Glenwood
Thanks for Glenwood Real Estate, Western NC
By HarrisRealty.org

On Route 221, just south of I-40 and Marion, North Carolina, Glenwood enjoys easy access to the mountains and the piedmont and to mineral-rich rolling hills.  With a land area of 16 square miles and a rural population under 3,000, this tight-knit community has shared generations of hard work, sacrifice and pride in accomplishment. 

A variety of Glenwood houses and beautiful McDowell farm properties near streams, rivers, and creeks like Goose Creek, Rock Creek, Stanfords Creek, Beaverdam Branch and Hicks Branch are an easy commute from Marion, North Carolina employment.  Some prefer to till the soil and feed the community luscious apples or berries; others buy Glenwood homes for sale at a reasonable price and spend time traveling the countryside.  No matter what brings you to real estate in Glenwood—the great county schools or the beautiful Lake James just up the road or the friendly folks who have been just stewards of these verdant hills for generations—statistics show that you may be here to stay! 

With a high precipitation rate, expect to fall in love with waterfalls and green.  In summertime, large rosey pink, sunshine yellow and milky white blooms appear out of nowhere on the hills.  Of course, in autumn, the abundant trees shake and shimmer in yellows, oranges, reds and infinite variations.  Fishing, boating, hiking, biking, horseback riding and even skiing could fill your days.  There’s the fabulous Lake James State Park, the Linville area and Grandfather Mountain area of Pisgah National Forest and panoramic views across Mt. Mitchell and the Blue Ridge Mountains and so many attractions nearby.  Knee-slapping music in Old Fort, the exquisite Biltmore Estate, the Tweetsie Railroad Museum and plenty of other museums make for great family visits and educational programs, too.  Learn of the Overmountain Trail in nearby Dysartville or of an advanced Cherokee civilization present in these mountains for hundreds of years.  Many take advantage of the close proximity to the South Mountains and Lake Lure, a few miles south of town.

The history of Glenwood comes to us in bits and pieces, possibly because the town has had at least three distinct names.  One of the oldest communities in the county, Glenwood was originally called Mountain Valley.  Original structures from that period still stand, including a one-room log school building also used by the first Methodist congregation.  Additionally, an 1810 log cabin built by a German immigrant as well as several lovely Victorian and Greek Revival structures built during the beginning days of Mountain Valley add charm to this small town in America.  The next name, Nealsville, honored the Neal family who ran a plantation in these parts.  Finally, the railroad came along and christened the town with its present name.

Double railroad tracks run north and south through town.  Whether moving ore or beans, the railroad continues to bring industry to the area.  Traditionally, the railroad was key to exporting both gold and sugar.  Vein Mountain gold mines were the most productive mines in the United States prior to the gold rush, supplying Bechtler’s Mint in Rutherford County.  Vein Mountain Gold Camp is the only native emerald mine open to the public in North Carolina, producing gold, as well as 40 different types of crystals and gems.  A Dinky Line (narrow gauge) Railroad used to haul sugar produce from the area south of here to far away markets. 

Tobacco, soybeans, corn, cotton, peanuts, forages and small grains pervade North Carolina's rural landscape.  Increased foreign competition and other factors make farming these traditional commodities risky.  Competition, on the other hand, is spurring local farmers on to the cutting edge of agricultural production.  The North Carolina Cooperative Extension helps by providing growers with the latest research-based information and recommendations on the best varieties and production practices for the state's conditions.  They also help growers comply with changing regulations, investigate new higher-value opportunities, develop solid business plans and explore marketing options.

This is the place for thanksgiving for the abundant wildlife (yes, deer and turkeys), fresh fish and ample nuts, fruits, vegetable and grain.  Add to the horn of plenty lots of outdoors adventure, lots of places to retreat, nearby larger cities, the Blue Ridge Parkway a few miles down the road and an easy dip into Lake James.  Life is good.