MITCHELL COUNTY
Mitchell County is a small county in western North Carolina that was established in 1861. It was named after Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a professor and scientist who worked at the University of North Carolina from the early to mid 1800s.

Dr. Mitchell was the first scientist to suggest that the historic Black Mountain was the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. To prove this, he climbed the mountain to take measurements in 1857 and met his untimely death. Black Mountain was renamed Mount Mitchell to honour him, and later the county.

Turns out he was right.

The seat of Mitchell County is Bakersville, which is the second largest of its two towns after Spruce Pine. The rest of Mitchell County is made up of various townships and unincorporated communities like Little Switzerland and a dozen or so others.

SPRUCE PINE
Spruce Pine is an idyllic, but maybe more rustic than average, Blue Ridge Mountain town in Appalachia. It is in the Toe River Valley between the Cherokee National Forest and Pisgah National Forest, just a few miles from the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

Spruce Pine was founded in 1907 as the Clinchfield Railroad laid its tracks along Toe River, and at the time it was built around a tavern called The Old English Inn.

With the new railroad came the mining companies, and it was discovered that Spruce Pine had an unusual abundance of minerals and gems hidden below its surface.

This led to the development of the Spruce Pine Mining District, and eventually Spruce Pine being called the Mineral City, and even the Mineral City of the World.

Feldspar, kaolin, mica, quartz, and especially the quartz used to create silicon chips is densely packed into the earth of Spruce Pine.

I also learned that more than 90% of the raw materials used in plumbing fixtures comes from the Spruce Pine mines. My family owns both a plumbing service company and a plumbing parts store, so we found this particularly interesting.

Spruce Pine is a designated Mountain Heritage Trout City and you can fish right from the banks of the Toe River or at Riverside Park downtown. There is no website for the park but the address is 503 E. Tappan Street.

Each June, visitors from all over the country come in for the Troutacular Festival.

Other festivals include Fire on the Mountain Blacksmith Festival the last Saturday of April, Spruce Pine Alien Festival in June, Bluegrass and Barbeque Festival in July, NC Mineral and Gem Festival in August, and the Potters Market in October.

Spruce Pine is known has a variety of museums and mines that showcase its gems.

Visit the Museum of NC Minerals at the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Spruce Pine Gem Mine, Rio Doce Gem Mine, Emerald Village, and check out the Grassy Creek Mineral & Gem Show or NC Mineral and Gem Festival that has been going on since the 1950s.

Downtown is officially called the Downtown Spruce Pine Historic District, and it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The district is unique for many reasons, one being that is has two main streets; Upper Street aka Oak Avenue, and Lower Street aka Locust Avenue.

There is a bridge connecting downtown across the Toe River to Riverside Park, with paved walking trails, sports fields, a playground, and your new favourite fishing spot.

Do not let all the mining, railroad, and fishing activity deter you from visiting if you are not into those activities or history.

Spruce Pine is also a major arts and artisan town!

Toe River Arts Council Gallery hosts exhibits and events throughout the year as well as the famous Toe River Studio Tours in June and December.

Events at the Penland School of Craft regularly support and show off the best of local artists and makers.

I had my heart set on stopping by the Fox & the Fig and DT’s Blue Ridge Java, but both were closed for the day. Instead, we had lunch at City Drive In.

The space was fun. You can sit outside in the classic drive-in spaces, in the covered tiki hut style patios, or indoors near the bar.

We shared a grilled BLT sandwich and a pulled pork BBQ plate.

Bierdock Brewing should be your next stop for a cold local draft.

The Carolina Theatre was a community staple for many decades, but now sits quietly in the background.

LITTLE SWITZERLAND
Just minutes away from Spruce Pine, Little Switzerland is one of the main tourist attractions in the area.

Little Switzerland is an unincorporated community and resort town in Mitchell County near Mile Post 334 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Little Switzerland got its start in tourism around 1910 when an affluent NC Supreme Court justice decided to invest and design it with a Swiss architectural theme.

The Alpine-like mountains surrounding the town, some reaching nearly 3,500 feet, really made the new Switzerland Inn fit right in.

Switzerland Inn has its own village with an assortment of cafes, restaurants, pubs, gift shops, spas, boutiques, and galleries to entertain and service its guests.

The resort is only open limited months during the year though, typically April through October.

Visitors who are not staying overnight at the resort are still welcome to dine at the restaurants and pubs, and shop at the stores and galleries. Don’t be shy.

The nearby Emerald Mine, Museum, & Village is a popular spot for families.

Visitors can try their hand at gold panning and collecting minerals, tour the mines, explore the museum, and shop for their favourite gems.

If you drive on to the Skyline Village Inn, you can stop at the breathtaking overlook across the street.

If the parking lot is full or you might be interfering with their guests, you can park down the road a bit and still enjoy the great views.

We did not get a chance to visit Bakersville, the Gateway to Roan Mountain, but I look forward to returning for the North Carolina Rhododendron Festival and visiting the largest natural rhododendron garden in the world. 

High on my list is also Mayland Earth to Sky Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park. Mayland is known to be one of only two such parks in the world with both a planetarium and an observatory.

Additionally, Linville Falls & Caverns, Crabtree Falls, Grandfather Mountain, Chestoa View, Table Rock Mountain & State Park, and The Orchard at Altapass are all nearby area attractions. What did I miss?

In the area for a while? Follow me to Marshall, Hot Springs, Mars Hill, and Weaverville.

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