WELCOME
The Historic Saluda Committee created this website to feature the people and places of historic Saluda, NC, specifically the compilation of oral histories of Saluda’s citizens. We also showcase vintage photographs, provide information about the biennial (once every two years) Historic Saluda Tour of Homes and is an ongoing source of information about Saluda’s fascinating past.
Meetings are held the second Friday of each month at 2:00 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room of the Saluda Public Library. Check in with our Facebook page for any changes to the meeting schedule.
What’s New 
The mural was the winner of a contest held by the City of Saluda and the Polk County Appearance Commission to promote local artists and encourage them to focus on the history of the area and the cultural importance of their subjects. It was unveiled at Pace Park in downtown Saluda on May 15, 2023.
A Pictorial Journey, Historic Saluda, NC
Compliments of the Historic Saluda Committee (HSC), you can now take a pictorial journey back in time with a new 50 minute slideshow featuring close to 350 vintage images of Saluda accompanied by descriptive captions. Over the years, the HSC has digitized an extensive collection of historical images, many never seen before by the public. The slideshow was designed to be watched in chapters or in its entirely. Chapters include: Pace’s Gap and Early Saluda, Topping the Grade (the railroad); Inns and Boardinghouses; Summer Folk; Education; Coon Dog Day; Sports, Leisure, Culture and the Great Outdoors; The Legacy of Great Food; Historic Main Street; A Community of Faith; Saluda’s Role in Medical History; and The Challenge of Transportation. The Historic Saluda Committee has shared copies of this video with the new Saluda Visitors Center and the Saluda Historic Depot. Enjoy this trip back in time!
GOING HOME
Saluda’s Music Traditions
Newly released DVD – The old saying is, “You can’t go home again.” But, maybe you can. The Historic Saluda Committee (HSC) has been collecting oral histories through audio and video since 2010, primarily from its senior citizens. A common theme relayed during the gathering of these stories is a deep nostalgia for the rich and diverse musical traditions that were once common in Saluda. The HSC has enlisted the help of the Polk County Film Initiative to take these histories, collect a few new ones, and then roll them into a fascinating oral history film documentary that portrays Saluda’s rich musical heritage, where the past meets the present. Sure to delight, these recollections include tales of the old time square dances, shape note singing, legendary fiddle makers and players, the influence of the railroad, a ragtime pianist, gospel greats, ballad singers, musical miracles, African-American history, Coon Dog Day, a famous baritone crooner and more. Rolling into the present day, we feature contemporary gospel, old-time and Americana acts, and some of today’s great music venues, including a visit to Studio B at Western NC’s famed radio station WNCW. This film will not only appeal to Saluda’s people, but to folks from all walks of life who appreciate good stories, music and history, especially from a small mountain town in Western North Carolina. By the way, who says you can’t go home again!
Creator and Producer: Cindy Stephenson Tuttle
Cinematographer, Writer and Editor: Kirk Gollwitzer
Associate Producer, Writer and Narrator: Martin Anderson
Creative Consultant: Carolyn Ashburn
Location Director, First Assistant Camera and Still Photography: Lavin Cuddihee
Thank you to all who participated in the making of the film, especially those who shared their stories with us.
Funding provided by
Polk County Community Foundation, the Saluda Community Fund
City of Saluda
Historic Saluda Committee
Heartwood Contemporary Crafts Gallery
WNCW, Media Sponsor
The Purple Onion
Betsy and Allen Burdett
Rhonda Corley
Anita Ogden Moore
Historic Thompson’s Store
Brad and Cindy Stephenson Tuttle in memory of Kathleen Stephenson Jelley
Martin Anderson in memory of Joel Craig Anderson and John Craig Anderson
Dedicated to the memory of Dr. George Jones, Dr. Jerry “Doc” Russell, Bill Pace and E. Cater Leland, Jr.
DVDs now available at Saluda City Hall, Saluda Historic Depot, Historic Thompson’s Store, Heartwood Gallery and other retail locations in town.
Stay up to date by visiting our Facebook page. For more information about the Historic Saluda Committee contact us at historicsaluda@gmail.com
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Members of the Historic Saluda Committee, Cindy Stephenson Tuttle and Mary Ann Hester, have co-authored a book for Saluda in the Images of America series published by Arcadia Publishing Company. The book is filled with 220 pictures and contains seven chapters titled, The Railroad Meets the Grade; Early Saluda and Pace’s Gap; Historic Inns and Boarding Houses; Arts, Culture and Events; Saluda’s Medical Community; Saluda’s Community of Faith; and Saluda’s Unique People. Available for sale at Saluda City Hall, the Saluda Historic Depot and other supporting retail outlets in Saluda. Also, may be purchased on Amazon.com.
Check out our YouTube page for the latest oral history interviews.
”HOME, HEARTH, & HISTORY: STORIES OF OLD SALUDA” DVD
A one-hour-plus DVD featuring the reminisces of ten of Saluda’s elders with over one hundred vintage photographs, many from the interviewees’ private collections. Interviews are woven together to tell the story of Saluda’s history, memorable people, and everyday life in “the good old days”. Seven bonus features are also included. Here is the opening sequence: The full-length DVD is available from many downtown Saluda merchants, or you can purchase it here.
The Historic Saluda Committee (HSC) meets the second Friday of each month at 2:00 p.m. at the Saluda Public Library in the upstairs meeting room. The public is invited to attend.
Now Available: Audio Documentary “Saluda: Voices from the First 100 Years”
Available from many downtown Saluda merchants, or you can purchase it here.
