Downtown has antique stores, a general merchandise store, a hardware; beauty salons, funeral homes, a realty/forestry office, a medical clinic, banks, churches, grocery stores, a feed, seed, and fertilizer store, a small-engine repair shop, garages, service stations, a post office, a drugstore, an ice cream stand, a hosiery mill, a recycling center, and three restaurants. A restaurant/inn is located just 1/2 mile north of the city limits.

The town has a multi-cultural population. The 2000 census reported 1,021 residents.

Visit: http://www.ellerbenc.com/

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Event: NC 4th of July Festival
Town: Southport
Date(s): 7/1/2011 – 7/4/2011
Time: Event Times Vary
Price Range: Most events are free.
URL: www.nc4thofjuly.com
Email: events@southport-oakisland.com
Phone: 910-457-5578 or 800-457-6964
Address: Southport & Oak Island

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Education was important in the early years of Maxton in 1841, just outside of town, John Gilchrist Jr. founded Floral College, the first woman’s college in the state to confer degrees. Maxton was also the site of the first school opened by famous black educator, Charles N. Hunter (1818-1831). He went on to form the North Carolina Industrial Association to try to improve the lives of African Americans by emphasizing economic progress rather than political activity.

Maxton is very proud of their hometown people who include: Angus W. McLean Governor of North Carolina 1924-1928; Malcom McLean, founder of McLean Trucking & SeaLand Inc., he was named “Man of the Century” by the international Maritime Hall of Fame; and Alice Russell Micheaux, concert soloist and movie actress-her credits include: The Betrayal (1948), God’s Step Children (1938) Murder in Harlem (1935) and The Broken Violin (1927).

Maxton is a town on the move, over the past few years strives have been made to restore the downtown area. The entire downtown area has been placed on the National Register of Historical Places. The “Avenue of Mayors”, a project that placed utility lines underground along Patterson Street and planted trees in memory and honor of former Mayors. The town offices are housed in the restored Patterson building. The restoration was the brainchild of The Preservation Maxton Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises money to restore and save endangered historical buildings in Maxton. The Town restored the Freight Building, which houses a restaurant with an additional space for rent.

For more info: http://www.ci.maxton.nc.us

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Educational opportunities are virtually unlimited, with Western Carolina University only 7 miles away in Cullowhee, and Southwestern Community College in Sylva.

Recreational opportunities are numerous and diverse here. They have a state of the art playground designed by our children and built by the community.

The town owns a pristine tract of land, Pinnacle Park, that boasts hiking trails, waterfalls, and a town view from 5,000 feet.

The Tuckasegee River is known for its whitewater and trout populations.  And the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a 30 minute drive away.

For more, visit http://www.mountainlovers.com!

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David B. Bolick

Hiddenite, North Carolina, is located in Alexander County and in a spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains called the Brushy Mountains. For such a small unincorporated town it boasts some unusual history and interesting attractions.

The area used to be called White Plains and, at one time, was a health resort due to it’s sulfur springs. The town was named after William Earl Hidden, a mineralogist sent here by Thomas Edison to look for platinum deposits. Instead of finding platinum he found something more valuable, some emeralds and a rare mineral that was later named hiddenite. Hiddenite is also the town I live in and after living in many places in the United States I wouldn’t have it any other way. Life is slow paced in many small towns and Hiddenite is no exception. The people are friendly, crime rate is very low and most everything you need readily available.

A lot of families and school children come to Hiddenite to visit the Emerald Hollow Mine. The mine is one of just a few where the public can hunt for emeralds, sapphires, and other valuable gem stones. The mine offers much for your families entertainment and has primitive camping facilities, sluicing facilities, a creek, professional gem cutting and lapidary, and a mineral shop in addition to the main mine. For those that would rather camp in better style, or have RVs, there is the HiddeNite Camp Grounds. The camp is located along the South Yadkin River, has 37 full RV hookups, primitive tent sites, large swimming pool and over 30 acres of nature area.

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This year they are celebrating our 25th anniversary of the Watermelon Festival! Be sure to come out and be a part of the festivities. The Watermelon Festival promotes eating healthy — keeping your heart strong. Check out these watermelon recipes.

Daily events include:
• New Home and Garden section
• Largest watermelon contest
• Large antiques/collectibles/crafts fair
• Fantastic variety of food
• Amusements rides
• Street dances each night
• Free watermelon slices
• W atermelon games round out the activities

For more info, visit: http://www.murfreesboronc.org/watermelon.htm

Murfreesboro is a historic community, incorporated on January 6, 1787, and located along the banks of the Meherrin River in the Inner Banks of North Carolina – just a few miles from the Virginia state line, about 60 miles south of Norfolk, Virginia, and about 90 miles northeast of Raleigh.  Murfreesboro is in located in Hertford County, NC, which is characterized by historic communities nestled in some of the most unique agricultural areas of North Carolina.

Visit: http://www.townofmurfreesboro.com

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The home of Hammocks Beach State Park and its unspoiled beaches, Swansboro boasts a beautiful small harbor adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway and is only three miles from coastal recreational facilities in the Croatan National Forest.

The unique village atmosphere in Swansboro’s historic downtown area offers opportunity to enjoy the community’s heritage while shopping in an area alive with restaurants, boutiques, gift shops, and waterside parks.

Host to a wide variety of major events – from the Arts by the Sea Festival, the Mullet Festival, Candlelight Shopping, and the Christmas Flotilla to an annual Oyster Roast, an annual Pig Cook-Off, the Blue Water Fishing Tournament, the King Mackerel Tournament, and the Speckled Trout Tournament – Swansboro offers some of the best hospitality on the North Carolina coast.

Popular activities available in Swansboro and the surrounding area include beach-going, fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, golf, shopping, the arts, and amusement parks.

Known as a high-quality living location, Swansboro offers a wide variety of residential settings – many of which are located on or near the White Oak River, the Intracoastal Waterway, or the numerous coastal creeks that border the town – and an attractive array of business services.

Settlers first came to Swansboro around 1730, founding a community on the site of an Algonkian Indian village at the mouth of the White Oak River. The colonial port town of Swannsborough was incorporated in 1783 – named in honor of Samuel Swann, who had been speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons. The community’s early prosperity was based on shipbuilding, and its most famous shipbuilder was Captain Otway Burns. Burns, whose exploits as commander of the privateer vessel Snapdragon brought early attention to Swansboro, was also the builder of the Prometheus, the first steamboat constructed in North Carolina.

Although its shipbuilding industry declined, Swansboro found new prosperity in lumber and naval stores, and, in the mid-Twentieth Century, in the commercial fishing industry. Beginning with World War II, Swansboro, like most of Onslow County, began experiencing an economic boost from the nearby establishment of Camp Lejeune, one of the U.S. Marine Corps’ largest bases, and from the growth of coastal tourism – trends that continue today.

With its remarkable heritage, scenic views, great hospitality, and casual lifestyle, Swansboro has retained the quiet charm and unique character of a picturesque colonial port – making it an outstanding community for anyone who wants to join the “Friendly City” tradition to call “home” offers a historic downtown district overlooking the water, numerous opportunities for coastal recreation, and a progressive town government that works to balance high quality community growth with conservation of the community’s natural and historic resources.

For more info, visit http://www.swansborochamber.org/

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Source: Wiki

Waxhaw takes its name from the Waxhaws, named after the historic American Indian tribe that inhabited the region. The community was settled by European-Americans in the mid-1700s, of mostly German and Scots-Irish origin. They became subsistence farmers and were known for being independent. Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States, was born nearby in 1767. There is some disagreement as to which of the Carolinas was his birthplace, due to the proximity of the border.

The arrival of the railroad in 1901, with access to the markets of Atlanta, helped the town reach prosperity. The tracks were laid directly through the center of town, showing the importance of the railroad. They remain on the street, now bordered by a green, grassy strip dividing the rows of stores on each side.

Beginning in the late 1800s, the community was developed with cotton mills for manufacturing textiles. The railroad helped increase access for its products. Cotton manufacturing was important to the region through the 1940s. Postwar changes in the economy, with shifts of the textile industry to jobs to other areas and out of the country, required the community to adapt to new conditions.

Waxhaw has evolved as an antique and fine dining center. Its Small Town Main Street committee is working on an integrated approach to developing and marketing the historic center of town. The Town currently has dozens of specialty shops and dining ranging from mom & pop restaurants to fine dining bistros. The Waxhaw Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes retail businesses as well as architecturally significant houses near the center of town.

Residents and town government are working on additional improvement plans. The Town Park is located in the downtown area, as is a Skate Park for youths and skateboarding. New housing has been built along NC 75 to the east and west of town, as well as Hwy 16 to the north. Near Waxhaw is Cane Creek Park, a 1,050-acre (4.2 km²) park, featuring scenic areas and recreation activities. The facility, on Harkey Road south of Waxhaw, was a cooperative venture between Union County, the Union Conservation District and the Soil Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For more info, visit http://www.waxhaw.com

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So what setting, geography, and lifestyle have to be present to make a place in the Carolinas a Best Place for you to live?!

Well, today I’m going to share with you some of my best places in North Carolina based purely on setting, geography, and lifestyle.

I’m a mountain man myself. I grew up near the ocean and I’m tired of the hot sun and flat scrubby coastal land of  the northeast and southeast. So for me, the mountains of western North Carolina are a refreshing magnificent change.

But I still will tell you about some incredible coastal areas, for those of you who still want to be on the water, and don’t forget those pure, crystal clear, cold as ice mountain lakes.

So off to the Mountains…I love the areas of Asheville, Waynesville, Cashiers, and Chimney Rock.  Asheville has only about 80,000 people, but it’s very hip with plenty of services, a major hospital and airport. Waynesville has about 30,000 people in the greater area. And if you love living at severe angles on the side of a mountain with incredible long mountain views, Waynesville’s for you. Visit Chimney Rock south of Asheville, hike the trails and enjoy the hawks, vistas, and views of Lake Lure. Check out the waterfalls at Graveyard Fields off the Blue Ridge Parkway and take a dip in some crisp, clear, mountain springs.

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To learn more about the book, visit: InSearchofMayberry.com!

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The N.C. Pickle Festival Pickleball Tournament, set from noon to 4 p.m. in Mount Olive College’s Pope Wellness Center.

The Band of Oz on Friday, April 23 at the Mount Olive Airport. Enjoy great music, and be a part of a great N.C. Pickle Festival tradition! Tickets are $12. Gates open at 7 p.m. The concert starts at 8.

• You can park at Mount Olive College’s Kornegay Arena and catch a free shuttle to the festival downtown. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• The festival will hold a canned food drive to benefit the Food Bank of CENC. The food drive features three festival drop off locations, and a contest for local dance studios! Details
• The annual Friends of Steele Memorial Library Book Sale will be held in the future home of Steele Library – the former Belk Building on West Chestnut Street.

For More Info, Visit: http://www.ncpicklefest.org/

To learn more about the book, visit: InSearchofMayberry.com!

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