Scenic Statesville, North Carolina
The word “Iredell” means “valley of flowing air” and indeed, many citizens enj kmoy cool breezes on their front porches after sunset. Most days in the summer are hot and dry. With rainfall averaging about 45″ per year the towns are not normally parched. Winters are usually mild with only a few inches of snow throughout the season but Statesville also sees an occasional tough winter. You’re more likely to see freezing rain and thunderstorms in the winter than snow.
In the heart of Statesville meets interstates 77 and 40. The area is a mixture of hills and many creeks, along with a clay-type of soil. Farmers must chemically treat the soil before much growth can be expected. The South Carolina border is only an hour’s drive from the city limits. Head in another direction and you can be in West Virginia in under an hour.
Visiting Statesville in the fall give the opportunity to see the Civil War Skirmish, Wagon Festival or horseshoe tournaments. Around the holidays you’ll get a chance to check out the parades, Christmas light festivals, and Santa at the mall. Spring brings the Easter egg hunt at Lakewood Park, Special Olympics, outdoor concerts and buggy rides. The Dogwood festival begins in April when thousands of dogwoods in the area come into full bloom. The festival is a month-long combination of events. The Dogwood Pageant is one of the events – a thrill for girls who can compete to become the Dogwood Queen.
Barbecues, pig pickin’, and fish fries abound in the area with fabulous southern cooks setting up outdoor grills. Local churches host home cooked meals to go with proceeds aiding the particular church. The Balloon Rally begins in June, with hundreds of hot air balloons taking to the sky in a race across the county, or just to enjoy the view. You’ll see all sorts of balloon shapes, some that you’ll find it hard to describe. Weather permitting you’ll see the balloons in the early mornings throughout the month. July, of course, offers all types of Independence Day events such as the parade or the fireworks display at the mall.
Besides the seasonal events Statesville features a farmer’s market uptown, a skating rink, two movie theaters, a museum, outlet stores, antique shops, two hospitals, a library and several historical landmarks. One of these is the old Fort Dobbs. A small cabin still stands, erected 2 miles north of Statesville, during the Revolutionary War. The Fort has a small museum and is now used mostly for picnics, outings and reunions.
Funstation, the town’s main attraction for kids, is a small but fun pizza parlor and theme park. Although it only consists of a three rides and a lot of games, many residents enjoy the inexpensive night out for kids as well as adults. Tickets are dispensed for playing games then the tickets are traded for small prizes and candies.
The town of Love Valley, not far from Statesville, offers a unique experience in horseback trail riding for the skilled or beginners. The town isn’t exactly bustling through the week but on weekends it comes to life. Camping, fishing, horseback riding or line dancing at the local bars are among the favorite things to do. There are many scheduled events, most of them in the summer, including rodeos, square dancing, cowboy and Indian re-enactments and blue grass festivals.
Nearby Mooresville has seen much growth since 1990, mostly because of the racing industry. Known now as “Race City, U.S.A.”, Mooresville, located about 15 miles south of Statesville draws a large crowd – 250,000 – race enthusiasts throughout the year. With easy access to Charlotte Motor Speedway, Lake Norman and Duke Power State Park, Mooresville became a hot spot in the mid-western part of the state. The town promises to catch up with, and maybe even surpass, Statesville in size and population. The NASCAR museum, racing shops and other related stores fill the town. Racing clothing, memorabilia, driver autograph sessions and more are available in the small town.
West of Statesville is the town of Hickory where furniture shops are a dime a dozen. Great deals on home furnishings can be found, since the locals vie for the attention of the customers by offering lavish sales on name brand furniture, made in the area.
Another small, yet famous town near Statesville, is Hiddenite, where visitors can mine for fabulous gems. A huge emerald was once found in the town by a local, and since, visitors have panned for – and found – garnets, emeralds, sapphires and amethysts.
Orchards are plentiful in the entire region, where you can purchase roadside baskets of peaches, apples, strawberries or even pick your own pumpkin from a pumpkin patch. Other crops are tobacco, corn, soy beans and vegetables.
Not more than an hour away from Statesville is Mount Airy, home of Andy Griffith. All across the state is beautiful scenery, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, rushing waters, wildlife and even caves. Go swimming, hiking, biking, camping, white water rafting, boating, sailing, parasailing, skating, site-seeing, and more while in the Statesville area. Plan a visit to this beautiful region, one of the top scenic states in the country, and you’ll be glad you did.
