Welcomes Galore

About three miles from our campground is the town of Black Mountain, NC, and on the western edge of the town is the historic Monte Vista Hotel.

"The completion of a railroad connection in the late-nineteenth century brought tourists to the Black Mountain area, including Mount Mitchell and the surrounding mountains. In 1919, Lucien and Rosalie Phillips opened the Monte Vista Hotel in a former school building. In 1937, during the height of the Depression the Phillips borrowed $70,000 to construct the modern brick building that is the Monte Vista today.

The street lamp and canopied entrance of the Colonial Revival style hotel appeared quite inviting to us travelers.

Entering the lobby presented a picture of a time when several functions--registering for a room, relaxing by a fire, and enjoying a meal--occurred in a small space.

"By the mid 1900s, tourism patterns began to change, but the Monte Vista maintained its comfortable homelike atmosphere and remained a favorite spot for family get-togethers, weddings, and the ever-popular Sunday Brunch.

"Lucian and Rosalie’s son Bill Phillips, along with his wife Marilyn, continued to run the hotel through the 1980s. Rosalie Phillips, granddaughter of the original owner, continued the comfortable, homelike atmosphere until 2009. In 2010 Barney Fitzpatrick and Sue Conlon purchased the hotel and undertook a renovation that was completed the following year" (themontevistahotel.net/#!about/c15v1).

Throughout the town's history, the Monte Vista has played a central role in the town's life--a welcome to tourists and a meeting place for the locals.

The lobby featured several works by area artists. I'm not sure if this cabinet was for sale or not, but it was curiously interesting.

We drove the short distance into town and found this old truck near our parking spot.

The welcome we experienced at the Monte Vista continued as we continued our walk

and our rest as we visited some of the towns shops.

We ended this short walk around town in front of a restaurant.