McAdenville

Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation Boathouse

BY PENELOPE McCLENNY

hether by foot, kayak or car, the town of McAdenvilleW includes several paths for welcoming visitors into this thriving east Gaston community as well as plenty of reasons to make them stay. The new headquarters of a regional environmental organization combined with an active, civic-minded community means this town offers something for nearly every type of visitor or future resident. McAdenville may be well-known throughout the region and country as “Christmas Town USA,” Council Member Reid Washam said, “but I feel like we’re becoming a destination for outdoor recreation.” In mid-2021, the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation celebrated the groundbreaking of its new headquarters in a renovated downtown building along the banks of the South Fork River. Months earlier, the Riverkeepers also renovated a building on the banks of the river at the head of the South Fork Trail along the Carolina Thread Trail and are using that facility to offer kayak rentals, public information and retail sales. “It’s just a great opportunity for us to meet people who are into the outdoors,” said John Searby, Riverkeeper Executive Director. From the boathouse, visitors can begin a 2-mile hike along the Carolina Thread Trail to nearby Lowell. The Riverkeepers also offer kayaks for a variety of expeditions, including a float trip to Cramerton’s Goat Island or shuttle rides for a longer, guided trip back downriver from Spencer Mountain.

South Fork Trail

Rendering Of New Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation Headquarters

Plans for the nearby Riverkeeper headquarters, which will be the anchor tenant in a 20,000-square-foot space along Main Street, include offices, a water testing lab, and a classroom for hosting summer camps, community lectures, and a wide variety of other events, Searby said. “Just having classroom space is huge for us,” Searby said. The facility will also house a taproom, showcasing a wide variety of local beers brewed solely from water along the basin. As with many projects in the town, the Riverkeeper Foundation benefited from the help of the McAdenville Woman’s Club, which sponsored the sign at the boathouse. From helping to maintain the local greenway to sprucing up the elementary school to sponsoring a college scholarship, club members volunteer time and help raise funds to support a wide variety of projects throughout McAdenville.

Each year, members organize a 5K road race, held the evening of the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. With a path winding through the town’s famous Christmas lights, the race typically sells out months in advance. Proceeds then help to support the club’s many projects as well as the local YMCA. “We’ve become neighborhood race experts,” said Club President Ashley Westmoreland. “We improve every year.” While these exciting annual events as well as a full menu of hikes, river trips and other outdoor activities offer plenty of reasons to bring visitors into downtown McAdenville, Council Member Washam knows there are plenty more to make them stay. From bakery treats to gifts shops to restaurants, the town offers friendly merchants who welcome visitors and remember residents. Westmoreland, who admits she is a frequent shopper at Mona’s Boutique & Gifts, recently received an arrangement from the shop owner when her grandmother passed away. “It was super sweet to get there and see something from Mona,” she said. It’s for that reason, and numerous more, that Westmoreland loves being a part of this Gaston community. “The Woman’s Club is probably my favorite part of McAdenville,” she said, “and I have a lot of favorite parts of McAdenville. a McAdenville Numbers Population: 865* Land Area: 1.49 square miles Tax Rate: 33¢ per $100 valuation Median Household Income: $99,167** Median Housing Value: $289,500** Total Housing Units: 354** High School Graduate or Higher: 89.8%** Average Travel Time to Work: 29.9 Minutes** Sources: https://censusreporter.org, US Census *Vintage 2019 Population Estimates; **2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates

CHRISTMAS TOWN USA

With a tradition that began in 1956 when the local Men’s Club decided to decorate a number of trees with Christmas lights, McAdenville is now known as “Christmas Town USA”. The glow of all the lights makes McAdenville an annual destination and it has grown to a month-long celebration with light displays involving residents, businesses, and churches. It has grown to be one of the nation's largest, attracting a half-million visitors who stroll or slowly drive the 1.3 mile loop through town. Each year, thousands of red, white and green lights decorate nearly 400 trees throughout town with special displays that surround the lake at the town’s center. www.mcadenville-christmastown.com