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!

This marker is located at the side of US-74 in front of Anson High School…read more The marker reads, ""Father of soil conservation." First chief of the Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1935-1952. Born 4 miles southwest." Online there is more information. "Among soil conservationists and agronomists, Hugh Hammond Bennett, nicknamed "the Chief" or "Big Hugh," is a legend. Widely credited with selling the benefits of soil conservation to a dubious public, Bennett is known as the "father of soil conservation." Born on a 1,500-acre farm in Anson County, in the drainage basin of the Pee Dee River, Bennett at the age of ten realized the woeful effects of erosion and benefits of conservation." "Sheet erosion, he reasoned, was the problem and preservation of the topsoil was the key. Soil conservation could be pursued through terracing, strip cropping, contour plowing, grassed waterways, and crop rotation, among other means. Bennett promoted the planting of covers such as kudzu and lespedza grass." "In 1951 the News and Observer wrote of Bennett that "When history finally sets up the measure of the contributions of the men of our times, it may very well be that so far as North Carolina is concerned Hugh Bennett of Wadesboro will be recognized as the most important North Carolinian of this generation."" [Review 13953 overall, 1275 of 2020, number 2596 in North Carolina.]

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 historical marker is on the south side of the highway at the intersection with Main Street. It…read moreis a different color than the usual North Carolina Markers but is otherwise in the same style. It is a very brief message which reads, "Anson County Training School, 1920-1960. A facility for education of children of color. Woodlawn School, 1960-1961, J.R. Faison School, 1961-1985" Sadly, I am not able to find much more information about the schools online. [Review 13955 overall, 1277 of 2020, number 2597 in North Carolina.]

This marker is standing in front of a KFC and points out a structure that is not far away. It…read morereads, "Eighteenth-century house built by Patrick Boggan, Revolutionary soldier & a founder of Wadesboro. Now historical museum. Located 2 blocks south." Online, there is more information. "The fully restored Boggan-Hammond House sits in the Anson County seat of Wadesboro two blocks from the town square. Built in the late eighteenth century by Revolutionary War veteran and town founder Patrick Boggan (1725-1817), the house is a simple one-story frame structure built on a hall-parlor plan. During the Revolution, Captain Boggan commanded the minutemen of the Salisbury District, serving together with Thomas Wade, his brother-in-law." "Appended to the Boggan-Hammond House is the Alexander Little Wing, constructed by jurist Alexander Little at some point after his acquisition of the property in 1839. The renovation of the house and wing were projects of the Anson County Historical Society." [Review 13956 overall, 1278 of 2020, number 2598 in North Carolina.]

Thankfully, the Confederate Monument was removed from the entrance to the Anson County Courthouse…read morein Wadesboro, NC back in 2020. What remains is a granite monument to the Confederate flag. I'm not sure why that was kept. In front of the Courthouse is a memorial to WWI; WWII; Korean War and Vietnam Veterans. The courthouse has two bronze plaques on the outside of the courthouse one for African American soldiers and another for the white men and women who served in WWI. Pinwheels were in the lawn for child abuse prevention.

Anson County doubles down on the Confederate Memorial debate by having not one, but two memorials…read moreon the grounds of the Anson County Courthouse in Wadesboro. Wadesboro is the county seat of Anson County and the largest city in the county. Anson County was formed in 1750 as part of Bladen County. It is named for Baron George Anson, a British admiral, who circumnavigated the globe from 1740 to 1744, and later became First Lord of the Admiralty and purchased land in the state. The first monument was installed in 1906 and is a all, multi-tiered white granite base and column which used to support a bronze Confederate Common Soldier that was removed in 2020. An ornate, darker granite section rests on top of the first three tiers of the base, and the four sides of this darker granite face are inscribed. Each corner of this section is framed by a Roman-style column, capped with acanthus leaves. "By this monument we / translate our homage / for the soldiers of / Anson County / who served in the war / between the government / and the Confederate / states." Means business there. The second monument is lower and stands to the right. More of a memorial than a tribute, it has the Confederate flag at the top and a long poem. "Not long ago, unfurled was I known for fate was against me but I flashed over a pure cause and on land and sea, so fired the hearts of men unto heroism the the world honors me, within my folds, the dead who died under them, lie nobly shrouded and my tattered colors crowded with a thousand shining victories have become the people who loved me, a glorified memory." Welcome to the South, y'all! [Review 15455 overall, 959 of 2021, number 2999 in North Carolina.]

Located just a quarter mile south of I-95 on South Carolina Highway 38, this marker has a small…read morespace for parking and a view. There is a "historical marker ahead" sign and you shouldn't miss the hulking shape of the machinery it points out. The marker reads, "This cotton press, built in 1798 according to tradition, is thought by many to be the oldest in existence. It was first owned and used by John Bethea, III, and later by Henry Berry. Powered by oxen or mules rotating the beam to tighten the press, it was rendered obsolete by modern machinery. A Berry descendant moved it to this site about 1948 to preserve it." The marker was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It had been built in 1798 for bailing ginned cotton and is made of pegged and doweled oak. Turning the screw (powered by mules) compressed the cotton into a wooden frame to form a bale. A very clever piece of machinery, all built by hand well prior to modern power tools. Except for minor repairs of the base and roof, it is still the original materials and is the only press of this era in South Carolina. [Review 14328 overall, 1652 of 2020, number 706 in South Carolina.]

This cotton press, built in 1798 according to tradition, is thought by many to be the oldest in…read moreexistence. It was first owned and used by John Bethea, III, and later by Henry Berry. Powered by oxen or mules rotating the beam to tighten the press, it was rendered obsolete by modem machinery. A Berry descendant moved it to this site about 1948 to preserve it. Erected by Dillon County Historical Society - 1974

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

This is a cute place to go for relaxation and peace with beautiful scenic views of the lake. There…read moreis also plenty of seating and a small area with sand. I am definitely going back again.

This park is fantastic. There are great playground areas for kids and some nice relaxing recliner…read morechairs for the adults. The little beach at the lake is also a wonder place for kids to play in the summer time. This is a great weekend park to visit, especially if you're a local!

This place feels wonderfully remote, so a little heads up that cell service is spotty and it's…read moreworth being mindful as you arrive. Once you're there, the quiet really sets in, with wildlife sounds all around and very few cars passing by. The atmosphere is incredibly relaxing and peaceful, perfect for slowing down and taking a breath . Picnic benches are scattered nearby, along with trash receptacles, which makes it easy to linger responsibly . The bridge itself is beautiful and well maintained, showing only moderate signs of wear that add character rather than distraction . During our mid autumn visit, the waterway and surrounding landscape were bursting with color , making the views especially memorable. I later realized there was a walking trail close by that I missed, so that's something I'd definitely suggest checking out when you visit ‍. Parking isn't clearly marked or abundant ‍, but with a bit of patience, you'll manage just fine. Overall, it's a quiet, scenic spot that feels refreshingly untouched and worth the effort to find .

Fantastic little country roadside find! This historic bridge, one of the two remaining covered…read morebridges in the state of NC and designated a local/federal historical landmark, was built in 1911 at a whopping cost of $40. It was built to span the west fork of the Little River when horse & carriages were the main mode of transportation. There is a great little loop trail that circumvents this section of the Little River w/a little footbridge on the other side and a couple of off-shoots to go down to the water's edge and even rock hop to the middle (do so at your own risk ). Fantastic hues at Golden Hour and the soothing sound of the babbling waters make you quickly forget civilization is right there. I had the place to myself when I went, so the solitude was welcome. Definitely worth a visit when the weather is as gorgeous as it has been!