Very cool urban "archaeological" find...nobody but locals "in the know" seem to be aware it's even…read morethere! Found out about it from the very nice & informative bartender at Dust Off Brewing (check out doing to the YoCo Brew Trail; check into 6 breweries on the app & get a t-shirt). He couldn't quite remember how to get to it, but after some intensive research, found the geo coordinates. That was honestly the only way to find this place, plus a little guts & guesswork. You can quasi see some portion of the rockwork of the ruinous remains from the paved Riverwalk trail. The "easiest" way to get to the ruins is to follow the Riverwalk Piedmont Medical Center Trail to just before mile marker 1.25; you will see this steep wooden thing with awkwardly placed planks. You basically have to rock-wall climb your way up. From there you are on a mountain biking trail. Follow the arrows for just over a quarter mile and you will see some indicators of the ruins before they open up in front of you. You will most likely have the place to yourself. Really cool to wander around and take it all in. Just be careful with holes and don't walk on or within the actual ruins as they are pretty sketch & unsteady. There are spiders, snakes, and flying insects galore, so put on repellent and stay vigilant cuz it is deep woods! You can either get back down the way you came; I found this gray rock slope that I found easier to navigate than sliding down the wood thing I climbed up. Either way, really neat find and I'm so glad I explored to find it! The paved walkway along the Catawba is also a nice walk to and from!

Located on the grounds of the old Union County Courthouse, this 40 foot tall granite obelisk is a…read morememorial to the Confederate soldiers from Union County. Atop the three-tier granite foundation rests the base of the obelisk. The tall shaft is topped with a polished sphere. All four sides of the base are inscribed. The east face of the base features a Confederate flag, while the east and west faces depict crossed rifles and crossed cavalry sabers, respectively. The monument was installed in 1910 by the Monroe Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. There has been some discussion about removing it and at this time, it is surrounded by chain link fence to prevent damage or vandalism. I suspect that it will be removed at some point soon so stop by while you still can. [Review 15439 overall, 943 of 2021, number 2986 in North Carolina.]

Standing in front of the courthouse, this marker points out a World War I instance of note. Like…read moremost North Carolina markers, the text is brief but there is more information online. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Ferdinand Foch. Commander-In-Chief of Allied armies, 1918, made a speech at the Union County Courthouse, on December 9, 1921." In the speech, he praised America's role in the war and was joined by Governor Cameron Morrison and former Governor Thomas Bickett. Foch had recently participated in the groundbreaking of the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City alongside Vice President Calvin Coolidge. Known for his prophetic criticism of the Treaty of Versailles, Foch returned to Europe in 1922 and was later buried at Les Invalides in Paris beside Napoleon Bonaparte. [Review 1308 of 2025 - 4443 in North Carolina - 24860 overall]

Beautiful property and enjoyed the history and gardens. Did not get to tour the house as it was…read morenear closing time.

We enjoyed the tour very well. I am sorry but I can't remember the gentleman's name. This was his…read morefirst tour and he did an amazing job, very well informed. The grounds are well kept. We enjoy plantation tours and this is one of the best!!

Great stop. We saw the best presentation of early hunting tools and learned a lot about the…read moreindigenous peoples of the area and those that would travel through the area. Daniel was a great tour guide.

A great place to visit, especially for such a remote area. Well maintained and very informative.read more

This state marker points out the first store in the Belks chain, which began here in Monroe. The…read moremarker reads, "William Henry Belk, 1862-1952, Merchant, philanthropist, and Presbyterian layman. Opened first store, May 29, 1888, two blocks east." Online, there is more information. "William Henry Belk, merchant and founder of the department store chain that bears his name, was born in Lancaster County, South Carolina, in 1862 to Abel and Sarah Belk. His father was drowned by Union general William T. Sherman's troops in 1865. Eight years later the family moved to Monroe. At age fourteen Belk went to work in a dry goods store. At twenty-six he struck out on his own. Belk called his first store "The New York Racket," believing it "sounded big." Soon after its opening on May 29, 1888, Belk painted the slogan "Cheapest Store on Earth" on the side of the two-story brick building." "Belk adopted several innovations such as trading on a cash-only basis and refusing to haggle, as was then common practice. W. H. Belk was the sole proprietor of the business until 1891. In that year he was joined in the operation by his brother Dr. John Belk and the name was changed to W. H. Belk and Bro. The original building was replaced in 1941 with a new, larger structure on the same site. The "Mother Store of the Belk Stores" operated there until it was moved to a mall location in 1979." "The effects of W. H. Belk's merchandising skills have been felt in practically every North Carolina city and town. The Belk stores were unique in that they were not chain stores or franchises in the usual sense, but in that there was a local part-owner for each store, thus Belk-Leggett, Belk-Hudson, and the like. In time Belk stores, headquartered in Charlotte, numbered nearly 400 businesses in sixteen states throughout the South. The organization is the largest family- and management-owned department store operation in the nation with nearly two billion dollars in annual sales. William Henry Belk's "genius as a merchant" was hailed during his lifetime, and, through the store name, remains well-known to this day. Less well-remembered perhaps are Belk's philanthropic efforts and his devout Presbyterianism." [Review 15442 overall, 946 of 2021, number 2989 in North Carolina.]

Located on a high pole just outside the main entrance to the large hospital, this marker points out…read morethe World War II history of the area. It reads, "Camp Sutton. World War II army camp, trained 13,000 engineers. Named for R.C.A.F. pilot Frank Sutton of Monroe, killed December 7, 1941. Camp was here." Online, there is more information. " Soon after the United States entered World War II in December 1941, North Carolina assumed a prominent role in preparing the country's armed forces for duty overseas. Along with Camp Butner, Camp Davis, and Fort Bragg, Camp Sutton was among the largest military training facilities in North Carolina (and the nation) during the war." "Camp Sutton was organized as a training site for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and opened as a temporary "tent" camp in the spring of 1942. The base covered 2,296 acres about three miles east of Monroe in Union County. Located on U.S. Highway 74, Sutton was naturally divided into two halves by Richardson's Creek, and a railroad line also ran through the camp." "The installation was named in honor of Frank H. Sutton, a Monroe native who was killed over Libya in 1941 while serving as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force." "Camp Sutton was deactivated in January 1945, but the last of the German POWs were not shipped out until the spring of 1946 (nearly a year after the war ended). After the war, buildings on the property housed facilities used to treat polio patients." [Review 15430 overall, 934 of 2021, number 2978 in North Carolina.]

The entrance fee to walk around independently is $5 but there isn't much to see except some…read morebuildings with animals that is like visiting a small farm. The buildings that are meant to appear as being refurbished appropriate to the era when the plantation was functioning are minimal, three small single room buildings. Not worth the price. I did not do the guided tour that was $9 to tour the single plantation home for 45 minutes which seemed like a really long tour for the small plantation house. Might be a good tour for school children but wasn't worthwhile for an adult. Plenty of onsite parking on a quiet weekday visit.

We went to see the war reenactment over Labor Day weekend 2016 - such a blast! They had tons of…read morepeople dressed in times clothing, tents set up for selling items, wooden fires going, barns and houses were open to the public to view & they had a battle! The battle was the best part - with guns and canons going off (can get pretty loud) as well as men on horses! Best tip about this place: go when there is a war reenactment, no need to show up too early, its easy to get a spot and see everything.

Great venue, organizers did a fantastic job reenactor did a great job portraying local militia and…read morethe burning of the baggage shows how desperate the British were.

Revolutionary War battle site featuring original cabins, a mass grave and a beautiful .3 mile loop…read morewalking trail. Very peaceful and educational.

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!

Excellent self guided tour, was very cool to see........however.......there are NO SIGNS stating…read moreit's "more of a museum" and that you have to pay to walk thru. That being said the guy that runs the place was very rude to me and my elderly mother!