Little Switzerland

My Discovery

On my first trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains I had a rental car and a road map of North Carolina and a desire to see some mountains. Up until that point in my life I had flown over, landed in the middle of, or skirted the edge of the Rockies. I had not actually driven into a mountainous area.

So I left Charlotte early on a Thursday morning following a highlighted path on that map towards the mountains…For some reason I aimed at Little Switzerland. I am glad that I did.

As I zigged and zagged across North Carolina, driving through rolling hills, I was enthralled by the early spring weather. In Charlotte, the pears trees were dropping blossoms like snow, but the closer I got to the ridges ahead the further back into winter I travelled. Driving the road that crisscrossed the creek that tumbled down I arrived at the wall of rock that the road switchbacked up to arrive on top…It was there, on the Blue Ridge Parkway that I pulled over to the side of the road and paused to enjoy the view back down the valley to the lake below.

Driving north on the Blue Ridge Parkway my first stop was Little Switzerland. The day was cold and the sky was lowering on that early March day. But I still remember that drive. After I wandered around town for a while, I headed on into the fog going north to Blowing Rock.

On each of our family trips to the mountains we made it a point to return to Little Switzerland. We wandered around the area, stopped and explored the Emerald City, panned for gems, explored some of the old cemeteries…and basicly enjoyed the area.

The Book

So it was with great anticipation I awaited a review copy of the new book by Chris Hollifield and David Biddix, Little Switzerland. This is the latest in Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America Series, and the first that I have had the opportunity to read.

Truth be told, I was captured in the Forward by Coles Cathcart Jackson and my interest never waned. Where she wrote, “I recognized early that this was a place that stimulated as well as quieted me”, I recognized my own attraction for these lofty peaks.

The photos and text give you a capsulized view of the people who make up the history of this place. The family names are the same that you will see on the mailboxes still. Being able to put faces to the names out of the history of the area makes this book worth the read.

Covering the history of this area from the early settlers to the present day, the photos that make up the majority of the book are sectioned into chapters covering the many facets of life on the Ridge. From the earliest photos in Chapter 1 that predate the founding of Little Switzerland to the building of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Chapter 3 to the final photos and stories in Chapter 7, each photo is accompanied by its own story.

I devoured the book on the day it arrived and have spent more time reviewing it since. My recommendation is that if you have an interest in the history and people of the area around Little Switzerland you will like this volume. If you have family who grew up in the area, it’s a must.

Little Switzerland, $21.95, Arcadia Publishing. Available at local retailers, online bookstores, or through Arcadia Publishing or (888) 313-2665.

If you are in the area the authors will be signing copies of the book on the following dates:

• Saturday, June 191:00p – 3:00p

  Geneva Hall

  Little Switzerland, NC< /li>

• Sunday, June 20Noon

  Orchard at Altapass

  1325 Orchard Rd

  Milepost 328.3 on The Blue Ridge Parkway

Related posts:

1. Little Switzerland, NC
2. The Wilderness Society Retreat in Little Switzerland