Brevard Nc Camping

Looking Up: Cool mountain properties lure lowlanders seeking summer homes ...

An historic marker in Flat Rock, N.C., pays tribute to Christopher Memminger, the first Confederate Secretary of the Treasury.

What seems out of place is that Memminger, a 19th century statesman, grew up and lived most of his life in Charleston. Memminger Auditorium is named for him.

Yet like many Lowcountry residents, he traveled to the North Carolina mountains to escape the heat and diseases that seemed to appear in summer. Memminger owned a home in Henderson County, and that’s where he first hunkered down after the Civil War.

“We have always been a refuge for coastal people,” says Gwen T. Fowler, who owns Gwen Fowler Real Estate in Oconee County-based West Union and markets her website under www.coolmountainescapes.com. Charlestonians effectively settled the area. “They didn’t know mosquitoes caused malaria,” only that the symptoms went away when leaving the Lowcountry in the warmer weather months, she says.

Today buyers from the Charleston area and elsewhere are attracted by low prices, such as a lakefront condo on Lake Keowee for $80,000.

“We don’t call them deals, we don’t have steals, we call them true value,” says Fowler, who has ties to the Charleston area — she spent a harrowing night in a house on Johns Island when Hurricane Hugo blew through close to 22 years ago.

The mountain appeal? “Cooler temperatures, babbling brooks,” says Daryl Hardin, a Realtor with Keller Williams in the North Carolina town of Polk.

“You leave Charleston and it’s 98 (degrees) and get up to 3,000 (feet) elevation at Boone and Blowing Rock, and it’s 78,” says Nate Saunders of Premier Land Liquidators in Davidson.

It’s no question the highlands of North and South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee have been a home away from home for residents of low lying areas across the Southeast for decades. That includes Charlotte and Atlanta 1-2 hours away as well as Charleston, Savannah and Wilmington, N.C., which are 3-6 hour drives.

According to Realtors in the region, the mountain properties have felt the national housing showdown. But it hasn’t resulted in a big drop-off in sales or prices.

“The market’s gotten better but it is still on the moderate side,” says Tom Perry, broker with Steve Owen and Associates in Brevard, N.C., near the Pisgah National Forest.

He is listing a 3,500-square-foot lakeside home for $699,000 in Connestee Falls off U.S. Highway 276 South, known as the Greenville Highway. The neighborhood has four lakes, hiking trails, golf course, tennis courts, clubhouse, fitness center and bocce courts.

Gwynn Valley Camp | UK Day and the Royals! | Brevard, North Carolina

Dear Parents and Friends,

Today was UK Day here at camp and the Union Jack’s spirit filled us all day long.  Who, none other than William Wallace showed up this morning to greet the loyal citizens of Gwynn Valley to try to enlist them to roll for freedom, roll for truth for Scotland.  His men from Echo and Chipmunk Hut roared down the hill just before breakfast to show their allegiance.  After Wallace’s speech we were all ready to take on any army.  It was typical UK food today with Bangers and Mash for dinner and for snack this afternoon we had scones and jam.  This evening the Royal Family was at Gwynn Valley and reenacted the recent wedding of Phillip and Kate just for us here at camp.  All the family was introduced and much merriment and song surrounded the evening.  Possum Manor cabin performed a Scottish Dance, Echo Boys were the choir for the ceremonies and Blue Ridge cabin sang a song.  At the end of the ceremony the newest royal couple drove away in their carriage (the kitchen truck) to live happily ever after.  Fairy tales do come true, even if your blood is blue, at Gwynn Valley!

Blueberries are starting to come in at the Farm and you might see a few pickers and grinners among the pictures.  The Farm is always a busy place and is not only a great place to visit but it feeds us too! Did you know that a baby chick’s heart beats about 400 times a minute.  That’s just one of many tidbits you‘ll learn at the Farm.  Another favorite animal at camp, among the many, are the horses.  I can’t think of any young person who doesn’t want to go riding.  Sometimes our campers legs just barely stretch over the backs of those critters.  The Web of Life went bird watching this morning and were identifying many varieties of flying critters and learning what they look like as well their calls.  Emma, who leads that program is a dedicated birder.

It’s staff like Emma and many others that make the camp experience so rewarding.  A camper who bonds with the counselor and other campers wants to return. That is the magic of camp. Well trained staff who understand the “magic” of what is developmentally appropriate and the importance of an intentional program dedicated to the values and mission of the camp will bring both campers and parents back to camp year after year. What changes lives? Relationships! Sure, sprinkle a little magic and program into that formula, but never underestimate the staff’s role which I think is the essence of camp.  Camp abounds with opportunities for social, emotional, and physical development while practicing, failing, and learning in safe, intentional environments.

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