January 11, 2012
January is here once again, but this year so far, the snow, wind and cold weather that has been so prevalent the last several years is curiously missing. You may be glad of this and some of you may be sad….depending on what your plans are while in Highlands. I’m sure we will get “our fair share” before winter is over.
Mitchell’s Lodge & Cottages is beginning our 74 season in May. My grandmother, Margaret “Peggy” Mitchell opened her first 2 cabins in May of 1939. Those cabins are now part of the Log Lodge and are suite numbers 5 & 8. In my opinion, they have the most character of all of our units. The Log Lodge will be reopening in April from its winter slumber but the Cedar Lodge and all of the cabins and cottages are open year-round.
We are so excited and we are looking forward to another great season in Highlands! The Highlands Playhouse season was just announced and promises to be full of great performances again. The Bascom is always full of great events and classes. They are having Barn Dances just like in the Helens Barn days in Highlands. Some of you that have been coming to Highlands will remember how fun Helens Barn was. The Annual Highlands Chamber of Commerce Chili Cook-off and the King of the Mountain Chefs Challenge 2012 are both coming up in March. Don’t miss either one of those! And…….Don’t forget Scaly Mountain Tubing and outdoor Ice Skating under the stars. Even though the temperatures have not been that cold, so far, they typically have snow for tubing because they make snow during cold nights. This is a lot of fun that not to be missed.
Highlands restaurants are open this time of year…..however some have amended hours but you will never have a problem dining in Highlands. A few that come to mind that are always open are Cyprus, Fressers Eatery, Highlands Smokehouse, Madison’s, Mountain Fresh Grill, Oak Street, Ruka’s Table and several more.
So, come on up to beautiful Highlands this winter and enjoy some quiet time, get reacquainted with your spouse or make it a girls getaway.
Be sure and “Friend” us on Facebook so you can enjoy lodge discounts an also updates on Highlands happenings. We also throw some Highlands Trivia at you some days. Also, a great way to keep up with the weather is to keep a link to our webcam on your desktop and click it daily to see what the weather and of course our ducks are doing.
See you soon!
Al
By any chance do you have any pictures when it was called Mitchell's Motel? I stayed there many times growing up as a child (the 60's) and would love to see photos of the way I remember it back then. Weren't there some rooms on the side of the office that are now gone?
ReplyDeleteWe do and I keep saying that I need to find time to put them up on Facebook and/ or the lodge website. We do have a history page on the lodge website. Here is a link. http://www.mitchellslodge.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=92
DeleteIf you click on scanned newspaper articles in this link it will take you to old newspaper articles and the history of the lodge.
I'll work on getting those pictures loaded.
Yes, the rooms that we tore down to make room for the Cedar Lodge were called the Stone Units. There were 6 rooms that stair stepped down the driveway.
My grandmother also had another motel called the Hemlock Lodge up on the hill where the Highlands Plaza is now. If you drove along Hwu. 28, there was a tall Hemlock hedge and a small driveway into the property and she has 5 cottages and one very large log cabin up in the woods there. Those were moved and stored in 1970 when my grandfather built the Highlands Plaza. The 3 cottages that we have on the property now, Hemlock, Oak and Chestnut cottages are 3 of those old ones. There is another cottage still over there on the Plaza property in storage. 1 cottage and the big log cabin are gone. :(
Al