The staff really cares about the animals, their safety and mostly, their happiness...i.e. lots of…read morelovin' going on with the animals! The volunteers are very well trained and supported. Together, this makes for a great experience for the animals and the people who work and volunteer there...and of course, the ICAS guests! Please consider visiting to adopt rather than going to a breeder. These babies are awesome. And that's because of the care and attention they get. You can walk by someone's office on staff and you will see a dog getting some enrichment time. You can stop by the grounds and see volunteers and staff walking the dogs. This is a great place!

Staff are very friendly and clearly animal lovers. The facility is modern, clean and the animals…read moreare treated very well. The volunteer coordinator (Tracy) does a fantastic job keeping volunteers motivated and interested. The training program for volunteers is excellent. They offer many programs including cat yoga and a drive thru rabies vaccination clinic.

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.

This marker stands at the intersection adjacent to the building that is now the Hickory Museum of…read moreArt https://www.yelp.com/biz/hickory-museum-of-art-hickory?hrid=7Jk2upM1BbMSU2Bbg-ZH2A that used to be the Claremont High School and Claremont College. The marker reads, "Founded in 1880 by the Evangelical & Reformed Church as a school for women. Closed in 1916. Stood 300 yards east." Online, there is more information. "On April 24, 1880, at a meeting of the Consistory of the Corinth Evangelical and Reformed Church, Abel A. Shuford made the motion to convert an old church building into a female school. That July, the Consistory met with Albert S. Vaughn, the president of Catawba College who helped organize the school and attract several female teachers. Vaughn suggested the academy be patterned after Wellesley College in Massachusetts." "From 1892 to 1907, Claremont Female College continued to operate with moderate success, attracting students from across the southeast. The trustees, tired of leasing the college to individual presidents, offered the college to the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church. Under the Classis, the school was renamed Claremont College." "Claremont College operated until the fall of 1917, when financial difficulties led the Classis to close the school indefinitely. The trustees simply felt that they could not operate both Claremont and Catawba Colleges." There is no easy parking spot here. [Review 15883 overall - 3099 in North Carolina - 1387 of 2021.]

Being born and raised in SoCal this was a cool place to stop. My friend who recently moved nearby…read morefrom California had seen the sign to this place but hadn't had the chance to visit yet. So off to the bridge we go. It was not far from the freeway. We were the only ones in the park on this overcast, hot and humid day. We weren't sure how far we had to hike to the bridge and the map at the kiosk was a bit faded so it made it difficult to figure out. After doing one loop we looked at the map and went the opposite direction. Thankfully there wasn't much bug activity going on. Not sure if it's because put on bug repellent on before our trek. Anyway, we found it! It wasn't even a mile to the bridge. We were glad we didn't give up and made it to this cool bridge. It's historic and also one of the last covered bridges in NC. It's beautiful here, plenty of lush trees. The have signs and info along the path. My friend said that schools plan field trips to visit here. The bridge is sadly covered with graffiti but if you can look past that you will see the beauty of the bridge and imagine yourself in the time it was built. There is quite a few parking spaces and a covered seating area. It's worth stopping to check out.

Has to make a trek out to Bunker Hills Covered Bridge one afternoon recently, to enjoy the fall day…read moreand see on of the last and few remaining covered truss bridges left. Built in 1894 and covered in 1900, this one hundred plus year old landmark sits quietly off in the distance on an off beaten path. There is paved parking close but you must walk in a short distance to see the actual structure. Its covered in graffiti now but still standing, strong timbers and heavy wood beams with a heavy wooden two runner lane path. Its not in service any longer but is still walkable. We stopped and admired this century plus old bridge and then took a slow stroll across it, thinking about all the people from eras long ago that had walked before where we were walking. A Solid 4 Stars - Worth the effort and journey, if you like history, old bridges or unique structures and architecture 01171

Large public library that serves Catawba County, this is the main branch. Free wifi, power outlets,…read morea quiet spot to study or work. And of course, lots of books. Fiction, non-fiction, periodicals and reference materials. I spent about an hour here charging up my phone and laptop, plus figuring out what I was doing next. It's peaceful and roomy. Plenty of tables and [Review 12720 overall, 32 of 2020.]

The website is a joke. Their online catalog search doesn't work, it just hangs until it eventually…read moretimes out.

Downtown Statesville provide you with a small town feel even though Statesville keep expanding. It…read morestill feels historic and North Carolina unlike Mooresville. Not a lot of shops or good restaurants. Mostly pawn shop and coffee shop from what I am seeing. More are coming though with more people moving into town. Free parking, always a plus. There are seasonal events from time to time to boost tourism in downtown. It

Downtown Statesville has improved dramatically over the past 5-10 years. Many new businesses and…read morenew parking is underway. There are festivals and activities regularly scheduled. Fun for the family during the day and for the adults in nightlife around downtown. I enjoy visiting the new places and patronizing those familiar places for local shopping. Downtown Statesville has a lot to offer for the young and old!

Located on the grounds of the Alexander County Courthouse, this 15-foot-tall open structure is made…read moreof white-washed brick that matches the courthouse. The four brick columns support the bell housing and bear bronze plaques detailing the memorial's origins and purpose. One one includes the cornerstone from the 1902 courthouse that was destroyed by fire on August 11, 1967. The bell itself had been broken in the firebut was repaired by local businessman Rowe B. Campbell and later placed alongside the salvaged cornerstone on the courthouse grounds. In 1997, as part of the county's sesquicentennial celebrations, a working group led by Benjamin W. Hines initiated the project to preserve these elements. Their efforts culminated in the dedication of the memorial on May 10, 2003. One plaque points out that the bell itself had been purchased circa 1850 at the cost of $68.50. It was used to call court into session. "Before refrigeration, it announced that fresh meat was for sale and when a fire occurred, it sounded the alarm." [Review 1201 of 2025 - 4386 in North Carolina - 24753 overall]

Located just around the corner from the historic Iredell County Courthouse, this marker points out…read morea business that no longer stands in Statesville. Marker M-57 reads, "Wallace Brothers Herbarium. World renowned supplier of medicinal herbs, barks, berries & roots. Est. by Jewish immigrants, 1871. One block NW until 1942." David and Isaac Wallace, German Jewish immigrants, built a thriving mercantile and herb-trading enterprise in Statesville beginning in 1859, eventually creating what became the world's largest herbarium. Their success was fueled by botanist Mordecai Hyams, whose Appalachian expeditions and training of rural pickers supplied thousands of plant varieties to distilleries, pharmaceutical companies and international markets. The Wallace Brothers gained national and international acclaim, earning gold medals at major exhibitions in Philadelphia and Paris and later appearing at the Chicago and Saint Louis World's Fairs. Their herb trade provided crucial income for struggling North Carolinians during the 1870s, though the company's bankruptcy in 1895 ended the family's dominance even as descendants carried the business into the mid-twentieth century. Despite the decline of herbal medicine, the legacy of the Wallaces and the Hyams endures through their contributions to botany, the founding of Statesville's Jewish congregation, and the preservation of thousands of plant specimens now held in major institutions. It is marker number M-57 and it was erected by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History in 2023. There is limited parking nearby. [Review 589 of 2026 - 4678 in North Carolina - 25770 overall]