In the past 110 years, Tryon Toy Makers & Wood Carvers has only had four owners. When the current, Julia Calhoun, expands her toymaking operations to include a woodshop partnership with the local high school later this year, she’ll be walking in the footsteps of the founders.
“Two women from Connecticut started Biltmore Estate Industries with Edith Vanderbilt in Asheville, then moved to Tryon,” Calhoun says. “They were best known for their beautiful woodcarving and furniture, but toymaking was a way for people to learn woodworking skills.”
Enjoy the different personalities of nearby Historic Saluda, Tryon, and Columbus — plus rolling countryside and scenic mountain vistas. Wineries, restaurants, galleries, and events await. We’ll help you find an inn or cabin that’s just right, plus adventures that fit your style. Call (800) 440-7848.
A spirit of artistry has long flourished in this area of southwestern North Carolina. “Tryon has been an artists’ colony since the late 1800s,” Calhoun says. “We’ve always had a large number of writers, artists, and musicians.” And it’s not limited to folk art. This area is known for attracting makers and creatives, from artisanal cheesemakers and vintners to quirky museums you won’t find anywhere else.
As the season shifts and the natural landscape awakens, these towns showcase the earliest signs of spring green and beautiful blooms, making the transitional season a wonderful time to visit. Come and explore the towns of Tryon, Saluda, and Columbus and discover their unique offerings, all with a distinct touch of Blue Ridge charm.
Shop for thoughtfully crafted toys at Tryon Toy Makers’ store. Photography courtesy of First Peak Visitor Center
In its home on Trade Street, Tryon Toy Makers’ store sells toys ranging from Noah’s Ark sets to the Three Little Pigs figurines. “Kids who come in our shop are so drawn to these simple wooden toys — and I know they have electronic toys at home!” Calhoun says. All around town, keep an eye out for giant outdoor replicas of these toys, just waiting to be discovered.
In the same building, Calhoun owns three other shops, all of which celebrate Tryon’s artistic spirit. Fine Rugs and Tapestries, which sells formal, hand-hooked rugs (four of their creations are in the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh); The Book Shelf; and Carolina Confections chocolate shop.
Last year alone, Tryon Theatre sold more than 20,000 tickets for showings at the historic downtown cinema. Photography courtesy of Tryon Theatre
“Tryon loves its arts, crafts, culture and social events. For more than 100 years, there’s been a via movie theater downtown,” theater owner Scott Lane says. Photography courtesy of Tryon Theatre
Recently, Tryon Theatre teamed up with the Tryon History Museum to show the Sherlock Holmes silent film, a 1916 movie that showcased Tryon’s little-known tie to the famous detective. The playwright and Broadway star William Gilette, a long-ago Tryon resident, branded Holmes as we know him today. “Gilette portrayed Sherlock Holmes on Broadway for years and was the first actor to put on a deer-slayer cap and pipe in his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes,” says Scott Lane, who owns the restored historic theater with his wife, Gayle.
Gilette isn’t Tryon’s only claim to literary fame. “There’s a long history of people coming to Tryon in the most artistic phases of their lives,” Lane says. “F. Scott Fitzgerald used to hang out here with Thomas Wolfe and movie star Lefty Flynn, while Lady Aster and First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt and Grace Coolidge spent time visiting friends and relatives.” Some were also born here; in downtown’s Nina Simone Plaza, an eight-foot-tall bronze sculpture honors the late jazz icon, child prodigy, artist, activist, and Tryon native.
Passersby on Trade Street can pause at the bronze statue in the Nina Simone Plaza — an enduring tribute to the late artist who grew up in Tryon. Photography courtesy of First Peak Visitor Center
Unwind in one of the seven guest rooms or two guest suites at GreenLife Inn at the Mimosa. Photography courtesy of First Peak Visitor Center
Across the street from the plaza, Upstairs Artspace exhibits fine art in three gallery spaces. The nearby Nest Artisan Market sells pottery, paintings, and jewelry made by local artists. And the member-driven Tryon Painters and Sculptors promotes visual art with gallery exhibitions, retail sales, and educational programs.
More classes for honing artistic skills and learning about Appalachian folk art can be found at Tryon Arts & Crafts School. “You can take lessons on everything from ironworks to knife-making to leatherworks and glass-blowing,” Lane says.
To extend your stay, make a reservation at the GreenLife Inn at The Mimosa, a historic bed and breakfast known for its mountain views and homemade breakfast.
Order a cheese board to sample the offerings at Looking Glass Creamery. Photography courtesy of Looking Glass Creamery
Northbound travelers entering Polk County get their first peek of the mountains at Looking Glass Creamery, about two miles past the South Carolina border. “We have a sweeping view down into South Carolina and up into the mountains,” owner Jen Perkins says. “A foreground of beautiful green hills is part of the farm. You feel like you’re part of this rolling landscape with an incredible view of the mountains behind it.”
In addition to picking up craft cheeses made from the farm’s cows, you can sample a tasty selection of treats made with the creamery’s products. First, the grilled cheese sandwich: The creamery’s featured sandwich changes every two weeks to highlight local ingredients, but Perkins serves her favorite year-round. “It’s called The Bear, and it’s made with Bearwallow, our raw milk cheese, melted with a homemade smoked bacon jam,” Perkins describes. “We serve it on a sourdough bread made in Asheville.”
If you’re curious about the cheesemaking process, visit on a Thursday or Friday, when you can look through four-by-eight plate-glass windows into the production room. Anytime, though, you can peek through a window to see the cheese aging. “You can see what 200 wheels of cheese underground looks like, which is not an everyday sight!” Perkins says.
Parker-Binns Vineyard in Mill Spring offers beautiful views of the countryside. Photography courtesy of Parker-Binns Vineyard
Want to bring the flavors of Parker-Binns home? Pick up a bottle of their Petit Manseng during your visit. Photography courtesy of Parker-Binns Vineyard
Less than a 20-minute drive up Highway 9, French grapes reign at the Parker-Binns Vineyard. So do the menu offerings at the on-site restaurant, Relish. Cory Lillberg, co-owner and winemaker, shares two of his favorite pairings:
“The Herbie Tacos with blackened shrimp are a huge hit with a wide range of our white wine and rosé portfolio,” he says. “But at the moment, I find myself looking to our Petit Manseng as the most fun wine for that dish. The seafood is obvious with a full-bodied, flavorful white; however, it’s the habanero crema that makes this pairing culinary ecstasy.”
For red wine enthusiasts, Lillberg suggests the smash burger. “Five out of 10 times, I pair it with a glass of Petit Verdot,” he laughs. “The other five require our estate Merlot. If you like your burger as bold and flavorful as your red wines, come see us!”
To extend your visit, consider a vineyard-side stay at the nearby Overmountain Vineyards or Overmountain Lodge, Tryon International’s new lodging property in Mill Spring.
Enjoy a narrated tour through the House of Flags Museum to learn about the history of the displays. Photography courtesy of First Peak Visitor Center
What started as a personal flag collection is now Columbus’s official House of Flags Museum. Robert Williamson curates the museum’s collection of now-200 flags, mostly reproductions, that all relate to our country’s history. “We are the only museum to exhibit the historical evolution of the flags of the President of the United States from George Washington to modern times,” Williamson says.
His favorites are from the Revolutionary War era. “From the 1770s to the 1780s, there were no rules for making or designing flags. Each flag communicated what people believed they were pursuing — freedom and liberty from the oppression of Great Britain, King George III, and Parliament.”
The volunteer-led museum offers free admission Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Visit the Saluda Historic Depot and Museum on Main Street to see exhibits about Southern Railroad and learn about the preservation efforts that restored this space. Photography courtesy of First Peak Visitor Center
When it was built in 1903, the Saluda Depot marked the completion of the steepest railroad grade in the country, which took passengers into the mountain village of Saluda. In its current location on Main Street, the Saluda Historic Depot and Museum celebrates the town’s culture and showcases its natural resources.
Continue your local railroad history lesson with an overnight stay at The Orchard Inn & Spa. When it was built in 1926 by the Brotherhood of Southern Railroad, a union for clerks and agents, the inn was meant to be a summertime mountain getaway “to enable the employees to vacation like a Rockefeller,” Marianne Blazar says, who owns the inn with her husband, Marc.
“Typically, they would take the train up from the Low Country and spend a week with their families at the Inn, which back then was called The Mountain Home.”
When the Blazars view the mountains from their antebellum porch, they can imagine how relaxing the escape must have been for those employees a century ago. “The view changes with the seasons, but it is substantially the same as it was 99 years ago when the railroad chose this location for their mountain home,” Blazar says. “The wrap-around porch was lined with rocking chairs, and the daily activity — besides shuffleboard — was watching the mesmerizing views.”
Ready to relax and explore through these mountain towns? Whether you’re traveling for food, folk art, or local history, you can easily tailor the days’ adventures to suit your interests. Click here to start planning your trip to Tryon, Saluda, and Columbus.
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