Spring House Farm part of 'North Carolina Weekend' on Christmas Eve

By: Mike Conley | McDowell News
Published: December 22, 2009

A McDowell County landmark and ecologically minded tourist attraction will be featured on a UNC-TV program.
Several years ago, the Albertus Ledbetter House, built around 1826, was in danger of being destroyed and the 92-acre Ledbetter farm sold for development. Arthur and Zee Campbell stepped forward to rescue and painstakingly restore the historic house. The Campbells also combined the surrounding wildlife sanctuary with distinctive overnight lodging for guests. In doing so, they carefully structured roads, used reclaimed wood and developed an environmentally friendly water system, along with implementing other eco-friendly measures during the construction process.
Situated in the idyllic Montford Cove community, Spring House Farm includes six log cabins that can be rented out for weekend getaways. One of those, the Appalachian Cottage, is a historic home originallybuilt in 1835 and moved to the farm where it underwent a complete restoration. More information about the attraction can be found on its Web site, www.springhousefarm.com.
The Campbells' dedication to promoting tourism in a way that respected the environment qualified them for membership in the International Eco-Tourism Society.
The society is the oldest organization in the world devoted to the concept of environmentally based tourism, uniting conservation, communities and sustainable travel. The society shares those objectives with the owners of Spring House Farm.
During the renovation process, the Campbells discovered another little-known treasure, containers full of antique quilts. One of them, a thistle design, was the inspiration for the recently installed barn quilt block proudly displayed on their spring house. The McDowell Quilt Trail is a segment of the Western North Carolina Quilt Trail. You can find out more about the local quilt trail by visiting www.mcdowellquilttrail.org.
This unique place will be featured on UNC-TV's show "North Carolina Weekend." The program is scheduled to air on Thursday, Christmas Eve at 7:30 p.m. It will be shown again sometime in the spring of 2010.
Zee Campbell said the public television crew came out in the end of the October to tape the program and spent two days there. "They did get some good shots," she said.
UNC-TV reporter Derek Long talked to the Campbells about the Ledbetter House and its long history. He then interviewed Arthur Campbell about the cottages and the idea behind the scenic attraction.
Using native timber and stone, the Campbells have built log cabins that offered their guests privacy and a close view of the natural beauty. Many of the roads were designed from existing old logging roads to minimize the destruction of the hardwoods. The power lines were buried underground to keep the setting natural.
The Cottages at Spring House Farm is open year-round. Guests can take a hike through the mountains or enjoy catch-and-release fishing in one of the three stocked ponds. They can also canoe or paddle in a pond, relax in a private on-deck hot tub or have a picnic under one of the gazebos, according to the place's Web site.

Spring House Farm part of 'North Carolina Weekend' on Christmas Eve

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