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All Things That Are Health
Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: 2020/08 – August
Health and Highlands are forever intertwined, like root and rock anchoring each other to this remarkable mountaintop. Health has been a focus ever since the first indigenous people (the Mississippians going back 8,000 years, the Woodland People, and later the Cherokee) set foot on the Plateau.
Native cultures recognized the healing properties of the area’s plants, minerals, and climate. Later, in the 19th and 20th centuries Dr. Lapham’s Sanatorium, aka Bug Hill, was the salvation of many tuberculosis patients (see the article on Dr. Mary Lapham, page 136). Her curative practice drew many and helped put Highlands on the health-map from North America to Europe.
Today, much of the region’s trade and commerce is still rooted in the land and health: recreation, local food production, the Farmer’s Market, spas, health and wellness treatments, hiking, biking, walking, Highlands Biological Station, Yoga, healthy outdoor activities, clean air, and much more. It’s a healthy environment for body, mind, and spirit.
Kaye McHan, the Highlands Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, says, “One of the reasons I chose to live here is Highlands’ healthy atmosphere. It’s not just the climate. It’s also the residents and businesses that support health-conscious activities and commerce. It’s what attracts the quality visitors who support our tourism industry, and it’s what makes living and working here a cut above extraordinary.”
To learn more about the Chamber’s history and health-focus, visithighlandsnc.com or call (828) 526-5841.
