Land Use Plan – 2002 - Stanly County, North Carolina

Pee Dee Valley Drive
STANLY COUNTY
This 14-mile route passes through a valley between Albermarle and the Pee Dee River in
eastern Stanly County. The drive starts at the town of Badin and runs south along Valley Drive to
the intersection of 24/27/73. A side tour is available along Morrow Mountain Road to Morrow
Mountain State Park where wonderful views of Narrows Reservoir to the north and Tillery
Reservoir towards the south is available from the upper parking lot. Narrows Reservoir was
created in 1917 for hydroelectric power by the Carolina Aluminum Company. In 1935 Morrow
Mountain State Park was formed from land given by James McKnight Morrow and today has
hiking and equestrian trails, camping and cabins, along with the historical house of Dr. Francis
Joseph Kron. Three mountain peaks that include Sugarloaf Mountain, Mill Mountain, and Tater
Top Mountain are part of the Uwharrie Mountain Range.
The byway follows NC 24/27/73 east until it turns south at Indian Mound Road and passes Tillery
Reservoir into the town of Norwood where the tour ends. Norwood, named for its first
postmaster, was established in 1826 and is just west of Tillery Reservoir. Another side visit is
Town Creek Indian Mound that can be found from NC 731 from Norwood past Mount Gilead to
Indian Mound Road.
Rolling Kansas Byway
This nine-mile byway goes through an area called “Rolling Kansas” because of its hilly
topography, farms, and windmills. It starts at Bear Creek Church Road at the Cabarrus/Stanly
County line. Soon after is Bethel Bear Creek United Church of Christ and its graveyard. There
are tombstones that are from the 1820s making the cemetery among the oldest in the county.
The tour continues east across a one-lane bridge entering Rolling Kansas. The byway continues
north along Millingport Road where you can see unobstructed views of gently sloping
countryside. The tour ends at the Town of Richfield at U.S. 52.
Sandhills Scenic Drive
This Scenic Byway starts in Moore County to the east of Stanly County and travels west along
NC 24/27 through Montgomery County and finally ends in Stanly County just before the City of
Albemarle at Home Church Road. As you cross the Pee Dee River and into Stanly County the
byway points out Tillery Reservoir on your left and that Stony Mountain is in the background of
the Pee Dee’s west shore.
Uwharrie Scenic Road
Starting in Asheboro in Randolph County, this byway travels along NC 49 through Davidson
County into Rowan County then Stanly County and ending in Cabarrus County.
Land Suitability/Summary of Natural Resources
Stanly County is rich in natural resources throughout that at once provide numerous
opportunities as well as constraints to the use of land. The resources that influence development
within the County include soils characteristics, wetlands, floodplains, drainage, and watersheds.
Soils within the County play a major factor in where development should take place and where
soils for prime farmland should be preserved. Almost 20 percent of Stanly County’s soils are
considered prime farmland. Unfortunately soils that are usually prime for farmland are also
excellent for development as well. These two competing interests need to be measured and
compared in order for both to happen in the future.
Land Use Plan 3-11 6/02