VALLE CRUCIS, N.C. — Like many places across western North Carolina, the historic community of Valle Crucis in Watauga County suffered its fair share of devastation as Helene swept over the region.
But there is at least one thing that withstood the storm — the original Mast General Store and Annex at 3565 Highway 194 South.
WFMY News 2 reporter Taylor Leverett was in Valle Crucis on Tuesday and talked to many locals about the trials and tribulations they've been though over the past several days.
Joe Bentley, the store's general manager and a native of Boone — located just 10 miles down the road from Valle Crucis — said he thinks the Mast General Store represents the entire community following Helene's rampage.
"The building has been here 125 years and it's not going anywhere," Bentley said. "You see how strong it is."
The location in Valle Crucis is the site of the first-ever Mast General Store, which opened in the small community way back in 1883. The annex building was added in 1909.
The original version of the store featured a working post office, a pot-bellied stove and a back porch for people to sit and enjoy a cold drink, according to its website.
Mast General Store President Lisa Cooper said in a Facebook post Monday that the annex building in Valle Crucis did take on water damage.
Valle Crucis — which means "Valley of the Cross" in Latin — was designated as North Carolina's first rural national historic district, and the entire community is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Other historic buildings in Valle Crucis include the Over Younger Restaurant (opened 1861), the Old Episcopal Mission (1842), the Mast Farm Inn (1812) and the Baird House (1790). The status of these buildings after Helene is currently unknown.
Bentley told us Valle Crucis has received an overflow of needed supplies from around the state in the days since the storm. He said some people even walked miles up the mountain just to deliver things to those in need.
"All of western NC and parts of Tennessee, everybody is hurting," he said. "But everyone is putting everything aside just to make sure we take care of one another."
Watauga County officials, along with representatives from Boone and Appalachian State University, held a joint press conference Tuesday to give an update on conditions across the region.
There are still over 12,000 without power in the county, according to ReadyNC.gov.
If you have been affected by Helene, here's a list of helpful resources.
Looking for ways to support residents of western North Carolina affected by Helene? We've compiled a list of reputable organizations who are already delivering aid, and you can find it here.
If you would like to donate online to the American Red Cross, you can use the following link: WFMY News 2 is supporting the American Red Cross.
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