Living Here Guide 2009
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Sunday, Sep. 25, 2011

Gaston County: Nature, eateries, arts beckon

By Joe DePriest
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    A view from the top, at Crowders Mountain State Park. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com

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    DePriest

  • Attractions

    The Schiele Museum of Natural History and Lynn Planetarium: Bring the whole family and plan to spend some time. Special exhibits like CAVES will intrigue. 1500 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia. 704-866-6923. www.schielemuseum.org.

    Meadowood Walk, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden's new unpaved trail: The path leads through open fields of native meadow grasses and ends with a great view of Lake Wylie. Bluebirds, osprey, wild turkey, meadowlarks - who knows what you'll see. 6500 S. New Hope Road, Belmont. 704-825-4490; www.dsbg.org.

    Food

    The String Bean Fresh Market and Deli: Owner Chad Hutcheson serves up some of the most creative fare around. Big Green Monster, Duck Fat Fries, Boom Boom Shrimp ... sound interesting? Also: an extensive selection of wine and beer. 106 N. Main St., Belmont. 704-825-3636. www.stringbeanmarket.com.

    Sprouts Café: This tiny café is vegetarian central. Thin, crispy, veggie pizzas are to die for. So are sandwiches like the zucchini melt. Behind the Organic Market, 1012 S. New Hope Road, Gastonia. 704-864-5244.

    Landmarks

    Gaston County Heritage Village: This depiction of a cotton farm from the 1890s is a work-in-progress from the county Historic Preservation Commission. Houses, barn, outbuildings show what life was like in pre-industrial times. At Biggerstaff Park off N.C. 2745 in Dallas.

It's late afternoon and I'm counting rabbits along Gastonia's greenway.

I spot a half dozen within a mile. And several squirrels, too. Overhead a red-tailed hawk circles.

Greenways are popular retreats in Gaston County. Mount Holly is working on developing a trail system along the Catawba River. Cramerton already has a greenway along the South Fork River and is working on an expansion.

But my favorite is the one in Gastonia, along Avon and Catawba creeks.

Another one of my favorite places to walk in Gaston is Crowders Mountain State Park. You can hoof it to the peaks, or just settle for a stroll around the lake.

But while there is much natural beauty around the area, my wife and I also have watched the development blossom since moving to Cramerton about two years ago.

Center Street Tavern and H&M Deli are big draws in Crameton and have become community focal points. Neighboring Belmont seems to be filled with more people going browsing shops and eating at restaurants all the time.

And once-blighted downtown Gastonia is turning over a new leaf. The $10 million conference center is rapidly nearing completion, and officials hope it will have a positive impact on the central business district. Another proposed project, ArtSpace Gastonia, could provide space for painters, sculptors, potters, musicians and other artists.

The heart of Gastonia is beating faster again. I'm happy to show it - and the rest of Gaston County - to my friends.

Joe is a local reporter and columnist for the Observer.

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