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BROADLY SPEAKING: Mining the river valley for good stories

Henderson County natives Lutrelle and Carey O’Cain have plenty of family memories to draw on when it comes to the history, people and culture of the French Broad River Valley. [CONTRIBUTED]

By CAREY O’CAIN, Published: May 17, 2026

EDITOR’S NOTE: Carey O’Cain, Hendersonville native, HHS and Clemson graduate and Laurel Park mayor, has an insatiable hunger for southern Appalachian history. Lucky for us, he has put that curiosity to good use. WTZQ began airing Carey’s “Broadly Speaking” feature — about the people, places and history of the French Broad River Valley — in March 2025. This week the Lightning begins offering the written version of the recordings. We start with Carey’s introduction of the series, which grew out of a conversation he and his wife, Lutrelle, had with WTZQ morning show hosts Mark Warwick and Paige Posey. We think you’ll agree Broadly Speaking is good stuff.

Months ago, Lutrelle and I were sharing stories about Henderson County with Mark and Paige at WTZQ. One story led to another: Lutrelle and I were eager to share these stories and Mark and Paige were captivated.

Lutrelle and I are unique as both of us grew up here. In fact, our parents and grandparents have been in Henderson County for over a century. Obviously, there are many couples and families with similar heritage. Fortunately, we know many of them. These friends and visitors to WTZQ and the Lightning will bring new and exciting chapters to this program and newspaper.  Much of the history is enthralling. Before we started recording these shows, I felt that it was important to read and reread the many books and articles of our wonderful history that so many authors have contributed. Sadie Patton, Frank Fitzsimmons, Kermit Edney, Tom Orr, Louise Bailey and Terry Ruscin have all left a priceless indelible legacy for all of us. So, please allow us to provide a little of our background with this introduction to Broadly Speaking.

My mother, Elizabeth Hunter O’Cain, was born in Hendersonville in 1916. Her parents moved here in 1902 from Montgomery, Alabama, where my grandfather, Forest Hunter, was a doctor and pharmacist. They moved here to alleviate the symptoms of malaria. This area was touted and promoted as a refuge for malaria, tuberculosis and yellow fever thanks to the clean, crisp, cool air and the mild seasons. What amazes me is that my grandfather was born in 1869, 157 years ago. Unfortunately, I never knew my grandfather as he died in 1920 when my mother was only 4. His wife, Georgia Key Grimmet Hunter, was born in 1872 and lived until 1957. I so wish that I could have asked her about her early days. My grandparents lived on Sixth Avenue across from the Methodist Church in what is now the Penny Insurance building. I was an infant in that house, the same house that my mother was born and raised in. My father and his mother came here a little later after my father’s father died in the flu epidemic of 1919. I’ll share that story later.

Lutrelle’s father, Bob Livingston, was born here also. His parents came from Charleston and Miami. Lutrelle’s great-grandfather, J.K. Livingston, moved here about 1918 and ventured into many professions including hotel owner, owner of the Cinderella Shoe Store, the Weeping Willow Pool and was the promoter of big bands during the Roaring ’20s into the thrifty ’30s. His son, Bob’s father, was a larger-than-life figure. His name was Cryl Earl Livingston but everyone knew him as “Buster” as he owned and ran the bus station. Buster’s wife was Emma but everyone knew her as “Penn.” Penn moved here from South Florida, again to escape the oppressive heat and the fear that she had tuberculosis. Yet Penn smoked occasionally and drank regularly. Despite her early health concerns, she lived at home until her death in 2016 at the age of 103.

When my grandparents moved here, my grandfather came first, in 1902. Because my grandmother had two sons aged 1 and 4, my grandmother didn’t arrive until 1903 and thought that she was moving to the end of the world. Trains had already arrived in 1879 in Hendersonville, but my grandmother and two toddlers took the train to Spartanburg then traveled by horse-drawn wagon through Hickory Nut Gorge, one of the main thoroughfares at the time.

We have many tales written and spoken. Broadly Speaking episodes will surprise you. We are so blessed to have the many publications to pull from including The French Broad Hustler, the periodical of the early 1900s. We will take you to:

• Early explorers like Desoto and Andre Michaux.
• Old Indian trails that became plank roads.
• Indian encounters.
• Murderers, marauders and thieves.
• Early settlers like Long John McCarson.
• The genteel of Flat Rock and the Little Charleston of the mountains.
• The big band era and the “Dancin’est Town in America.”
• A walk down Main Street in the 1920s and ’30s.
• Encounters with Carl Sandburg.
• The Flack Hotel, Hotel Recreation and a town called Roosevelt.
• Fassifern School for girls and the Blue Ridge School for boys.
• St. Johns, St. Paul and St. James churches and their incredible features.
• Celebrities like George Gershwin, Jack Dempsey, Buddy Ebsen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan and Minnie Pearl.

The stories are endless and amazing. So, please join us for Broadly Speaking, the history and stories of the French Broad River Valley.