Images Davidson County, NC: 2008

2008 | IMAGESDAVIDSONCOUNTY.COM | VIDEO TOUR ONLINE TM

OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

PIGS IN THE CITY Whimsical public art project herds swine into the streets

THE BUSINESS OF SPEED Motorsports industry keeps manufacturers busier than ever

Grand Living Historic districts showcase impressive architecture SPONSORED BY THE LEXINGTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE THOMASVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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“ DAVIDSON COUNTY LIKE IT’S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”

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2008 EDITION | VOLUME 6 TM

OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

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DAVIDSON COUNTY BUSINESS

THE BUSINESS OF SPEED

30 Biz Briefs

More and more motor-sports companies and race teams are choosing to put down roots in Davidson County.

32 Chamber Report

STUMBLING UPON GREATNESS Four years ago, Mike Helsabeck painted a duck on a license plate as a casual favor for a friend. And things took off from there.

33 Economic Profile

D E PA R TM E NT S 6 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Davidson County’s culture

25 Portfolio: people, places and

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HOT ON THE TRAIL OF HISTORY An official Civil War Trail with markers is making it easier than ever for visitors to find the sites.

events that define Davidson County

37 Sports & Recreation 39 Health & Wellness 43 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know

20 GRAND LIVING Thomasville’s Salem Street Historic District features homes rich in startling and varied architectural detail.

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PIGS IN THE CITY A public art project proves pigs can be pretty.

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ON THE COVER Photo by Todd Bennett Historic Salem Street home in Thomasville

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What’s Online More lists, links and tips for newcomers

OF DAVIDSON COUNT Y SENIOR EDITOR ANITA WADHWANI COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, KIM MADLOM ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN, JESSICA MOZO DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA MORGAN, KRISTY WISE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SARAH WARD, TIM GHIANNI, AMY GREEN, JOE MORRIS REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER TODD POTTER INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER AMANDA BUCHANAN ONLINE SALES MANAGER MATT SLUTZ SALES COORDINATOR SARA SARTIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, WES ALDRIDGE, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, MICHAEL W. BUNCH, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN M CCORD CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS. MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER ALISON HUNTER GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, CANDICE HULSEY, JANINE MARYLAND, LINDA MOREIRAS, AMY NELSON, CARL RATLIFF WEB PROJECT MANAGER ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC MEGHANN CAREY, SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART EXECUTIVE EDITOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS, JACKIE YATES RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH MARKETING COORDINATOR AMY AKIN IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR NICOLE WILLIAMS SALES SUPPORT MANAGER/ CUSTOM MAGAZINES PATTI CORNELIUS

IMAGESDAVIDSONCOUNTY.COM

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WEB SITE EXTRA

MOVING PICTURES

PLUS

VIDEO 1 INSIDE LOOK Join us on a virtual tour of Davidson County through the lenses of our award-winning photographers at imagesdavidsoncounty.com.

VIDEO 2 PHOTO SLIDESHOW Get a closer look at the Oak Tree Boys and their brand of bluegrass with a photo slideshow.

VIDEO 360 PANORAMIC Click and drag your cursor for a 360 panorama that takes you inside NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt’s race car.

SEARCH OUR ARCHIVES Browse past issues of the magazine by year or search for specific articles by subject.

INSTANT LINKS Read the entire magazine online using our ActiveMagazine™ technology and link instantly to community businesses and services.

EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; find related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

SEE HOW THE GARDENS GROW Images of Davidson County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce and the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce 16 E. Center St. • Lexington, NC 27293 Phone: (336) 248-5929 • Fax: (336) 248-2161 E-mail: chamber@lexingtonchamber.net www.lexingtonchamber.net Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce 6 W. Main Street • Thomasville, NC 27361 Phone: (336) 475-6134 • Fax: (336) 475-4802 E-mail: tvillecoc@northstate.net www.thomasvillechamber.com VISIT IMAGES OF DAVIDSON COUNTY ONLINE AT IMAGESDAVIDSONCOUNTY.COM ©Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

Member

Magazine Publishers of America

Member

Custom Publishing Council

Member Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce and the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

North Carolina’s abundant rainfall and a diverse climate make it easy to grow a wide variety of plants that are indigenous to many continents. Find out more at imagesdavidsoncounty.com.

BARBEQUE RULES One of the simple pleasures of Southern dining is the down-home barbecue experience. Pork is the meat of choice with side dishes of coleslaw and hush puppies.

Get a taste at imagesdavidsoncounty.com.

A B O U T T H I S M AG A Z I N E Images of Davidson County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce and the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Davidson County tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.”

– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

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Almanac

SEE MORE ONLINE | To learn more about Bob Timberlake, visit the Archives at imagesdavidsoncounty.com/07.

A Sitting Ovation The “Big Chair” has made Thomasville famous ever since 1922.

That was when the huge reproduction of a Duncan Phyfe dining room chair was constructed in downtown Thomasville, next to the depot and railroad tracks. The monument stands 18 feet tall atop its 12-foot limestone base.

The chair reflects the history and tradition of the area’s furniture-making industry, and is also a symbol of all the furniture outlets in Davidson County that attract shoppers on a year-round basis.

Bob Turns 70 in Style Picture this: Artist Bob Timberlake turned 70 years old in 2007.

Timberlake celebrated his legendary artistic career by showcasing 70 of his favorite paintings during a special six-week showing in June and August of 2007. The showing took place at his personal gallery in Lexington.

Timberlake is one of the most famous artists in the South, specializing in rural landscape paintings.

But he has also designed hundreds of pieces of furniture, including tables, sofas, lamps and rugs.

His furniture line is inspired by his paintings as well as his private collection of 18th century antiques and decorative art.

A World-Class Dining Festival If you like barbecue, get your stomach to Lexington – especially in October.

That’s when the annual Lexington Barbecue Festival takes place, with 2008 being the 25th annual celebration. Lexington is known as the “Barbecue Capital of the World,” with 20 barbecue restaurants in a town with a population of about 20,000.

For the festival, an eight-block stretch of Main Street is closed to traffic, and 150,000 people attend to sample the more than 15,000 pounds of barbecue prepared by chefs.

The 2008 Lexington Barbecue Festival is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 25.

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What Exactly Is a Heifer?

Move It, Move It Need exercise? Thomasville wants to help.

City leaders are sponsoring a Move More Thomasville initiative that gives points to participants for canoeing, running, lifting weights or even mowing their lawn. For completing 25 hours, participants will receive a pedometer and tickets to a Thomasville HiToms baseball game.

Fast Facts

Both rural and city folks can enjoy a day at the fair. Actually, six days.

The annual Davidson County Agricultural Fair ushers in the fall season every September at the Davidson County Fairgrounds. It features agricultural contests along with amusement rides, food booths and a petting area. Some of the proceeds from the fair go to Kamp Kiwanis, a summer camp for 180 underprivileged children in Davidson County.

Davidson County | At A Glance POPULATION (2006 ESTIMATE) Davidson County: 156,236 Thomasville: 26,200 Lexington: 20,382

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Davidson County at imagesdavidsoncounty.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

LOCATION Davidson County is in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region, an equal distance between Charlotte and Raleigh.

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Winston-Salem 40

21 BEGINNINGS Davidson County was founded in 1822 and named for Revolutionary War Gen. 64 William Lee Davidson.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce 6 West Main Street Thomasville, NC 27361 (336) 475-6134 Fax: (336) 475-4802 www.thomasvillechamber.net Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce 29 16 East Center St. Lexington, NC 27293 (336) 248-5929 Fax: (336) 248-2161 www.lexingtonchamber.net

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Greensboro 85

High Point

Q The earliest official map of Lexington, dating to 1804, is on display at the Davidson County Historical Museum.

Q Boone’s Cave Park features Devil’s Den, a cave where Daniel Boone reportedly hid from American Indian marauders.

Q Lexington calls itself the Barbecue Capital of the World, with more than 20 restaurants that dish up pork-shoulder barbecue cooked over hot hickory coals.

Q Finch Field, home to the Thomasville Hi-Toms of the collegiate woodbat Coastal Plain League, was built in 1935 and underwent a $2.6 million renovation in time for the 2006 season.

Q The Lexington Municipal Golf Course was recently recognized

by Golf magazine as one of the best-renovated golf venues in the nation.

Welcome

Thomasville Lexington DAVIDSON 64 52

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109 85 High Rock Lake

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Denton Uwharrie National Forest

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Davidson County

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Davidson County, visit imagesdavidsoncounty.com.

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The

BUSINESS

Speed

of

DAVIDSON COUNTY IS FAST EMERGING AS A MOTOR-SPORTS INDUSTRY HUB

STORY BY JESSICA MOZO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT

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ove over, Charlotte.

More and more motor-sports companies and race teams are choosing to put down roots in Davidson County, creating a racing industry nucleus that promises to keep on growing.

“We recruit motor-sports companies from all over the world,” says Steve Googe, executive director of the Davidson County Economic Development Commission. “We’ve had success, and that breeds other people coming. Motor-sports companies also talk at trade shows, and we’ve gotten a lot of referrals that way.”

Richard Childress Racing Inc., founded by retired NASCAR driver Richard Childress, is among the top 10 manufacturing companies in the county. With its own race teams and manufacturing operations, Richard Childress

Racing has earned more than 150 victories and 10 NASCAR championships.

The company is headquartered in Welcome and manufactures race cars as well as its own brand of wine and sausages.

“Richard Childress Racing had only 35 employees in 1992 and now has over 400,” Googe says. “All the race teams have experienced that growth, and there’s a huge demand for motor-sports talent in this region. Bill Davis Racing has also been in Davidson County a number of years, and the Pettys have an operation in Thomasville.”

Roehrig Engineering Inc. in Lexington moved to Davidson County in 2005 and manufactures shock absorber and spring testing equipment used by race teams to test racecar components. Kurt Roehrig, chief executive officer and

The 47,000-square-foot RCR Racing Museum features numerous displays, 46 race cars and one NASCAR truck.

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technical director, says both Googe and Childress were instrumental in the company’s decision to move to Davidson County.

“Richard Childress has been a mentor to me, and he encouraged us to come here,” Roehrig says. “We also saw a lot of motor-sports industry growth here, and 50 percent of our volume has been within a 100-mile radius of where we are.”

Another big draw was Davidson County’s proximity to airports in Greensboro, Raleigh and Charlotte for handling the company’s international distribution.

“This location helps us better serve our customers,” Roehrig says. “Our experience has been wonderful so far.

Davidson County seems to be very aggressive in making itself an attractive place to do business.”

CV Products Inc., a world-class racing parts manufacturer, 10

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moved to Thomasville in 1996. The company is also a highvolume distributor of the top brands of racing components.

Their customers include virtually every team at all levels of NASCAR, including local powerhouse organizations such as Richard Childress Racing, Petty Enterprises and Dale Earnhardt Inc. “When we moved to our new headquarters in 1996, the benefits of being in Davidson County immediately became obvious,” says Sean Honan, communications manager for CV Products Inc. “The location of CV Products in the heart of central North Carolina has and will continue to be essential to our growth and success. Our location in Thomasville provides us with a base near both Interstate 85 and Greensboro for transportation convenience, and we are able to look to DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Greensboro for recruiting talented personnel.”

Xceldyne Technologies is another motor-sports company located in Thomasville. They manufacture titanium valves, valvetrain and racing components for a variety of racecars and specialize in titanium alloys.

“As the racing market continues to grow, you are seeing many companies involved in motor-sports relocate and join us in this area,” Honan says. “We have worked closely with Steve Googe to identify tax incentives and other forms of assistance available from state and county government. As we move into the future, this type of cooperation will continue to strengthen North Carolina’s place as the heart and soul of this industry.”

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Inside the plant, Chance Shaw constructs a Shock Dyno.

Left: Roehrig Engineering in Lexington manufactures machines used for all levels of auto racing, from the weekend racer, to Indy series, to NASCAR.

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Stumbling Upon

Greatness MIKE HELSABECK FINDS HIS NICHE IN THE COUNTY’S THRIVING ARTS SCENE

STORY BY REBECCA DENTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT

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our years ago, Mike Helsabeck painted a duck on a license plate as a casual favor for a friend.

This talented musician and 20-year veteran of the radio business had never dabbled in art, so he was as surprised as anyone when people started raving about his work.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission soon requested his paintings for its calendar, and North Carolina Ducks Unlimited selected him as Artist of the Year.

“The right folks saw the work, and I guess I never looked back,” he says. “It’s been one lucky break after another.”

Today, Helsabeck owns The Mike Helsabeck Collection, a gallery and shop in Lexington that sells his paintings and prints as well as signature items – his own wine collection, coffee, puzzles, furniture, bottled water – that feature his artwork. He also sells work by a variety of other local and regional artists.

“Never in a million years would I have dreamed I would be painting for a

living and that people would actually want to buy what I painted,” says Helsabeck, an avid outdoorsman. “That is still amazing to me.”

In addition to being selected for the cover of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s 25th Anniversary calendar – his second consecutive appearance on the cover – Helsabeck was chosen again in 2007 as North Carolina’s Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year. His wildlife artwork has helped to raise money for conservation groups such as the North Carolina Wildlife

Artist Mike Helsabeck works in his Lexington gallery; he owns the Mike Helsabeck Collection, a gallery and shop.

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SEE MORE ONLINE | To read about other artists who call Davidson County home, visit the Archives at imagesdavidsoncounty.com/07.

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Artist Mike Helsabeck’s gallery features his own brand of wine. Left: Potter Ray Frank works on one of his pieces in the studio of Full Moon Pottery in Reeds, one of many emerging regional galleries.

Habitat Fund and the National Wild Turkey Federation, and his paintings have been featured by the outdoor retail giant Bass Pro Shops.

Helsabeck is in good company in Davidson County, where nationally recognized galleries have been cropping up all over in recent years.

The venerable gallery of Bob Timberlake – the nationally renowned painter of rural landscapes – is also based in Lexington, and the specialty shop of Dempsey Essick, known as the “hummingbird artist,” can be found in downtown Welcome, N.C. Other regional galleries include Full Moon Pottery in Reeds, Moose Hollow DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Pottery in Thomasville, the Stephen Sebastian gallery in Thomasville, Wide West Gallery in Lexington and Southern Spirit Gallery in Denton.

“There’s a long tradition of artists and craftspeople here,” says Erik Salzwedel, executive director of the Arts United for Davidson County, a nonprofit organization that sponsors educational programs in schools and provides grant support to arts organizations throughout the county.

“Out of the tradition of sharing and creating have come several people who have really turned the arts into a business, such as Bob Timberlake, Dempsey Essick, Mike Helsabeck and

Stephen Sebastian,” Salzwedel says.

“As their names go out into the world, they enhance the image of Davidson County.”

Toby Hagmaier, owner of Southern Spirit Gallery in Denton, sells handmade items from all over North Carolina, including art and crafts made by more than 25 Davidson County artists – from stained glass and woodwork to pottery and jewelry.

“I think Davidson County is an area that’s definitely gaining recognition,” she says. “There are a huge amount of artists here, and the handmade things that people buy today will be the heirlooms of tomorrow.”

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Hot on

Trail of

the

History 16

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NEW CIVIL WAR MARKERS GUIDE VISITORS THROUGH HISTORY STORY BY REBECCA DENTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT

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he bodies of 36 Civil War soldiers lie in a common grave in Thomasville Cemetery – the only place in the country where Confederate and Union soldiers rest side by side.

Nearby are the former sites of two churches used as makeshift hospitals for wounded soldiers during the Civil War, and the restored Thomasville Depot downtown evokes its days as a major railroad stop and refuge during that time.

Plenty of other historically significant Civil War sites can be found throughout Davidson County, and now an official Civil War Trail with markers is making it easier than ever for visitors to find them.

The North Carolina Civil War Trail program is part of a larger trail program that runs through Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and soon Tennessee. This multi-state venture identifies, interprets and creates driving tours of the great campaigns and the lesser-known Civil War sites – and Davidson County is represented with six sites on this new trail system.

Three markers in Thomasville, funded in part by the Thomasville Tourism Commission, commemorate the railroad

At Thomasville Cemetery, stones mark the only site in the nation where Union and Confederate soldiers are buried side by side in a common grave.

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A visitors center located in Thomasville now occupies the oldest train depot in North Carolina.

Right: A Civil War marker in Lexington is one of 150 found throughout 70 counties in the state.

depot area, wayside hospitals and the Thomasville Cemetery.

The other three – installed in Lexington in September 2007 and funded locally by the Lexington Tourism Authority and Davidson Vision – mark the historic courthouse, The Homestead on Main Street, and a pine grove site near Lake Thom-A-Lex where Jefferson Davis met with his Confederate cabinet.

All told, North Carolina has 150 markers in 70 counties – part of a $1.3 million effort in the state through a Federal Transportation Enhancements Grant and matching funds from local communities.

“Visitors who use a map and companion booklet prepared by the Davidson County Historical Museum will not only be able to locate the six Civil War Trail markers, but also many sites of interest from this period in our county’s history,” says Jo Ellen Edwards, executive director of the Tourism Recreation Investment Partnership.

Thomasville’s Historic Preservation Commission has 18

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created its own local trail guide, a color walking-tour brochure of historic homes, buildings and other historic sites, including the Civil War Trail markers.

In 2001, the National Trust for Historic Preservation identified the Civil War Trails program as one of the most successful and sustainable heritage tourism programs in the nation, and tourism officials hope that proves true in Davidson County.

“We have already seen an increase in visitors in the heritage and cultural tourism market here,” says Mark Scott, executive director of tourism for Thomasville Tourism. “The analogy I like to use is Thomasville’s 30-foot-high chair – the world’s largest chair. It’s amazing the number of people who come here to see the chair, and I think the Civil War Trails markers will be the same way.

“It may never be calculated just how much of a direct impact it has on the community,” he says. “But we know it’s there.”

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Dozers Excavators Motor Graders Track Loaders Wheel Loaders/ Backhoes

5941 NC Highway 8 Lexington, NC 27292

Scrapers Articulated Trucks

(336) 357-5005 (866) 629-3784 www.mayequip.com

Come visit the RCR Racing Museum in Welcome, NC, where you can relive some of stock car racing’s greatest moments.

See more than 50 cars driven by Richard Childress, Dale Earnhardt and many others along with dozens of trophies, photographs and other memorabilia. There is even a wildlife gallery showcasing some of Richard’s personal big game trophies and information about outdoor conservation.

It makes for a day of learning and fun so come experience 35+ years of legendary racing history.

Watch the RCR pit crews practice daily.

School groups welcome. Don’t forget to check out the great merchandise in the RCR Team Store.

OPEN: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

236 INDUSTRIAL DR. WELCOME, NC 27374 (336) 731-3389 WWW.RCRRACING.COM

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Grand L HISTORIC HOMES ENRICH NEIGHBORHOODS FOR RESIDENTS AND BUYERS

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iving STORY BY SARAH WARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD BENNETT

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ake a slow drive through Thomasville’s Salem Street Historic District, and you’ll see homes rich in startling and varied architectural detail.

“This particular residential historical district is unique to Thomasville,” says Charlotte Sears, chair of the Thomasville Historic Preservation Commission.

“Almost every decade is represented, from the early 1860s to the late 1950s, in a block and a half.”

The home styles range from Queen Anne to Colonial Revival.

In many other communities, the grand scale and beauty of the homes would put them far out of reach of the average homebuyer, but Davidson County’s affordability remains one of its greatest assets, drawing young families and retirees looking for upscale living, a small-town atmosphere and access to urban offerings a short drive away.

“Currently, there are homes available for sale in all of our historic areas,” Sears says.

With a total of 700 designated historical properties, both residential and commercial, Thomasville residents are able to appreciate the historical and family-friendly environments of a smaller Architectural detail of one of the many historic homes that line Salem Street in Thomasville

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Castle-like homes stand side by side with traditional homes in Lexington’s historic district.

area, while still having access to opportunities found in nearby larger cities.

“When it comes to housing, it’s all about location,” says Doug Croft, president of the Thomasville Chamber of Commerce. “What you’ll find in Thomasville is a good-sized city that doesn’t have the problems that a larger city has, but isn’t too small and is close to surrounding cities, like Greensboro and Winston-Salem,” Croft says. “Combine that with historic, upscale living and you’re meeting the needs of lots of people.”

The Salem Street Historic District is just one housing alternative for Davidson County residents wishing to raise a family or empty-nesters wanting to settle down in a comfortable smalltown setting.

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Got questions? We’ve got answers.

Just 21 miles south of WinstonSalem, nearby Lexington also is filled with grand, historic homes, many of which have noteworthy architecture.

The Homestead and Hilldale, for example, are two homes that are significant because they were built before the Civil War in a Neoclassical architectural style, says Catherine Hoffman, chair of the Lexington Historic Preservation Commission.

“While not typical within a district that has a diverse inventory of historic houses, The Homestead and Hilldale are important because they represent the grandest scale of houses built in Lexington before World War II,” Hoffman says.

Located one block northwest from the commercial heart of downtown Lexington, the Lexington Residential Historic District encompasses approximately 264 acres and includes the earliest residential sections of town – most of which were built in the late nineteenth century.

“What’s great about the homes in the Lexington Residential Historic District are the differing architectural styles, whether it be a large Colonial or a Mediterranean Revival-styled home,” says Radford Thomas, president/CEO, Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce.

“The area is great for raising a family or ideal for other individuals who wish to retire in an older home.”

What unites local homeowners is the great pride and care they put into their homes, Thomas says.

“The manner in which buyers have purchased and preserved the character of homes has really impressed me,” Thomas says. “There aren’t too many places like that.”

Residents take pride in the heritage of the area’s historic homes.

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

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249-4951 307 W. Center St. Lexington, NC

474-3160 807 Julian Ave. Thomasville, NC

www.mountcastleinsurance.com

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WWW.DAVIDSONWATER.COM

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21 REASONS WHY WE LOVE TO LIVE AND WORK IN DAVIDSON COUNTY: 1

Small town atmosphere within big city conveniences

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Major highways are accessible

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Mountains and beaches are within two to four hours driving distance

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Major medical centers are nearby

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Local airport accommodates corporate jets

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Arts and cultural events available county wide

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Community facilities: a YMCA in both Thomasville and Lexington

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Tourist attractions: local visitor’s center

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Low property tax rates

Our Staff = Your Solution

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Southern hospitality at its best

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Diligent workforce available

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A caring community: many social programs

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A variety of restaurants

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Recreation available: team sports for all ages, lake activities and golf

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Moderate climate but seasonal changes

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Three major festivals: Barbecue Festival, Everybody’s Day and Threshers Reunion

17

Several educational institutions within a 30-minute drive

18

Religious diversity

19

A sense of history: museum, historic buildings, restoration

150 Weaver Drive • P.O. Box 845 • Lexington, NC 27293

(336) 249-7705 Toll-free: (866) 249-7705 • Fax: (336) 249-7706 E-mail: benefits@parrottinsurance.com www.parrottinsurance.com

Davidson County Public Library & Historical Museum Over 75 Years of Service as North Carolina’s Oldest County Public Library

20 Access to major malls for shopping 21 Active chambers of commerce

LOHR REALTY – 249-2988 Sharon Lohr Long Wayne Alley Susan H. McMillan Donna B. Padon Lance Barrett Miles Cleckley Bob Everhart Sandra J. Snyder Vinnon Williams Dick Johnson

Serving Employers and Individuals

249-2988 249-0087 243-1160 746-6163 250-4962 249-4474 239-6494 249-0303 956-3672 250-5000

“The Very Best Place to Start for Learning and Discovery” Internet Access Toddler/Preschool Bedtime Storytimes Genealogy/ Local History Reference and Information Videocassettes and DVDs Compact Discs Ongoing Used Book Sales Meeting/Conference Room Facilities

North Carolina Digital Library Audio Books Reader’s Advisory Color Copier/Scanner NC LIVE Young Adult Programs Word Processing Applications Young Patron’s Summer Reading Program Computer Games for Children Fax Service

Six Locations Lexington (242-2040) North Davidson (242-2050) Denton (859-2215)

www.century21lohrrealty.com

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I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

www.co.davidson.nc.us/library

West Davidson (853-4800) Thomasville (474-2690) Historic Museum@Courthouse Square (242-2035) catalog: library.co.davidson.nc.us

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Portfolio

A Palatial Pit Stop MOTOR-SPORTS INDUSTRY LEGEND RICHARD CHILDRESS TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO WINE

ASCAR may have a blue-collar, beer-loving image, but Richard Childress – the famed NASCAR team owner – owns one of the classiest wine places around.

Open since 2004 just west of Lexington, the opulent, 35,000-squarefoot Childress Vineyards winery is a cultural experience in itself. The stoneand-stucco building is topped by an ornate terra cotta roof inspired by the Italian Renaissance architecture of rural Tuscany, and visitors can relax on a terrace overlooking the vineyards, listen to music in the sitting area or get an up-close look at winemaking in the state-of-the-art wine production center.

There’s also a bistro that focuses on fresh, organic produce, meats, seafood and homemade pastas with a menu that changes seasonally. Each Sunday, a new buffet brunch is offered along with wine.

Events take place year-round at the winery, including seasonal concerts, daily tours and tastings, winemakerhosted dinners, wild-game dinners, DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

“pairings” dinners where visitors can experiment with different wines and entrees, and Fast Track Wine Club members-only events.

The winery attracts some 75,000 to 100,000 people each year, including those who come for weddings and special events.

“It’s a wide and varied cross-section of people from the surrounding area as well as from neighboring states,” says Kathleen Watson, director of marketing and public relations for the winery.

“Our location makes us very accessible to highway travelers.”

The 65-acre vineyard grows a dozen different kinds of European grapes and produces more than a dozen varieties, more than a dozen signature wines and four house wines. A local favorite is Fine Swine Wine, a wine made specifically for hickory-smoked barbecue.

This special wine, with a label designed by renowned artist Bob Timberlake, is produced each year and is sold only on the day of the annual barbecue festival in Lexington.

PHOTOS BY TODD BENNETT

N

SEE MORE ONLINE | To learn more about Childress Vineyards, visit the Archives at imagesdavidsoncounty.com/06.

At Childress Vineyards, a dozen different kinds of grapes are grown.

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

25

Portfolio Davidson County Airport is a state-of-the art facility capable of handling small planes and corporate jets. It’s about to expand.

WES ALDRIDGE

Gearing Up for Growth

26

F

asten your cufflinks: The Davidson County Airport, which has a 5,000foot runway, is about to expand its corporate capacity.

Situated just off Interstate 85 in Lexington, the airport is a state-of-the art, general-aviation facility capable of handling aircraft ranging from small planes to the largest corporate jets. It houses about 60 airplanes now, including planes for several NASCAR teams.

Carolina Aero Service, which operates the airport, is in the process of making some major improvements.

“We’re building six 60-by-60 corporate hangars and 10 additional enclosed T-hangars – individual hangars for smaller airplanes,” says Everett Tate, who owns Carolina Aero Service with his wife, Valerie.

The improvements – scheduled for completion in April 2008 – will allow more companies and individuals to house their planes here, ideally helping to pave the way for economic growth.

“It’s going to open up more avenues for any kind of future economic development we might be able to recruit into Davidson County,” Tate says. “This will help us tremendously.”

The airport already offers complete aircraft maintenance services, jet fuel and aviation fuel, ground transportation and rental cars. Davidson County Airport also offers a new precision instrument landing system that will bring aircraft to within 200 feet of the runway in inclement weather.

“We’re proud of that,” Everett Tate says. “It’s not something you find at most smaller airports.”

Flight instruction is also available, along with plane rides, tours and a picnic area where visitors can watch planes land and take off.

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Showing Off Pigs in the City L

exington has long been known for its hickory-smoked pork barbecue, but historic Uptown Lexington is known for a different sort of swine these days.

Since 2003, composite fiberglass pigs – elaborately and creatively painted by artists – have graced the streets of the district almost every summer.

Called “Pigs in the City,” the public art project has raised about $40,000 each year for Uptown Lexington Inc., a nonprofit organization that works to revitalize and preserve the business core while creating a cohesively designed community in the historic district.

Sponsors pay a fee for the pigs, which are decorated and placed around town, and those sponsors – or other buyers – can choose to purchase pigs after the show. The project initially intended to identify pigs with barbecue, but people seem to like the pigs for their whimsical personalities, says Wade Nichols, executive director of Uptown Lexington Inc. “The pig is much more lovable than other critters” used in similar programs across the country, he adds.

Some of the memorable swine creations include “Pig Cadillac,” a pink pig with fins, chrome and a taillight like an

All the publicity has helped fuel tourism in a big way.

“It has people on the streets in very large numbers walking around a historic town that has a creative side to it,” Nichols says. About two dozen new pigs will be out in force in 2008 from early May through mid-October, along with a “Hoofin’ Map” to guide visitors on a tour. Off-season maps – a Pigs in the City locator brochure – are also available to lead visitors to past pigs’ permanent homes.

TODD BENNETT

old Cadillac, complete with an MP3 player belting Aretha Franklin’s song “Pink Cadillac;” a “Pigasus” with wings; two pigs on their hind legs “Swine Dancing”; and a masked and caped “Super Pig.” One camouflage pig called “Root for the Troops” gained some fame when it was stolen from the street and later turned up undamaged.

“There was a national search on, and it was covered on TV, print and radio nationwide,” Nichols says.

The Uptown Lexington district sponsors a public art project featuring decorated fiberglass pigs.

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

27

Portfolio

Celebrating Everybody

N

orth Carolina’s oldest festival, the hugely popular Everybody’s Day Festival in Thomasville, celebrates its 100th year in 2008.

As the story goes, the city’s mayor in 1908 declared a day when everybody – including the outlying farmers and their families – would all gather in town to relax and have a good time, and the tradition continues a century later with about 80,000 people flocking here for a daylong party each September.

“It brings a lot of folks to our downtown, and we get to showcase our downtown businesses and merchants,” says Doug Croft, president of the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s also just a great celebration day. In a world where people are always finding something wrong and something to complain about, this is an event that everybody enjoys.”

The cultural arts festival takes place the last Saturday in September, and it has grown to include more than 200 juried arts and crafts vendors along with dozens of food vendors – not to mention live music, dancing, a golf tournament, a 5K run and walk, a poetry contest and plenty of activities for children.

One highlight for families is a children’s crafts village where youngsters can paint, draw, learn crafts and try out musical instruments. Carnival rides are part of the fun, along with several stages featuring headline entertainers, local dance groups and gospel music.

Coordinated by the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Thomasville Medical Center, the festival couldn’t take place without the cooperation of dozens of volunteers, chamber staff members, city workers and more than 100 business sponsors, Croft says.

“You can come to this festival and have a great time for free and experience a lot of cultural arts,” Croft says.

(800)-682-1910

28

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

The first Everybody’s Day Festival was held in 1908, making it the state’s oldest festival.

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Boone’s Cave at Boone’s Cave Park

A Back-toNature Escape

D

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

TODD BENNETT

aniel Boone once hid from hostile Indians in an 80-foot-long cave on a steep slope facing the serpentine Yadkin River in Boone’s Cave Park.

At least that’s how the legend goes.

“There’s no documentation to show that he lived there, but we do know he spent some time there,” says Charles Parnell, recreation director for the Davidson County Recreation Department. “We know he spent time hunting and fishing in that area, and supposedly he stayed there before moving on.”

The cave – the park’s namesake – is easy to find, although the entryway is only two or three feet high.

“We recommend that people take a flashlight and be very cautious, but it’s available for them to explore,” Parnell says.

Boone’s Cave Park also offers plenty of other places to explore, with hiking trails and 110 acres of pristine natural areas, including secluded rolling forestland with mixed hardwood trees and more than 100 native wildflowers.

A picnic shelter features a great view of the Yadkin River, which is a popular place for fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

The county is working to provide better access for boaters, Parnell says, and it’s also in the process of adding a primitive camping site.

Students from Davidson County Community College recently rebuilt a log cabin, a replica of a cabin from Daniel Boone’s time, to replace one burned down by vandals.

About 250 people a week visit the park during the warm months, and about 100 visit each week when the weather gets cold.

“We’ve even had a couple of weddings out there,” Parnell says. “You can do a lot of bank fishing there as well as just enjoy the natural setting of the park.”

– Stories by Rebecca Denton I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

29

Business | Biz Briefs

John Herron of Herron House Flowers works on an arrangement at his shop in Thomasville.

BLOOMS, BRANCHES AND BERRIES For 40-year flower industry veteran, John Herron, Thomasville was the perfect place to open a business and raise a family.

“I have a great customer base here,” Herron says. “And I love the family-friendly, small-town feel of Thomasville.”

Herron decided to open up his own flower business, Herron House Flowers, in 1993, and business has yet to slow down for the local flower master.

“With the help of one other full-time employee and four part-time employees, we do many events and between 70-80 weddings a year,” Herron says. “I love the fact that every day is different – I really love what I do.”

Brides and an array of other customers flock to Herron’s self-described “backyard gardening” arrangement style, which incorporates hydrangeas, roses, flowering branches and berries.

Herron currently appears on episodes of “For Your Home” on PBS and has been featured on “Good Morning America.”

30

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

MODERN MEDICINE, OLD-FASHIONED CARE Your Pharmacy of Lexington understands the importance of providing high-quality medicine with little to no wait.

“We realize that if you’ve come from the doctor’s office, you have already been waiting for a while,” says owner Jerry Beamer. “So our goal is to get you what you need in a reasonable amount of time.”

This reliability, combined with a focus on specialty medications, has drawn a loyal customer base in Lexington. Pill Time is the pharmacy’s compounding lab.

It is located in the same building at 100 W. 3rd St. in Lexington, specializing in pediatric and veterinary medication, hormonal replacement therapy and medicine for hospice patients.

“Rather than having to swallow a pill, patients can receive the same application in a gel form, to make them more comfortable,” Beamer says.

QUICK ASSEMBLY Automotive Motors of Thomasville assembles electric motors that power

automobile windows for Chrysler, Ford and Toyota.

“For every million pieces we ship, we estimate that there will be one defect,” says Jeff Mitchell, plant manager of Automotive Motors of Thomasville.

“And in the last five years, with one exception, it has been less than that.”

ASMO North Carolina Inc., the Japanese-owned parent company, has five production plants in the U.S., four of which are located in North Carolina.

Since opening in 1994, the Thomasville plant has concentrated on efficiency in a team-oriented environment – currently, only 12-13 seconds are required to assemble an electric motor.

“At this location there are 130 fulltime associates, and we are a strong unit,” Mitchell says. “We try to gather together with our families once a year just to enjoy one another’s company.”

CARING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES Baptist Children’s Homes in North Carolina, headquartered in Thomasville, is known for its unwavering dedication DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

to its mission: “helping hurting children … healing broken families.”

“I have never met anyone working for Baptist Children’s Homes in North Carolina who didn’t have a sense of purpose about what they’re doing here,” says Jim Edminson, institutional director of communications at BCH. With residential campuses across North Carolina, BCH assists children and families in crisis by offering residential placement, emergency care, a teen mother/baby parent education program, a wilderness camp for boys, a developmental disabilities ministry, a weekday education and care program and intervention programs.

“I think that our having a religious component is important and sets us apart from other groups,” Edminson says. “We are a Christian care institution committed to providing group care in a nurturing environment.”

FARMING AT ITS FINEST When Brenda Garner bought 15.5 acres of family land from her mother eight years ago, she and her husband John knew they wanted to use the land for something other than traditional farming.

“In 2006, we began growing organic Shiitake mushrooms through a research program at North Carolina A & T State University,” says Brenda Garner, coowner of SandyCreek Farm. “From there the idea just developed.”

Located at 3160 S. NC Hwy 150 in Lexington, the farm offers visitors homegrown Shiitake mushrooms, jellies and preserves, plants and flowers in the small, log cabin store on the grounds.

“Heirloom pears, plums, muscadine and figs are used to make the jellies and preserves,” Garner says. “Last fall, we bought a greenhouse, where we sell native plants and woodland plants for purchase.”

The Garners are founding members of the North Carolina Mushroom Growing Association and the Lexington Farmer’s Market Association.

– Sarah Ward DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

PHOTOS BY TODD BENNETT

SandyCreek Farm is a small, familyowned enterprise in Lexington that grows and sells organic mushrooms, pears, and jellies and preserves.

Thomasville Veterinary Hospital, PA

Thomasville Pet Center

303 National Hwy. Thomasville, NC 27360 (336) 475-9119

Healthy Practices.

Healthier Pets.

712 Brookdale Dr. Thomasville, NC 27360 (336) 476-5080

After Hours Emergency Critical Care We strive to provide optimal veterinary care to your pets in a clean, modern facility treating your pets as they were our own and never forgetting they are God’s creation.

Please know that our patient’s well being and our client’s satisfaction with a job well done is our ultimate goal!

THOMASVILLE VET HOSPITAL Member of American Animal Hospital Association since 1990 Full-service veterinary care Well care & senior care Dentistry & grooming Orthopedic & soft tissue surgery Ultrasound & endoscopy Emergency critical care

THOMASVILLE PET CENTER Bathing & dipping Specialty grooming Pet toys, supplies & bedding Temperature controlled kennels Outdoor play area Separate cat ward Premium diets Veterinarian supervised

EMERGENCY CRITICAL CARE Doctors on call 24/7 Doctor on-site Thurs.-Sun. until midnight for after hours emergencies Everyday 24-hour monitoring of hospitalized patients Services available for everyone

www.thomasvillevet.vetsuite.com

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

31

Business | Chamber Report

Combining Forces TOGETHER, TWO LOCAL CHAMBERS WORK TO BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COUNTY

B

TODD BENNETT

usinesses in Lexington and Thomasville have the best of both worlds: Each has a chamber fully dedicated to its individual needs, as well as a chamber that often shares resources with its counterpart to collaborate on programs that benefit the economy of the entire county.

“We have found that partnering together on some things that are important to both cities helps us accomplish more,” says Doug Croft, president of the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce. “With two cities in the same county, from the chamber standpoint, it just makes sense to produce some things together.”

“We definitely take the opportunity when we can to

Radford Thomas, left, with the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce, and Doug Croft, right, with the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce

32

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

partner on certain events, like our legislative update every year with our state elected officials,” says Radford Thomas, president and CEO of the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce. “Something like that, which is very well attended, lets us be more mindful of our legislators’ time, especially when they’re in session.”

The chambers have combined forces for 20 years to produce an annual leadership program and recently spun off a young leaders’ version. They also co-produce a large business fair and other joint events to bring businesses from the two cities together to discuss issues or events that affect the entire county and region.

At the same time, each chamber takes the lead on certain activities that are more focused on its membership, or carries most of the load for a countywide activity. The annual new teacher expo, for instance, is more of a Lexington event.

“When new teachers come here, we bring together businesses to set up exhibits and have a reception for them, and do a county tour so they can familiarize themselves with the area,” Thomas says. “It’s a way for us to welcome them to Davidson County, and thank them for coming to educate our children.”

The Lexington chamber recently launched an industrial council, offering programs and informational seminars for manufacturing and industry leaders on such topics as health care and immigration law. It also has created the Legacy Business Leaders Council, which taps into a pool of community leaders and utilizes them to disseminate information regarding such issues as the city’s recent purchase of the former Lexington Home Brands property.

“You get a lot of different information circulating within the community, and this allows these people to get the ‘down and dirty’ from an authority on the topic, and cut through some of the misinformation that might be going around,” Thomas says.

The Thomasville chamber has its hands full as well, putting on everything from the wildly popular Everybody’s Day Festival to coordinating a variety of economic development programs for downtown merchants and new-business recruitment.

“We work with a lot of businesses that are relocating or expanding, particularly in the retail-service area,” Croft says. “Plus we’re very active in the governmental arena within the community.”

In the end, the chambers pick both their joint and individual ventures carefully, always making sure that everyone in the area benefits from whatever activity is being planned.

“If it moves everybody forward, we do what’s appropriate,” Croft says. “If it’s local, it’s local. If it’s countywide, it’s countywide – we talk to each other, and address those things together.”

– Joe Morris DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Business | Economic Profile

DAVIDSON COUNTY BUSINESS CLIMATE Davidson County, once known primarily for its fine furniture manufacturing, now has a well-diversified economy. Textiles, chemicals, electronic connectors, batteries and plastics are just some of the items manufactured here.

TRANSPORTATION Airports

In 2006, for the second consecutive year, Davidson County had an increase in tax revenues of more than $160,000.

Davidson County Airport 956-7774 Piedmont-Triad International Airport, Greensboro 665-5600 (30 minutes, 25 miles) Highways Interstates 26, 40, 74, 77, 85

Construction

Total government, 13.3%

4.7%

Agriculture, Forestry,

Transportation (commercial) 3.7%

Fishing & Hunting, .1% Mining, .1% Utilities, .3%

and 95 traverse the state

Government, 12.8%

along with numerous U.S. highways.

Unemployment Rates Davidson County (9/06) 5.8%

LABOR FORCE STATISTICS

Civilian Labor Force (August 2005)

Davidson County Workforce by Industry Manufacturing, 40% Trade (retail/wholesale) 19.4% Agriculture, .6% Services, 15.8%

Total labor force 80,929

Manufacturing, 32.1% Wholesale trade, 3.5% Retail trade, 11.1% Transportation/Warehousing 3.1% Information, .8%

Employed, 75,913

Finance & Insurance, 1.5%

Unemployed, 5,016

Real Estate & Rental, .6%

Unemployment rate 6.2%

Professional & Technical Services, 1.2%

Employment by Sector (Third quarter, 2004)

Management of Companies & Enterprises, 2.1%

DAVIDSON ELECTRIC & PLUMBING SUPPLY

A FERGUSON ENTERPRISE

Construction, 5.6%

Serving Lexington & Davidson County

Grady Hedrick Ethan Hedrick

Serving Davidson County for Over 50 Years 1302 S. Main St. Lexington, NC 27292 (336) 248-5931

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

“Grass is Our Business�

19 Years of Experience

(336) 746-7800 I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

33

Business | Economic Profile MAJOR EMPLOYERS (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE)

Company

No. of Employees

Product/Service

Davidson County School System Atrium Windows & Doors

Education

2,570

Window & door manufacturing

1,300

County government

1,000

Davidson County Government Lexington Memorial Hospital

Health care

900

Fiberglass yarn

669

Furniture

640

Old Dominion Freight Lines

Transportation

600

Thomasville Medical Center

Health care

507

Furniture

420

PPG Industries Thomasville Furniture Industries

Lexington Home Brands

AVERAGE ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT AND AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGES FOR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY Year

Avg. Annual Employment

2003

14,637

Avg. Annual Wages $29,518.93

2004

14,208

$30,836.38

2005

14,072

$31,737.35

2006

13,374

$32,857.48

Source: North Carolina Employment Security Commission, Labor Market Information Division

Administration & Waste

Household Incomes

Services, 4%

Less than $15,000

Education Services, 9%

8.6%

Health Care & Social

$15,000-$29,999

Assistance, 9.3%

19.8%

Arts, Entertainment &

$30,000-$59,999

Recreation, 1.5%

39.2%

Accommodation &

$60,000-$99,999

Food Services, 7.2% Other Services, 2.1% Public Administration, 4.7%

$60,000,000 $50,000,000 $40,000,000

24.9%

$30,000,000

$100,000 and over

$20,000,000

7.5% Source: www.census.gov

Unclassified, 2%

INCOME STATISTICS

DAVIDSON COUNTY PROPERTY TAX REVENUES

DISTANCE TO MAJOR CITIES

$10,000,000

0

2003 2004 2005 2006

$49,789,171 $49,557,652

34

Median Family Income

Nearest city with population

$53,520,938

Davidson County, $51,000

50,000+ High Point, NC

$53,681,583

Percentage

(8 miles)

of Home Ownership

Nearest city with population

Davidson County, 74.2%

200,000+ Greensboro, NC

Median home value, $98,600

(22.2 miles)

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

Source: Davidson County Tax Administrator’s Office, North Carolina Department of State Treasurer

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

2006 SOURCES OF REVENUES Davidson County

2% 7% 20% 21% 6%

44%

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Fax: (336) 475-4802

Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce 16 E. Center St., P.O. Drawer C Lexington, NC 27293 Phone: (336) 248-5929 Fax: (336) 248-2161 www.lexingtonchamber.net

www.thomasvillechamber.net

Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce 6 W. Main St., P.O. Box 1400 Thomasville, NC 27361 Phone: (336) 475-6134

DCEDC/

Davidson County Economic Development Commission P.O. Box 1287 Lexington, NC 27293 Phone: (336) 243-1900 Fax: (336) 243-3027 www.co.davidson.nc.us/

Sources: www.co.davidson.nc.us www.lexingtonchamber.net

Property tax Sales tax Other tax Intergovernment Sales & service Other Source: North Carolina Department of State Treasurer

EDUCATION STATISTICS Davidson County

15.2%

12.8%

72%

LEXINGTON UTILITIES NATURAL G AS • ELECTRIC • WATER R ESOURCES “Serving Davidson County Since 1904”

High school graduate or higher Bachelor’s degree or higher

HIGH POINT WINSTON-SALEM THOMASVILLE LEXINGTON

476-5074 722-0075 476-5074 243-2489

WWW.LEXINGTONNC.NET Other

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

35

Arts & Culture

It’s Hip To Be Square SATURDAY NIGHT DANCE KEEPS REGIONAL MUSIC TRADITIONS ALIVE

TODD BENNETT

M

The Oak Tree Boys perform at Denton’s Old-Time Square Dance every third Saturday of the month.

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I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

ountain music enthusiasts in and around Davidson County know to keep their calendar free the third Saturday of every month.

That’s when they head to Denton for the Old-Time Square Dance, which has kept toes tapping and skirts twirling since 1996.

Founded by Neal and Debbie Leonard, with sponsorship and input from the North Carolina Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Denton Area Chamber of Commerce and many local businesses, the event still continues to pack ’em in at the Denton Civic Center, says Tim Maines, guitarist for The Oak Tree Boys, the dance’s house band.

“They come from all over the place, as far away as Fayetteville and Winston-Salem, and we have a few that come down from Wilkesboro,” Maines says.

The Oak Tree Boys took over the reins a few years ago when the Leonards moved onto other ventures, but the evening’s format remains the same: The music starts around 7 p.m., and wraps up around 10 p.m. In between, there’s plenty of action – both on the stage and the dance floor.

“It’s music, fellowship – just good, clean fun in a family atmosphere,” Maines says. “For a lot of the older folks, it brings back a lot of good memories. For them, square dancing was the only dancing there was around here. But it’s fun for the younger people too, so we really get people of all ages in.”

The dance’s mission statement says it all: To preserve and promote traditional music and dance in the Piedmont.

The Oak Tree Boys keep busy at other venues and private events as well. It’s a family affair, with Tim Maines’ dad, Dean, on fiddle. The senior Maines has been playing for nearly 60 years, starting during his teen years in nearby Alleghany County. Rounding out the band are Mike Plummer, bass; Scott Arnold, mandolin; Matthew Vance, banjo; and Johnny Arnold, sound.

“Sometimes we have two bands,” Tim Maines says. “When they started it up, they would have a more bluegrass-style band, which was us, and then an old-time band.”

According to Maines, the old-time bands sound tends to be more clawhammer and fiddle driven, while the bluegrass sound relies more on instrumental solos.

Whatever the sound, the music’s traditional to the region, which has been the goal all along. And with dozens of people still coming every month, the Old-Time Square Dance looks as though it’s got a lot of life left in it.

“We enjoy it and really have a good time,” Maines says.

“Dad has played for square dances since he was growing up, so it’s just natural for him to keep doing it. He’s a little older now and can’t do it every week, so once a month is good for us.”

For more information on the Old-Time Square Dance, visit www.dentondance.net.

– Joe Morris DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

STEPHEN CHERRY

Sports & Recreation

Lush With Activities UWHARRIE NATIONAL FOREST OFFERS HUNTING, HIKING AND MORE

F

rom a chain of volcanoes rose the 20,000-foot-high Uwharrie Mountains, among the oldest in North America. Over time, the mountains eroded to 1,000-foot hills, and today they comprise the Uwharrie National Forest, offering hiking, hunting, horseback riding and much else within a two-hour drive of North Carolina's biggest cities.

The forest stretches across some 51,000 acres of mixed pine hardwoods, and some 900 acres are in Davidson County, offering hiking, hunting and fishing right in this central North Carolina county. Elsewhere, the forest offers trails for horseback riding, mountain biking and off-highway vehicles.

There is canoeing, fishing and hunting.

“Parts of it are a good, quiet getaway,” said Leigh Marston, resource officer for the U.S. Forest Service in the

Uwharrie National Forest.

The forest holds one of the largest concentrations of archeological sites in the Southeast. It is where the country's first gold rush occurred in 1799, at the nearby Reed Gold Mine. Gold turned up again in the Uwharries in the early 1800s, and another rush occurred during the Depression of the 1930s.

Today, visitors still pan for gold.

“They will find flakes of gold,” Marston says. “In the 1800s there were a lot of gold mines, but now it's just whatever’s left over from that mining time.”

The forest may be rich with history, but it is among the newest of the national forest system. The federal government purchased the land in 1931 but didn’t proclaim it a national forest for another 30 years. Today, the Uwharrie National Forest is one of four national forests in

North Carolina and the only public land in the central part of the state. Recreation here is growing, especially in the Badin Lake area along the 20-mile, Uwharrie National Recreation Trail.

High Rock Lake is popular for camping, hiking, fishing, boating and hunting. The Uwharrie Forest is rich with deer and wild turkey for hunting, and it is home to bald eagles.

Other nearby attractions include Town Creek Indian Mound, North Carolina Zoological Park and pottery shopping.

“It used to be a well-kept secret but now, being close to the cities, it’s getting more and more discovered. People want to go to the mountains. The Uwharries are just tucked away,” Marston says.

“For people who live in the larger cities … it’s not too far out of your backyard to kind of get away from the hubbub and the rat race.”

– Amy Green

The Uwharrie Mountains are believed to be among the nation’s oldest mountain ranges, remnants of a chain of islands crushed between the collision of North America and the African continental plates.

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

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Hospice of Davidson

County

Ask for us by name – Your Hometown Hospice

Approved By

Accreditation Commission for Health Care, inc.

Hospice of Davidson County Staff

We have an experienced local team providing quality care to the terminally ill and their families.

(336) 248-6185 www.hospiceofdavidsoncounty.org

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DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Health & Wellness

Enlarge the Hospital – STAT! NEW EMERGENCY ROOM WILL ACCOMMODATE GROWING PATIENT LOAD

W

hen Thomasville Medical Center opens its new 24,000-square-foot emergency center, it will be sending a positive message to those who depend on the hospital.

“It’s a good validation to the people of Davidson County that Thomasville Medical Center is committed to the community here and will continue to grow with the needs,” says Jane Wilder, community relations director for the hospital.

The new wing, scheduled to open in mid-January 2008, will almost triple the number of E.R. treatment rooms available and almost quadruple the floor space. And located at the front of the 149-bed hospital, the new E.R. is more accessible than the old 6,000-square-foot, 10-room wing tucked at the rear of the campus.

The new emergency wing will have 27 rooms. “That will include a six-bed, fast-track for minor emergencies, four trauma rooms and a five-bed chest-pain center and observation rooms,” she says. “We also are an accredited chest-pain center and stroke center.”

The E.R. expansion is needed in large part because of the growth in populations of retirees and of families choosing to relocate to Davidson County, she says, noting the offerings that make life here attractive.

Not too far from the beaches and the mountains, the county is within easy reach of NBA and NFL teams an hour away in Charlotte, as well as other services in nearby Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Wake Forest and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro are “right down the road” and Davidson County Community College also is expanding.

TODD BENNETT

With growth comes medical need, especially in emergency care.

“We served about 29,000 E.R. visitors last year,” she says.

“We expect to exceed that amount this year.” The $9 million E.R. expansion allows the hospital to keep pace with need.

“We have seen an increase every year of people presenting themselves to the emergency room and we have literally outgrown the space we are using.” Many of those using the emergency room are without primary care physicians or are underinsured. “We treat people regardless of their ability to pay,” she says.

The new E.R. also will have a “SANE Room.” That’s an acronym for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, and it will offer personnel and equipment to gather forensic evidence and work with victims all the way through prosecution.

The E.R. also will have a 64-slice CT scanner, providing more detailed diagnostic imaging for patients from throughout the hospital.

In a non-E.R.-related development, the hospital has begun a blood conservation program, designed to collect and store blood for patients who oppose transfusions.

– Tim Ghianni

The Thomasville Medical Center is expanding its emergency department and adding 24,000 square feet to its facility.

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

9420 N. NC Hwy. 150 Clemmons, NC 27012 (336) 775-2205

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PHOTOS BY TODD BENNETT

Health & Wellness

The Lexington Memorial Hospital is expanding and adding a new cancer treatment center to its facility.

High-Tech Care, Soft Touch LEXINGTON MEMORIAL EXPANDS TREATMENT OPTIONS WITH HIGH-TECH ADDITIONS

L

exington Memorial Hospital will enter a new phase in the treatment of cancer when the linear accelerator begins operations.

It is part of the new Cancer Center of Davidson County, scheduled to open May 15, 2008, on the hospital campus in a three-way partnership between Lexington Memorial, the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and the university’s Health Sciences.

The new facility will merge with the already existing Lexington Community Cancer Center, which provides outpatient chemotherapy.

Along with playing host for the linear accelerator, which provides radiation therapy for cancer treatment, Lexington Memorial offers laboratory, pathology, pharmaceutical and other services.

The partnership with Wake Forest “really brings the gold standard in cancer treatment to Davidson County,” says Kathy Sushereba, Lexington Memorial community relations director.

While the Cancer Center of Davidson County still is being established, other new features recently have been added to the Lexington Memorial patient services menu.

For example, the hospital has added on-site lithotripsy used in the treatment of kidney stones. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy breaks down the stones, allowing them to

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I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

pass from the body naturally and without surgery.

Another relatively new addition is the Joint Replacement Center, a five-bed facility designed for post-operative care and recovery of patients. Spurred by an increase in the numbers of knee, hip and shoulder-replacement surgeries, the unit’s goal is to prepare patients to return to active lifestyles.

The 94-bed community hospital also has enjoyed success with its hospitalist program – which has doctors who specialize in inpatient care available around the clock.

The hospital also has added a wing devoted to sleep studies, overseen by neurologists. “This is designed to address sleep apnea, a common progressive sleep disorder which often goes undiagnosed,” says Sushereba. “Untreated, it can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, headaches and can be potentially life threatening.”

These are just the new offerings at the private, notfor-profit, independently owned and operated acute-care hospital.

Lexington, with its 120-person staff representing more than 20 specialties, provides comprehensive and diagnostic medical and surgical services, such as a state-of-the art imaging center, a pain-management center, critical care unit, birthing center and 24-hour emergency services.

– Tim Ghianni DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Education

This Is No Ordinary Chalkboard NEW TECHNOLOGY GIVES TEACHERS, STUDENTS POWERFUL LEARNING TOOL

W

hen Thomasville teachers direct students to look at the board, they’re not talking about the large, green slate covered in dusty chalk.

Now, students are eyeing the Activboard, part of a high-tech system that incorporates an interactive whiteboard tied into a computer system operated by the teacher. Students are connected to the system through electronic devices at their workstations.

It allows the teacher to move around the classroom and interact with students, as well as monitor student progress.

Over the past few years, the Thomasville City Schools have been installing Activboards throughout the system. The interactive boards now are in around 110 classrooms, or 75 percent of the system, says Mike Ingram, director of technology.

“All the classrooms are done in the middle school, and about 60 percent in the high school,” Ingram says. “And we’re finishing up in the primary school.

“They’re wired into our high-speed network and the Internet, and each has its own surround sound, video and DVD capabilities, so the teachers can use the Activboard for pretty much any type of teaching situation,” he says.

The Activboard rollout began in 2003 with some grant funding, an initial trial that went so well that administrators decided to install them throughout the system, says Jennifer Buck, instructional technology facilitator.

“We put 17 Activboards at Liberty Drive [Elementary School], and the teachers were really excited about it, and the kids were so much more engaged that it just basically took off from there,” says Buck, who was a classroom teacher at the time. “The superintendent got on the bandwagon when he saw the difference in terms of learning, and so we have just kept on adding them.”

The results were definitely a part of his decision to expand the program, says Dr. Daniel Cockman, superintendent. “They’re going to be expected to go out and compete in a global

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

marketplace, and comfort with technology is going to be at the top of the list of what they’ll need,” Cockman says.

“The Activboard and classroom really makes it seem like every child has his own computer. They can use the board to manipulate things, go to Web sites … it’s a great tool for instruction, and raises that level of comfort with technology.”

Because the teacher can move around and use a handheld device, he or she can immediately respond to students who are struggling with a question or problem, rather than waiting for an assignment to be completed, explains Buck.

“It really maximizes teacher time on each task, because they can go back immediately and review instead of waiting to grade papers, then do remedial work,” Buck says.

And because each system can handle an entire classroom’s needs, it’s also cost-effective for the school system.

“A typical child might have 30 minutes once a week on a computer, but in this situation, they’re using them all day, five days a week,” Cockman says. “It’s just a huge difference in terms of availability.”

– Joe Morris

Tania Simmons works with an Activboard during a class at Liberty Drive Elementary School. The boards are wired to the Internet.

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Art gallery & gift shop, Arts in Education, concerts, scholarships & more. the historic post office 220 S. Main St., Lexington Free admission Hours: Tue.-Fri. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Painting the arts on a community canvas

www.co.davidson.nc.us/arts

Lanier’s HARDWARE, INC.

Turlington AND Company, L .L .P. Certified Public Accountants

The place to find what you want since 1940 Come and see where yesterday’s and today’s hardware stores meet. We have 55,000 sq. ft. of retail space packed with: hardware plumbing paint tools rental gas logs

housewares electrical lawn & garden guns hobbies cake supplies

sporting goods toys pet supplies horseshoes wood stoves and much more

218 S. Main St. • (336) 248-5938 www.lanierhardware.com

509 E. Center St. Post Office Box 1697 Lexington, NC 27293-1697 (336) 249-6856 (336) 248-8697

PHONE : FAX:

www.turlingtonandcompany.com

The place to be … for all the right reasons.

For a location near you, call (336) 476-9200 or visit our Web site at www.bankofnc.com.

Celebrating 41 years in Davidson County. www.ppg.com

Stock Symbol: BNCN

Coltrane & Company, Inc. Real Estate Brokerage & Development Commercial • Residential • Land Will Build to Suit

SandyCreek Farm IT’S MUSHROOMING!

42

3160 S. NC Hwy. 150 Lexington, NC 27295 (336) 853-8834 (336) 250-6702 E-mail: sandycreek3160@hotmail.com www.sandycreekfarm150.com

I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

D. SOL COLTRANE 49 S. Talbert Blvd. • Lexington, NC 27292 (336) 249-6304 • Fax: (336) 248-8935 E-mail: coltraneco@lexcominc.net

DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Community Profile

DAVIDSON COUNTY SNAPSHOT Davidson County is situated in the heart of North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad, a vibrant metropolitan region. Known for its natural beauty, Davidson County offers comfortable, affordable living in a small-town atmosphere.

EDUCATION Davidson County Schools 249-8181 Lexington City Schools 242-1527 Thomasville City Schools 474-4205 Higher Education Davidson County Community College, 249-8186

(2000 – U.S. Census Bureau) 147,246

Guilford Gas Service 869-4454

Population grew 16.2% from 1990-2000.

Phone Lexington Lexcom, 249-9901

Projected 2010, 160,750

Thomasville North State Communications 472-6050

2015, 167,436 2020, 174,454

UTILITIES Cable Lexington Lexcom, 249-9901 Time Warner Cable, 249-3908 Thomasville Time Warner Cable, 249-3908

CLIMATE Annual Average Temperature, 57.8 F Rainfall, 42.5 inches Snowfall, 10.2 inches

Electricity Lexington City of Lexington, 243-2489 Energy United, 249-3131 Duke Power, 224-0085

Trash Collection Lexington City of Lexington, 243-2489 Thomasville City of Thomasville, 475-4239 Water Lexington City of Lexington, 243-2489 Davidson Water 731-2341 or 787-5800 Thomasville Davidson Water, 475-8229

Thomasville Duke Power, 885-8071

City of Thomasville, 475-4238

Elevation, 897 feet

POPULATION

Natural Gas Lexington City of Lexington, 243-2489

HOSPITALS

Davidson County (2005 estimate), 154,623 Davidson County

Thomasville Piedmont Natural Gas (800) 752-7504

Thomasville Medical Center 472-2000 Lexington Memorial Hospital 248-5161 THIS SECTION IS SPONSORED BY

D AV I D S O N M O R T G A G E S E R V I C E S “Where our INTEREST is saving you INTEREST” – Since 1992

BUILDING • BUYING • REFINANCING For current rates and programs, please call one of our convenient locations or log on to our Web site at www.dmshomeloans.com.

LEXINGTON 503 E. Center St. • Lexington, NC 27292 (336) 243-7880 • Toll-free: (800) 318-7880

The area code for Davidson County is 336 .

ARCADIA/NORTH DAVIDSON 101 Fair Oaks Ln. • Winston-Salem, NC 27127 (336) 775-2026 • Toll-free: (877) 775-2026

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Community Profile Lexington Fire Department 248-2825

U.S. Post Office – Lexington 249-8196

Lexington Housing Authority 249-8936

U.S. Post Office – Thomasville 472-3892

Lexington Police Department 243-3300

RECREATION

City of Lexington, 242-2500

Sheriff’s Department 242-2105

City of Thomasville 474-2760

Lexington Parks and Recreation Department, 248-3960

Thomasville Fire Department 475-4293

County Manager, 242-2200

Thomasville Housing Authority 475-6137

NUMBERS TO KNOW For all emergencies, dial 911.

Animal Control, 357-0806 Animal Shelter, 357-0805 Board of Elections, 242-2190

Driver’s License Lexington, 248-5179 Thomasville, 472-7334 Humane Society, 248-2706

Thomasville Police Department, 475-4260

Thomasville Parks and Recreation Department 475-4280 Davidson County Parks and Recreation Department 242-2285

MEDIA/NEWSPAPERS The Thomasville Times 472-9500 The Dispatch, 249-3981 The Denton Orator, 859-3131

ATTRACTIONS Arts United for Davidson County, 249-2742 Bob Timberlake Gallery (800) 244-0095 Boone’s Cave Park, 242-2285 Childress Vineyards, 236-9463 David Fritt’s Outdoors Inc. 731-2232 Davidson County Historical Museum, 242-2035 Dempsey Essick Gallery 731-3499 Denton FarmPark, 859-2755 High Rock Lake, 236-4218 Mrs. Hanes Moravian Cookie Factory, (888) 764-1402 North Carolina Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Richard Childress Racing Museum, (800) 476-3389 Stephen Sebastian Gallery 475-3363 Thomasville City Cemetery Uwharrie National Forest Walter Johnson Camp & Conference Center Yadkin-Pee Dee River Canoe Trail, (704) 422-3215

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DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

GOLF Private Colonial Country Club 475-0596 Sapona Country Club 956-6245 Public Lexington Golf Club 248-3950 Winding Creek Golf Course 475-5580 Meadowlands Golf Course 769-1011

BARBECUE RESTAURANTS

Lexington Style Trimmings 1513 E. Center St., Lexington, 249-8211

Speedy Lohr’s BBQ of Arcadia 8000 N. Highway 150, Lexington, 764-5509

Smiley’s Barbecue 917 Winston Road, Lexington, 248-4528

Southern Barbecue Too 10361 NC Hwy 8 South, Lexington, 798-2300

Smokey Joe’s Barbecue 1101 S. Main St. Lexington 249-0315

Stamey’s Barbecue of Tyro 4524 South Highway 150, Tyro, 853-6426

Speedy’s Barbecue 1317 Winston Road, Lexington, 248-2410

Tar Heel Q 6835 US 64 West, Lexington 787-4550

Speedy Lohr’s BBQ 10774 Highway 8, Lexington, 798-1538

Terry House Barbecue 947 Fisher Ferry St., Thomasville, 475-1628

Andy’s Barbecue Old U.S. Highway 52, Lexington 731-8207 Backcountry Barbecue 4014 Linwood Southmont Road, Lexington, 956-1696 The Barbecue Center 900 N. Main St., Lexington, 248-4633 Barbecue Shack 706 Randolph St., Thomasville, 472-8566 Cook’s Barbecue 366 Valient Drive, Lexington, 798-1928 Henry James Family Dining 283 Talbert Blvd., Lexington, 243-2534 Jed’s BBQ 709 National Highway, Thomasville, 475-5806 Jimmy’s Barbecue 1703 Cotton Grove Road, Lexington, 357-2311

Home is where the Hearth is.

Welcome to the Country Hearth Inn – Lexington, North Carolina.

We are a brand new hotel ready to serve you with clean, comfortable rooms and courteous service. Nearby you will fi nd several restaurants for your dining needs. We boast easy access to I-85 and are very convenient to the High Point Furniture Market and Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Come be our guest in Lexington, North Carolina where your visit will be “As Close To Home As We Can Make It.”

Our special services include: • Country Hearth InnCredible breakfast

• Handicapped rooms available

• On-site deli

• Hairdryers

• Microfridges

• Free local phone calls

• Cribs available • AM/FM alarm clock

• High-speed Internet access

• In-room coffee maker

• Fitness center

John Wayne’s Barbecue 601 W. 5th Ave., Lexington 249-1658 Kerley’s Barbecue Old U.S. Highway 52, Welcome, 731-8245 Lee’s Family Restaurant 58 E. Peacock St., Denton 859-9066 Lexington Barbecue Business I-85, Lexington 249-9814

The area code for Davidson County is 336 .

(888) 4-HEARTH

1525 Cotton Grove Rd., Lexington (336) 357-2100

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Tommy’s Barbecue 206 National Highway, Thomasville, 476-4322 Troutman’s Barbecue 18466 South Highway 109, Denton, 859-2206

North Carolina Tourism Authority, www.visitnc.com

Visit Our Advertisers

Thomasville Area

Arts United for Davidson County www.co.davidson.nc.us/arts

Chamber of Commerce

Bank of North Carolina www.bankofnc.com

www.thomasvillechamber.net

Uncle Dave’s Barbecue No. 2 619 National Highway, Thomasville, 472-4404

Thomasville Tourism

Whitley’s Restaurant 3664 Highway 8, Lexington, 357-2364

Century 21 – Lohr Realty www.century21lohrrealty.com

Commission

Coltrane & Company, Inc.

www.thomasvilletourism.com

Cornerstone Health Care www.cornerstonehealth.com

Tourism Development

Country Hearth Inn & Suites www.countryhearth.com

Partnership of

Data Publishing www.datapublishing.com

Davidson County www.davidsoncountync.us

Davidson County Community College www.davidsonccc.edu

AGE PERCENTAGES

Davidson County Public Library www.co.davidson.nc.us/library

PARKS Boone’s Cave Park 242-2285 Childer’s Park, 248-3960

Davidson Electric & Plumbing www.ferguson.com Davidson Mortgage Services, Inc. www.dmshomeloans.com

12.8%

Finch Park, 248-3960

24.3%

Grimes Park, 248-3960 Harrison Memorial Park 859-4231

Energy United www.energyunited.com

24.1%

7.6%

Grady Hedrick Landscaping Hospice of Davidson County www.hospiceofdavidsoncounty.org

Doak Sk8park, 475-4280

31.2%

Veteran’s Memorial Park 472-4422 Camping Denton Farmpark 859-2755

Davidson Water, Inc. www.davidsonwater.com

Lanier’s True Value Hardware www.lanierhardware.com Lexington Memorial www.lexingtonmemorial.com

Less than 18

Lexington Tourism Authority www.visitlexingtonnc.org

18-24

Lexington Utilities www.lexingtonnc.net

High Rock Lake Resorts 798-1196

25-44

LexMedical www.lexmedical.org

Bigfoot’s Campground 798-2442

45-64

Mallard Ridge Assisted Living www.ridgecare.com

65 and older

May Heavy-Equipment Rental & Sales www.mayequip.com

LINKS City of Lexington www.lexingtonnc.net City of Thomasville www.ci.thomasville.nc.us Davidson County www.co.davidson.nc.us Davidson County Economic Development Commission www.co.davidson.nc.us Images of Davidson County magazine www.imagesdavidson county.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce 16 E. Center St., P.O. Drawer C Lexington, NC 27293 Phone: (336) 248-5929 Fax: (336) 248-2161 www.lexingtonchamber.net Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce 6 W. Main St., P.O. Box 1400 Thomasville, NC 27361 Phone: (336) 475-6134 Fax: (336) 475-4802 www.thomasvillechamber.net

Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce www.lexingtonchamber.net

Sources:

Lexington Tourism Authority www.visitlexingtonnc.org

www.lexingtonchamber.net www.davidsoncountync.com

The area code for Davidson County is 336 .

McGhee & Associates www.mcgheedentistry.com Mountcastle Insurance www.mountcastleinsurance.com New Bridge Bank www.newbridgebank.com Parrott Insurance & Benefits www.parrottinsurance.com PPG Industries www.ppg.com RCR Racing Museum www.rcrracing.com Sandy Creek Farm www.sandycreekfarm150.com Tastings Wine & Beer www.tastingswine.com The Bob Timberlake Gallery www.bobtimberlake.com Thomasville Furniture www.thomasville.com Thomasville Medical Center www.thomasvillemedicalcenter.org Thomasville Veterinary Hospital www.thomasvillevet.vetsuite.com Turlington and Company, LLP www.turlingtonandcompany.com

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When it comes to your health, nothing but the newest and best in medical care will do.

That’s why Lexington Memorial Hospital dedicates its resources to bring leading edge technology home to Davidson County.

The hospital’s modern looks are a reflection of its commitment to keep advanced medicine in Davidson County. Whether you need servies in our state-of-the-art outpatient center, sophisticated diagnostic tests such as MRI or treatment of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, respiratory illness or a serious injury, Lexington Memorial is Davidson County’s first choice for first-class healthcare.

It’s a commitment that goes well beyond the day-to-day medical care of the county’s 150,000 citizens. It’s a commitment that involves recruiting and maintaining a medical staff that features over 20 medical specialties; planning and preparing for our area’s healthcare future; and teaming up with other major healthcare providers to meet your most pressing healthcare needs.

It’s a commitment that also recently gave Lexington Memorial Hospital Davidson County’s first linear accelerator for the treatment of cancer. And the same commitment that now makes Lexington Memorial the only hospital in Davidson County to provide lithotripsy for the treatment of kidney stones. It’s a long-term promise to provide Davidson County with the highest quality diagnostic and treatment options available today ... and tomorrow.

Dimensions of Care Inpatient Services 24-Hour Emergency Care Comprehensive Medical & Surgical Services 120-Member Medical Staff 24-Hour Anesthesia Service New Beginnings Birthing Center Cardiac Care Critical Care Unit Total Joint Replacement Center Outpatient Services Outpatient Diagnostic & Surgical Center State-of-the-Art Imaging Center Latest CT & MRI Technology Certified Vascular Laboratory Women’s Center for Mammography & Bone Density Stereotactic Breast Biopsy Capabilities Pain Management Center The Sleep Lab Cancer Center of Davidson County (Opening 2008) A Three-Way Partnership Between Lexington Memorial, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and Wake Forest University Health Sciences Lexington Community Cancer Center An Affiliate of the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University Comprehensive Pediatric and Adult Rehabilitation Education and Wellness Programs

Advanced Medicine Compassionate Care 248-5161 www.lexingtonmemorial.com Lexington Memorial Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Need a Doctor?

Call our Referral Line at 249-8307 or visit our Web site at www.lexingtonmemorial.com.

Our staff includes physicians who are board certiďŹ ed in the following specialties: Anesthesiology Cardiology Dermatology

Diagnostic Radiology Ear, Nose & Throat Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy Emergency Medicine Family Practice Gastroenterology General Surgery Gynecology Internal Medicine Neurology

Neurosurgery Pediatric Neurology Obstetrics & Gynecology Oncology & Hematology Ophthalmology Orthopaedic Surgery Pathology Pediatrics Plastic Surgery Urology

LEXINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

A NEW Dimension in Healthcare