The need for cleaner and better streets (most streets then were simply dirt tracks) led to the paving of the town's streets and highways. Walter Alexander, a prominent local resident, touted the clean air and healthy environment of Blowing Rock; in 1922 he opened his own hotel, called Mayview Manor. Eventually there were more visitors than the existing boarding houses could handle, and so many homes were turned into hotels. The Blowing Rocket newspaper covers Blowing Rock. 3.0 square miles (7.7 km2) of the area is land, and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 1.49% of the total area, is water.[5]. . 921 Main... For 55 years, Art in the Park has graced a monthly Saturday from May through October in North Carolina’s Prettiest Small Town. 16.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them. US 221 leads southwest 18 miles (29 km) to Linville and 53 miles (85 km) to Marion. The introduction of the automobile and improved roads early in the 20th century further eased the journey to Blowing Rock, and visitors began to arrive from as far away as Florida. View all Current Exhibitions - MISSION - BRAHM provides cultural enrichment to the High Country communities by promoting the Arts and Southern Appalachian heritage & history through educational programs, exhibitions, activities, and permanent collections. Visitors to Tweetsie can ride the train for 3 miles (5 km) and enjoy the mountain scenery; the park also contains traditional amusement-park rides and attractions. Another tourist attraction in Blowing Rock is the Tweetsie Railroad theme park, which is home to the only operational narrow-gauge railroad in North Carolina. The Green Park Hotel opened in 1891,[6] followed eight years later by the Blowing Rock Hotel. Before 1752, when Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg of the Moravian Church visited the Blowing Rock, the windy cliffs of the area were home to the Cherokee and the Catawba Native American tribes. These trails wind for miles, and were once carriage trails for the Cone family. Springtime and Autumn in Blowing Rock are both cool and generally pleasant. After the Civil War many of these veterans would join their families and remain in the Blowing Rock area. Males had a median income of $45,417 compared to $27,361 for females. Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blowing_Rock,_North_Carolina&oldid=1003733144, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2018, Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain are all common in the winter months. The Caldwell County portion of Blowing Rock is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Watauga County portion is part of the Boone Micropolitan Statistical Area. Check out the limited-edition Mistletoe Blend. The average household size was 2.03 persons and the average family size was 2.59. The town of Blowing Rock takes its name from an unusual rock formation which juts over 1,500 feet (460 m) above the Johns River gorge. The winter brings enough snow to the nearby Blue Ridge Mountain peaks that it is possible to ski the south, staying over at one of Blowing Rocks charming B&Bs. The building’s impressive exterior is highlighted by lush landscaping. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.4 males. Camp Coffee Roasters kicks off the 25 Days of Holiday Shopping Gift Guide! Put on a pair of comfy shoes and clean out your car trunk because Blowing Rock is one of North Carolina's premier shopping destinations! Inspired by Blowing Rock’s past, the restaurant is located in a historical building built by the stonemasons who worked on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Church is open only during the summer months. The town is located on the crest of the Blue Ridge. Daytime highs can frequently fall into the 20s or lower. The median age was 51 years. Tweetsie Railroad operates a variety of narrow-gauge railroad equipment, including East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad Locomotive No.