Extreme makeover on 1800s cabin.

─ Polly Jenkins

Jud Ammons, the developer of Mountain Traditions, was told that it would be too costly to renovate the 1800s cabin that sits right smack dab in the middle of the community. Being a “green” developer and true visionary, Jud balked at the idea to tear down the cabin; instead, he wanted to save its character, its charm and its past, and resurrect it for others to enjoy.

“I want people to experience a real mountain cabin, Jud explained. "This is what Mountain Traditions is all about – simpler times.” He added, “I grew up in a small house, not an actual cabin, but it didn’t have indoor plumbing and we had one naked light bulb in the center of the room. And, even if you’ve never lived in an old cabin like this, you can’t help but feel a calm come over you when you walk onto the porch.”  -- Jud Ammons, developer.

This cabin has great bone structure and Jud Ammons saw it immediately. It just took the rest of us a bit longer to see it.

Except for the raccoon family we had to evict (don’t worry, there’s plenty of places for them to set up new residence), no one knows, alive anyway, who used to live in the cabin. All we know is that it would become the centerpiece of Mountain Traditions. But, boy, was there a lot of work to be done. Where’s Ty Pennington when you need him?

It was the spring of 2008. The first time I visited Mountain Traditions in Mars Hill, North Carolina. I wouldn’t even go into the cabin when we first walked the property. I said it was because I wasn’t wearing the right shoes. Wrong! I was afraid of falling through the floorboards; or worse, surprising a copperhead (that’s a snake – for you city folk).

Fast forward to the spring of 2010. There’s still more work to be done, but the cabin has transformed into a welcoming beacon to the heart of the community and all the onsite amenities. I don’t have pictures of the inside yet. The original fireplace in the main gathering room had been saved, which will have gas logs to warm you on chilly mountain nights. The original wood siding (inside and out) was saved as well, but all the join mortar had to be replaced.

The walls were stripped of layers of old newspaper (used as insulation in the previous centuries) to the bare wood siding. The original support beams are still there. They add such character to the cabin. Standing in the front doorway and looking in I noticed that there’s not a single straight wall…almost like a fun house. But don’t worry, this cabin is as structurally sound as a Blue Tick hound on the trail of a marauding coon (raccoon – for you city folk).

We had to totally replace the old rusted tin roof with a brand new shiny one, but it will oxidize soon enough and capture that cabin’s old look and charm of bygone days. All the creaky flooring, where the spaces between the boards were big enough to see the ground beneath, had to be replaced.

A kitchen galley and restroom were added. The front door had to be replaced, but the carpenter retained the aesthetic feel of the previous one.

The new front porch is wide and inviting and is supported by Poplar tree posts. The cabin overlooks a pond with walking trails and outdoor grill and picnic area. Landscaping will be kept native and natural.
The extreme makeover of this cabin will be complete in early July and will be open for homeowners and their family and friends to enjoy. And we’re planning a grand opening this fall (more details to come later).
MOVE THAT BULLDOZER!

Mountain Traditions is a 400-acre mountain community where 140 families will call home, whether retirement, seasonal or year-round.  Mountain Tradition is located only 10 minutes from Mars Hill, NC, and the Mars Hill College.  And just 20 minutes from the community entrance is the hub of western North Carolina, Asheville.  For more information on Mountain Traditions, visit our website http://www.mountaintraditionsnc.com/.