Love Valley is a townhttps://www.ncleg.gov/Files/BillDrafting/CityCharters/Charter%20of%20the%20Town%20of%20Love%20Valley.pdf in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States. It also extends into Alexander County on its western end. The population was 90 at the 2010 census, and in 2016 the estimated population was 104.

History

Love Valley is a small town located in a remote valley in the Brushy Mountains of northwestern North Carolina. Its creation in 1954 marked the fulfillment of a dream for founder Andy Barker. Barker developed two visions as a young man—he wanted to build a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

community, and he wanted to be a

cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...

. In 1954 he combined those visions to create an Old West-style village in the hills of northwestern Iredell County. The town was chartered in 1963.Mcnally, Jim
Andy Barker, Founder of Love Valley, dies
Winston-Salem Journal, Aug 12, 2011 Modeled after the Old West towns seen in countless Hollywood films, Love Valley boasts a saloon, general store, hitching posts, and rodeos. Automobiles are not allowed inside the town limits; people still use horses and

horse-drawn vehicle A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load. They were once common worldwide, but they have m ...

s to travel in the town. A small,

nondenominational Christian Nondenominational Christianity (or non-denominational Christianity) consists of churches which typically distance themselves from the confessionalism or creedalism of other Christian communities by not formally aligning with a specific Christian d ...

church sits on a hill overlooking the town, thus emphasizing Barker's vision of a Christian utopia. The town garnered its share of controversy in the 1960s and 1970s, including around the "Love Valley Rock Festival", which local farmers complained brought drug addicts and other "troublemakers" to the area. However, over the last two decades the town has settled down considerably and is now known as a popular gathering spot for horse-lovers and horseback riding. There are miles of horseback riding trails in the surrounding Brushy Mountains.

Geography

Love Valley is located in the Brushy Mountains of northwestern Iredell County at (35.989376, -80.988206). It is north of Statesville, the Iredell

County seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

, and southeast of Wilkesboro by road through the Brushy Mountains. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which , or 0.33%, are water. The town's area drains southwest to Snow Creek, part of the

South Yadkin River The South Yadkin River is a long river that flows through Alexander, Davie, Iredell, Rowan, and Wilkes counties of North Carolina. The mouth is located north of High Rock Lake, where the South Yadkin River meets the Yadkin River. Major citi ...

watershed.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 90 people, 17 households, and 9 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 450.0 people per square mile (57.9/km²). There were 31 housing units at an average density of 154.0 per square mile (59.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 100.00%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

. There were 17 households, out of which 11.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 41.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.76 and the average family size was 2.20. In the town, the population was spread out, with 6.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 36.7% from 45 to 64, and 30.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $24,375, and the median income for a family was $25,313. Males had a median income of $0 versus $0 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $9,848. There were 15.4% of families and 31.0% of the population living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 50.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

References

{{authority control Towns in Iredell County, North Carolina Towns in North Carolina Populated places established in 1954