www.madisoncounty-nc.com	Fall 2003

This Wondrous Place We Call Home by Pete Orthmann, talented photographer living between Marshall and Mars Hill in Petersburg. Today I went searching for a patch of white birches my landlord told me about. I followed a road until the end. Mmmm, Well, there was a fellow a little older than me on an ATV. I asked about the birches. After discussing his life history, the surrounding hills, his view of the national economy (and about 20 minutes later) determining that there were no such trees there I left. I followed some other roads in search of a good photo. I remembered that a lady friend had asked me to stop by. Not knowing exactly where she lived, I went up a very long driveway. Turned around at the house at the end and was met by the owner. Again we chatted. This fellow was dressed in khaki trousers and the house was a delight to the eyes. He had seen my work and invited me to see his photography. OH MY, from his front deck was a panorama of 180 degrees. He pointed out what was where. Next, we moved to his back porch where there was another dramatic panorama. He showed me about 10 photos, tour of the house. Then walked me back to my truck. To those of you that don’t live here please know that there are few strangers here, rather just a friend you hadn’t met before. And if you have met before often the appropriate greeting is a hug. Seldom, gender specific. For my friends who live here, I offer this only as a reminder, just in case you might have had a less then perfect day. No doubt Madison County doesn’t offer probable financial wealth... but we definitely have real wealth for the soul. Submit your Madison County article, notice or cultural event to sbouyer@earthlink.net		“SENSE OF PLACE” What comes to mind when you think about Marshall, Mars Hill, Hot Springs or Madison County? What people, places and other things make up these images? Land-of-Sky Regional Council has put together a slide presentation that shows and describes many of the elements that make up our region’s “sense of place” and discusses the importance of these things to our economy, our quality of life and our future. Many things make up our sense of place and make us feel at home: the Blue Ridge Mountains; rivers, waterfalls and river valleys; farms and rural landscapes; our small, vibrant cities and towns; history and heritage; and arts and culture. The presentation is designed to be an introduction to group discussion about our sense of place and what can be done to preserve those things that make this place different from other places. The presentation was shown to the Madison County Chamber Board on November 4, and it was followed by a lot of discussion ranging from promoting the farmers markets to having more events like the arts event in Marshall to the issues surrounding a downtown historic district. The project is an initiative that came out of the Land-of-Sky Regional Council’s strategic plan, Regional Vision 2010. Land-of-Sky is trying to give this presentation to different groups around the region that represent a variety of urban, small town and rural residents, investors, development professionals and businesses. They hope that through these presentations and discussions that some new investment ideas and partnerships will be identified and developed, and that more people will be inspired to invest in and preserve our sense of place “assets.” Sense of place is important to our region - not only as something that makes us feel at home - but also as a key competitive advantage in a state whose economy is increasingly dominated by urban areas. Those urban areas are able to offer infrastructure, financial services, and other amenities more efficiently than the rural areas. But our region offers “sense of place” amenities to attract highly-skilled labor, entrepreneurs, and businesses. Although, cheap land and utilities once were the keys to attracting businesses – now quality of life and a strong sense of local identity and character are becoming much more important. Some examples of how important our natural and cultural assets are important to our economy: • Views of rural farmsteads and forested mountains draw more than 20 million visitors each year to the Blue Ridge Parkway and generate over $2 billion annually in tourism spending. (Blue Ridge News, Summer 2002, Vol. 2, pg. 7) • Close to ten percent of our region’s jobs are in the travel and tourism industry. (NC Dept. of Commerce: www.nccommerce.com/tourism/econ) • This region is a significant source of medicinal plants. At least seventy-five percent of the medicinal plants known to grow in the United States, grow in the mountains of Western North Carolina. (Blue Ridge Heritage and Cultural Partnership report, Handmade in America, 1999, pg. 54) • Agriculture is the number one industry in North Carolina, accounting for 22% of the state’s income and over 20% of the work force. • North Carolina is the nation’s fourth-largest producer of crafts, and Western North Carolina is home to around 5,000 artisans. As our region draws more growth and development, maintaining our sense of place becomes both more important and more difficult. Our challenge is to find ways to preserve and maintain our sense of place assets, while accommodating and welcoming new development, businesses and people. If you would like to learn more about this project or would like to view the presentation or upcoming video version, please contact Linda Giltz at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, 828-251-6622, or via e-mail at lindag@landofsky.org

	Festivals & Events
	Mars Hill College 2004 Calendar of Cultural Events Feb. 7 Choral Festival Feb. 17 Peking Acrobats (Lyceum Series Event) Mar. 24 Vienna Choir Boys (Lyceum Series Event) Feb. 26-29 The Crucible (Student Theatre) Apr. 15-18 The Pirates of Penzance (Student Theatre) Apr. 23-25 Bailey Mountain Cloggers Concert Jun. 6-12 Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week Oct. 2 B. L. Lunsford (Folk) Festival, Madison Co. Heritage Day Ballad & Story Swap Dec. 2-3 Christmas Concert Call 689-1307 or check online calendar at www.mhc.edu/calendar for more information!

	Madison County Chamber of Commerce - PO Box 1085, Mars Hill, NC 28754 - (828) 680-9031
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