This crossroads, called Pace's Gap, was once used by drovers herding livestock to ports in South Carolina. After the first train came through on July 4, 1878, the area came to life, and by 1881 it had been chartered as the town of Saluda, named for a Cherokee chief whose name means Corn River. Steam-powered locomotives climbed the steep Saluda Grade, bringing lowlanders from farther south seeking relief from heat and mosquitoes, including artists, writers, and musicians drawn to the natural beauty, cool breezes, and healthy mountain air of the Saluda Mountains. Along dirt-covered Main Street, townspeople parked buggies, wagons, and motorized vehicles, while farmers met the trains to sell fresh produce to visitors and residents. Saluda became a summer home for many artistic people who came to paint, write, or relax, and its arts tradition began with functional work such as pottery, wool dyeing, rug making, and furniture making before continuing as a flourishing art colony.