Don’t you just love cute little towns on those backroads of the U.S.?
Yep, me too! I grew up going up to NC so many times during my childhood and last weekend, I got the chance to go back to visit Angela’s beautiful Waynesville Cottage. A girl’s weekend. I took 2 of my single girlfriends and we meandered our way up to Waynesville on Friday afternoon. Took our time about getting there and stopped by Sylva on the way and boy, is it a cute little town.
We lazed in the hot tub that night, bubbling under the stars and talked and talked. It’s so fun to have girlfriends to talk to and get away with.
Come with me to the pretty little NC mountain town of Sylva. The courthouse immediately caught my eye as we drove into town. Just like Mayberry, Sylva has that cozy and quaint small town feel that we all love.
Stately sitting up on the hill.
Jackson County Courthouse
Christmas decorations were still up and how about all those trees on the lawn with red bows? CUTE!
Another pretty decorated tree at the bottom of the steps.
It was a beautiful blue sky day in Sylva and we walked down the sidewalks, peeking in the shops.
This pretty church steeple rose high above the trees nearby.
We checked out Vance Hardware in hopes of maybe finding one of those pretty HUGE Ball jars that Marc told me he found in Sylva. It was not meant to be and she told me they didn’t carry any, that maybe one of the hardware stores that had gone out of business did at one time. Oh well.
They did have this pretty crockery in the window.
Lodge iron skillets and cooking pots were plentiful at the hardware store. All good Southern staples in the kitchen.
B & B gifts and Interiors.
I just loved this shot of the chairs sitting outside the Sylva Barber shop. Can you see Andy, Floyd and Barney hanging out here trading stories? I know!!
Jackson’s General store was cute and quaint too.
With quilts and clothing.
Deer Head on the wall
Vera Bradley
Just like an old general store.
Complete with worn pine floors.
And lots of Southern-isms to be found.
We Southerners are proud of OUR South!
Don’t forget the Tervis tumblers. Do y’all have any Tervis in your cabinets? We love them down here! My sister and mom have plenty of them.
A used book store caught our attention too.
We browsed in there and picked up a few 25 cent magazines.
Finally, we stopped by Lulu’s Cafe for lunch.
I had a delish salmon salad that was really tasty.
There’s nothing like driving through the winding mountain roads in NC and taking your time getting to a destination. I love browsing and enjoying a small town so much, do you? I think growing up in a small town would be fun, but not sure that I could do it all the time. I like activities and action too much.
How about you? Did you grow up in a small town and if so, are you glad you did?
I know there must be plenty of positives about small town living.
I’ve got plenty more to share from our weekend in Waynesville. We hit Asheville on an all-day excursion and shopped several antiques and thriftstores along the way, so I’ll have lots more to show you.
My 2 friends found some slamming bargains at 2 of the thriftstores that I can’t wait to show you. We pondered all the way home how they could get back up there with a truck to get them hauled back to Atlanta. I have to find out if they figured it out this week.
Note: If you go on a girl’s weekend antiquing and thrifting, be sure and take a truck!
Mindy Curtis says
Hi there. I grew up on Lookout Mountain about half an hour from Chattanooga, TN. I grew up there in a very small community which I STILL love going back to. I then married a United Methodist Minister and moved to Belmont, NC — what at that time was a small town. It is growing now but still beautiful! We were then moved to Drexel, NC not too far from Hickory. After a couple of years, we moved to SYLVA, NC. I LOVE, love, love it here. I live one street over from Main Street and I hope the Lord sees fit to keep us here for a long, long time. I simply adore our little town. OH – and those chairs out in front of the Barber Shop {where my husband and son get hair cuts} !!! I just had my kids picture made and we got a great one of the 4 of them sitting in those chairs. I love this place and glad that you loved it,too! Oh, and I would also love to know what thrift shops you went to around here, in Waynesville or in Asheville. I am longing to make some good finds myself!
michelle starling says
I love this town and I’ve never been there. Small towns are great. I grew up in a small town in Ga., Colquitt, Ga. to be exact. The home of the Mayhaw festival. My husband grew up in Climax, Ga. The home of Swine Time, celebrating the pig. Thanks for sharing. Maybe I’ll take a trip to Sylva. I think we live fairly close to there, just across the mountains.
Dana says
What a charming town. Thanks for sharing. I especially like the pics from the general store.
domestiCate says
I’m lucky enough to live in a small town just down the road from Sylva. Sounds like you guys had fun. What I’d give for a girl’s trip!
Allyson says
What lovely pictures! It looks like a storybook. Thanks for sharing.
Allyson
http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com
Mrs. Jones from the Circus says
I love the “be sure to take a truck” comment. There’s a group of 4 of us that grew up together and now, we live all across our state (MO). We get together several times each year and show off our junk shops! My sister has a big Durango, last time we were at her house, we nearly had to call the boys to rescue us! However, with some strategic packing (2 girls in the back seat, piled high with table legs by their head, etc) we made it home.
Those trips are so so much fun!! Thanks for sharing yours.
kim/nannykim says
I enjoyed your pictures. I live in a small Southern town here in SC. There is something so enjoyable in the atmosphere of a small town—love the history behind the old buildings and sometimes you feel like you are going back in time. I love the barber shop picture!
Suzie says
Love your pics! I love small towns-have always lived in one- and Sylva is a beauty!
Christmas Decorating says
Small towns are so fun to wander around, especially when you see they still have their christmas decorations still up. 😉
Heather says
Hi, my name is Heather! Please email me when you can, I have a question about your blog!
Julie@gosimplysavvy says
Rhoda,
Lucky you! I went to college there and know the surrounding towns- including Cashiers, well.I love it and have wonderful memories. Did you stop in Dillsboro too? I travel to Asheville, one of my favorite cities, often but never make it the 40 mintues further west. It’s a short drive from ATL so I used to make the journey annually. Oh how I miss it.
Cindy says
What a sweet little town, that’s what I love about the South, I adore all of the small towns that you find when driving down any road, just about.
Hugs, Cindy
Melinda says
I also love Tervis Tumblers and we have a whole kitchen full of them! My mom actually works there so I sent her a link to your post!
Melinda
Barbara Carroll says
Rhoda,
My parents grew up in and around Sylva and it warms my heart to think of that special town. I never lived there, or anywhere in the South, but have visited several times. My last trip was about 5 years ago with my brother; we stayed at a B & B in Dillsboro and took side trips to Waynesville, Ashville and Highlands. My brother spent a lot of time researching genealogy in the libraries and cemeteries. Sadly, my parents and most of my relatives who lived there have passed away. But I still feel a connection and hope to visit again. Thanks for featuring Sylva.
Barbara
Pat@Back Porch Musings says
Loved this Rhoda!
Yes, I grew up in a small town and would not have had it any other way. Although I haven’t lived there in more than 50 years, I am still close to and keep in touch with old friends I grew up with there. I live just outside a small town now.
I’ve lived in Nashville, Shreveport, Dallas and other large towns. Even though I enjoyed living in the big towns I like the small towns best. I swear if we were to live anywhere in TN these days it would be Franklin.
In Missouri, if we were to go to a larger town, it might be Jeff City or Springfield. Larger than our town in NE Mo, but with a small town feel.
Maureen says
No one does stately court house like the US! I grew up in Northern Ontario, in the forest, with the nearest neighbour a mile away. That was great for nature loving me! Now, I live in a village 30 mins away from each of two cities and have the best of both worlds.
edie says
Have you ever been to Dillsboro? It is not far from Sylva, and worth the trip!
thistlewoodfarm says
You had me at the deer head. LOL! I had to stop watching “The Biggest Loser” to read about deer heads and Vera Bradley. Thanks for the glimpse of small town life. Fabulous!
Amy says
YES….I grew up in the middle of nowhere USA. We call it God’s Country and I wouldn’t trade it for a million bucks! We were just close enough to several small little towns that remind me of Sylva. I’ve raised my daughter in the big city, for which I am grateful in todays time, but I will always call home the little settlement in the valley called Nellie.
Denna Sherrill says
Hi Rhoda,
Just wanted to thank you for spotlighting my home town. I have always lived here and don’t plan on leaving. Jackson’s General Store is my sisters store and the deer heads that are being commented on, well my husband killed them. There is also a boars head, a coyote, bobcat, elk and a blue marlin in the store, also killed by my husband. I told him there was not enough room in our house for his trophy kills. LOL
If you look closely on the clothing side of the store we have displayed our Grandfathers and Grandmothers antiques. Two of the quilts you have pictured were ones handmade by my grandmothers. So glad you liked the store. Hope to meet you when you return to Sylva.
Rhoda says
HI,Denna, it tickles me so much that you found my blog & this is your sister’s store we visited! How cool is that? Thanks so much for filling in the blanks on this beautiful little town. It sounds such a great place to be from. You all are very blessed! PS I took a pic of the marlin fish too, but didn’t get it up!