If small-town life appeals to you, Brookford, North Carolina, may call you home.  With less than 450 residents, it won’t take long for newcomers to be welcomed by the town, the whole town. The town sits on just .62 square miles, and 3% is water.

To see what has been called the “finest Queen Anne interior styling in the entire state” by the North Carolina Department of Archives and History, pay a visit to the Harper House. The house was built in 1887 and has been lived in by only seven families. The Harpers were the last residents who stayed in the house from 1923 until December 2000, when they arranged for the house to be taken over by The Catawba County Historical Association.

The exquisitely preserved architecture includes a coffered ceiling and detailed stained-glass window, parquet floors, intricate brasswork, half-timbered gables, and more. It is said that the Harpers did their fair share of entertaining in the attic during Prohibition. To combat being turned in to the police, the Harpers had silhouettes of their guests painted on the walls. During the Christmas season, rooms are decorated by different teams. The public is invited to vote for the best team, with each vote costing one dollar and the proceeds donated to charity.

The Hickory Museum of Art has represented the Unifour region (Catawba, Caldwell, Burke, and Alexander Counties) since 1944. Only eight pieces of art were displayed that first year, and now there are almost 1500 pieces of Southern Contemporary folk art, pottery, studio art glass, and more. The museum hosts events like Tai Chi, Corals & Conservation with Science & Art and various speakers. Art classes are available for all age groups who want to learn.

The area is home to renowned artist Joël Urruty. Joel is well-versed in multiple genres of sculpture, including abstract, bronze, figurative, and stone. You can find his work in the permanent collections at the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Boston Museum of Fine Art, and the Asheville Art Museum. Locals are lucky as they can stop into the Joël Urruty Studio in Hickory.

After a day of fine arts, stop in for a fine meal at the Charolais Steakhouse. For over 50 years, residents have enjoyed hand-cut filet mignon, dry-aged ribeye, New York strips, and more. Weekly events include Marvelous Monday. Start the week with a special menu for two and one of the seven hand-crafted martinis. Whiskey Wednesday’s At The Bar offers rare and exotic whiskeys at great prices. Get some early because when the bottles are gone, they are gone.

A previous dining experience was the setting for ghostly sightings. A house built in 1859 had reports of flickering lights and spirits showing up in the mirrors. The house eventually became the 1859 Café and was said to be inhabited by the ghost of a friendly blonde woman wearing a long white dress.

While they may not be ghosts, pests can have the same scary effect. If these unwanted guests have moved into your home or business, At Ease Pest Solutions can move them out. Contact us today in Brookford and the surrounding area for all your pest control needs.