Rural Vale has more than just large lots and quiet streets
Full of farms and quiet backroads, Vale is a rural area mostly in Lincoln County. There are no homeowners associations or subdivisions here, and homes are on large lots, creating plenty of breathing room between neighbors. “All of Vale is a country setting where you have room to grow and to enjoy the outdoors,” says Jamie McSwain, a Realtor with Rockin Realty, Inc. “Most of the time, you have more than an acre of land. You have space to have that dream mini farm or a full farm. It’s a great place for that.” While Vale’s rustic setting allows residents to feel tucked away in their own corners of the world, there are places to catch up, like the occasional family-owned restaurants and West Lincoln Park. The community also gathers every December for the Cat Square Christmas Parade, and Hart Square Village is a destination for history buffs and curious minds. Vale gives residents a quiet place to escape from busy city life with direct routes to jobs and community gathering places.
Ranch-style homes with at least an acre to sprawling farmland
Because properties in Vale are so large, the ranch-style and colonial-inspired homes are set away from the streets. Long paved driveways lead from the sidewalk-free streets to attached garages, though some residents have older homes with detached carports or no garages. “There’s lots of new construction,” McSwain says. “Vale is growing and flourishing.” Newly built and older single-family homes often sell for $275,000 to about $565,000, though there are bungalows and manufactured homes that range between nearly $115,000 and $275,000. Farmhouses with at least 5 acres have sold for $850,000 to $3 million. Homes here run on septic tanks due to the rural setting, but Vale has public water access through Lincoln County. Catawba County has public water as well.
West Lincoln Park fun and exploring historic Hart Square Village
West Lincoln Park is the only public park in Vale, but there’s plenty of space for people to use. The paved walking path loops around an expansive field and back to the parking lot. Visitors might let their kids run around the playgrounds or cool off on the splash pad. Dr. Bob Hart established Hart Square Village after one of his patients pointed out a historic cabin on Hart’s property. Hart went on to purchase and transport 103 structures from the 18th and 19th centuries to create the village as it stands today. Daily passes and memberships are available and allow visitors to see the cabins, artifacts from the 1800s and actors who bring history to life. Members also get access to recurring events, like monthly square dancing and craft classes. Anyone can buy tickets to the village’s annual Heritage Festival in October. Local artisans sell crafts while reenactors walk around in period-appropriate costumes, giving visitors a sense of what life was like in the 1800s.
Everyone shows up for the annual Cat Square Christmas Parade
The Cat Square Superette may be a convenience store, but it’s also the hub for the annual Cat Square Christmas Parade. The parade became a tradition over 50 years ago by a youth group from Trinity Lutheran Church. “They shut down the Cat Square Road intersection, and it’s a huge parade,” McSwain says. “It’s not your typical parade, too, because there will be tractors, horses and a little bit of everything.” Participants create floats or decorate their cars and ATVs to win categories like most original entry. WoodMill Winery offers wine tastings regularly, but the winery’s annual events bring people to town. There’s the Summer Music Concert Series from July through August, the Annual Grape Stomp Festival in August, the Fall Wine Festival in September and the Christmas Village in December.
Short trips to Lincolnton, Cherryville and Hickory
Driving is the best way to get around Vale. “The area itself is convenient to Hickory, Lincolnton and Cherryville,” McSwain says. “Vale is kind of in the center of those three areas. They’re about 10 to 15 minutes away, depending on where people live.” The nearly 11-mile trip to Lincolnton takes about 15 minutes using Reepsville Road. Lincolnton has primary care centers and the nearest hospital, Atrium Health Lincoln. Cherryville is a little farther away, about 15 miles or a 20-minute drive along state Route 274. Anyone who commutes to Hickory can drive about 17 miles on Highway 127. Churches are scattered throughout Vale, including Reepsville Baptist Church and Reepsgrove United Methodist Church.
Kids attend Lincoln County Schools or Catawba County Schools
Living in the Lincoln County Schools district means kids in Vale attend Union Elementary School, which gets an A-minus from Niche. B-rated West Lincoln Middle School is next and feeds into West Lincoln High School, rated B-minus. Residents in the northern part of Vale may live in the Catawba County School district, which means kids go to the B-rated Banoak Elementary School for prekindergarten through sixth grade before attending seventh through eighth grade at Jacobs Fork Middle School, rated A-minus. Students move on to Fred T. Foard High School, which earns a B-plus.
Family-owned diners and small businesses close to home
All the popular restaurants in Vale are locally owned, like Cat Square Family Restaurant, known for its burgers and long-standing presence in town. Norman's Cafe serves homestyle dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a ranch-style building with a homey feel. Tri County Music Bar & Grill serves burgers and beers and is known for its friendly service and cash-only policy. Honey's IGA has a wide selection of groceries, but Knob Creek Orchard sells fresh fruit and homemade treats, from ice cream to cobblers. Redbone Willy's Trading Company is a general store that has sold vintage clothes, fresh sandwiches from the Bonehead Cafe and locally sourced goods for over 30 years. Salty's Jukebox is another small business, where visitors can browse old records and CDs. The store also organizes a weekly flea market on Saturdays. Experienced vendors and residents who want to sell unneeded items set up booths outside the store, and bands play music while customers explore.
