4th of July 2009 was a Blast in Murphy NC!

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This fourth of July was a highly anticipated and much appreciated break for many people, and the same is true in Murphy NC! Yours truly was even looking forward a break and enjoying Lake Hiwassee.

Lake Hiwassee is absolutely beautiful this year. The water level is very high, the dam is in full operation keeping the level high, and all the marinas are in full swing! We got to put our boat in at the Hanging Dog Forest Service Campground and enjoy time with friends and family. Kudos to the Forest Service for the NEW boat launch – it’s great!

Murphy’s downtown fireworks were great! We missed the intro because we were a bit late getting there, and if it is anything like what we saw, it was a phenomenal show!

And most importantly, thank you to all our Veterans and all of those in the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, and all other servicemen who are responsible for making America the greatest nation in the entire world. We owe our freedom to you and the 4th of July celebrates you and all those who have given their lives in the fight to free our nation and keep it free. Thank you for all you do.

John Poltrock – The Poltrock Team at REMAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us toll free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

Reasons to Buy Local in Murphy NC and Cherokee County

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This article will be featured in the debut issue of The Green Sheets which will be delivered to roughly 10,000 mailboxes in the Murphy NC area. It is designed to promote shopping locally in the area and will be full of coupons and excellent values giving you, the buyer, the chance to save some money, learn about local businesses, and get to read yet another article by John. Enjoy!

With the shift in the economy, it’s become ever increasingly more and more popular to say, “Buy local!” I’ve seen billboards, bumper stickers, magazines, and more all over Murphy promoting shopping here. It’s certainly an easy concept – spend your money here and bolster our local economy. We’re talking about way more than some guy you’ll never see again at the checkout working for a living, that’s Joe’s cousin and he has 3 kids and a beautiful wife. You might even see him at church or at the grocery while you’re doing your shopping. We’re blessed with great folks in this town, and we need to help them and in turn, help ourselves.

It’s easy to run to the “big store” and buy everything. It’s easy to jump in the car and drive to Atlanta or Chattanooga and get your clothes, shoes, or widgets there (ever considered how much money in gas it takes to get there and back??). It’s easy to buy cheap imported junk that’ll break in 3 minutes when we could’ve bought it here, spent a few more bucks, and gotten something that will truly last – you know what I’m talking about!

We should make an effort to help our neighbors and help ourselves. After all, everything “trickles down” and eventually makes its way back to us. With that said, look for local shopping alternatives. This is easy.

Joe from Brasstown walks in and buys a house. Joe got a great new house and my business just generated some revenue. Here’s how it got spent: $200 – local sign guy. Everyone knows Realtors needs signs. He just made payroll for his employees for a day or two. $50 – Gas at Duncan’s or Fatback’s.  $50 – local restaurant. Take your pick, we have some great food here and that employees a lot of people – owners, chefs, wait staff. $100 – need new boots. Want to drive to Atlanta – NOPE! There’s Hogsed’s Sportswear or Clayton’s Shoe Store downtown. $50 – need cat and dog food. The easy solution is something like Wal-Mart. Again, consider Teresa’s Pet World or Wayne’s Feed Store. $100 – Need some tools. There are many options – Murphy Building Supply, Wilson’s, Dickey’s and several others. Not only that, they really know what they’re talking about and can point you in the right direction. $50 – Jessica wants some plants and Potts & Pebbles is a perfect place to get them with more expertise and plants that will live longer than a year.

The list goes on and on. Long story short, do your best to buy the things you can from locally owned and family businesses. You’ll be able to find most everything you need here, and when you can’t, ask them to order it! I was in Appalachian Outfitters a week ago and those fine folks offered to order practically anything I need! Most of our local vendors can do the same, so give them the chance. Help those out who help us every single day. Not only will you get the item you needed, but you may meet your neighbor and make a friend. You never know when you will need a helping hand!

Contributed to The Green Sheets by: John Poltrock with The Poltrock Team at RE/MAX Mountain Properties. You can reach him toll free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 or at www.MyMurphy.com

Five Forks Development in Martin’s Creek Community of Murphy, North Carolina

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Five Forks in Murphy NC Entrance Sign Five Forks in Murphy NC Entrance Sign

Five Forks is a gated subdevelopment in the Martin’s Creek community nestled in the mountains of Murphy, North Carolina. It is largely respected as one of the finer and better done cabin and chalet developments in Cherokee County. It is complete with a gated entrance that closes at dusk, paved roads, underground utilities, community water system, and spectacular long range views. In fact, you can overlook the mountains of North Carolina and Georgia and even see Lake Nottley in the distance. See the picture below to get an idea of what it’s like on the top of the mountain – and the picture doesn’t even do it justice. Five Forks has a great location and is very close to Bellview. Not only is it quick access to Murphy, it is equally easy to go to Blairsville, GA. It is just off of 19/129 on Moccasin Creek Road. Click Here to see a Google Map of Five Forks’ Location and more.

The raw land tract that would become Five forks, or just 5 Forks as a few folks write it, was originally owned by developer Manny Hernandez. The site plan and much of the orchestration was done by our very own RE/MAX mountain Properties Broker/Owner, David Ritz. It wasn’t acquired as one single tract. Rather, Phase 1 was done and then additional parcels were purchased and added to the development over time.
Five Fork's Spectacular Long Range Mountain View
Five Fork's Amazing Mountain View

The paved roads are a huge asset. With double lane, paved roads coming into Five Forks, it makes travel a breeze. Much of the other developments in the area lack wide roads and can cause issues when two vehicles approach at the same time. Jonathan Wells (of Wells Contracting) built the initial phase of roads, Chris Dockery, and Bill Cook are the men largely responsible for putting in the road system. As you come in the entrance, you cross a large tract of land and a good thing for the community is that Five Forks owns the road coming in – it doesn’t just have an easement like many do.

It contains 129 lots  ranging from less than an acre to over five acres.

For those who enjoy the outdoors, Five Forks is laced with walking trails and a road system that is perfect for getting out and taking a stroll by yourself, with friends, family, or pets. It even has an outdoor picnic facility complete with a restroom.

Homes in Five Forks

Chalet Type Home in Five Forks
Chalet Type Home in Five Forks

Five Forks is well known as a chalet and cabin type community. All of the homes there have earth tone colors and are designed to make you feel like you’re “in the woods” while not secluded and by yourself. Homes in Five Forks start in the 100’s and go to the highest real estate transaction on record at $449,000 (as of this writing).

Interesting Facts on Five Forks

  • Five Forks has a tract 11.63+/- acre tract right in the middle of it that’s not part of Five Forks. It cannot be accessed through the Five Forks entrance, but rather must use Grape Thicket Road and come in through a side entrance.
  • The lots on the Northwestern side of Five Forks (which used to be part of tracts that were part of Grape Thicket) have a secondary right-of-way to come in through Grape Thicket Road. Although this is not as desireable an entrance, it is useable. The large parcel in the middle of Five Forks only has right-of-way through Grape Thicket and cannot use Five Forks’ main entrance.
  • The success of Five Forks is largely contributed to impeccable market timing, great paved roads, competetive pricing, good design, and huge, long range mountain views. Original prices started out around $25,000 and up.
  • Many of the homes built in Five Forks were built by Chris Twiggs, Mark Thorsen, John Ritz, and Ray Newcomb.

Need to sell your property in Five Forks?

Call or email us! It’s a toll-free call at 1-866-687-7496 or email at JohnPoltrock@gmail.com . You’ll recieve a FREE copy of our Seller’s Guide and a market analysis to find out what your property is worth in today’s market!

Want to buy property in Five Forks?

Call or email us! It’s a toll-free call at 1-866-687-7496 or email at JohnPoltrock@gmail.com . We’ll immediately send you a list of all the properties in Five Forks so you can see what is available. We can also notify you the instant new real estate comes available – all for FREE!

Downloadable Documents on Five Forks

 John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-687-7496 for Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team!

Overview of Murphy, North Carolina – The Location, Population, People, Real Estate, History, and Facts

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One of the Entry Signs to Murphy NC City Limits
One of the Entry Signs to Murphy NC City Limits

Murphy is the westernmost town in North Carolina. Nestled in the Blue Ridge and Mountains, Murphy is the county seat of Cherokee County. The city limits of Murphy are actually quite small with a landmass of approximately 1,702.88 acres. On the same token, the “area” of Murphy is quite large. It comprises the entire zip code 28906.

 Location

Murphy’s downtown square is located at Longitude/Latitude N 35 05.267 W 84 02.060. It is located where the Valley River and Hiwassee River come together. Highways 64, 74, and 19/129 are the major roadways.

Directions to Murphy from internet sources such as Rand McNally and MapQuest tend to be down curvy routes.  Although the distance may be shorter, they tend not to be the best – especially coming from our South. You can get the best directions to Murphy NC here.

Population

The city limits of Murphy have a mere 1,568 people. Albeit a small number, if you were to step back and look at the entire area referred to as Murphy (the entire zip code 28906), it has 16,454 people who call these mountains home. All of Cherokee County NC has a total population of 24,298.

The People of Murphy

When you’re looking to move to Murphy or buy an investment and/or second home property, it’s very important to know what to expect from the folks in Murphy.  Locals are some of the kindest and most generous people you’ll meet. They are open to newcomers and don’t shun people. Being in the heart of the Bible Belt, a large portion of people are religious and attend a wide variety of churches with varying denominations. The bottom line is, you’ll meet a lot of people who will become lifelong friends before you know it!

Downtown

A Bird’s Eye View of Downtown Murphy, NC

Downtown Murphy has tons to offer! It’s one of the few downtowns that is walkable and full of great shops! You can easily park your car downtown and walk to every store downtown has to offer. There are many great options that include, and are certainly not limited to, a bakery, quilting shop, auto parts store, hardware and supply, shoe repair and shoe shop, antiques, sporting goods, women’s botique, coffee shop, book store, candy store, furniture store, drug store, and much more. You’ll enjoy it!

Demographics

As of the census in 2000, Murphy was made up of 89.60% white, 5.48% African American, 1.28% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 1.15% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.87% of the population.

Real Estate

Real estate is one thing The POLTROCK TEAM knows well! View many of the common types of real estate for sale here. If you would like for us to search for specific property for you, let us know! You can call toll free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 or email me at JohnPoltrock@gmail.com . You are also welcome to use our online Contact Us forms.

History

Murphy was named for the North Carolina Politician, Archibald Murphey. Murphy originally started along the trading path known as the Unicoi Turnpike which connected the Cherokee lands east of the mountains with the “Overhill Towns” of Tennessee. Once the Indians were removed in 1836 across the Trail of Tears, the US Army built Fort Butler in what is today Murphy. Fort Butler was used as the main collection point for the Cherokee on the eastern side of the mountains. They were moved from Fort Butler, across the Unicoi Turnpike, and then to Fort Cass (which is now Charleston, Tennessee). Today, the Unicoi Turnpike is better known as Joe Brown Highway.

The site where Murphy is now located at along the Hiwassee River was known to the Cherokee Indians as Tlanusi-yi, which translates to the Leech Place. This name originated from a legend about a giant leech name Tlanusi that lived in the river.

Neat Facts

Murphy is closer to the capitals of six other states than it is its own state capital in Raleigh. The capitals of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, and West Virginia are all closer than Raleigh.

Eric Rudolph, the fugitive who was responsible for the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta, GA was arrested in Murphy by the Murphy Police Department after a futile, extensive FBI search. He was found behind Save-a-Lot grocery store.

Murphy, NC is rated by Forbes in the Top 10 list of up and coming vacation home markets.

There’s a rumor, albeit unsubstantiated, that President Lincoln’s Father is buried at the old Harshaw Chapel.

Mark Deweese, All-American Cross Country and Track athlete was both born and played at Murphy High School.

Carl Pickens, legendary football star, is a Murphy prodigy of years past.

Visit the Town of Murphy NC’s Official Website

Written By: John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll-Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

References and Sources
Cherokee County Mapping Department
Wikipedia
The 2000 U.S. Census

Halloween at Konaheeta Park and on Duke Street was an Amazing Success in Murphy NC!

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Halloween this year was celebrated at Konaheeta Park and at Duke Street this year in Murphy NC. It turned out to be a huge success!

Trick-or-treating on Duke Street is a family favorite every year. Duke Street is located right inside Murphy city limits and is a residential neighborhood home to many of the area’s influential people, such as Mayor Bill Hughes. With hundreds of families and children, it was a tremendous turn out after dark! The city police keep through traffic off the roads making it safer for the children. The ticket to Duke Street is to show up after dark! There’s lots of candy, lots of people, and lots of friends and family you’ll see making the rounds house to house.

Before dark, Peachtree’s on Fire Family Church sponsored an excellent celebration at Murphy NC’s Konaheeta Park. It was full of families and children running around, collecting candy, playing games, and eating hot dogs. Admission was completely free for everyone and all the kids were given a free hot dog to keep their stomachs full of more than just candy! There were well over a dozen games for the kids to play and they could win candy for winning! Throw in jumpy toys, a hay ride, and music, it was a great Halloween for 2008!

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – Murphy NC RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Toll-Free 866-Murphy-NC

The Nottley River of Murphy, North Carolina

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The Nottley River  in Murphy, North Carolina is unique since it a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) river. It is small and very clean. Nottley Dam is about 4 miles upstream, and development on the river is well managed. This means muddy runoff is not a problem and quickly runs clean after a rain. Despite increasing population on much of the river, most of the riverfront property is amazingly private. It is a great river with lots of opportunity to fish, relax, and even invest in real estate right on the river itself.

Wildlife on Nottley River
Because of the stable climate in the Murphy, NC area,  wildlife is abundant along the banks of the Nottley River. [Click the link for information on each animal provided by Wikipedia]  Beaver and otter are seen in addition to raccoon, opossum, groundhog, turkey, and deer. A gorgeous selection of birds can be seen throughout the year. Indigo buntings stay all summer along with tiny hummingbirds. Goldfinches can be found all year long and put on a beautiful show. Titmouses, bluebirds, house finches, and wrens are here all year along with chickadees. There are many bright red cardinals, which also happen to be the state bird of North Carolina. There are also two kinds nuthatches. Junkos are a nice addition in the winer as well are the geese and ducks that fly into local lakes. There are red-breasted and pileated woodpeckers, and in May, there are even some migrating cedar waxwings.

 

Fishing on Nottley River

For the trout fisherman, the Nottley River has a special interest. It is not stocked, but supports quite a population of wild rainbow trout, which is unique to our area. The spawn is in April. Access to the river is limited and there is little to no pressure of over fishing. Significant hatches of small grey caddis (sizes 16-18) occur in March to April and caddis (all day) and baetis mayflies (sundown) hatch all summer. Use this link for details of water releases from the TVA dams.

What Creates the Nottley River?

The Nottley River flows from Lake Nottley, which is a dam controlled lake formed by the TVA. It flows roughly 40 miles and spills in to Lake Hiwassee in Murphy NC.Murphy NC Area River Basins

Chances of Flooding on the Nottley River

Since Nottley River is dam controlled by the TVA, the chances of flooding are virtually non-existent. It has had extensive flood studies on the surrounding land on the River, and the annual chance of flood hazard is 0.2% chance according to the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Information System. With less than a 1% chance of flooding, the Nottley River is a very safe river to own real estate on compared to many of the others.

Real Estate on Nottley River

There are a lot of opportunities to own both homes and land with Nottley River frontage. One of best aspects of Nottley is your river property actually runs to the centerline of the river – meaning you actually own part of the river itself.

We have a Nottley River Front development in Murphy NC with several river front lots and all interior lots have river access from the common area. We would be happy to search for both homes and land for you and email them directly to you. Please use our Murphy NC Dream Home Finder and we’ll do the work for you!

You are also welcome to use our Murphy NC and Cherokee County MLS Homes and Land Real Estate Search function to see what’s available right on your computer.

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – Email at JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll-Free at 1-866- Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

Your Order’s Ready! Nottley River Lots Coming Right Up! – A previous post with some of this information

 

US Forest Service Land – A Major Murphy, North Carolina Resource

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The US Forest Service accounts for a tremendous portion of Cherokee County’s landmass. According to the Cherokee County Mapping Department, the forest service operates a whoping 93,169.87 acres of public land in our county alone.

Having so much Forest Service, which is commonly known as the Nantahala Forest, is a huge asset to Murphy. Here are only a few resources available as a direct result of the Forest Service:

Another advantage is so much Forest Service will limit growth within Cherokee County. With roughly 1/3 of the county being public land, much of it cannot be built on. This will keep much of the natural beauty Murphy has very much alive and intact. It doesn’t take long to figure out why Murphy is still to this day referred to as “God’s Country.”

John Poltrock, Murphy NC Realtor – Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Toll-Free 1-866-687-7496 Today and demand The POLTROCK TEAM!

Owassa Road in Murphy NC

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OwassaVery seldom do you see a place in the United States have a unique name. In Murphy, we see many Indian and other names which you’re unlikely to see anywhere else. Today on our way back from visiting family in Pensacola, FL, I noticed a sign I never thought I’d see! I took this picture from my Blackberry driving 70 mph on a highway, and I’m surprised it even came out legible!

Owassa is a road on the Northwestern side of Cherokee County. Although it takes 20-30 minutes to get to from town, there’s some amazing sights there.

The largest attractions around Owassa Road is threefold: US Forest Service / Nantahala Forest land, Lake Appalachia, and privacy.

Owassa Road is in the Hiwassee Dam community of Murphy, North Carolina. It is accessible from the Northern part of Highway 294 and off of Camp Creek Road. It is also the road that leads into one of Lake Appalachia’s few communities with real estate for sale. It leads to Wilderness Lake Estates which offers lake views and lake front on of the most private communities.

John Poltrock – The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call 1-866-687-7496 and demand The POLTROCK TEAM!

The Benefits and Beauty of Lake Hiwassee

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Lake Hiwassee is a beautiful lake situated in the mountains of Murphy, North Carolina. Being the largest lake in Cherokee County, it offers a lot to boaters, fisherman, campers, and more. It takes up 6,280 acres and is made by dams on either end. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the government agency responsible for regulating and maintaining its integrity.

Almost entirely surrounded by U.S. Forest Service, there is very little land available on the lake itself. In order to find a lake lot or home, you almost have to buy in Bear Paw Resort in the Hiwassee Dam area of our county. Many of the lake houses have an amazing view of the water and look on to Forest Service land on the other side of the lake. Because of that, their view will likely remain natural for our lifetimes.

Many skiers love the lake because the water is like glass most of the time. The mountains and fingers on the lake keep it smooth and prevents it from being choppy like many lakes with large open channels. It starts close to downtown Murphy and extends for 22 miles. Since it is surrounded by the Forest Service, you can camp all along the shoreline. Not only that, it is not heavily trafficked since their are very few homes on the water. It truly is a place where you can take your family and be safe, comfortable, and have a good time.

*Note* – You will find a common misspelling reading Lake Hiawassee.

You can also read our newer article with more specifics on Lake Hiwassee in Murphy, North Carolina