The historic "House on the Rock" was ravaged when Hurricane Helene unleashed unprecedented amounts of rain over the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. The house is over 100 years old and has been in my family for more than 50 years. This was my grandfathers most prized possession. He wanted it to always be in the family.

The house was originally built as a post office and general store in the early 1900's. The train would deliver supplies and mail and townsfolk from both sides of the river would come and get what they needed. Through the years, it has also been a methodist parsonage and an individual residence. The house on the rock is an iconic landmark for the railroad, rail fans and to the surrounding community.

My grandparents loved trains and always felt a special connection with the railroad. They would "chase" trains from town to town just to get a quick video of it passing by. They were active members of the local railroad club and some of their best friends were the engineers, conductors, or other train enthusiast. They would ride and work on excursion trains traveling through the Appalachian mountains. When my grandfather saw the "house on the rock" on one of their trips, he said that if the house was ever for sale, he would buy it. Luckily for him (and us), that day arrived in 1972. He immediately purchased it.

When they first acquired the house, it was in bad condition. Almost everything had to be redone. Throughout the years, we have replaced, restored, updated and took care of the house, all the while trying to keep as much of the original carpentry, layout and materials in place. Unfortunately, the wrath of Hurricane Helene has undone almost everything my grandfather did and dreamed of.

My parents have just spent a week at the house. Everyone who has seen anything in the area, says it is hard to described the amount of devastation and destruction. My dad said when they drove up to the house, it looked like a bomb had went off....multiple bombs. The "house on the rock" is standing strong, but just barely. It is almost a complete loss. We are determined to rebuild and restore it better than it was before. It is more than just a house. It is history. It is a legacy. It is a HOME.

First, the house has to be completely cleaned out and gutted. They worked on that this past week. Everything is wet, muddy and stinks horribly. My parent's fingers are cracked and sore from working in the mud and water everyday. Almost everything inside the completely furnished home is destroyed. The few things that may be salvaged, smell horribly and need to be washed. Only time will tell if things are truly ok to keep. The deterioration has already begun. We are fighting a battle that began without us. The foundation has to be fixed and the house leveled. The raging waters and debris, wash under and all around the house, taking everything it could with it. The septic, plumbing and electric will all have to be redone. The interior walls, cabinets throughout the house and porches all have to be replaced. The 100 year old wood floors seem to be holding strong, but only time will tell. All appliances and furniture are destroyed. Thankfully, all the pictures on the walls that tell the history and what the house represents are safe. We have mostly everything that could be saved in storage and pray that when we eventually bring it back to the house, it will still be in good condition.

If you have ever heard me or my family talk about this house, you know how special it is. If you have waved at us from a train, attended one of many "train parties" at the house, came down our little dirt road, strolled across the swinging bridge, or just read about it in a magazine, you know how unique and loved this little piece of historic heaven is. Unfortunately, insurance is unlikely to cover any of the damage and no government funding will be provided since it isn't a primary residence. This will take a team to rebuild and lots of time and money. If you feel inclined to donate anything, all contributions will go directly toward the restoration of the "house on the rock". Thank you.