VISITING ANDREWS, NORTH CAROLINA
Have you ever noticed how God will come along side you and reverse a situation that has always troubled you?
This concept can be found all through the scriptures; in the stories of Esther, Nehemiah, Daniel, Jesus, Paul, Ruth and many more. We often tend to think about those biblical reversals and how God finally turned things around in the end; but sometimes we miss our own moments of miraculous reversals from God. I see them all the time. I even saw one of these happy reversals in Andrews, North Carolina; of all places!
As a matter of fact, I was focused on noticing how God reverses things this month as we made plans to travel through a few little mountain towns.
We were traveling on April 8th.
Most people would just shake their head here and say; “So?”
You have to understand my past.
I used to dread April 8’s on the calendar. Mostly because it was on 4-8-98 that our home was destroyed by an F5 tornado. That was life-changing in many ways.
Yet another April 8th after; my husband experienced his first of several heart attacks.
From that point on, I began noticing how many years this pattern of “not so great life events” were repeated in our lives whenever April 8th came along on the calendar.
It didn’t help my thinking one bit when I found out that this day was Hitler’s birthday. Yikes!
However; the last few years have been different.
I’m constantly seeing reversals.
This last year I began to pray for this crazy pattern to change, and we were granted a surprising reversal.
Before I made this big decision to step out in faith and exercise my trust-without-limits; I would NEVER make plans for a trip on April 8th. I just would not do anything on that day but go to work and come home and hope it would be very uneventful.
This year on April 8th; I prayed first; put my trust in God’s provision and protection, and guess what?
That morning I woke up in a lovely mountain setting.
As I stepped out of our cozy cabin I could see a serene lush green valley surrounded by tall purple mountains and a beautiful sunrise was forming over them. The sun’s first rays of light were glistening on the water right outside my cabin. It was as if God was making a special announcement and saying “See how I have reversed this day for you?”
“Isn’t it lovely?”
Yes it was!
I would say this would be my top choice of how to start a day; right in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina where the valley snuggled up to the peaks of the mountain ranges. I was allowed to sit peacefully in wonder in a very comfortable rocking chair on the front porch of the cabin that looked out over a serene pond with geese swimming back and forth; already busy with a joyful lifestyle of activities for the day.
My coffee never tasted so good!
The little lake was stocked with fish and every now and then I would see one jump up to catch his morning breakfast from right above the water.
The peacefulness of this little mountain hide-away was so very restful and refreshing. It was all ours for the next five days and we intended to soak in every moment of its pleasure.
Even the ride to the cabin had been peaceful and scenic.
We chose to skip the busy expressways and to take the country side-roads where ever and when ever we could.
I’ve always thought it was a miracle trip if you could avoid Atlanta traffic, and we did!
Our ride from Alabama took us mostly down Highway 411, then we switched from there to Highway 5. We saw nothing but little country towns all the way to our cabin. The traffic was non-existent. I loved every minute of the ride; just taking in the rolling green hills of the farm land and the majestic beauty of the mountain terrain as we drove along.
The city of Andrews (our unusual destination) is a very old city. My husband and I love old cities that are still struggling to produce some type of new life. Such little towns are always full of pleasant surprises, things you do not expect, hence they bring a type of double joy when discovered.
We are easily entertained, usually more by the people living in the area than the landmarks and the entertainment we find in these places.
Small towns have big hearts.
We always find this to be true.
The people of Andrews were friendly and out-going and no exception to our knowing. They enjoyed detailed conversations with total strangers, and we indulged this fact every chance we got. No one seemed to be in too much of a hurry. Everyone had a story. No one told the same tale.
The homes in Andrews were a sprinkled mix of poor and well-to-do places We saw all classes of today’s culture there; but Andrews was mostly a town that seemed to be filled with the common every-day people; just middle-class workers like us; good people who wanted to make the world a better place. I’m sure there were others lurking out there too; but this was our own pleasant experience and we did nothing to try to change this first impression.
The main part of town had a “tasting room” where we bought some wine to take back to the cabin. We sipped on it as we watched the reflection of the stringed lights and the moon shine sparkle on the little lake’s surface that night. The wine we tasted came from the Ferncrest Winery, which also gives tours. It was fun tasting and shopping for the wine while walking through the little town.
In the older part of town there were many old brick storefronts that were being used by the locals as businesses. Several of them were empty though. As we passed by I studied their details carefully, wondering what type of owner would come to live inside those walls when the world allowed more prosperity.
The streets wondered past the main business area and into a little section of houses that were also being used as commercial properties; some of these houses were very old and I knew they had been majestic in their day. I wanted the walls to whisper of their past lives; but they stood in classic quietness as we passed on by to busier places.
I imagined some of the storefronts were empty because of COVID. That horrid disease has been very devastating to so many of our country’s small businesses; and I pray for that to change every day now.
Just past the old part of the city were some lovely farmlands that seemed to be thriving and surviving in spite of hard times. They had rolling green hillsides with white fences that went on for miles framing the beautifully cut pasture land.
The little town had a busy consignment shop that was a lot of fun to poke around in. If you needed it; they could find it for you.
We also found some fun antique shops.
Otherwise; there were several churches and restaurants and a few factories and a small medical clinic. Real Estate agents were everywhere; and the townspeople said that property was being snatched up as soon as it came up for sale. One lady talked to me about how much the town had grown in her ten years of life there. She was proud of their growth; yet a part of her wanted to slow it down too. So many changes were coming so fast. I hope the positive parts of growing continue for them.
Like every small town, we saw florist, doctors, dentists, banks and home-improvement companies.
An attractive feature of the little town were the murals that we saw scattered all around town. This let me know that lots of local artists were living close by. There were murals on the old brick walls, and even on a line of old rail-road cars that had been abandoned by the railroad. There were murals on the sides of some of the restaurants. They were all different, according to their purpose, lots of them were whimsical and quirky.
As I mentioned earlier; we were there for the rest and the peaceful surroundings; but we heard that there are two exciting times of the year to be in Andrews for local events. Both events seems to draw a crowd with outside visitors as well as all the faithful locals.
The first event would be the annual Fourth of July Wagon Trian Parade, and the second event would be the famous Andrews New Year’s Eve Possum Drop.
Yes; you heard me right.
Our timing was off for these community events; but I would love to be a fly on the wall when they do happen. The Wagon Train idea intrigued me the most. The people actually use real wagon trains and journey together a long way for several days, eating, sleeping and living just as the pioneers did back in days of old They camp in community just as the old wagon trains did and they plan special authentic events for the people along the way. Also (a little less authentic) is a place in nearby Murphy called Wagonmaster Ranch Resort. It seems to be a small adventure park for pioneers and cowboys. They have a lot of things that the kids would enjoy for a day and cabins located on a lake that can be rented.
Even though there are not a lot of cultural events or big entertainment venues going on in Andrews; there are some very close by places of interest. I’ve had one of those places on my bucket list for a long time; but wouldn’t you know; they were closed because of COVID.
I was very disappointed to find this out as I had planned to spend at least one whole day at The John C. Campbell Folk School. I had read about the John C. Campbell Folk School for years, and they are now on the top of my list of reasons to return to this area.
This is a folk school founded by John and Olive Campbell way back when they were missionaries in the 1800’s. The school is still alive and thriving today. The couple had a great desire to improve the Appalachian life through education. They were very familiar with and loved the methods of Denmark’s non-competitive folk schools. John died before most of the dream came to complete fruition; but Olive and a friend named Marguerite Butler continued the dream of a Folk School. They studied in Denmark and Sweden and other European countries, hoping to use their studies in a folk school in Appalachia one day. In 1925 they moved to nearby Brasstown and Cherokee and Clay counties rallied around their efforts. Soon a folk school came into existence.
Now days; you can go there to stay for a week or a long weekend or a even just one day and take classes.
I was interested in some writing classes; but maybe that can happen again in the future. They offer classes in all of the arts, painting, basket weaving, weaving, sculpting, whittling and wood-work (including turning furniture), writing, music, dancing, etc. You live there while you take the classes and it is an old farm that also teaches culinary arts and gardening. They have a great cookbook full of their own recipes.
Different conferences are held at different times of the year.
You can drive through the farm and take a tour of the studios, enjoy lunch in their dining hall and visit their craft shop where the artists in residence have donated their work for sale. They have lovely jewelry, ironwork, weaving, wood furniture, paintings and baskets for sale. One group in particular called The Brasstown Carvers are famous in the area for their carvings.
There is a Book Room that offers instructional craft related books, music, CDs and art supplies.
They also have a great History Center which offers an extensive collection of Doris Ulman’s famous photos.
The Rand McNally Atlas has called this school one of the 30 Best of the Road destinations; and it is only minutes away from Andrews in Brasstown (which is also another interesting little mountain town.)
This farmstead has 300 acres of beautiful nature trails for hiking and picnics. Guests and day visitors are welcomed to enjoy them freely. The Rivercane Walk honors the area’s Cherokee heritage.
If you don’t want to take a class, or take a hike, or study history; you might want to attend Morning Song, which is group singings held in the mornings. Dances are sometimes held in the evenings.
Simple but comfortable housing is provided for a reasonable cost. Call 1-800-365-5724 for details. There is no television in the houses; but they do have Wi-Fi.
Concerts are free on Friday nights! They feature old-time, bluegrass, folk, gospel and Celtic music. In October the Folk School has a Fall Festival. Right before Christmas each year they also have a Fireside Sale at Davidson Hall and Keith House.
The school is just seven miles east of Murphy, NC off US Hwy. 64, just North of the Georga State Line at 4590 Brasstown Road, Brasstown NC. 28902. Visit folkschool.org for more information. It is only minutes away from Andrews.
Andrews, Murphy and Brasstown (all within a short distance of each other) have almost any outdoor activities you could wish for, plus shopping, museums, restaurants, breweries, galleries, and wineries, plus historic and scenic drives all along the way. There are two major rivers for canoeing; the Hiwassee River and The Valley River. Hiwassee Lake and Appalachia Lake offer boating, water skiing, fishing and swimming.
Local waterfalls include Turtletown Creek Falls, Upper Falls, Lower Falls, plus others.
There were several good stables in the area that offered trail rides.
Another interesting place was Field Of the Wood, which was a bible park where God’s word is displayed amid God’s creation It features the Ten Commandments built on the side of a mountain. There is a picnic area beside a peaceful pond and a souvenir shop. Admission is completely free. It would be a perfect place for a Pentecost picnic in the park (If you want more ideas on that – just click here; as I’ve already had that idea myself: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/pentecost-in-the-park/.)
If you are a gambler; Harrah’s Cherokee Valley Casino and Hotel are very close to Andrews. We didn’t gamble; so I can’t tell you much about it; except the locals love going there and it is highly recommended by the public.
For such a small town, Andrews does offer some great restaurant experiences. You can try Granieri’s For Italian. They had outside dining as well as inside and there is live entertainment on Saturday nights. It is located at 983 Main Street in Andrews. The staff is very friendly and accommodating and they have outside dining too if you prefer it on summer nights. The drive through-take out window is a hopping place here; all of the locals were calling in for Italian delights. We enjoyed taking our time and being pampered with a nice waiter. The desserts were homemade pies, just like grandma made when you were growing up. Yum!
All of the locals highly recommended The Burger Basket as a place to grab good food for lunch; and it is a VERY busy place.
The menu is a very extensive list of take-out foods, and it includes what Andrew’s is famous for: Fried Trout. In case you didn’t know yet; Andrews is known for being the Trout fishing capital of the south. The fried trout they served at The Burger Basket looked delicious; I almost changed my order!
We had burgers and onion rings and they were great too.
There is a small dining room and the signs say “If you can’t be nice; please leave because you won’t be served” and “Eat fast so someone else can have your seat.” The staff was very friendly though; and everyone in this place knew each other. As I was waiting an older gentleman told me he lost his wife in 2018 and that they had been married for almost 50 years. My heart hurt for him. He knew lots of people there though and I could tell they all were looking out for him.
I could imagine Sean of The South at this little place, just having a hay day as he enjoyed his meal at The Burger Basket and collected about one million and one stories from all of the locals. I collected about three myself.
This place is very casual and they have outside dining to catch all of their overflow; even though it is supposed to be a drive-up and take-out type of place. Seems to really be the gathering place for all the locals. If you are lucky; you will be able to squeeze into one of the last parking spaces before you make your way inside and push through the long line at the window.
Our favorite restaurant in Andrews was Monte Alban’s Mexican Restaurant.
The food was AMAZING.
This was a family-styled restaurant that featured handed-down old-family Mexican recipes for their entrees; but they also had Italian and Seafood if you are not into Mexican flavors.
We WERE into the Mexican flavors (no problem.) It will take you about an hour to read all the selections available and then at least that much longer to decide. Better have some wine or beer from their great selections while you make up your mind.
The service was great and the tasty food wasn’t typical. Everything had an original flare to it; and my husband ordered a very unusual dish called “Molcajete.”
A Molcajete is a mortar and pestle dish often made from volcanic lava (the dish – not the food;) but the style of the special serving dish works to blend the different spices and flavors together, especially under high heat. The dish called Molcajete had char-grilled chicken, sliced rib-eye, pork chorizo salsa verde, cactus, onions, banana pepper, queso fresco, with a side of rice and beans and tortillas. He was still eating the left overs two days after we dined there. My meal was a little bit less elaborate; but I had lots left over too.
Great place; very tasty and delicious food served in some unique ways.
The name of the restaurant also sent me on a search of the history of the REAL place in Mexico called Monte Alban, which is very historic and known for its ancient burial grounds and terraced landscapes. Monte Alban has provided the world with many interesting archeological discoveries over the years.
Don’t leave Andrews without walking around Heritage Park, where they hold the great Annual Possom Drop.
You might want to go to some of the great winery and brewery locations too. Unfortunately for us they were closed for COVID; but all sites we encountered that were closed in late March, early April said they would be reopening very soon.
I asked a lady in the Italian restaurant what was the best part of living in Andrews. She didn’t hesitate but told me it was the most restful, beautiful, peaceful place on earth.
I found that she was absolutely right.
There is nothing very fancy here; just a lot of peace, lovely mountain views and rest. If you stay in Andrews you will want to drive to the nearby cities for the sites and adventures; but that is part of the fun.
The happy laid-back atmosphere is contagious.
Just another reason to go back. You find the most unexpected adventures and treasures in these little obscure mountain towns! The fact that there wasn’t much for the usual tourist seekers was one of the secrets that made Andrews more special to me. We were not looking for a lot of commercialism.
Every year we try to explore yet another little obscure place in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This season we got to explore Andrews, Murphy and Bryson City. More on the other two cities later.
There is just something about the mountains of North Carolina that I will always hold dear to my heart. Can’t wait until the next adventure.
Very soon I’ll tell you all the special things we found in nearby Murphy.