Caldwell County business owners and residents are working together to clean up the trash, trees, dirt and debris left in Wilson Creek by Hurricane Helene.
The Caldwell County chamber of commerce organized the cleanup on Jan. 17-18. About 25 to 30 volunteers came on the first day of the event, removing debris from destroyed homes in the area, cutting up dead trees that washed down river and picking up trash left behind by prior visitors.
“I’ve seen what hurricanes can do, but not like this. I mean, I turned onto this road and just started to cry,†volunteer Sara Baxter said.
Brown Mountain Beach Resort employee Brett Gragg, 59, cuts a downed tree in half at Wilson Creek in Caldwell County on Jan. 17.
The staff at Brown Mountain Beach Resort have been hard at work cleaning up the resort and the surrounding area since October, shortly after the hurricane hit, Brown Mountain Beach Resort owner Ron McDaniel said.
“Every day of the week we clean the beach, getting the trees off the beach, winching them off and getting rid of them, and grading what it tore up out there,†McDaniel said.
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He is hopeful they will be able to have parts of Wilson Creek back open by April, the time of year when tourists flock over to the area to visit the creek.
“It’s so many daggum rocks up there where they used to dive and stuff. There’s some people gonna get seriously injured,†McDaniel said. “So there’s gotta be some stuff done here.â€
Getting all the debris removed from the trails, river and surrounding area is expected to take a lot longer, Caldwell Chamber President and CEO Bryan Moore said
From left, Caldwell Chamber Operations Specialist Amber Bryson, volunteer Sara Baxter and Caldwell Chamber President and CEO Bryon Moore load a mattress into a Bobcat front loader outside Brown Mountain Beach Resort in Caldwell County on Jan. 17.
“I think from a debris cleanup perspective, it’s probably going to take a year,†Moore said. “That’s if we have eight or 10 of these weekends like this, and then federal resources, state resources, county resources.â€
Support from the community has been crucial in the cleanup process. Companies from across Caldwell County and surrounding counties have stepped in, donating supplies, equipment and manpower to help.
The Caldwell Chamber helped facilitate donations from Bobcat of Lenoir, Cloninger Ford, Caldwell County Emergency Services, Republic Services and Lowe’s Home Improvement.
Bobcat of Lenoir general manager Scott Hutton lifts a piece of debris into a Bobcat loader in Wilson Creek in Lenoir on Jan. 17. Hutton donated Bobcat equipment to be used in the cleanup.
“Bobcat of Lenoir, like they just showed up and said, ‘Yep, I’m bringing two operators. Yep, what do we need? We’re coming to help,’†Brown Mountain Beach Resort manager Kelsey Wallace said. “I’ve never even met the guy before.â€
The future of Wilson Creek
Wilson Creek has been a hotspot for tourism, attracting visitors from across the state and region.
“This is the one of the best natural resources that Caldwell County has,†said Curtis Lane Equipment—Bobcat of Lenoir General Manager Scott Hutton. “You got kayaking, you got fishing, hunting.â€
In the spring and summer months, visitors travel to the area’s swimming holes, hiking trails and mountain biking paths.
Brown Mountain Beach Resort Manager Kelsey Wallace carries a bundle of building debris in Wilson Creek on Jan. 17.
“Jumping in that cold creek and just laying out on one of those big boulders and just letting the sun warm you up … I think it does something to the soul,†Wallace said.
The area doesn’t have the facilities to accommodate the increase in visitors, but Brown Mountain Beach Resort and the Caldwell Chamber are looking to add more in the future.
“So there was just a master plan launched right before the storm … which has an opportunity for new wayfinding and signage, some parking areas, some bathrooms, just to make it a more enjoyable place for people,†Moore said.
Volunteer Addie Faber, 30, removes a barrel from a pile of washed up trees on an island on Wilson Creek on Jan. 17.
The Caldwell Chamber and Brown Mountain Beach Resort hope to organize monthly cleanups in Wilson Creek. People of every skill set are welcome to volunteer, Wallace said. More information can be found on the
“It deserves to be made into something. That creek has given life to so many things, whether it’s animals or plants or memories,†Wallace said. “We have to give back.â€
