Note: Mount Mitchell State Park is under long-term closure. Unsure of where to stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway? For unbeatable views of the mountains, pay a visit to Mount Mitchell State Park.

The Mt Mitchell vessel was built in 1969, purchased by Global Seas LLC, and refurbished in 2001, having installed new electronics, engines, and safety mechanisms, certified by the US Coast Guard.

John Mitchell spent part of his childhood growing up in an unheated house in town after his family fell on hard times. That ...