Highlands, North Carolina
The Highest Incorporated Town in Eastern America
VOLUME ONE
HIGHGHLANDS, N. C., SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4tfri, 1937.
NUMBER FIVE
The Assets of Highlands
(Editor’s Note.—The following
is the text of a speech made by
Gtiy Paul at the graduation exer
cises of the Highlands High
Seheol this spring and is printed
here as being wortfiny of preserva
tion, and in response to many re
auests.l
Air we gaze out upon the won
derful display of nature’s handi
work which surrounds us, we can
only get' a glimpse of the many
assets which can be developed in
the near future to make Highlands
and Western North Carolina the
practical playground for the citi
zens of the entire forty-eight
States and many foreign countries.
A person living in the United
States today does not have to go
to some distant land to find the
climate, beautiful scenery, moun
tains and waterfalls wihich he is
looking for. He only needs to
drive a relatively short distance to
enjoy all these things needful to
good health, happiness and proper
management of business.
On the North plateau of Satulalh
Mountain lies Highlands at an ele
vation higher than that of any
other incorporated town east of
the Rockies. In this delightful
summer retreat the thermometer
has only once reached as high as
87 degrees throughout a period of
forty years of official recording.
With an average altitude of 4118
feet above sea level, insect pests
are absent.
The town of Highlands, in the]
heart of the .Nantafnala National
Forest, is unique among Western
North Carolina communities. It
offers a variety of scenery un
equalled by few sections of the
entire country and on every turn
the visitor finds before him a de
lightfully panoramic view of the
surrounding territory.
Although Highlands is 18 miles
from railroad it is easily accessi
ble to Asheville, Franklin# N. C.;
Seneca, S. C., and Atlanta. The
new State highway number 28
from Bat Cave to Murphy leads
through Highlands and Franklin.
The road between these two towns
if spectacular with the beauty of
the upper Cullasaja Falls, the
stream chasm of the lower falls
and the wildf laurel-bordered rap
ids of the Cullasaja river.
1st us now take into considera
tion some of the recreational as
sets of Highlands. Probably the
most outstanding recreational ad
vantage of Highlands is golf. The
Highlands country club some time
■ ago opened one of the finest moun
tain golf courses in the world. The
world’s leading golfers play on
this 18-hole course each summer.
A spacious club house with numer
ous cottages, including that of
world-famed Bobby Jones, are on
the grounds. The Nantahala Na
tional Forest maintains bridal path
in the forests surrounding High
lands and to points of scenic in
terest. Numerous lakes afford
every advantage flor water sports.
Chief among these lakes are Se
quoia, Mirror, Landenwood, High
lands Estates and Ravenel. Short
hikes take one to the summit of
near-by mountains from which
parts of four States can be seen.
These peaks range in elevation up
to over 5,(MX) feet above sea level.
Fishing, dancing, tennis and mov
ing pictures are alsi favorite recre
ational advantages.
Scenic attractions also add to
the assets of Highlands. Out
standing among these are Sloan’s
garden, unique flower gardens on
Satulah Mountain. The outlay
and general effect of these gardens
make tlhem among the most at
tractive of any open to the public.
In the forests surrounding High
lands, wild flowers, including ver
itable gardens of gorgeous Rhodo
dendron and Azalea, grow in pro
fusion. The Primeval Forest con
tains acres of virgin timber,
among which are hemlock, pine,
spruce, chestnut, oak, maple, dog
wood and flowering shrubs. The
largest cherry tree in the world
grows in this forest. Thundering
waters plunge through deep gorges
and over cliffs to form scores of
falls of surpassing beauty. Bridal
Veil, Glen, Cullasaja and High
lands are among tfne most impres
sive. Highway number 28 passes
belhind Bridal Veil Falls two miles
west of Highlands to form a scenic
and engineering wonder that is
noted throughout the United
3taltes. Mountains and cliffs in
clude Satulah Mountain, tfne sum
mit of which is one and a half
miles from Highlands. It is near
est town and offers one of the
finest views. Tthe altitude is 4^400
feet above sea level. Whitesides
Mountain, 4,930 feet, is the largest
mountain in Eastern America, the
face of which is a white-splotdhed,
perpendicular granite wall 1,800
fjeet high. Other nearby mountains
are Bearpen, Fodderstack, Yellow
and Slhorboff. Sunset Rocks, Eye
brow Cliffs, Granite City and the
Bowery are among the minor cliffs
and elevations. Grounds of numer
ous estates in and around High
lands are also attractive scenic
points.
Despite the ruggedness of the
primeval uplands, practically every
need and facility found in a mod
em town five tames its size are to
be enjoyed in Highlands. Includ
ing sucti outstanding advantages
as a library, newspaper and bank
ing facilities. The Highlands Mu
seum of Natural History and Bio
(Continued on page two)
Special Program To
Be Held at Helen’s
Barn on Labor Day
One can always be sure of a
night of great enjoyment when
'that night is spent in the grand
company to be found at Helen’s
Barn. Announcement is made that
on tfne night of Labor Day, Sep
tember 6th, in addition to the regu
lar square and round dancing a
special program has been ar
ranged. This program will feature
the Personality Twins from Hen
desonville in singing and tap danc
ing. These performers are past
masters in the art of tap dancing.
The program will also include an
old-time buck and wing dance con
test for which prizes will be
awarded, and other features. No
one should miss this night if they
are looking for an evening of
good, wholesome fun. On Friday
of tine same week, September 10th,
the Cherokee Indian dancing team
will appear at Helen’s Bam in two
intermission shows. No one should
miss seeing them. See ad. in tfnis
copy of The Highlander.
HUDSON LIBRARY
FOOD SALE
The committee in charge of the
food sale for tine Hudson Library
held last Thursday are to be con
gratulated on the response and
success of the event. The sale
was held in the store next to the
barber shop on Main Street and
was in charge of Mrs. O. E.
¥bung and the Misses Harbison,
who were ably assisted by the
Misses Jessie, and Nancy Potts.
Mrs. Young was chairman of the
committee, the other members be
ing Mrs. F. H. Potts and the
Misses Gertrude and Dorothea
Harbison. The sale netted $22.55
for the library funds.
Those making donations to the
sale included Mesdames C. J. An
derson, F. Bloxham, S. H. Crunkle
ton, Wm. Culbertson, W. S. Davis,
G. D. Edwards, T. C. Harbison,
W A. Hays, H. C. Hetzel^ G. W.
Marett, Guy Paul, F. H. Potts, Roy
Potts, J. E. Root, A. G. Spencer,
F. L. Wideman, O. E. Young, Carl
Zoellner and the Mieses Harbison
and Bess Hines
Friends of Mrs. DaCamara will
be pleased to know that she has
returned to her home at Shortoff
and is improving after her recent
automobile accident.
Mrs. Stockton Broome, of At
lanta, accompanied by (her friends,
Mrs. John P. Stewart, has arrived
in Highlands to spend the vacation
with her father, Mr. C. R. Wilcox,
of Jacksonville; -
Annual Meeting of
Highlands Museum
And Biological Re
search Laboratory
The annual meeting of the above
organization which was held at
the laboratory on the afternoon of
Saturday, August 28th, was both
interesting and illuminating. The
president, Dr.fW. C. Coker, was in
tlhe chair and in the course of his
remarks outlined the progress that
had been made in the work during
the past year. In all five research
scholarships had been awarded to
fellows for research work this
summer. Two of these came from
the University of North Carolina,
two from Duke University . . . the
first time that Duke has shown
any interest in the work . . . and
one from Alabama. The property
adjoining the laboratory and front
on Main Street, consisting of
six lots, had been purchased for
further development of the work
and Dr. Coker offered as a gift to
the organization a further lot
which was accepted with thanks.
Research work was carried on this
summer with Salamanders, land
and water fungi, trilliums, birds,
and mulluscan life.
Mr. H. E. Wheeler gave a report
of the activities and exhibits of
the Museum, telling* of the work
with the nature study classes for
the younger children and adults
and of the interest shown in the
various exhibits. He also spoke of
the lectures and expressed his per
sonal gratitude to the lecturers for
their services. In his report he
pleaded for the support of the local
people in the work and .urged the
provision of more adequate quar
ters for exhibits and class-room
work with the nature study
groups.
Two trustees were elected at the •
meeting. Miss Gertrude Harbison
was elected to succeed her father,
who rendered such yeoman service
to the organization^ and Dr. H. L.
Blomsuist, of Duke University,
was elected to succeed MIbs Char
lotte B. Elliott, wlho resigned.
After the general meeting there
was a meeting of the trustees at
which the officers were re-elected.
Mr. H. E. Wheeler was re-elected
director of the 'Museum for the en
suing year and it was decided to
purchase cases for the proper
housing of a butterfly collection
for the Museum. The officers of
the organization are Dr. W. C.
Coker, president; Dr. L. R. Hess
ler, vice-president; Dr. Clark Fore
man, secetary, and Professor Wil
liam Lippincott, treasurer.
Mr. Chas. Janvier, of Buffalo, N.
Y., arrived on Tuesday to spend
his vacation with Judge and Mrs.
John Janvier at King's Inn.