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Rutherford County, North Carolina is the place
where films are made and dreams come true. One of the
most picturesque areas in a beautiful state, Rutherford
County was the film location for seven recent popular
films, including
Dirty Dancing and
Last of the Mohicans. Located at the very base of
the
Blue Ridge Mountains rising to the west, Rutherford
County stands inside the 'isothermal
belt', an area within the
Piedmont Region of rolling hills, but so close to
the magnificent heights of the mountains that it is
sheltered from the harshest of winter and summer
extremes. Winters are milder than neighboring counties,
as the towering mountains provide a buffer. Spring and
fall last longer, beginning earlier and lingering later,
as warm air becomes trapped between the higher mountain
elevations and the lower Piedmont hills, creating an
autumn of fantastic colors and a spring of the earliest
first flowers.
Located in the southwest corner of the state,
South Carolina is the far border to the county.
Elevations run from 806 feet at the town of Caroleen, to
Sugar Loaf Mountain, proudly standing at just less
than 4,000 feet. Rutherford County covers 563 square
miles and includes eight municipalities.
Rutherfordton, the county seat, has a population of
just over 4,000 (census 2000 data.) The epitome of
Southern small-town charm, Rutherfordton offers
restaurants and shopping, the
Kid Senses Interactive Museum as well as panning for
gold at the
Thermal City Goldmine.
The lovely town of
Chimney Rock is the site of a privately owned park
with awesome 75-mile views from its towering overlook.
Hiking trails run through the park and lead to a
400-foot waterfall and unique rock formations.
Lake Lure, known as the ‘Gem of the Carolinas’ was
voted by National Geographic as one of the top ten
man-made lakes in the world. Three
Bottomless Pools are found here, each with their own
separate waterfall, a favorite place for weddings and
celebrations. Lake Lure has two 18-hole championship
golf courses, both with stunning views of the
neighboring mountains.
Rutherford County’s population is just over 62,000
according to the Census 2000. The County formed in 1779,
but the region was populated long before that, being a
favored site of the Cherokee Indians due to the unusual
and habitable climate. De Soto discovered it in 1540,
and not long after that the first white settlers put
down roots.
Though tourism remains a main industry of Rutherford
County, manufacturing is the second largest trade. The
major city of
Asheville lies just to the North, and many residents
are content to live in their spectacular surroundings
and commute to work. The
Isothermal Community College in Spindale serves
county students. Towns and cities include Chimney Rock,
Forest City, Lake Lure and Spindale.
Hickory Nut Gorge runs through the county, a
spectacular 14-mile canyon cut through granite cliffs by
the Rocky Broad River. Gorgeous stands of rhododendron
and laurel bloom in stunning displays throughout the
springtime. Small communities with exotic names like
Bearwallow and Bat Cave offer bed and breakfast lodging
and mountain crafts.
Rutherford County, North Carolina is an area of
breathtaking beauty, a place to visit year after year or
a place to call home.
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