Summer is almost here and with it comes the chance to explore a bit of your own backyard.  The Asheville-based American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) has created a list of local sites that architecturally showcase that iconic tree—the American chestnut.  Take a trip to any of these places, each less than two hours from Asheville, to see a now-rare wood.    The Foundation has been working for more than 25 years to restore this tree to its native range in the eastern part of the United States and western North Carolina lies within the heart of this range.  The American chestnut was decimated in the first half of the 20th century by a fungal blight that killed nearly four billion of these mighty giants.

Today, the bark and the wood from these trees remain as part of the architecture of several historic sites in western North Carolina.  With the plentiful supply of American chestnut in local forests, builders used the bark from these giants to create a rustic, all-American style for summer homes, resorts, and lodges in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  The bark was very durable and water-resistant and was able to withstand the harsh winters in the mountains of western North Carolina.  This simple, informal and rustic look became known as “vacation architecture” of western North Carolina.

Read More Here: Visit local sites featuring American chestnut wood | CITIZEN-TIMES.com | Asheville Citizen-Times

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