My family and I came to the Catawba Cultural Center in a continued effort to visit as many of the…read moreculture and history of the NC/SC area. A small museum with a lot of history through interpretive displays. Its cool to see a place devoted to the indigenous people of the area rather than the usual Spanish and Anglo people who came later. I myself am not of indigenous decent but I appreciate learning about other cultures. History in this region doesn't begin 250 years ago but much further back. Perhaps we can learn something from those who were here for longer. The Catawba Cultural Center is a place that can help with that. Plus they have a good gift shop. I bought a few trinkets to take back to some friends. Also a basket kit for me. I can't just go home empty handed, can I?

What an awesome gem located just outside of Rock Hill, South Carolina. As a history freak I love…read moreto visit historical sites, museum, and cultural experiences. The Carolinas are full of history, so the choices are endless. When I found out that the Catawba Indian Reservation and Cultural Center was so close and included a museum and trails I was intrigued. We piled in the car and made the 30-minute journey from Charlotte. It was a twisty and turning drive, but we made it without any challenges. However, my phone lost signal before making it, so this is one of the few times I wish I had printed a map. It was tough getting in and even more challenging getting out. The Museum and Cultural Center are nice. They have several artifacts and reproductions on display. You get a basic understanding of the tribe just by mozying through. They don't have a brochure so you only get the basics. I wish there was someone on hand to explain more since I had lots of questions, but the only staff member was manning the gift shop. The gift shop was packed full of items from a variety of native American cultures. Lots of great items to peruse. They have books and jewelry and other items for visitors of all ages. The real treat here is the trails. They criss-cross the reservation and include informational displays, plaques telling the story of the tribe, their culture, the land, and their beliefs. It was a fun trek and there was a lot to see along the way. I also learned about the Yehasuri. They are mischievous spirits who live in the trees. They play pranks on kids and animals and kill adults with darts. You don't die immediately, but within 24-hours. I wrote this review as soon as I left just in case something happens to me. I want the Yelp world to know it was the Yehasuri who did it.

As someone who almost got their degree in Linguistics, this is like an archaeological museum of the…read morewritten word and was such an incredibly pleasant surprise! Honestly, the caliber of content was fantastic and on par with the type of museum you would expect to find in a big metropolis. They do an excellent job of densely populating the small space with great displays and exhibits, each dedicated to a specific theme that is either historically/geographically based. Even though there is a lot of information to absorb, they do a wonderful job of making each section flow into one another and making sure each one is respectively distinct and specifically informational. I love the little quiz boxes they have spaced around to test your knowledge of how well you've been paying attention! There are also great pamphletsto give greater contextual information for certain displays. The 10min intro film to the Museum of the Alphabet is a must! You learn about the museum's origins and purpose and it gives you an idea of what to expect on your tour. It is a Christian-based foundation/mission, but as someone who is agnostic, I did not feel it was overtly religious at all, which I appreciated. They incorporate various relevant religions into the history and importance of certain languages, as well, and do an excellent job of perspective. I spent over an hour exploring this place and was just wowed with the massive history of the written word and the work a lot of these people do to preserve many oral-only languages of indigenous peoples who do not have a written language from becoming extinct from anthropological history! It's incredible how alphabets are still being created today. The Alphabet Tree at the entrance is so intricate and informative and traces back each language group to their origins, like ancestral genetics of languages; I was really fascinated by this one! Definitely worth checking out if you are in or near Waxhaw. It's also a great little quicktrip at 40mins or less drive from Charlotte and close enough to downtown Waxhaw to shop, eat, drink before or after. If you are a nerd (like me) and/or have an interest in linguistics, you will instantly be in heaven here. If you are just mildly curious, you will leave with a newfound and deep-seated appreciation for the written word! The staff here are great and super helpful, especially if you have any questions or need better/more in depth explanations for all or any of the exhibits. There is no admission charge, but a donation is highly encouraged with a jar by the registration logbook. Even if you donate just $5, you will easily get more than your money's worth.

I rarely give a five star rating, but in this case the Alphabet Museum is most likely the best of…read moreclass. It is simply amazingly detailed, and tied into the work that JAARS does, really stands out as something special. We have been here on at least three previous occasions, leaving with the feeling that is was just too much and we did not really understand what it was about. This visit we asked for a guide or guided tour so that our 11 year old granddaughter would appreciate it. This was the way to go, and we are so happy that we arranged for the guide. Arriving, early, we were met, saw a film on JAARS and were taken on a tour. For a small building they sure pack in a lot of displays, items and information. Am sorry that I do not remember our guide but she had done work in New Guinea and her two husbands, one deceased, were part of JAARS. So with our missionary, linguist-talented guide we spend at least two hours taking in the displays. Why a guide is important is that she gives meaning to what you are looking at as well as how it relates to JAARS. My wife and I were simply blown away, we know understood how it all pulled together and will be returning to further explore the displays. In essence, JAARS is an organization of pilots, linguists, cultural anthropologists and other supporting people who find and travel to isolated tribes around the world that do not have a written language. Tribes, traditionally, use oral history to record events and the tribe's story. JAARS linguists live with these peoples, listening to them talk and figuring out what words they use, along with how they are pronounced. Then they craft an alphabet for that language and create a dictionary. Ultimately, as this is a Christian-based organization, they translate the Bible into their language, teaching the people how to read their now written language while learning about the Bible. Fascinating! The displays are, in effect, history reports of various language groups and JAARS encounter with them. Artifacts, the language, photos bring their mission alive. Arrange a tour. Once you have an understanding of the displays, you will be back, better equipped to learn more. A must for children in school and for your adult friends and visitors.

Really enjoyed going through the museum to see all the memorabilia. Good experience to see the…read morehistory of the area. Got to watch a reenactment of the battle of Charlotte. All of it tied into my kids' history lessons on early American history.

I've been to Waxhaw 4 times now. This past visit was the first time I had been able to visit the…read moreMuseum of the Waxhaws. They seem to be open only two days a week and for a while I think it was just simply closed. But it was open this past weekend so my family and I went. Little did we know that they were having a living history event. We pulled in and saw people in costumes from different eras. It turned out to be really cool. We got to see the museum plus weapons demonstrations, cooking demonstrations in an historic cabin and more. It was a lot of fun. Plus there was the chance to learn a bit about the history of the region. From pre-colonial native history to revolutionary war era and beyond. It was fascinating.

There is so much to like about the FMHM…read more So few know the rich history of this area. Roots go back to the 1700's when the Catawba Indians moved South when they realized it was too cold in the winter, hunting & fishing was a challenge and there was plenty of prime property in the warmer region near the river. They found the soil fertile, the river a great source for food. This tribe made strong alliances with early American settlers and were key in their support to Colonials in the Revolution versus Cornwallis. I had a great tour with Mrs Libby Chambers who told me of her relationship with Mrs Ann Close Springs. The last known person in the US who rode on the zeppelin, Hindenburg. This is where you want to take your out of town, friends and family when they come visit. So many great photos of early Fort Mill and the buildings and business on Main Street. It's free! They simply ask for donations. Parking will be a challenge at prime time. You'll find the best option behind the Clebourne office building.

This place is so cool! It's free and it tells you a lot about the history ranging from native…read moreAmericans to early settlers. I would recommend anyone in fort mill to visit

Went to a wedding there recently and I was AMAZED! I've traveled a lot all over the world and…read morehonestly, I enjoyed it more than seeing the Eiffel Tower! Everything so authentic right down to the period antiques throughout the town! There are NO WORDS to express how dynamite every staff member was! The entire place is SPOTLESS! NO Litter, no trash left around. Just PURE FUN FOR EVERYONE! Going back tomorrow! And again and again and AGAIN!!! Love it. Thanks all!

Wildwood Ranch is a quaint family owned campground. it's absolutely adorable with a western town on…read morethe inside of it. If you are looking for the perfect camping getaway. Check them out. Located in Jonesville SC

Brought the kids here for a crafting activity. They had a blast! They picked out their plates and…read moremugs to paint, picked out their colors and had a great time designing their pieces. The workers were super helpful explaining everything and bringing us our paints. It's takes 10-12 days for the art to be ready to pick up so keep that in mind in your planning. They had plenty of holiday and seasonal options in case you're looking for a special gift for a Mother's Day or Father's Day gift/activity. The pottery prices we 20$ and up but they didn't charge studio time by the hour like I've seen other places do, which is great if you have smaller kids. Great activity!

Had such a great time with my kids getting these sweet hennas. We love coming here for personalized…read morepottery and henna.

Came for the kids bowling free time which happens during the summer time. I came right at open and…read moreeasily checked in. I just had to pay for shoe rentals which came to about $11 total for 2 kids. We had our own lane and 2 "free" games of bowling fun. They have plenty of options for bowling balls, ramps, and gutter guards to make this fun for kids. When we were done bowling, my kids enjoyed exploring the arcade. I loved the hand sanitizer readily available at the front counter. This location was much more enjoyable than the huntersville location as it was less crowded (despite there being camps here), appears newer, and was very clean.

Laser tag was so much fun! Joshua was awesome and made the whole experience even better. He was…read moresuper friendly, helpful, and made sure everything ran smoothly. If you go, definitely ask for Joshua to host--he's great!

Lots of family fun and excitement at the Rodeo! Location was easy to find, logistics were well…read morecoordinated, and the event was professionally done. We purchased tickets in advance ($20 each) but they were also available at gate with cash or card. Food options were fun- BBQ food truck, fried everything including elephant ears, fried fish, popcorn, cotton candy, corn dogs, etc. Not a salad in sight, so prepare to indulge. The beverage selection was soft drinks, lemonades with flavoring options, and water. I had a fresh squeezed lemonade with strawberry flavor that was delightfully refreshing. Lots of patrons packed their own cooler and went the BYOB route. The few who openly carried in a box of beer did not really fit in. Most responsible adults were discreet in their own cups, keeping their own trash in cooler, and handled it well. We did see some very young teenagers consuming that was concerning. Rodeo events included bareback bronco riding, saddled bronco riding, break-away calf roping, team calf roping, steer wrangling, barrel racing and of course, bull riding. Some kind of scoreboard or screen would have helped those around us keep track of things, or a visible timer. The announcer did an excellent job of explaining the scoring system and the scores of each ride. I loved the barrel racing. Lots of local talent participated along with the professionals. The rodeo clown stole the show with the kids calf scramble, a young ladies race to retrieve a water bottle, and a very well trained trick horse show. The professionals also did an excellent job of protecting the riders. Parking was easy and well laid out. The arena was in great shape and well cared for. The bleacher seats were well positioned. They could use a few signs to discourage standing or or sitting against the arena railing during the event. Police officers walked through several times to clear folks away from the rails and remind them of the danger.