- [Clay] What Tryon Mayor Alan Peoples drives
says a lot about him and this town.
It's a 1971 VW camper van he purchased in California
for his wife, Harriet.
It was painted by a California artist.
- The statement it makes is it's Tryon.
And when I say "it's Tryon", you can do what you want to
within reason, you can be who you want to.
We're the friendliest town in the South,
and this is part of it.
[gentle music]
- [Clay] Tryon is a mecca for music and art lovers.
- [Male Speaker] Our first first place award
goes to Irish Whiskey.
- [Clay] It's a mecca for horse lovers, too.
A visit to the Tryon Historical Museum
shows how the town became those things.
It tells that history
through old photographs and memorabilia.
- This is going to be a circus wagon
with this squared off top.
- Shop owner and Tryon native, Julia Calhoun,
knows the history too.
She says it all started when the Cherokees
named a local mountain, Tryon Mountain,
in honor of a treaty they signed there
with Governor William Tryon in 1767.
- About 1839, they established a little post office
at the foot of the mountain
called Tryon City, very ambitious.
When the railroad came through in 1877,
that was the major impetus for economic growth here.
- [Clay] In 1915, artists, Eleanor Vance
and Charlotte Yale opened
Tryon Toymakers & Wood Carvers here.
Among the toys it made was Morris the Horse.
- Morris the Horse started out
as a little toy about this size.
- [Clay] In 1928, a local riding and hunt club
commissioned Tryon Toymakers to create
a giant version of Morris for its Horse and Hound Show.
- And it just stuck, he kept being brought out
for parades and special events,
and everybody loved him,
and he just became the town mascot over the years.
- [Clay] A massive Morris replica
now watches over downtown.
You can buy Morris books, Morris license plates,
Morris stickers, and Morris mugs.
And around town, you'll see lots of Morris mailboxes.
In 2016, the owner of Tryon Toymakers asked Calhoun
if she'd like to take over the business.
- In this town, that's like being given a religious mission.
What am I gonna say, "No"?
It has been in continuous operation since 1915,
so it is 107.
And I'm only the fourth owner, individual owner,
which is still kind of amazing to me.
So I'm doing the same designs that Miss Vance and Yale did.
It's really a thrill to be carrying it on.
- [Clay] Calhoun's shop is really five stores in one,
selling custom rugs, books, games, and puzzles,
gourmet foods, and fine chocolates.
- [Julia] I think I began to see it
as sort of an indoor market.
- [Clay] That serves a diverse population
of visitors and residents.
- We always attracted a lot of people from the Northeast
and the upper Midwest.
So Tryon had sort of a cosmopolitan edge to it
that a lot of small towns,
particularly in the South, don't have.
I think the fact that that arts have been
such a large component in development of the town
makes a big difference too.
- [Clay] There are several art galleries downtown,
including the nonprofit, Tryon Painters & Sculptors,
where artists become members.
- [Nancy] And that gives them the right
to show their art in the gallery.
And that's basically what we're here for,
we're here for the artists and for the community.
If it weren't for us, some of our artists
would not have an outlet to sell and show their art.
- [Clay] Tryon Painters & Sculptors
also offers art classes.
So does the Tryon Arts & Crafts School.
Here, you can take classes and workshops,
in painting, sculpting, metal working, and more.
These students are welding with copper and textured bronze,
making everything from candle holders to light fixtures.
- Not only is it a learning experience, but it's fun.
You have a good time, and you go home with something nice.
- [Clay] Performing arts are center stage
at the Tryon Fine Arts Center.
[lively folk music]
There are concerts, plays, and other events,
in its 300-seat theater.
- A couch is a lovely place for weeping.
♪ This used to be a wilderness ♪
♪ Unbroken and serene ♪
- [Clay] And there are outdoor concerts
at its 100-seat amphitheater.
- [Marianne] A lot of people actually make a choice
to retire here because the art center is here.
We have an amazing population of people here,
very eclectic, very well educated.
People are just [audience applauds]
tuned in, I think, to the culture here.
And a lot of it is because of the arts
that we present here in this building,
but also that you can get throughout the rest of the town.
[upbeat funky music]
- [Clay] The amphitheater at nearby Rogers Park
hosts concerts and plays,
including this Nina Simone Tribute concert.
Simone was a musician and activist, and a Tryon native.
- I'm very humbled by her talent,
and to think that she grew up here amazes me.
- [Clay] Simone is honored in Tryon
with this large mural,
and in a downtown plaza that bears her name.
Across the street from the plaza is the Tryon Theatre,
it's been in continuous operation since 1938.
- [Scott] Selling tickets, showing movies, popping popcorn.
I mean, it's just a hub of activity.
- [Clay] The theater shows everything
from Hollywood blockbusters to small indie films.
- Basically we program what we like to watch.
We'll show the Oscar shorts, we'll show documentaries,
we'll show cat video, we have a Cat Video Fest that we show.
- So do you watch every movie that plays here?
- Heck, yeah. - Yeah.
- But we pick 'em, I feel personally responsible.
- [Clay] The theater is one of the venues
for the Tryon International Film Festival held each October.
- [Scott] And each year it brings about 70 to 80 films
from all over the world.
But it's special for a small town like Tryon
to have that kind of...
an opportunity to present films
from all over the world,
for our audiences and our community.
[soothing music]
- [Clay] A few doors down from the theater
is another popular community gathering place,
The Tryon Bottle.
It sells more than 200 varieties of beer and cider.
- [Hector] Pretty much the best selection
south of Asheville, I think.
- [Clay] And The Tryon Bottle has more
than 100 varieties of wine, in most all price ranges.
Hector Gonzalez's mom owns the store.
- My mom tries everything before it goes on the shelf.
So it doesn't pass her taste test, it doesn't go on.
- [Clay] There are wine tastings every Friday evening.
The store also sells wine and beer by the glass.
And in Tryon, you're allowed to walk out
with a glass of either,
and stroll the main downtown thoroughfare.
- [Hector] Just, you know, go around,
walk around and visit the shops,
and, you know, have a good time.
- [Clay] There are lots of interesting shops
to visit downtown, including Mountain Trail Soap Company.
- It's like a fine wine,
the longer the soap sits, the better it gets.
- [Clay] Owner Robert Magnum started making soap
to treat his son's skin problems.
- Came in with my own recipe of oatmeal,
goat's milk, and honey soap, unscented.
And it seemed to do the trick for those guys.
- [Clay] It also gave Magnum the chance
to leave his full-time job in law enforcement,
and live his dream of being self-employed.
His shop sells about 25 varieties of soaps,
as well as lotions, scrubs, candles, and more.
- And since I have a shop on the main street,
people can walk by, sniff the air, and smell my soap,
and that draws them inside.
- [Clay] I've always been kind of an ivory guy,
but I think you made me a convert.
- I like that.
- [Clay] Sweet and savory scents also draw people
into downtown Tryon's smorgasbord of restaurants.
- Katie D's is authentic New York deli, we serve bagels,
a large variety of different sandwiches,
in-store made salads and desserts.
And this is our Philly cheesesteak.
[soothing music]
- Harper's a place where your friends come together
to enjoy passionately presented Southern food,
and a casual atmosphere with an elegant feel.
This is our shrimp and grits, Andouille Sausage,
Tasso ham, and local stone-ground grits.
- Cafe La Gaule is an authentic French restaurant,
we offer brunch and dinner,
as well as these amazing pastries.
Here are some of them: key lime tart, a pyramid,
it's chocolate mousse on the inside,
and a toffee hazelnut mousse.
- Trade Street Creamery is a sandwich and ice cream shop.
We also serve wraps and smoothies.
And this is our banana split.
- Huckleberry's is an upscale eclectic American menu.
And one of our specialties is a North Carolina-caught
rainbow trout with Blackberry and balsamic,
that comes with two sides and a salad.
- [Clay] Next door to Huckleberry's
is the Tryon Coffee House,
a popular spot for coffee and conversation.
- See you later, guys.
- [Clay] And there's coffee to go,
with the dozens of varieties of baked breads,
cakes, and pastries, at All Good Things Bakery.
[slow folk music]
There are three wineries within 20 minutes of Tryon,
they offer tastings, tours, and entertainment.
[upbeat harmonica]
They represent a rebirth of Tryon's old grape industry
that thrived here in the early 1900s.
- So much so, that in fact,
the Waldorf Astoria in New York City had a menu,
and at the bottom it said, "For sale, Tryon grapes".
- [Clay] Tryon's rich equestrian history
lives on at Harmon Field.
It's a town park that's been hosting horse competitions,
and other recreational activities, since 1927.
The area's horse heritage inspired
the Tryon International Equestrian Center,
about 20 minutes east of town.
- Folks from the low country, and from Florida,
would come to the edge of mountains, to the foothills,
to enjoy horse sport in their summers.
And that's been a tradition here for well over 100 years.
- [Man On Speaker] Starting us out here in the final performance... [indistinct]
- [Clay] Some call this 1600-acre equestrian center,
"Disneyland for horse lovers".
It's arenas host horse competitions and shows,
more than 40 weeks a year.
- And everybody can ride a horse here,
whether it's a trail ride through the woods,
or whether it's a ride on our carousel,
lots of choices for folks to enjoy this sport,
and just be around great fun, family entertainment.
- [Clay] There are seven restaurants, 15 shops,
and lodging for both horses and their owners.
The Center also hosts concerts and other special events.
There's a certain wow factor people have
when they see this place, isn't there?
- Right, right, I see it every day,
and in fact, I still say it myself some days.
It's pretty amazing what's happened here.
- [Clay] People also get a "wow"
out of Pearson's Falls and Glen, just outside of town.
This 90-foot high waterfall is the centerpiece
of a 270-acre nature preserve.
It's owned and managed by the Tryon Garden Club.
It's just one of many places in the area
for hiking and other outdoor recreation.
Mayor People says Tryon does have a lot to offer,
but he says, there's one thing above all else.
- [Alan] It's the people.
If you're from a place where people like each other,
and where people are friendly and support each other,
and when people need help, there's a hand out there,
that's what we are, we're that community.
Nearly perfect, always Tryon.
- [Deborah] Tryon is located near the South Carolina,
North Carolina border, about 45 miles south of Asheville.
For more information on visiting Tryon,
and the surrounding area, visit firstpeaknc.com.