CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. OPERA BOX Ladies wearing their Sunday best pose in the early 1900s at Chimney Rock’s Opera Box. This vantage point, as photographed above by Steven McBride, remains an ideal perch to enjoy views of Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut Gorge. (Both photos courtesy of Chimney Rock State Park.) GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN, N.C. Since its construction in 1952, the Mile-High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain in the High Country of North Carolina has been a timeless place to catch a breeze. The 228-foot suspension bridge spans an 80-foot chasm. (Vintage photo courtesy of Grandfather Mountain; contemporary photo by Joe Tennis.) 74 | BlueRidgeCountry.com