How did Blowing Rock get its name?
The legend says it all started with a Chickasaw chieftan who didn't want his daughter to marry a white man. To protect her, the chief moved with his daughter to the region now known as Blowing Rock. One day, the girl was daydreaming on the mountain when she spotted a Cherokee man; she was interested, and so she shot an arrow in his direction to catch his attention. It worked, and before long, the Cherokee man was outside her wigwam, singing her songs of praise and love. They became lovers, meandering throughout Blowing Rock and the surrounding land.
Later on, they found themselves back at Blowing Rock, this time intrigued by a strange red sky. The man interpreted this unusual sight as a call back to his home and native tribe in the plains. The girl begged him not to leave her, but grappling with a choice between love and commitment to his tribe, the Cherokee man jumped from the cliff.
The heartbroken girl prayed everyday from the top of Blowing Rock to the Great Spirit, begging for her Cherokee lover to return. One day, another red sky appeared and with it, a wind that brought her lover back to her. Ever since that day, a constant gust has blown at the top of Blowing Rock, rising up from the valley nearby.