The mountains of Western North Carolina—closer to Knoxville, Tennessee than the Atlantic coast—are rarely touched by hurricanes. But on September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene roared into the region. Its wind and rain toppled trees, washed out roads, and flooded whole towns. In downtown Marshall, North Carolina, every building was damaged or destroyed by the French Broad River, which crested at 27 feet.
Rebecca Beyer, a tattoo artist, author, and foraging instructor, lost her studio space and library in Marshall High Studios. She also owns land outside of Marshall so, “two days after the flood, when we realized things were just crazy in town, we got a caravan of our friends together and everybody headed out to my property,” she says.
