Home Care In Little Mountain, SC

Eight new homes have been built, four new businesses are coming and two annexations have happened since the start of the pandemic.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN, S.C. — The small Newberry County town of Little Mountain sits right above Chapin.

And just like their neighbor south of them, they're seeing a boom in growth.

Ever since the start of the pandemic, Little Mountain, South Carolina has seen quite the burst of activity.

"Every year we get people from different areas moving here and we are very excited and we welcome them into the community. It's a thriving community. We are a small town, yet we are very much a village. We have the ability to live here, you can walk to an elementary school, you can walk to two churches, you can walk to a medical clinic, you can walk to a dental office," Jana Jayroe, Little Mountain mayor said.

Jayroe says people are attracted to the possibility of having a large yard, a village-like, small town neighborhood and a slower pace of life.

She explains their population has certainly grown from the U.S. Census showing about 250 people in 2020.

"We have since then annexed twice and we have had many houses come close to us and I know there are, I think it's eight new houses have been built in town," Jayroe said.

Jayroe adds that four new businesses are opening in the next few months.

According to Data USA, Little Mountain has had 17.2% population growth in just one year.

Local business owner Kimber Lowrey says she loves talking to new folks and locals in town.

"In the mornings we open at 7 a.m. and people come through for coffee and I have my moms. There are many schools here, moms, teachers, nurses, doctors coming through. You see the same one, you know their kids, you know when they're having babies and stuff like that, it's just, it's a great, I can't say anything bad about my customers, they've been so amazing to us," Lowrey said.

Lowrey says she's opening a restaurant service inside her antique coffee shop next week.

Big things are happening in the little town of Little Mountain.

Little Mountain, a town of 300, expects a massive boost, with over 4000 people visiting for the folk festival.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN, S.C. — The Little Mountain Reunion took place for the second year since taking a break due to the pandemic, bringing people from around South Carolina and boosting the local economy.

Daniel Boland said tradition, family, and fun are the words that come to mind when he thinks about the Little Mountain Reunion Festival. He's a Little Mountain native and brought his son to enjoy the nice weather and spend time with neighbors. He said it's like an unofficial end to summer vacation.

"It's kind of a signal that school's about to be back in session, a big signal for the end of the summer," he said. "So, kinda a big send-off for the year; it's hot out here, but we have a good time."

The two-day folk festival has everything from live music to food vendors, a car show, and a corn-hole tournament. Little Mountain Mayor Jana Jayroe said it began as a Newberry College reunion and has grown to include the whole county. She said it's helping the town's economy too.

"We go from a town of 300 to, we have close to 4,000 people come by over the day and a half period," Jayroe said. "Everything that's made here goes back into the community. It just organically grows everywhere; it helps so much with the small businesses."

One of the businesses getting a leg up is the Lake Murray Flower Shop, which sits next to the festival. Manager Megan White said they've seen sales double this weekend, trying out new promotions and outdoor sales.

"It's a good opportunity for us to get some more foot traffic in the door. It's been nice having new families and new faces in town that we normally don't get to see," White said.

The food and the music are great, but according to Little Mountain resident Laura Camper, the best part is the community.

"It's all a part of that hometown feeling experience. You go and see your neighbors and new people, and it's a reunion; so, everybody who used to live here is coming back. So, it's really cool," she said. "Everybody having a good time - walking around, eating good food, hearing good music - it doesn't get much better than that."

The accident took place around 6 am, when a gasoline tanker truck headed down SC-202 flipped, causing a spill, road closures and evacuations.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN, S.C. — Roads have reopened in Little Mountain after a gasoline tanker flipped over on SC-202 Monday morning.

The accident took place around 6 am, when a gasoline tanker truck headed down SC-202 flipped, causing a spill, road closures and evacuations.

The accident sparked a fuel leak, which has since been contained and is no longer a threat to the public, according to authorities.

Residents were asked to evacuate around dusk and were given the all-clear to return home around midday. Now, they are reflecting on the many emotions they felt when they received a disturbing wake-up call.

"It was very emotional because that's how fast life can change, and his life did change very quickly," said Carla Hall, who walked out her front door to see the gasoline tanker flipping towards her home.

"I heard the rumble strips, something hitting the rumble strips, and when it started flipping is when I just turned around and really noticed something was going on, and it continued to flip and hit the phone pole," Hall said. "Thank goodness it hit the phone pole because it slowed him down, because I think he would have came up even further."

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According to Newberry County deputies, the truck carried approximately 7,000 gallons of petroleum, which led to an evacuation of several homes in the area.

"We got ready, grabbed what we could and we got out the door," said Kaye Richardson and her husband Wayne, who live across the street from the incident.

The Richardsons said they spent hours after the accident waiting at the Little Mountain Fire Station for the all-clear to return home, which came close to 6 hours after they left.

'It makes you appreciate being home more," Richardson said. "I'm very proud to go home."

As for the next steps, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said a tarp has been placed on the ground where the soil needs to be removed, and a team will come in and replace the removed soil.

The truck driver was injured and taken to a local hospital.

In the 1800s, wagons carried visitors to the town as they traveled over the Swannanoa Pass to or from Western North Carolina. These days, visitors come to the small town to enjoy the outdoors, wander the historic streets, and enjoy the lively community.

Perched in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Black Mountain is just 15 miles east of Asheville, making it an ideal day trip for anyone looking for their new favorite small town. And it is your new favorite: It was named one of the best small mountain towns in the South by the readers of Southern Living. Here are some of the best reasons to visit Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Rock Out

While Black Mountain does have a long and storied musical history, we're not talking about rock n' roll. Instead, dozens of rocking chairs are scattered around town on the streets of downtown Black Mountain, including a few massive ones near the Visitors' Center. From late spring through early fall, the rockers appear, each decorated by a local artist and each designed to invite a visitor to come and sit a spell. It has helped the town earn the nickname of the region's "front porch." When the weather gets colder around October, the town auctions off the rockers to make way for a new batch of chairs.

Run For The Hills

Each February, intrepid runners flock to the annual Black Mountain Marathon to run to the peak of Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain in the Eastern United States. Runners start in Black Mountain, dash to the mountain's peak, and then run back in a grueling 40-mile run. It is reportedly one of the toughest races in the U.S., so sign up or cheer on the runners.

Music Is In The Air

Whatever time of year you visit Black Mountain, you'll most likely be able to see some live music on stage at the White Horse Black Mountain. As for what type of tunes you'll hear, let's say the performance space offers an eclectic lineup. Depending on when you wander in, you'll listen to bluegrass, jazz, classical, or even Celtic tunes. If you're visiting in summer, check out the town's annual Park Rhythms Summer Concert Series featuring live music, food vendors, and beautiful views of the Seven Sisters mountains.

Shop 'Til You Drop

Cherry Street is a window shopper's dream. There are enough gift shops, galleries, antique shops, and stores filled with locally-made crafts that might turn window shoppers into actual purchasers. Shoppers of all types will want to peruse the wares at Town Hardware, which boasts an inventory of 35,000 items from over the years.

Eat, Drink, Be Merry

Despite being a small town, Black Mountain has a lot of restaurants—35, according to the visitor's board. Grab lunch at Blue Ridge Biscuit Company, get a burger at The Trailhead, or a snack at Hey Hey Cupcake and a cup of coffee at Dynamite Roasting or Dripolator Coffeehouse. And, of course, there are plenty of places to find a drink to wash down the food: Lookout Brewing Company, Pisgah Brewing Company, and the Black Mountain Ciderworks are all excellent options. Or go straight to the source and stop by the Round Mountain Creamery for fresh goat cheese.

Get Involved In The Arts

The town's distinguished history as an arts destination goes back nearly 100 years to the former Black Mountain College. The now-closed experimental liberal arts school fostered the talents of some of the most influential artists of the 20th century, including musician John Cage, architect Buckminster Fuller, choreographer Merce Cunningham, and artists Josef and Anni Albers.

The legacy lives on these days in the {Re}HAPPENING, a contemporary art event that honors the college's avant-garde legacy, and at the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center. Visitors can also visit the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center or visit the many galleries and shops that showcase the work of local artists and craftspeople.

Take A Hike

Black Mountain is a hiker's paradise, surrounded by mountains crisscrossed with trails. Visit DuPont State Forest Waterfalls or Catawba Falls, hike up Mount Mitchell or Chimney Rock, or take to one of the many trails that run through the Pisgah National Forest. If you prefer to explore nature from the comfort of your car, Black Mountain's proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway makes sightseeing easy.

Fish Or Cut Bait

Anglers will find plenty of new favorite fishing holes thanks to Black Mountain's proximity to the 10-acre Lake Tomahawk. The picturesque lake, surrounded by walkways, is a favorite spot for local fishermen. It's also an excellent spot for people looking for a pretty place for an afternoon stroll or a quiet boat ride.

Be Festive

Events like LEAF Festival and the annual Sourwood Festival draw thousands of visitors to the town each year. Still, they aren't the only festivals in town: Taste of Black Mountain brings food lovers to town in May, Art in Bloom takes over Black Mountain Center for the Arts in June, and come December, there's the Holly Jolly Celebration and Christmas Parade.

Barry Baker lives in Little Mountain. He has been out of work due to his medical condition and therefore doesn't have insurance.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN, S.C. — Barry Baker, a man living in Little Mountain, just north of Chapin, has had a rough past few weeks.

He and his family learned that his brain cancer is back after seven years. Barry has a new tumor that's back and bigger.

"We immediately went and applied for social security disability, went to apply for Medicaid. We called the hospital. The neurologist is Dr. Lozanne, and they are amazing. That's who actually removed his first tumor. He did suggest that we have an advocate with them and she said call the hospital, they have a financial assistance program that would be able to help with that kind of stuff, to get us on a payment plan. I did call them and when I did the application over the phone with them the hospital did let me know pretty much right away that the main question that would make them denied was the fact that their house was worth too much," Samantha Cox, Barry Baker's daughter said.

The social security was denied as well, and they are waiting on their Medicaid application, but they tell News 19 they're worried it might be the same response.

Barry's daughter Samantha and her husband moved into her parent's house to cut costs.

"I suggested to my dad that me and my mom, one of us could go back to work, but unfortunately because it's a preexisting condition, even if one of us went back to work we wouldn't be able to get insurance to cover him," Cox said.

Cox and her mother's job has been scheduling all of Barry's hospital visits and neurology appointments. They've been filling out all these financial assistance applications and have been searching for other options, like Christian Care.

Now, the Chapin community is stepping up to bat, or rather to cornhole.

Local business owner, Nikki Meetze is hosting a big tournament this weekend to cover Barry's medical expenses, that could top more than $35,000.

"The whole community has really stepped up and said hey, how can I help, what can I do, what can I give," Meetze, Tipsy Toad Tavern owner said.

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Samantha and her family tell News 19 they're shocked by the amount of generosity and support Little Mountain and Chapin are showing.

"She's called me multiple times throughout the week along with most of the people in this community, who've called and asked if we're okay. I could never ever express how much it means that they've all decided to put their time and effort and money into this for him or for me," Cox said.

The fundraiser will be hosted at 1155 Holy Trinity Church Road in Little Mountain on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.

For more information about the tournament, click here.

Barry's brain surgery will be within the next few weeks.