Welcome to the Sandhills! In this series, we’re sharing Moore County treasures — experiences, destinations, and historic artifacts — only found here. Check out Treasures Part I here.
Some people wait to embrace all things Christmas until December — letting the anticipation build; others enthusiastically haul boxes of ornaments and garland out of their attics the day after Halloween. Moore County’s three-day Festival of Trees, held the week before Thanksgiving in The Carolina Hotel, hits the sweet spot for many.
“The Festival of Trees is a magical experience,” Tammy Genthe says. “You’re basically immersed in Christmas.”
Wall-to-wall trees, decked from trunk to star in original themes dreamed up by local designers, await their permanent homes. “One designer sent me a picture of the tree she’s working on for this year,” Genthe says. “It’s called ‘the sweetest Christmas,’ and it’s mint green and pink with beautiful nutcrackers underneath. All the trees have surprises underneath. This one is a big rolling basket with baked goods and kitchen supplies, like muffin tins, mixing bowls, measuring cups, and kitchen towels.”
Like the Festival of Trees, Moore County’s authentic events help people create memorable holiday experiences while developing an appreciation for the local history and culture that shaped the region. Read on for three of Moore County’s treasures to fill your calendar this season, all rooted in history and tradition. (And click here to read about three treasures unique to Pinehurst.)
Moore County, known for its award-winning golf and small-town charm, creates a perfect holiday backdrop. Whether you’re hunting for great gifts, visiting friends and family or seeking a holiday getaway filled with magical memories, the Pinehurst area has something for everyone!
More than a century ago, 100 women’s exchanges graced counties across the country. Today, only 15 remain — and one of them is housed in a historic Pinehurst log cabin.
Most visitors find this treasure because they’re looking for the perfect place to meet a friend for lunch, or because they need a thoughtful gift. The exchange gift shop has been there from the start. “In Moore County in 1923, many women lived way away from Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen,” Judie Wiggins says, who volunteers as the communications team chair for the exchange. “Out in the country, life was very hard, and poverty was common. Women needed a place to sell their handmade items and make money for their families.”
The exchange was part of a national movement to help women earn income. “Back then, it was things like quilts, potholders, aprons, and canned goods,” she says, adding that the exchange was a radical solution for an economy that didn’t support women working out of the home.
Today, the exchange’s mission to “help others help themselves” plays out in the shop stocked with handcrafted gifts. Some, like the pine-straw baskets, were sold 100 years ago. Others, like hand-painted watercolor stationery and golfers’ hat pins, are newer to the scene. Artists keep 60 percent of sales, and 40 percent goes toward cabin upkeep. From waiting tables to running the store to educating visitors on the exchange’s history, volunteers do it all.
Take the family to the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange for the annual Breakfast With Santa. Photography courtesy of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB
Don’t miss it: Throughout the year, the cozy dining room offers a wonderful respite for a warm meal and space to take a break from the daily bustle. When the holidays roll around, volunteers decorate the room with homemade cotton curtains adorning the windows, holiday-themed tablecloths gracing the tables, and decorations that reflect traditional Sandhills holiday decor. On the first Saturday in December, exchange volunteers host an annual Breakfast With Santa. Community members and their children are invited to partake in a pancake breakfast and story time. Then Santa and Mrs. Claus show up in a firetruck. “For a lot of families, it’s a tradition,” Wiggins says.
Settle into your window-side seat in the upper or lower section of the Carolina Christmas Train’s double-decker car. Photography courtesy of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB
“The railroad was integral to Pinehurst,” Rob Menzies says, who owns the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway. “Many people don’t know this, but if the Page family, who owned the lumber company and railroad around here, hadn’t sold 5,000 acres of timbered land to Mr. Tufts in 1891, Pinehurst wouldn’t have existed.”
Keep an eye out for familiar Christmas characters aboard the train. Photography courtesy of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB
The rest of the story, of course, is that James Walker Tufts used that land to develop the Village of Pinehurst, and the golf course later on, as a health resort for people seeking fresh, healing air. “And his guests arrived by train,” Menzies adds. “In the early days, that’s the only way you got here.”
Menzie’s daughter Jennifer White, now president of the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway, agrees: “There’s a timeless romance to rail cars,” she says.
One of the best ways to experience that magic is aboard the Carolina Christmas Train, which whisks away passengers aboard a historic passenger car on a 50-minute round-trip journey through the heart of North Carolina. Their destination: the oldest and highest railroad bridge in Montgomery County. “It’s really beautiful, whether you’re watching it from the top or lower level of the passenger car,” White says.
Each section of the Carolina Christmas Train features different decorations so that every space has its own distinct, festive feel. Photography courtesy of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB
Don’t miss it: From December 4 to 20, you can experience the Carolina Christmas Train’s seasonal ride. Elements like a holiday light show, festive serenades, twinkling lights, and the arrival of Santa make for a dazzling journey. Sit in either the Summit View Upper or Lower seats, both great options on the double-decker dome car: Upstairs seats offer 360-degree views from the full length of the car, while lower-level booths give families an intimate place to enjoy their souvenir cup of hot chocolate and cookie (both of which come with every ticket).
Editor’s note (November 2024): Only single-rider tickets are available for the remaining 2024 dates.
Chart your course to artists’ galleries around Seagrove and maybe you’ll even see the makers at work. Photography courtesy of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB
The earliest Seagrove pottery was functional, made possible by Moore County’s plentiful red clay soil and trees to heat artists’ kilns. But as the industrial revolution made it easier to produce and buy factory-made pottery, only a few potters hung on to their craft.
These craftspeople were discovered in 1917, when artists Jacques and Juliana Busbee came from Raleigh in search of an orange pie dish and fell in love with the local salt-glazed pottery. A year later, Juliana created a national stage for Seagrove’s Jugtown Pottery with the opening of her Greenwich Village store in New York City. For the coming decades, collectors throughout the country sealed Seagrove’s reputation as a home for fine traditional handcrafted American pottery.
Pick up a map from the NC Pottery Center but be sure to browse their exhibits before you leave. Photography courtesy of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB
Shianne Buie is one of many Seagrove pottery collectors — and she’s happy to meet other enthusiasts who visit Seagrove’s NC Pottery Center and show them the ropes from her post at the center’s front desk.
After all, visiting and shopping at individual potters’ studios feels like an adventure. Some visitors know exactly where they want to go, but others appreciate a map and Buie’s help charting a course to the potters’ studios peppered throughout the countryside.
“A lot of people decide to drive around and stop where they see an open sign,” she says. “But other people need to know exactly where they’re going, what they’re doing, and what they’ll see. No matter what kind of route they want to follow, all of them seem to have a good time.”
Marvel at the artists’ various glazing and firing techniques in each unique piece. Photography courtesy of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB
Don’t miss it: The annual Celebration of Potters Studio Tour, held on the third weekend in November, is a big draw for holiday shoppers who want a one-of-a-kind find. Every studio will be open, and potters are eager to show off their latest and greatest. According to Buie, “it’s a big deal because their studios are open on Sundays, and it’s a great chance to see what they’ve been working on, including their new patterns and glazing techniques.”
For people who want a taste of the pottery without rambling around the countryside, the ticketed event at the Historic Luck’s Cannery showcases anywhere from 10 to 20 potters, each with a booth and wares for browsing.
Which of these treasures will you experience first? Whether you’re shopping for that special gift or making memories with family and friends, click here to start planning your time in Moore County.
All aboard! This magic-filled train ride through a Montgomery County wonderland includes seasonal sweets, plenty of cheer, and a few extra-special passengers.
Communities across the state celebrate the holiday season with sparkling lights, vibrant displays, and festive events that bring joy to the world.
North Carolina’s celebrated homes and historic districts are never more beautiful than by candlelight at Christmastime.
The thrill of the hunt takes on new fervor during the holidays. Seek and find in Randolph County, where the bounty of antiques can tempt a picker to abandon her list.
