Mount Pleasant, NC

In the early 1800s, Mount Pleasant began as a comfort station---a euphemism for a public restroom. Back then, the town boasted one store for passers by who traveled to Salisbury from Concord. Gradually, it became known as the Walker Store, Mount Comfort, and then Mount Pleasant in 1848. The town's sole museum was built soon after travelers established the town. However, it was originally the Mount Pleasant Collegiate Institute for Men. Now called the Eastern Cabarrus Historic Museum, it stands as a relic of the past, restored to its former glory and filled with treasures from the town's beginning.

The women of Mount Pleasant had their own private liberal arts college, which became popular after the Civil War. Mount Amoena Seminary closed around the same time as the Mount Pleasant Collegiate Institute due to improvements in the public school system.

Mount Pleasant holds an annual Christmas parade and Independence celebration. Although there are local artists, there is no organized art program in Mount Pleasant.

Most of Mount Pleasant's restaurants and shops are on or near Main Street, a winding road that passes Mount Pleasant Middle School and restaurants before it leads into cozy neighborhoods.

For a family affair with a down-to-earth atmosphere, locals head to Buddy's Place. The owner of Buddy's Place hails from Long Island and, following in his father's footsteps, Buddy Pavlakos is on the scene to open the restaurant at 6:30 every morning. Diners enjoy fresh-cut collared greens, a large bowl of chili, and baked macaroni and cheese until 9 p.m. on weekdays. This is a popular spot with the locals.

For an alternative dining option Marvin's Fresh Farmhouse Restaurant is just across the street. Open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, visitors order chicken and dumplings, country-style steak, and other traditional comfort food dishes. Both Buddy's Place and Marvin's primarily serve homemade goods.

Sandy's Pizza & Hot Subs lies a couple of minutes east of Marvin's and Buddy's. With no tables, Sandy's only provides carry-out service. Despite the name, Sandy's specializes in both Italian and Asian fare, offering hibachi chicken and fried rice.

Mount Pleasant stays true to its sleepy, small town feel with no bars or nightlife. Fortunately for night owls, Concord never sleeps and is home to 24-hour family restaurants and inexpensive bars like Lil Robert's Place. Lil Robert's has an extensive list of craft beers on tap, open mic on Wednesday and live music every Friday night. A bottle store in the back allows revelers to keep the night going long after last call.

The average person can walk to any store in the downtown area within 20 minutes, but people who live outside of town need a car for transportation. Free parking is plentiful in Mount Pleasant.

Mount Pleasant doesn't have any form of public transportation within the town or outbound to other cities. Taxi service is available by phone, but it is expensive. Uber does not offer ride share service in the area.

Traffic is light in this bike-friendly city, but there are no bike lanes.

The Buffalo Creek Preserve consumes roughly a third of Mount Pleasant's land. Free for everyone, the park features a one-way gravel trail that spans 2 miles. Local farmers lease the land to grow crops for cows, so children have the opportunity to look at different kinds of grains. Catawba Lands Conservancy manages the property and permits dog-walking on leashes, trail running and hiking, and mountain biking. The Conservancy asks that everyone treat the park with respect by entering it with only cars and minibuses, watching out for children, and not touching growing plants.

The Preserve doesn't have official annual activities or events. Like most parks, the Buffalo Creek Preserve operates from sunrise to sunset.

Apartment complexes and public transportation remain foreign concepts to the tiny town of Mount Pleasant. Long-term visitors also have difficulty finding a home to rent, opting instead for a local inn like the Carolina Country Inn & Suites. The median cost of a Mount Pleasant home sits slightly above the state average.

Residents need to travel to Concord for a beer, which runs about $3 for domestic drafts and $4 for imported. Gas is around 8 percent lower than the national average.

Although the town doesn't have an independent grocery store, the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market operates from April to November. The government evaluates every vendor to ensure they only sell locally baked goods, fresh vegetables and fruit, herbs and mushrooms gathered from local land and other genuine small businesses.

Cline's Country Antiques is located 5 miles northeast of the town center. Donald Cline's family is part of Mount Pleasant's history, having lived on the land for more than two centuries. Much of the decor for the local restaurants comes from Cline's shop. He also supplies prop departments for movies. Some of his antiques can be seen in "The Color Purple."

Archie Smith's Instruments on Highway 73 features handmade string instruments. The artist takes great pride in crafting stringed instruments suitable for display and play. These instruments are pieces of art that enhance the decor of any home.