Little Switzerland, North Carolina

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File:Little Switzerland.JPG
"Welcome To Little Switzerland"

Little Switzerland is an unincorporated community in McDowell and Mitchell counties of North Carolina, United States. It is located along NC 226A off the Blue Ridge Parkway, directly north of Marion, North Carolina and south of Spruce Pine.

At this location, in 1909, the "Switzerland Company" was founded by North Carolina State Supreme Court Justice Heriot Clarkson.[1] Covenants in the rules included no alcohol and one house per lot.

History

The group filed a suit against the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway noting that it was seeking a right of way of 800 feet wide and through the resort and were not paying an adequate amount. The suit was settled with the Parkway getting 200 feet wide access and paying $25,000. It is now the narrowest point on the Parkway in North Carolina. The access to the Switzerland Inn is the only commercial access road on the parkway. There were other skirmishes between the resort and parkway including the parkway closing the road to Kilmichael (pronounced Kill-michael) Tower built by Little Switzerland atop Grassy Mountain. Little Switzerland lost the fight and the tower fell into disrepair. Its base is still visible.[2]

The group got the Carolina, Clinchfield, and Ohio Railroad to locate a station approximately 4 miles from the community. They built a toll road to it Etchoe (pronounced Et-chō) Pass Road. The tolls did not last long although the booths are still visible. It is now NC 226A.[3]

The original Switzerland Inn was razed in the 1960s and a modern motor court was built by William Cessna.[4]

Its naming illustrates the gradual change in meaning of the 19th century term little Switzerland from an area of limestone formations to one of mountainous appearance.[5][6]

Famous oboist John Mack used to hold an annual "John Mack Oboe Camp" in the community before his death in 2006. The camp continues to be hosted every summer by many of his students.

The Church of the Resurrection was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.[7]

Gallery

  • Downtown Little Switzerland.jpg

    Downtown Little Switzerland

  • Down Town 11-08.JPG

    Little Switzerland Cafe & General Store

  • Down Town 11-08 1.JPG

    General Store & Book Store

  • Little Switzerland Tunnel @ Blue Ridge Parkway.jpg

    Little Switzerland Tunnel @ Blue Ridge Parkway

  • Blue Ridge Parkway View Little Switzerland 8-1-09.JPG

    View From Parkway

  • Mitchell McDowell County Line.JPG

    McDowell/Mitchell County Line

  • Chalet View 4.jpg

    Sunrise From Uptown Little Switzerland

  • Cabin-Mts. 8-1-2011 182.JPG

    Sunset From Little Switzerland's Highest Mountain

  • Little Switzerland Fall & Fog.jpg

    Fall Colors

  • Red Barn 5-2009.JPG

    Little Red Barn

  • Lake Laurel 5-2009.JPG

    Lake Laurel

  • Lake Laurel.JPG

    Lake Laurel

  • Crabtree Falls,Crabtree Meadows, NC(1).jpg

    Crabtree Falls @ Parkway Mile Post 339.5

  • Grassy Creek Falls.jpg

    Grassy Creek Falls

  • Chestnut Grove Baptist Church, Little Switzerland.JPG

    Chestnut Grove Baptist Church

  • Emerald Mine Road.JPG

    Emerald Mine Road

  • Christmas Trees.JPG

    Christmas Trees

  • Christmas Tree Farm in Little Switzerland, NC.jpg

    More Christmas Trees

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ http://www.mountainx.com/blogwire/2010_Little_Switzerland_celebrates_100_years
  3. ↑ http://www.mountainx.com/blogwire/2010/little_switzerland_celebrates_100_years
  4. ↑ http://www.littleswitzerlandcentennial.com
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Further reading

  • Louisa DeSaussure Duls, The Story Of Little Switzerland (1982)

External links

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