Back by popular demand, The Polk County Historical Association is sponsoring another White Oak Mountain Tour, to be held May 21, 2022. Tickets may be purchased now at The Historical Museum, Tuesday & Thursday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Then on Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Tickets are $50.00 per ticket must be paid for by cash or check, no plastic. Tickets will remain on sale until we have sold all seats on all 4 vans. You must come to the museum to buy a ticket or tickets, sorry can’t take reservations by phone. We will have a van that will transport those people who have difficulty walking for long distances or difficulty getting in & out of vans. We don’t encourage folks who have major handicaps to take this tour as there will be a good bit of walking on un level grounds. We will meet at the museum Saturday, May 21 at 9:00 am & hope to be on our way by 9:30, with plans to end the tour & be back at the museum around 4:00 pm. Please bring your own sandwich & we will furnish water & cookies. Wear comfortable shoes & dress according to the weather. It usually is 8 to 10 degrees cooler on the mountain, but warms up as the day goes on. In case of heavy steady rain, the tour will be called off & a decision will be made at that time as to how to proceed.
Four vans with guides will be leaving the museum at 9:30, going straight to the White Oak Mountain entrance & traveling up the mountain, passing & pausing briefly at the Shunkawauken Falls. On up to the brow, to enjoy those views, then on to the Narrows, to view the remains of the vacation home of Florrie Adams, & her dear friend, Grace Coolidge, wife of President Calvin Coolidge, who was a guest there many times. Susan Story Speight, author of White Oak Mountain, North Carolina, will be waiting to greet us & start our historical tour with her vast knowledge of White Oak Mountain. After enjoying the views there, we will travel down to the White House, which is now yellow & the oldest house on the mountain, circa 1890, After touring the main house & guest house, we will go across the road to the pavilion for lunch & bathroom break. Susan will give remarks there & the good news is we have been invited to come tour she & her husband, Charlie’s home & also the sight of the old Skyuka Hotel. After leaving the pavilion, we will travel to Slick Rock, which was so popular on our last tour. The home was built around a chimney & is known as the The House That Otto Built. More information will be given on sight. Leaving there, we will stop in the area of Sunset Rock & Shaky Rock, the views are just spectacular from either rock. There is a story to be told here, & it will be told.
Leaving there, we will travel down the mountain to Susan & Charlie’s home for a visit & a tour of their home, then go across the road to the site of the Old Skyuka Hotel. After expressing our many thanks to Susan & Charlie, we will bid them a good day & head for home (the museum).
If you have any questions you may call the Historical Museum (828) 894 3351, or Frances McCain (828) 551 3706.
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Pat McCool