Treasures of North Georgia
Folk art, gourmet food and an emerging wine-growing region in Georgia's Appalachian mountains was our pick for this year's fall weekend getaway.
By Shanta McGahey

Two hours from any sign of city lights and sounds, the earth heaves itself a few thousand feet above sea level, forming the beginning of the oldest and, as all Appalachian dwellers are wont to say, the most beautiful mountain range in the world. The North Georgia Mountains offer visitors entry into a slower world, where relaxing in peace and absorbing mountain culture are strongly encouraged.

Luxury Living on a Dirt Road

Coming back to Appalachia after living in the North Carolina mountains for four years, I feel a warm rush of familiarity as we climb further and further up Highway 76, into the luscious green landscape of the Blue Ridge.

Nearing our destination, Glen Ella Springs Inn, we are unable to find 'Old Historic 441,' the road that leads to the rustic bed and breakfast (not to be confused with 441 or Old 441). Stopping at an antiquated general store, we ask a man in an old beat-up Ford for directions. The man reveals that he not only knows of Glen Ella Springs Inn, he is one of the many who contributed to the renovation of the 129 year-old house. Displaying typical mountain charm, he suggests we follow behind him to the inn.

The road to Glen Ella Springs Inn turns to dirt about two miles before the inn, proving it to be a truly 'rustic getaway.' Originally constructed in 1875, it was the private residence of Glen and Ella Davidson. In 1890, they opened their large home to paying guests from Savannah and Charleston seeking a reprise from the summer heat or a look at brilliant fall foliage.

Current Glen Ella Innkeepers Bobby and Barrie Aycock reopened the inn, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, in 1987. The original stone fireplace dominates the foyer, or 'main lobby,' creating a warm and intimate setting. Bookshelves alongside the fireplace offer an array of classics, from Shakespeare to Lucy Maude Montgomery, inviting guests to curl up on the sofa with their favorite author. The staff is warm, friendly, and most importantly, fast and efficient. Bobby greets me at the front desk with a key to our second floor room.

Walking up the old wooden steps, my breath is taken away by the view. Below us, next to the pool, is Barrie’s exquisitely designed garden of knockout roses, lilacs, crepe myrtles, butterfly bushes, pansies and peonies, among several other species. In the center of the garden, an arched, laurel topiary grows, setting the perfect atmosphere for a wedding, or even a romantic moonlit encounter. Beyond the garden, 16 acres stretch from open fields to the woods beyond, where hiking trails await Glen Ella’s adventurous guests. The whitewashed rockers lining the balcony give visitors a cozy seat to enjoy this gorgeous view.

Our room is modestly furnished with heart-pine paneling, period antiques and locally crafted artwork. It offers all the usual amenities found in a modern hotel room (except the purposeful absence of a television), plus a hand-written welcome note from Barrie.

A Mountainous Feast

The country charm of Glen Ella Springs Inn is reflected in Chef Chris Bolton’s American Continental cuisine. Our first meal at the inn is a four-course dinner, beginning with grilled portobella mushrooms and marinated goat cheese with peppers, onions, olives and herbs, paired with French rounds. The appetizers are served on the patio overlooking Barrie’s fantastic garden, where we enjoy good conversation with the other guests and wines from local vineyards Tiger Mountain and Persimmon Creek. Tiger Mountain’s Viognier complements the goat cheese hors d’oeuvres perfectly with its bouquet of apricot, peach and honeysuckle.

For the remainder of the meal, we move into the rustic dining room for more gourmet fare—a Caprese salad with basil straight from Barrie’s herb garden. Glen Ella’s signature dish is Pecan Trout, my husband’s choice. Even though he didn’t catch this one himself, he is never one to pass up fresh mountain trout. Served with a mixed grain pilaf and steamed broccoli, the dish is minimally seasoned, allowing the filet’s flavor to speak for itself. My herb-crusted rack of New Zealand lamb with maple whipped sweet potatoes and buttered asparagus is beautifully presented. At a time when chefs are becoming more and more concerned with the art of food, rather than taste, Chef Bolton is refreshingly unpretentious. Dessert is a buffet of pound cake, heavy cream, fresh berries and chocolate, all garnished with edible violets from Barrie’s garden.

Folk Art

The next morning, following a hearty country breakfast prepared by Barrie herself, we embark on a trip to downtown Clayton and Clarkesville, where several galleries display works by local artists. Our first stop, Main Street Gallery, is owned by Jeanne Kronsnoble, who established the gallery as a venue for emerging artists in 1985. The storefront exhibition boasts three floors of folk art by self-taught artists and craftspersons. Says Kronsnoble, 'These artists start out with their own style...they are self-possessed.'

The original works include oils, acrylics, and three-dimensional works in collage and sculpture. Artist Dorothey Gorham, whose acrylics are displayed throughout the gallery, explains, 'I paint from my own visions of utopia.' Mary Proctor’s humorous but thought-provoking collages reflect her memories of her grandmother through the use of classic household products like Bounce and Comet.

North Georgia’s quintessential rustic home furnishings shop is Timpson Creek Gallery, where nature-inspired couches and coffee tables sit under antler chandeliers; oak canopy beds covered in handmade quilts are flanked by turn-of the-century antiques; and alcoves display eclectic clothing and country-western art.

The gallery’s uniqueness lies in the studio behind the store, where Dwayne Thompson creates custom furniture. His two-level, salt box-style studio reminds me of a massive treehouse from a children’s book. The bottom floor is reserved for storage and Thompson’s workshop is on the top floor. A circular staircase connecting the two levels winds around a stately oak tree and bright green shutters frame floor-to-ceiling windows on the second level. Inside, Thompson’s shop has every woodworking tool you could think of, and even some you couldn’t. In his ten-gallon cowboy hat, boots and Wrangler jeans, the mustached Thompson could be a character from another storybook. With a slight twang, he tells us he is 'living and working on about the same land my daddy, my daddy’s daddy, and... (you get the picture)...lived on.'

Thompson’s familial similarities end there. His ancestors ran a moonshine still, but early in his teens, Thompson found he had a knack for woodworking. Over the years he developed his personal style using kiln-dried salvaged wood. Birch bark inlays are commonly found on his furniture and the use of bronze and geometric patterns are surprising features of several pieces. Thompson also restores antiques, taking creative license to enhance them—a Victorian bedpost becomes an antlered chandelier, a shell of a chest is refurbished and handpainted with colorful vines and flowers. Now, thirty years since Thompson began, his work sells for anywhere from $1,200 to $20,000 and can be found in luxury log cabins from Colorado to Maine.

Fruit of the Vine

Many consider Georgian wines a new trend, but the state has a long history of wine cultivation. According to the Winegrowers Association of Georgia, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Cherokee and early settlers harvested Cynthiana (also known as Norton), a red grape native to the Southeast. In 1900, Georgia ranked sixth among grape growing states. The wine-growing tradition resurfaced in the 1980’s and in the last five years vineyard acreage has more than tripled, with the addition of seven new vineyards and four new wineries.

The Paul family established one of the newest vineyards, Three Sisters, in 1996. Situated on 184 acres between Dahlonega and Cleveland, the vineyard cultivates nine different grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cynthiana. Three Sisters’ winery is small and family-run, producing about 4000 cases annually. Doug Paul says he switched careers from radio broadcasting to winegrowing so that he could wear his overalls every day. Wine tasting with Paul bears little similarity to our trip to Napa Valley a few years back. The formality and, let’s be honest, snobbery, is just not there. According to him, 'wine should be enjoyable for everyone. There’s this stigma attached to wine that it should be formal, but it’s appropriate for all occasions... I can tell you of several wines that go great with pizza!'

Three Sisters Vineyards is the perfect last stop to our day. The winery embodies North Georgia’s cultural renaissance. Reflecting on this mountain community I am comforted, knowing that back at Glen Ella Springs Inn, a book, a glass of wine, and a rocking chair with my name on it are ready to rejuvenate me before tomorrow’s hike through Smithgall’s 5,600-acre Heritage Preserve.

Smithgall Woods

In the center of 5,600 acres of old-growth hardwoods lie five cottages built by Charles A. Smithgall Jr. for his wife and family. In 1994, Smithgall turned the cottages and land over to the state of Georgia and the area was immediately designated as a Heritage Preserve, the highest legal assurance possible that it will be used only in conjunction with strict preservation and conservation guidelines.

Today, The Lodge at Smithgall Woods hosts corporate retreats throughout the year, but is ideal for vacationers as well. It offers 14 luxury guestrooms, each with its own bath, in a decidedly 'mountain chic' style. Every cottage has a full kitchen, stocked with coffee and tea, sodas, bottled water and a few snacks to tide guests over between meals catered by Chef Mac Parks. Gourmet breakfasts and five-course, family-style dinners are served in the stately Smithgall Lodge and Parks will pack a picnic lunch for guests touring the area. He welcomes menu requests daily, though his choice of creations are superb, including several mountain trout dishes and an excellent pork tenderloin.

In between meals, twelve miles of trout streams, including Dukes Creek, rated by Trout Unlimited as 'one of the Top 100 Trout Streams in the U.S.,' keep anglers content. Three miles of hiking trails and eighteen miles of bicycle and walking paths allow guests to discover the hundreds of species in Smithgall Woods Preserve.

On-site nature guide Pete Griffin delights us with his humorous and knowledgeable tour of the conservation area. Griffin also teaches fly-fishing and plays the jaw harp, banjo and several other traditional Appalachian instruments for anyone who will listen. His stories alone would have been enough entertainment for the weekend.

The Lodge at Smithgall Woods is only fifteen minutes from the alpine village of Helen, Georgia, and other High Country attractions. However, the Heritage Preserve itself contains enough activities, that we recommend devoting an entire weekend to relaxing in the luxury of Smithgall Woods.

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Summer 2004, Vol.5, No.1