And yet this little cluster of communities, tucked into the foothills of the Appalachians, has somehow gone unnoticed. Consider this: Polk County does not have a Wal-Mart (a fact in which more than a few residents take pride).
Most of the communities here could be referred to as "one-street towns"—an exaggeration, perhaps, but not by much. One of them is Saluda, where Robert Pace runs the general store his father started 108 years ago. The store has changed little since its doors opened, so visitors love to come in and visit with Pace, who one resident described as a "town treasure."
"I've seen it all," says Pace. "People come in here from all over the world."
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Tourism is a big part of the economy here, bringing in $17 million each year, says Kipp McIntyre, director of economic development. But increasingly, people who come to visit want to stay.
And some, like Polk County native Alvin Pack, just end up coming back. Pack returned to his roots after years in California's Sonoma Valley to start Green Creek Winery. His wines are good, brother Marvin grows the grapes, and business is thriving.
The county is growing, and it has people here looking to the future. A billboard ordinance keeps Hwy. 26 clean—a nice touch for any place that cherishes and plans to capitalize on its scenery. But here and there you will see a band of freshly cleared earth on a mountaintop where developers plan to build. That can cause a stir here, with people wondering whether this place too will look like the many mountain homes near Asheville.
"We were undiscovered and now we're discovered," says county Extension agent John Vining, who also is a native. "There's going to be a lot of growth, and it's going to be interesting."
More Info on the WebCommunity Information and Relocation Information
nc-mountains.org
Polkchamber.org
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