In the grand tradition of asking questions that sound simple but contain multitudes, one might stand upon the sparkling shore of Lake James, gaze nobly across the water, and inquire: Can you live here? The short answer is yes. The longer answer involves sunshine, mountain air, fishing stories that improve with every telling, and the…
Author: Bryan Jones
Who we are & what we do If you have found your way to this page, chances are you have heard whispers of Lake James. Perhaps a friend leaned across the table and said, in a dramatic tone usually reserved for fishing stories, “You simply must see it.” Or perhaps you were driving through the…
Marion NC sits where the foothills begin to rise and the stories begin to deepen. Officially established on March 14, 1844, when McDowell County commissioners selected the site at a crossroads, Marion was later formally sanctioned by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1845 as the county seat. Named for Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion,…
There are towns that whisper. There are towns that shout. And then there is Marion NC, which sits politely in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and says, “Y’all come on in,” while quietly dazzling you with mountain views, rich history, and biscuits roughly the size of sporting equipment. Welcome to Marion North Carolina,…
If civilization ever wobbles and needs rebuilding, we nominate Marion, North Carolina as headquarters. We begin with breakfast at Bruce’s Fabulous Foods, then expand outward fueled by biscuits, barbecue, and mountain hospitality. Marion NC may have just over 8,000 residents, but when it comes to food, this foothills town punches well above its weight. If…
The Caretaker at Black Forest on Lake James and the Art of Quiet Excellence Some communities announce themselves loudly. Black Forest on Lake James does not. It simply works. And much of that success can be traced to one steady presence. The caretaker. From the moment you enter Black Forest, there is a feeling that…