Iva Marie Gutowski

08/17/2025

08/09/2025

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. Such a beautiful place full of so many memories for so many different people. Please don't forget Appalachia.

Important Notice - Lake Lure Flowering Bridge: It is with deep regret that the Town of Lake Lure, NC announces that the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge must be taken down due to the significant structural impacts from last September 2024. The historic structure sustained severe damage during Tropical Storm Helene. After thorough assessments by two independent engineering firms, it was determined that the bridge is beyond repair and cannot be restored.

Following a competitive bid process, the Town has awarded the contract for removing the bridge to Mitch Contracting. This process will likely take several weeks, but the project will begin on August 18, 2025.

* For everyone's safety, it is crucial that the public avoid the demolition site at all times.

* This includes the area on the east side of the Bridge as well as the area on the West Side, near the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge Education Center.

* Please respect all posted signage and barriers.

The Town of Lake Lure recognizes the historical significance of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, and we remain mindful of what it has meant to our community and to the countless visitors who have come to tour it. We can never thank the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge volunteers enough for their dedication and commitment to beautifying the Bridge and the Town of Lake Lure over the years. For over a decade, they worked tirelessly to create a gateway to somewhere beautiful!

Thank you for your understanding and continued support during this difficult transition. You may read about the history of the beloved Lake Lure Flowering Bridge at the following link: https://www.townoflakelure.com/community/page/history-lake-lure-flowering-bridge

08/07/2025

Please share and help get the word out. This is in what I claim as my second hometown. Both of my hometowns are right where Hurricane Helene hit in Western NC. Since then we've had more flooding, (never even mentioned in the news), from other storms, insane fires, this the other day, then more flooding. This old house was ALWAYS so beautiful coming right into town. I even remember always looking for it out the window as a kid as we drove by. It has amazing local history as do the people who originally lived there.

07/20/2025

The ghost town of Lost Cove, hidden deep in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, is one of the most legendary abandoned communities in the Appalachian region. Likely founded during the Civil War era—though some say settlers from a Daniel Boone expedition arrived even earlier...Lost Cove thrived as a remote agricultural town before booming in the early 1900s with logging and railroad jobs. Its isolation above the Nolichucky River made it a prime spot for moonshining, as revenuers struggled to reach it. As the timber ran out and the railroad shifted routes, the town slowly faded. By 1957, the last residents had left. Today, you can hike the Lost Cove Trail to see the crumbling cabins, chimneys, cemetery, and scattered relics left behind.

03/19/2025

March 18, 2025 - Black Mountain outdoor concert venue Silverados announced, March 17, it would be closing its music park and continuing to operate its indoor bar

01/20/2025

The Beaucatcher Tunnel in Asheville, North Carolina, is not only an impressive engineering achievement but also a place steeped in local legend and mystery. Completed in 1929, the tunnel was built to connect Asheville’s downtown to its eastern side, cutting through Beaucatcher Mountain. Construction, which began in 1927, was fraught with challenges, including a partial collapse in 1928. Despite these setbacks, the tunnel opened just weeks before the onset of the Great Depression.

What makes the Beaucatcher Tunnel even more fascinating is its location beneath Zealandia, a historic estate surrounded by its own ghostly lore, including the nearby Zealandia (or Helen’s) Bridge — See recent post. The area around Zealandia is said to be haunted, with tales of a restless spirit and tragic events. Some believe the tunnel, passing beneath these eerie grounds, carries an unsettling energy. During construction, workers reported strange occurrences—tools mysteriously disappearing, unexplained noises, and shadowy figures. This has caused some to believe that the mountain itself is cursed.

While visiting Helen’s Bridge in Asheville, be sure to drive through this important part of Asheville‘s infrastructure and see if you experience anything unusual. 👻

10/27/2024

Click the PDF Attachment at the end for the full update. McDowell County Shelters Complete Successful Mission, Offering Hope and Support for Displaced Residents McDowell County Emergency ...

10/08/2024

I'm trying to make a list of stuff for an Amazon wishlist for the area. I wanted to concentrate on stuff like medication, needed medical supplies that can be ordered off of Amazon, supplies that could be useful like camping style items. Does anyone have any updates lists or just throw in any ideas/suggestions.

Thank you!!

10/03/2024

How did Mountain Ridge Wellness Center hold up? I have people asking me about them now who are desperate for any information.

Did they lose power? Do they have generators for patients on Oxygen? Did everyone make it ok?