Mebane

The densely clustered streets of central Mebane give way to rural sprawl in Woodlawn, a neighborhood situated northeast of the city against Graham-Mebane Lake. This part of town is slow-paced and sparsely populated, with long stretches of forests and fields between homes. However, Woodlawn’s scenic waterfront also makes it an increasingly desirable place to live. “There’s a lot of new development coming into that area,” says Katherine Burkholder, a Realtor with Re/Max Diamond Realty and a Council Member on the Mebane City Council. “Most of Woodlawn is outside of the city limits, so the houses are on larger lots,” she notes. This neighborhood shares most of its amenities with other areas of Mebane, as it has few businesses within its limits. However, like most of Mebane, Woodlawn is positioned squarely in between Greensboro and Durham, which makes it popular with commuters who want to retreat to the countryside when the workday is done. Woodlawn’s homes are connected by a web of rural highways and winding one-lane roads, with stretches of dense trees and grassy fields dotted in between. Ranch-style homes and farmhouse cottages sit right off these meandering streets on large lots. Even the rare subdivision tends to be densely forested and dotted with brick ranch-style homes and classic Cape Cods behind generous setbacks. New construction homes have started cropping up with the farmhouse-inspired stylings of their surroundings, while lakefront properties typically have more ostentatious flairs. Prices tend to run from $200,000 to $600,000, though new build and homes on the lake can push prices into the $700,000 to $1 million range. Woodlawn currently holds a CAP Index crime score of 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4. Multiple Alamance-Burlington Schools are located in the neighborhood, with others close by. E. M. Yoder Elementary is right next to Mebane Community Park and scores a B from Niche. Woodlawn Middle and Eastern Alamance High are closer to Graham-Mebane Lake and earn a B-minus and a B, respectively. Eastern Alamance High offers career technical education courses in business and marketing, family and consumer science, and industry and trade. All three schools are less than a 10-minute drive away from the furthest homes in the neighborhood. The eastern arm of Graham-Mebane Lake borders Woodlawn to the west, curving around the neighborhood with its miles of jagged, wooded shoreline. This 650-acre reservoir is a popular spot to enjoy the great outdoors with a waterside picnic or a day of casting off from the dock. Kayaks for rent offer a way to explore the lake’s many branching waterways, or those who bring their own vessels can launch out from the boat ramp. On the opposite end of the neighborhood, Mebane Community Park provides plenty of ways to have fun on land, plus a splash pad for kids to cool off after. Families frequent the playground and soccer fields, but there’s room for fur babies at the dog park, too. The park also provides a full-body workout at its fitness court, an outdoor gym complete with recommended exercise routines using its bodyweight equipment. “We’re also planning multi-use walking paths and greenways all the way from Lake Michael Park to Cate’s Farm Park, and eventually — though this is still years and years out — all the way to Mebane Community Park,” says Burkholder. Woodlawn, true to its name, is largely forested and rural. For shopping sprees and dining out, residents head elsewhere in Mebane. There’s a Food Lion on North First Street on the way into town, roughly 2 miles or a five-minute drive east of the neighborhood. Further down First Street is Mebane’s quaint downtown strip, a cluster of locally owned restaurants and shops tucked into quaint brick storefronts. Filament Coffee and Tea’s bright, modern interior and caffeinated concoctions make it a local go-to for catching up with friends or perusing a small selection of wares. Across the street, Crafted serves up street-style tacos with Southern twists, such as pulled pork tacos topped with mac and cheese. Big-box stores and chain restaurants typically cluster near Interstate 40 to the south, where the Tanger Outlets Mebane boasts dozens of brand-name retailers. North Carolina Highway 119 is the neighborhood’s central thoroughfare, leading south to U.S. Route 70 and Interstate 40. “A lot of people live around here for the convenience to commuting,” says Kelly Osborn, a Realtor with Allen Tate Realtors. Burlington is roughly 10 miles west, or a 20-minute drive. Greensboro and Durham are approximately 30 miles in either direction, a drive that can take 30 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. The nearest commercial airport is the Piedmont Triad International Airport, approximately 45 miles away in Greensboro or a 40- to 50-minute drive via I-40. “The first Buc-ee’s in North Carolina is getting built not too far from here. It's sort of like a cross between a Cracker Barrel, a Walmart and a gas station,” Osborn adds, noting that the location might drive additional traffic or indicate growth in the region. “People are pretty excited about it.”

Just north of central Mebane, an intricately landscaped entrance welcomes visitors and residents alike into one of the city’s most sought-after communities. This is Mill Creek, a neighborhood right on the greens of Mill Creek Golf Course and just a couple miles away from downtown Mebane’s quaint storefronts. “It’s an established neighborhood with lots of amenities," says Katherine Burkholder, a Realtor with Re/Max Diamond Realtor and a member of the Mebane City Council. “They’ve got a neighborhood pool and lots of other common areas for people to enjoy. It’s not far from downtown, and it’s close to a new park, Cate’s Farm Park.” Away from the city traffic and highway bustle, Mill Creek was designed with seclusion and luxury in mind. Mill Creek’s homes are architecturally varied but united by a sense of picturesque tranquility. The Mill Creek Community Homeowners Association maintains the neighborhood’s landscaping and amenities, which include a community pool and tennis courts. Two-story New Traditional homes are common and sometimes incorporate Dutch Colonial and Millenium Mansion stylings, while single-story homes tend to have a classic Cape Cod flair. New builds are slowly beginning to crop up and typically feature contemporary Craftsman elements such as gable brackets and wooden columns. While homes rarely sell for less than $375,000 here, prices can climb well into the mid-$800,000 range. Mill Creek holds a CAP Index crime score of 1 out of 10, well below the national average of 4. About half of the neighborhood’s streets curve and branch around Mill Creek Golf Club, a 650-acre facility featuring an 18-hole golf course. “The golf club isn’t included as part of the HOA dues, but it’s still a nice feature to have,” Burkholder says. Indeed, some homes back right up to the rolling greens. Regardless of member status, residents can dine at the clubhouse restaurant, Payne’s Place Bar and Grill, for a quick, casual meal close to home. Mill Creek is zoned to Alamance-Burlington Schools. E.M. Yoder Elementary scores a B from Niche, while Woodlawn Middle earns a B-minus. Eastern Alamance High receives a B grade and is known for its strong athletics, particularly its football program. The team made 19 consecutive state playoff appearances from the years of 2005 to 2023, and residents show out in droves to support the Eagles on game nights. Across the street from the neighborhood entrance lies Cate’s Farm Park, Mebane’s newest community park. Situated on the site of a former pickle farm, the park’s 54 acres encompass a rustic wooden playground and scenic wildflower meadows. “It’s very exciting because it has an all-inclusive playground for people with different mobility needs or abilities, so there are things like a wheelchair-accessible swing set,” Burkholder says. “Beyond the playground, there’s also a preserved nature area with walking trails.” Burkholder notes that the city is planning to expand its trail systems to connect its major parks, though the project is still years in the making. However, the proposed trail system would feature paved, 8-foot-wide paths, making it easier for folks with strollers, wheelchairs or other mobility aids to enjoy the outdoors together. Most shopping and dining in Mebane clusters around the city’s small but quaint downtown district or along Interstate 40, both of which are a short drive from the neighborhood. There’s also a Food Lion on North First Street, roughly 2 miles outside of Mill Creek. In downtown Mebane, folks can grab a morning pick-me-up from Filament Coffee and Tea or sit down for dinner at Junction on 70, a Mebane mainstay for cheesy pasta and pizza. Near I-40, big-box stores such as Walmart and Lowe’s are reliable spots to run errands, while Tanger Outlets Mebane is where shopaholics go to peruse retailers such as Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and Coach. This outdoor shopping mall is about 5 miles south of the neighborhood, or a convenient 10-minute drive. North Carolina Highway 119 is the neighborhood’s central thoroughfare, running south from Mill Creek to U.S. Route 70 and Interstate 40. In 2022, a portion of the highway was rerouted to better connect west Mebane, including Mill Creek, to I-40. “The 119 bypass has made the area a lot more accessible to the Interstate,” says Burkholder. That accessibility is especially important to a community like Mebane, which is directly in between the Piedmont Triad and Research Triangle areas. “Most of Alamance County is bedroom communities, because you can get to Raleigh-Durham or Greensboro,” says Kelly Osborn, a Realtor with Allen Tate Realtors. Greensboro and Durham are each 30 miles away in either direction, a drive that typically takes 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.

Fifteen minutes north of the nearest towns of Hillsborough and Mebane, Cedar Grove is less a neighborhood in the traditional sense and more a web of winding, rural roads around the east and west forks of the Eno River. Haylee Henry, a Realtor at Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston who works throughout the Hillsborough area, says she’d describe Cedar Grove with three words: secluded, beautiful and peaceful. “It’s nice because it’s rural but still close to town, so you get all the nature and privacy without being too far from everything,” Henry says. With scenic views of woodlands and pastures, residents here get the room to spread out without sacrificing everyday conveniences found the next town over. Cedar Grove comprises single-family homes ranging from petite fixer-upper cottages to sweeping country farmhouses with extensive acreage to boot. There’s also just about everything in between, from regal Colonial Revivals to Craftsmans with large front porches; with no cookie-cutter developments, Cedar Grove homes come in various styles. “There’s plenty of elbow room and places where people can build custom homes,” Henry adds. Some sit by themselves on lots tucked off the main roads, whereas others belong to modest subdivisions where homes line the streets in rows, though the wooded lots and spacious lawns still lend a sense of privacy. Homebuyers can purchase one of these two-story, three-bedroom homes for $465,000, the median price for the area. Those looking to spend a little to get a little more can have a house and barn on a 60-acre property for $1.4 million. The east and west forks of the Eno River flow through Cedar Grove, meeting at the southern edge of the neighborhood at the Confluence Natural Area. Once a working farm, today its old mill can still be visited by parkgoers walking along the 2 miles of forested trails by the river. It even has a pollinator garden and is home to a handful of rare plants, meaning there’s plenty of nature to explore. Kids in Cedar Grove can attend Orange County Schools, starting at Pathways Elementary, which earns a B-minus from Niche. Orange Middle scores a B, and Orange High receives a B-plus, with electives to prepare students for a variety of careers, from nursing to firefighting to mechatronics. Cedar Grove is sparsely populated by businesses, though a handful of convenience stores provide for residents. The Farm and Garden Center is a catch-all for everyday needs and then some; locals can pick up bait and tackle, garden supplies and a frozen meal all in one stop without needing to head into town. Other gas station stops like Handy Andy provide hardware for quick fixes, while John’s Grill serves burgers and pizza for fuel on the go. Although there’s enough scattered around Cedar Grove to get by, most folks head into town in nearby Hillsborough and Mebane for shopping and dining. Hillsborough, about 15 minutes south of central Cedar Grove, has a Food Lion and a Walmart Supercenter for daily essentials. While there, it’s worth stopping in at Eno River Brewing, which has a spacious lawn where patrons can kick back, play games or grab a bite from a food truck, all while sipping on a craft brew. Mebane is about the same distance southwest of Cedar Grove and has a Lowe’s Foods for grabbing groceries and a Tanger Outlet Mall for outdoor shopping at name-brand stores like Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and Columbia. Though the densely forested nature of Cedar Grove might make it feel secluded, it’s still easy to get around. There’s a bus stop at the Cedar Grove Community Center, where seasonal events like a Christmas parade and a Halloween trunk or treat are held. Residents can take Orange County Public Transit buses from the Community Center through Hillsborough to Chapel Hill on weekdays. Otherwise, it’s about a 15-minute or 10-mile drive to Hillsborough or Mebane or just under half an hour or 25 miles to either Chapel Hill or Durham. Residents have emergency care covered at the University of North Carolina Hospitals Hillsborough Campus. They can make longer trips from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which is around 40 minutes or 37 miles from central Cedar Grove via Interstate 40.