Tropical Storm Helene left ‘apocalyptic’ damage in this Appalachian tourist town

The tourist town of Boone, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, faces an uncertain future in the wake of Helene’s devastation.

Freddie Pell helps lift a vintage wooden chair off the sidewalk and back inside his art gallery. It’s starting to rain in downtown Boone, and he doesn’t want it to get soaked — again.

Inside, vast muddy puddles spread across the room as workers use mops to push the water out the door. A thin dark line on the wall — about a foot up from the floor — shows how high the water rose when Tropical Storm Helene came barreling through on Friday, Pell said.

“Luckily, most of our art is on the wall,” Pell said Monday, gesturing to the vibrant paintings and prints crafted by local artists.

In the days after Helene razed much of western North Carolina, some store owners in downtown Boone have a lot of cleanup to do and don’t know if they’ll see much business at all for the foreseeable future — a critical problem for a town of about 19,000 people that relies on tourism, especially in the fall.

Like many towns that dot the Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone sees flocks of visitors eager to witness the cascade of vivid colors from the changing autumn leaves starting in October. Many also come to cheer on various sports teams at Appalachian State University. The rush of tourists brings millions of dollars to the town, as well as the state.

But Helene’s devastation throws that all into question.

Across Watauga County, where Boone is located, many residents have no power or cell service. Several roads are washed out, leaving people trapped or forced to find another way out. Emergency service personnel worked nonstop to rescue people.

On the highway that snakes up toward downtown Boone, downed trees precariously lie upside down on the mountainside along the road. In some places, power lines sag under them like a slingshot.

Once on King Street — the main road that slices through downtown Boone — the sidewalks’ dull muddy sheen is a reminder of the rushing murky waters that engulfed the street as the storm plowed through.

Some people roam the sidewalk, curious about what businesses they can enter. Many were still closed Monday, and it’s unclear when they’ll reopen.