On Main Street between Lincolnton and US-321, this marker points out some industrial history that…read moredates back to before the Civil War but did not survive it. Marker O-7 reads, "First cotton mill in N.C. Built prior to 1816 by Michael Schenck and Absalom Warlick. Mill stood one-half mile N." The marker was originally cast in 1939. There is no parking here and the adjacent shopping center has a fence making access to the marker a challenge. Online, there is more information. The Schenck‑Warlick Mill began operating in 1814 near the Catawba River east of Lincolnton and is recognized as North Carolina's earliest established cotton mill. Michael Schenck, a Pennsylvania‑born merchant, built it using machinery shipped from Rhode Island and additional components crafted locally by his brother‑in‑law Absalom Warlick. Floods destroyed the first mill in 1816, but the partners rebuilt a larger and more successful operation nearby within a year. Their success led Schenck to invest in a second, even larger mill in 1819, which became a major regional center for cotton processing until it burned in 1863. [Review 560 of 2026 - 4654 in North Carolina - 25742 overall]

I came to Rural Hill for the Amazing Maize Maze. Rural Hill is a beautiful place tucked away in…read moreHuntersville. The Maze had a high production value! Not only are you trying to navigate through the large twisting and turning space, but you're also trying to find a series of clues that have a theme. This was definitely one of the more difficult mazes that I've ever done. I went on Halloween and was also pleasantly surprised by the buckets of candy placed throughout the maze During COVID, they did a good job at managing crowds by having people buy tickets for certain time slots. The staff was wearing masks and asked people to wear masks during the beginning and end of the maze.

Whether it's from the maddening crowds of an expansive metropolis, or the pressures of a career,…read moreRural Hill is a pleasant place in which to escape. It's a quaint, restored throwback to the era when the Scots and the Davidsons timbered forests, tilling them into fields and farms. Eventually, the area was established and is known by their name. The Davidson family cemetery is prominently lined with a beautiful stone wall and is open most days. Trails exists for walking but not many use them (which is why I like going). There is an old dirt road that eventaually dead ends at a small shelter overlooking a pond--I think it leaves many disappointed. There's not much to see once you arrive and ALL the land is a County preserve with trespassing not allowed (yep, they got trail cams so if fishing is your plan, you've been warned). The magic, really, is the road itself. It winds through the woodlands for a couple miles with little traffic. I often park and walk portions with my binoculars. I grew up on such a road in Upstate New York. Fond memories rekindle. I am reminded of how happy was my childhood. Sometimes I see turkeys, deer, ospreys, and coyotes. Looking for a leisurely way to spend some time away? I say "give it a whirl." Breath it all in!

Its nice and clean, but the workers talk so loud and constantly that I cant concentrate on my own…read morebook. Used to be my get away in the past.

The public library. Local, accessible and best of all, free!! Since my studying days are pretty…read moremuch over (no more research or term papers for me), I come here mostly for my kids. The children's section is huge and quite awesome. They check out about 20 books every two weeks and we use them for bedtime stories. During the summer months, when kids are out of school they have story hour and different presentations. Last summer the children's museum in Rutherford came and did a bunch of kid friendly hands on experiments. This library is about much more than books; it's a part of the community and a great supporter of education. Check their website for program times and dates.

I love this library- They have an awesome selection of books and other resources, the staff is very…read morekind, the library itself is a very cool building- lots of character and fun. I think Kings Mountain is very lucky to have such a great resource. And the library puts on so many great events for the community, it is always fun to see what they have planned next! We have 3 daughters, 7,5,1, and they have loved every activity they've been able to attend. We can't wait for the summer activities that are just getting started!

Nice local library in historical house. The staff is great, and very helpful. Computers are…read moreavailable, as well as a good selection of current books.

Murray's Mill is easy to find from I-40. The gristmill was built in 1913 and the Murray & Minges…read morestore from the 1890s is also open. When you arrive, find a spot to park on either side of the street. Then go into the Murray & Minges General Store to pay for your self-guided tour. You will receive a binder to read through of the history and photos of the equipment and what it does. You can tour all three levels of the mill as there are stairs to the top floor and stairs to the basement. The mill used the barter system to grind wheat and corn. The water wheel is 28 foot high and 4 foot wide. the buckets on it have rusted so they are raising money for the needed repairs. The water wheel is attached by a shaft to a gear on the wall and powers everything in the mill except the lights. The mill is still operational and grinds on the 3rd Sunday of the month when it is warm enough. The stones weigh 2400 pounds and were used to cut corn and wheat. Leather belts were used and were pieced together to make them long enough. They could make 300 pounds of flour an hour which was much less than what modern mills could produce. 10 sets of pins are needed to make flour and roller mills are used to crush the wheat. Each screen has an elevator and each set basically sifts the flour to get it to where it needs to be. Making flour creates a white dust and that dust is explosive. If you are looking for a historic mill to visit this one is a great one to visit and learn how the mill operated.

A fun historical site, preserved so well & well worth the $7. Remarkable how industrious & sharp…read morethis family was. From a time when attention to detail was valued, all the chutes are made of wood with beveled edges & beadwork because...some of it is furniture quality. Pay your way & get the 3-ring binder of pics/info & step back in time. This is the heartbeat of America. "1965-1966 - Lloyd & brother Ernest run the milling operation by themselves to cut cost. In 1966 Lloyd let Ernest go & ran the whole mill on his own. Ernest went to work for Southern Furniture. 1967 - The mill closes due to government taxing. In 1964, the federal government levied a grain tariff that heavily taxed corn & wheat. Small mills were put out of business by larger industrial mills. Lloyd Murray had been working by himself for the last year, he locked up the mill & went home for the last time. He goes to work for Pinnacle Furniture Company. 1980/81 - With help from NC Preservation Fund & Stewart Family, the Catawba County Historical Assoc. purchases Murray's Mill, the General Store, & the Wheathouse for $68,000. 1982 - John Murray dies one month shy of his 105* birthday. At the time he had 10 children, 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, & 3 great-great-grandchildren. 1986 - Murray & Minges General Store reopens to the public. 1988, April 30 - Murray's Mill reopens to the public after a $2M restoration". That's just a taste of the recent info, go get a history lesson...wheel is still in the process of being replaced

I noticed the historical marker before I spotted this classic historic house and pulled in…read more Unfortunately, the museum was closed today but I did manage to examine the house from a few angles and it is pretty cool. I will need to come back when I can tour the museum properly. The marker reads, "Mundy House. Built between 1850 and 1870 by descendants of a Revolutionary War soldier and Methodist minister Jeremiah Mundy (1760-1835); One of the founding families of the Rock Springs Methodist Camp Meeting grounds in Denver; The R.O. Mundy family owned the property until the 1990s; Gravesites at the Denver Community Cemetery and Bethel United Methodist Church." The Mundy House is one of the few remaining historic houses in eastern Lincoln County, and it stands a local landmark that documents the history of the Mundy family and the development of Denver during the nineteenth century. The Mundy House is a central-hall house that maintains much of its original architectural integrity. It represents a house form that was ubiquitous in the county during the last half of the nineteenth and first decade of the twentieth century, but nearly all of these houses have fallen into disrepair by abandonment and neglect or have been substantially altered with artificial siding, replacement windows, and unsympathetic modern additions. Preservation of the Mundy House is necessary for educating people about local history, historic preservation, and architecture. [Review 15905 overall - 3121 in North Carolina - 1410 of 2021.]

The website is a joke. Their online catalog search doesn't work, it just hangs until it eventually…read moretimes out.

Large public library that serves Catawba County, this is the main branch. Free wifi, power outlets,…read morea quiet spot to study or work. And of course, lots of books. Fiction, non-fiction, periodicals and reference materials. I spent about an hour here charging up my phone and laptop, plus figuring out what I was doing next. It's peaceful and roomy. Plenty of tables and [Review 12720 overall, 32 of 2020.]

Recognized as "the last wind shear crash," this memorial honors those who lost their lives when US…read moreAirways Flight 1016 crashed here at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. 37 people were killed when flying from Columbia South Carolina to Charlotte when the flight encountered heavy thunderstorms and windshear when attempting to land. The DC-9 hit a microburst and crashed into trees and a private residence. The memorial is part of the Charlotte Airport Overlook and has a spot on the hill where you can see both the apron, control tower, two runways and the Charlotte city skyline. The granite headstone had been placed nearby some years ago but it was inside the airport perimeter and inaccessible. This puts it in a great spot where people can see it, visit it and appreciate what came before. [Review 2061 of 2024 - 3752 in North Carolina - 23081 overall]