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Center greets holiday visitors
by Jule Hubbard
(Photo caption) Jule Hubbard/staff photo-Northwest Visitors Center volunteer Cindy Smith, far right, shares materials about northwestern North Carolina with Jared Donelson and Natalie Johnson of New York City, who were en route to the Boone area Tuesday.
Like Farrell and Mary Ann Scott of Wilmington, many travelers on U.S. 421 near the Wilkeboros this holiday season are in for a surprise.
On trips to their summer home in Ashe County, the Scotts wondered what was under construction along U.S. 421 just east of the Edgewood Road overpass. Seeing the "rest area" sign Tuesday afternoon, they turned onto a new access road and soon saw North Carolina's newest visitor center and rest area.
"As I was coming up the walkway, I said this is the nicest rest area in North Carolina," noted Mrs. Scott as she and her husband were about to enter the Northwest North Carolina Visitor Center.
It's a reaction that visitor center's staff-mostly volunteers working-have become accustomed to hearing. An N.C. Department of Transportation spokesman said new signage going up any day now will better inform motorists that the facility includes a visitor center.
Records show a little over 14,000 people have entered the visitor center since it opened on Oct. 1. That's an average of over 250 people per day, but visitation exceeds 1,000 on the busiest days. These figures don't include people who stop by only for the bathrooms and vending machines, which is an even larger number of visits.
Hometowns listed with those who signed the guest registry at the visitor center show representation from about every state in the nation. Monday and Tuesday alone, people from New York, Florida, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Missouri and all states adjoining North Carolina signed.
Jared Donelson and Natalie Johnson of New York City and Donelson's mother, Elaine Donelson of Durham, were pleasantly surprised to come upon the visitor center Tuesday when they stopped for a restroom break while driving up from Durham for a day in the mountains.
Donelson and Ms. Johnson arrived at his mother's house Monday to visit through Friday. They chose going to the mountains instead of the North Carolina coast. Like a lot of people stopping by the visitor's center and rest area, driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway was a high priority.
Donelson said that except for friends telling him to visit the Parkway, he didn't know much about what to see and do in this area.
Visitor center volunteer Cindy Smith made sure the Donelsons and Ms. Johnson had their hands full of brochures and more than enough options in mind for the day, including things in Wilkes County, before they continued westward toward Boone.
Mrs. Smith and her husband, Jeff Smith, are retired and moved from Bradenton, Fla., to Wilkes last year. They bought a home on W. Kerr Scott Reservoir in March 2008.
"I'm a good emissary for this great place," said Mrs. Smith, referring to Wilkes County. "Jeff and I don't go a week without saying how much we love it here."
Although the natural beauty, lack of traffic congestion and four distinct seasons without a severe winter drew them to Wilkes, she added, it's the friendly people that they really like.
Mrs. Smith, an English teacher for 35 years, said she was also pleased to find great interest and activity in the arts in Wilkes. "Also, the YMCA is wonderful here," she said, adding that her husband volunteers at benefit races and bloodmobiles at the Y.
After a one-hour orientation session, most volunteers work from two to four hours at a time once a week. There are always at least two people in the visitor's center.
Some volunteers, like retired Duke Energy engineer Jim Davenport of Wilkesboro, work an entire day. So far, about 20 people are signed up to work as volunteer visitor's center staff.
"I enjoyed interacting with people for 30-some years at Duke and I enjoy this," said Davenport, at the visitor center Tuesday. Also working there full time is Michelle Staley.
Mrs. Smith said Wilkes Chamber of Commerce Executive President Linda Cheek invited her to consider becoming a visitor center volunteer when they met at a Friends of the Wilkes County Library meeting.
Mrs. Cheek said more volunteers are still needed. Interested people can call the chamber at 838-7631.
On Tuesday, Mrs. Cheek told visitor Skip Todd of Sea Level (in Carteret County) how the Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro and Wilkes County governments worked together and with the state to bring the visitor center and rest area here instead of Watauga County.
County government is responsible for operating the visitor center, but the Wilkes Chamber handles actual operations under an agreement between the chamber and county and state governments. The Wilkes Chamber's responsibilities include working with people in adjoining counties to help them draw visitors. Brochures and rotating displays in the center feature all of these counties.
The state provided $100,000 for operating expenses through June. Legislation has been proposed for continued annual funding. The state pays the company that provides maintenance staff for the visitor center and rest area, in addition to nearly $10 million for construction of the facilities.
Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro and county government each paid a third of $285,000 for buying 21.54 acres for the center and additional money for extending water and sewer lines. The state reimbursed them for the cost on an additional acre purchased for better access.
Todd, driving across the state for a holiday visit with his son in Boone, asked for information on hunting and fishing opportunities in the area.
With a grin, he also asked about where he could buy some good Wilkes County moonshine. Although Todd was joking, center staff said some other travelers who asked this seemed serious.
Among the center's array of arts, crafts and other products made in Wilkes and other northwestern counties, there is wine but no moonshine. Center staff said many visitors have indicated their interest in going to area vineyards and wineries.
Wilkes artists and artisans now featured there include Christy Poteat, Bill Bentley, William Vance Nichols, Ward Nichols and Lyle Wheeler.
Other common inquiries include locations of apple orchards on the Brushy Mountains and where specific apple varieties can be found. This time of year, many travelers stopping by the visitor's center also are on their way to buy Christmas trees.
Shatley Springs restaurant and Ashe County Cheese Factory in Ashe County, Stone Mountain in Wilkes and Alleghany counties, mountain bike trails at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir and activities related to Appalachian State University are among specific objectives of travelers stopping by the visitor center.
Visitor travel often is related to seasonal activities. In addition to Christmas tree buyers this time of year, it includes people going to see brightly-colored leaves in the fall, skiers in the winter and people headed for the mountains to escape summer heat.
Visitors asking about places to eat often are interested in country style meals that represent this area, unless it's parents with young children looking for fastfood restaurants. Center staff said they try to fairly represent all restaurants and other establishments that cater to visitors.
Large groups, ranging from commercial tours to local public school classes, often stop at the visitor center and rest area.
Wayne Buchanan of King stopped by the visitor center Tuesday while en route to visit his daughter at ASU and asked for directions to C Street, North Wilkesboro.
Buchanan said he was looking for the house where his father, E.K. Buchanan, was raised. He said his great-grandfather, Claude Buchanan, built the house. Davenport printed out directions to C Street from the Internet.
Although the rest area is open 24 hours a day all year, visitor center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 12:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The visitor center will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. |
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