This little library is a small branch of the main branch Alexander county Library in Taylorsville,…read morebut is much more convenient and accessible to the people who live just near the county line like we do! They have a great selection for being as small as they are. They also have useful community resources, computers and printing starting at .10 cents a page for black and white! The librarian (Glenda) is SUPER sweet, kudos to her for setting up and supervising several events with my child's school and continually encouraging young lives to read. You can tell she has a passion for what she does! I highly recommend this branch, I can honestly say I love it even more than the larger branch in Taylorsville!

I stopped by this library a few weeks ago for a book sale and had the best time!! I arrived right…read moreat 9am when the sale started and it was jam packed! It's so nice to see I'm not the only bookie out here lol. The parking was easy and organized. The book sale itself was packed but they had so many wonderful volunteers helping to steer the crowd, it was pretty seamless. They even had volunteers walking around asking if they could take your books and put them on a table to hold for you so you could keep shopping comfortably. it was great! The library has multiple stories and was very clean and quiet. I will absolutely be back soon!!

I love everything about this library. They have lots of engaging events. The teen and children…read moreareas are great. They have a maker space area. The staff is always helpful and knowledgeable. It is very open, so you will need to book a study room if you are seeking a quiet space.

Okay, I have FINALLY, after several attempts, found a drop box. It is hiddin IN the side of the…read morebuilding, down a narrow ramp....I drove past it many time b/c it is very hard to see. So now I have just one gripe, the small parking lot. However, I love the 'Library Elf' system for easy online management of my library account. I can reserve, renew and request materials and set-up an email reminder for books that are soon due. I highly recommend a visit to this or the Mooresville branch for kid's programming and to save yourself some money on book purchases.

I know a lot of elderly and disabled that wish that it was all one floor like the old one, but…read morethere is an elevator which helps. Parking lot is small, I agree, and they have hiked the rate of book fines considerably, so use " Library Elf " and make sure that the site is working when you renew online - there have been problems. Wish they would get some good movies at night. If you have a large vehicle, you may want to avoid the drop box on the side! I've been going to the library since age 4 and all in all, it's a pretty good library.

I use the library often to do business work when my grandchildren are visiting and something…read moreimportant comes up that needs my attention. I know this sounds bad but there are times you need to find a quite place to focus so about 6 or 7 times per year I go to the Florence S. Shanklin library near my house. Their wifi is fast enough and I have found the place to be very quiet. Not sure when the other reviewer was there but a noisy place has not been my experience. All I can tell my friends and neighbors is go try the place, especially in the spring and fall, the have a beautiful green park surrounding the facility. Great for listening to the birds and relax. Then go in and check out some books, they have a good selection books and staff is very courteous and helpful.

I come here mainly to use the wifi and pickup/checkout books. If you are looking for a quiet place…read moreto read, study, or surf the web, this is DEFINITELY. NOT. IT. Seriously, this is the loudest library I have ever been in, in my entire life. Screaming, unruly children (I thought I just picked a bad time, but this has been an issue every single time I visit), a loud interactive computer in the children's area, adults chatting animatedly on their cell phones while using the computers or browsing the shelves, random people (who are evidently library "celebrities") hovering over my computer/space trying to small talk despite my clearly non-inviting headphones and aversion to eye contact (I'm sure their intentions are good, but I really just want to be left alone), and even the staff chatting incredibly loudly with patrons about their personal lives. It's a small library. And sound travels, I get it. But NO ONE is considerate and evidently "quiet" is a foreign concept. That being said - the selection of books is decent considering it's size, and it is super easy to have books shuttled in from one of the other branch libraries using the online request system. Be aware that the internet DOES have site restrictions - certain sites like YouTube are blocked, which is a major bummer because I do a lot of film/TV research for my job. Their DVD collection has some interesting choices, not a whole lot of new titles at this branch or seemingly at any of the branches. The circulation desk staff are nice and helpful, though there is one who I have witnessed be particularly sassy (on the verge of rude) to select patrons. It's bright and clean. Books? YES Wifi? YES Thinking/Reading/Reflecting/Anything Potentially Calming or Relaxing? NO

Now that the pandemic is "over" in that the libraries are reopened for browsing and study, I had a…read morechance to check out this pretty amazing library. Modern, open, airy. None of the stuffiness that you might expect from a classic library. With open stacks and lots of well organized books, this is a bright and clear space. There are a bunch of study desks along the huge windows. Most of them have power outlets nearby which is helpful because the library also has a free and unfiltered wifi. While you do need to be a resident to borrow books, no account is needed for Internet access. I found two or three books I liked, taking two of them to a comfy seat to ensure that they were what I wanted. Checkout is super easy and completely unattended. I'm very pleased with this branch! [Review 15370 overall, 872 of 2021, number 2922 in North Carolina.]

Back when life was free and we could gather together I met a friend and her kids here to explore…read morethis library branch. This was both our first times at this branch. The kid area isn't that big but does seem to be about 1/3 of the library. They don't have a lot of dress up or play areas but they have a lot computers. We had a large group so we had to double up on the computers. I found some good books to check out and a few movies also. The staff was pretty helpful but even though they are on the other side of the computers they seem be a little ways away from the kids area. The restroom is on the other side of the branch away from the kids area. The branch is clean and was very quiet. It was a rainy day during our visit. They had a cool view of outside and it made it very cozy to be tuck inside the library. Mountain Island Branch 4420 Hoyt Galvin Way, Charlotte, NC 28214 (Review 475 overall, 19 of 2021)

For fans of The Hunger Games films, this is a must-see!…read more We stopped in on a beautiful spring day. We were given an informative tour by Donavan, who was hilarious and full of knowledge. After the tour, we were free to explore the 78 acres. It's a beautiful place and we had a great time looking at the mill homes and the surrounding terrain. They also offer a military discount which is always appreciated! Great place!

"The Hunger Games filming location - District 12" and an Old Mill town full of history! A must…read morevisit! We were in Hickory for the weekend and we're looking for things to do nearby. I found this place and I saw that "Hunger Games" were filmed there and decided to go check it out. We paid $18 per person to enter and it includes a 30 min tour that explains the history of Henry River Village and talk a bit about the "Hunger Games" filming locations and you can even go inside Katniss' house. After that, you can walk around on your own. You're not allowed inside the other houses or on the porches for your own safety since the houses are very old and abandoned. The history of the place is very interesting to listen to. I recommend you actually participating in the tour. It's quick and interactive and the lady is very passionate and respectful about the place's history. You can also stay there for the night. They renovated one of the houses and you can book it and have the whole village for yourself. You can actually watch the renovation on HBO Max "In with the Old" Season 1 episode 4.

Fort Dobbs Historic site is undoubtedly one of the best sites in the NC historic site system! From…read morea modern visitor center to a detailed guided tour, Fort Dobbs has everything to keep you interested. Fort Dobbs provides tons of history concerning the French and Indian War, as it is the only NC historic site concerning that period. There are several points of interest for you to explore, a .5 mile nature trail, a new visitor center with an exhibit opening soon, and a fort for you to explore! If you want to see the inside of the fort, you HAVE to take the guided tour. There are 4 tour times, with cheap prices! Our tour lasted about an hour and 45 minutes, and was extremely detailed! Our tour guide (the site manager) has studied history in college for nearly 12 years!! He constantly had more information and detailed history to tell us about, never ending for 105 minutes! Everyone in our group was impressed, and were thankful to have such a great tour guide. The guided tour is worth it! If you're in the area, you should stop by! It's a great way to get some fresh air and expand your knowledge concerning the 7 Years War (French and Indian War).

Fort Dobbs is such a cool, low-key stop if you're into history. It's a reconstruction of the…read moreoriginal 1756 fort (finished in 2019), and you can only go inside with a guided tour every 45 minutes--totally worth it. Our tour was about 45 minutes, super educational, and took us through different rooms while explaining what happened here. It's also really affordable ($5 adults, $1 kids). There's an older visitor center with a small gift shop (new one coming soon), plus a picnic shelter, restrooms, and a short walking trail. Great quick visit for families.

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