This guy sez: 10 worst places to live in NC

[mpaer]

How old are you, griff? I also grew up in Wilson and live there now...

I think he is old. Like me

 

[Icky Mettle]

This thread has me wondering whatever happened to the Fish Camps of Gaston County.

I wasn’t in Winston long, but it was all right by me. I lived just about downtown across the street from some bikers who sold weed to Wake students. Every Sunday they’d bring the stereo outside, crank up the NASCAR broadcast, pitch horseshoes and drink beer until they were falling down drunk. RIP Rainbow Cafe.

I went to law school at Wake and lived in Winston from 2001-04. I grew up in Charlotte and lived there for my three years between college and law school. I also did my undergrad in Greensboro. When I moved to Winston, I thought it would be like a smaller version of Charlotte and similar to Greensboro. But moving to Winston was a bit of a culture shock. There was a bit of a biker culture that was somewhat prevalent there at the time. I witnessed a lot of redneck bar fights. And that wasn’t the outskirts of town. That was in West End.

 

[EyeballKid]

I think Durham still has more shootings per capita, though.

None of them are random drive-bys in decent areas.

It’s not like folks are getting shot while walking downtown, or on 9th street, or at south point.

 

[ecgriff]

How old are you, griff? I also grew up in Wilson and live there now...

I’m in my 30’s. I’m sure we’ve crossed paths.

 

[Geisterfahrer]

I went to law school at Wake and lived in Winston from 2001-04. I grew up in Charlotte and lived there for my three years between college and law school. I also did my undergrad in Greensboro. When I moved to Winston, I thought it would be like a smaller version of Charlotte and similar to Greensboro. But moving to Winston was a bit of a culture shock. There was a bit of a biker culture that was somewhat prevalent there at the time. I witnessed a lot of redneck bar fights. And that wasn’t the outskirts of town. That was in West End.

I was there well before you, there were definitely some rough edges. My neighborhood (Second Street near Sawtooth) had some bite. But I’ve never seen anything quite like a drunk Will Reynolds rolling up to Gatsby’s like a batshit Grizzly Adams and ordering rounds for the whole bar.

 

[SnoopRob]

Twin tops, Catfish cove, captain’s cap, long’s creek are all still around. Lineberger’s burned down maybe 15-20 years ago but there’s a similar place in the same spot.

Not sure how well they are all doing/whether or not they are still popular though. Now that I think about it it’s been ages since I’ve been to any of those places.

They're still popular because so many of the ones outside of Gastonia have gone out of business and folks still want fish. It's kinda like BBQ joints, everyone has their favorite and they're pretty loyal.

Most of the ones I loved in Lincoln County are gone, as are many of the ones around Stanley. But the more well-known ones in Gastonia have survived because folks who want to go to a fish camp have very little other choice but those.

 

[Carolina Fever]

None of them are random drive-bys in decent areas.

It’s not like folks are getting shot while walking downtown, or on 9th street, or at south point.

I know, but the gun violence there is still a problem, especially for the folks who can only afford to live in those areas. They shouldn't have to deal with it, either.

 

[hedge]

I'm kinda shocked to hear Winston getting shat upon. I've only been a couple of times but I always assumed it was basically a slightly more western version of Raleigh. BTW, I think Raleigh is the bomb. It's got everything you could want but still somehow under the radar. I'm sure it has its issues like any growing large(ish) city, but tons of positives that more than offset the negatives. Some of the recent vertical growth around North Hills, Cameron Village and elsewhere are a bit of a bummer, but I kinda feel like the old man cursing the clouds with that kind of criticism.

 

[hedge]

I’m in my 30’s. I’m sure we’ve crossed paths.

Well hopefully they'll cross again. I like your avatar...

 

[Enigma94]

People crapping on Winston haven’t been there in 20 years. In the 90’s to early 2000’s it was pretty gritty downtown. That has totally changed. There are like 30 new restaurants and I believe 7 new breweries in the downtown area alone. There have been thousands of new apartments built. The entire eastern side of downtown was abandoned tobacco warehouses now it is home to biotech companies, lab space, the WFU medical school, parks, restaurants, new apartments and breweries. The artistic vibe has remained as well particularly along Trade Street.

 

[ecgriff]

Well hopefully they'll cross again. I like your avatar...

Speaking of Wilson they are saying the tornado that touched down near Lucama was a F3 with 140 mph winds (crazy). I still can’t get over the tornado that crossed 95 towards Rocky Mount. Almost 150-200 yard wide area of nothing but snapped in half pine trees.

 

[EyeballKid]

I know, but the gun violence there is still a problem, especially for the folks who can only afford to live in those areas. They shouldn't have to deal with it, either.

No doubt.

But let’s not define Durham by the gun violence that occurs in a mile radius of a very vibrant city, when the vast majority of the city is safe from that violence.

As I explained earlier, I definitely do not have a lot of money. And I’ve never feared gun violence in Durham.

 

[DougDaBroadcasta]

As someone who lives in WS and has for all but six years of his life, this place ain't bad.

There's the usual racial divide in most of the city's residential areas, that's for sure. There are white neighborhoods, there are black ones, and there are Latino ones. The few mixed ones that are middle class are pretty cool places (I happen to live in one, and most folks get along just fine), but you don't wanna venture too far into the wrong one (a couple blocks away is a trailer park that growing us was all working class whites, but is now graffiti'd out as MS-13 territory, and two blocks further is a predominantly black neighborhood that when I sold security systems years ago, the nice ol' ladies there told me they didn't do anything for Halloween due to the possibility of violence).

Growing up as a teen in the 90's, Ziggy's and Baity Street was as close as you got "downtown." It's completely different there now. Bars, restaurants, lots of art and cool places to go. Definitely didn't have those places when I was younger. It has the same issues as most cities, but it's not out of control, that's for sure.

Hanes Mall is surviving by a thread, and retail on Hanes Mall Blvd struggles now, but that's everywhere. The food scene is decent, and it's 90 minutes to the mountains, and a couple hours to the beach. No real complaints.

Edit--I lived one year in Hickory, and 10 months in Gastonia. You'd have to pay me 6 figures to work in Hickory, because there's no way I'd live there again and that'd pay for the commute. I worked constantly in Gastonia so I never got out to check the place out that much. But wasn't that impressed either.

 

[donbosco]

A lot of good info and opinion sharing here. I hoped that might happen. This has a slight resemblance to a BBQ thread even. Rather than a worst places discussion we’ve leaned a bit into what’s good too. But not much.

I’m surprised there has been so little mention of Western NC places here. As I mentioned, I lived in Boone and now split time btw NYC and AVL. No one has mentioned either of those #WNC towns. I’d take Boone over AVL pretty easily.

I also mentioned Weaverville, 6 miles north of Asheville, as an excellent place to live. I wouldn’t say that about AVL. I live in Fairview these days when in NC. I couldn’t recommend it either. Fletcher and Marshall (20 miles north of AVL in Madison County) are places I could live and I’d love to try Black Mountain or Hendersonville. All of that needs to be prefaced by the caveat that I might have to live in the mountains for work but I’d much rather be in The Piedmont.

 

[hedge]

Is AVL Asheville? As a tourist, I love Asheville. My niece went to high school there and I always enjoyed visiting...

 

[grimes70]

A lot of good info and opinion sharing here. I hoped that might happen. This has a slight resemblance to a BBQ thread even. Rather than a worst places discussion we’ve leaned a bit into what’s good too. But not much.

I’m surprised there has been so little mention of Western NC places here. As I mentioned, I lived in Boone and now split time btw NYC and AVL. No one has mentioned either of those #WNC towns. I’d take Boone over AVL pretty easily.

I also mentioned Weaverville, 6 miles north of Asheville, as an excellent place to live. I wouldn’t say that about AVL. I live in Fairview these days when in NC. I couldn’t recommend it either. Fletcher and Marshall (20 miles north of AVL in Madison County) are places I could live and I’d love to try Black Mountain or Hendersonville. All of that needs to be prefaced by the caveat that I might have to live in the mountains for work but I’d much rather be in The Piedmont.

Marshall. LoL. First went there 1971 and frquented often over the next 40+ years. Has that place changed. No more Feed and Seed. Friggin Brew House from a place that was dry until about 15 years ago or so. Though still no liquor I believe. I remember when the Madison Co, Record started having advertisements for crystals, massages and all kinds of new age stuff from Hot Springs that it wouldn't be long for the rest of the county to start going to sh *t. Took a bit longer but still. Liked it better as a backwards ass place. More character.