Above: Blacksmith William Rogers working at his methane-fired forge. Below: The Monteith House, future home of the Appalachian Women's Museum.

Green Energy Park

The Jackson County Green Energy Park is doing more than capturing methane to prevent it from escaping into the atmosphere or groundwater. It's harnessing methane to create new businesses and educate the public about renewable energy and energy conservation.

The Park captures the methane gas from the old Dillsboro landfill and pipes it into a collection system. Then the gas can be used to heat the county's greenhouses and power the studios of resident artisans, including what is believed to be the first methane-powered blacksmith forge in the country.

The greenhouses are used by the County's grounds department to grow their own plants for landscaping county buildings - a major cost savings.

An additional use of the methane is to power a Smoky Mountain Biofuels boiler that turns vegetable oil into bio-diesel fuel. Besides being available to the general public at select stations; Jackson County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Cherokee use the fuel for municipal vehicles.

The Park has already garnered several major awards including EPA Land Methane Project of the Year, and the NC Energy Office Sustainable Energy Award.

For more information or to arrange a tour, contact: Timm Muth, Director. 828-631-0271. Email  JCGEP.org

Jackson County Green Energy Park - turning a landfill into a growth area for new businesses.

Monteith Community Park - just a short walk east from the center of town - will be a great community event venue, historical museum and recreation area for families.

Monteith Community Park

Dillsboro is creating a new, 16-acre multi-use park with a historical museum, amphitheater, performing arts center, recreation area and public parking

The Town of Dillsboro acquired the property from the estate of Edna and Edith Monteith. The old farmstead house will be restored to become the Appalachian Women's Museum.

In addition to offering a new venue to bring new entertainment to the area, the performing arts center would also feature a visual arts gallery, and would be home to The Kudzu Players, a local community theater group

The location is within easy walking distance of the center of town, providing much needed parking for visitors and residents.

To make tax-deductible contributions towards the completion of the Park, contact:

Monteith Community Park: Herb Nolan, Town Clerk, Town of Dillsboro, PO Box 1088, Dillsboro, NC 28725. 828-586-1439

Monteith House Museum: Emma Wertenberger, PO Box 430, Dillsboro, NC 28725. 828-586-5244

Kudzu Players: Dr. Cliff Faull, Kudzu Players, Inc., PO Box 834, Sylva, NC 28779. 828-586-6817