Mountain Town Detour

Alleghany County Chamber of Commerce

Beneath the tumbling hills and dense forests of the Blue Ridge Parkway, quaint towns dot the valleys and peaks, some only found if one takes a detour. Now, as the Blue Ridge Parkway undergoes major restorations and repairs, parkway cruisers will have no choice but to reroute through those small, sometimes overlooked Appalachian towns.

The $98 million infrastructure project began May 1 with an estimated three-year timespan addressing multiple concerns — everything from drainage structures and guardrails to signage and overlooks. The affected 75-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway spans from milepost 229.6 north of Doughton Park, to milepost 305.1 near Grandfather Mountain.

Although a detour might seem like a nuisance to tourists and upcoming leaf-lookers, the opportunity to take the road less traveled invites one to explore two hidden gems with wonderful stories and Blue Ridge culture: West Jefferson and Sparta, each in territory served by Blue Ridge Energy.

West Jefferson

West Jefferson is a charming, quaint mountain town with a main road brimming with intriguing shops, art galleries, restaurants and breweries. In summer, adventurers come for a weekend of paddling down the New River or hiking within the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area. Fall, which locals say is their busiest season, sees an influx of “leaf lookers.”

Ashe County Cheese and its iconic cows.

Joan Stiles Bell works on an art piece at her gallery, Originals Only Gallery.

West Jefferson's Third Day of Christmas shop offers rolled ice cream.

Photos by Emory Rakestraw Boyd

The town itself is bookmarked by two main attractions: Ashe County Cheese and The Church of the Frescoes. Ashe County Cheese welcomes you with its iconic three-cow statue. A viewing room lets you see the cheesemaking process (check the calendar at ashecountycheese.com), while across the street, their old-timey gift shop has everything from rock candy to Ashe County cheese curds and wine varietals from local vineyards.

Throughout downtown, murals tell stories of the area. Kelly Vannoy, owner of Naked Creek Farmacy, commissioned “This One” on the side of her business, honoring “our people of the hills and hollers — the ones who’ve been here for a long time and are rooted in deep.” The mural was completed by local artist Whitney Stuart Landwehrmann with a video component (making it the only augmented reality public art in the state) by Lucas Pruitt. (watch the video below)

"St. Mary's Episcopal Church in West Jefferson

"The Lord's Supper" painting within the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Glendale Springs was created by North Carolina native Ben Long.

Photos by Emory Rakestraw Boyd

The Church of the Frescoes

The Church of the Frescoes actually denotes two churches: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Glendale Springs and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in West Jefferson. Both showcase frescoes by renowned artist Benjamin Long and are open to visitors, including an audio guide. Each church possesses its own sense of beauty that speaks to Long’s work within.

Holy Trinity, with its sunny interior and soaring wood beams, allows Long’s stately “The Lord’s Supper” (an interpretation of da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”), to captivate yet meld into its surroundings. At St. Mary’s, the dimly lit church feels perpetually at peace. Three frescoes by Long: “Mary Great with Child,” “John the Baptist,” and “The Mystery of Faith,” complement the stillness, asking one to sit and reflect.

Stories surround both churches. In 1974, after returning from his art apprenticeship in Italy, Long fatefully met Reverend Faulton Hodge, St. Mary’s priest at the time, at a get-together. Long — who was trying to get his art career going — asked Hodge if he could paint a fresco in the church. Hodge responded, “Sure, what’s a fresco?”

More mysterious tales add to the lore, like the face of Christ unintentionally outlined in “The Mystery of Faith,” or the crack beneath John the Baptist’s neck. (A result of seismic shifts or replastering, or a divine allusion to his beheading?) With nearly 50,000 visitors per year, the Church of the Frescoes is an enlightening and otherworldly experience.

Sparta

Sparta is nestled among the rolling hills of Alleghany County close to the Virginia border. You’ll know you’ve arrived when the sounds of the fiddle, banjo and clog dancing fill the air. One draw is exploring the abundant natural landscape with two nearby state parks: Stone Mountain, and Virginia’s Grayson Highlands State Park.

New River State Park in Sparta

The Alleghany Jubilee dance hall features live mountain music.

Folks love a good "Hillbilly Hoedown" at the Alleghany Jubillee.

Artists and crafters showcase wares at the Mountain Heritage Festival.

Photos courtesy of Alleghany County Chamber of Commerce.

Stone Mountain is known for its 600-foot towering dome of exposed granite alongside 20 miles of hiking trails, waterfalls and horseback riding trails. For those detoured, Stone Mountain offers trailer and RV sites for overnight camping, alongside traditional campsites.

Both Sparta and Alleghany County continuously embrace their heritage of mountain music. On Monday nights, Crouse House Pickers — an informal group of musicians — fill Crouse Park with traditional bluegrass and old-time mountain music. The Crouse House Pickers have been meeting for more than 25 years.

The historic Spartan Theatre, built in 1935, was renovated in 1993 to house the Alleghany Jubilee, a dance hall that’s open year-round with live mountain music on Tuesdays and Saturdays. “Flatfoot” dancers are welcome alongside clog and square dancers.

Held annually on the third weekend of September, the Mountain Heritage Festival brings artists and crafters to Main Street showcasing handmade, one-of-a-kind goods alongside regional musicians and food vendors.