Adult Daycare seems to be a growing need in the
area and not only a concern of the baby boomer era but also
caretakers of adult special needs candidates. If you have a need for
Adult Daycare, please visit this website:
http://www.coltranelifecenter.org You will be impressed with
this United Way affiliated organization.
Charlotte Metro Area:
The
Charlotte region is composed of 16 counties, including two counties
in South Carolina, with the city of Charlotte serving as the hub.
Located in the heart of the Southeast, Charlotte lies within the
southern Piedmont of North Carolina along the state's border with
South Carolina. Charlotte is the largest and most accessible city
between Washington, D.C. and Dallas, TX. Owing to its mid-Atlantic
location, getting to Charlotte is easy from anywhere in the country
or world, garnering its nickname the "International Gateway to the
South".
More than
55 percent of the country's population lives within a two hour
flight of Charlotte and 6 million people live within a 100-mile
radius. Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, the national hub of
US Airways, carries on average more than 500 flights a day and has
more flights per capita than any other airport in the nation.
Charlotte
offers drivers convenient access to the Queen City by way of its
highly efficient and growing interstate highway system. I-77 and
I-85 connect Charlotte to cities in the Northeast, Southwest and
Midwest. Convenient I-40, less than one hour north, provides an
important east/west link with coast-to-coast access. View
on map.
Beyond
the skyline of the nation’s second-leading financial center, lie
Charlotte’s historical and visually stunning neighborhoods. Stroll
through Charlotte’s most diverse streetcar-era neighborhoods, where
buildings range from vintage factories to grand Southern estates.
Take in turn-of-the-century architecture and traditional idyllic
thoroughfares with boutiques and restaurants scattered along
tree-lined streets.
One of
Charlotte’s streetcar-era suburbs, the captivating neighborhood of
Dilworth is, as Southern Living puts it, “the picture of vitality.”
Bungalow-style homes, oak-shaded sidewalks, and a traditional
neighborhood feel characterize this popular area. Up and down
Dilworth’s main thoroughfare, East Boulevard, visitors can stumble
on hip eateries, trendy boutiques, corner cafes and more.
Myers Park, an area with old Southern estates and streets lined with
towering oaks, is known by Charlotteans as one of the city’s most
prestigious addresses. Nestled amongst the winding, shady streets is
the not-to-be-missed Mint Museum of Art. And tucked between a
stretch of breathtaking residences is The Duke Mansion, the former
home of Duke University founder James Buchanan Duke, which is now a
bed and breakfast.
Dilworth’s
neighbor, South End, is just a trolley stop away from Center City
and pairs an assorted mix of restaurants, antique shops, and retail
with a relaxed atmosphere. Fine local and regional performing and
visual artists host a bevy of live music, monthly gallery crawl
events, and festivals like the “Art and Soul of South End.”
NoDa, SoHo’s little sister, is Charlotte’s historic “arts district”
located on North Davidson, just north of Center City. After the
closing of the area’s last mill, NoDa began a renaissance of sorts
in the 1980s that drew young artists into the area who had a vision
of developing a new art community for Charlotte residents. Today,
NoDa is home to a funky collection of galleries, performance venues
and dining hotspots.
Also, be sure to check out the South Park, Plaza-Midwood, Ballantyne,
and University neighborhoods.
Proud of
its commitment to culture, Charlotte’s increasingly varied social
calendar runs the gamut. Among many, visitors can choose from opera,
art, ballet, theatre, architecture, and more. From marquees touting
the latest Broadway smash hit to the sounds of jazz drifting out of
the corner martini bar, variety is certainly a key to the city’s
sophistication. Outstanding museums and attractions tell powerful
stories with their history and beauty and showcase the city’s spirit
as well as the world’s wonders.
Helping to
promote arts, the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg
supports 27 cultural organizations, neighborhood festivals, arts
education programs and much more that result in over 65,000
performances and events annually.
Charlotte is home to some of the nation’s most foremost museums and
galleries. The Mint Museum of Art and Mint Museum of Craft + Design
guide visitors through ever-changing exhibits featuring some of the
world’s finest collections. The Levine Museum of the New South
exhibits some of the most fascinating collections of post-Civil War
Southern history including its award-winning centerpiece exhibit,
Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers. And Discovery Place, the South’s
premiere hands-on science and technology center located in Center
City, features more than 300 exhibits including a live rain forest.
One of the
South’s premier arts festivals, Charlotte Shout is a month-long
celebration dedicated to all things culture – food, music, art,
theatre, and more. Events ranging from outdoor jazz concerts to BBQ
festivals to improv comedy shows are just a sampling of the
enriching happenings to be experienced during this cultural jubilee.
The area’s
culturally-enriched tapestry is a distinction that beckons visitors
to return to the city year after year. Check Charlotte’s Calendar of
Events to learn more about the great cultural happenings taking
place in the Queen City.
Unbeknownst to most, Charlotte has a rich American history steeped
in the discovery of gold and the pride of the Scots-Irish settlers.
The Queen City was founded in 1769 and named for Queen Charlotte,
wife of King George III of England. Now the nation’s second leading
financial center, the city was fittingly built upon the crossroads
of two affluent Native American trading paths. The intersection of
these two paths, now major streets, is known as the heart of
Charlotte -- “Trade & Tryon.”
The
discovery of a 17-pound gold nugget in 1799 drew many immigrants to
the area to follow the nation’s first gold rush. However, the boom
was short-lived. The many Charlotte opportunists ready to strike it
rich flocked to California in 1848. Agriculture, mainly tobacco and
cotton, was the major revenue provider for the region up until the
Civil War. After the War, textile industries sprang to life when the
city became a cotton processing center and a major railroad hub.
Through
the success of the railroads, Charlotte became the Carolina’s
largest city and a Southeastern textile and distribution hub. The
city’s neighborhoods and development continued to expand with the
addition of the streetcar system followed by skyscrapers, suburbs,
and leading businesses. City planners like the renowned John Nolen
helped to shape Charlotte’s modern day suburbs like Myers Park and
Dilworth.
As businesses continued to flock to Charlotte, the city’s banking
industry gained real momentum in the 1970’s and 1980’s under the
leadership of financier Hugh McColl. McColl transformed the North
Carolina National Bank into the present day Bank of America. The
combinations of both Bank of America and Wachovia have made
Charlotte the largest banking headquarters, second only to New York
City.
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Contact Information for Charlotte Area
Resources:
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UTILITIES |
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Electric: |
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Duke Energy |
704-594-9400 |
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Water: |
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City of Charlotte |
704-336-2211 |
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Gas: |
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Piedmont Natural Gas |
704-525-3882 |
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Telephone: |
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BellSouth |
888-757-6500 |
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Time Warner |
704-377-9600 |
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Wireless: |
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Cingular |
866-246-4852 |
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Verizon |
800-256-4646 |
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Alltel |
800-255-8351 |
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Sprint |
800-480-4727 |
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Suncom |
877-225-5786 |
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Cricket |
800-274-2538 |
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Trash: |
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Charlotte Dept of Sanitation |
311 |
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Cable: |
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Time Warner |
704-377-9600 |
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POLICE/SHERIFF/FIRE/RESCUE |
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EMERGENCY: |
911 |
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NON EMERGENCY: |
311 |
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NEWSPAPER |
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Charlotte Observer |
704-358-5040
www.charlotte.com |
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Independent Tribune |
www.independenttribune.com
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Salisbury Post |
www.salisburypost.com
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LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, INSPECTIONS |
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Licenses: |
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North |
704-547-5786 or 5787 |
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DMV Bldg 8446 N Tryon St |
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East |
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6407 Idlewild Rd;Bldg 3;Rm 112 |
704-531-5529 |
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South |
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201 A W Arrowood Rd |
704-527-2562 or 2563 |
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West |
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6016 Brookshire Blvd |
704-392-3266 or 3267 |
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Registrations: |
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North |
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4612 Hwy 49 S; Harrisburg |
704-455-9517 |
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East |
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6058 East Independence Blvd |
704-535-2525 |
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South |
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4200 H South Blvd |
704-525-3832 |
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West |
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6016 Brookshire Blvd |
704-399-8306 |
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RECYCLING |
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North Mecklenburg |
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12300 N Statesville Rd |
704-875-1563 |
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West Mecklenburg |
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8440 Byrum Dr |
704-357-1473 |
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Hickory Grove |
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8007 Pence Rd |
704-535-3781 |
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Foxhole |
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17131 Lancaster Hwy |
704-341-4962 |
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Other locations for self help: |
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CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS |
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Student placement: |
980-343-5335 |
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School Board: |
980-343-5139 |
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Transportation: |
980-343-6715 |
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AREA HOSPITAL SYSTEMS |
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Carolinas Medical Center |
704-355-2000 |
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Presbyterian Hospital |
704-384-4000 |
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Lake Norman:
Thirty
years ago, Lake Norman – 25 miles to the north of Charlotte – was
primarily a weekend retreat, its shores dotted with tin-roofed
boathouses, mobile homes and fishing cabins.
That began
to change, however, with the completion of Interstate 77 in 1976.
Suddenly it was possible to live like you were on vacation all year
round only a quick 20-minute drive from work, shopping and
entertainment in the big city.
Lake Norman, like Lake Wylie, its sister lake to the south, is a
“working” lake, created by Duke Energy for the generation of
hydroelectric power. Both are part of the Catawba River system.
Norman is the larger of the two lakes though, with 520 miles of
shoreline in four counties - Mecklenburg, Iredell, Lincoln and
Catawba. At nearly 34 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest
point, it is larger than the Sea of Galilee and often referred to as
“The Inland Sea.”
As any developer will tell you, retail follows rooftops and the Lake
Norman area is no exception. Lake shoppers can now browse unique
boutiques, quaint village shops, upscale specialty stores or
national chains. In the town centers, entrepreneurs are converting
homes, warehouses, old mills and train depots into craft,
consignment, antiques and clothing shops. Restaurants, which used to
look at Lake Norman as a secondary location, are now opening here
first, then branching out to Uptown and other parts of Charlotte.
There
are nearly a dozen marinas that offer wet or dry boat storage
starting at $1,000 annually. If you’re putting your own boat into
the water, public access ramps are available at Jetton Park, Blythe
Landing and Ramsey Creek Park in the Cornelius/Huntersville area.
Iredell County public access areas include Hager Creek Access at
Exit 33 and McCrary Creek Access, Pinnacle Access and Stumpy Creek
Access off N.C. 150. In the Denver area on Lake Norman’s west shore,
head to Little Creek Access Area on Webb’s Chapel Road or the
Beatties Ford Access Area on Unity Church Road. Catawba County
boaters can choose from several marinas on lower Lake Norman south
of the N.C. 150 bridge or Long Island Marina on Burton Drive.
Unless
you’re on a boat or have access to private land, 1,600-acre Lake
Norman State Park in Troutman is the only place swimming is allowed
from Lake Norman shores. The park also offers boat ramps, picnic
shelters, campsites, mountain biking and hiking trails.
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North Mecklenburg:
When
Charlotteans refer to the Lake Norman area, they usually mean the
area north of the Harris Boulevard/I-77 interchange, which includes
Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson in Mecklenburg County. In less
than 20 years, the three towns have been transformed from sleepy
rural hamlets into thriving towns with all the amenities of city
life, from business parks to bistros, housing to health care. Now
Lake Norman’s eastern shore towns grapple with the same issues that
drove their residents here in the first place.
In 1990,
3,000 people called Huntersville home. But proximity between the
Queen City and the lake, lower home prices, less traffic and quiet
communities has catapulted Huntersville’s population to more than
30,000 today.
Two-lane country roads once woven through pastoral farmland are now
clogged with cars, and the wide-open space is becoming increasingly
filled with new housing, offices and retail development.
Although
much of the retail and residential areas in Huntersville are new,
the town also has numerous historic sites within a five-mile drive
of Beatties Ford Road. Hopewell Presbyterian Church, for instance,
dates to the 1740s and features 200-year-old stone walls around its
cemetery. The Hugh Torance House and Store, started in the 1770s, is
the oldest surviving store site in North Carolina. The two-room log
cabin also sat on a cotton plantation and was used as a school for
young ladies, slave quarters and an overseer’s house.
Each
April, the Loch Norman Highland Games celebrate the area’s
Scots-Irish heritage with athletic competitions, bagpipe music,
dancing, tartan parades and historical demonstrations.
Another
pocket of preserved Huntersville is Latta Plantation Nature
Preserve, the county’s largest green space with hiking trails,
picnic shelters, a nature center, an equestrian center, boating and
fishing on Mountain Island Lake and the Carolina Raptor Center,
which rehabilitates and releases injured birds of prey.
Huntersville also has a new family fitness center and outdoor fun
park where kids can slide through tubes, spray water cannons and
climb sprinkler-filled jungle gyms set inside a pool.
Cornelius
also has felt Lake Norman’s growth spurt, climbing from 2,500
residents in 1990 to more than 15,000 today. The catalyst to growth
in Cornelius was a town-financed water-sewer project along West
Catawba Avenue in the late 1980s. Large, upscale developments such
as The Peninsula arrived, adding hundreds of homes to the area.
Services
and shops followed, and Cornelius embraced the population boom by
welcoming commercial development. Upscale shopping centers line West
Catawba Avenue off Exit 28. Shoppers flock to Jetton Village, Shops
on the Green, SouthLake Shopping Center and strip after strip of
boutiques and eateries on West Catawba Avenue. Now the shops have
overflowed to East Catawba, where old bungalows and stately brick
homes have been converted into funky, fun downtown boutiques.
New
subdivisions, office parks and retail shops in Cornelius have
brought prosperity, but along with it, crowded schools, roads and
public services.
Lake
Norman residents already enjoy two top-notch county parks in
Cornelius – the 105-acre Jetton Park with lake access, tennis, bike
rentals, walking trails, picnic shelters, playground and a beach;
and Ramsey Creek Park, a 43-acre waterfront park with two large
picnic shelters, a playground, volleyball courts, picnic facilities,
fishing and boat slips. The brand-new, 18-acre, town-owned Torrence
Chapel Park features ball fields, tennis courts, jogging trails,
basketball and picnic shelters.
Of the
three North Meck towns, Davidson has been most resistant to Lake
Norman growth.
The town is named f
or Gen. William Lee Davidson, a local
Revolutionary War hero who died in the battle of Cowans Ford in 1781
and the namesake of Davidson College, the town’s small liberal arts
school founded in 1837 by the Presbyterians.
Still
a college town that locals often call a village, Davidson embraces a
Main Street, know-your-neighbors way of life. Many folks have lived
here for decades, while others have moved here for the small-town
atmosphere, tranquility and easygoing pace.
While
Huntersville and Cornelius experienced massive growth in the 1990s,
Davidson grew by just over 3,000 residents. Today the small college
town has just over 7,500 residents.
Across the
three-town area in North Mecklenburg, planners have struggled to
manage growth and provide services while preserving the warmth and
small-town charm that attracts new citizens.
Area
residents can now take advantage of the $56 million Presbyterian
Hospital Huntersville, on N.C 73 at I-77.
The boom in population has been music to the ears of homebuilders
and real estate agents. Newcomers can choose from a broad range of
home styles and prices in gated communities, family-friendly
neighborhoods with sidewalks and bike trails, waterfront condominium
communities with boat slips or spacious luxury apartments.
Many
neighborhoods offer private golf facilities and amenities such as a
residents’ club or country club that offers swimming, tennis and
dining facilities. These include The Peninsula Club in Cornelius,
River Run Country Club in Davidson, and NorthStone Club in
Huntersville.
Neotraditional neighborhoods sometimes referred to as “new urban
design,” have recently become a trend in the Huntersville/Cornelius
area. By combining homes, shops, service businesses and restaurants
in a self-contained community linked by sidewalks and open green
space, they offer a new twist on the village concept.
Birkdale
Village on Sam Furr Road in Huntersville includes apartments and
offices above boutiques, restaurants and national retailers such as
Williams Sonoma, Gap, Talbot’s and Ann Taylor Loft. Live bands play
on warm-weather weekend evenings, and parents from around the lake
bring children to splash and play in the village square fountain.
The Nantucket-style shopping center’s quaint Main Street is lined
with locally owned stores, a pizza parlor, ice cream shop, wine
room, a 16-screen stadium-seating movie theater, bookstores and
clothing shops.
Above the
retailers, The Apartments at Birkdale Village feature 45 different
floor plans among 320 units, with everything from a loft to a
three-bedroom with garage.
Birkdale
Golf Club, part of a 600-home master-planned community in
Huntersville that includes a residents’ club, has one of the best
public courses in the state.
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South Iredell:
Across
the Iredell County line above Davidson, Mooresville continues Lake
Norman’s east-side building boom. Known as Race City USA for
its abundance of NASCAR teams and shops, Mooresville’s population
doubled in the 1990s. Today the town has about 21,000 residents – a
number that continues to grow by more than 1,000 each year.
The
biggest change in Mooresville is the completion of home-improvement
retailer Lowe’s 400,000-square-foot corporate campus, which houses
the company’s headquarters. The campus currently employs 1,500 and
anticipates 8,000 employees in more than 2 million square feet of
space once the project is completed. Economic developers have called
the Lowe’s campus the most significant industrial project ever built
in southern Iredell County.
Residentially, Crescent Resources continues to develop The Point, a
Nantucket-style community at the tip of Brawley School Road with a
private golf course designed by Greg Norman, a clubhouse and
swimming pool. Several of the cedar shake and stone houses
overlooking the lake cost more than $5 million.
Winslow
Bay Commons recently opened with 430,000 square feet of shopping,
including the area’s first Super Target, TJ Maxx, Dick’s Sporting
Goods, Michael’s, Pier 1 Imports, World Market and PETsMART.
On Main
Street across from a proposed rail-line stop, the former Burlington
Industries plant on Main Street, vacant since 1999, is being
converted into a 600,000-square-foot motorsports business park
called Victory Lane Mills. Also downtown is a new 30,000-square-foot
public library with a $2 million gift from Lowe’s.
Depending
on where you live in the Mooresville area, students attend classes
in either the Mooresville Graded School District or the
Iredell-Statesville School District. The latter, which serves the
area outside the Mooresville city limits, opened its fifth high
school, Lake Norman High, in 2002.
With
continued growth of homes and the Lowe’s corporate campus,
Mooresville is making many significant road improvements. The N.C.
Department of Transportation is reworking Exit 33 off I-77, widening
Brawley School Road and building a new interstate exit at Langtree.
By 2010,
Mooresville also hopes to have the heavy rail North Meck line
running from Uptown Charlotte through Lake Norman towns and the
south Iredell corridor.
Health-care providers also have responded to the needs of Lake
Norman residents. Lake Norman Regional Medical Center recently moved
from its former location in downtown Mooresville into a new, 117-bed
facility at I-77 Exit 33. The complex, which also includes a
physicians’ office building, has been the catalyst for a development
boom at the interchange.
Leading
the charge is Crosland Commercial’s Mooresville Gateway development,
which will include everything from fast-food eateries and
convenience stores to hotels and medical offices.
Recreation
in the Mooresville area includes Queen’s Landing, home of the
Catawba Queen and Catawba Belle, Mississippi paddle wheeler replicas
that cruise Lake Norman year-round for lunch, dinner and
sightseeing. Queen’s Landing also features a family entertainment
center with two 18-hole mini-golf courses, bumper boats, tennis
courts, a restaurant and deli/bar.
Lake
Norman State Park, north of Mooresville in Troutman, includes 1,400
acres with six miles of nature trails, a beach and swimming area,
picnic shelters, campsites and boat rentals.
The Lazy 5
Ranch features more than 750 animals, including giraffes, buffalo,
antelope, deer, elk, camels, reindeer, long horn cattle, zebras,
llamas, pigs and goats. There’s also a petting zoo, playground and
picnic area.
Equally family friendly is Carrigan Farms, a pick-your-own
Mooresville farm that grows strawberries, peaches, asparagus,
apples, pumpkins, tomatoes, corn and other seasonal vegetables.
NASCAR
race shops draw thousands of visitors a year who can see cars being
built, trophies, photographs and other memorabilia. Local race shops
include those of Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin,
Jeff Burton, Brett Bodine and Ricky Rudd. The N.C. Auto Racing Hall
of Fame is a museum dedicated to stock car, Indy and drag racing.
Visitors see more than 35 cars, including winners driven by Richard
Petty, Rusty Wallace and Davey Allison.
Local golf courses include The Point (private), Mallard Head Country
Club (semi-private) and Mooresville Municipal Golf Course (public).
Downtown
Mooresville will soon be home to its very own luxury condominiums at
100 North Church. The four-story building offers units ranging from
$355,000 to $499,000 and includes retail on the ground level.
Art-lovers will enjoy Cotton Ketchie’s watercolors and face jugs by
regional potters at Landmark Galleries and the Mooresville Artist
Guild’s Depot, a visual arts center located in an 1856 railroad
depot. Both are in downtown Mooresville.
Other
long-time traditions include D.E. Turner Hardware, a century-old
store with items piled to the rafters and salesmen who love to spin
yarns, and Mooresville Ice Cream Company, which has sold Deluxe
brand ice cream since 1924.
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West Lake Norman:
West
Lake Norman – which includes the eastern Lincoln County communities
of Denver, Westport and Triangle and the Catawba County communities
of Sherrills Ford and Terrell – offer easy commutes to Uptown
Charlotte, great water views and less congestion than the eastern
shore of the lake.
The main
thoroughfares are N.C. 16, running north from Charlotte; N.C. 73,
running west from Huntersville; and N.C. 150, running west from
Mooresville.
In
comparison to eastern shores, Lake Norman’s west side is still in
its building infancy. Gently rolling pastures, rustic barns and old
family farmhouses can still be found, along with close-knit
communities, neighborhood get-togethers, church activities and a
slower pace of life.
The
western shore’s small-town feel, rural atmosphere, friendly
residents, focus on family and reasonable prices draw many folks who
prefer to get away from the east side’s traffic jams, shopping
centers, interstate congestion and high prices.
Western
shore residents know growth is coming their way, too, but the goal
has become controlling it and staying ahead of the problems
population booms can bring to small communities.
In the
Lincoln County area of Denver, development is beginning to creep in
from developers looking for lower prices, eastern shore spillover
and the widening of N.C. 16 from Charlotte.
Newer
neighborhoods in east Lincoln include SailView, a Crescent
Communities neighborhood with waterfront and interior homes from the
low $400,000s to more than $1 million. Interior homesites start in
the $50s. Located east of N.C. 16 in Denver, SailView includes
amenities such as a swim and tennis club, community boat slips and
family activities such as an Independence Day parade, free movies
for children and bunco groups.
Verdict
Ridge, developed by former Charlotte mayor Eddie Knox, also
continues to build upscale golf course and wooded-view homes
starting in the $200,000s. Set in the rolling foothills down Little
Egypt Road off N.C. 73, Verdict Ridge features a challenging 18-hole
PGA golf course, serene lakes, quiet woodlands and an
activity-filled clubhouse with a pool and cabana, tennis courts and
playground.
Governor’s
Island, one of the first mansion-lined developments on Lake Norman,
juts out from the western shore on a thin strip lined with sprawling
homes. By car, the neighborhood is north of the N.C. 16/N.C. 73
intersection off of Webb Chapel Road.
Also near
the N.C. 16/N.C. 73 crossroads off South Pilot Knob Road are three
communities: Waterside Crossing, The Gates at Waterside Crossing and
The Bluffs at Waterside Crossing. All three communities have
neighborhood swim clubs, playing fields, a short walk to shopping
and a five-minute drive to public boating access.
To
compensate for the recent population boom along the western shore,
especially among families with young children, Lincoln County
Schools recently opened St. James Elementary and North Lincoln High.
Lincoln
Medical Center, a 101-bed hospital which is part of the Carolinas
HealthCare System, serves western shore residents with a 24-hour
Emergency Department, Heart Center, Sleep Center and Chronic Pain
Management program. The recently-opened Presbyterian Hospital
Huntersville serves west side residents.
New
residents who want to get involved in the community or learn more
about issues affecting them can contact the East Lincoln Betterment
Association (ELBA), a citizens’ group that lobbies for improvements
and monitors growth issues along the western shore.
As
rooftops on the western shore of Lake Norman continue to pop up, so
does retail. The N.C.
16/N.C. 73 intersection is a major shopping spot, with grocery
stores, service stores and free-standing fast-food restaurants. One
of the newest commercial developments here is The Shoppes at
Waterside Crossing, a $2.2 million shopping center with a Harris
Teeter, Coffee & More, Arctic Stone Creamery and other specialty
stores.
South on N.C. 16 on the way to Charlotte, developers have recently
opened Callabridge Commons at Mount Holly-Huntersville Road with
eateries, offices and shops.
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Catawba County:
If you’re
looking for a place that’s like what Lake Norman used to be before
its explosive eastern shore growth, head to the Catawba County
communities of Sherrills Ford and Terrell. With a
location that is the furthest away from Charlotte, no major highways
and little water or sewer infrastructure, the northwestern corner of
Lake Norman is by far the least developed.
Catawba
County has 148,000 residents and most still live in central and
western parts of the area known as the Appalachian foothills,
particularly in Hickory and Conover. These cities benefit from
Interstate 40, mixed drink sales and heavy industrialization in
furniture, textiles and fiber optics.
But the
southeastern pocket of Catawba County is one of the fastest-growing
portions, projected to grow by 25 percent or more between 2000 and
2020, due to the demand of lake lots, relatively low housing prices
and proximity to Charlotte. Additionally, the new Lowe’s corporate
center in Mooresville brings a number of jobs to the area.
To many area residents, good schools, less congestion, lower prices
and a small-town way of life are worth the nearly one-hour commute
to Charlotte.
The
population increase in the past few years has prompted Catawba
County Schools to plan new schools and make additions to old schools
in the southeastern part of the county to accommodate the rapidly
growing area.
In
anticipation of coming changes, Catawba County Commissioners adopted
the Sherrills Ford Small Area Plan in 2003. Drafted by a group of
volunteers who live in Catawba County’s Lake Norman communities, the
Sherrills Ford Small Area Plan explores current conditions and
defines issues crucial to preserving quality of life in face of
rapid change. Community leaders use the plan to make decisions
regarding future growth and development.
Area
leaders are also discussing a commercial center at N.C. 16/N.C. 150
and a village center at N.C. 150/Sherrills Ford Road.
Noteworthy
attractions in the area include the Terrell Country Store at N.C.
150 and Sherrills Ford Road, an 1891 country store with
old-fashioned candy, homemade butter, hoop cheese, Amish jellies,
hand-dipped ice cream and locally-made gifts.
Further west into
Catawba County are the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge on N.C. 70 in
Claremont, one of the two remaining covered bridges in North
Carolina; and Murray’s Mill off N.C. 10, a fully restored working
grist mill dating to 1873.
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Cabarrus County:
Cabarrus County is home to legendary
Lowe's Motor Speedway and
to an exciting racing heritage. Not only was the first official race
held here 53 years ago, but this is the greatest concentration of
NASCAR teams. In fact, over 90% are in Cabarrus County or nearby,
and NASCAR fans come here all year round to tour the race shops and
see what goes on behind the scenes in the fastest growing sport in
the country.
And the
fun never stops in the Racing Side of Charlotte. Visitors shop at
Concord Mills
(North Carolina's most popular visitor attraction) and pan for gold
at
Reed Gold Mine
(the site of the nation's first gold discovery). They visit
landmarks relating to NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt on
The Dale Trail
in Kannapolis, his hometown. NASCAR fans of all ages put pedal to
metal at
NASCAR SpeedPark
or ride shotgun in a NASCAR-style stockcar around the track at
Lowe's Motor Speedway at speeds up to 165 miles per hour.
Nestled in
the gently rolling countryside of the Carolina Piedmont,
Cabarrus County
is located in south-central North Carolina just a half-hour
northeast of the burgeoning City of Charlotte. The region is home to
more than 1.8 million people and includes the communities of
Concord, Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Mt. Pleasant and Midland.
Cabarrus
County is experiencing an explosion of growth in population and
development with new hotels, attractions and venues on the horizon.
Underway in Kannapolis is construction of the new North Carolina
Research Campus -- a Dole/NC State Institute for Advanced Fruit and
Vegetable Science. There has never been a better time to check out
all there is to do and see in the Racing Side of Charlotte.
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Concord:
Concord, North Carolina, in Cabarrus county, is 19 miles NE of
Charlotte, North Carolina.
The city is included in the Charlotte - Gastonia - Rock Hill
metropolitan area. As of the year 2000 census, 55,977 people lived
in Concord.
In Concord, about 57% of adults are married. In 2000, Concord
had a median family income of $53,571. Many people in Concord make a
good living. The bulk of the population of the city is doing well,
with money to spend. Most people drive to work as there is not a lot
of options for public transportation. There are just not a lot of
public transportation users in the city. This town is home to Lowes
Motor Speedway, part of a $5 billion industry and houses one of the
largest shopping attractions, Concord Mills as well as a premier
medical center, Northeast Medical Regional Center. The town itself
has a quaint small town atmosphere, is considered a bedroom
community of the Charlotte Metro area and provides a quality
lifestyle to its residents.
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Kannapolis:
Kannapolis NC is about 5 miles northwest of Concord and about 21
miles NE of Charlotte. It is considered part of the Charlotte Metro
area and it is estimated to have about 36,910 people. Median income
per family is about $42445, boasts about 67% home ownership and
primarily has its commuters drive to work. It is the home of the
NASCAR great, Dale Earnhardt, the new premier North Carolina
Research Campus of the Bio Tech Industry and is the target of growth
for the Cabarrus county area. It is right on the cusp of growth for
the immediate region and soon will experience an explosion of growth
tied to the Bio Tech industry.
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Harrisburg:
Located in
southwest Cabarrus County bordering Mecklenburg County, the Town of
Harrisburg was incorporated in 1973. Harrisburg's economic strength
can best be judged by its business and industrial growth. With the
building of an industrial park, availability of land and the quality
of the work force, Harrisburg, a town on the move, reflects and
maintains its rural heritage.
A steady influx
of new residents moving to the area each year keeps the town ’s
business and social structure fresh and vibrant. This is an easy
town for making fresh starts and leaving a mark on a company or on
the community.
Harrisburg has
a long-standing tradition of public-private cooperation. Town
leaders work closely with the private sector when planning
development and carrying out large projects for the good of
Harrisburg. Another bedroom community, Harrisburg is a quaint town,
close to UNC Charlotte, Lowes Motor Speedway and Concord Mills.
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Mt Pleasant
Mount
Pleasant was founded in 1848 and has been a model example of small
town America ever since. We are home of the Eastern Cabarrus
Historical Museum. In the 1800’s the Museum was originally the
administrative building of the all-male Mount Pleasant Collegiate
Institute. The building has been restored to its original beauty and
houses many exciting and interesting treasurers of our community. In
1859, Mount Pleasant was also home of a women’s college called Mount
Amoena Seminary.
In the
early 1800’s, Mount Pleasant was the “comfort station” for the
wagons that traveled from Concord to Salisbury. In 1833, the name of
the Town was “Walker Store” then changed to Mount Comfort. In 1848,
the town became Mount Pleasant.
Our Town
is also located near Reed Gold Mine, the site where gold was first
discovered in America. Reed Gold Mine is approximately 5 miles from
Mount Pleasant and a wonderful place to visit while you are in the
area.
During
your visit to our Town, we encourage you to tour the Eastern
Cabarrus Historical Museum and walk through our historical downtown
area while you enjoy an ice cream cone or fountain drink from local
merchants. There are two small parks in our historic area for the
young children to enjoy and tables for family picnics.
Currently, Mt
Pleasant has a population of about 1425 people but is anticipating
explosive growth over the next few years with the completion of some
major highways.
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