Historic Places

1. Green River Plantation - Listed on the National Register of Historic Paces. This stately home was built in 1804 and has been lovingly restored to its original grandeur. Open to the public by reservation. 828-286-1461 or 828-287-0983. Coxe Rd., Rutherfordton, NC.

2. Historical Marker - N.C. Colonized 1585, settled in 1650. Hwy 9 South at NC/SC state line.

3. Historical Marker - Governor Tryon's march to survey the Cherokee boundary, 1767. Hwy 9 South at NC/SC state line.

4. Four Columns Farm - Built in the late lath century upon the ruins of the pre-revolutionary outpost known as Earls Fort. On the National Register of Historic Places. Hwy 14 at 1-26, Landrum, SC..

5. Gowensville Baptist Church - Began as a preaching station in 1809, the Church was built in 1820. Hwy 14 Gowensville. SC.

6. Campbell's Covered Bridge - Built in the 1800's. Hwy 14 to Hwy 414. Follow signs. Gowensville, SC.

7. Good Shepherd Episcopal Church - The original slave chapel at Coxe Plantation, known as St. Francis, was moved to Tryon in 1955. It still has original furnishings and glass. Jackson Rd., Tryon.

8. Pine Crest Inn - Built in 1900 as a sanitarium, later converted into a retreat in 1917 by Carter Brown. Once a favorite of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemmingway. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A guest cottage, Sway Back Cottage - Circa 1760, is located on the property. Pine Crest Lane. Tryon

9. Polk County Historical Museum - The Polk County Historical Association's collection includes area artifacts dating back to the time of the Cherokee as well as the cannonball that was fired on Fort Sumter at the beginning of the Civil War. The museum is open Tuesday and Thursday, 10 am to 1 pm and Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. Monthly programs with fascinating speakers are held on the first Tuesday of each month, September through May at 2:30 pm. Located at 60 Walker Street (rear entrance), one block from the historic Polk County Courthouse in Columbus.

10. Tryon Cemetery - Dates back to the early 1700's. Markham Rd.

11. Seven Hearths - Built in 1740, is said to be the first clapboard house in the county. Moved piece by piece to present location in 1934 and completely restored. Harmon Field Rd. Tryon. *

12. Log Cabin Slave Quarters - Circa 1740. Moved from and reconstructed next to Seven Hearths. Harmon Field Rd. Tryon, NC.

13. Historical Marker- Stoneman's raid, April 1865. Hwy 108, Lynn.

14. Sidney Lanier House - Sidney Lanier, a well known poet, died in the Wilcox home Sept.7,1881. It has been called the Lanier House ever since. Hwy 108, Lynn..

15. Mimosa Inn - This Inn can lay claim to 200 years of history but the present day structure was built in 1916 after fire destroyed the original Inn. Hwy 108, Lynn

16. Scriven's Plantation - Built in the late 1700's by Govan Mills this beautiful pro-civil war home has been lovingly maintained by several owners. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places..

17. Polk County Courthouse - Built by slaves, using native clay bricks, in 1857. In front stands the original slave block that is now covered with a planter. On the National Historic Register. Columbus.

18. Doughboy Statue - Built to honor the men who fought and died in WWI. Constructed of local materials and built facing the mountains, the young man is leaning on a White Oak stump. Court St., Columbus

19. Sears House - C. A. Hughes ordered a kit from the Sears Catalog and built this house in 1894. Original in every detail. N. Peak St., Columbus..

20. Warrior Mountain Monument - Warrior Mountain Monument-Marker commemorating the defeat of the Cherokee Indians in 1776 at Howard Gap. Formerly located at a site on Howard Gap Road in Saluda, the monument is now located in Stearns Park in downtown Columbus, across from the Doughboy Statue, at the corner of E. Mills Street and Hampton Court.

21. The Mountain Home - Built in 1910 as a retreat for the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks. Now The Orchard Inn. Hwy 176. Saluda.

22. Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration - Built in 1892. still has the original furnishings and beautiful and unusual stained glass windows Charles St. Saluda

23. Saluda Depot - Built early 1800's. Now a shop. Main. St., Saluda

24. The Oaks - This beautiful Victorian home was built in 1894 for a local banker. Now a Bed & Breakfast Inn. Greenville St. Saluda.

25. Historic Bank of Tryon Building - (now Tryon Daily Bulletin office)-Build circa 1908 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January 2008, the two story brick and stone Romanesque-revival style commercial building constructed to house the first bank established in Polk County displays a beautiful brick and stone facade. From 1935 to the present the building has been the home of the Tryon Daily Bulletin, the world's smallest daily newspaper. 16 North Trade Street, Tryon, NC

26. Historic Mill Farm Inn - Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January of 2009, this former guest inn is now a private residence. The Mill Farm Inn, was designed by Chicago architect Russell Walcott and construction was completed in 1939. It is a two-story, Colonial Revival-style, stone building topped by an asphalt-shingle side-gable roof with exposed rafter ends. It is located at the intersection of three important roads in southern Polk County - Highway 108 (Lynn Road), Howard Gap Road and Harmon Field Road between Tryon and Lynn.

27. Birthplace of Nina Simone - Visit the house where Eunice Waymon (who later became internationally famous under her professional musical performance name Nina Simone) was born on February 21, 1933. Waymon / Nina Simone would grow up to introduce to the world a unique infusion of pop, gospel, classical, jazz, folk, and ballads -- that she would call, “Black Classical Music.” Her birthplace is located at the top of a hill on East Livingston Street just off Markham Road, Tryon.

28. Tryon Toy Makers and Wood Carvers Cottage - Built in 1925 as a workshop and showroom by Eleanor P. Vance and Charlotte Yale (formerly of the Biltmore Industries) for the wooden toys manufactured by local woodcrafters trained by Vance and Yale, this alpine style gem was the site for a July 4th address by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1934 and is currently being restored as a future museum for wooden items once made and sold there. Located on East Howard Street just off of North Trade Street in Tryon.

29. Tryon Depot and Depot Garden - Built in 1906, the Tryon Depot was the third depot building build to serve the train travelers passing through Tryon. The lovely garden next to the Depot is maintained by the Tryon Garden Club and features a metal sculpture celebrating the role of the railroad in bringing the world to Tryon. Depot Street, Tryon.

Parks and Scenic Areas

1. Shunkawauken Fall's - The highest waterfalls east of the Rockies before the road was put in. It is still a spectacular 500 ft. split level waterfall. White Oak Mountain, Columbus.

2. Sunset Rock - Elevation of approximately 3000 ft. looking west over the Green River and Holbert's Cove, on a clear day you can see 3 states and 16 counties. White Oak Mountain, Columbus.

3. Pacolet River - Scenic drive along the river on Hwy 176 between Tryon and Saluda, offers curves and climbing roadway with views of the rushing river, waterfalls and gorges.

4. Saluda Grade - The train tracks follow the steepest, class 1, main-line grade in the U.S. With a total of over 50 curves, the gradient ranges from 3.7% to 5.59%, rising 885 ft. in a three mile section. Hwy 176 between Tryon and Saluda.

5. Pearson's Falls - With the falls thundering over a 90 ft. drop, this property of the Tryon Garden Club is a remarkable botanical wonderland. Offering hiking, bird-watching, picnicking and more. Pearson's Falls Rd, off of Hwy 176, Saluda.

6. Green River Cove - Runs from Saluda to Lake Adger and has 2 access areas to the Green River, Fish Top and Big Rock, for swimming, tubing, kayaking and other outdoor activities. Saluda.

7. Bradley Falls/Little Bradley Falls - Beautiful trails that cover acres of woods, streams and breathtaking waterfalls & gorges. Parking is on the right 3.2 miles from brick columns at Heaven's View Motel. Trails to the falls are on the left before the bridge. 1-26 Saluda exit. Holbert's Cove Rd. Proper clothing/footwear advised.

8. Lake Adger, Red Barn Access - The only lake in Polk County. Open to the public for fishing and other water sports. Boat needed to access lake via the Red Barn Access Point.  Silver Creek Rd., Mill Spring.

9. Chimney Rock Park - A breathtaking view from the mountain's giant monolithic "chimney". The park offers nature trails, rock formations and the 404 ft. Hickory Nut Falls. Chimney Rock, NC.

10. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center  (FENCE) - A 220 acre nature preserve with marked riding and hiking trails, offers bird and nature walks and hosts equestrian events, including the Steeplechase Races. Also has outdoor concerts and educational camps. Hunting Country Rd. Tryon.

11. Lake Lanier - Built in the 1920's, it is a is a very scenic 5 mile drive. The lake is private and has no public access. Dam is located at the NC/SC state line off Hwy 176, Tryon.

12. Harmon Field - Home to the first Tryon Horse & Hound Show in 1926. Many equestrian events are still held here. Picnic area, tennis courts, track. softball field or relax by the Pacolet river as children play on the swings. Harmon Field Rd.. Tryon, NC.

13. Stearns Park - Across from the historic County Court House in Columbus it was originally Stearns School playground built in 1917. Walking track. gazebo and picnic tables. Columbus.

14. Gibson Park - Run by the Polk County Recreation Dept. the park offers a public swimming pool and picnic area Fork St. Columbus

15. Rogers Park - Site of the Summer Tracks concert series, the Rogers Park amphitheater is a wooded open-air concert and performance venue with seating for up to 200 people. The park and amphitheater are often used for school programs and weddings. A small stream bubbles across the park and in front of an oval stage with beautiful rock-work and a retractable awning. Permanent seating in rows up the facing hillside provides good visibility of the stage area. The park also has green space, picnic tables and pergolas. Located on West Howard Street across from Tryon Fire Department in Tryon.

16. Woodland Park - A rustic wooded park with trails adjacent to downtown Tryon. The main access point and vehicle parking area are located off South Trade Street and may be accessed by the one-way section of Chestnut Street from Melrose Avenue.

17. Greene Corner / Sassoon Park - A beautiful garden and gazebo located across from the Melrose Avenue entrance of the Tryon Fine Arts Center, Greene Corner is a favorite location for wedding photos. The Sassoon Park across from it sports modern sculpture and greenery. Located on Melrose Avenue, Tryon.

18. Park on Trade - A jewel of a pocket park developed and maintained by the Green Blades Garden Club offers a bubbling fountain with a millstone base, shrubs, flowerbeds and a rustic bench and arbor. This park is located at the corner of North Trade Street and West Howard Street next to the Tryon Town Hall building and near Rogers Park amphitheater.

19. Ziglar Field - Historic site of the games for the local semi-pro African-American baseball team, the Tryon All-Stars, from 1948 until the 1960s, Ziglar Field currently sports a soccer field and a baseball field for public use. The park is located on East Howard Street near its intersection with Vaughn Street.

20. Bryan Park - Located adjacent to the historic Tryon Cemetery, Garrison Chapel Baptist Church, St. Luke's CME Church and the Nina Simone Birthplace and not far from Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Bryan Park offers picnic tables, grills and benches in a sunny green pocket park. Markham Road, Tryon.

21. Nina Simone Plaza - A larger than life size bronze statue of the international songstress, Nina Simone, née Eunice Waymon, may be seen in a small landscaped plaza. The statue celebrates native daughter, Nina Simone, who was born and began her musical training in Tryon, North Carolina. South Trade Street in Tryon, just south of the Tryon Horse and across from the Tryon Theater

General Interest

1. "Morris" The Tryon Horse - 5th generation jumbo version of the Tryon Toymakers most popular toy now stands in the middle of Tryon. The 1st horse was made in 1928 for the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club.

2. Tryon Theater - Originally built in 1939 as a movie and vaudeville theater, it still uses it's original carbon arc projectors. It shows movies 4 nights a week and has a matinee on Sunday. Tryon.

3. Jack Scruggs & Son General Store - Bread and boots to barbed wire. The last old time general store in Polk County. 3 miles off Hwy 9 on Chesnee Road., Green Creek.