Fun In The Mountains

Daniel Boone Outdoor Drama Opens 60th Season

North Carolinans may not link their state to the adventures of Daniel Boone, but there are strong ties. In fact, Boone, NC is named for the explorer, who is thought to have camped often at a spot inside the current city limits.

Boone also is host to “Horn in the West,” one of the nation’s longest-running outdoor dramas and which features the adventurer. The drama opens its 60th season on June 17 in the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre. Boone, tucked in the Appalachian Mountains, is a popular tourist town and center of outdoor sports and attractions. It is located near the Blue Ridge Parkway, which winds its way through the North Carolina and Virginia mountains.

“Horn in the West” portrays historic events from 1771 to 1780 and covers the impact of the nation’s fight for independence on the fictional Stuart family. Throughout a journey from Alamance County to the present-day Boone area, the Stuarts witness the Battle of Alamance, a smallpox epidemic and the Battle of King’s Mountain. Audience members get a glimpse into settlers’ lives when North Carolina was a British colony.  Written by playwright Kermit Hunter, “Horn” made its debut in 1952.

“For many years ‘Horn in the West’ was the only entertainment in town, and it brought people to our area that had never been here before,” said Wes Martin, the actor who plays Boone. “Over the years, these visitors would return to see the changes in the show and enjoy it all over again.”

The season runs through Aug. 13 and is closed Mondays. Visit www.horninthewest.com for more information.

added: May 18, 2011

updated: May 24, 2011