Montreat Minute for July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

4th of July in Montreat!

A black-and-white photo of a large group of people, including children and adults, sitting outdoors beside trees and tents, holding American flags and dressed in early 20th-century clothing.
Montreat 4th of July 1897
Schedule of 4th of July events in Montreat, including races, a flag ceremony, parade, picnic, ice cream social, games, silent auction, and concert. Background features an American flag and “Happy 4th of July” text.

Other Important Notes About July 4th

  • Please DO NOT place chairs or other items on the sidewalks prior to the parade to save viewing spots. Place your chairs on grass to reserve your favorite parade viewing location.
  • Town offices will be closed on July 4th. The trash Convenience Center will be open on the 4th.

Gate Race Coming July 4th

Stone gateway with two arches labeled “Montreat” stands over a road surrounded by green trees and mountains in the background on a sunny day.

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 4th of July holiday.

Convenience Center Reopened- But Watch Out for Bears!

Two large dumpsters—one blue and one gray—sit on a gravel area with wooden platforms and signs in front of them, surrounded by dense green trees and a small building in the background.

The Town trash Convenience Center has reopened after the dumpsters were emptied. The Center is open 24/7 for residents’ and guests’ convenience.

However, increased bear activity has occurred in the last few days. Please be careful when using the Center. The cause of the problem was due to the wooden door jams on the dumpsters not being put in place. A bear got into a dumpster and feasted, which means he will (and has) returned. Therefore: be careful and use the wooden door jams to lock the dumpsters.

Back Door Trash Service Schedule Revision

A round wooden door with a circular window is set in a light green house with stone walls. A black trash bin, blue recycling bag, and patio furniture sit on a stone walkway near the entrance.

The Town’s backdoor trash pickup will be moved to Tuesdays beginning July 8, 2025, continuing through September 2, 2025.

Back door trash pickup is an extra-cost service provided by the Town to pick up trash at or near cottagers’ back doors as opposed to curbside pickup. For more information, call 828/669-8002, ext. 1.

Don’t Miss Bulk Pickup on Tuesday, July 8th

Household items and furniture, including a mattress and gardening tools, are piled on a curb next to a residential street lined with garbage bags and trees. A speed limit sign shows 25 mph.

Remember to place your bulk Items/white goods curbside for pick up on Tuesday, July 8th. This free service is offered twice per year (now and in the fall) at no cost, except for a $15 per-item fee for mattresses, TVs, and computers.

Acceptable items include furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, carpet, toys, sports equipment, air conditioners, and water heaters. Please, no building materials.

Montreat Adult Summer Club Summer Speaker David Fleming on July 9th

A yellow banner with bold letters reads Montreat Adult Summer Club in black and green, with a jagged yellow sunburst design on the right side.

The Montreat Adult Summer Club will host historian and author, David Fleming, on Wednesday, July 9th in Upper Anderson Auditorium at 2:30 pm. Fleming, an ESPN award-winning senior writer, was curious about the “May 20, 1775” on the North Carolina flag, and he stumbled on quite a controversy.

After extensive global research, he became convinced the Mecklenburg Declaration (MecDec) of Independence was real and was signed on May 20, 1775, by over 25 mostly Scots-Irish Presbyterians who were highly respected patriots opposed to English domination. This was close to fourteen months before the Declaration of Independence was signed in July 1776. John Adams leveled plagiarism accusations at Thomas Jefferson for using the MecDec document language when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Many historians doubt that the MecDec happened, but on the Centennial of the MecDec signing, May 20, 1875, 40,000 people traveled to Charlotte/ Mecklenburg County to celebrate MecDec when Charlotte’s population was only about 6,000. Also, eleven US presidents acknowledged the authenticity of MecDec, along with such notables as David McCullough, Ken Burns, George Will, and Cokie Roberts.

Fleming’s book, Who’s Your Founding Father?, is both very entertaining and informative.

Come and hear Fleming and make up your own mind about this debate.

Updates and Reminders

A hand is writing the word REMINDERS in black marker, with a red underline, on a white background.
  • The Montreat Landcare Committee will not meet in July.
  • 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 23rd 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 and a fun and safe July 4th holiday

A blue Uncle Sam hat with red and white stripes, surrounded by blue stars and flanked by two waving American flags on each side.