The Forge Crest TimesThe Forge Crest TimesThe Forge Crest TimesThe Forge Crest TimesForge Crest Property Owners Association Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 3 July, 2009

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

The Forge Crest Board met onMay 27th with all memberspresent. Our majordiscussions concernedcovenant enforcement androadside maintenance.

James Keesee and BonnieDuffner reported on theirrecent training in Charlottewith the HomeownersAssociation of NorthCarolina, which they foundhelpful. We particularly notethat associations failing toenforce their covenants set abad precedent that maysubject future efforts atenforcement to legalchallenge.

We continue to receivecomplaints about a particularproperty that is visible fromour neighborhood's mainentrance and from severalother locations. Although wehave given the owner anextension of the required timeto complete construction,there is no construction permitopen and it seems unlikelythat construction will becompleted before theextension expires at the end ofJune. Complaints indicate thatthis property continues toblight the character of theneighborhood. The Board will

meet in July to considersanctions. The owner will beinvited to attend.

Recent heavy rains have madeobvious some problems withour roadsides that requireresolution before we get atropical storm that couldseverely damage our roads.An accumulation of soil alongthe roadsides has channeledrunoff that should be goinginto the ditches towards theroadways. This problem wasapparently exacerbated in onecase by a blocked culvert. TheBoard allocated $3,000 forrepairs to four areas that weredeemed of particular urgency.The berms will be regradedand gravel will be added toprotect paved areas whereneeded. The blocked culvertwill be cleared and all lotowners are reminded that theyare responsible for keepingtheir own driveway culvertscleared. Failure to do this maylead to individual lot ownershaving to bear the costs ofrepairs for roadside erosionbelow their property.

The Board voted a motion ofappreciation to our Treasurer,Gil Wagi, who has once againmanaged to collect all of ourdues. The Board also notesthat he is investing a lot oftime in the pursuit of a few lotowners, and that HOA-NCadvises its member

associations to save time byproceeding legally againstdelinquent owners, who willthen have to pay theassociated costs in addition totheir dues.

Our representatives at theboard training reported thatour association iscomparatively well managedand trouble free compared tothe ones they heard about atthe meeting. The Boardappreciates all the time beingdonated by local residents tokeeping our neighborhoodtidy, especially the recentcleanup day which was wellattended and very productive. The return of normal rainfallto our area is inevitablyassociated with an increase inpest activity. Residents arereminded to take precautionsagainst mosquitoes that cantransmit disease, especiallyduring the evening hours.

Respectfully,John M. Rathbun, MDjmrathbun@bellsouth.net(828) 891-9405

THE HISTORY OF

FORGE MOUNTAIN

By Jim Brittain

Reprinted from the Mills

River Newsletter, Spring,

2006

Philip Sitton (1770-1843), apioneer ironmaster and thepatriarch of the Mills RiverSittons, his wife, WinifredBradley Sitton (1766-1841),and several children moved toSouth Mills River fromGeorges Creek, SC, in the late1790s. The state of NorthCarolina gave him a landgrant of 3000 acres as anincentive to construct andoperate an iron forge. Heselected a site for his firstforge near the confluence ofBradley Creek and SouthMills River.

Although no contemporarydescription or drawing of hisforge has been found, it islikely that it was an open-hearth type known as a"bloomery" or Catalan forge.Surviving physical evidencein the form of large pieces ofiron-rich black slag has beenfound near the mouth ofBradley Creek.

Iron ore mined on the Southface of Forge Mountain(known as "Iron WorksMountain" in the early 19thcentury) was transported byox cart or wagon throughVineyard Gap to the forge.Limestone was mixed with theore to act as "flux" to removeimpurities, and charcoalproduced locally fromhardwood timber, served asfuel. A water-powered leather

bellows forced air into theburning charcoal.

The temperatures achieved ina bloomery forge ordinarilywere not high enough toproduce molten pig iron.Instead, a large mass ofheated iron known as a"bloom" resulted which couldbe converted to malleablewrought-iron bars by repeatedhammering and reheating. Aheavy water-powered triphammer was employed toshape the forged iron into thedesired bar stock which,subsequently, would serve theneeds of gun makers andblacksmiths. When inoperation, the forge was avery hot and noisy work placewith sustained ringing of thereciprocating hammer againstthe anvil and the heat fromthe furnace and hot iron.

After a few years, Philip andhis family decided to abandonthe Bradley Creek forge andinstall a new forge a fewmiles further down SouthMills River. The new siteoffered a number ofadvantages including a newsource of ore not far from theforge, a better site to developwater power, and better farmland for growing grain andbetter farm land for growinggrain and raising livestock.Also, the new forge offeredbetter access to a labor forceand good home sites for theextended family.

The new forge and "otherimprovements" are mentionedin an 1819 land deed. Awater-powered grist mill wasinstalled near the forge and

provided stone ground mealfor the forge workers andother residents of thecommunity. A sizeable workforce was needed to mine andtransport ore, produce thecharcoal fuel, and otheractivities at the ruralindustrial complex. It wascommon practice for workersto be paid, at least in part, bymeat, grain, and vegetables tofeed themselves and theiroften large families.

The wrought-iron barsproduced at the Sitton forgecould be made into aremarkable variety of usefulproducts by local craftsmen.Examples include doorhinges, pot hooks, carpentrytools, horse shoes, plows,fittings for ox yokes, traps,and hunting rifles.

In the early 19th century,Mathew Gillespie (1788-1871), an experiencedgunmaker, moved from theeast fork of the French BroadRiver to South Mills Riverwhere he married ElizabethSitton (1788-1858), adaughter of Philip andWinifred. Gillespieestablished a gun shop nearthe iron forge and usedwrought iron to fabricate hisrifle barrels and gun locks. Heand his five sons continued toproduce the highly-prizedweapons for several decades.

Three generations of theSitton family worked at theMills River forge. Philip'sson, Lawrence Sitton (1794-1873), worked at the forgeuntil it ceased operationduring the Civil War. In 1812,

he married Isabel Gillespie(1796-1880), a sister ofMathew Gillespie. A son ofLawrence and Isabel, PhilipLawrence Sitton (1814-1857),also worked at the forge untilhis death shortly before theWar. In 1842, he marriedNancy Allen (1825-1909) andthey became the parents ofseveral children includingSilas C. Sitton (1848-1912).

Although the forge did notresume operation after theWar, Silas C. Sittonestablished a waterpoweredsawmill near the site of theforge and operated it until hewas killed in an accident atthe mill in December 1912.

Bert J. Sitton, a grandson ofSilas C. Sitton, recently hasinstalled new grave stonesmarking the burial sites ofPhilip and Lawrence Sittonand their wives in the Sitton-Gillespie Cemetery. Thisfamily cemetery offers acommanding view of ForgeMountain and overlooks thesite of the Sitton forge,sawmill, and grist mill.

Forge Mountain remains as ahighly visible physicalreminder of a vital 19thcentury industrial center in theheart of the Mills Rivercommunity.

RAINFALL ON

FORGE CREST

by Gil Wagi

June's rainfall at Forge Crestwas below normal while theairport ended up with over two inches above normal forthe month. This was due tothe track the thunderstorms took over the regionthroughout the month.

Through January, 2010, longrange forecasters expect nearnormal temperatures and precipitation for our region.Early next year, temperaturesare expected to be above normal with slightly belownormal rainfall.

Apt (Norm) Apt FC Jan 2.4 4.06 3.38 Feb 1.87 3.83 2.26 Mar 4.07 4.59 5.73 Apr 3.54 3.50 4.38 May 9.18 4.42 14.06 Jun 6.41 4.38 3.13 Tot 27.47 24.78 32.94

FRENCH STYLE

BREAD BY JAMES

BEARD

Contributed by

Barbara Rathbun

Here is the recipe for breadfor which I've had somerequests. and Pat Wagi saysGil is making it entirely toooften--because she has to eatit while it's hot!

Ingredients:

1 ½ tbsp dry active yeast (1 ½ pkg)1 tbsp sugar

2 cups warm water1 tbsp salt5 to 6 cups flour3 tbsp yellow cornmeal1 tbsp egg white mixed with 1tbsp cold water

Cooking instructions:

Combine yeast with sugar andwarm water in large bowl andallow to proof.

Mix salt with flour and add toyeast, one cup at a time, to astiff dough.

Knead on lightly flouredboard till no longer sticky,about 10 minutes, addingflour as necessary.

Place in buttered bowl andturn to coat. Cover and let risein warm place till doubled inbulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Punch down dough and turnout on floured board.

Shape into 2 long Frenchbread loaves.

Place on baking sheetsprinkled with cornmeal.

Slash tops of loavesdiagonally in two or threeplaces, and brush with eggwash.

Place in cold oven, settemperature to 400°. Bake 35minutes or till well browned.It will sound hollow whentapped on top.

Cool slightly and slice thickly.

This bread is best within thefirst four hours after baking.

To make a wheaten loaf, usehalf white and half wholewheat flour, or 1/3 white, 1/3wheat, and 1/3 cracked wheat.For a moister loaf, add up to 5tbsp of olive oil to dough. Youmight need a little more flour.

DOWN THE MIDDLE

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Thisarticle is included at therequest of one of ourresidents.)

For those who use all of theavailable pavement whengoing up or down ForgeMountain, please be especiallyalert for opposite directiontraffic. There have been anumber of complaints ofpeople being ‘run off the road’by overly aggressive orinattentive drivers. If youcannot drive defensively, thenplease stay to the right all theway.

ROB FLORES AND

STEVE ALHART

BUSY WITH THE

ARTS

Robert Flores, center, sang attheTaste of Opera fundraiserfor the Asheville Lyric Operaon June 6.

The evening included a richassortment of offerings fromAsheville restaurants beforethe concert.

On June 20, Steve Alharthosted the Metrolina TheatreOrgan Society during theirwestern Carolina organ tour.The Metrolina group hailsfrom the Charoltte area.

Featured artist for the eventwas Scott Foppiano, shownbelow at the organ, a notedrecording artist of several

classical and theater- styledCD's. Over twenty peopleenjoyed beautiful music, greatweather and our wonderfulmountain.

RECENT VISITORS

TO FORGE CREST

The following images werecaptured by Russ Martinkusas the visitor strolled by hisand Jan’s home.

A couple of visitors to GilWagi.

This little fawn settled in thelove grass behind Tom andGinny Komer’s home. It waswithout its mother, althoughon the previous two days, thefawn was sighted withmomma.

JULY 4 IN BREVARD

Photos by Gil Wagi

BOARD MEETING

MINUTES

You can find the latest Boardmeeting minutes on ourwebsite(www.forgecrest.org). Lookunder Governance - BoardActions - 2009 and scrolldown to see all the minutesfor meetings in that year.

ANY CHANGE IN

YOUR CONTACT

INFORMATION?

If you change your address,telephone number or emailaddress, please contact ournewly elected Secretary,Bonnie Duffner, so that shecan update the masterProperty Owners’ list. Bonniecan be contacted at:duffnerr@bellsouth.net or(828) 891-3095.

NEWSLETTER

SUGGESTIONS AND

ARTICLES

Send any suggestionsand articles totom.komer@execonltd.com or call (828) 891-6616.