Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Letter to the editor

Many of our residents are taking major offense at the recent Tryon Diary column by “Susan McNabb.” Personally, I am offended that an “occasional columnist” can whip back into her summer-residence and try to define what makes a good newbie. 

Susan, you do not speak for Tryon. Many of us, including you, are not originally from here. And now, you are a Tryonite less than part-time. How dare you take a small neighborhood fence squabble and highlight it for the entire county to read? How dare you turn the “Friendliest Town in the South” moniker upside on its head? This column was not only submitted, it was proudly and publicly posted on social media on your account, so even non-friends can read and share. Of course, this type of divisive column will go viral. Now, Tryon looks like the opposite of friendly. Thanks a lot.

In addition to this column, an anonymous letter from the Lyncourt Neighbors was delivered to the new family a few weeks ago and is slowly making the rounds now, too (via text messages, scans and emails). THIS letter came before Susan’s ode to pre-pandemic Tryon column. The neighborhood letter, likely written by one person, was signed by “Your neighbors.” Whether all of the neighbors saw and agreed upon this letter remains to be seen. The letter states, “This is a 100-year old historic neighborhood and is the pride of Tryon”….Really?  Since when?

ALL of Tryon is what makes Tryon special. I think other neighborhoods and Morris-the-Horse would beg to disagree with these self-proclaimed falsehoods. 

I will spare the other details of the neighborhood letter here, but it does go on to use the words “defile,” “defacing” and “resentment.” Instead of your wishful “pride of Tryon,” Lyncourt now represents a toxic cul-de-sac filled with entitled brats that are arguing over fence aesthetics and hidden azaleas. This is not the first time Lyncourt was impatient and bad-mannered. Reading between the lines of Facebook posts, the fence is supposedly in compliance. The fence is not on your property. The fence is none of your business. The goal of sharing the terms above are not to perpetuate this situation further but give a peek into what these neighbors have been sifting through the past few weeks. Letters, phone calls, knocks on the door … and now a passive-aggressive article with an agenda. I suggest “Lyncourt” stops trying to pay for a new, better fence and go to Down to Earth Garden Shop and buy azaleas for you own yard.

I would like to encourage any new Tryon residents to please be patient with all of us. We are still trying to get footing on an influx of new faces and personalities, during a pandemic when some residents are only starting to be more social and “out and about.” We all live here because Tryon is wonderful. This truth will reveal itself soon enough…. The longer you are here, the better it gets. Tryon can truly be magical and the community rallies around each other in hard times. We should be rolling out the proverbial Welcome Wagon and be thrilled that GOOD families are choosing our town.

Recent letters and social media bickering do not define Tryon. Please look past the rudeness.

1. Melody Lanier

Tryon