By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — If anyone ever wondered whether Blowing Rock has ever been a “fun” town, you don’t to look any further than the Blowing Rock Historical Society’s exhibit, “Nightlife in Blowing Rock,” currently on display at Edgewood Cottage.
For a second year in a row, Edgewood Cottage has been converted into an off-season museum. For several years now, the former studio of acclaimed North Carolina artist Elliott Daingerfield has been used in the summer as the home of Artists in Residence, the popular, multi-week series featuring some of the best artists in different mediums that the region has to offer.
“Last year we came to the conclusion that we were wasting this beautiful asset we have in Edgewood Cottage when Artists in Residence had come and gone, ” Tom O’Brien, president of the Blowing Rock Historical Society explained to Blowing Rock News. “So we came up with the idea of utilizing the space as a museum with a different theme each year.”
For 2023-24, they came upon a theme that is sure to intrigue residents and visitors alike.
“A lot of people don’t realize that Blowing Rock had a bit of a rowdy reputation in the 1930s, 1940s, and all the way up to the end of the century, really,” said O’Brien. “And it is all tied to alcohol because so many of the areas around it were considered ‘dry.’ Just about the only place you could get liquor by the drink was in one of our bars or restaurants. And that also spurred a lot of entrepreneurs to be creative. It probably couldn’t be built or operated today, but P.B. Scott’s was incredible in its abilities to book some of the time’s most popular acts and bring them to Blowing Rock. It was only open from 1976 to 1983, but brought in musicians that included Leon Russell, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Earl Scruggs, John Prine, Doc and Merle Watson, Don McLean, Marshall Tucker, Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, Jr., and the Allman Brothers, attracting massive crowds.”
O’Brien noted other historical stories, too.
“Our understanding is that the very first Hard Rock Cafe was launched in Blowing Rock,” said O’Brien. “It didn’t last long before the partnership ended and the brand was taken away to London and Chicago. Then you have Antlers Bar, which is now part of Bistro Roca. It is believed to be the longest running bar in North Carolina.”
The Edgewood Cottage museum is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to sign the guest book before wandering through the various poster displays telling the story of Blowing Rock’s “nightlife” history.
