>> Deborah: IN 1879, WILLIAM HIDDEN DISCOVERED A GREEN GEM IN
NORTH CAROLINA AND NAMED IT HIDDENITE.
THEN IN THE EARLY 1900s, THE COMMUNITY WHERE THE DISCOVERY
WAS MADE STARTED CALLING ITSELF HIDDENITE.
TO THIS DAY, MINING CONTINUES IN THE AREA, BOTH
COMMERCIALLY AND RECREATIONALLY.
YES, YOU CAN GO DIGGING FOR HIDDENITE YOURSELF, OR YOU CAN
DISCOVER THE HISTORY BEHIND THE GEM AND COMMUNITY WITH A VISIT
TO A GRAND OLD MANSION.
HERE'S RICK SULLIVAN WITH THE STORY.
>> Rick: WHEN YOU VISIT ALEXANDER COUNTY, JUST ASK
ANYONE WHERE THE LUCAS MANSION IS LOCATED.
GO THERE, AND YOU'LL FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR
TIME IN THE COUNTY, BECAUSE IT IS HOME TO THE HIDDENITE ARTS
AND HERITAGE CENTER.
>> WELL, THE HIDDENITE ARTS AND HERITAGE CENTER, IT IS A GATEWAY
TO TOURISM HERE IN ALEXANDER COUNTY.
OF COURSE, IT'S A MAGNIFICENT ORGANIZATION, THE PREMIER ARTS
AND CULTURE ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE COUNTY, WHICH
ALSO SERVES AS THE HOME OF THE ALEXANDER COUNTY
VISITORS CENTER.
SO IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN.
YOU CAN COME HERE.
YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EVENTS IN THE COUNTY.
YOU CAN GET BROCHURES, ASK THE STAFF ANYTHING.
VERY HELPFUL FOLKS HERE.
>> Rick: MANY FOLKS WILL TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND RUN TO ONE
OF ALEXANDER COUNTY'S MANY OUTDOOR ATTRACTIONS.
BUT IF YOU HAVE TIME FOR SOME CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL
INVESTIGATION, YOU'LL WANT TO STICK AROUND A BIT LONGER TO
EXPLORE THE MANSION AND THE MANY POSSIBILITIES IT PRESENTS.
IT'S THE ONLY BUILDING IN THE COUNTY THAT IS REGISTERED AS AN
HISTORIC LANDMARK.
>> IT'S REALLY A HIDDEN GEM IN NORTH CAROLINA.
IT'S A CULTURAL CENTER.
IT'S A CENTER THAT CELEBRATES CREATIVITY.
IT CELEBRATES NATURAL HERITAGE.
IT CELEBRATES THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE AREA.
AND VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL, FUNKY OLD HOUSE.
114-YEAR-OLD HOUSE THAT WAS RENOVATED BY A WORLD TRAVELER,
AN EXTRAVAGANT MAN, DURING THE HIGH LIFE
OF THE EDWARDIAN PERIOD.
>> Rick: THAT MAN WAS JIM LUCAS, KNOWN TO ALL AS DIAMOND JIM.
ONE OF THE MANY EXTRAVAGANT AND INTERESTING THINGS DIAMOND JIM
DID IN HIS TIME WAS TO SPLIT THIS ORIGINAL HOUSE
IN TWO HORIZONTALLY.
THEN HE HAD AN ADDITIONAL FLOOR INSERTED BETWEEN THE TWO
ORIGINAL FLOORS.
ONE WING OF THE HOUSE NOW IS RESTORED TO THE TIME OF JIM.
>> THERE ARE ARTIFACTS AND -- OF HIS TIME THAT BELONGED TO HIM,
PHOTOGRAPHY THAT YOU'LL FIND.
BUT, REALLY, YOU'LL SEE HIS INVENTIVENESS COME TO LIFE.
>> Rick: ONE FLOOR ABOVE IS THE GALLERY.
HERE YOU'LL FIND CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING EXHIBITS FEATURING THE
WORK OF ARTISTS WITH A CONNECTION TO THE AREA.
>> THE HIDDENITE ARTS AND HERITAGE CENTER OFFERS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AGES TO EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT
FORMS OF ART.
AND IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT FOR LOCAL ARTISTS LIKE MYSELF AS A
PHOTOGRAPHER, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO EXHIBIT HERE, BUT IT ALSO GIVES
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE TO COME AND EXPERIENCE WHAT LOCAL
ARTISTS OFFER.
WE ARE VERY CULTURALLY DIVERSE, AND IN THE ARTS, THROUGH THE
HIDDENITE ARTS AND HERITAGE CENTER, ARE CELEBRATED.
>> Rick: THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE MANSION IS A REAL DIVERSION FROM
THE REST OF THE EXHIBITS.
IF YOU'RE VISITING WITH CHILDREN, DO NOT MISS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS -- AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF DOLLS
AND DOLLHOUSES THAT WILL BE THE ENVY OF ANY CHILD OR ADULT
WHOEVER THOUGHT THEY'D SEEN LARGE HISTORIC DOLL
COLLECTIONS BEFORE.
THE LUCAS MANSION IS THREE STORIES HIGH WITH MORE THAN A
FEW STORIES TO TELL.
MAKE IT YOUR FIRST STOP WHEN LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO IN
ALEXANDER COUNTY, WHETHER IT'S ARTS AND HISTORY YOU WANT TO SEE
OR THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
AT THE HIDDENITE ARTS AND HERITAGE CENTER IN ALEXANDER
COUNTY, I'M RICK SULLIVAN FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."