Valle Crucis, North Carolina

Valle Crucis is an unincorporated community located in Watauga County, North Carolina. The name of the town is Latin for "Vale of the Cross," a reference to a valley in the area where three streams converge to form a shape similar to an archbishop's cross.

History

There was scattered settlement in the region in the 1840s when an Episcopal missionary, William West Skiles, came to the area. He founded the first Episcopal church in the region, "Easter Chapel", and lived in the area for the remainder of his life. While there, he founded the Valle Crucis Mission School, which has had several purposes throughout its history and currently serves as a conference and retreat center. Skiles also founded the first monastic order within the Episcopal Church in the United States. Holy Cross Episcopal Church, located in Valle Crucis, is a direct successor to Easter Chapel. The church building, c. 1926, is modeled on a now-defunct medieval monastery in Wales and is noteworthy for its architecture. Regular services are still held at the church. The region was a significant missionary area for the Episcopal Church in the nineteenth century. This brought some degree of outside influence and progress to an area that was otherwise isolated from the rest of the state and world.

During the past 25 years, Valle Crucis has transformed from a little-known rural community in western Watauga County to a popular destination for vacationers and new residents. The valley's scenic beauty and situation in the Blue Ridge Mountains have been major factors in the recent growth of Valle Crucis. Where crumbling buildings or open pastureland were once located in the 1970s, one can now find new and revitalized businesses catering to visitors, including beds and breakfasts and restaurants. The Mast General Store, located in the heart of the Valle Crucis community, is now a major stop for visitors to the area.

Information

Transportation to Valle Crucis is via State Road 194 and by county roads. There is no airport in the community, and no nearby passenger railroad depots. Valle Crucis is located at coord|36|12|33|N|81|46|43|W|. The community is located 227 air miles northeast of Atlanta and 532 air miles southwest of New York City. The land in the area is hilly to mountainous. Valle Crucis is approximately 2680 feet above sea level. At summer solstice, the length of day is 14 hours and 38 minutes.

Weather ranges from warm summer days and cool summer evenings to cold or even bitterly cold winter nights. Rainfall is moderate, averaging 43" per year. Severe storms are rare. Snowfall occurs in the winter with some accumulation to be expected several times between December and April. Snowpack is inconsistent. The area is also known for being one of the lowest and most quickly flooded in the region. The heart of Valle Crucis, including the bulk of the stores, the elementary school, and community park is a particularly low lying and flat in comparison to the mountainous terrain of the surrounding areas. Flooding is not an extremely rare event and can inhibit many functions of the town, such as the well known occasional flooding of the bridge on DeWitt Barnett Road, inhibiting access from that side of the town.

Attractions

Recreation in the area includes winter snow skiing, hiking, canoeing, and shopping.

The Valle Crucis community park is also a must for visitors and residents alike. The park hosts a variety of events (such as the circus) and is perhaps most well known for annual Relay For Life. The park boasts one of the highest rates of participation for the population it serves in the state. Characteristics of the park include a small lake and walking trail that was, a number of years ago, expanded from one loop measuring slightly over half a mile to a figure eight that amounts to near a mile. The park is continuously undergoing improvements.

The town is also host to a kindergarten through 8th grade elementary school that typically has an enrollment in the 400s.

One highlight of a trip to Valle Crucis is a visit to River and Earth Adventures, Inc. As the valley's only adventure guide service they cater to the typical Valle Crucis visitor. Guided wilderness adventures include: whitewater rafting, caving, canoeing, tubing, a paddling school, and hiking.

External links

* [http://www.vallecrucis.com/ Official Website of Valle Crucis, NC]
* [http://www.watauga.k12.nc.us/vc/ Official Website of Valle Crucis School, NC]
* [http://www.raftcavehike.com/ Official Adventure page for Valle Crucis, NC]