Chamber banquet celebrates century of local commerce
Swannanoa Valley’s oldest businesses take center stage at annual gathering
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
December 8, 2022
Eleven representatives of the 14 businesses and organizations recognized, Dec. 6, by the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce for 100 or more years of service in the community, gather in Montreat’s Assembly Inn. The Chamber will celebrate its 100th anniversary in January. Photo by Fred McCormick
The arrival of the railroad, and the scores of visitors it carried up the Swannanoa Gap into the mountains, ushered a new era of commerce into the Swannanoa Valley in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The dusty streets transformed to bustling boulevards, as businesses and vital community organizations formed to meet the demands of the growing population.
Those decades proved to be the formative years of the thriving local economy that exists today, which was cause for celebration, Dec. 6, as the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce Annual Christmas Banquet recognized more than a dozen local institutions that have served the community for over 100 years.
The gathering, which featured a performance by country artist and Swannanoa native Ryan Perry, who released his single, “My Hometown,” earlier this year, was held in the Montreat Conference Center’s Assembly Inn. The conference center, which was formed in 1897 and has served as a longtime host of the banquet, was among the organizations recognized during the event.
Swannanoa native and Owen High School alumni Ryan Perry performs at the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce Christmas Banquet in Assembly Inn. Photo by Fred McCormick
The oldest organizations, the Town of Black Mountain and the Black Mountain Police Department, both established in 1893, were represented by Town Manager Josh Harrold and Police Chief Steve Parker. Warren Wilson College, founded in Swannanoa as the Asheville Farm School in 1894, was the second-oldest institution recognized by the Chamber, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in January.
The honorees represent longevity and stability in the area, according to Chamber Executive Director Sharon Tabor.
“It’s very unique for a community this size to have so many businesses that have operated for this long,” Tabor said during the banquet. “There’s a lot of pride in this community, and that really leads to support for local businesses.”
Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sharon Tabor greets Town Councilmember Doug Hay, who serves as the town representative on the chamber’s board. Photo by Fred McCormick
The natural beauty and abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities made the Swannanoa Valley a popular location for conference centers near the turn of the 20th century, and the Chamber recognized three that remain in operation today. Ridgecrest, which opened in 1907, and the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, which began operating in 1911, were included with Montreat in the list of honorees.
“In our community, tourism has long been at the center of economic development, with the arts, hiking and our local businesses,” Tabor said. “The conference centers have been bringing people to town for a long time, and they have played a huge role in the economic health and viability of this community.”
Other businesses, like the Monte Vista Hotel, founded in a former school house 1919, have cultivated a long-lasting presence by hosting visitors, while community-oriented services provided by Black Mountain Savings Bank, which opened in 1908 and is the oldest such institution in Western N.C., and Black Mountain Insurance & Realty, established in 1910, have kept the doors of both businesses open for more than 110 years.
The Black Mountain Home for Children (1904), Montreat College (1916), the Black Mountain Fire Department (1919) and the Black Mountain - Tyson Library, which celebrated its 100th anniversary this year, rounded out the list of organizations recognized during the banquet. Tabor discovered two additional organizations that have been serving the Valley for over a century during the event.
“Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care has been serving the Valley since the 1800s and the S.C. Inn, right here in Montreat, opened in 1912,” she said. “We plan on recognizing these businesses, and any others we find that have been operating for over a century, later this year.”
The banquet, which included an “ugly Christmas sweater” contest, was sponsored by nearly a dozen businesses. Chamber Board of Directors Chair Jason Burk hosted the event, recognizing fellow board members, volunteers, elected leaders and town staff.
“I really want to thank our director, Sharon Tabor, who put this together tonight,” Burk said. “She does a great job with all of our events and the board truly appreciates her work. I also want to thank our volunteers for their important work.”
Tabor was assisted in organizing the banquet by the Chamber’s 100-year committee, which consists of five volunteers.
“We’ve met throughout the year to plan for the Chamber’s 100th anniversary next year, and this represents the kick off,” she said.
The nonprofit chamber of commerce was founded on Jan. 26, 1923, when it opened an office on Cherry Street. The organization, which supports the local economy through its promotion of the region, currently operates in the Visitor Center on East State Street. The location welcomed over 40,000 guests last year.
“We estimate that less than 20% of the people who visit the town come to the Visitor Center,” Tabor said. “The Buncombe County Tourism Development Association estimated a couple of years ago that 2 million people came to town, which is a healthy number. The support that tourism offers to our local business owners is so important to our local economy.”
The annual banquet, first held in 1959, celebrates the organization’s relationships with its partners and the community it serves.
“We have a great business community here, and this event tonight really highlights some of what makes this such a special place,” Tabor said. “The Chamber is grateful for the support of our partners, and we’re looking forward to celebrating our 100th year with them next year.”