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"Here we are for the Blue Ridge Inn!"
"This way for Renfro!"
"White Sulphur Springs Hotel!"

Such was the sport of the drummers, greeting the passenger trains and trying to drum up business to transport tourists to one of the many fine hotels in the area.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, tourists were drawn to the region by the scenic beauty, unparalleled fresh air and clean water and the well-known cuisine and social life. In 1899, The Yadkin Valley News reported, "Summer visitors continue to arrive on every train. Mount Airy is the most popular summer resort outside of Asheville, in western North Carolina."