>> Deborah: WELCOME TO "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."
I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.
TUCKED AWAY IN THE BALSAM MOUNTAINS NEAR WAYNESVILLE, THE
FORMER BALSAM MOUNTAIN SPRINGS HOTEL PROVIDED ROOMS FOR PEOPLE
TAKING THE POPULAR TOURIST TRAINS OF THE ERA.
WELL, THE TRAINS ARE LONG GONE.
BUT PRODUCER DEREK LONG FOUND OUT THAT THE RENOVATED INN IS AS
POPULAR AS EVER.
>> Derek: THE HIGHEST TRAIN DEPOT EAST OF THE ROCKIES WAS
ONCE HERE IN THE JACKSON COUNTY COMMUNITY OF BALSAM.
>> THE DEPOT'S GONE, BUT PEOPLE CAME ON AS MANY AS SIX TRAINS
A DAY.
SOUTHERN RAILWAY HAD IN THEIR BROCHURE, WHEN YOU'RE COMING TO
THE MOUNTAINS, COME ALL THE WAY UP.
COME TO BALSAM.
>> AND THEY DID.
AND THE INN BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE TRAVELERS STILL REMAINS.
>> IT WAS BUILT BETWEEN 1905 AND 1906 FROM LUMBER
ON THE PROPERTY.
THE STUD WALLS ARE CHESTNUT.
THE INTERIOR WALLS ARE POPLAR.
THE FLOORS ARE HEART PINE.
THE SILLS ARE HEMLOCK.
THE INN IS A NEOCLASSICAL STRUCTURE.
IT WAS BUILT WITH SOME SOPHISTICATION.
THE ARCHITECTS OBVIOUSLY KNEW ABOUT RENAISSANCE ORDERS.
THE COLUMNS IN FRONT, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE EVENLY SPACED, BUT,
IN FACT, THEY'RE NOT.
THEY GET CLOSER TOGETHER THE FURTHER FROM THE CENTER.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURAL RULES THAT MAKE --
FOOL THE EYE INTO THINKING IT'S WONDERFUL.
AND IT IS PRETTY WONDERFUL.
IT'S AN OLD WOODEN BUILDING THAT'S BEEN PRESERVED FOR OVER A
HUNDRED YEARS.
AND STILL PRETTY MUCH IN THE PROPORTIONS THAT IT HAD WHEN
IT WAS BUILT.
>> Derek: LIKE THE EXTRA WIDE HALLWAYS BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE
TRAVELERS' STEAMER TRUNKS.
NOW AFFORD SPACE TO DISPLAY WORKS BY LOCAL ARTISTS.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME UPGRADES OVER THE YEARS LIKE ELECTRICITY
AND INDOOR PLUMBING.
>> EVERY SINGLE ROOM IS DIFFERENT FROM EVERY OTHER ROOM.
EVERY ONE'S A DIFFERENT COLOR.
EVERY ONE HAS DIFFERENT SHEET PATTERNS.
THEY'RE ALL TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
SO GUESTS THAT COME HERE, SOONER OR LATER, THEY GET A FAVORITE.
AND THEY'LL CALL AND SAY, "IS MY ROOM AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND"?
THEY GET VERY POSSESSIVE ABOUT THEM.
OUR RESTAURANT IS OPEN FOR BREAKFAST AND DINNER EVERY DAY
OF THE YEAR.
WE'RE OPEN ON SUNDAY FOR LUNCH.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR MUSIC NIGHTS ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH, AND THEY
ARE SONGWRITERS GENERALLY, SOMETIMES VIRTUOSO MUSICIANS AND
SOMETIMES BOTH.
[SINGING]
WE DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING AND
REARRANGE THE TABLES EVERY SINGLE TIME DIFFERENTLY TO
ACCOMMODATE EXACTLY THE SIZE TABLE THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE AND
TO ACCOMMODATE THE SONGWRITERS' DESIRE TO BE SURROUNDED
BY PEOPLE.
>> IT'S SO FUN PLAYING IN THIS ROOM.
IT SOUNDS GREAT IN THIS ROOM.
IT'S JUST COZY AND INTIMATE.
AND EVERYBODY IS IN A GOOD MOOD BECAUSE THEY JUST ATE SOME
REALLY GOOD FOOD, AND IT'S FUN.
>> THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE LIKE TO GET AWAY FROM PRETTY
MUCH EVERYTHING.
SO ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT REMOTE GEOGRAPHICALLY, IT SEEMS REMOTE,
BECAUSE YOU'RE OFF OF THE MAIN HIGHWAY, AND IT'S QUIET, AND
IT'S SURROUNDED BY 24 ACRES OF WOODS AND MOUNTAIN VIEWS.
SO PEOPLE LOVE TO COME AND SIT ON THE PORCH, ROCK, READ A BOOK,
HAVE A GLASS OF WINE.
THEY ALSO LOVE TO WORK PUZZLES AND PLAY CHESS AND CHECKERS AND
ALL SORTS OF OTHER KINDS OF GAMES.
BUT THERE ARE NO TV'S OR TELEPHONES OR ANYTHING
LIKE THAT.
MOSTLY INTERESTING PEOPLE WITH INTERESTING IDEAS ARE
WHO COME HERE.
>> Derek: AND, OF COURSE, THERE ARE THE GHOSTS.
>> I'VE NOT EVER SEEN ONE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF REPORTS OF ONE
IN ONE PARTICULAR SUITE THAT GIVES GOOD BACK RUBS, AND WE'VE
HEARD SEVERAL REPORTS OF THIS PARTICULAR GHOST.
THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS OF A LITTLE GIRL LAUGHING.
ON THE THIRD FLOOR.
SEVEN DIFFERENT ROOMS REPORTED HEARING IT IN ONE NIGHT, AND
THERE WAS NO LITTLE GIRL ON PREMISE AT ALL.
SO THAT'S KIND OF FUN.
BUT SHE WAS LAUGHING.
THEY'RE ALL BENEVOLENT.
THERE'S A LADY IN BLUE THAT WANDERS AROUND.
SO WE JUST TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
WE NEVER HAD ANYTHING EXCEPT SMILES WHEN THEY'RE TALKING
ABOUT IT, SO I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME FRIENDLY GHOSTS.
>> Derek: AND WHY NOT?
THE INN JUST FEELS LIKE A MAGICAL PLACE, SEEMINGLY FROZEN
IN TIME.
>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, VERY RUSTIC PLACE, AND THE CHARM HASN'T BEEN
TAKEN OUT OF IT.
IT'S BEEN PRESERVED.
>> BALSAM MOUNTAIN INN HAS A ROCKING CHAIR, LIKE, AROUND
EVERY CORNER.
SO WHETHER IT'S THE HALLWAY OR THE PORCH WITH THE VIEWS OR IN
THE COMMON AREAS, THERE'S -- IT ENCOURAGES YOU TO JUST SIT DOWN
AND RELAX AND SLOW DOWN.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL.
>> Derek: AND THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE COMING UP TO THE
MOUNTAINS, DO SOMETHING SPECIAL.
COME ALL THE WAY UP TO THE BALSAM MOUNTAIN INN.
THIS IS DEREK LONG FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."