Waynesville, NC Trail
Shelton House Block
The Francis men began construction on the Charleston style farm home in 1875 for High Sheriff Stephen Jehu and Mahala Conley Shelton. The house holds historical significance for Haywood County, as Stephen was one of the outstanding leaders in the development of Haywood County. The Shelton House is the first site in Haywood County to obtain a quilt square. The custom pattern blending traditional patterns of the Star, Milk Maid, and Arrow was designed by Chris Sylvester of Waynesville. It is now home to the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts.
Boone Orchard Apple House Block
The Boone Orchard Apple House was built around 1920 by a Mr. Kilgore. It is made of oak, pine, and chestnut. The lower floor was for cool storage,the main floor was a packing house, and the third floor for storage. A hand-pulled rope elevator lowered apples from the main floor to the storage area. The thick walls are heavily insulated with sawdust and shavings to protect the apples.
Grandmother’s Dream
Raymond and Kathy Dawson selected the “Grandmother’s Dream” quilt pattern to honor the memory of Kathy’s great-great grandmother, Mrs. Ann Schneider. The Grandmother’s Dream quilt block is dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Ann Schneider, a hard-working, generous, and gallant lady who loved sewing and working with her hands her entire life. When Mrs. Schneider owned a butcher shop she used to make quilts for the children of her customers.
Four Little Birds
The Windover Inn Bed & Breakfast was built in 1910 by James H. and Pearl Howell. The beautiful, Colonial Revival style home has been a family residence since 1910, and hosted its first guest in 1911 when Mrs. J.H. Howell (Pearl) established it as a Tourist Home and gave it the name “Windover”.
Pigeon Valley Block
The symbol at the center depicts a Passenger Pigeon. During the 1800’s, Passenger Pigeons were so numerous in the Bethel area that their numbers would darken the sky from mountain top to mountain top. The Pigeon River and Pigeon Valley were named after the Passenger Pigeon, a bird that is now extinct. The following symbols are also present: a green mountain and blue river representing Cold Mountain and the Pigeon River; a full sun rising on the east side of the mountain to represent a “Sunburst” for which the Sunburst logging community was named; a full moon on the west side of the mountain to honor Bethel’s original name of “Sonoma, Valley of the Moon;” a chapel to honor the current name Bethel, which means “House of God;” and a barn to commemorate the agricultural heritage of the Pigeon Valley. The Native American influence in the Pigeon Valley is symbolized in the Native American design of the sun beams and moon beams.
Snail’s Trail
Kim Polson has been visiting Western North Carolina for nearly 30 years and fell in love early with the Blue Ridge mountains. Throughout those years, Kim lived in many places in the U.S. and even 12 years in Germany, but she always knew she would find a way to get back to the mountains and make it her home someday. At a snail’s pace, Kim finally found herself living in Waynesville, surrounded by those very mountains, in 2011. Since living here, she opened the Ponderosa Quilt Retreat out of her home and the Summit Quilt Retreat in Maggie Valley, so while you’re visiting the Quilt Trail book a date to stay now! You can reach us at 704-682-9567 or www.summitquiltretreat.com
Flower Petals
The barn at 126 Cicero Lane, Howell Farm-Jonathan Creek was hand built in the late ‘30’s to replace the original pole barn that had doubled as a tobacco shed and cattle feeding station for decades. The barn’s foundation is hand-cut cement mixed with creek stone hauled by horse and wagon from a bend in Jonathan Creek a mile away. The oak lumber was cut at a local sawmill in Cullowhee, NC and delivered in sections as it was challenging crossing Balsam Mtn. The tin roof was repurposed from the original pole barn. Never painted, the barn was used to dry tobacco in the fall and to provide “silage” (a winter supplement to hay) to inside chutes located in the wood floor to a cattle feeding area beneath the barn. The adjacent in-ground silo for silage was finally completed in mid-1940. The Howell Farm barn quilt is in memory of the quilts & flower patterns passed down as treasures (some dating back to the 1900’s) reflecting the family’s appreciation of brightly colored dahlias, planted each spring next to the white farmhouse beside the barn.
Follow The Leader
This block on the Ned Hildreth Memorial Walking Quilt Trail is dedicated to Mr. Lee Galloway, retired Town of Waynesville Manager, 1994 – 2012.
City Streets & Stars & Stirrups
New Star of North Carolina
As cotton fabric became more available commercially in the first half of the 19th Century women were freed to experiment with a wonderful variety of colors and prints in their quilt making. A good example of the creativity this made possible can be found in a distinctive star quilt made with one large star covering most of the quilt top. According to quilt historian Kim Wulfert, quilters in the Eastern United States made the first star quilts in the early 19th century. At that time, the star pattern was known as the Mathematical Star. This early name was in use along the Eastern U.S. seaboard.
Cobblestones
A quilt made by Ms. Pennington’s grandmother she called the pattern “around the world.”
Star of North Carolina
Red, White, and Blue
A tribute to the flag.
Christmas Story Book
The red, blue and yellow square is called “Open Book “ for the library. The Christmas Tree square is for the Christmas Store “Christmas is Everyday” that was opened in September 2000.
Gillespie Rifle
The Gillespie ancestors were pioneer settlers in Western North Carolina who became well-known for the gun-making skills. The Gillespies made rifles for people across our region and North Georgia.
There are currently rifles on display at the Mountain Heritage Museum at Western Carolina University, Transylvania Heritage Museum and Macon County Historical Museum.
Gateway To The Smokies
Clyde, NC Trail
Grandmother’s Flower Garden
It is most appropriate that Grandmother’s Flower Garden (an old traditional pattern) quilt block be used to mark Clyde’s first store building; materials used to make quilts were sold here. Jeptha Wilson Morgan built the building at the beginning of the 19th century. Today it houses a flower shop.
Mountain Saddlebacks
The Shook Smathers House is recognized as the oldest frame structure west of the Blue Ridge, with a story that dates back to the American Revolution. Jacob Shook first traveled through this area in 1776 as a soldier with the Rutherford Expedition, a military campaign against the Cherokee, presumed ally of the British. Jacob returned to make his home along the Pigeon River (in present day Clyde) in the 1790’s, becoming one of Haywood County’s earliest settlers.
Little Red Schoolhouse
A little red school house quilt block is placed on part of the classroom building (the original building was connected to the small house) to commemorate the location of Haywood Institute. Pigeon Valley Academy established in 1885 was the forerunner of Haywood Institute.
This quilt block is given in memory of Clifford Ernest Brown, Jr. and in honor of Brian Strum, his nephew, by Sara Queen Brown.
Bridge To Learning
First of all, just enjoy the beautiful quilt block as a colorful design which mainly uses maroon and gold, Clyde High School’s colors. Next, one needs to think abstractly and symbolically while viewing the pleasing arrangement of rectangles and triangles creating a contemporary design in the spirit of traditional quilt blocks.
Life’s Path
Sun – Represents the beginning of life. Moon – Represents the end of life. Flowing part of quilt – Represents the ups and downs of life. Quilt -Represents Hospice end-of-life comfort and care.
Brush Arbor
Louisa Chapel was first known as Shook’s Camp Ground Church. It had its beginning in 1798, in a third floor room in Jacob Shook’s home in Clyde where a “Society of Methodists” was formed by Samuel Edney, the first Methodist minister appointed to serve west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Open Door
During the Great Depression, the Bank of Clyde was the only financial institution in Haywood County, as well as one of the few in the nation, to remain solvent and able to keep its doors open.
Dead Man in the Creek
In the winter of 1783 , Indians began to steal horses and cattle from the Big Pigeon settlement. Major Peter Fine helped to raise a company of men and followed the Indians across the mountains of North Carolina where they killed one Indian and wounded others. The Indians returned fire, killing Vinette Fine, the brother of Peter. Because there was no time for grave digging, the ice in the nearby creek was broken and the body of Vinette was placed in the creek through a hole in the ice.
North Carolina Lily
Leadership
This block is being erected to mark the site of Clyde’s first Town Hall and is in honor of the late A. Roland Leatherwood, who served 15 years as an alderman and 21 years as mayor.
Liberty Star
The Liberty Quilt Square is placed on the Clyde Town Hall building representing the many improvements that were made for the NC House District 52 which includes the counties of Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Swain and Madison. The municipalities of Bryson City, Canton, Clyde, Marshall, Robbinsville, Sylva and Waynesville all received help for many different projects. Had it not been for the leadership and countless hours of work from Representative Liston B. Ramsey and Charles M. Beall, these projects, and many more, would probably not been accomplished.
Conversations
Edwin Fincher’s General Store was built in 1924, and was a leading store in the area for over 50 years. It is still one of the most prominent buildings in downtown Clyde. The Clyde Masonic Lodge owns and meets in the building today.
The Clyde Savings and Loan, forerunner of the HomeTrust Bank, had its genesis in 1926, around a pot of coffee being perked on a pot-bellied stove located in Fincher’s store. Several of the older leading citizens, plus three or four young entrepreneurs, met almost daily in the store for camaraderie and coffee. Conversations centered about the future needs and growth of the town, thus the start of a Savings and Loan which had its office in Fincher’s store the first two years of operation.
Maggie Valley, NC Trail
Little Red Schoolhouse
The beautiful rock school house was built in 1930 with assistance from the W.P.A. at a cost of $8000.00. It consisted of four classrooms, an auditorium, and indoor plumbing. Families in the community donated sled loads of rock which mostly came from nearby creeks.
The Town Hall block design is a traditional Little Red School House pattern selected and purchased by the High Country Quilters and given to the Town of Maggie Valley as a gift. Elsie Orrell, president of the High Country Quilters Guild and Kay Ross, member of the Guild presented the Guild’s proposal in late 2010 at a Town Hall meeting where the Town Board voted to hang the block on the left front of the building which was originally a school house.
Mariner’s Compass
This combination retail shop and residence was built in the 1932 by Charlie Ketner. It was across from the home Charlie had built on US 19 in the early 1900’s. The beautiful house was located about where the Microtel Motel stands today.
Lone Star
Cataloochee Ranch was opened in 1934 by Mr. Tom and Miss Judy Alexander and was moved to its present location in 1938. The Ranch is still run by the third generation descendents of Mr. Tom and Miss Judy. And the old-fashioned tradition of hospitality they established in 1934 is still very much in fashion today.
Maple Leaf
Mountain Joy is known to locals and visitors as the birthplace of Maggie Mae Setzer Pyland. Her namesake is Maggie Valley. She is one of the very few persons in these United States whom Uncle Sam has honored with a post office as a namesake.
Mile High Fun
Cataloochee Ranch was founded by “Mr. Tom” and “Miss Judy” Alexander in 1933 and was originally located in the serene and beautiful Cataloochee Valley. In 1938 Mr. Tom purchased a large part of the present Ranch property on Fie Top Mountain from Verlin Campbell, the “Potato King” of Haywood County. From Verlin he inherited a sturdy stone and log cattle barn, now the main Ranch house, and several derelict cabins and sheds. The eroded pastureland was littered with stumps and old potato crates, but it provided a number of excellent “bold” springs. Their 5,000-foot elevations bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park also created the ideal combination of extraordinary mountain views and wonderfully cool summer temperatures.
Mr. Tom died in 1972; Miss Judy remained a gracious hostess until her death in 1997. To this day, the Ranch is still managed by third-generation Alexander family members.
Bear Paw
Once known as Mount Valley Lodge & Restaurant, Smoky Falls Lodge was the first hotel in Maggie Valley. The Medford family originally built the structure in the 1940’s. Numerous families came in the summertime to escape the heat in other areas.
Mr. Roosevelt’s Necktie
The Stomp ‘N’ Ground, better known as the Clogging capital of the World, was built in 1981 following the dream of owner-operator, Kyle Edwards and his wife Mary Sue. After his mother’s death, Kyle pursued this dream. His brother Verlin designed the building and the excellent dance floor, and Kyle had timber sawed from his land and dry-kilned at the Haywood Community College sawmill.
Canton, NC Trail
Bay Leaf
Renovation of Canton’s historic Imperial Hotel is rejuvenating downtown. The four green bay leaves are associated with cooking and represent “The Imperial”. The gold and burgundy compass indicator replicates the colors of The Imperial’s sign, inviting guests from all directions; north, south, east and west to come visit. The golden yellow diamond represents corn, essential for early settlers to Western North Carolina. It provided income and animal feed, as well as food and drink. The light blue color is from the Town of Canton’s flag. The background of light green is for new Spring growth on the encompassing mountains where Canton is nestled. Taken together, the pattern symbolizes rejuvenation and growth in Canton for Southern Appalachian Mountain hospitality and food, with all its charm.
A Salute to Color
This building, built in the 1930s was home to the 30th Signal Company before becoming the 211th MP Company. This facility was later given to the Town of Canton at which time it was renovated in 2006. Today the Canton Armory is used as venue for public meetings, events, weddings, receptions, Winter “Pickin’ in the Park and much, much more.
Moon over Cold Mountain
The “Moon over Cold Mountain” block depicts a quilt pattern showing a circular moon, a sharp triangular mountain and a symbol for each of the four seasons.
Five Spot
Established in1932 in Canton, NC, Champion Credit Union was founded for the employees of Champion Paper Fiber Company, providing them with a safe place to borrow and or save their money. Eighty- three years later, we are still local to the area, serving the residents of our local seven counties.
Flower Basket
Polly’s Florist & Gifts has been proudly serving Canton and surrounding areas of Haywood County since 1953. It is family owned and operated and committed to offering only the finest arrangements and gifts, backed by service that is friendly and prompt.
Sunburst
Travel Star
Upon entering the Town of Canton you will first travel down Park Street, past a building that is filled with treasures of Canton past, the Canton Museum. On the brick exterior you will see the “Travel Star”. This building was originally constructed as the Canton Public Library and referred to as the “Haywood County Library”.
Haywood County Quilt Trails 