Blue Ridge Country May/June 2023 - 5

FROM THE EDITOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Remembering Mr. Morton
GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN EXHIBIT
T
hirty-five years ago at just about this time, this magazine received
a wonderful boost toward the execution of its inaugural
issue, which would appear in the summer of 1988.
The issue's content-from writers including Su Clauson-WickKURT
RHEINHEIMER
er
and the late Elizabeth Hunter-was moving along just fine.
But what about a cover?
Into that worry stepped a man who by that time was already
among the Southern Appalachians' most accomplished
people. Hugh McCrae Morton (1921-2006) inherited North
Carolina's Grandfather Mountain in 1952, and proceeded to
put his visionary and conservation-driven mark not only on the
mountain, but also North Carolina and the nation. By 1988,
he'd long-since built the Mile High Swinging Bridge and was in
the midst of 50 years of photographing the mountain, and had
also published photos in all the major national magazines (beginning when he was
14), served as chair of numerous North Carolina organizations including the North
Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, had received the state's highest individual honor, had
been the photographer/producer of eight award-winning sports and nature films,
and accomplished much more across the realms of tourism, education, conservation
and civic undertakings.
All while having carried on a decade-plus battle with the National Park Service to
preclude the " high-road " route of the last section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a path
that would have compromised the beauty and ecosystem of Grandfather Mountain.
Which is where our big 1988 day comes in: Mr. Morton, as he was referred to
by even members of his family, agreed to let us run a photo of the solution to that
defeated " cut-and-fill " route of the parkway-The Linn Cove Viaduct, which had
opened in 1987 as the last piece of the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway.
A new signature mountain spot from a world-class photographer for our first
cover!
The best news today is that the world can view a vast collection of Mr. Morton's
photography beginning daily on May 15 at Grandfather Mountain.
The exhibition, which will run through Memorial Day, presents nearly 100 framed
photographs, including some of his most popular, along with dozens rarely seen. The
Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation will also contribute photos to the
exhibition, access to which is included in the price of admission. Special events and
guest speakers were yet to be announced as we went to press.
For more info: grandfathermountain.com/hugh-morton-photo-exhibit.
LETTERS
2 MASTHEAD VIEWS
Just curious: What was behind the
reformat of the title on the front
cover (March/April)? It looked
strange to me after all these years.
I actually thought I got a different
magazine in the mail until I saw the
inside. I am a long-time subscriber
and look forward to every issue.
-Billy Woods, Simpsonville, South Carolina
I was noticing the cover of my Blue
Ridge Country magazine a while ago
and thought, " Hmmm, that is a bit
of a dated font on that mast head.
They could really use an update. "
Then when I got the March/
April issue I laughed out loud! I
love the new choice of font and the
shorter cap height allows for a more
interesting banner across the top!
Also like that glyphs of the new font
are a bit thicker and all three words
are given the same " weight. "
Oh, and I like the one-word
change in the tagline as well.
Hopefully more people will notice-
and appreciate-the new look, and
not just those of us who have been
in graphic design for 25 years!
-Chuck Johnson, Cherry Log, Georgia
3,200-ACRE BEAUTY
I enjoy almost every article in Blue
Ridge Country, but a recent one
struck home: My wife and I have
been fortunate enough to visit
the " 3,200 Acres in Virginia " (Jan/
Feb) near Front Royal, as volunteers
helping with a research project
at the Smithsonian Conservation
Biology Institute. We traipsed
through the woods to dig holes with
the goal of (as I recall) live-trapping
small rodents for a population
study. It was a beautiful locale, and
I appreciated learning more about
its history.
I've been a BRC subscriber for
decades, and I have no plans to
stop. I may live in the suburbs of
D.C. now, but grew up in Roanoke,
Virginia, and return when I can.
-Kevin W. Parker, Greenbelt, Maryland
MARCH/APRIL 2023 5
MAY/JUNE
joe tennis
(Annual Festivals Guide) is a
contributing editor and an
award-winning features writer
for the Bristol Herald Courier. His
book, " Along Virginia's Route 58:
True Tales from Beach to Bluegrass, " includes
chapters on Mabry Mill, The Crooked Road,
Whitetop Mountain, Virginia Creeper Trail, Barter
Theatre and Cumberland Gap. To order, visit
arcadiapublishing.com.
lauren stepp
(Rhododendron) is a lifestyle
journalist from the rural North
Carolina community of Horse Shoe.
At 15, she was hired as a stringer for
a local newspaper. She hasn't stopped
writing since. Her work regularly appears in Blue
Ridge Outdoors, Smoky Mountain Living, The Laurel
of Asheville and many other publications.
Ginny Neil
(Train Ride, Singing in the Garden)
is a contributing editor who lives
with her husband on a farm in
the Appalachian Mountains. Her
work has appeared in Grit, Country
Magazine and elsewhere. She writes dramas
for the Christian drama service, Skit Guys, and
sends manuscripts off in the hopes of being a
published children's author someday. Follow her at
thesingingfarmwife.blogspot.com.
nancy henderson
(Creature Feature, Morris Profile)
is an award-winning journalist and
author who enjoys writing about
interesting people and places. Her
work has appeared in Smithsonian, The
New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Southern
Living and many other publications. An avid flower
gardener and nature enthusiast, she's written the
Creature Feature column for Blue Ridge Country
since 1998.
http://www.arcadiapublishing.com http://thesingingfarmwife.blogspot.com http://www.grandfathermountain.com/hugh-morton-photo-exhibit
Blue Ridge Country May/June 2023

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