| History | |
|
|
|
|
Established in the spring of 1996, the Allegheny Springs Retreat Center came about as the result of a shared vision by a small group of individuals coming from a variety of backgrounds. This initial group included: environmentalists, management consultants, Christian spiritual seekers, students of the Mahayana Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Yoga teachers, Reki teachers, and a variety of natural healers. Located at the end of a dead-end road and surrounded by nature, the Center consists of 33 acres of woodlands and meadows, with a small spring pond, and a fishing/swimming pond. Hiking trails lead to various points of interest along the Ridge at the back of the property and between the Center's main facilities. The facilities include: a main house and cabin. There are plans to convert the new barn in the valley into a meeting hall for larger group meetings and retreats. The name for the Center comes from the Allegheny Springs Hotel which opened for business on June 1, 1886. An early advertisement announced, "Allegheny Springs, a luxury hotel in Southern Blount County off Allegheny Loop Road, can accommodate 400 guests. The main attraction was a variety of sulfur water springs spouting nearby. Gas lights and electric call bells were advertised." The hotel burned in the early 1930s and was never rebuilt. The land the Retreat Center occupies is less than a mile from the original hotel site at the end of a dead-end road. The main structure at ASRC, located at the end of Gribble Road, is a large two-story white farmhouse surrounded on two sides by large hemlock and white pine trees. This structure was built by a Civil War Veteran, James Jones, around the turn of the century. The farmhouse has three porches, four bedrooms, two baths, living room, dining room, and a large country kitchen. The second structure at the Center, located back in the woods 1,000 feet away from the farmhouse, is a western cedar cabin built by Steve's brother and father in the mid '70s. The cabin has four bedrooms, two baths, a modern kitchen, a deck and covered porch overlooking the valley and woods below. Both residences have wood stoves, supplemented with electric space heaters for the winter months, and each has a small window air conditioner unit for the hottest months of summer. "The intent is to provide a place where group, business, family and individual retreats can occur in a natural setting, away from the fast-paced distractions of modern life. |
|
|
|
|
|
Office Location: |
 |
|
For more information about ASRC or to make overnight or extended-stay
reservations: |
|
