Sitting on a bench overlooking the peaceful waters of Lake Junaluska, geese paddling their way through the water and fisherman dressed in their camouflage wetting a line in the rippling waters, it’s hard to believe that just over a year ago, destruction from Hurricane Helene ravaged the water-level communities in the towns of Haywood County, North Carolina.
Repair doesn’t come overnight, but with that I-think-I-can determination that powers the engine of community spirit, the small towns of Haywood County have made a remarkable comeback. Work continues on roads and roofs; businesses that were underwater have moved to higher ground, and restaurants are brimming with activity, all indicating that restoration and rebirth is in sight.
It was early morning on Sept. 27 in 2024, that Hannah Burnisky awoke and realized that her home in Canton, North Carolina, was without power. She knew a storm was predicted, so had taken measures to move much of the artwork in her Cold Mountain Art Collective, a place where area artists can showcase and sell their works of all mediums, including one-of-kind pottery pieces, jewelry, handmade soaps and more.
“The mayor had called me before the storm and told me I really needed to consider getting everything out,” she said.
She heeded the warning, remembering the flooding from previous storms causing the nearby Pigeon River to rise, and artwork was saved. But she wasn’t prepared for what she saw when she was finally able to get to her store.