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| Hendersonville |
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ichael and Barbara Murphy are originally from Syracuse, N.Y., but spent 33 years living first in Manhattan, and then in Greenwich, Connecticut. During that time, they filled many of their vacation days looking at real estate. It was fun to see what was available, and imagine “what if we lived here?”
“We looked at property from Maine all the way down the coast, as well as the Southwest, and from Arizona to Washington State,” explained Michael Murphy. “In 1997, I found a book,
The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America
by John Villani, and bought it as a small Christmas gift for my wife.”
The couple decided they wanted to see Asheville, mentioned in the book. “After looking around the area, we decided I should return and look south of Asheville, in Hendersonville. When I did, I had this sense of déjà vu until I realized that the topography of Southwestern North Carolina is similar to central New York, where we grew up.”
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he couple liked the fact that people are moving into North Carolina, and discovered nearby Hendersonville’s size was just right for them. They chose the community of Carriage Park because it was close to town (but seemed set apart), it was a year-round community, and it didn’t have a golf course with fees associated with that. “We decided that if we weren’t going to play a lot of golf, we’d rather take that money and spend it on artwork,” Mr. Murphy explained. He majored in painting in college, and was co-owner of an advertising agency until retirement.
The Murphys found the work of prominent regional artist, Will Henry Stevens, and purchased several pieces. They hired an architect, Armin Wessel, to design their home and they couldn’t be happier with the results.
“He maximized the views, and gave us the interior space and visual surprises that we really wanted,” Mr. Murphy explained. Now, the couple enjoys the creative atmosphere of Hendersonville with its beautiful mountain backdrop. “We made the right decision,” he said.
Anyone spending time in the area will become familiar with at least some of its unique attributes. Arguably the most famous is the Flat Rock Playhouse. Considered one of the 10 best seasonal theatres in the United States, Flat Rock is the state theatre of North Carolina, open from mid-April through mid-December. The Playhouse offers quality entertainment rarely found so far from Broadway. The Vagabond Players perform a variety of hits, featuring comedy, American classics, musicals, farces and whodunnits.
Carl Sandberg, the American poet and author, spent his last 22 years at Connemara, his estate in Flat Rock. Today, it is a National Historic Site which offers keen insights on this remarkable American. His collection of 10,000 books remains at the estate, and there is a barn, where Mrs. Sandburg raised her prize-winning goats.
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More recently, golfing legend Tom Fazio moved to town.
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Long before its current rush of popularity, the region was a magnet for coastal families seeking an escape from the summer heat. Their summer estates were magnificent examples of “proper” housing for those with money and connections to Charleston, South Carolina, and England. Now, those magnificent old homes are sprinkled among newer neighborhoods. And today, all ages are moving here, preferring to enjoy the good life before they reach retirement age.
Some of those new residents undoubtedly have happy childhood memories of learning to canoe, ride horses, and swim at one of the 23 summer camps that dot the mountains and valleys.
In recent years, business expansions have included UPM-Raflatac, a forestry company, and Continental Teves, producer of automobile and truck brakes. The local economy is supported by a balanced mix of manufacturing, retirement, tourism and agribusiness.
For a convivial atmosphere, Hannah Flanagan’s Pub offers some of the best hamburgers and potato salad around. Around the corner is a great sandwich shop called Three Chopt that features a variety of foods at lunchtime.
In addition to magnificent scenery and delicious dining, shopping includes everything from antiques to high-tech gadgets. The Henderson County Curb Market is a unique farmers’ market that requires sellers to be county residents. All items sold must be either handmade or locally grown. Many vendors are third and fourth generation, with ties stretching back to Hendersonville’s earliest days.
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Katherine O. Pettit has worked as a writer,
magazine editor, printer and public relations consultant. The Columbia resident has
published more than 250 articles in magazines and newspapers. Her writing explores a
variety of subjects including travel, lifestyles, business and management.
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