New Initiative Puts the Cherry on Top for Cherryville!

By: Grace Smith – Wise News Network

CHERRYVILLE, NC (WNN) – The City of Cherryville is on the verge of a blossoming transformation. Thanks to the efforts of various community members, the City will live up to its name after years without thriving cherry trees.

A Cherryville resident, Sid Stroupe, coordinated efforts to plant cherry blossoms in various spots around the City. Stroupe grew up in Cherryville. He recalled his childhood, filled with beautiful cherry trees that blossomed every spring.

“Several of us grew up here in Cherryville, and when we visited in the most recent years we really were so disappointed that we hadn’t seen as many cherry trees planted.” said Stroupe.

Although he grew up in Cherryville, Stroupe lived in Durham, N.C., for many years. Upon moving back to his hometown, he took on the charge of returning the City to its former blooming glory.

Along with the assistance of dedicated community members, Stroupe managed to acquire funding for 100 Kwanzan cherry trees.

“We were [not] looking for the government or the city to pay for it, but we thought we could do a little campaign,” stated Stroupe.

The community rallied behind his fundraising efforts. A generous donor, John Talbert supplied Stroupe with a majority of the funds. Talbert’s kind donation also acted as a gift to his wife, Judy Talbert.

“The short story there is that Judy and a group of women that she went to high school with used to get together over the years,” Stroupe explained, “They were all graduates of Cherryville High School in 1957 or 58, This group of women, about six or seven of them, used to get together every spring and travel and reminisced about their great times living in Cherryville.”

They called themselves the Cherryville Cherry Blossoms. Over the years, many of these women have passed away. John Talbert donated the funds for this project in the name of the Cherry Blossoms, so his wife could look around the City and remember her friends.

“We couldn’t have done this without Mr. Talbert. It really was just a great thing that he did,” said Stroupe.

Remembrance and historical preservation are values that many Cherryville residents hold dear. Not only do these trees symbolize a historic group of women, they evoke a time predating the town’s incorporation as well.

Before the 1860s, Cherryville was known as the “White Pines” settlement. White Pines was vital for transportation and a vein of railroad tracks ran through the area. Railway workers called the settlement Cherryville because of the blossoming cherry trees along the train tracks.

The trees were planted by a resident. Unfortunately, nature took its course, and the original cherry trees are no longer present. However, Stroupe wanted to recall Cherryville’s early days, focusing much of the planting along the same railroad.

His team also planted several new trees in the Cherryville City Memorial Cemetery to honor residents who have passed away. In literature and art, cherry blossoms symbolize beauty and mortality. They are a constant reminder that life is fleeting– although beautiful. 

Stroupe believes that the cherry trees are a symbol for the Cherryville residents; resilient, beautiful, and forever growing. The new trees are no bigger than six feet tall, but over the next 25 years, they are expected to reach heights of 20 feet.

“I think Cherryville represented a new beginning for a lot of people, just like the cherry tree,”

While not the original species, the Kwanzan trees symbolize remembrance and history. When they are fully grown and in full bloom, they will make quite the statement.

Kwanzan trees are known for their vibrant pink flowers that bloom every spring. Hailing from Japan, the Kwanzan cherry trees can be found in various areas around the United States. Most notably, the US Capitol blossoms with their pink flowers every spring.

“We’d like to call Cherryville the Thomas Jefferson Memorial of the South,” said Stroupe with a smile.

Stroupe will continue his efforts to make Cherryville blossom. He intends to maintain the trees, along with his sister, Carol Stroupe, and his dedicated team. The group has worked tirelessly to help this project see fruition. 

Sid Stroupe wants the City’s residents to embrace this initiative and has tentative plans to bring more cherry trees to Cherryville. He wants the City to bloom for years to come; a constant reminder of those came before the current residents. 

As the new growth takes root, so does Cherryville’s connections to its history. The young saplings will grow into living tributes of the City’s past recalling the resilience and beauty that still thrives in the City where life blossoms. 

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