How Are Black Mountain & Swannanoa Doing, One Year After Helene

One year after Hurricane Helene reshaped the Swannanoa Valley, the neighboring communities of Black Mountain and Swannanoa have moved from shock to steady renewal. Streets once filled with debris now bustle with life, while local businesses — from neighborhood breweries to new restaurants and arts centers — continue to reopen, reimagine, and invite visitors back. This is the story of a mountain community still healing but deeply committed to its future.

When the River Came to Main Street

When Hurricane Helene tore through the Swannanoa Valley, Black Mountain and Swannanoa experienced one of the most severe natural disasters in their history.

Julie Ransdell, co-owner of Terra Nova, remembers that morning vividly: “The river was still on 70. There was a 20-foot sinkhole at Whitson and 70. Three vehicles ended up in our backyard — two of them upside down.” For weeks afterward, the neighborhood was cut off. “Everything you recognized was either gone or horribly disfigured,” she says.

Amanda McKisick, who co-owns Hell or High Water, recalls the grassroots response: “People just walked out of their doors and said, ‘I have a shovel, I have a tractor — let’s go dig people out.’”

Cheryl Hyde, Executive Director of the Black Mountain–Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce, says the first days were like “living in a war zone.” Entire blocks of Beacon Village were submerged. Roads, phones and power were down. “We were all just trying to reach loved ones, clear trees and help wherever we could,” she remembers.

Despite the chaos, there was no hesitation to help. Neighbors improvised networks of food, water and shelter until outside aid arrived.

“We weren’t focused on Terra Nova at that point. We were just focused on… Nobody has power. Nobody can eat or drink. What can we do to help?” — Julie Ransdell

Kitchens Become Lifelines

In the days following the storm, Terra Nova became a kitchen for the community. “Nobody had power, nobody had the ability to eat or drink,” Ransdell says. “We were getting food out any way we could.” Alongside Blunt Pretzel and other nearby businesses, they helped feed hundreds of people in the first weeks.

Once utilities and roads stabilized, Terra Nova cleaned and rebuilt its space, reopening five months to the day after Helene. “The first customers who walked in the door started clapping,” Ransdell says. “It was such a relief to be back, to have a place where people could step away from the chaos even for a moment.”

Comfort Food, Shared Tables, Shared Stories

McKisick had been planning Hell or High Water for months before the storm hit. “Given everything the community went through, one day I just said, ‘Come hell or high water — that’s the name,’” she recalls. The restaurant opened in late 2024 with a family-style, comfort-food menu and communal tables designed to bring people together. “We wanted the first menu to feel like a warm hug,” she says. “People could sit next to someone they didn’t know and share stories about what we’d all been through.”

“We wanted every meal to feel like a warm hug.” — Amanda McKisick

Cheryl Hyde says the recovery effort drew together people who’d never collaborated before. “We started meeting every day after the storm through the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance,” she explains. “A year later, we’re still meeting twice a week. There’s a real sense of shared purpose.” She points to projects like the forthcoming Beacon Bike Park — built on the former Beacon Blanket Mill site — as a model of how new green spaces can anchor recovery.

Candace Reilly and the NC Glass Center opened their Black Mountain location this spring, adding a creative hub and visitor draw. “New is hope,” she says. “By hosting events and keeping our doors open, we help our community heal.”

Even as more businesses reopen, revenues are still down 60–70 percent compared to pre-storm averages. 

“People are sensitive about driving through damaged areas,” Ransdell notes. “But our roads are open, it’s safe to visit, and there are lovely people running amazing businesses here.”

McKisick agrees. “Black Mountain is open and ready,” she says. “We need people from East Asheville, travelers off the highway, and long-time visitors to come back and help complete the healing process.”

“New is hope. By hosting events and keeping our doors open, we help our community heal.” — Candace Reilly

Planting Seeds for the Future

Local leaders see the Beacon Bike Park and surrounding historic district as a catalyst for renewal — offering new recreation, drawing tourists, and creating more walkable green space along the river. Ransdell envisions a walking trail through Beacon Village showcasing its history. Hyde highlights cross-promotion and “collaboration over competition” as the new normal. McKisick hopes Hell or High Water can keep nurturing a farm-to-table culture built on long-term local relationships.

All four stress that the “heart” of Black Mountain and Swannanoa is intact — and growing stronger. 

“We’re a hurt community,” says Ransdell, “but we will thrive again.”

The Heart is Still Here

One year after Helene, Black Mountain and Swannanoa are still climbing back — but the warmth of their welcome endures. From Terra Nova’s bustling kitchen to Hell or High Water’s communal tables, from the NC Glass Center’s workshops to the emerging green spaces at Beacon Bike Park, the valley’s story is still being written.

“We lost a lot,” says Hyde. “But we also gained a deeper connection. What’s good for Swannanoa is good for Black Mountain — and what’s good for Black Mountain is good for the whole valley.”

“We lost a lot, but we also gained a deeper connection. What’s good for Swannanoa is good for Black Mountain — and what’s good for Black Mountain is good for the whole valley.”