Tour the Town

Perhaps the best place to start your tour of this historic town, is at the Mountain Gateway Museum, a building constructed of river rock that sits near the center of town and along Mill Creek. Inside, a 14-minute video in a small screening room reveals the story of the town's rich history. The museum is actually the old community center, built in 1937 as a WPA project. On one level, visitors will find tools and other household items used by the pioneers. The second level offers a view of what the inside of a log cabin looked like in the frontier days. On the grounds you'll find two log cabins that have been moved to the property, believed to have been the site of the original fort. To celebrate its history, each April the town throws a big party called Pioneer Day with re-enactors, music and food. The museum is open every day. And it's free.

On Friday take a moment and walk across the street to Parker Legwear and shop for some high quality socks at their outlet store.

Just over the railroad tracks on the right is the town square; on the left next to the arrowhead is the old yellow depot, which also serves as a small railroad museum and houses the McDowell County Tourism Authority.

The town has a few small restaurants on Main Street, the Whistle Stop, which serves mouth watering pizza, the Rail which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering daily specials.

Just outside of town is a peaceful picnic area in the Pisgah National Forest, Old Fort Picnic Area. Take a ride down Mill Creek to Andrews Geyser and watch the train circle you on the mountain.

If you're a fan of Thomas Wolfe, make a stop at the Old Fort Cemetery on Cemetery Road, just off Main Street, where you will find one of the Wolfe's angel statues. Wolfe's father lost a marble angel (imported from the famous Carrara Marble Works in Italy) to an Old Fort resident in a poker game. The angel now peers down on the grave of an Old Fort resident. This angel may be the one that Wolfe placed in American literature. 

Weekly, hundreds of visitors converge on Old Fort for its Mountain Music and hoedowns. Every Friday night, about 7 p.m., people gather for music making and dancing in the hall across from the Fire Department. Visit their website.