Road Scholar : Home
Frank Lloyd Wright, History of Navigational Aids, and Carl Sandburg and Thomas Wolfe

Program Number: 21131RJ
Start and End Dates:
9/15/2013 - 9/20/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Montreat, North Carolina
Price starting at: $575.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Multi-Topic; Literature; History & Culture
Meals: 15; 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Low Fat; Low Salt; Vegetarian; Gluten Free    

Activity Particulars

All facilities are in one building, with approximately 300 yards walking required; a few stairs. Outside areas are mountainous, with inclines and uneven terrain.




Date Specific Information

9-15-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Coordinated by Montreat Conference Center.



The Essential Frank Lloyd Wright

What were Wright’s design concepts? How did he design and construct his buildings? Which of his innovations are commonplace today? We'll explore Wright’s contributions to architecture through slide shows, videos, and lectures.



History of Navigational Aids: Fires to Satellites

Explore the history of aids to navigation. We'll cover the architecture, machinery, science and human aspect of these aids, especially lighthouses, using slides, film, music, humor and stories to illustrate their fascinating history.



Home Inspiration: Carl Sandburg and Thomas Wolfe

Visit the homes of these literary giants. Connemara, Sandburg’s home in Flat Rock for over 22 years, is where he completed over a third of his work. Old Kentucky Home, the boarding house in Asheville owned by Wolfe’s mother, inspired his writing.




Montreat

Originally founded as a spiritual retreat center, Montreat, nestled on Lake Susan at the foot of Graybeard Mountain, continues to be a peaceful destination for those seeking respite. Footpaths weave through the 4,000 acres of surrounding woodlands and the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains offer other recreational opportunities.
Accommodations
Beautiful conference center overlooking small lake in the center of Montreat. Spacious lounges, classrooms, fireplace and dining facilities in same building.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Wayne Wheeler
Wayne Wheeler, founder and president of the United State Lighthouse Society, has been associated with lighthouses and aids to navigation for over 48 years. Associated with the U.S. Coast Guard for 23 years, Wayne served on two buoy tenders, at two district offices, a base and Coast Guard Headquarters, where he was a member of the Coast Guard delegation to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in developing the National Navigation Plan.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center
  Montreat, NC 5 nights
 Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center
Type: Conference Center
  Description: This stately hotel overlooks a small lake. It has a beautiful, spacious lobby with a fireplace. The building was made from native stone that sparkles with mica.
  Ship Information: Items to be shipped to guests (UPS/Fed Express, etc.) should be addressed to the participant, c/o Tracy Bailey, 401 Assembly Drive, Montreat, NC 28757. Items sent regular mail should be addressed the same as above, but use P. O. Box 969.
  Contact info: 401 Assembly Drive
Montreat, NC 28757 USA
phone: 828-669-2911 x316
web: www.montreat.org/accommodations.htm
  Room amenities: Rooms have a desk, clock radio, kleenex, closets and bed lamps. Blankets, sheets, pillows, bath mat, and a towel set will be provided (clean towels available daily). No phones or televisions in the rooms.
  Facility amenities: Internet access (with personal laptop) in the lobby private baths for all participants. Television and courtesy telephone in the lobby
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior:  Rooms are not typically available, due to retreats. Participants may call to check availability. If no rooms are available, the coordinator will assist them in finding a hotel nearby.
  Check in time: 4:00 PM
  Additional nights after:  Rooms are not typically available, due to retreats. Participants may call to check availability. If no rooms are available, the coordinator will assist them in finding a hotel nearby.
  Check out time: 11:00 AM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
4:00 - 5:30 p.m., at the Assembly Inn. You will be staying at Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center that night.
  End of Program:
12:30 p.m. at the Assembly Inn. You will be staying at Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Free parking at the Assembly Inn in Montreat.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Montreat, NC
  Nearest city or town:  Black Mountain, NC; nearest large town: Asheville, NC
  Nearest highway: Route 9 to Interstate 40
  Nearest airport:  Asheville Regional Airport
  From End of Program
  Location: Montreat, NC
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Asheville, NC

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Black Mountain Cab
phone: 828-230-1121
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$55
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

45 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

35 miles
   

Road Scholar coordinator at Montreat can arrange shared rides. The base price is $55, and more is added per person for additional passengers, and the total divided among all. For example, 3 people in one trip would be $75 and $25 per person. 2 people -- $33 per person 4 people -- $22 per person 5 people -- $19 per person 6 people -- $18 per person
 

Asheville, NC

 

From Bus Terminal

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
same as listed for airport
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$40
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

20 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

18 miles
   

arrange for transport with Road Scholar coordinator at Montreat; she will coordinate times with other participants.
 

Knoxville, TN

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

None - Car Required

 

Travel Time:

 

2 hours, all interstate 
 

Greenville, SC

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

None - Car Required

 

Travel Time:

 

1 1/2 hours, all interstate 
 

Charlotte, NC

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

None - Car Required

 

Travel Time:

 

2 hours, all interstate 
 
Driving Directions
  From All Points - to Interstate 40 come to western North Carolina via Interstate 40; use exit 64 for Black Mountain/Montreat/Route 9 (15 miles east of Asheville, NC). At the exit, turn north on Route 9 (go through one traffic light, across a railroad track and another traffic light, and up the hill to the traffic light). Go straight across where Route 9 becomes Montreat Road, and travel approximately two miles to the Montreat entrance (stone gate). From the gate, continue approximatley 1 1/2 miles to the middle of the conference center. The Assembly Inn is on the hill on the left, across from Lake Susan.
Elevation Note: Participants may wish to hike on their own in surrounding mountains, which peak elev. exceed 5,400.

Equipment Requirements: Anyone wishing to enjoy outdoor activities (walking, hiking) should bring hiking boots or shoes with tread on bottom.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Orientation
(Sunday, September 15)
   
 Afternoon: Arrival at the Assembly Inn, check in between 4 - 5:30 p.m. Spend some time walking around the beautiful grounds. Concrete and gravel path surrounds Lake Susan... or venture out with your map to explore the campus.
 Dinner: Join us for a scrumptious dinner in the Galax Dining Room, located on the first floor of the Assembly Inn. A full salad bar, choice of two different entrées, vegetables, rolls/bread, fruit and dessert will tempt your taste buds and your appetite! Sweet/Unsweetened tea, milk, coffee, water with tea, etc. Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
 Evening: Our opening program and orientation will be at 7 p.m. in Convocation Hall, also in the Assembly Inn. We'll spend some time reviewing the schedule for the week, and you'll have an opportunity to meet and hear from your instructors. Our evening will close with some "get to know you" activities and fellowship/games/puzzles in the lobby.
   
Accommodations: Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Explorations of lighthouses and other aids to navigations.
(Monday, September 16)
   
 Breakfast: Assembly Inn Dining Room, Breakfast 7:30 - 8:30 AM.
 Morning: Both of our morning courses will focus on Lighthouses and other aids to navigation. Mid-morning, we'll have a break for something to drink and some goodies.
 Lunch: Lunch is served in the Galax dining room (typically from 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. The lunch menu varies each day, but normally features a salad bar, sandwich fixings, soup, and a yummy (light) dessert to top it off.
 Afternoon: Continued exploration of lighthouses and other aids to navigation. After class time, you'll have an opportunity to explore the Heritage Center and take a guided walk around Montreat.
 Dinner: Assembly Inn Dining Room, Dinner, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
 Evening: "Fun in the Mountains" recreational program. Games/cards and tv available in the lobby of the Inn for fellowship.
   
Accommodations: Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Finishing up lighthouses and other aids to navigation, and starting out with "Developing the Wright Prespective."
(Tuesday, September 17)
   
 Breakfast: Whether you like muffins, pancakes or waffles, bacon or sausage, grits or oatmeal, biscuits and gravy, or a bowl of cereal and some fruit.... breakfast in the Galax Dining Room, served from 7:30 - 8:30 is sure to please! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
 Morning: Our early morning class focuses on lighthouses and other aids to navigation. Mid morning, we'll have a break and come back to the classroom for our presentation and finish up our discussion about lighthouses and other aids to navigation.
 Lunch: Time to eat again! Lunch will be served in the Galax Dining room on the first floor of the Assembly Inn. Today's feature: Taco Tuesday! Enjoy Mexican dishes... build your own tacos or burritos, make a Mexican salad, All the trimmings make for a delicious and fun lunch... including tortilla chips and melted cheese... sour cream and peppers. Top it all off with some warm peach cobbler and ice cream. Yum Yum!
 Afternoon: Developing the Wright Perspective --- Discover Wright's early life, how he became an architect, view some of his early works prior to forming a style of his own, and understand the design concepts he used throughout his career. Following class, there is an opportunity for a hike in the mountains. Led by a Montreat volunteer, who helped to build the hiking trail, you can explore flora (and perhaps fauna) as you walk along a mountain ridge on a trail built specifically with our Road Scholar participants in mind.
 Dinner: Galax Dining Room in the Assembly Inn welcomes us for dinner from 5:30 - 6:30. This is typically what we call the "holiday meal." Turkey, dressing, ham, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie perhaps?
 Evening: More fun for the evening. Let's relax and enjoy a musical concert or a storyteller to tickle our funny bones!
   
Accommodations: Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Prairie Style Homes, Experiments in Architecture, and Home is Where the Heart Is
(Wednesday, September 18)
   
 Breakfast: Another great breakfast buffet in the Galax Dining Room at the Assembly Inn, served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
 Morning: This morning, our early morning course focues on Frank Lloyd Wright. Prairie Style Homes --- The origins of the Prairie Style and how Wright transitioned to it are explored. Appreciate Buffalo, NY and its unique benefactor, both of which were extremely important to Wright in the early 1900s. View Wright's structures as they exist in Buffalo today, and the variety of Prairie Style homes he designed and built across America. After a morning refreshment break, with some coffee and goodies to aid our learning, we'll return to the classroom for our continued discussion of Frank Lloyd Wright. Experiments in Architecture --- Wright was always integrating new technologies into his designs and construction methods, incorporating many of his progressive ideas into how he envisioned the evolution of American architecture. Explore and view his experiments in California, textile block houses, Fallingwater, Usonian and pre-cut homes, as well as his vision of suburbia (Broadacre City).
 Lunch: Lunch buffet in the Galax Dining Room of the Assembly Inn.
 Afternoon: Free time in the afternoon for relaxation or exploration of the area. Lots of suggestions and directions will be provided.
 Dinner: Dinner in the Galax Dining Room of the Assembly Inn, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Have you gained your required five pounds yet? Still a couple of days to work on it.. so don't worry.
 Evening: Class time.... Home is Where the Heart is --- Understand the influences that the women in Wright's life had on his career personally and professionally, the formation of Wright's architecture school, and how he used his three homes as a laboratory to test future design concepts.
   
Accommodations: Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Continued explorations of Frank Lloyd Wright... "International and Commercial Success" and "A Lasting Legacy" and an afternoon trip to the Carl Sandburg Home.
(Thursday, September 19)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet, served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. If you haven't tried the grits yet, you really should!
 Morning: Our early morning courses focus on Frank Lloyd Wright. International and Commercial Success --- Appreciate the importance of a German publication and several projects in Japan to Wright's career, and explore the variety of commercial spaces built by Wright. We'll have a refreshment break around 10:15 a.m. and return to the classroom for our final class on Frank Lloyd Wright. A Lasting Legacy --- Recognize Wright's legacy in organizations that continue his work into the 21st century, and his many innovations in design, construction, art glass, furnishings, and textiles.
 Lunch: Lunch buffet in the Galax Dining Room.
 Afternoon: Right after lunch, we will out for a field trip to the Carl Sandbug Home, "Connemara." A Poet of the People, Carl Sandburg provided a popular voice for the American people of the twentieth century and still speaks to us through his words, songs and the beauty and serenity of Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Explore Sandburg's legacy and Experience Your America! Carl Sandburg Home NHS is located on 264 acres in western North Carolina. Visitors can tour the Sandburg Home, hike on over 5 miles of trails, and visit the farm and dairy goats.
 Dinner: Dinner is served in the Galax Dining Room from 5:30 - 6:30. Thursday night's feature is usally "italian night." spagetti, lasagna, salads, bread, and lots of great dessert.
 Evening: A fun evening with some local entertainment... either a musical concert or a storyteller. Games/cards/tv in lobby for fellowship
   
Accommodations: Assembly Inn, Montreat Conference Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Final classes and discussions
(Friday, September 20)
   
 Breakfast: Last breakfast buffet in the Galax Dining Room at the Assembly Inn, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Splurge on those biscuits and gravy... you can work it off when you get home!
 Morning: Right after breakfast, we will leave for our field trip to the Thomas Wolfe Memorial and guided walk through of the "Old Kentucky Home," the boarding house that Tom's mother ran. Thomas Wolfe left an indelible mark on American letters. His mother's boardinghouse, now the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, has become one of literature's most famous landmarks. He composed many passages and created many characters based on boyhood remembrances experienced in this house. In his epic autobiographical novel Look Homeward, Angel, Wolfe immortalized the rambling Victorian building as "Dixieland"--but originally called "Old Kentucky Home." A classic of American literature, Look Homeward, Angel has never gone out of print since its publication in 1929, keeping interest in Wolfe alive and attracting visitors to the setting for this great novel. The sprawling frame Queen Anne-influenced house was originally only six or seven rooms with a front and rear porch when prosperous Asheville banker Erwin E. Sluder constructed it in 1883. By 1889 massive additions had more than doubled the size of the original house, but the architecture changed little over the next 27 years. Read more by going to http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/asheville/wol.htm We will return to Montreat at 11:30 for a brief closing program and checkout. Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m.
 Lunch: Lunch and Goodbyes in the Galax Dining Room of the Assembly Inn 12:30 - 1:30 (box lunches provided for those who do not wish to stay through lunch)
   
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Montreat, NC Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
The Asheville Chamber has specific information on Asheville and the surrounding area. Plenty of shops and places to visit! Enjoy a trolley tour of the city... For additional information, visit www.ashevillechamber.org
  Biltmore Estate
George Vanderbilt's 255-room mansion built at the end of the 19th Century, with a magnificent art collection and gardens covering 35 acres. For additional information, visit www.biltmore.com
  Black Mountain / Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce located in downtown Black Mountain. Phone number 828 669-2300 Quaint small town with lots of unique shops to explore. Several of these shops are "art" based -- with items the owners make. Information on all area attractions! For additional information, visit www.exploreblackmountain.com
  Black Mountain Golf Course
Boasts the world's longest fairway. Beautiful course with views of the mountains on all sides. For additional information, visit townofblackmountain.org
  Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the Appalachians -- and offer some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere. Hiking trails abound, both in Montreat and in the surrounding area with seasonal flora and fauna.
  Carl Sandburg Home
A simple farmhouse and goat farm donated to the Park Service by Mrs. Sandburg after the famous author and poet's death. Video about the Sandburgs--his literary work--and hers in breeding goats. House kept as though they could come home any minute! For additional information, visit nps.gov/carl
  Cherokee Indian Village
The Oconaluftee Indian Village, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, and Unto These Hills outdoor play (seasonal).
  Chimney Rock Park
Located in the Hickory Nut Gorge. Enjoy an elevator ride up 26 stores in a granite shaft to the chimney level. Gorgeous views from the top of the "chimney," and lots of hiking trails. Admission fee required. For additional information, visit chimneyrockpark.com
  Folk Art Center
Home of the Southern Highland Handicraft Guild (located on the Blue Ridge Parkway) in east Asheville For additional information, visit southernhighlandguild.org/folkart.html
  Grandfather Mountain
Located in Linvolle, NC; attractions include a mile-high swinging bridge, natural habitat area, and hiking trails For additional information, visit grandfather.com
  Harrah's Casino
Harrah's Casino on the Cherokee Indian Reservation For additional information, visit www.harrahs.com/our_casinos/che/index.html
  Linville Caverns
A 35-minute walking tour through caverns deep under the Humpback Mountain. For additional information, visit linvillecaverns.com
  Thomas Wolfe Home
The childhood home of the famous author -- includes a video about him. House has been made into a museum. For additional information, visit www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/wolfe/wolfe.htm
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.


As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.



Specifically, this program includes:

Plus these special experiences...

View the Daily Schedule to see more

And included with all Road Scholar programs:


© Road Scholar 2013 | Call toll-free: 1-800-454-5768