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Oh I think it was just another opportunity to bag on Morganton. Seems like Morganton, Old Fort, Lenoir and Marion collect a fair share of spitballs on city-data. But any of these could become "the next Hendersonville" with the right publicity and a few years of fresh investment. Location may eventually compel these areas to improve if the other towns in the region get too expensive to live in.
I'm not so sure what is so good about being "the next Hendersonville" in the first place? I dont really see the other towns as being much different, really.
What does deaf and/or mentally ill or disabled have to do with the mountains?
The next time you travel between Old Fort and Black Mtn, take old hwy 70 instead of I-40. Then imagine doing that in the early part of this century or earlier in a car, horse and buggy, or train. Mountain travel wasn't easy before interstate highways. Everything west of Morganton was a backwater that basically only rich people visited to get away from the oppressive summer heat in the piedmont or low country. Morganton was about as far west as you could go before leaving the flat lands, and therefore the western extent of easy travel.
Last edited by daveatgso; 03-23-2014 at 08:50 PM..
For those who do not live in western NC, the designation "western NC" means . . . "mountains" or "mountainous areas" located in the western part of the state.
For those of us who do live here, there are geographical, political, wealth and cultural distinctions, (and recognized ecosystems) that have made it easy to be more specific about "dividing" the mountains into regions.
There is the "High Country" and then there is "The Great Smoky Mountain" region. And . . . the "far west" counties."
And other designations such as the High Country western slopes are also appropriate.
And then there is the Blue Ridge connection to Virginia . . . and the Greenville-Spartanburg service area connected to Henderson/Buncombe . . . and the Georgia connection to the far west counties . . .
Each area has its own peculiar influences -- some based on historic settlement of the area and then of course, the relationship to proximity to other states for economic reasons as well as tourism.
Also, I would add that the colleges and universities throughout WNC have also helped shape the demographics/culture of each region.
ROADPONY -- I do understand what you are saying in your original post. WNC is a lot more than Asheville, lol.
What does deaf and/or mentally ill or disabled have to do with the mountains?
In case this wasn't answered, Morganton is where the NC School of the Deaf is located and also where the state mental hospital, Broughton Hospital is located.
FTR, as a NC native flatlander with mountain blood, I have always thought of Morganton and Hickory as part of western NC, but not part of the mountains.
In case this wasn't answered, Morganton is where the NC School of the Deaf is located and also where the state mental hospital, Broughton Hospital is located.
FTR, as a NC native flatlander with mountain blood, I have always thought of Morganton and Hickory as part of western NC, but not part of the mountains.
Good point.
Catawba County is part of the Catawba River Valley, and Burke County/Morganton and Catawba County/Hickory, Newton-Conover are often referred to as "the Foothills." I used to know the counties considered Foothills, but always thought it may be as much a geo-political designation as anything else (counties grouped into Legislative districts). I haven't checked on that in a while . . . memory may not serve me well but I think the Foothills would be Alexander, Catawba, Burke, Lincoln, Gaston and maybe Iredell? Not sure about Wilkes. . . ???
And then there are Surry and Yadkin counties . . . never have been sure how they fit in with these designations as the topography in Surry surely "qualifies" as mountainous.
No one ever mentions Yadkin on this forum (or maybe I missed it) which has developed into a robust component of NC's "wine country."
Last edited by brokensky; 03-26-2014 at 05:38 AM..
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