golf, the Cradle is aptly named with kudos
to Pinehurst for continuing the legacy now
125 years strong! As we discuss the lure that
keeps drawing people, Wally tells, "I was
caddying last week on No. 2 with the Men’s
North and South Amateur, and a young man
says, 'There’s just something about this place
that just draws me here. I don’t know if it’s
the wind or the church bells you hear as you
walk down the fairway. But you can sense a
lot of people of importance have played here
before.' I thought that was a good way to put it."
Try as we might to define the gift, maybe
there isn't one thing in particular as the parts
of the whole become the magic. Tiger Woods,
Bobby Jones and many
other famous golfers join the
legendary Arnold Palmer who
walked these fairways, and
you can feel it. Beyond the golf,
the mystique continues in the
stories of haunted landmarks
such as the Magnolia and Pine
Crest Inn. You know how you
get that feeling like someone’s
watching you, but they’re not.
It’s hard to describe but when
you’re here, you sense the
connection.
In preserving the
connection along with
embracing the changes over
time, Wally agrees the most
noticeable change has been
the explosion of growth.
Remembering back to 1984,
he tells, “Back then there was only like 2,500
residents; now there’s 17,000! Pinehurst
felt like a one stoplight town—Aberdeen,
Southern Pines and Pinehurst were just
tiny. Now we have traffic at the traffic circle,
but it’s all relative compared to bigger cities.
Back then, the Post Office was a post office
number one. It’s where locals congregated,
got their mail and visited with friends—that
was always a cool thing that is now relocated.
There was a liquor store in the Village next
door to Dugan's Pub. The Village Green, next
to the Given Memorial Library, has a lot more
activity in hosting concerts and the farmer's
market. The Holly Inn was here. Of course, the
Brewery wasn’t here then. The Manor Inn is
much improved with the recent remodel."
About the winding streets? Truly Olmsted
broke the mold from the normal grid pattern
found in the streets of New England. Wally
laughs, "Yeah. It’s really challenging to find
your way around if you don’t know the name
of the streets. There are no square blocks and
not many street lights. Before GPS, people
who drove in at night were completely lost.
With a golf course and some kind of circle
at every turn, Pinehurst is unique with 46
courses within a 12-mile radius. Whenever
you ever fly over this area, you get a good idea
of how much golf is actually here!"
THE GIFT continued
From the circular streets holding the local
landmarks, there's just something special
about walking the beloved avenues and
noticing the white fences, iron gates, front
porches, graceful trees and best of all the
names and dates on the historic plaques of the
white cottages that complete the charm. Each
cottage has a story. For instance, the Hale
Cottage c.1895, where we gather, was built
for a doctor whose last name was Hale. The
cottage welcomed his family over the summer
months, and Dr. Hale would literally walk
down these steps to make house calls. "When
you have buildings that are over a 100 years
old, how can we not appreciate them?" shares
Wally. "We are so thankful for
the owners who preserve the
cottages' history."
Wally tells, "This town was
built on short-term rentals.
From the very beginning,
people came down, rented a
house for the summer, walked
over to the Holly Inn to enjoy
a steak for $2.00 and played
golf. We have to remember
that Pinehurst was a stopping
off point for New Englanders
who were passing through
on their way to Florida. They
would literally get off the train,
stretch their legs and feel the
sandy soil—they originally
called it the Pinehurst Spa
because they thought the
humidity and sand were good
for your skin. We should thank these folks who
put the seeds in the ground to grow the pine
trees."
Finding that perfect balance of preserving
the essence while embracing the 21st century
remains as mysterious as the lure. It’s
important for locals to do their homework on
who is running for office and vote accordingly.
Encouraging local business leaders, who are
making a difference in our community, to run
for Village council, Wally hopes for the best.
In looking ahead, Wally shares, "I would
treat the Village like a national park. If you’ve
ever been to Glacier National Park in Montana,
then you understand why people leave
money in an envelope at the gate when they
go in—they want their kids, grandkids, and
great–grandkids to be able to see the treasure
untouched. We need to treat this Village like
a national park. We have all of the Southern
charm, and this Village draws people. It’s
Norman Rockwell! When you attend the
Christmas tree lighting, you’ll have a tear in
your eye. We must preserve Pinehurst."
Our glasses are now empty, but our hearts
are full as we wrap up the gift of Pinehurst
now celebrating 125 years! The significance of
125 years is unbelievable with too few locals
invited to the party. In encouraging all locals
to experience the gift, Wally smiles, "Pinehurst
is your next best friend! Happy Birthday,
Pinehurst! You deserve the biggest cake ever!"
☐ For more about Wally, see p.7.
THE GIFT con't. next column
THE GIFT con't from p. 28
A GIFT FOR ALL con't from FRONT PAGE
As the holiday season approaches, gifts
this year will be much more home–oriented.
Giving the gift of relaxation may be just the
perfect gift ever! If you are searching for the
right gift for such a time as this, then I suggest a
gift that will be appreciated all year long—one
that will be appreciated by many including
the wildlife. I suggest a water feature.
A water feature can consist of a water
garden, a koi pond, a pondless waterfall or a
fountain. Any of these choices will bring years
of enjoyment along with providing the beauty
of the rock work, the unique landscaping, the
intoxicating sound of the moving water, the
relaxing movement of the calm, swimming
fish and the excitement of the birds who visit.
Throughout every single season, the water
feature is attractive and alive. In spring, nature
awakens as the frogs begin to sing; the fish
swim out of their winter slumber; the plants
emerge into new growth. As temperatures
rise and the day light lengthens, the water
lilies and lotus begin to bloom. The waterfall
attracts birds and brings relaxation.
When the heat of summer arrives, the
water feature provides critical hydration to
the wildlife and offers a refreshing bath to the
birds. The cooling effects of the sound of water
are appreciated during these hot times.
As the days shorten, the leaves change
color and the temperatures begin to cool, the
water feature transforms once again. Plants
go dormant; the fish become more active with
the cooler water; the birds stop by to drink up
for their migration.
Once winter arrives, the plants are
sleeping, and the fish are hibernating, but the
water feature is still going strong. The waterfall
runs to announce, “I am still here!” The winter
birds appreciate the bathing spot offering a
refreshing drink. As temperatures dip below
freezing, the waterfall becomes a beautiful,
living, moving, changing ice sculpture. It is
a beautiful sight, especially at night when
uplighted by the underwater lights.
As you can see, the gift of a water feature
can and will bring joy to many more than just
the one to whom it is gifted. A water feature is
truly a gift for all seasons. ☐
Star Ridge Aquatics, LLC is a full service
aquatics garden center located in Carthage
just minutes north of Pinehurst. We offer a
full service installation and maintenance
program for all your water feature needs.
From design to build then maintenance, Star
Ridge Aquatics, LLC does it all.
Call Joe Granato at 910-947-5333
For more info, see ad p. 5.
p.30 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 140