‘A way to bring a little history back:’ Historic Waynesville arch making its comeback on Main Street

By Taylor Thompson

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    WAYNESVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — The Waynesville community rallied around one another as the revival of the Waynesville arch began Saturday, Aug. 26, with a groundbreaking ceremony where the arch will make its comeback to downtown after more than 50 years.

The original arch was built in 1933 as a way to welcome visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The town has considered itself the “Gateway to the Smokies” for nearly a century, and while the original arch was taken down in 1972 due to wear and tear, leaders are now ready to build another in its honor.

Jon Feichter, a Waynesville Town councilmember, explained that once it became a possibility to rebuild the arch, the board then faced the question of, What’s going to be required to make this happen?

With Main Street being a state-owned road, Feichter said the N.C. Department of Transportation had to give permission to rebuild the arch there.

Feichter said that rebuilding the arch is part of the council’s downtown revitalization program and that, although they got the green light to build from NCDOT, more hurdles remained.

The arch was originally supposed to cost $75,000, which the Downtown Waynesville Association already had in its pocket.

However, it came to light that the arch would have to be built differently than expected, so the cost shot up from $75,000 to $175,000.

He said they learned the arch was going to need to be built out of steel, which was the culprit behind the significant price jump.

That’s when the call to the community for donations began. Feichter said he’s been very pleased with how the community has rallied around this arch.

“I am amazed that people are so willing to help support this project, but not surprised in the least,” he said.

One lifelong resident who has worked to make this arch possible is Joyce Massie.

Massie, having grown up in the town, said the original arch was a part of her childhood.

She said she remembers always feeling like it was a treat to go to Main Street, as her family only went once a week or so to get groceries.

“When I saw the arch, I knew I was here (on Main Street),” she said.

A member of the Downtown Waynesville Association, Massie said the members began the discussion to bring the arch back in 2021.

“We’re just happy to begin,” she said, “and what we’re trying to do is gather donations so that we have payment in full.”

Another resident, Chris Minick, said the town is naturally the gateway to the Smokies, and the residents are ready to bring back the very thing that signifies that.

“A part of a way to bring a little history back to the Main Street in Waynesville,” Minick said.

Feichter said that while they’re close to their goal for donations, he was hopeful Saturday’s groundbreaking would provide them with the amount of funding they need to feel comfortable putting in a down payment for construction to start.

“From the moment they get our down payment to when they start fabrication, they tell us it’s about four months,” he explained.

Massie said they want to remind everybody that this is “little ole Waynesville” and that they’re a community of people who care about each other and about their unity.

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