This is the first book ever written on the history of Pilot Mountain State Park in Surry County, North Carolina which was ten years in the making. The book is based on research and photography by the author both on the mountain and from a distance. Because the mountain looks like a sentinal, images of the mountain can be taken from the Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks in Virginia.
On the Andy Griffith Show it was referred to as Mount Pilot but it was never seen on the fictional TV series.
After first seeing stone faces in images taken at the mountain and learning the Cherokee called it Stonehead Mountain (that President Thomas Jefferson's father put on his map in 1749), the third intriguing event was a talk I had with a farmer in Pinnacle, North Carolina who looked Native American. He was sitting on a curb at the gas station drinking a soda so I sat down next to him and asked if he had a story about Pilot Mountain and his response was like rocket fuel for my research after that in 2013.
"Did you know the Cherokee used to say you should take your moccasins off within twenty miles of Pilot Mountain out of respect for the mountain?," he told me. So this first book is what the Europeans thought of a sacred mountain to the Cherokee without them knowing it was revered like that.
This work is a detailed look at the history, myths, lore and also how the mountain went from being privately owned to a state park. Pilot Mountain might be the largest pyramid in the world with a nearly pure crystal top. There is a hidden aspect to the pyramid even though it was mentioned in writing by a University of North Carolina professor in 1823 and later by a Duke University professor in 1944. All archeological papers, relics and artifacts about the mountain are curiously labeled restricted access/confidential.
On the first map of the area the mountain was labeled with two names, Mt. Ararat and Stonehead Mountain. Each chapter of the book starts with a full page image of one of the stone faces on the trails of Pilot Mountain State Park. Some of the stone faces are so large they can only be seen from a mile away from the mountain. The pyramid aspect is also best seen from several miles away looking west.
This book shines a spotlight on Surry County in North Carolina and how profoundly beaufitul this area is within sight of Pilot Mountain. There is also much more to this mysterious mountain then meets the eye, to be sure!
Are you ready to start your own intriguing journey into the deep mysteries of Pilot Mountain?
Feel free to contact the author here: https://www.facesofpilotmountain.com/contact
“I was spellbound by your eloquent words about Pilot Mountain. From the beginning of the book, you feel like you are reading about a mystery in nearly every page. It’s hard to put the book down, even to gorge on a pork chop sandwich at Snappy’s in nearby Mt. Airy. With my respect and admiration for your great work in making history come alive.” — Rufus Edmisten
North Carolina Attorney General (1974–1984);
North Carolina Secretary of State (1989–1996);
Member of the Watergate Commitee who personally served President Nixon with a subpoena;
Born in Boone, North Carolina, and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he practices law and participates as cohost of a weekly gardening radio show on WPTF-FM
On May 20, 2023 within 24 hours of the "Faces of Pilot Mountain: Intriging Journey into the Deep Mysteries" going live it was #22 in the history/geography catagory at Amazon. There were no advanced sales for this book.
On April 15 & 16th, 2024 primary filming was done at Pilot Mountain State Park about the book, "Faces of Pilot Mountain." The California based Ancient American documentary series flew in for two days of filming.
This week the author got a rough cut of the documentary on the book to add images, maps and newspaper articles to the project. The release date is still in the future but progress is being made.
Such an honor to have my first book signing at the Bob Timberlake Gallery in Lexington, North Carolina. At the author table during Bob Timberlake Day was Mr. Rufus Edmisten. It was really something to watch Mr. Edmisten work the crowd for almost five hours right by his side. We both sold a bunch of books.
This was around noon the day the sun began to move on the horizon after the 72 hour period of the solstice. It is the Ledge Spring Trail at Pilot Mountain State Park just below the parking area on top of the mountain. This stone face is looking south with its back to the mountain to the north and it overlooks the Yadkin Valley roughly 1,200 feet below.
Rather interesting Feng Shui for a mountain and the stone face is near a mineral spring on the same trail.
It is located about 1/3 of a mile from the pyramid aspect of Pilot Mountain that faces east. There are not too many pyramids in the world where you can drive you car almost to the apex. However, that is the case with Pilot Mountain in Surry County, North Carolina.
Have added a color paperback of the book, "Faces of Pilot Mountain: Intriuging Journey into the Deep Mysteries," for $44.99. The color Kindle version is $9.99 and the B&W paperback is currently $19.99.
Plan to have the first book signing at "Bob Timberlake Day" in Lexington, North Carolina on a Satruday, July 15, 2023. The day I got that invitation from his son, Dan Timberlake, was a big time at the authors home. What an honor!
Just like Serpent Mound that has a sunset right on a notch on the horizon on the solstice, at Pilot Mountain State Park the sun rises on a notch on the Big Pinnacle. The attached video happened in real time as the sun came up above the notch on March 20, 2023. The music was selected in honor of the prehistoric burials on the mountain that are acknowledged by the NC Park Service as being "highly significant" in a General Management Plan in 2018 (page 5 online).
Happy Summer Solstice!The first book signing will be at the Bob Timberlake Gallery in Lexington, North Carolina from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. It will take place within the 15,000 sq. ft. gallery on "Bob Timberlake Day."The author, J.P. McKelvey, will share the book signing table with Mr. Rufus Edmisten who will arrive around noon.This is such an honor to be invited to this annual event by the Timberlake family.
Exiciting start for the Memorial Day holiday weekend with the book, "Faces of Pilot Mountain: Intriguing Journey into the Deep Mysteries" hitting #1 on Kindle for Historical Study Reference!!!The book was just released on Kindle last Monday on May 21, 2023 but the Color Hardcover and B&W Paperback came out on May 19, 2023.Honestly, I think this is a win-win for the author and the State of North Carolina!
A press release was sent to the Govenor of North Carolina today alerting him to the charting of the book on the history of one of the state parks in North Carolina.
Nearly an 18 minute video turned into a minute and eight seconds as a time lapse of the pyramid shadow of Pilot Mountain between the equinox and the solstice. Pilot Mountain is on a perfect east-west access so the shadow can only be seen on the far side of the Big Pinnacle in relation to the Little Pinnacle. Should have let it run ten minutes longer because as the sun sets behind the Blue Ridge Mountains it is still broad daylight but the pyramid shadow just fades away on the horizon looking east.
