most iconic battle in European history, immigrated to America. Ultimately ending up in Flat Rock, NC.
In May 2024, Flat Rock Together published a story about the history of one of East Flat Rock’s most iconic structures, the Stepp Walker Building. At the time, there were considerable gaps in the building’s history.
Fortunately, two individuals with personal histories with the building saw our original story and helped fill those gaps. We heard from Elizabeth Pressley Hill whose father operated a grocery store in the building in the 1950s and 1960s and Jim Kirkpatrick whose father acquired and grew a very successful business there in the 1980s. Those stories are recounted here.
At the end of each year, I undertake the impossible task of selecting my five favorite Flat Rock Together stories from the preceding 12 months. It is, of course, a task that is both arbitrary and unfair. Every story is valuable and should be celebrated in its own right. Stories are how we mark time, celebrate relationships, bestow accolades on the protagonists, and give meaning to our existence.
Five favorite stories from 2025 here.
In June of 1906, Thomas Alva Edison visited Henderson County and stayed at the Blue Ridge Inn on the corner of Main Street and Third Avenue West in downtown Hendersonville. The purpose of Edison’s visit, however, was not to enjoy the bucolic pleasures of an emerging mountain resort village. Indeed, Edison had his inventor’s eyes on a community in the southern part of Henderson County known – in no small part because of Edison’s decades-long interest – as Zirconia.
Next to Santa’s cookies were four thank-you notes. The handwriting on the notes was difficult to make out, but the sincerity and appreciation were evident in every crayon mark and comical attempt to draw a reindeer. I loved that they still believed.
Next to the notes, cookies, and milk were the old alphabet blocks from my childhood. The kids had worked together - turning each block to find the correct letter - and spelled out “Love You Santa” with the worn painted letters.
I began to wonder about the origin of the white squirrels. Where do they live? What is the biological explanation for their bright white coats? How prevalent are they? And how in the world do they survive in a world full of predators while being so incredibly conspicuous wherever they go?
As it turns out, I am not the first to wonder about these vitally important questions. There is even the White Squirrel Institute in our neighboring town of Brevard. Here is what I have learned.
E.R. Haire, Jr. was, by his own account, a less than stellar student during his time at NC State University when a professor’s challenge opened a new and very rewarding chapter of his life. It was a pivotal moment that proved to be the genesis of E.R.’s upcoming one-man performance of Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” at St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church in Flat Rock.
After a seven-year hiatus, Historic Flat Rock, Inc. is bringing back its well-known house tour on August 2, 2025. Always a highlight of the Flat Rock summer season, the return of the Historic Flat Rock tour is a happening to experience.
This year, the tour will feature four homes - Chanteloup, Rutledge Cottage, Dunroy, Longwood - and the Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness. Three of the homes are under new ownership and have been recently restored.
All sites offer a view into the historic founding of Flat Rock and the generations of tradition restored in them.