Grand Olde Station

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: August - 2022

The Toxaway Community has always been close.From its earliest days when swells like Thomas Edisonand Henry Ford would plan their getaways so theycould “rough it” together (for clarity, their version of roughingit wasn’t the same as Mark Twain’s – let’s call it by its 21stcentury name, glamping).My grandfather, who was the teacher at Toxaway School afterhe came home from World War I, said that people would gatherat Po and Missa Galloway’s for a community meal and music(with some dancing, but not for the Baptists).And of course, the homes that have sprung up all along thelake since the 1960s – from modest getaways to sprawlingestates that are barely glimpsed from the road – they constitutea thriving, egalitarian community, where eventually everyoneknows your name.This helps to explain why Grand Olde Station, just 15 yardsfrom the lake, is such good fit for this lively community.Housed in the old Toxaway Train Depot, with a venerableToxaway Fire Department American LaFrance Engine and acouple of vintage motorboats out front, this place is steeped inmountain heritage.Inside it’s jammed with mountain ephemera, including a slinkystuffed fox and a ghostly mountain lion (perhaps in tribute tothe “painter” that my grandfather said haunted the deep woodssurrounding Toxaway in 1920-21).But the clear callback to olde Toxaway’s social calendarwas the crowd that built with our arrival at 6:00 P.M. on aSunday evening. People poured in, and they were in a happy,celebratory mood.Our server Gregory reflected the spirit of the dining room – hemoved with confidence and a good-natured humor. Between thekitchen and bar and dining room, he was in perpetual motion,yet he never seemed stressed, let alone overwhelmed.This comfy mountain décor and overwhelmingly positiveatmosphere still doesn’t explain the filled-to-capacity diningroom, though.Let’s turn our attention to the menu and the confident kitchenthat delivers on its promises.We started with tapas-style Fried Green Tomatoes and SmokedTrout Dip served with pita triangles. Here’s an unimpeachablereference to Southern classics that were on the menu of thevenerable Toxaway Inn. Our main courses weren’t culled from an old mountaincookbook – Barbecued Chicken Pizza, Almond Salmon, andthe thick and juicy Station Burger – but they’re in the runningfor modern classics.They were all created with care, and my Station Burger wasreminiscent of the backyard burgers that used to punctuatemy summers. Somehow, I’ve lost the time and inclination todrag the old grill out, so Grand Olde Station’s version filledsomething precious in my emotional equilibrium.Well, I’ve squandered a healthy chunk of my word count, so letme jump directly to dessert – the rare and wonderful CookieSkillet. Whatever else you’ve ordered and whatever drinksyou’ve consumed over the course of your meal, you owe it toyourself to make sure this ends up in front of you.Will a Cookie Skillet change the course of your life?Of course not. But it will make you a better person – 37percent better.With its dining room filled with friends and neighbors, andits wise kitchen and its gracious serving staff, it’s clear thatGrand Olde Station is a beautiful manifestation of what’s keptToxaway such a tight-knit community.Though Po and Missa Galloway are long gone, you’ll get theimpression that they’re still around, and they’re smiling.Reservations are a must – call (828) 966-4242.

by Luke Osteen