Mountain Real Estate: Creating New Mountain Homes from the Past

Madison County, NC continues to be true to its rural roots and cultural heritage. It's a treasured place in the mountains of western North Carolina where people hold true to their native roots of traditional music, dancing, and storytelling. And, builders are beginning to learn how to work with local culture to preserve those heritages, historically and presently, by conserving old buildings, harvesting local materials and combining it with the new.

The Asheville NC real estate market is a competitive market so builders and developers have to create an environment that will set them apart from the rest.

NC Mountain Real Estate: Whisper Mountain Focuses on Cultural and Historical Preservation

Whisper Mountain, located about 17 miles northwest of the city of Asheville, NC is an example of a community that is making an effort to focus on cultural and historical preservation. Whisper Mountain, near the popular mountain communities of Leicester and Hot Springs, is located near Marshall in Madison County, NC. Madison County was formed in 1851 and was named for President James Madison; Marshall is the county seat and was named for U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall.

So, with a past steeped in history, Charlie Ball and his wife Troy, developers of Whisper Mountain, sought to capture the essence of the area while developing new homes for residents that encouraged preservation of nature, culture, history, family and self.

At the center of the Whisper Mountain community is the Sky Valley Lodge, the owners' lodge.

"It was constructed to commemorate the skills of the area's historic settlers," Charlie explained. "The lodge was hand-hewn from 160-year-old hemlock from an old barn and timbers that were harvested from the property."

The lodge is equipped with native stone fireplaces and unsolicited views of Mt. Mitchell, Pisgah National Forest and Whisper Mountain's own Sky Valley Park.

In addition to native resources used in the lodge, the gated entrance was modeled after historic National Park entrances and consists of hand-crafted cypress timbers and local Madison County stone to ensure integrity for generations to come.

Also on the property is "Old Settlers Park" which is 20 acres of meadows banked by Homestead and Whisper Creeks which make up the park. The historic, Little Sandy Methodist Church log building, carefully restored and reconstructed is at its center.

Shaping Western North Carolina's Past with the Present

Much funding has been invested into preserving the past of North Carolina with the future. Last year, Congressman Heath Shuler announced that Western North Carolina's Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) received a federal appropriation of $748,955. The BRNHA's appropriation was the third largest amount allocated to any of the 24 National Heritage Areas which received federal funding last year.

"These funds will enable the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and its partners to continue the work they have been doing to preserve the heritage of our mountains while stimulating the economy of the region," Shuler said.

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area consists of the 25 westernmost counties of North Carolina. Its mission is to protect, preserve, interpret and develop the unique natural, historical and cultural resources of Western North Carolina for the benefit of present and future generations, and in so doing to stimulate improved economic opportunity in the region.

In addition, for three decades, the State Historic Preservation Office in the Office of Archives and History has conducted North Carolina's statewide architectural survey program. The Preservation Office sponsors and co-sponsors, assists and guides dozens of local and regional architectural surveys throughout the state--all part of the statewide program whose mission is to identify, record, and encourage the preservation of North Carolina's rich and varied historic and architectural heritage.

The North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office statewide inventory contains information on over 360 prehistoric and historic archaeological sites in Madison County. A total of $60,000 in state grants has been awarded for a county architectural survey and restoration of the Marshall Train Depot.

There are seven individual National Register listings located across the county: California Creek Missionary Baptist Church (Mars Hill vicinity); Dorland Memorial Presbyterian Church (Hot Springs); Madison County Courthouse (Marshall); the Henry Ottinger House (Hot Springs vicinity); Sunnybank (Hot Springs); the James H. White House (Marshall); and the Jeff White House (Marshall vicinity).

"Our effort to revitalize and preserve the area, to weave together the best of the past and present, has resulted in Whisper Mountain -- a community that is truly a place for present and future generations," Charlie said.