THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF
THE HISTORIC TOXAWAY FOUNDATION
SPRING 2023
IN THIS ISSUE
- A New Town Center at Longcliff Village
- What A Time: The Origin of Easter Traditions
- A Hint of Spring: Hummingbirds
- Updates from the Business Alliance
A NEW TOWN CENTER AT LONGCLIFF VILLAGE
Y ou’ve likely heard about the planned new development in Lake Toxaway called Longcliff Village (if you haven’t, there are several links to recent articles in our 2022 News Archive here).
The design of this 107-acre, mixed-use real estate development is based on a local area study commissioned by the Historic Toxaway Foundation in 2018. Survey respondents involved in the study expressed interest in a town center and village green where the wider community could congregate, featuring a broader range of year-round retail stores, services, and entertainment.
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Located on a tract of land off US Highway 64 near Lake Toxaway, the heart of Longcliff Village will feature a commercial district, a village green, and an amphitheater. This ‘town center’ will host a general store, grocery, deli, outdoor outfitters, restaurant, tap room, art and crafts, and other retail and office space.
The Business Alliance of Upper Transylvania (BAUT) produces a weekly digital Red Feather Guide, promoting events and member businesses in Upper Transylvania County. Check out the latest issue here!
The development will also include two exceptional hotels with associated restaurants. A 24-room boutique lodge and spa will sit along the Blue Ridge Escarpment, providing spectacular views of Gorges State Park and across South Carolina’s Lake Joccassee basin. Overlooking the village green and adjacent to the town center is the Village Inn, providing 40 guest rooms.
The village will also provide a mix of up to 160 single-family, condominium, and townhome residences for sale. Homes will respect the area’s mountain character and will be offered in a range of sizes, styles, and price points.
Perhaps the most distinctive and unique feature of Longcliff Village is the 44-acre conservation easement which runs through the middle of the property. Almost three miles of secure and well-maintained walking trails will provide a path through the native hardwood forest. The Historic Toxaway Foundation will be working with a professional trail builder to upgrade the current conservation easement trails for the educational and recreational benefit of the broader community and local non-profits.
WHAT A TIME: THE ORIGIN OF EASTER TRADITIONS
Did you know that many of our current Easter activities derive from ancient religious traditions?
Eggs, clearly symbolic of rebirth and new life, were often part of early celebrations around the joyful return of spring; decorated with dye, they were gifted to friends and family. Among those of faith, both the Easter and Passover stories tell of redemption. The practice of decorating eggs and giving them as gifts has also become an enduring (and endearing) part of commemorating Easter for many.
The Easter bunny (and in fact, the name Easter) likely originated from an ancient religious festival celebrating Eostre, a Norse goddess of fertility. German immigrants arriving in America in the 1700s brought the story of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase.” Children commonly made nests for the creature’s colored eggs. Eventually, this custom spread across the U.S. and began to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, with decorated baskets replacing nests.
Other customs such as new Easter clothes (especially Easter bonnets), as well as Easter parades, evolved out of American society members wishing to “see and be seen” after the social exclusion of the cold winter months.
April 9 is Easter this year — are you ready?
A HINT OF SPRING
It’s a little early for hummingbirds in our area—but the weather’s been uncharacteristically warm this year, so you may have already seen one or two.
In case you can’t wait, here’s a little sneak preview of a very spring-like sound. Enjoy!
UPDATES FROM THE BUSINESS ALLIANCE (BAUT)
The Business Alliance of Upper Transylvania (BAUT) has been busy with new plans for supporting our member businesses in 2023. Here’s a few updates:
BAUT membership continues to grow – we’re at nearly 110 members!
Membership is still FREE, thanks to underwriting by our parent, the Historic Toxaway Foundation. However, going forward, a business must be registered with BAUT to be featured in the Red Feather Guide and Business Alliance social media or to take advantage of reduced advertising rates with The Laurel Magazine.
If you’re a business located in the BAUT footprint (generally, Lake Toxaway, Sapphire, and Rosman plus surrounding areas) and not yet registered in the Business Alliance, check us out!
The Red Feather Guide will continue to be distributed digitally each Wednesday. However, the monthly print version is being discontinued.
Join the 1000+ subscribers who receive the Guide directly by completing the quick form on our homepage (right sidebar) or email info@bautc.org and provide your name and email address using the message header SUBSCRIBE.
NEW! A print Visitor’s Guide will be produced each season. This guide will be distributed to a revised number of high-traffic local establishments and it will feature businesses in these categories: Eat, Stay, Shop, Play.
The front cover of the Visitor Guide will prominently feature a QR code that routes directly to the current version of the digital weekly RFG where visitors can also learn of current events and see all BAUT business listings. Watch for it soon!
Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with us!
Please let us know if you have questions or comments about any of these stories, or about our foundation; and if you have stories and photos to share of local people, places, and events, please share them here, and you may see them in a future blog or newsletter, or on our social media channels.
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