Dear Friends,
As our Spring opening approaches, we have a special announcement and some exciting news to share. This will be our last year at Hemlock Inn. It has been an honor to serve as Innkeepers for the past 35 years, but the time has come for us to step aside. At the end of this year, we plan to retire on the property.
But there is exciting news. In 2024, the inn will be passed to a group headed by our oldest son, Andrew. He will become the third-generation of our family to help run the inn and is committed to retaining the traits that have made Hemlock Inn great since 1952. Please read his message below. You will hear much more about this transition as the year progresses.
Please be assured you will always be welcome. Individuals, families, family reunions, and retreat groups will always be a priority.
We are excited about this new season and hope we get to see many of you our final year. But we are more excited as a bright new future approaches. We hope you’ll join in celebration of both the past and future this season.
OPENING DAY IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2023
Lainey and Mort White
and John Shell
A Note From Andrew
My family and I are so looking forward to celebrating the Hemlock Inn with you all this year, including the lasting legacy my parents and grandparents have created over the last five decades. I am very humbled to take this property into the next chapter and continue what God has been doing here.
Beginning in 2024, the inn will continue as The Hemlock, a non-profit gathering and retreat space nestled in the heart of these wonderful Smoky Mountains. This new entity will be under the ownership, care, and leadership of a group led by myself (Andrew White) and Andrew Hove, Durham resident and former full-time minister with a passion and heart to continue the legacy of The Hemlock for the next generation.
For the hundreds and hundreds of you who have called this place your vacation home, we are excited to have you back. And we are equally excited to graft in this new mission. As a non-profit, The Hemlock can demonstrate what it has always been for 70 years: a place of retreat and spiritual rest for so many, truly serving families and groups, and now including churches, ministers, and those who might not otherwise have the means to visit such a place.
Andrew Hove, his wife Dana, my wife Jeanette, and I are leading this transition alongside a cohort of additional family and friends. Jeanette and I will be leading the The Hemlock non-profit organization while also curating programs and retreat opportunities at The Hemlock through our ministry work from our home in Chapel Hill.
For more information on our vision, this transition, and more, visit hemlocknc.com
Our family has always considered the Hemlock a place of mission. This transition cements its legacy as nothing less than that: a place for people from all places to experience the rest of God and gather together to be renewed and changed.
How can you help support this transition? First, come visit this year to celebrate Hemlock Inn! And come again in ‘24 to support The Hemlock. Second, very soon The Hemlock will be able to accept donations that will go directly to support our mission. You can learn more at our website.
See you soon in the mountains,
Andrew White
hemlocknc.com
andrew@hemlocknc.com
Hyatt Creek Outpost Guide Services
Many of you may know Heath Hyatt, who has worked part time for the inn for several years. He is a skilled carpenter, tenacious grounds keeper, and good friend. He is also an avid outdoorsman who loves these mountains and knows all the trails, fishing spots, and history of the area.
He has started a new venture called Hyatt Creek Outpost Guide Service. He will be available to lead hikes, guide fishing ventures (equipment provided if necessary), and take you on informative history walks throughout the area.
We plan to have him lead some nightly sessions here at the inn on his knowledge of the Smokies. If you wish to line up an adventure with him while you are here, you can contact him at (828) 341-5776
Park it Forward
You may have heard of a new “Park It Forward” program in the Great Smoky National Park. Visitors are now required to purchase a permit if you park inside the park for over 15 minutes. You can purchase a daily pass for $5, a weekly pass for $15, or an annual pass for $40. There are automated machines in Deep Creek near the restrooms (picnic area), at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, and at the Heritage Museum in Bryson City, NC. You may also purchase passes online.
