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"Handmade in America" and "Homegrown Handmade"

HandMade in America

HandMade in America, based in the Blue Ridge Mountains, was the first initiative of this kind. The premise of the grassroots project was based not on luring industry to the area, but on an industry already available: arts and crafts.

HandMade in America aimed to revitalize mountain culture by promoting the craftspeople working in studios, galleries and shops in small towns and on winding roads. As this project began to take shape, other industries were incorporated, including local agriculture and lodging. Combining agriculture with arts and crafts was relatively simple. As it turned out, some of the local farmers were also craftspeople and vice versa, said Carole Summers with HandMade in America.

In 1996, HandMade in America published a trail guide called “The Craft Heritage Trails of Western North Carolina.” The guidebook is a journey through more than 1,000 miles of mountain roads from Murphy to the top of Mt. Mitchell. It includes studios, galleries, inns and historic sites and has sold more than 40,000 copies. With an increased interest in farming and agriculture, HandMade later produced another trail guide entitled “Farms, Gardens and Countryside Trails.” This guidebook features gardens, orchards, vineyards, farms, walking trails and farmer’s markets, as well as natural attractions and heritage sites. Each travel guide fits easily into the glove box of a car and is arranged so that each tour “loops” back to or near where you started.

Since its inception, HandMade in America has been recognized as a model for local tourism promotion and recruited by other regions throughout the country to help with community revitalization. For more information on HandMade in America, visit www.handmadeinamerica.org or call (828) 252-0121. The guidebooks are $19.95 each and can be ordered by calling (800) 331-4154.

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