RUTHERFORD COUNTY

Rutherford County Courthouse, Rutherfordton, NC August 31, 2021

Rutherford County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at Rutherfordton, Rutherford County, North Carolina. It was designed by architect Louis H. Asbury and built in 1925–1926. It is a two-story, Renaissance Revival style building faced with a smooth stone veneer. The front facade features a hexastyle portico in antis.

Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

Entrance to Lake Lure Flowering Bridge
Information kiosk at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

The Rocky Broad River Bridge, built in 1925 and closed to traffic in 2011, re-opened as the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge in 2013, with gardens spanning the 155-foot span of the bridge and expanding. Prior to the grand opening, the tourist attraction had already been visited by tourists from 36 states and 14 countries. Today referred to as “The Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful”, the Flowering Bridge features garden beds, a mobile phone tour, and a Sensory Tour for visually-impaired guests. It has been recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as a Certified Wildlife Habitat and has met the criteria to be designated as a Monarch Waystation by Monarch Watch. Wikipedia

Chimney Rock State Park

View of Lake Lure from atop Chimney Rock
2,280 feet above sea level is the elevation at the top of Chimney Rock.
Flag atop Chimney Rock

We simply walked to the top of the Chimney and that was enough for us. The park is well maintained and has a very nice gift shop. We loved the walk along the cave passageway and even the ride up the elevator to the top of the mountain was an adventure.

Chimney Rock State Park is a North Carolina state park in Chimney RockRutherford CountyNorth Carolina in the United States. The 8,014-acre (32.43 km2) park is located 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Asheville, North Carolina, and is owned and managed by the state of North Carolina.

The park features hiking trails for all skill levels, views of the Devil’s Head balancing rock, and a 404-foot (123 m) waterfallHickory Nut Falls. Its most notable feature is a 315-foot (96 m) granite monolith named Chimney Rock, which is accessible by elevator and provides views of the park and surrounding countryside. Wikipedia