The mayor of nearby Banner Elk is quoted at a celebration of the E.T. & W.N.C Railroad finally making its way to Boone in 1918…"I remember when the only way a person could get to Boone was to be born there." Tweetsie, as she was known to the locals, opened up a whole new world for the town.

Daniel Boone, the town’s namesake, used a series of hunting cabins in the area as he was exploring and blazing a trail for others to follow across the mountain in the 1700s. You can still experience the time of ol’ Dan’l in the cabins at the Hickory Ridge Living History Museum.  

The Mast Store in Downtown Boone resides in two buildings constructed in the early years of the 20th century. Many a memory was made and shared in the old Hunt’s Department Store, which is the main part of the Boone location. Its Y-shaped staircase has carried thousands of footsteps upstairs to find overalls and footwear. Today, it’s hard to find the old drain pipes for the sinks in the beauty shop once located inside, but what you will find is eager people ready to help you locate just what you are looking for and to share some helpful hints along the way.