Tryon is a town in Polk County, on the southwestern border of North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 1,562. Located in the escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, today the area is affluent and a center for outdoor pursuits, equestrian activity, and fine arts.
Tryon Peak and the Town of Tryon are named for William Tryon, Governor of North Carolina from 1765 to 1771. He was honored for his negotiation with the Cherokee for a treaty during a period of conflict following the French and Indian War.
History
Cherokee hunting ground
The area which Tryon now occupies was originally part of the Cherokee hunting grounds
Spanish discovery
Having landed near present-day Panama City, Florida on May 30, 1539, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reputedly traveled up to the area of present-day Spartanburg, South Carolina and then north into western North Carolina.
Luys Hernandez de Biedma, one of de Soto's officers, wrote of a group of Spanish men who made their way to Xuala on May 21, 1540:
<blockquote>The next day, they went to Xuala which is a town on a plain between some rivers; its chief was so well provisioned that he gave to the Christians however much they asked for: slaves, corn, little dogs [probably opossums]… and however much he had.</</blockquote>
From there, de Soto went to Gauxuile (since developed as Asheville), which in Cherokee meant "The place where they race," named for the walk around the perimeter of the village. Tensions with the Cherokee continued after Britain defeated France in the large war. The Cherokee were resisting repeated incursions into their territory by English colonists.
In 1767 William Tryon, governor of the North Carolina Colony from 1765 to 1771), traveled to the area and negotiated a peace treaty with the Cherokee. They established a boundary line between a location near Greenville, South Carolina, the highest point on White Oak Mountain (renamed Tryon Peak by the settlers). Settlers, though, did not commit to the boundary. With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, some Cherokee hoped to expel the white settlers from their lands.
In the spring of 1776, Cherokee met on Round Mountain and planned an attack on the "Block House", Earl's Fort in Landrum, South Carolina, and Young's Fort near the current town of Mill Spring, North Carolina. Aware of the plans, a Cherokee named Skyuka went to the "Block House", where he warned his friend Capt. Thomas Howard of the impending attacks. Howard and the assembled local militia took a trail toward Round Mountain, where they met and defeated the Cherokee at a gap in the valley, now known as Howard Gap.
Post office
thumb|250px|Map of Polk County, North Carolina with Municipal and Township labels
In 1839 a post office was established at the Top of Howard Gap and Holberts Cove Roads run by the Thompson Family, named the Tryon Post office, In early Polk what is now the Saluda township was called the Tryon township, present day Tryon was in the Columbus Township; until Tryon city was established in 1885 both were named after Governor Tryon.
Rail service and hospitality
By 1877 the railroad provided regular transportation from South Carolina seaports around Charleston, SC to North Carolina, Tennessee, and the Ohio Valley. The particular spot that became the town of Tryon was the point where construction of the railroad to Asheville stopped for two years. West of Tryon, the railroad ascends the Blue Ridge along the Saluda Grade, which was the steepest railroad grade in the country before it became inactive.
At the peak of railroad expansion in 1885, Tryon was incorporated. By the 1890s, the railway made six daily stops in Tryon. It had notable guests into the 20th century, such as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, British film actor David Niven, Sherlock Holmes actor William Gillette, writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, composer George Gershwin, First Lady Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, Lady Nancy Astor, and Mrs. George C. Marshall, wife of the World War II general.
Tropical Storm Helene
On September 27, 2024, Helene caused considerable damage in Tryon.
Geography
The town's original boundary was established as a circle with a radius of three quarters of a mile. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.
Climate
Tryon is located near a "thermal belt", an area generally free of dew and frost, which provides an enjoyable climate year-round.
The mountain climate attracted many of Tryon's visitors as it developed as a resort, and residents, some of whom have second homes here. In this region of the Blue Ridge mountains, air may be warmer on the slopes than in the base of a valley, particularly in the spring and fall. It has longer periods of warm weather throughout the year, producing greater crop yields.
Demographics
2020 census
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Tryon racial composition
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)
| 1,207
| 77.27%
|-
!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
| 190
| 12.16%
|-
!scope="row"| Native American
| 3
| 0.19%
|-
!scope="row"| Asian
| 7
| 0.45%
|-
!scope="row"| Other/Mixed
| 94
| 6.02%
|-
!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino
| 61
| 3.91%
|}
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,562 people, 823 households, and 280 families residing in the town.
2000 census
As of the census
Religion
Tryon's churches include: Grace Foothills Church (PCA), which meets in the historic Tryon Theatre; Tryon Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), Holy Cross Church & Chapel (Episcopal), Congregational Church, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, First Baptist Church, Tryon United Methodist Church, Trinity Lutheran Church LCMS.
Economy
Agriculture
The southern exposure of Tryon's hills supports the production of orchards and vineyards. Vineyards were established in the Pacolet Valley, on Old Howard Gap, and other Tryon locations.
The Pine Crest Inn was built in 1906 as a sanitarium for those with tuberculosis. Before the discovery of penicillin, rest in mountain air was considered helpful in the treatment of TB, which was often fatal. In 1917 the sanitarium was converted to an inn. Early in the inn's history, hunters were attracted by its location, on the edge of hunting country. Swayback cabin, now more than 240 years old, hosted American writers Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
The inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Its dining room is ranked by AAA as four diamonds.
Tryon has also long been a center of equestrian-related tourism. Over the years, Tryon has served as a training location for the U.S. Olympic Equestrian team. In 2018, Tryon played host to the FEI World Equestrian Games, the “Horse Olympics,” which drew hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area.
Culture
Arts
;The Tryon Fine Arts Center
thumb|Tryon Fine Arts Center
The Tryon Fine Arts Center, located on Melrose Avenue, is a visual and performing arts center that offers music, drama, film and other cultural programs. Founded in 1969, the non-profit organization also offers a number of classes in the arts. The center's theater seats 345 individuals and has a system for the hearing impaired.
Located, exhibiting, or performing within the center are:
the Tryon Painters and Sculptors and the Carolina Photo Club. The Photo Club annually exhibits in January and February. The group, affiliated with the Photographic Society of America, meets monthly. It conducts an annual contest, and winning submissions are exhibited in the Tryon Fine Arts Center.
;Tryon Concert Association
The Tryon Concert Association has brought "world-class artists" to Tryon since its first sponsored concert in January 1955, when baritone Robert McFerrin gave a recital. Soon after this performance, McFerrin was the first African American to join the Metropolitan Opera Company of New York City. The Tryon Concert Association provides a series of four concerts from the fall through spring with high quality talent.
;Tryon Little Theater
Tryon Little Theater has been a vital part of the performing community since 1948. It performs four productions a year, plus classes and workshops at its Workshop on Highway 176. Auditions are always open to the public. The theater is also a partner in producing the Tryon Summer Youth Theater for ages 12–18.
;Tryon Youth Center
Tryon Youth Center, located in a building on US Highway 176, offers artistic, social and recreational programs for area young people. A Youth Center Summer Musical is produced annually at the Tryon Fine Arts Center.
;Nina Simone Birthplace
Tryon is the birthplace of singer and piano player Nina Simone. Four African-American artists: Adam Pendleton, Ellen Gallagher, Rashid Johnson, and Julie Mehretu jointly bought her childhood home to preserve it. The home has been named a national treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Nina Simone Plaza in downtown Tryon features a bronze sculpture by Zenos Frudakis.
Equestrian community
Colonel Charles C. Ross, U.S. Army (Retd.) is a local historian and former president of the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club. He said at a Polk County Historical Association meeting in April 2010,
<blockquote>"The horse is all important in Polk County. Horses provide sport, pleasure, entertainment, business, and the good country living. It can be said that horses are a way of life in our pleasant community here in rural North Carolina."</blockquote>
When Carter Brown came to Tryon from Michigan in 1917 , he opened the Pine Crest Inn, developing it as a resort for wealthy northerners. They could come here to ride horses or play golf during the winter months. In 1925 Brown founded and was the first president of the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club. Brown also helped organize the Tryon Horse Show and the Block House Steeplechase in 1929 and 1934, respectively.
thumb|Morris, the town symbol
Morris, the Tryon Horse, stands at the center of Tryon. A large version of toys made by the Tryon Toymakers and Woodcarvers, the Tryon Horse was commissioned in 1928 by the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club. The current Morris is the fifth generation; three of the previous versions succumbed to fire, mischievous kidnapping and age, and the fourth was refurbished with a fiberglass body. Morris serves as a billboard during the Tryon Horse Show and Block House Steeplechase Races. At Christmas, he is decorated with garland and a top hat. The TIEC hosted the 2018 World Equestrian Games. It was at these games that the horse Barack Obama died.
;Foothills Equestrian Nature Center
The Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (FENCE) is a nature preserve with trails established for hiking, horseback riding, and bird-watching. The center, which also includes picnic areas and a pond, hosts equestrian events and live concerts.
Library
The Lanier Library Association is named for poet Sidney Lanier. He was living in "the Wilcox house" on Highway 108 in Lynn, three miles (5 km) north of Tryon. He died there on September 7, 1881, and it has since been known as the "Lanier House".
Recreation
The area is known for its scenic drives featuring well-kept horse farms, hardwood forests, and Carolina foothills overwhelmed by kudzu.
- Greene Corner, on Melrose Avenue across from the entrance to the Tryon Fine Arts Center, has a beautiful garden and gazebo, often a setting for photos. Sassoon Park, also on Melrose Avenue, has a modern sculpture and greenery.
- Harmon Field, a park in Tryon, located on Harmon Field Road between US Hwy 176 and NC Hwy 108, is regularly used by town residents and visitors. It offers a variety of activities, from trail walking to active sports participation:
- There are periodic events for horseback riders (see their calendar of events). Facilities include four horse rings and 140 stalls.
- There are two baseball fields, two soccer fields, four tennis courts, basketball courts, dog park, trails, disc golf course, and a playground.
- Shelters and grills are available for picnics.
- The field also offers rental facilities and a concession stand.
:
Scenic areas and drives
thumb|Pearson's Falls off of the Pacolet River, between Tryon and Saluda, North Carolina
- Pacolet Scenic Byway, one of North Carolina Scenic Byways, is a ten-mile (16 km) portion of US 176 that runs from Tryon to Saluda. It provides views of the Pacolet River and waterfalls.
- Pearson's Falls Natural Heritage Site, named for its waterfall, is owned and maintained by the Tryon Garden Club. Located between Tryon and Saluda, it offers a picnic area, and hiking and biking trails.
Transportation
Tryon is located west of Interstate 26, which runs northwest to Asheville and southeast to Spartanburg, South Carolina, approximately one mile from the NC/SC border. U.S. Highway 176 runs through the center of town, where it is known as Trade Street.
Notable people
- George Charles Aid (1872–1938), painter
- Katharine Alexander (1898–1981), actress, died in Tryon
- Margaret Culkin Banning (1891–1982), whose home "Friendly Hills", was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998
- William Behrends (born 1946), sculptor
- Cathy Smith Bowers (born 1949), poet and professor; North Carolina Poet Laureate, 2010–2012
- Ligon Flynn (1931–2010), architect
- Crystal R. Fox (born 1964), actress
- Henry Jacques Garrigues (1831–1913), Danish-born doctor considered to have introduced antiseptic obstetrics to the United States
- William Gillette (1853–1937), Sherlock Holmes actor who built a home in Tryon; this was adapted as the Thousand Pine Inn
- Nina Simone (1933–2003), singer, pianist, composer, and activist