A new Tryon tradition began this New Year’s Day, as an enthusiastic crowd gathered at Lanier Library for a brief ceremony to dedicate the first Tryon Annual Diary.

Thanks to the efforts of Robert Lange and the Melrose Historic District, a new Tryon Diary is available to document the community’s memories.

The leather and cloth 11-by-18-inch journal was handcrafted by Judith Beers, of Asheville. Inspired by the Wilcox diaries dating from 1893, this book found its place in the Lanier Library under the portrait of Annie Wilcox’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Grady Crandall Farwell, where the Tryon public may stop in to record the daily goings-on and shenanigans to amuse Tryonites 100 years from now.

Julia Calhoun added calligraphy of the title and dedication/donor page, and Keith Grady, great-grandson of town’s visionary, Lemuel N. Wilcox, wrote the first entry for the ceremony. This year’s inaugural edition is dedicated to Keith’s wife, Frances “Chris” Grady, an active longtime member of the Library who passed away last March.

Each year, a new journal will be made and the previous year’s will be retired to the town archives.

Donations for the cost of the book, which are tax deductible, can be made to the Melrose Historic District and dropped off at the library.

The public is invited to stop in the library, take a look and add their memories to the diary.

– Submitted by Amber Keeran