In Grassy Creek, the historic home of Civil War veteran Isham Thompson has been taken down, with its 1810 log cabin preserved for a new build. Though its materials live on, the loss reflects a wider trend of disappearing historic homes.

The Silas Creek School, once a rare two-story rural schoolhouse and Odd Fellows Hall, now stands in disrepair. Built in the early 1900s, it served students like the author’s father, who walked miles with cornbread and molasses for lunch. Though fading, the building remains a quiet witness to a simpler time.

The Ashe County Cemetery Committee recently began restoring three historic cemeteries in Grassy Creek, including the Rev. Elisha Anderson Cemetery with graves dating to the early 1800s. Thanks to volunteers and a supportive landowner, the site is being cleared and prepared for ground-penetrating radar to help preserve the resting places of Ashe County’s early settlers.