|
Huntersville, North Carolina represents Southern living at its finest. An elegant town located in Mecklenburg County, Huntersville lies only twelve miles north of downtown Charlotte, NC’s ‘Queen City’. Charlotte’s rapid growth and prosperous future lend security to Huntersville residents, along with all the cultural amenities and bright lights that a large city provides. At the same time, Huntersville retains a small-town grace and charm, a sense of community and history often lacking in bustling cities.
Huntersville, NC began as an agricultural community, taking advantage of the fine, fertile soil. Incorporated in 1873, the construction of rail lines brought quick growth. A cotton mill and brickyard emerged as Huntersville’s first businesses. Later, textile mills moved in, bringing with them more residents. The failure in the cotton plantation systems left abundant farmland through out the town’s 30 square miles. In 1959, Gov. Terry Sanford dug Lake Norman nearby, the largest man-made lake in North Carolina. Sometimes called the “Inland Sea”, Lake Norman provides 520 miles of beautiful shore land and wonderful recreational opportunities.
In 1990, Huntersville’s population stood at 3,000. With Charlotte’s amazing growth, and offering serene farmland and access to Lake Norman, Huntersville’s population increased by 728 percent in the last decade. Census 2000 reported Huntersville’s population at just under 25,000, while the 2003 estimate was over 32,000. The boom in real estate and new housing construction results in a wide variety of options for newcomers. Careful city planners design elegant greenways, leave plenty of parks, and room for hiking trails. Brand new waterfront condominiums are available as well as stately older North Carolinian homes from previous centuries.
While boasting much retail and residential new construction, Huntersville also maintains eighteen historic sites. The Hugh Torrance House and Cedar Grove Store is Huntersville’s oldest store, built in 1770. The Hopewell Presbyterian Church, rebuilt in the 1740’s after fire destroyed the original, is a lovely site, and the stone walls surrounding its cemetery are more than 200 years old. At the historic Latta Plantation, visitors can view a working plantation just as it appeared in the 19th century, complete with Afro-American slave cabins. The lovely grounds around the plantation include a nature preserve, with miles of hiking, equestrian trails and exhibits. Also found here is the Carolina Raptor Conservatory, where injured and orphaned birds of prey receive healing and rehabilitation.
The glittering lights of Charlotte are only ten-minutes away, but Huntersville residents never need to leave town. Full scale shopping, dining and culture await patrons in the Birkdale Village section of Huntersville, a planned community centered on Main Street. Even Charlotte residents come out to explore the unique boutiques and charming ambience of the village. Hosted here are a number of events, live music, and fireworks.
While many residents commute to work in Charlotte, Huntersville itself is a fine location for business. The 650-acre immaculately landscaped Huntersville Business Park is home to corporations such as Keller Technology, General Electric, Siegling America and Joe Gibbs Racing. Census 2000 data showed Huntersville as being a well-educated town, with almost half the residents earning college degrees. The median household reported was $71,932, almost $30,000 higher than the national average.
Huntersville, NC offers quiet, elegant neighborhoods and friendly townspeople. Money Magazine (2005) ranked Huntersville in the top 100 Best Places to Live in America, and of the top 20 places in North Carolina to retire. It is easy to see why Grey House Publishing ranked Huntersville as one of America’s Top-Rated Smaller Cities.
< Back to About North Carolina |
