VALLE CRUCIS, N.C. — Helene couldn't knock down the Mast General Store Annex in Valle Crucis, and now the 115-year-old building is back open for business.
The Annex, which was constructed in 1909, reopened Saturday with "a ceremony to mark the water line at the front entrance as has become tradition since 1995," according to a press release.
"The Annex has seen its share of water before, but this was the most I have ever seen," said Mast General Store Facilities Manager Terry Moore. "History has taight us to be prepared for high water at the Annex, and that preparation saved the building with only one inch of water coming inside."
This isn't the first time the Annex has flooded before. In fact, the Mast General Store says there are permanent ink lines measured and dated on the Annex's doorframe to mark the depths of past floods.
WFMY News 2 sent a crew to survey the damage in Valle Crucis after Helene hit the area. They found that the residents saw the Annex as a symbol for the community — able to weather the storm and stay standing on the other side.
The area has been grateful for the support they have received in the wake of the storm.
“The kindness of our neighbors has been completely overwhelming,” said Mast General Store President Lisa Cooper. “Even while so many of us faced indescribable hardships, people never failed to offer help to someone who might need it more than they did. We at Mast saw people hiking miles across the mountains to clear debris and clean at the Annex, received thoughtful, encouraging messages from our visitors all over the country, and were given donations to deliver to our network of community partners. We are so incredibly grateful for the generosity of all those who know and love Mast Store and these mountains we’re proud to call home.”
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