Henry's Nature Center
Located at 9214 Spartanburg Hwy, this 20.67 acres is a gift to the Saluda Community from the descendants of R.H. Moody, Bradley Foundation, Polk County Community Foundation, and Saluda Community Land Trust.
The nature center was funded by a generous donation from Rob and Roberta Cart in memory of their son, Henry Robinson Cart (1989-2006) to create an environmental education site for the community. They would like "everyone, especially children, to feel comfortable in the woods," by providing an outdoor classroom for local schools, trails for health, recreation, and identification and preservation of flora and fauna.
Henry's Nature center also aims to preserve the site's farming and railroad history. Two turn-of-the-century homes were built by the tracks for convenience. Robert Henry Moody and Sarah Elizabeth Pace Moody, along with their descendants, farmed the land and worked for Southern Railway Company. Visit the stone steps of their homestead, walk down Moody Lane, and envision the past.
How you can help
SCLT is currently working on developing the property by constructing trails, maintaining educational signage, and establishing native plant landscaping, and we need your help!
• Bring a wet towel on your trail hikes to clean the educational signs.
• Bring a watering can and use the rain barrel water to water the marked plants, especially the smaller, newly established ones.
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• Donate native plants! Native plants are available for purchase at Raymond’s Garden Center or you can share from your own garden. Currently, we’re putting plants in gallon pots to promote growth and root establishment. We will be putting plants in the ground once the weather cools.
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• Donate bags of mulch or Professional Landscape Planting Mix. Mulch and landscape mix are availavble for purchase from SiteOne (1604 Old Spartanburg Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792-6423).
• Join the Landscape Team! Regular workdays are the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays from 9 AM to 12 PM, though they may change due to weather or other factors.
• To arrange mulch and plant donations, or to be updated with text notifications about scheduled work days, contact Kate at 828-606-9315.
