As we look forward to 2019 and reflect on the past year, we’re reminded of the beautiful destinations throughout North Carolina we’ve visited, the fascinating people we’ve met, and the delicious food we’ve eaten. So as we say goodbye to this year, we’re sharing five of our readers’ favorite stories: from learning to ski at App State to finding the eastern-most edge of the state on Knotts Island; from an escape to a scenic Blue Ridge Mountain town to a mystery below the waves of Badin Lake. And, for dessert, Angus Barn’s chocolate chess pie!
Happy reading!
WRITTEN BY ROBYN YIĞIT SMITH | PHOTOGRAPH BY CHARLES HARRIS
A wartime tragedy became lake lore in Stanly County. Setting the record straight, easing the heartbreak, and putting rumors to rest has taken more than 75 years — and counting.
WRITTEN BY KATIE SCHANZE | PHOTOGRAPH BY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, ASU
On snow days, there’s one class at Appalachian State University that’s never canceled: ski school. For 50 years, the state’s second-oldest ski mountain has groomed generations of fearless — some might say foolhardy — Southern skiers.
WRITTEN BY EMMA LAPERRUQUE | PHOTOGRAPH BY CHARLES HARRIS
Van Eure runs the Angus Barn, where the chocolate chess pie recipe was developed by her mother and a waitress in the 1960s.
WRITTEN BY KATIE SAINTSING | PHOTOGRAPH BY C2 PHOTOGRAPHY
This Buncombe County community boasts a lively downtown rich in good food, cultural arts, and friendly faces. It’s a perfect destination for a day trip — but you may find yourself wanting to pull up a rocking chair and stay in this mountain town much longer.
WRITTEN BY JEREMY MARKOVICH | ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN S DYKES
To live in North Carolina is to live within our borders, but those boundaries are more than just lines on a map.
A cake first made in Depression-era kitchens using household staples now helps us savor the season, no green thumb necessary.
From woodsmoke to salt air, certain scents carry memory, tradition, and comfort across North Carolina.
Visit a renowned writer’s home, catch a show, and wander Little Rainbow Row with our springtime guide to Flat Rock.
Across the Carolina coast, silvery strands offer texture, shelter, and quiet wonder.
