The Toe River winds its way past the peaks of Mount Mitchell, carving the valley that bears its name. Mineral mines go back to the earliest days of Yancey County and encouraged industrialists to come to the region. Mitchell County's Bakersville experienced violent unrest in 1892, with a riot and a lynching, but did they actually happen? The section of the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs through Avery County was left incomplete for years because of a property dispute with the owner of Grandfather Mountain. Take a journey along forgotten rail lines and discover abandoned communities and sites whose histories have shaped this valley's story just as the river has shaped its landscape. North Carolina historian and author Michael C. Hardy explores the hidden historical gems of the region.