Stepping into this store is like going back into the early 20th century. If you want to learn even more about the history, the community center has put together a walking tour that takes you past many of the city’s historical buildings, monuments, and cultural sites. It also hosts a wide variety of cultural events throughout the year. The Jones House Cultural & Community Centerīuilt in 1908 as a family home, the Jones House Cultural and Community Center now serves as a museum and art gallery featuring exhibits on the history of Boone. The gardens serve as a way to conserve the native flora while creating a laboratory where botanists can grow endangered plant species. The entrance to the gardens is marked by a stately wrought iron gate which is said to have been built by Daniel Bonne’s descendants. While you are there, you can visit the bog garden, fern garden, rhododendron garden, a tranquil vine-covered arbor, the rock wishing wall, or the Squire Boone log cabin which sits next to an idyllic pond. The three-acre gardens feature an extensive collection of rare native plants, trees, shrubs, and wildflowers with hundreds of plants blooming at any time of the year. The Daniel Boone Native Gardens lie just next to the Hickory Ridge History Museum. If you are planning on visiting during the spring or the late fall, it’s a good idea to double-check their schedule on their website before heading over. The museum is open seasonally and is generally closed from mid-November until April. They will also demonstrate how settlers completed important everyday tasks like spinning, weaving, candle dipping, basket weaving, blacksmithing, and tomahawk throwing (not sure how useful that skill was though). The museum is staffed with volunteers dressed in period costumes who are more than happy to tell you the history of the cabins. Throughout the expansive grounds, you can find six original cabins decorated with artifacts and historic furniture including the Tatum Cabin which dates back to the late 18th century, the Coffey House from the early 19th century, and a WPA cabin from the Great Depression.
The Hickory Ridge Living History Museum gives visitors the chance to see what life was like here in the 1700s as the United States was just beginning to form and is proud of its role in “Keeping Yesterday for Tomorrow.” The North Carolina mountains have been the stomping grounds of the Cherokee and early explorers like Daniel Boone and this history can still be felt throughout the area-if you know where to look. The market is an extremely popular event and you can sometimes watch chef demonstrations, listen to live music, or check out the kid’s mini-market while you’re there. The market is held from May to October and you can pick up local produce, freshly-baked bread, plants, dairy products, jams, organic honey, and local crafts. If you are lucky enough to be visiting on a Saturday morning, make sure to check out the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. Austin was the first actor to play Boone in the Horn in the West when it premiered in 1952. When you are exploring Boone, make sure not to miss Ned Austin’s Hollywood star on King Street.
King Street, the main street of Downtown Boone, is lined with locally-owned shops, restaurants, and bars that are popular with the resident student population and the town is home to Appalachian State University which gives this charming small town lively, youthful energy. Naturally, Daniel Boone makes an appearance!Įven if you aren’t in the area during the town celebration, there are plenty of things to do in Boone, NC throughout the year. This outdoor dramatization of historical events brings the story of the British settlement of the area to life. The town celebrates him and his incredible journey with the annual production of the Horn in the West.
Boone gets its name from the famous explorer Daniel Boone, as it’s believed that he camped within the area that would become the city limits. While the town is famous for its university and stunning surroundings, it also has an interesting history.