Modernity Silver

Tim Silver 121-162 Modernity Silver focused on the growth of this area and the decisions made for the future of the Black Mountains. He begins by discussing that the mountains were hideouts for “outliners” or deserters of the war. Their were hamlets of Union sympathizers, but no general from either side marched over the mountains. Darwin’s Origin of Species was published in 1859 and sparked the evolution craze that would peak in North Carolina with the discussions around the state about what to teach. (This was highlighted further in NC EXP). With the formation of the Appalachian Mountain Club, climbing the peaks of this area became a sport and this encouraged outdoor enthusesitits. The Northern Corporations began buying large chunks of the black for timber and began the deforestation and establishment of railroads in the mountains. This would continue to till the fight for the establishment of the State Park for Mt. Mitchell that would eventually be successful. Big Tom Wilson was an outdoorsman who brought notoriety to the woods through his guideing of northerners on hunting expeditions. His picture on 133 illustrates his mystic. The book does a good job of illustrating the problems and solutions of an era. It also helps to bring a lot of thoughts together in what was going on at certain times. Mobley 414-29 446-65 This first section in Mobley discussed with the architecture of the newly wealthy in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. The style used for most homes was Victorian. The RJ Reynolds house was a rather plain but large estate built by the tobacco tycoon in the “Bungalow” fashion that was named “Reynolda House”. The birth of the Suburbs grew during the turn of the century as people moved into planned communities. The second section in the book dealt with the mountains and the growth in vacationing in the mountains. The book first dealt with Sanitariums and how the rich such as EW Grove realized they could make more money if they brought rich tourists to the area. This worked and his Grove Park Inn was a success. After reading the chapter I drove over to the GPI to view the inside and was very impressed at how tastefully the hotel has changed over the years. The Large Biltmore is another landmark of the WNC region that I also visited a few weeks ago with my father. It is an amazing structure for someone to build in America who doesn’t have the lineage like the kings of Europe (but none the less tries to make it look like he does). The last part dealt with Asheville’s own Thomas Wolfe, providing pictures and quotes of his work. I have yet to visit it but hope to go while doing the urban trail. The temperance movement and Carrie Nation is pictured delivering her rhetoric. Wolfe’s view

of the south is in sharp contrast to what others thought but I agree with his logic. We have become a “nation of advertising men” “lost in America”. NC Experience 355-67/16:1,3,4 Failure of the Anti-evolutionists in the state of North Carolina is one controversy I am glad the book covered. It is fascinating that the scientists were able to win the argument against the religious side. This state would be as pointed out in the book one of the most “prime” states for anti-evolutionists but they were not able to succeed in the courts or state legislator. The most poignant part is that the arguments that were presented almost 80 years ago are still relevant and being argued over. Wake Forest’s Potent was one of the most vocal evolutionists and it was fascinating to read about how it was an endless dialogue between the Educated and the Clergy. To go up against religion is an upward fight. The fact that much of NC was still rural and God fearing citizens would make you think they would be inclined to vote against evolution.

Thoughts on visiting the Grove Park Inn April 17 2005 Today I visited the Grove Park Inn in Asheville. After sitting around all afternoon reading about the place and looking at the pictures I just jumped in the car. I was surprised by the size of the building(s) at first and expected something a bit less modern. The essence of the Grand hall when you walk in is very similar to the pictures in the book but it had been modernized extensively which I understood. Looking at the large fireplaces I found quotes for Thomas Jefferson, Chinese Proverbs and Thoreau and someone called Sampson. Of course the views were amazing with many terraced patios. The fireplaces were the biggest I believe I had ever seen. We immediately were smitten by the water and went down to the spa and got lost walking around. We went through the old original part of the hotel, viewing a lot of old memorabilia and seeing pictures of all the famous people that had stayed their. It was hard to find your way up to the original portion of the hotel but once we did we were greeted by an amazing atrium that looked amazing. It was filled with beautiful antique furniture. It was almost like walking in a museum that was still breathing and working. The house keepers were cleaning some of the rooms and we were able to peek into a few rooms, the ones we saw were small just for one bed as Grove had originally intended. The hotel seemed like a good execution of trying to keep the ways to the old hotel with the technology of the new. Obviously the new spa is a bit more than it was 100 years ago.