Flat Rock, North Carolina

In the scenic mountains of western North Carolina, the charming, historic village of Flat Rock makes its home. It started out in the early-1800s as a summer retreat for wealthy Charlestonians and plantation owners, and today it is known as “Little Charleston of the Mountains.”

Roads around the village are narrow and meandering, lined with woods and merchants in cute, colorful buildings. All of Flat Rock is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and tourists come to visit the beautiful Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site.

Flat Rock is also home to the Flat Rock Playhouse, a professional theater and the state theater of North Carolina. It has workshops, classes and a full schedule of performances, from musicals and operas and rock concerts. Historic Flat Rock presents the annual Tour of Homes and a gala.

Golfers have two courses on which to play, and another eight courses are within a 10 mile drive. National forests and state parks with waterfalls, fishing streams, camping areas and hiking trails are all close at hand.

Many of the grand antebellum estates from the early days still stand, surrounded by lush lawns and bountiful gardens. Others have been transformed into modern master-planned communities. Two of these developments are the Kenmure Country Club and Berwick Downs, both with attractive single family homes.