Did You Know?
The demand for Parkway services has continued to increase while the Parkway’s budget has decreased in recent years.
Autumn Is A Magical Time At The Orchard Photo by Judy Carson
Location
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McDowell Tourism Development Authority
Altapass, North Carolina
828.668.4282
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http://www.mcdowellnc.org
Near milepost 328
The Clinchfield Railroad was one of the most recently constructed railroads in the United States. Their original goal was to connect the Ohio River Valley to the Atlantic Ocean. When construction stopped in 1915, the route covered over 270 miles of some of the most inaccessible and picturesque land in the country.
In 1902, with a new name and new financing, the South and Western Railroad pushed through to Altapass arriving there in 1905. The name itself came from the railroad, with “Alta” meaning “high” and “pass” referring to McKinney Gap. As a result of railroad construction, a community was created to support the workers and their families.
There were 17 tunnels and 11 miles of track in a section between the communities of Sevier and Altapass, north of Marion. For its day, this was a legendary engineering marvel. Known as the “Clinchfield Loops,” they are clearly visible from the historic Orchard at Altapass reaching the highest point on the railroad during that period, at 2,629 feet above sea level. Between the Little Switzerland community and an area just west of Altapass, the train switches directions six times. From North to South as “the crow flies” this is a distance of four miles, but the train travels 20 miles.
Construction was not an easy task and required hundreds if not thousands of workers. Those workers must be fed, so in 1908 the railroad planted apple trees and the Orchard at Altapass was born.
Rich in history ranging from the Cherokee to the colorful Scots-Irish settlers, stories about local residents and events are plentiful. During the Revolutionary War era, these ridge tops created boundaries dividing the Cherokee and local settlers. Each year, members of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association retrace the steps of local militia from Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina as they made their way south to the Battle at Kings Mountain, where British Major Patrick Ferguson was defeated. The National Park Service has designated this historic route as the Overmountain National Historic Victory Trail. The troops divided close to Gillespie Gap with half marching down the mountainside through Turkey Cove and the other half following the Continental Divide through what is today the Orchard at Altapass before descending McKinney Gap. The two met at North Cove before continuing their march south.
Today, the history and local culture are preserved and celebrated at the Orchard at Altapass. Yes, the same orchard planted by the Clinchfield Railroad in 1908. Operating as a non-profit organization, the orchard was saved from development by Kit Trubey and her brother Bill Carson. The Orchard is located at Milepost 328.3 on the Parkway.
The Orchard is open seasonally between May and November. Weekly activities include free afterenoon musical performances Wednesday through Sunday. Storytelling hayrides are available where you’ll learn about Charlie McKinney and his four wives with 48 children. Special events take place throughout the season, including plays, banquets, picnics, and more. Visitors travel great distances to see the Clinchfield Loops. They are visible from the orchard and can be seen while on the hayride.
Each September, the Orchard hosts the Overmountain Victory Trail Association with a banquet and re-enactment. The Monarch Butterfly tagging program takes place each September coinciding with the annual Revolutionary War activities. A full list of events, orchard history, heirloom apple varieties. and more are available online at http://www.altapassorchard.com.
More local information including lodging options are available online at http://www.mcdowellnc.org or call 888.233.6111.
When the Blue Ridge Parkway chose its path, it too followed the same well-worn path used by wildlife, Native Americans, and the railroad constructing a road through the middle of the Orchard, dividing it in half. That required a condemnation process - a court fight that eventually reached the NC Supreme Court. The momentum for the Orchard was lost, and it began to decline. Neighbors despaired the loss and braced for the expected development of this beautiful place. The wild growth of the trees became a sadness for Parkway travelers who had seen it in better times. Today, resident numbers have dwindled in the Altapass community; however, the Orchard at Altapass has become a well-known attraction on the Parkway for visitors and locals who stop to enjoy the music, food, and history lesson provided by Bill Carson.
- McDowell County Tourism Development Authority
- The Historic Orchard at Altapass
- North Carolina Division of Tourism
- Discover Nearby Communities
How We're Doing Our Part
With the loss of local residents, the Orchard at Altapass has become a gathering place for local residents as well as tourists. Local residents along with the Carson family have preserved and promoted the stories of this region through their music, storytelling events, and historic plays. Young people visiting the orchard experience the benefits of this non-profit organization and experience here what is not available in any other places - an interactive agricultural education combined with valuable history lessons and education on a variety of other nature topics, including the Monarch butterfly migration process. A new exhibit planned for 2010 will interpret the days and events surrounding the construction and early years of the community and the benefits it received from the creation of the Blue Ridge Parkway. With a direct location on the Parkway at Milepost 328.3, the orchard’s events and activities create an ongoing awareness of the delicate nature of the Parkway and its inhabitants.
