Western McDowell County... 

Rural. Quiet. Farms. Forests. Waterfalls. Creeks. Mountain Views.

McDowell County is a region in transition. Long a quiet farming community, it's being discovered by people coming to live near Asheville & Black Mountain who want a better quality of life and better land values than can be found in our beloved neighbor to the west, Buncombe County.

Just 15 minutes to Black Mountain and 30 minutes to Asheville, living here really does offer the best of both for people who like to live "in the country" but be close to culture, restaurants, nightlife and, of course - beer. 

Nearby Old Fort is a very tiny town, just a few miles from Jack's Mountain Preserve, located on the interstate that has been hunkered down and overlooked by outsiders... until recently. Hillman Brewing of Asheville has opened a beautiful large brewery right on Mill Creek in downtown Old Fort in summer 2020. And other companies, like Kitsbow - a California cycling apparel manufactuer, moved their offices to Old Fort in early 2020. Small storefronts are being bought and people are dreaming new dreams for this little town.

Located on the edge of Pisgah National Forest, we are minutes from Curtis Creek for camping, hiking and fishing. Catawba Falls is a mere 15 minute drive away, plus many other river and creek access points, trails, etc. (Personally, we're hoping Old Fort becomes an outdoor recreation town for hikers, campers, cyclists, kayakers, etc.)

Like any rural area, there's also lots of nooks and crannies you discover by living here. Like Painter's Greenhouse about ten minutes away, and Turtle Island Pottery, and The Straightaway Cafe. And we're less than an hour (through the country) to Lake Lure, Hendersonville, and Spruce Pine and Boone in the other direction. And, of course, we're close to the up and coming town of Marion (restaurants, movie theaters, breweries, etc.) and bigger towns to the east. Plus Asheville & Black Mountain neighboring to our west.

When you're here in McDowell County, you're both in the Old South and the New South simultaneously. The demographics are changing but we hope to hold onto some of the rural Appalachian beauty and farming culture, while supporting inventive and progressive growth that makes room for everyone. 

We believe McDowell County is a good investment, financially and for quality of life. We have less traffic, less pollution, cleaner water, and decidedly more stars in the sky.