Bringing the classics back to Black Mountain

Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center to host downtown vintage car show

The Valley Echo
July 19, 2021

A vintage postcard depicts State Street in downtown Black Mountain during an era when the town was a thoroughfare for motorists traveling across the state. The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center will celebrate that legacy, July 31, with the first Rock the Classics Car Show. Image courtesy of Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center

Long before I-40 came through Western North Carolina, downtown Black Mountain represented the final stop for motorists heading east, and greeted westbound drivers as they arrived in the mountains. Service stations along State Street would welcome Chevrolets, Fords, Shelbys, Edsels, Datsuns and more, as travelers rolled through. 

The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center will revisit the era when the town was a thoroughfare for motorists along N.C. 10 and Old U.S. 70, Saturday, July 31, when it hosts the first Rock the Classics vintage car show. 

From 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., dozens of classic cars from the 1900s through the 1980s will be on display, and attendees will vote for their favorite vehicles, enjoy country music entertainment, purchase sno-cones from a local vendor and participate in a 50/50 raffle, with half of the winnings going to support the nonprofit museum. Categories for vehicle entries will include: Oldest Car, Best in Show and People’s Choice. There will also be activities for children in a “Kid’s Zone” with chalk, coloring sheets and a craft activity

“This is a chance for families to enjoy exciting models from motoring history,” SVM executive director LeAnne Johnson said of the event, the first of its kind in Black Mountain. “Car shows connect older generations with younger generations by exploring the nostalgia of antique vehicles. People of all ages can appreciate the beautiful designs of classic cars from their own lifetimes and beyond.”

The show is particularly relevant given Black Mountain’s strong historic connection to the transportation economy. Before the interstate was built, the main route travelers took as they drove across the state came down State Street in Black Mountain. The town was home to a host of filling stations, repair centers and auto dealerships. 

A photograph from the early 20th century shows the Esso Gas Station at the northeast corner of State Street and Montreat Road in Black Mountain, currently the Town Square. Photo courtesy of Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center

Some of the more notable of these businesses were the Esso Gas Station (later William’s Service Station), which operated from 1923 to 2008 and sat at the northeast corner of State Street and Montreat Road (present-day Town Square), and McMurray Chevrolet Company, which first occupied the building that is now the Trailhead Restaurant on State Street, then later moved to what is now the White Horse and Key City Antiques at the corner of State Street and Montreat Road. 

Madison County native Andy Buckner, who competed in season 9 of NBC’s “The Voice,” will perform at 1:30 p.m. Buckner blends honky-tonk, grass roots and gritty country into his own unique style. His song, “When Country Comes Back,” has been covered by top-selling country artist Colt Ford, and Buckner’s recent song “Just a Guy in a Bar,” co-written with Ronnie Bowman & Joel Shewmak, has been nominated for Best Song of the Year at the International Bluegrass Association Awards. 

Attendees of the car show will receive discount coupons for Buckner’s upcoming show, taking place that evening at the White Horse.

For more information on the Rock the Classics Car Show, visit swannanoavalleymuseum.org/svm-car-show or contact the museum director at swannanoavalleymuseum@gmail.com.