Located in the scenic Western North Carolina mountains, near the town of Blowing Rock, is Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. The 3,517-acre estate was once the home of textile moguls Moses and Bertha Cone. In designing their mountain retreat the Cone’s laid a foundation for what was to become one of the most popular stops on The Blue Ridge Parkway.

Born in 1857 Cone, the son of German immigrants grew up in Jonesboro, Tennessee before moving to Baltimore, Maryland. After the conclusion of the Civil War, he went to work in the family wholesale grocery business. His travels took him to small southern town general stores operated by the local textile mills. Cone saw a future in this new textile business and soon he moved from wholesale groceries to textile merchandising. In 1891, Cone and his brother started the Cone Export and Commission Company in New York. The new company’s mission was to sell textiles from southern mills.

The company soon moved from New York to Greensboro, North Carolina to be closer to the textile mills. By 1895, Cone had built his own mill and started to produce “heavy duty deep tone blue denim.” Cone had earned the reputation as “The Denim King,” and before long there were 30 Cone Mills producing textile products throughout the South.

At the same time Cone was building his denim empire, the Western North Carolina area was becoming popular with people seeking clean mountain air and cooler climates. Moses and Bertha’s desire to live the mountain lifestyle led them, at the age of 40, to begin to purchase land between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. They soon acquired over 3500 acres, which included Flat Top Mountain, Rich Mountain and the surrounding farmlands and forests.

The Cones began work on the centerpiece of the estate, which was the 20-room Flat Top Manor. Construction was slowed by the fact that building materials had to be hauled by oxen from the railroad line 20 miles away. In keeping with his love of nature, Cone worked and preserved the land to enhance the natural resources of the area. In addition to several man-made lakes, including 16-acre Trout Lake and 22-acre Bass Lake, Cone built 25 miles of carriage trails throughout the property. The trails that were originally built so Bertha could enjoy the estate by carriage are now enjoyed by hikers, horse back riders, joggers and winter cross country skiers.

With assistance from forester and early conservationist, Gifford Pinchot, Cone planted imported sugar maples, white pines and hemlocks in addition to over 10,000 apple trees. He even imported White Tailed Deer from Pennsylvania to roam the estate. Cone, who spent evenings on his Flat Top Manor porch, died in 1908 at the age of 51. Bertha lived for almost 40 more years at the estate before she died in 1947. Three years after her death, the estate was donated to The National Park Service, and today has become a Blue Ridge Parkway stop for thousands of visitors each year.

Located on The Blue Ridge Parkway, at milepost 294, the Flat Top Manor today serves as the home of the Parkway Craft Center. Operated by The Southern Highland Craft Guild, visitors can view and purchase works by area artists and craftsman. The manor also has a bookstore with nature guides, hiking books and trail maps. A popular book available there is Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway by Randy Johnson. This book is the best guide available when planning hikes anywhere along the entire length of The Blue Ridge Parkway. The manor house also has a free detailed trail map of the 25 miles of carriage trails on the estate.

Choosing which trail to hike first at Moses H. Cone Park can be a challenge. A good first trail is the easy .7-mile Figure Eight Trail located near the manor house, which was the Cones’ favorite trail. Another short hike is the 1-mile long Trout Lake Trail. Trout Lake is a favorite with bird watchers; seeing such species as Canada and Black Warblers and Red Breasted Grosbeaks. One of the longer hikes is the 5.2 mile Rich Mountain Trail. The hike winds its way to the top of Rich Mountain with scenic views of the surrounding area on the way. After hiking the trails at Moses Cone, you will soon have your own favorite hiking trail.

When planning your Take It Outside adventure at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, remember the park is open year round but the manor house and craft center are only open March 15th to November 30th. The park can be accessed from The Blue Ridge Parkway or from the Bass Lake entrance on Highway 221 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

“Share the Journey” and help support the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. Shop at any of The Mast General Store locations on September 13, 2008 and they will donate 10% of their sales proceeds for the day to The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.