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All Aboard!
The
Depot continues to add educational exhibits and presentations with 8,000 to 10,000 annual visitors coming through the door since the opening of the Depot to learn about the Saluda Grade and Saluda's history.
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Museum Open Hours
(Closed January & February)
Museum hours
are
Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30am to 5pm, and Sunday 1 to 4pm. Closed on Monday. Also, see our exhibits and events online at
saludahistoricdepot.com. After a Winter hiatus, we will reopen in March 2020.
The museum includes seasonal exhibits, Saluda Grade "Z-Scale" Diorama and "O-Scale" train dioramas of the different railroad eras in Saluda. There are also running videos of train that came up the Saluda Grade and a gift station. You will also see heritage artifacts and photo opportunities!
Admission is always free and voluntary donations are appreciated. Donations can be made by mailing to Saluda Historic Depot, PO Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or through Paypal at
SaludaHistoricDepot.com.
website.
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Saluda Hometown Christmas
Visit the Depot during Saluda Hometown Christmas December 13, 6-8pm
We invite everyone to visit the Depot from 6 to 8pm during Saluda Hometown Christmas. It's a special time in the Depot with refreshments, music, and a feeling of bygone Christmas' past.
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Saluda Train Tales
December 20 @ 7pm
"A Perry Como Christmas in Saluda"
Perry Como and wife Roselle spent many summers in Saluda at the vacation home they bought in 1980. He was welcomed without being overwhelmed by the low-key community. In his later years, Mr. Como lived in a private semiretirement with his wife Roselle, whom he met at a picnic when he was 16 and married in 1933. They divided their time between the North Carolina mountains (Saluda) and the Palm Beach County town of Jupiter where he played golf,
Anthony G Martin, Liberty Sphere posted in his blog on November 21, 2006 a brief encounter with Perry Como on a visit to Saluda just before Thanksgiving. Here are excerpts from that post.
"This brings me to the topic at hand. I am spending the holiday with family in Saluda, North Carolina, a tiny mountain town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina near Hendersonville. Saluda is a wonderful setting for both the Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday. The town itself is beautiful any time of year, but especially at Christmas with its elaborate downtown decorations. I have spent quite a bit of time here throughout my life, and it remains as one of my favorite holiday hideaways.
One of the more interesting aspects of the town, however, revolves around Perry Como, the late, great crooner. Como sold over 100 million albums for RCA records in his long and distinguished career. The Pennsylvania-born barber-turned singer lived in Jupiter, Florida for much of the year. But what many people did not know is that he also had a home in Saluda, North Carolina.
Perry believed that Saluda was the perfect place for a famous person to have peace and quiet, the perfect place to hide from the flashing cameras and reporters. And he was right. The townsfolk guarded Perry's privacy with a passion. And for that, the devout Roman Catholic crooner always held the residents in high esteem and kept them close to his heart.
Each day Como would walk from his home, which was hidden in the forest of one of the North Carolina peaks, to the local Saluda post office to retrieve his mail. Rather than staring or asking for autographs, the townspeople would do their normal 'tip of the hat' or a friendly 'good morning.' Beyond that, it was all small talk. He was one of them. And they didn't take kindly to strangers who sought to encroach on Como's privacy.
Eating at a local restaurant, Anthony recalled, "The restaurant was one of Como's favorites, and he could often be spotted with his wife at a table in the corner. I overheard a couple next to my table one evening ask the waitress if the man in the corner was Perry Como because, as she put it, 'I heard that he lived up in here somewhere.' The waitress, who was an honest soul, said merely, 'ma'am, we are not allowed to say, and even if it was Perry Como, he would not want his meal interrupted any more than you would.' They left him alone. When Perry and his wife got up to leave, he came by my table, and, without stopping said merely, 'Hiya, Martin.'
'Evenin' Perry,' I said. That couple at the next table turned to me and said, 'See there, I KNEW that was Perry Como!' I said, 'No, ma'am, that was just an old retired barber who lives in town.'
Ah, there's no place like home for the
holidays.
"
We invite you to join us on December 20 at 7pm to hear stories about Perry Como encounters by local natives and view a special video montage of Perry Como's Christmas songs produced by Bob Keeton.
Saluda Train Tales is a free monthly event to educate the community of the importance of Saluda's railroad history and the Saluda Grade. These events are at the Saluda Historic Depot, 32 W Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773. Doors open at 6:30. Presentation is 7pm to 8pm. The events are free and voluntary donations are appreciated.
The Polk County Community Foundation is an exclusive sponsor of Saluda Train Tales.
Donations and memberships to the Saluda Historic Depot enable us to receive incentive grant funds from the Polk County Community Foundation. Saluda Historic Depot is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
For more information, please contact Judy Ward at 828-674-5958 or
Photo of Perry Como in Saluda courtesy of Historic Saluda Committee.
Click here to see past Saluda Train Tales videos by Bob Keeton.
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Another Successful Saluda Historic Depot
2019 Annual Golf Tournament
SHD 4th Annual Golf Tournament was another huge success and raised funds for the operations of the Depot and museum that has become a destination for visitors and railroad enthusiasts.
Thank you to all of the golfers, volunteers, board members, foundations, and friends of the Depot for supporting this year's tournament! It was a very fun and successful day with perfect, cooler weather for an August day in western NC. A special thanks to the team who organized the event: Kay Garell, Judy Ward, Angela Nicholas, Anne Lee, Wendy Hamill, Nancy Pew, and Rhonda Corley. A huge thanks to Kenmure Country Club for hosting our annual event.
Thank you again for the part you played in this important fundraiser for the Depot.
Mark your 2020 calendar now and join us on October 12, 2020 at Kenmure when we will hold the 5th annual golf tournament.
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Corinne Gerwe and all of the players and members of the Saluda Historic Depot Theatre Troupe (SHDTT) are sincerely grateful to all of the playgoers, volunteers, Patrons, Sponsors, and Individual Contributors who expressly supported
"Abenezer Scrooge" A Ghostly Mountain Christmas Carol performed on November 30 at the Party Place & Event Center. The SHDTT would like to recognize the following for their financial support:
Patrons
Hilda Pace
Caroline Tindal
Platinum Sponsors
The Party Place & Event Center
Tarheel Paving
Saluda Outfitters
Heartwood Gallery
Don Mintz Builders
Gold Sponsors
Ransom Road Studios
Saluda Family Medicine/St.Lukes
Mountain River Tap & Growlers (Marathon)
Saluda Business Association
The Purple Onion
Beverly-Hanks Realtors
Green River BBQ
The Oaks B&B/Mewdlic's Tea
Thompson Store/Ward's Grill
Historic Saluda Committee/City of Saluda
Individual Contributors
Susan Johnson
Dad's Collectibles
Orchard Inn & Newman's Restaurant
The Dressing Room
Sassafras
Wildflour Bakery
Debi Thomas
Saluda Living in Place
Terry & Fred Baisden
Anita Ogden Moore
Al and Angela Nicholas
Bill and Arlene Klippel
Martin Anderson
Pam and Clark Thompson
Carolyn Ashburn
Saluda Center & The Thrifty Barn
Marie Hyder
Louisa Williams
River Dog Run
Special Thanks
We recognize these organizations and individuals who have contributed time and funding to support the Saluda Historic Depot Theatre Troupe
Heartwood Gallery-Sponsor of Sound Production by James Little of Touring Logistics Touring Company
Michelle Fleming--Lighting and Special Effects
Jim and Kathy Beyer--Theater renovation team
John Savage--Heads theater renovation team
Jennifer Bateman--Set Decorations and Painting
Saluda Community Singers Directed by Patricia Roskens.
Saluda Outfitters-Fundraiser events to support YAK.
Chad Blotner Photography-YAK kids photographs.
David Berry-Supporter and building project management of playhouse.
Richard Rutherford -Theatre Troup Supporter.
Saluda Senior Center - For generously providing space for rehearsals.
Terminex -For donating up to $1,000 of pest control services to the remodeling of the playhouse.
Lowes - Donated construction supplies for playhouse remodeling.
Work continues on the renovation of the Mountain Page Community Playhouse.
If you would like to participate in the completion of this
playhouse, donations are payable to the Saluda Historic Depot and mailed to PO Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773. Please note on the check "SHDTT." The Saluda Historic Depot is a 501(C)3 non-profit so donations are tax deductible for the 2019 tax year.
Theatrical Plays bring all citizens of the community together for a common reason. One of the primary benefits is to the adults and children of Saluda who are keen to be involved in the performing arts. SHDTT also provides a forum that would otherwise require members of the Saluda community to travel elsewhere for theatrical performances and take their children to nearby communities for involvement in theater productions, which is difficult for many parents. The plays benefit the people of Saluda and Polk County because they are family-centered events where citizens can gather to share a sense of community spirit and pride in their local youth and adult players.
We are most grateful to you for supporting this community program.
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Saluda Grade: North America's Steepest Railroad Video Premiered at the Depot
On September 6 at 7pm,
Drayton Blackgrove premiered h
is film, Saluda Grade: North America's Steepest Railroad. It's the first in a new series Blackgrove is calling Abandoned Railways. Since its release, the documentary has had over 200,000 views on YouTube. We invite you to visit
saludahistoricdepot.com/videos
to view the video.
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Groups Invited to Tour in 2020
We invite all groups, schools, and organizations to take a guided tour of the Depot.
We are inviting organizations to request a speaker from the Depot to present the "Saluda Grade" to its members. David O'Brien has prepared a presentation that can be between 25-45 minutes and only needs a projector or TV monitor to present.
To arrange for a guided tour or to request a speaker, please contact Judy Ward at 828-674- 9598 or email to
judyward538@yahoo.com
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Annual Membership Makes Great Gift!
2020 Annual Membership Makes
Great Christmas Gift
Give a gift that gives all year with a $25 membership to the Saluda Historic Depot.
Giving an annual membership to the Saluda Historic Depot not only is a great present but it is also a gift to this treasured landmark in Saluda. As a member, you will receive at 10% discount on gift items in the Depot.
Please send your $25 to the Saluda Historic Depot, PO Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773, memo "2020 Membership".
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To see Videos of Saluda Train Tales by Bob Keeton,
Click here
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MarketPlace
There are great gift ideas for your railroad fan at the Depot!
call and we can ship your order to you before Christmas.
Call 828-674-5958
to place orders and we will ship to you.
Assortment of Children's Gifts!
Including Saluda Train Bear and Racoon, sweat shirts, books, and unique gift items.
Train Letters to
Impress your child or grandchild with these new train letters at the Depot. When linked together they form his/her name. $5 a letter. Makes great birthdays gifts or save Christmas stocking!
New Train/Saluda decal pen-striped dish towels. $14
Saluda License Plate Vanity Tags. Let everyone know you are a "Saludian!" $20
Books, Prints, and More
NEW! 5 Volumes of Railroading in Western NC
by Gerald Ledford just published. Vol 1-4 $20, Vol 5 $25.
TIES Magazines $20 each and DVD's $25 from Southern Railway Historic Association. Limited supply.
Carolina Special Print, painting by Howard Fogg, commissioned by Francis B Fishburne and family has donated prints to be sold at the Depot. Price: $45
Watercolor of Saluda Historic Depot
by
Renato Moncini, a native Italian, who has
painted beautiful watercolors of various scenes in Saluda and works with Saluda Sister City to help raise funds for projects. He has a national reputation and his work is in museums around the country. 16 x 20 Print - $40, framed print $100.
A variety of DVD's of the 611 and Saluda Grade by Bob Loehne available.
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Interested in History? Be a Museum Volunteer!
Thank You to Depot Volunteers
Thank you to these following volunteers:
Bill Klippel, Rich Miller, Anita Moore, Sid Shealey, Helene Pasternak, Ann Dudley, Susan Cannon, Mike Reeves, Bruce Campbell, Mike Gleaton, Bruce Jayne, Norm Allen and Tim Driggers,
Holly Wilkes, Nita High, Vina Boyce and, Pat Ross.
Interested in History? Be a Museum Volunteer!
The Saluda Historic Depot is always looking for volunteers to greet visitors and tell the story of the Saluda Grade. If you have some time to share, then call Judy Ward at 828-674-5958.
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Giving and Donating
Your donations to the Depot are tax deductible!
The SHD board cannot express enough times how grateful we are to the community, volunteers, sponsors, individual donors, and grantors of funds that without this support would not make your Depot and Museum sustainable.
Polk County Community Foundation
Polk County Appearance Commission
Henderson County Community Foundation
St. Lukes
Don Mintz Builders
Beverly-Hanks
Riverstreet Network
Entegra Bank
Coca-Cola Consolidated
WHKP Radio Meritor
WTZQ Radio
Saluda Business Association
Orchard Inn
AmiciMusic
Horizon Heating & Air
Nelon-Cole Pest Control
Meritor
If you would like to support Saluda's railroad and heritage museum, please send donations to Saluda Historic Depot, PO Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or through Paypal at
SaludaHistoricDepot.com
website. In-kind gifts are appreciated, too! Saluda Historic Depot is a 501(3) non-profit and all donations are deductible.
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While shopping online, we invite you to shop
SmileAmazon.com and select Saluda Historic Depot as your favorite charity. A small portion of your purchase will be donated to the Depot fundraising.
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Saluda Historic Depot Calendar
December
December 13, 6-8pm-Hometown Christmas
December 20, Saluda Train Tales-"A Perry Como Christmas in Saluda"
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Photo Opportunity
Stop in and have some fun taking your photo in front of our #3 Engine!
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Click here to
Learn More About the History of the Railroad
and Saluda,
Saluda Historic Depot Board Members
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32 W Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773
PO Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773
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