Editor’s note: Following is a proclamation approved by Tryon Town Council on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 designating July 23, 2011 as William Gillette Day.

WHEREAS, William Gillette, the famed actor/playwright noted for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the late1800s, fell ina love with Tryon in 1893 and built the nearly 900 acre local estate, Thousand Pines, in order to spend his leisure time in the area; and

WHEREAS, it was at Thousand Pines, primarily, that Gillette worked on the stage scripts of “Too Much Johnson,” “Secret Service” and “Sherlock Holmes” (the latter title in close collaboration with the original author of the Sherlock Holmes character, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle); and

WHEREAS, William Gillette was active in local charitable fundraising activities at the newly opened Tryon Opera House, performing during the winter of 1890 his impersonation of Mark Twain, and staging thereafter two annual productions of “Esmeralda” at the Opera House along with several other theatrical set pieces; and

WHEREAS, Gillette established the residential subdivision Glenwalden and further proposed a recreational resort called the Hogback Mountain Club, which, by 1933, was re-configured as Gillette Estates, and ultimately developed into Gillette Woods; and

WHEREAS, some years later, Gillette gifted then Thousand Pines Inn owner Lesesne Meagen with personal, iconographic Sherlock Holmes stage memorabilia, such as photographs, pipes and slippers—now on display in the Polk County Historical Association’s museum collection; and

WHEREAS, the Sherlock Holmes Festival was established to celebrate William Gillette’s local legacy and his contribution to the popularity of Sherlock Holmes; and

WHEREAS, biographer Henry Zecher has recently published a new volume, “William Gillette, America’s Sherlock Holmes,” and will appear for a book signing event as part of the commemorative activities to be held on July 23 in Tryon; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That, I, J. Alan Peoples, Mayor of the Town of Tryon, North Carolina, do hereby proclaim Saturday, July 23rd, 2011, to be William Gillette Day in the Town of Tryon, and encourage all citizens to join me in recognizing Gillette’s contribution to the Town of Tryon and participating in the planned special events of the day.
Adopted the 21st Day of June, 2011.