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Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,702,154 times
Reputation: 10256
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
SOUTHBOUND: You are flexible and understand that there are some cultural things in this region that are deeply embedded - so you are gonna be fine wherever you might land. :-)
Years ago, the largest still ever "busted" in NC was found in Catawba Co, next door to Lincoln. I would assume there are some folks still brewing their own liquor from mash around here . . . and no, I would NOT want to live near them!
Yes, same thing w/ Blue Laws here and some areas have been slower to give them up than others. As long as one keeps it all in context - no big surprises.
Thanks, Ani.
I was 13 when we moved from Michigan to South Jersey. I absolutely understand what it means to move to a different area. You don't have to go far, in some cases.
I don't care if the brewmaster was running 10 stills in his front yard. One of my grandfathers ran a still during prohibition & parts to the still were in his basement when I was a kid & were finally disposed of about 20 years after he died.
I was concerned because he watched my car, with rifle ready, as I drove by & the dogs chased after the car. It didn't help that further down the road there was a trailer which could barely be seen from the road. No, it wasn't set way back, there were weeds as tall as the roof. All I could think of was that that was a terrific breeding ground for snakes.
I was uncomfortable in the city of Lincolnton because of the looks that I got, driving down the street. I drive a VW bug, which isn't very exotic, so it didn't bode well, to me. In Kings Mountain there are quite a few bugs on the road & no one gives me a second glance.
......
One of the places was on a road in the county, just south of the actual city. Near the house that I was checking on was a house with a still running in the front yard, attended by the brewmaster, holding a rifle & with a pack of dogs. Now, I might have missed out on the very best neighbor ever, but I just had a gut feeling that unless I put up a sign on the front lawn that said, "Yes, I'm a Yankee, but I don't care what you do.", I would be suspect for anything that might happen. I didn't feel any more comfortable in the city. I even went into a couple of stores.
This is very odd. My grandfather ran a still in Lancaster county south of Charlotte for decades and it was well hidden. He wouldn't even acknowledge that he had one even though it was understood by most in the local community that he did. (unspoken) This is the same with everyone I have ever met in this area, both NC & SC who has been involved with this activity. Even if the house is far off in the middle of nowhere, the still would not be out in the open for anyone to see who might come stumbling along. There are two reasons for this:
First is the obvious one. It is more than slightly illegal. It took off big time during prohibition when my grandfather was in his heyday with his still. The local law enforcement and people considered prohibition to be a federal intrusion into states rights and it was actively encouraged, in an unspoken way, by everyone including the churches. Hence the dichotomy between very religious people supporting moonshining. Never the less, the stills were hidden because of federal busts. These days, the state wants taxes on booze so this is the reason to keep them hidden except it is the local cops now.
The second big reason is much less obvious. Moonshining is a competitive business. Any good moonshiner is going to be in competition with others and will hide the still to keep his methods and recipes a closely guarded secret. There is an art to making moonshine that is good versus something that is only suitable for putting in the gas tank. My grandfather would not reveal the location of his still to my grandmother until after they were married and had returned to live on his farm. It was a closely guarded secret. (there is even an Andy Griffith TV episode where he acknowledged this fact about the Southern Piedmont, which he often did, where two sweet ladies conspired to put the other moonshiners out of business)
Moonshine is deeply engrained in this area, accepted and not looked down on. (outside of Charlotte) Some may not realize that NASCAR racing started as friendly races between rival moonshiners. They often had souped up cars to outrun the police if needed while they were distributing their product. This is why there is strong support for both activities in this area outside of places like Charlotte.
It's the lack of understanding of these types of things that make it very difficult for outsiders to fit in in places such as Lincolnton. I wasn't kidding about what I said earlier about the churches as it is actually completely true. (I got one message chastizing me for having said it.) The real South, and modern Charlotte isn't Southern, has a unique shared history in the USA and most of it simply isn't understood by outsiders.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,702,154 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by lumbollo
This is very odd. My grandfather ran a still in Lancaster county south of Charlotte for decades and it was well hidden. He wouldn't even acknowledge that he had one even though it was understood by most in the local community that he did. (unspoken) This is the same with everyone I have ever met in this area, both NC & SC who has been involved with this activity. Even if the house is far off in the middle of nowhere, the still would not be out in the open for anyone to see who might come stumbling along. There are two reasons for this:
First is the obvious one. It is more than slightly illegal. It took off big time during prohibition when my grandfather was in his heyday with his still. The local law enforcement and people considered prohibition to be a federal intrusion into states rights and it was actively encouraged, in an unspoken way, by everyone including the churches. Hence the dichotomy between very religious people supporting moonshining. Never the less, the stills were hidden because of federal busts. These days, the state wants taxes on booze so this is the reason to keep them hidden except it is the local cops now.
The second big reason is much less obvious. Moonshining is a competitive business. Any good moonshiner is going to be in competition with others and will hide the still to keep his methods and recipes a closely guarded secret. There is an art to making moonshine that is good versus something that is only suitable for putting in the gas tank. My grandfather would not reveal the location of his still to my grandmother until after they were married and had returned to live on his farm. It was a closely guarded secret. (there is even an Andy Griffith TV episode where he acknowledged this fact about the Southern Piedmont, which he often did, where two sweet ladies conspired to put the other moonshiners out of business)
Moonshine is deeply engrained in this area, accepted and not looked down on. (outside of Charlotte) Some may not realize that NASCAR racing started as friendly races between rival moonshiners. They often had souped up cars to outrun the police if needed while they were distributing their product. This is why there is strong support for both activities in this area outside of places like Charlotte.
It's the lack of understanding of these types of things that make it very difficult for outsiders to fit in in places such as Lincolnton. I wasn't kidding about what I said earlier about the churches as it is actually completely true. (I got one message chastizing me for having said it.) The real South, and modern Charlotte isn't Southern, has a unique shared history in the USA and most of it simply isn't understood by outsiders.
I'm sorry if I offended you. I really don't give a rip if someone is running a still. See my other post about what bothered me.
I thought it was weird to be running a still in the front yard. I wasn't going to stop & ask an armed man why, when he was letting the dogs run after me.
I'm just fine in Kings Mountain. It works for me. If the house in Lincolnton works for the OP, then they should go for it.
You didn't offend me at all. Everything I said in that post is simple facts about the area. You can choose to take it how you like, but my purpose wasn't to express indignation about posts made on this subject.
If we're gonna get all competitive, like my Grandpa made moonshine, then give me a piece of the action. Like I said, I have Southern German/English roots in Virginia. Mostly Presbyterian and Methodist and one Baptist. Us NJ Yankee kids were Catholic. It made no difference to any of the Southern side of the family, far as I could tell.
Yes, my Grandpa made moonshine. They all did. Did you ever watch the Waltons? That was my father's family, although in the Shenandoah Valley outside of Lexington. Much of the Southern side of the family is buried in the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery. My father was born AT HOME in a rural setting where there was no hospital. There are those with my father's surname who fought in the Civil War. And yeah, I know all about the NASCAR history here.
That being said, I didn't mean to put down ALL Southerners. All I know is that the Lincolnton area is different from any I've encountered, although it is starting to change with the influx of more from Up North. I see their license plates all over 'specially at our local 'Mart. Now that could be good thing or a bad thing. The family that I have in Virginia must be way different than the Southerners here, and I didn't realize there could be SO much of a difference. But then people have told me this area is much more "Deep South" than that area of Virginia. When we first lived in Mooresville and I told folks that we were going to move to Lincolnton, people actually said to me, "WHY would you want to go and move out there?" There were other unkind things said as well. And the spouse and I just kind of waved them off.
To put it into perspective, we don't expect people to change for us. We like the slower pace. I think someone mentioned in a separate post about some guy flipping him off on Route 3 wearing a Devil's Jersey and not missing that, and I lmao and thought, I agree. YES, there are things we miss and we express that regret, but like I mentioned in an earlier post, you take the good with the bad.
And we made a trip up to RDU to see if it was any different, and the grass was not greener; in fact, this area is much nicer/prettier. The fact is both my spouse and I work full time. On the weekends we play catchup with yardwork and whatnot. So we don't have much time to network with others. And although we have been invited to church services and have gone, it is not for us. There's not much else of a social network although I have a few ideas. It's easier for folks who are retired and join senior centers and go on outings to become acquainted with others. All we know is work friends and a couple of neighbors we exchange brief pleasantries with.
To the OP, do your research before you make a final choice and put in a house bid. Lincolnton may be for you, it may not. We have decided we are not leaving and the area is becoming more progressive as time moves on. Hell, there's even a new hospital in the works. The times they are a changin'.
NO ONE can summarize the southern view point and culture as well as Ani. I read this thread last night and shook my head, figuring there is no point in attempting a thoughtful response. However, Ani's response is better than what I had in mind, so I second what she wrote. Accommodation is a perfect description. Big points for you Ani!
"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to anifani821 again."
I stayed off of it for the same reason after some of those posts - but as usual, Ani brings everything into focus
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,702,154 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Ignatowski
I don't doubt 295.
If we're gonna get all competitive, like my Grandpa made moonshine, then give me a piece of the action. Like I said, I have Southern German/English roots in Virginia. Mostly Presbyterian and Methodist and one Baptist. Us NJ Yankee kids were Catholic. It made no difference to any of the Southern side of the family, far as I could tell.
Yes, my Grandpa made moonshine. They all did. Did you ever watch the Waltons? That was my father's family, although in the Shenandoah Valley outside of Lexington. Much of the Southern side of the family is buried in the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery. My father was born AT HOME in a rural setting where there was no hospital. There are those with my father's surname who fought in the Civil War. And yeah, I know all about the NASCAR history here.
That being said, I didn't mean to put down ALL Southerners. All I know is that the Lincolnton area is different from any I've encountered, although it is starting to change with the influx of more from Up North. I see their license plates all over 'specially at our local 'Mart. Now that could be good thing or a bad thing. The family that I have in Virginia must be way different than the Southerners here, and I didn't realize there could be SO much of a difference. But then people have told me this area is much more "Deep South" than that area of Virginia. When we first lived in Mooresville and I told folks that we were going to move to Lincolnton, people actually said to me, "WHY would you want to go and move out there?" There were other unkind things said as well. And the spouse and I just kind of waved them off.
To put it into perspective, we don't expect people to change for us. We like the slower pace. I think someone mentioned in a separate post about some guy flipping him off on Route 3 wearing a Devil's Jersey and not missing that, and I lmao and thought, I agree. YES, there are things we miss and we express that regret, but like I mentioned in an earlier post, you take the good with the bad.
And we made a trip up to RDU to see if it was any different, and the grass was not greener; in fact, this area is much nicer/prettier. The fact is both my spouse and I work full time. On the weekends we play catchup with yardwork and whatnot. So we don't have much time to network with others. And although we have been invited to church services and have gone, it is not for us. There's not much else of a social network although I have a few ideas. It's easier for folks who are retired and join senior centers and go on outings to become acquainted with others. All we know is work friends and a couple of neighbors we exchange brief pleasantries with.
To the OP, do your research before you make a final choice and put in a house bid. Lincolnton may be for you, it may not. We have decided we are not leaving and the area is becoming more progressive as time moves on. Hell, there's even a new hospital in the works. The times they are a changin'.
Jim, since moving into Kings Mountain I have become friends with a life-time local who is a live-long resident of Lincoln, Gaston, & Cleveland counties. (not at the same time) This person said worse than what you said about Lincolnton to me. However the exact same points were hit on, so you did a good job of telling the OP what to look for.
If we did move north, we would have the decorum to listen, learn and recognize we are the foreigners.
This sentence says it all. Last time I looked on a map the "SOUTH" was part of the United States so in moving to the "SOUTH" that would not make me a "FOREIGNER" if I was an AMERICAN CITIZEN. To the poster who is thinking of moving to LINCOLNTON from Boston here are some words of advice that I am going to give to you after moving to Lincoln county and working in Lincolnton for the past 1 1/2 years. Now the following advice is going to get this column very-should I dare say-Interesting. Number 1- Don't believe this Southern Christian GOODY TWO SHOES NONSENSE. Almost everyone, and I mean everyone down here is DIVORCED, or SEPERATED or SHACKED UP. I have never seen anything like it in my life, but it's true. Every family down here has someone who is locked up, in court proceedings about something, on parole or just out! The people will smile at you and be nice but once they have a disagreement with you they revert to that old "you Yankee' or You Northerners" nonsense. They don't like Northerners down here, but they do like the new Walmarts and LOWES and fast food joints that the influx of the population brings. Stay away from Lincolnton the charm will soon wear off and you will think your in some TWILIGHT ZONE episode. If you have children and go to sporting events watch out. This "GENTILE" southern crowd will get country real fast. Yelling at coaches, officials,players etc. But they will pass it off as ok. I know people who have been told in the stands of games-"oh you must be one of those NORTHERNERS" how nice and hospitable. Move closer to DENVER,MOORESVILLE , CORNELIUS, or HUNTERSVILLE. And stay far away from VALE and that idiot HILLBILLY COUNTY COMMISIONER CARROLL "I HATE YANKEES" MITCHEM!
Thanks 295. My purpose on this thread was to help the OP, not to rile up a bunch of leftover Confederates.
"If we did move north, we would have the decorum to listen, learn and recognize we are the foreigners." Sadly, the person posting this will probably never know how telling a statement this is.
Now Yankee25, I think the tone of your post is a bit harsh, although there is truth. We know a few people here who really are Goody Two Shoes, good Christians, and they practice what they preach. But yes, a lot of them try and project this holier-than-thou perfect Christian image when what they really are is mules in horse harness or wolves in sheep's clothing. Not everything is as it appears.
This is why I told the OP to check on the neighbors before they put in an offer to purchase. Some of the Lincolnton neighborhoods look just great, but the locals know better. It's not like Up North where you can drive into a neighborhood and say oh this is crap for sure, and head back out never to return. Just make sure you do your research and go into this with your eyes wide open.
BTW, something positive...the downtown Lincolnton area has great shopping. We always try and shop local first before heading anywhere else. It is one of the prettiest downtown areas I have ever seen. There is good Southern food (almost as good as Grandma made) at Aunt Bessie's. The chevy dealership is top notch. The spouse and I will not take our vehicles anywhere else. There is a wonderful restaurant out in Vale - The Willow Creek Inn.
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) This person said worse than what you said about Lincolnton to me. However the exact same points were hit on, so you did a good job of telling the OP what to look for.
Moving to Lincolnton as a YANKEE
