On a quiet Sunday morning, the Union-Market Passageway in Concord felt anything but spooky, which…read moreis always a pleasant surprise because some alleys can definitely give off that vibe. But here, the white painted brick and the bright artworks made it feel open and welcoming. The murals tell the story of Concord's industrial past and how those early mills and factories shaped the city. Knowing the installation was completed in 2013 by artist Sharon Dowell made me appreciate how intentional the space feels. One of the captions, "This image shows the original Cabarrus County Courthouse, built after the Town of Concord was laid out in 1796 on a 26 acre tract of land called 'Pea Ridge' near the old Indian Trading Path. It was a modest frame structure 30 feet wide and 30 feet long with a 15 foot hip roof. It was constructed in the intersection of Union and Corbin (now Corban) Streets." Walking through with no one else around, it was easy to slow down and take in the colors and the way the artwork is framed against the clean brick walls, and the passageway felt more like a small outdoor art gallery than a cut through. It is a simple spot but a charming one, and on a calm Sunday morning, it added a nice bit of character to my walk through downtown Concord. [Review 665 of 2026 - 4753 in North Carolina - 25846 overall]

Union-Market Passageway is not just another utilitarian alleyway in an historic downtown district…read more It's historical and artsy too! located between 48 and 46 South Union the pedestrian alley is currently adorned with works by Charlotte artist Sharon Dowell titled "Momentous- A Timeline of History Shaping Sites of Concord" it includes several large pieces installed on the wall depicting places and periods significant to life in the early days of the greater Concord metro. small plaques accompany the panels providing background and context for the illustrations.

Double Star by Charles Pilkey was one of those little surprises that makes wandering around…read moreSalisbury worth the detour, sitting there with no plaque or explanation and just quietly doing its thing until you finally look it up on the city's sculpture show page. Once you know the title, the whole form makes sense, the way the two twisting shapes lean toward each other like they're locked in a slow orbit, and Pilkey's interest in science and natural forces comes through in how the piece feels both geometric and fluid at the same time. The caption on the website says, "Double Star represents a binary star system, two stars orbiting a common gravitational center. We all lead such busy lives. Sometimes we forget to pause and take in the beauty and mystery of a night sky." and that line really does frame the sculpture perfectly because it has that quiet, contemplative pull if you give it a moment. While I liked most is how understated the whole installation is, tucked into an ordinary spot where you could easily walk past it, and yet once you know what Pilkey intended, you start to see the motion and the calm built into the metal. It becomes this small reminder to slow down, to look a little closer, and to let something unexpected shift your perspective for a minute. Salisbury has a knack for placing art exactly where it can do that. The piece doesn't shout for attention but it rewards anyone who stops long enough to take it in, turning a simple corner of town into a brief pause in the day. [Review 657 of 2026 - 4745 in North Carolina - 25838 overall]

Located in one of the more upper crust neighborhoods of a town that's already upper crust itself,…read morethis sculpture is definitely political. The statue depicts a Jesus as a homeless vagrant sleeping on a park bench. Huddled under a blanket with his face and hands obscured, only the crucifixion wounds on his uncovered feet give him away. The bronze statue was purchased for $22,000 as a memorial for a parishioner, Kate McIntyre, who loved public art. The rector of this liberal, inclusive church is the Rev. David Buck, a 65-year-old Baptist-turned-Episcopalian who seems not at all averse to the controversy, the double takes and the discussion the statue has provoked. "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did it to me." -Matthew 25:40 [Review 13405 overall, 724 of 2020.]

This is homeless Jesus I guess they have a lot of these because we have one of these in my city…read morethat I live in. So we were downtown exploring the area we came across another homeless Jesus. I guess the meaning of this is to love everyone and just respect people no matter who or what they are.

There's another neat statue we found while we were exploring downtown area. I really enjoy looking…read moreat all the statues and finding things to review and take photos of and this one was pretty cool. I would definitely say go check it out.

This is an interesting piece of artwork. I'm not really sure what the artist is trying to "say"…read morehere other than this is a clever bunch of welding. It was the first project by the Davidson Public Art Commission and is located in the post office plaza.. The plaque at its base has three parts, "Dedicated to Kate MacIntyre for her vision of public art in Davidson." and "A Bouquet for Davidson by Andrew Dunnill, April 25, 2009" and "This project was mad possible with funding by The Arts & Science Council, The North Carolina Arts Council, The National Endowment for the Arts and the Town of Davidson." [Review 12633 overall, 2425 of 2019.]

so I'm walking around Salisbury trying to enjoy a damp, grey, sullen, and mostly overcast Saturday…read moreafternoon and I happen upon a steel pole strategically placed in the middle of what should be an alley except that it's kinda narrow and the planters and benches tighten it up just a bit more. seems a decent spot to park oneself for a bit, maybe if it had some ivy... no dumpsters nearby to stink up the place so this might be okay in the summer to get out of the sun if a breeze comes through. or not?

Concord was founded in 1796 after local leaders finally reached, well, concord over where the…read morecounty seat should go, and the name stuck from the very beginning. The town grew around its courthouse square, and the historic Cabarrus County Courthouse that stands today dates to 1876 after an earlier building was lost to fire. Designed by GSH Appleget, it is a Victorian era mix of Second Empire and Italianate details with a tall clock tower that still anchors downtown even though it no longer handles court business. Downtown itself is quaint and on a quiet Sunday morning, it feels almost paused in time. I was passing through to visit the courthouse and ended up staying for coffee and a slow walk along Union Street where there are sculptures tucked along the sidewalks that make the whole stretch feel playful and welcoming. Too early for most of the restaurants, which do have streetside seating set up. It is all adorable and fun and i really enjoyed my time here. [Review 668 of 2026 - 4755 in North Carolina - 25849 overall]

This is such a quaint little village! I spent an afternoon here. The drive up from Charlotte is…read morebeautiful once you're off the main highway. Got lunch at fat Mack's and hopped in and out of the gift shops. They do so much every month, check out their website for goings on. I know this upcoming weekend will be founders weekend with a lot of vendors and food trucks, along with a parade. They decorate the village for Christmas, and the first 3 weekends in December have Santa and the Grinch on site. Seems like there's something for everyone here. We will be back to check out the trails on the 70 acre park.

My family and I drove from Waxhaw to Gold Hill on a Thursday only to be met with disappointment…read more Most of the shops in this little town are only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Dang, bad timing on our part. We still enjoyed walkin around town and seeing what we could see from the outside. I know my grandma really wanted to see the shops, though. All we were able to do is see the park which was open. That was pretty cool. There is an old jail there when you first drive in. And a bunch of old mining equipment. The coolest part of a crevice in the rock. There is a small set of stairs which goes down deep enough to see it. I don't know why that as so cool but it was. Since we wanted to see the shops and looked to see that they should be open on Sundays, we came back just a couple of days after we first came to Gold Hill. Struck out again! The shops still weren't open. It was a little early (11:00ish AM). We were hoping and expecting at least a couple of the shops to be open. What a bummer that they were not. Maybe the fall is off season and the summer would be better. I don't know. But we had just wasted another trip trying to see this place and ALL that is has to offer. So, 3 stars for now based on what we did see. Maybe if I can come back and go into some of the shops some time then I can reevaluate and increase the star rating.

Dedicated on Veterans Day, 2011, the Veterans Monument pays tribute and remembrance of those who…read morehave served the United States. With six marble towers each dedicated to one of the branches of armed forces, there is also a polished wall that is inscribed with the names of over 1100 veterans living or deceased that are or were Cornelius residents. At the top of the monument, there is a six-foot tall likeness of Corporateal Jerry K. Crump on a granite base. Corporal Crump received both the Purple Heart and the Congressional Medal of Honor. There is a brief description of his heroic actions at the base. There is free parking across the street and a crosswalk. [Review 12627 overall, 2419 of 2019.]