Flat Rock Church

Hi, I'm Holly and I'm Hailey. Welcome to Mountain Mysteries Tales from Appalachia. Oh, hello here! Hello everybody.

Welcome to 2024. Yeah, as wild. Hailey, how is your new year been thus far? Well, we went, we had students today.

Yes. Typically what we do at a school. Well, back from Christmas break. Yes.

This is our first full day back with students in the building. We got a work day on Wednesday, so that was nice to kind of get, you know, everybody back in the swing of things. New semester. New peer alarmed.

Why'd I just went back into it. No, two weeks off was, it was good. It was a good break. I think all the kids needed it.

We needed it. Staffed it because we were all losing our minds. Kids were losing theirs and we're back at Russian ready to start this semester. I want to give you just a little bit of context here and just a little bit for your sake.

I was off on Christmas day on the 25th and we got the 26th. Did your Christmas Eve or no Christmas on Monday, right? Christmas on the 26th. We got Monday off in the next day, two, three, six, and then I worked on the 27th and the 28th and then we were off on New Year's day the first and then I was back.

Yeah, so, yeah. So there you go. We had the whole time. It had a work day on the 21st of December and then we're off the 22nd until the 3rd.

I'm glad you had that time. It was very as much as the issues we have with public education. The schedule is great. I mean, but that time, if we did not have that time, like I don't know what we would do because everybody's so burnout.

The kids are burnout. We're burnout. Having that reset time is so important and I wish other places did more for Lickman's health. I wish we had that.

I do wish we had that. But in the school, we're kind of set up for that. Yeah. Testing schedules and things like that.

I still do quite a bit over the break with students that are in need of food and stuff like that. Like I'll make some home visits and stuff over breaks, drop off things and meet some of my students out in the community to give them food or check in or something. To bring meat. To bring meat.

To bring meat. Exactly. So that kind of stuff never stops and that's the same with some of the break for us. But the two weeks of not having, and for the kids too of them getting away from each other for a couple weeks is good.

Some of those tensions and petty drama kind of goes away. Yeah, because then you realize like, I don't actually want to beat that person up. Yeah. I really didn't want to.

Why were we fighting over that boy or that stupid scrunchie? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Didn't really get that much. That's true. But now we're into the new year. Now we're into the new year.

So all that crap means nothing. Names are nothing. We're starting over again with diets and resolutions. Do you have a resolution?

Not really. Every year I say I'm going to like, you know, be healthier or something, but probably not. No. Just kind of doing more for myself maybe.

You know, I don't know. Something that sounds nice. Insert inspirational new year's resolution here. Yeah.

Honestly, I think last year was very much, I think you never know how your year is going to go, honestly, because ultimately we're just not in the driver's seat. Like we want to think we are. We're not in control of things. No.

You never know how your year is going to go. So I recognize that at least for myself. So I'm not in control of it. So I'm just going to sort of let go and recognize that I'm like in the passenger seat and just be okay with that.

Yeah. Just kind of read it out. I'm with that old phrase like let go and let go. But I'm just going to just do that because I can't control it.

I just like hope for the best because I'm a control freak normally. Yeah. But what has that gotten me because like all last year I had nothing but like health stuff. Yeah.

And I can't control it. So it is. Yeah. So we'll see.

Look over the best. Yeah. Fingers crossed. Yeah.

For a better and healthier 24. I saw something of like what was last year. It was like, you know, let's go in real quiet and hope that everything's okay. Yeah.

And same thing too. Like let's not get our hopes up. Yeah. Let's just kind of sleep in like real quiet.

We don't make a lot of noise. We're just going to gently go back into it. No sudden movements. You know, honestly, even years tend not to be good ones for me.

Really? Even though like I had my son in an even year and it was actually a really good year. Yeah. With a lot of like really positive change.

I don't know. I have this sense that this coming year is going to be a lot of change, but a lot of like good change. I don't know why, but I just have that sense. I think this past year has been changed, but change like not significant life change, but like in a different way.

Yeah. Anyway. Well, that's good. That sounded so vague to you guys.

And you're probably like, what the hell is she talking about? No, it sounded very, it's goo-rooey. After I meditated with my crystals. You decided that this year was going to be a good go.

Okay. One. The chair when I had little baby goats and we were meditating together. Oh, that's fun.

Actually, that does not. So years ago, do you remember colleagues used to invite us to like meditate with goats? You're a good goo-go. Yes.

Yeah. We never went. You and I. I can't yoga.

I would just sit there and pet the goats. Exactly. But I feel like they were all like into the yoga part of it. I'm like, listen, I would only be there for the goats and the potential snacks afterwards.

I'm not able to be a yoga. Exactly. No. I felt like that was a requirement.

So we could go. No. No. And I did a half the ass on my belly.

So any position would probably make me too. Yeah. I'm just being honest. No, I'm with you.

Let's just be honest. Recently, which if you're a chiropractor and listening out there, please don't because my brother popped my back. Like I laid on the ground and he looked stuck on my back and popped it and I tooted. So loud.

But like he corrects my back and the gas escaped. It was like, wow. So, you know, you all know my son is a, he's little and he was going to the bath. He likes me in the middle of the night and follow him to the bathroom because he's scared.

So he's standing there going potty and I'm behind him half asleep. And suddenly, this like toot escapes his booty and it's a very long and I'm half asleep. And I'm like, and I just start hysterically laughing. And then he starts hysterically laughing and he says, it's coming out my foot and we just start laughing so hard and like just how this 4am like laugh fast and it's so funny.

But it is true. And I feel like I have become my mother like I'll get up and just like toot and I'm like, Oh my God, I'm my mom. Yeah. Like I can't help it.

So if I you'll get with ghosts, it would be called farting with goats. Yeah. Yeah. All right.

All right. So should we do a story? You should tell me what you got. I think we start the year out with gas and well done resolutions.

Here's somewhere. Oh my God. Oh, okay. 24.

Y'all will see you next week. Maybe we lost all of our fans or or you understand us on a deeper level. Now you get us and our you do do have it. And you're like, same girls.

Same. I also have latch alerts and I'm with you. Yeah. So maybe you don't have gold bladders either.

You get right. Yeah. Let's figure out, you know, a lot of things just go. Tell me your story.

Okay. Today we are headed to Flat Rock, North Carolina. Hey, good job. I did too.

I've been there. And for those of you who are like, where the hell is Flat Rock? I'm glad you asked. I will tell you where the hell it is.

It is south of Asheville, North Carolina. It is in Henderson County. This is close to the South Carolina line, relatively close. So Flat Rock, but it's not really that flat.

No, actually, and there's not really a big flat rock there. I don't think so. I mean, I've driven through it a couple of times and I feel like mountain. Yeah.

Yeah. It's pretty mountainous. Pretty mountainy. I don't hike.

I don't either. I can't give you an accurate description like if it's like, hiking. But is there the South Carolina line? It is.

It is. Yes. Yes. So Flat Rock is historic.

It's a historic small town within Henderson County that is comprised of like many small towns. So like Henderson County has, you know, like larger ones, you know, like Hendersonville, Mills River, you've got Zirconia, Edoia, Horishu, Fletcher, Enneville, it's like a really big county with a bunch of different towns in here. There's like a pretty big retirement. Yeah.

But also, like it's huge. And that's like very like a lot of people, but a lot of land. Yeah. It doesn't feel like it's super populated, but it is.

Yeah. And they're very big for apples. Yep. So many moons ago, Hayley and I and another colleague, we all went to the Apple Festival together.

Oh, yeah. And it was really fun. And we had Apple. Apple donuts?

We had Apple donuts. And we had Apple Slushies. Apple Slushies, which I was really skeptical about because I was like, I don't know. This was like pre-COVID.

Oh, yeah. It was way more myself. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And we tried it and they were actually really good. We were like, oh my god, these donuts are like the best ever. These slushies were good. Everything was really amazing.

And we were dripping sweat because it was so hot. But it was really worth the drive and we had so much fun and then we went to Mexican food and like was amazing. So anyway, if you have a chance, go to Flat Rock, really cool place. So we're going to talk about a church in Flat Rock called St.

John's Episcopal of the Wilderness. We're not going out into the woods, so don't get freaked out. I mean, it's just it's a piss-couple, right? It is.

It's like Catholic light. It is Catholic light. Yeah. See?

Oh my gosh. I'm learning. I'm learning. It's all that reading your drive.

I like that. Good job. So this church is the oldest Episcopal church in western North Carolina. Wow.

Yeah. It was built in 1832. Dang. Yeah.

That's an old church. It's actually been rebuilt though a number of times because of two or three fires. You know, that tends to happen in those old buildings. I just go up like a shirt.

Yes. Because you know, it was built in 1800. So like back then, candlelight, lack of fire departments, water hoses, you know, essentials, all those things. Yeah.

They didn't have my son, the fireman, to come and like put it out. Yeah. So big bummer. But nonetheless, it has been rebuilt.

So we're good. But did you know during the 1920s during prohibition that like the graveyard that's adjacent to the beautiful Episcopal church was where bootleggers used to exchange booze? That's amazing. Yeah.

Yeah. What a legacy. Hey, maybe the graveyard, nearly a Episcopal church. I mean, if I was a part of that church, I'd own that history.

I'd be like, listen to get you get in here and get to Jesus hit the graveyard for your booze. Exactly. Two and one. And the good thing about Episcopal is is they drink.

They do. Yeah. A lot. Yeah.

But it's not about just secretly and secret. Yeah. We don't we don't advertise it. I mean, yeah.

Yeah. We do. I mean, my crew about just us, but you know, we got a brewery across the street. I like how you just say, well, we do I mean, we do the crew does the crew of the Baptist.

You're saying we roll across the brewery. My crew to brew. Crew to brew. Listen, when the Baptist group when my group of baptists went to play trivia at the brewery, our team name was the back row Baptists.

I believe it. And now it's the crystal methadist. None of us are methadists, but it just felt like a pistol. Yeah.

Sorry to the methadist out there, but you know, when when you've got meth in your name, it just feels right. I feel like I need a name. What are you? Your Catholic, right?

Ish Ish, your Catholic Catholic. Catholic come up. Believe you. That's a the hooker name, right?

And this is some some Tory history there with the Catholics and, you know, right? That doesn't sound good. Not great. We'll work on it.

Continue with your Piscopels Church. That doesn't sound good either. Piscopels. No, that doesn't sound good.

Sorry. We just ruined it all. We don't have the good names. Dad, now that.

Ah, nonetheless. All right. So the church was founded by a couple Charles and Susan Bering. They actually were rice planters.

Rice planters? Yeah. I don't really know in that area. I don't really know why that was big and like in Western with Carolina.

I don't think we do rice here. That's what it said. All right. But I would think again, apples, apples, pumpkins even.

Yeah, I can't. I know. Maybe who knows? Said rice.

I don't know. All right. So yes, they are actually buried below the South Wall of the church. The people with the rice.

The San Francisco treat. The flat rock treat. The flat rock treat. No, the people.

Oh, okay. Yes. Yes. All right.

So maybe that's where they grew their rice. But I don't think rice grows from the ground. I think it's in like a water's involved somehow. I don't really know.

Apparently the couple and their San Francisco treat, the flat rock treat, apparently like to make their presence known to those who visit the church on the late night. Oh, all right. So this church along with a lot of churches in the Asheville area have a lot of hot spots for spiritual activity. Ranking third in the world in active vortexes.

Seriously. What? Kind only the country of Bermuda and Sedona, Arizona. Seriously.

Seriously. My mouth is a gate. It's okay. Charles on the floor.

It's all right. I'm ready. Okay. Not hard.

Jeez. That's okay. I thought you might like that. It's a little.

Not on the butt. No. I mean, I am sitting currently. That'd be a little difficult.

All right. All right. Tell me more. So the limestone that lays beneath acts as a natural conductor of energy, producing the apparitions and paranormal activity the city is known for.

Wow. Yeah. St. John's in the wilderness is the oldest Episcopal church, as we talked about.

And the church has serviced the flat rock area lovingly and tenderly since it's, you know, creation in 1832 and many locals advise, maybe you shouldn't visit at night. I'm going. I think you should. I will.

It's not that far. It's not. Like how, I mean, I have lived in western North Carolina for a hot minute. My entire life pretty much with some moves here and there, but never.

I've never heard of this. I've never heard of this. And I feel like I now have to go. Yeah.

And there's a vortex. There's a vortex like third in the world. Yeah. What?

Yes. I mean, I knew we were a tourist attraction, but it's ridiculous. Yeah. I'm the dead come here.

Yeah. No wonder the taxes are so high. Yeah. What's wrong?

It's a high price tag. It sure is. And the ghost and the dead. Yeah.

Holy moly. Wow. All right. Well, so apparently a phantom soldier haunts the graveyard across from the church.

Okay. He doodily plays for, he doodily plays a layman for another fallen soldier late into the evening. Oh, yeah. Let's go.

Yeah. The church was established as the bearings, Charles and Susan, neither way out of the sweltering low country of Southern Carolina. So if you all know this, North and South Carolina used to be one state called Carolina. So as they moved from the Southern part up into Northern Carolina, it said many wealthy plantation owners made their way toward the mountainous area, where it was a little bit cooler, particularly in the summer months.

The air was a little bit fresher. There weren't as many mosquitoes. All those fun things. They built a 400 acre estate near Flat Rock called Mount Lodge.

A private chapel was constructed on the site in 1827. And as was the custom of the wealthy land owning English at the time. So you buy a whole bunch of lands and then you put a chapel on it. Absolutely.

Got it. Well, God fearing. True. We have to show the world we may be wealthy, but we have God fearing above the word brew crew.

Nowadays, you put a brewery there. You do. That's the Ashville way. That's the Ashville way.

If you buy a bunch of land, put a brewery on it. Absolutely. You show them not only are you God fearing, but you like to drink. Do you like alcohol?

Particularly beer. Exactly. We are beer city. We are.

We are. Asheville. Absolutely. Beer city.

So this church at this point was named St. John in the wilderness. Okay. After their childhood church back in Essex, England.

Oh, yep. Nice. The cause of the fire and any details or any deaths associated could easily be the cause of some spiritual activity here. And there were a few fires there.

There were several fires. The first one happened in 1831, I believe. Wow. So like right after the bill.

So right after and then they rebuilt it very quickly and was completed in 1834. So this new church was handed over to the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina and served the small summer community of Flat Rock. Most residents, all of whom held high social standings in early America returned to their plantations in cooler months of the year. I don't like plantations.

I don't like that whole that doesn't sound good to me. I don't like that. So when Mrs. Bering died in 1846, her husband followed soon after.

They must have been married really long time. They were buried atop a hill overlooking the Little Brick church. Like I said, they were kind of very on the side there. And as the town of Flat Rock grew each summer, of course, getting bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger and taxes came just rising rising and transportation to the area became easier to access.

The congregation got larger and larger. The Little church became increasingly overcrowded each year and soon plans were drawn up for a new church. The building was finally finished in 1852 and this is the building that still stands today. It was constructed right on top of its founders not to disturb the graves of Mr.

and Mrs. Bering's. Many say they can still fill the presence in the church. So did they build it over their graves?

Correct. So they're under the church now. I don't like that. I don't like it either.

They don't build a church on top of me. I will. I will build a brewery on top of me. That's fine.

Drinks on Haley. Does that feel better about haunting a brewery than a church? I like the idea of you haunting a brewery. I haven't yet.

Same. I like you making drinks for us. Okay. Poor and beer and slinging beer in the after life.

I'm ready. I like it. I like it a lot. IPA.

It's out. What do you end for today? And I like like like so in our area, you know, beers always have like kind of cool names. They do.

And so you can kind of make up any name you want for your beer. What name would you give your beer? Hot and Haley? No.

Spicy ginger? Ginger beers are all right. They're all my favorite, but I'll drink one. Probably something involving like spooky or haunted.

I don't know. Haunted brew. We'll think about it. We'll think about it.

We'll work on that. Yeah. Yeah. I really like spiced.

Spooky spice. I like it. Spiced beer. I like the fall flavor.

Yeah. I like making it kind of touristy. You know, well, who's kidding? I like the idea of the money.

Yeah. So we've all discussed, well, you and I, the money aspect, the idea that you're going to die first. So I will help keep the business going because obviously I have to run it. So, you know, ladies and gentlemen, you're ghost, Haley.

And she comes in and you know, you come like rushing in and suddenly you start making drinks. You can do cool tricks because you're dead. Right. You walk through people, you walk through walls.

Like, oh my God, she just walked through my body. Amazing. It's creepy. I mean, I didn't say it felt good, but I did say the money felt good.

Yeah, my great. Oh my God. All right. What else do I got?

Ghost twice. Listen, you're running my plan this late at night. All right. Okay.

Apparently they do guided ghost wars. Oh, cool. Yes. Yes.

They're held annually around Halloween for those who are brave enough to go. Oh, I totally need to go. Let's go. Yes.

So apparently, Charles and her, his wife are not the only ones haunting the 200 year old church. Okay. But, yeah, there are lots of others. Saint John's in the wilderness, a physical church, operated on a seasonal basis for obviously the wealthy.

So a lot of those people who are there like to haunt. Yes. So a lot of the rich. Did they seasonally haunt or the year round hunters?

I think they're year round hunters. So I guess if they came up there and they passed there, they were buried there and they would be now haunting. Now they haunt your round. Yeah.

And so the church actually didn't become year round operational until 1958. Oh, wow. That's like that is late. Yes.

Wow. Yes. All right. But during the part time years and powerful and influential American and Southern society members congregated at the church in the woods.

So much of what they would call it their final resting place when judgment day came. So most of them felt like this is where I'm meant to be, even though I want to be buried here, even though I live most of the time on my plantation. I really feel called here. Yeah.

Okay. Okay. See how well that worked out for you. I agree.

Anyway, good times. Yes. Yes. All right.

So Saint John is in the wilderness, continues to serve the Episcopal community today in Flathead, North Carolina. It was almost lost to an arsonist in the early 1970s. Tanging this place has been through so much. But due to community efforts, it survived through the peril.

Many come to experience its holy reverence and soak up its history. Others come to feel the presence of the spirits still that linger within its walls. So it still exists today if you want to go and maybe see Susan and Charles. Check in, see how they're doing after 200 years.

I'm sure they'd be pleased. It's a beautiful church. Google pictures of it online. The inside of the church is really lovely.

There are a lot of photographs if you Google it of these sweet folks and there are probably their 70s with beautiful fruit who are giving back to the community. I was a little put off when it said in the wilderness. Naturally, I was like, and no, because I thought I ain't going into a wilderness. I heard Flat Rock.

I heard Wilderness. I don't know these places. I thought no, no things. I had to do a little research and then I learned like, oh no, it's like off a main road.

So I was like, okay, I was reassured. I was like, okay, so Haley and I can go to this. But the fact that I've heard about a vortex and a portal, I'm super excited now. We have to go now.

So I want to see and experience the dead mostly to get some information so that we know what to experience for our after-m I'm sure for it. Yeah, we've got to get ready. I feel like the Episcopal Church is a good place to start. Oh, it's a great place to start.

It will help us move forward in our after-life plans. I like it. I mean, I'm drawing up things as we speak. I'm ready.

I cannot wait for the brewery. This is a whole new step in our plan. It is. This is more than just the hello you've reached.

Yeah. This is hello. Welcome to Haley's brewery. Welcome to the brewery.

Exactly. Because I at this stage, you have both feet on the other side and I have one foot over and the other, you know, in life. Yeah. Just waiting to be yanked across.

Yank is an interesting word. I feel like I feel a gentle hand over. Holly, here grab my hand and I'll gently pull you over. Yeah, it's going to be a yank.

No. I'll pop over. Don't maybe hit you again. Don't hit me, please.

Okay. Don't yank me. Well, I mean, you're going to be able to hurt me in the afterlife. So where's my beer?

You have recommendations here than the beer names of our. Oh, that'll be groovy. Let's give this brewery. Email us.

You can do so by sending us a delightful email to Mountain Mysteries. Mountain Mysteries dot Appalachian at gmail dot com. That's correct. You can find us on Facebook at Mountain Mysteries, Tails from Appalachia.

You can find us on Instagram at Mountain Mysteries dot Appalachia and find us on Patreon at patreon dot com slash Mountain Mysteries. Nice. Haley, do you have a shout out? I do.

Let's go. Brighton of Brighton and Hove. I love it. So delightful.

Brighton. Let's say the beach. Sure it is. It is.

Oh, great. In the UK. In the UK. It is.

Brighton. Brighton. Oh, yeah. Brighton Beach.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Already.

Well, that's fun. That was a lot of fun. It's delightful. And we'll see you next week.

Bye. Bye.