Meet Maybelline, haunting Cherry Street since 1913. Photo here taken in 1936
Black Mountain is a sleepy little mountain town, located just 12 miles of East Asheville. Established in 1812 as the town of Grey Eagle, it was nicknamed "The Dark City" by the early settlers. Home to Dr. Billy Graham (in Montreat), the town is known as a spiritual and healing place. Surrounded by eight Christian conferences, many operated as Tuberculosis sanitoriums at the turn of the 19 th century. By day, Black Mountain's quaint downtown streets are filled with rocking chairs, local artisan & crafter boutiques, antiques, good books and delicious local cuisine. Live music by local musicians is heard pouring out into the evening air from several historic pubs. And then, just a little after sunset…a regular cast of ghostly characters spill into the streets, begging to tell us their stories of disease, war, heartbreak and railroad history that literally causes this little town to "ROCK" with spiritual energy... such as early settlers, Native Americans, slaves and a white german shepherd that died in 1948.
You will also learn the answer to these haunting questions...
- What is legend and what is truth about the mysterious Seven Sisters Mountain range that looms just to north of town and how it is connected to infamous Brown Mountain Lights?
- Why will you shed a tear when you hear the story of Harley, the gentle spirit that haunted Marti's Quilt Shop on Sutton Avenue?
- Is the "Lady in Red" of the Gladstone Inn (mentioned in 8 different oral histories recorded for UNCA) the same redheaded spirit that haunts a well-known pub on Cherry Street?
- Which building was a sanitorium that still contains the spirit of a young woman that waits for her family to come back for?
As scary as all these stories sound, we are proud to say that our tour remains FAMILY FRIENDLY, with stories suitable for a PG-13 mature youth.
INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: Learn to douse behind the old McCoy building, in an actual Potter's field! Hear the account of the young spirit who STILL RESIDES in this building.
We meet at the park bench located on the sidewalk just outside of the Dark City Deli on Cherry Street, in downtown Black Mountain. Cherry Street is located just off of State Street (Main through street), in the heart of the downtown district. GPS: 122 Cherry St, Black Mountain, NC 28711. Google Directions
