Mountain Moved - Road Back Open

Crews worked through the weekend to reopen Highway 321 south of Blowing Rock, and by Monday morning a single lane under a pilot shuttle was in place and traffic resumed both north and south. By Tuesday morning, two weeks ahead of what some officials had predicted it would take to return traffic to normal with two lanes, it was heavy traffic as usual, with all lanes open to north and southbound motorists. DOT literally moved a mountain to make the highway safe for motorists. Closing traffic entirely from Green Park to Blackberry Road, blasting began on Friday and most of the day on Sunday was spent opening a route along an old abandoned overlook. By Monday crews had moved tons of dirt, rocks and trees and the original 321 road bed began to appear from all the rubble. Some residents and DOT workers believe foundation work on a new house planned on the south side of Gideon Ridge might have contributed to the slide. Private contractors were working high above the highway, drilling and setting steel footers for the new home. The work could have contributed to the unstable condition of the rock and dirt along the steep embankment and caused tons of it to fall on the highway on Wednesday December 6th. This slide was one of many over the years that have impacted traffic going up and down the mountain. Some have seen the highway itself fall into the valley, while on other occasions cliffside rocks, trees and earth have fallen across the highway. DOT’s new widening plans have been engineered to correct both the stability of the highway and the steep banks along the present corridor to and from Blowing Rock.

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Third Graders Join Patients And Residents At Hospital For Holiday Celebration

Students from Blowing Rock School’s third grade visited the residents and patients at the Blowing Rock Hospital and Extended Care Facility this past Tuesday. They shared Christmas thoughts and provided cheer through song to the residents, and during their visit Mrs. Clause (Judy Tolbert) showed up to help old Santa out. Special music was provided by Carla Estep (vocalist) and Asia Conner (violin). The students joined their host for refreshments following holiday activities on Tuesday. 
  

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Production Of The Denim King Is Looking Up At Hayes Art Center

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and their guests were treated to their first inspection of the Mariam and Robert Hayes Performing Arts Center, the performance space for Moses Cone: The Denim King, which opens the Blowing Rock Stage Company season on May 30, 2007. The Foundation commissioned this musical/drama depicting the life story of Moses and Bertha Cone at Flat Top Manor. The story is based on Phil Noblitt’s book, A Mansion in the Mountains.

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Parkway Is Back Open

Talk about the power of the press!
One day following the publication of a photograph showing the Blue Ridge Parkway’s “Road Closed” sign still in place months later than they had projected the road to be closed, the Park service reopened the road on Friday, the following day.

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Alert Now Is A New Automated Phone System That Will Call Parents On School Hour Changes

About The Rocket
The Blowing Rocket was first published in June 1932, a tabloid publication that was printed each week during the months of June, July and August. After the final week in August it was to put to bed until the following June.

Local Links Around Blowing Rock
The Blowing Rocket staff has compiled some local links to help you make some choices when you visit.