Union County Real Estate Talk

2011-11-21

Treehouse Vineyards—A Monroe NC Winery

A winery in Monroe NC?  You might be surprised to hear that Monroe has its very own family-owned winery.  Cotton fields and horse farms are more typically found in the rolling hills of Union County NC.

Drive through some of Monroe’s oldest neighborhoods to Bay Street and you will find Treehouse Vineyards.  The winery is set on 35 acres and it’s totally within the city limits of Monroe.  The vineyards are planted with muscadine grapes, North Carolina’s native grapevine.  The Norden family planted muscadines because they are easy to grow in the area’s climate and nearly disease-free.

If you know wines, you may think of wines made from muscadine grapes as very sweet.  Attend a tasting at Treehouse Vineyards and you’ll learn that muscadine wines can be dry or sweet, red or white.

My husband and I and another couple visited Treehouse Vineyards this weekend.  We drove up to a very unassuming building beside a huge tree with a large treehouse 30 feet up in the treetop.  Inside we were greeted by the Nordens, who gave us samples of their handcrafted wines.  With names like Crystal Creek, Windy Hill, Sweet Union, Date Nite, Tack Shack Red and Baileys Blend, each wine was named for something special on the farm.  They were all delicious and three of them won awards at the NC State Fair.

We finished the tasting with a muscadine cider slushee, which when topped with a little wine becomes a wine-a-rita.  It was the best slushee I’ve ever tasted.  After the tasting we were treated to a tour of the winery and learned how the handcrafted wines are made and bottled.

I highly recommend a stop at the Treehouse Vineyards to learn more about these surprising wines.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Monroe and Union County NC?  Request a free Union County NC relocation package.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Treehouse Vineyards—A Monroe NC Winery*

2011-11-07

Monroe NC Air Show Honors Military Veterans

I joined thousands of other people yesterday at the Warriors and Warbirds Air Show in Monroe NC.  With brilliant Carolina blue skies overhead, we all enjoyed the display of vintage airplanes from the World War II  to Korea and Vietnam eras.

The Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport opened at 9am with the airplanes parked around the grounds.  We could get up close to see the planes that would be flown overhead in the afternoon.  Two restored planes, the Spirit of Freedom and the Tinker Belle, were open for interior tours. The Spirit of Freedom is one of the planes that took part in the Berlin Airlift.  The Tinker Belle is a cargo plane that flew over the Himalayas during World War II.

At noon, the air show began with four jumpers landing in front of the crowd.  Then the vintage planes began to take off with aerobatics and fly-bys.  Four hours of air show kept the crowd fascinated.

The Warriors and Warbirds Air Show is an annual event sponsored by the City of Monroe.  It’s held every November to honor military veterans.  The Air Show is Monroe’s largest event and quite appropriate for a city that has the largest aerospace manufacturing industry in the southeast.

Take a video tour of the Warriors and Warbirds Air Show here.

Want to know more about living in Monroe and Union County NC?  Request a free Union County NC relocation package.

Copyright 2011. Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Monroe NC Air Show Honors Military Veterans*

Warriors and Warbirds Air Show Honors Veterans in Monroe NC

World War II vintage planes and a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain over the skies of Monroe NC.  It’s time for the Warriors and Warbirds Air Show, the biggest event of the year in Monroe.  You can join tens of thousands of other folks who come to this annual event this weekend, November 4th, 5th and 6th.  The location is the Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport on Airport Road in Monroe.

Warriors and Warbirds activities begin on Friday afternoon at 4pm with singers, night flights, a jump team, aerobatics and a fireworks show.  The gates open at 9am on Saturday and Sunday.  A special program honoring veterans takes place each day at 11am.  The air show begins at 12:30 each day.

If you like to dance, there’s a free 1940s-era hanger dance on Saturday evening at 6pm.  Arrive early for free swing dance lessons.

Unique to the Warriors and Warbirds Airshow is the ability to see the vintage planes up close and speak with the pilots and veterans.  Some of the planes featured include a Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane and six P-51 Mustangs.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Monroe NC?  Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Warriors and Warbirds Air Show Honors Veterans in Monroe NC*

Warriors and Warbirds Air Show in Monroe NC

World War II is becoming a distant memory for most of us.  Not in Monroe NC.  On November 6th and 7th, you’ll be able to take a step back in time and watch a re-creation of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Where?  At the Warriors and Warbirds Air Show that will be held at the Charlotte-Monroe Executive Air Show.

The gates open at 9am each day and the flying shows begin at 12:30pm.  TORA TORA TORA is one of the featured performers this year.  The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) with many volunteers puts on this show that recreates Pearl Harbor with Japanese fighters and bombers.  The pyrotechnic team provides the smoke and explosions.  You can learn the history of Pearl Harbor from a narrator.  Other performances include Franklin’s Flying Circus and the Black Daggers Jump Team.  The Black Daggers are the US Special Operations Command Parachute Demonstration Team.  The gates will close after the show.

The Warriors and Warbirds Air Show was started by a group of local pilots who wanted to preserve the history of aviation and honor the veterans who served our country.  The Veterans Council of Union County, the City of Monroe and local businesses sponsor the show.  A Warriors and Warbirds Museum at the Charlotte-Monroe Executive Air Show preserves vintage World War II aircraft.

Details of the 2010 Warriors and Warbirds Air Show

When:  November 6 and 7, 2010
              9am-6pm daily

Where:  Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport
               Monroe NC

Parking:  Free at businesses near the airport

Tickets:  $10 for adults   $5 for veterans

Want to know more about real estate and living in Monroe NC?  Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Copyright 2010.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Warriors and Warbirds Air Show in Monroe NC*

Old County Courthouse in Monroe NC

Like most southern small towns, the heart of Monroe NC’s downtown is its public square surrounding the Old County Courthouse.  Monroe’s courts have moved on to a new building nearby, but the beautiful old courthouse still shines in the center of the city.

Constructed in 1886, the courthouse has been restored several times over the years.  Its stately interiors and well-worn wood floors remind a visitor of earlier times.  A clock tower was added to the building in 1904.  In 2002, the clock tower was restored and a historical winding clock mechanism similar to the original was installed.  Clock faces were also restored to original condition.  The clock now chimes on the hour.

A walk around the courthouse reveals memorials to Union County soldiers who fought in the Civil War and other wars.  The historic buildings that line the streets around the courthouse serve as reminders of the days when law and commerce dominated Monroe’s courthouse square.

Click here to learn more about Monroe NC and living in Charlotte North Carolina’s best small towns.

Copyright 2010.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Old County Courthouse in Monroe NC*

Monroe Connector/Bypass Update

Why is the proposed Monroe Connector/Bypass important to you?  If you live in northern Union County and wish to sell your property, you need to know how the proposed route may affect your sale.  If you are considering a real estate purchase in this area, you also will want to know the proposed route.  And if you live in Charlotte, you may be happy to know that this roadway is estimated to save 30 minutes off your trip to the beach.

What is the Monroe Connector/Bypass?  The Monroe Connector/Bypass is  proposed to connect U.S. 74 near Wingate NC with the interchange of I-485 at Matthews NC.  Constructed by the NC Turnpike Authority, it will be a 20-mile toll road that will relieve congestion on U.S. 74 around Monroe NC.

What is the schedule for completion of the Monroe Connector/Bypass?  Discussion and planning for this roadway has been ongoing for many years.  The route was chosen by the Turnpike Authority in 2009 and is undergoing the Environmental Impact Study process now.  A draft Environmental Impact Statement has been completed.  The final Environmental Impact Statement is underway with engineers taking rock and soil samples along U.S. 74 during the first half of February.  The final EIS is expected to be complete during the first quarter of 2010.  The final decision on the chosen route will be published in a Record of Decision during the second quarter of 2010.  The Turnpike Authority now projects that the roadway will open in 2014.

Want to know more?

Click here to see the proposed route for the Monroe Connector/Bypass.

Monroe Connector/Bypass is One Step Closer

Copyright 2010.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Monroe Connector/Bypass Update*