Sunday, September 25, 2016

Day 8 of the Southeast Rhombus Rally Caravan with Friends – Dillard Georgia

We did all our running around and seeing the sights outside of Dillard. We decided to spend our last day in Dillard. History first! How did Dillard get its start? Captain John Dillard settled in this beautiful valley in 1794 after being awarded a land grant of 1,000 acres for his service in the American Revolution. Legend has it that to make peace with the local Cherokee Indians a gift of a muzzle-loading rifle, a jug of apple brandy, a coonskin cap and $3.00 was given for all the land between two mountain tops. The rugged mountains made contact with the outside world difficult, but the remote town flourished from within. The Dillard family established many of the early businesses including a stagecoach way station, boarding house and post office. In 1890, the postal service picked Dillard as the official town name. By 1905, Dillard was a thriving mountain town with a blacksmith shop, livery stable, two general merchandise stores, a cobbler, open air market, two boarding houses, a church and a school. Two water powered grain mills and a saw mill were nearby. In 1907, Dillard was connected to the outside world when the railroad arrived. In 1923, Arthur & Carrie Dillard, gave a piece of land behind their store to be used for a community school. 
The brick building originally built for the school is now known as the Dillard City Hall. During Prohibition, moon shining (making corn liquor) was an accepted way of life and Rabun County became the moonshine capital of Georgia. During the thirties, the depression took a heavy toll on the town and Dillard family. Arthur lost the general store, but following World War II, good times returned as tourists and summer residents rediscovered the area. 
The new Dillard House dining room was built in 1958 and the area quickly became a favorite destination for the well-to-do. Today, The Dillard House is an award-winning Southern favorite known for its legendary flavor and large family-size portions. Today, Dillard has also become well known for its growing number of antique, craft, and specialty shops. Also, the two southernmost skiing areas are just outside the city of Dillard, we will never be here to see those in use!

We spent our final full day in Dillard, close to the “home” and did some exploring. We quickly discovered the moniker an “antique lover’s haven” is a very true statement. This little town has over 40,000 square feet of antiques, in one city block, it’s hard to match. Among the antiques shops and mall, we found gifts, art, furniture, clothing and jewelry.

Charlie and Bully started out with us, but they quickly were far ahead of us and disappeared. Patty and I continued to poke along, looking at this and looking at that!

We discovered some unique items at the Dillard Market.  It is a “Gallery of Wonderfuls” featuring regional artists and southern sporting life; whether you are a causal Southern Sportsman or Sportswoman you will find Gifts and Accessories that are sure to please! The Dillard Market offers many dealers who are dedicated to providing a wide selection of unique home furnishings. Found a platter, from the set that my Mom used as her everyday dishes for all of my life!
We browsed the Merry Christmas Shop, a Dillard landmark for almost 30 years. Over that time, there have been several owners, each adding their specific style to the store. Although it was completely remodeled in 2005, another 1,400 square feet was recently been added creating wider aisles and more elbow room.  From top selling Department 56 Villages to the wildly popular Jim Shore figurines and Willow Tree angels, the current owner handpicks items that he enjoys. The shop also features college–themed merchandise from universities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Also popular are the “Byers Choice Carolers,” famous for their Handcrafted-in-America label. They also feature a wide assortment of ornaments like ballerinas, cowboys (and girls), hunting and fishing designs and every imaginable combination in between. The shop’s inventory also offers décor items for autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

We found Billy & Charlie, they were at Porter’s Coffee House and Collectibles taking a break while enjoying a cup of fresh brewed coffee and cookies. Before we joined them for coffee, we continued our unique Dillard shopping experience browsing through their antiques and collectibles. After our browsing, we enjoyed the comfy chairs and lounged for a bit. This shopping, is tough work!


We crossed the road, to the Lazy Bear, when you walk through the doors you will immediately recognize the fresh scent from the pine boarded walls. Lazy Bear Furniture offers a unique collection of cottage-style, rustic, cedar, unfinished and select pre-owned furniture from which to choose. For outdoor living they offer a large selection of cypress swings, rockers, tables, chairs and benches. Inside they have a variety of lamps, pictures and accessories to complement your cabin or home. Thinking of our friend, Karen, as we browsed the bear-themed, unusual gifts and decorating items. Did I mention that the Lazy Bear also sells wine? They have a tasting room for Georgia Wines. We tasted several varieties and decided on the “Georgia on my Mind” a peach and Muscadine wine and Chattanooga Blush.

Carol’s Back Porch Antiques showcases primitives, garden items, weather vanes, vintage linens, old quilts, old dishes, enamel tables, enamelware, locally crafted tables, metal garden chairs, and much more.  There are 10 dealers and 8,000 square feet of quality merchandise. This is where I found my pieces of my mother’s everyday dishes. I made me smile, because we ate on that service of dishes for as long as I can remember. I had to take a picture to share with my brother! They welcome all browsers and for non-browsers, the porch is just the place for a quick snooze, while the rest of the party finishes shopping. 

Finders Keepers Thrift Shop, touts itself as more than just than just a thrift store.  They do offer used items, but they sell new items at a great discounted prices. We ventured in, but did not stay long.

Our final stop of the day was the Osage Farm Stand. Over the years it has become a popular destination. Nestled in the heart of the valley, it is a family owned vegetable and Fraser Fir Christmas tree farm.  The vegetable market is open every day May thru October.  The market has seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables grown by Ricky and Clint James.  A few of the vegetables they grow are both heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers, potatoes and the sweet corn. In May the offer fresh strawberries. As soon as the vegetable harvest is over, Ricky and Clint and their families begin to harvest Christmas trees at their Scaly Mountain, NC farm, just 9 miles from Dillard.  In Scaly Mountain Osage Farms operates a “choose and cut” Christmas tree farm.  While back at the Rabun Gap location the retail stand opens Thanksgiving Day with fresh cut Fraser Fir trees and wreaths. 

Before we pulled into the RV park, Pattye had Bully take us up the mountain he climbed in the RV towing the camper, the day we arrived. He had to turn the rig around in the Sky Valley Georgia Overlook. So, we had to have a look. The overlook does provide an exquisite view of the valley and the mountains.


We retired back to our temporary home at River Vista Mountain Village Resort. It is nestled in the picturesque mountains between Highlands, NC and Dillard, GA. They are a Five-Star rated RV resort, boasting large level sites with water, electric, sewer, cable, and Wi-Fi. We had back-in sites, but they do have premium pull thru sites. Their amenities include a heated outdoor pool, an indoor pool and spa. If you are interested in purchasing, the do have deeded RV lots for sale. Tomorrow morning, we head into Pigeon Forge Tennessee, to start our next adventure!

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