Badin, NC

Sitting along the southern shores of Badin Lake in Stanly County, Badin is a small town of around 2,000 residents with a surprisingly unique heritage. The town was founded in the 1910s by a French aluminum company that designed the community for its engineers and workers. Because of those French roots, the neighborhood streets still feature distinctive brick quadraplexes and colonial-style homes you would never expect to find in rural North Carolina.

ATTRNyttend / Public domain

Today, that historic character pairs with easy access to some of the best outdoor recreation in the region. Badin Lake provides plenty of room for boating, kayaking, and fishing, while the adjacent Uwharrie National Forest and Morrow Mountain State Park offer miles of hiking trails right down the road. It is a quiet, easygoing community where history and lake living come together.