Montreat Minute – June 27, 2025

New Bear Signs to be Installed

It has been a challenging year with bears in Montreat this year. Incidents include three different bears gaining access inside people’s homes, several incidents of bears getting into automobiles (with one bear getting locked in and destroying the car’s interior), and untold incidents of bears getting into trash. Additionally, people have been getting alarmingly close to bears in Town.

As a result, Montreater Cathie Dodson suggested the Town install some bear warning signs. The signs are now being produced and will be installed next week. We hope the signs will make residents, and especially visitors, more aware of our bear population and the danger they can represent.

Please remember:

• Do not approach bears, and certainly do not feed them
• Secure your trash. If possible, do not put trash out until Monday mornings.
• Lock your doors- both house and vehicle, as bears have an uncanny ability to open doors

It is a blessing that we live in a location teeming with wildlife and having the opportunity to co-exist together.

Monte’s Weekly Adventures with Public Works

The Town’s Guinea Hen mascot, Monte, was busy this week. He helped Public Works specialist, Jarod McIntosh, do some weed-eating at the Town Hall. He also joined the PW team to do some hurricane remediation work on Assembly Circle, spread mulch along Assembly Drive next to the creek, and much more.

Monte gets tired easily, so he found a tree and took a nap. While napping, the Public Works team headed back to their shop, which meant Monte had to find his own way home. A friendly turtle was passing by and gave Monte a ride back to the Public Works building.

Thanks to the Volunteers Who Helped Beautify the Town Hall

A hearty group of volunteers braved the heat on Wednesday and Thursday to spread mulch, weed, and prune trees and bushes at the Town Hall. The devastation by Hurricane Helene left the Town Hall grounds looking pretty shabby.

Armed with rakes, clippers, work gloves, and plenty of water, ten volunteers performed some “magic” in bringing the Town Hall back to its previous beauty. Volunteers included George Sawyer, Elizabeth and Clay Hamilton, Meredith Green, Harry T Jones, Tom Frist, Bill Scheu, Mayor Helms, and Commissioners Alexander and Widmer. Many thanks to them for their efforts.

Gate Race Coming July 4^th

Get ready for the Montreat Annual Gate Race! The 5K race begins and ends, of course, at the Montreat gate. The mayor will start the race at 7:00 am, with the runners taking off on Assembly Drive up to West Virginia Terrace, connecting to North Carolina Terrace and Georgia Terrace, and returning to the gate finish line. The route will be clearly marked.

“We’re excited to have the Gate Race again this year”, stated race co-organizer Matt Ashley. “As usual, this is a ‘no-frills’ race- no medals, no t-shirts, no registration, no fees, no recognition. Just show up for good fellowship and fun.”

The Town is grateful to Matt and former Montreater, Kent Otto, for organizing this highly anticipated event. The race sees about 175 runners taking off at the early hour. It is a great way to kick off the 4^th of July holiday.

Other 4^th of July News

Several other 4^th of July news items include:

• As usual, Town offices will be closed on the 4^th.
• Trash pickup will not be affected, and will occur as expected on Monday, July 7^th. The Convenience Center will be open on the 4^th.
• There will be no Montreat Minute next Friday, although a Special Montreat Minute with a 4^th of July activity schedule will be sent mid-next week.

Convenience Center Reminders

The Center is for household trash and recycling, not other materials like above

The Town’s Convenience Center is a service available to all Montreat residents and guests to deposit household trash and recycle. Many residents don’t place their trash curbside but instead go directly to the Convenience Center. Montreater Bill Scheu regularly takes his trash and recycling to the Center because “it’s so convenient and I don’t have to worry about bears getting into it.” Renters are urged to use the Center to deposit their trash and recycling instead of leaving it in curbside cans for several days prior to pick-up.

But please note: the Convenience Center is for household trash and recycle only. Construction materials, household items, appliances, furniture and other similar items are not to be placed in or near the dumpsters. And although the Center is for Montreat users only, non-Montreaters have been seen using the facility. Fortunately, there are a number of surveillance cameras recording all activity 24/7, so staff are able to identify people misusing the facility.

Montreat Adult Summer Club Summer Speaker on July 9

The Montreat Adult Summer Club will host historian and author, David Fleming, on Wednesday, July 9^th in Upper Anderson Auditorium at 2:30 pm. David will speak about his research in uncovering the first true Declaration of Independence, often referred to as the Mecklenburg Declaration. Refreshments will follow the free presentation.

Did You Know?

Hotel workers and guests negotiating across Flat Creek after the 1916 flood

Did you swim in Lake Susan?  Go fishing there? Hop rocks along Flat Creek? Dam up crawdads in some of the smaller streams? See how far a paper boat would float? Many recreational activities in Montreat have always centered around water. And then came the day when the water turned destructive.

Flat Creek became a raging river during both the July 1916 and the September 2024 floods. “Will the dam hold?” was a question in the minds of many at both times. In 1916 the earthen portion of the dam gave way early on Sunday morning, creating what Robert McClure described as a “raging current” between Calvin Auditorium (situated on what is now Moore Field) and the bookstore, just at the foot of the dam. Near Lookout Road it created a whirlpool before continuing on, damaging bridges so that they either disappeared or became impassable. The Woman’s Conference was scheduled to begin that day, and some conferees had arrived the night before. As it so happened, all of the hotel cooks lived on the east side of Flat Creek and the dishwashers lived on the west side. Thus, the guests in Hotel Montreat (west side) ate improvised meals while those in the Alba Hotel (east side) washed the dishes so they could dine.  A log was soon felled across the creek, enabling employees to report for work. Shortly thereafter, a more sturdy foot bridge appeared.  In less than a week most utilities had been restored and the conference season continued.

In 2024, the dam held and operated exactly as it was designed to do. But the raging creek so seriously overflowed its banks that asphalt roads and bridges were swept away. Well-pumping equipment was knocked out of service and the high winds brought down trees on homes and power lines. More than one lineman remarked that they had never seen such a tangled mess. While this disaster occurred after the end of the conference season, Montreat had many more permanent residents and a more complex infrastructure than in 1916. Recovery would take much longer.

A common thread was the sense of community and cooperation that permeated Montreat at both times. People immediately donated funds to help with the cost of recovery. Residents in 1916 crafted ways to span the creek. In 2024 they grabbed their chain saws and joined town workers to open up roads. Dr. Robert Anderson’s words to the 1916 General Assembly could also describe Montreat in 2024: “…the adverse conditions seemed to bring all closer together and added greatly to the spiritual power” that permeates this place.

The Presbyterian Heritage Center currently has an exhibit on the 2024 flood and its aftermath, featuring a video showing the power of rising water. It is open Tuesday-Friday (10-4) and Saturday (12-4). 

Thanks to the Presbyterian Heritage Center, especially Nancy Midgette, for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for additional Montreat missionary history and so much more. Have an idea for a future “Did You Know?”? Let Nancy know at midgette@elon.edu.

Updates and Reminders

• There are only two spots left for the free CPR class on July 11. To register, write MPD Officer Justyn Whitson at jwhitson@townofmontreat.org.
• The Montreat Landcare Committee will not meet in July.
• Tickets for the Cottagers’ annual 4^th of July Barbeque are on sale at the Post Office from 9:00 am to noon thru Wednesday, July 2^nd (not Sunday).
• The Presbyterian Heritage Center continues to offer a weekly writing class: “Stories from the Storm” every Wednesday from 1;30-2:30 pm (please note change of start time) through July 23^rd at the PHC, 318 Georgia Terrace. CLICK HERE to register.
• Do you receive your own copy of the Montreat Minute or know someone who doesn’t? Sign up for the Sunshine List to receive the Montreat Minute and stay “in the know” about the Town’s happenings. CLICK HERE to sign up for the list!
• Do you receive Montreat Code Redalerts, an emergency communications system used a number of times during the hurricane and wildfires? To learn more about Code Red or to be added to the list, CLICK HERE.

Questions or Comments?

Do you have Town-related questions or comments to offer? If so, please send them to Angela Murphy at info@townofmontreat.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Have a great weekend!