Valley Rewind: Miami Mountain in the 1910s

This ca. late 1910s photograph, taken from Black Mountain's Train Depot looking up, spotlights Miami Mountain. During the first quarter of the 20th century, Miami Mountain was the home of the Sunset Park Hotel (also known as the Peabody Hotel), one of Black Mountain’s busiest tourist attractions. Visitors from all over Western North Carolina would take the morning train to Black Mountain, then hire a carriage or car to take them to the top of the mountain. At the summit, visitors could enjoy impressive views, food and refreshments, and either stay at the hotel or take a train to be back home by the evening. In 1928, the hotel was destroyed by a fire. For many years, the Swannanoa Valley Museum has hosted a Fourth of July Hike on Miami Mountain (today also referred to as "Sunset Mountain") to view Black Mountain's fireworks display.