Swannanoa Valley

North Carolina's magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains have drawn people to the Swannanoa Valley since the beginning of time. Rivers and forests lured early hunters and gatherers; later inhabitants tilled the rich, fertile soil and logged the thick forests on the mountainsides. People also came to the mountains to enjoy the mystical beauty and enchantment of the area, the cool, crisp climate, and the sparkling waters of brooks and streams. Hiking, camping, and the tranquility of a woodland world provided escape from city life. The Swannanoa Valley is cradled between the Craggy Mountains to the north and the Swannanoa Mountains to the south. Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in America east of the Mississippi River, rises majestically nearby. Among the early visitors who decided to settle in the valley were those who purchased the land that later became the sites of the famous conference centers in the area-Montreat, YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, and Ridgecrest-and businessmen, who brought industry to the area.

The Swannanoa Valley lies to the east of Asheville, North Carolina, and is surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the eastern United States. The eastern boundary of the valley follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and travelers entering through the Swannanoa Gap emerge into the beautiful "Land of the Sky." In the 1900s, multiple large religious assemblies were founded here. Montreat, Ridgecrest, the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, and Christmount have preserved thousands of acres of forested mountain slopes for more than a century. The valley is drained by the Swannanoa River, which meanders 18 miles westward, finally merging with the French Broad River near Biltmore. Swannanoa Valley showcases the rich recreational and cultural history of this scenic mountain area.

Montreat is nestled in a cove of 4,500 acres on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville and Black Mountain. Established in 1897 by an interdenominational group largely from the North, it was the first religious assembly to be founded in the Swannanoa Valley. True to its initial charter, Montreat serves as a location for physical and spiritual renewal and as a center for Christian study and practice. In 1906, Montreat was purchased by a group of Presbyterian individuals largely from the South. Today it consists of three entities: the Town of Montreat, Montreat College, and the Montreat Conference Center, which serves the Presbyterian Church (USA). Montreat is also widely known as the mountain home of the Billy Graham family.