(upbeat music) - [Dara] Whether they're walking, sitting with friends, or riding by, the people of Hickory we met say they always find a way to enjoy what the outdoors has to offer.

- I like to be outside, and Hickory's kind of a place that's built and continuing to be developed as a place where you can really appreciate being outside.

- [Dara] When You're downtown, you'll find fashionable boutiques, places to eat, modern apartments and the City Walk, which attracts tourists and locals alike.

- I can come downtown, like on the days that I am working, at lunchtime, I go sit over there in the square and eat my lunch.

And, like, right here I do at this sometimes.

- [Dara] The small quiet town is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

And even though there aren't any skyscrapers to view, residents say there's something else special that catches everyone's eye.

- People are waving at you all the time and stuff.

And part of that is that pace of life again.

It's just everybody's not so busy that we can't say, "Hey," give a smile, exchange- - [Dara] Most days you'll find Charlie Brown zooming by on his one wheel, keeping up the friendly tradition by waving at everyone in sight.

Brown grew up in Hickory and moved away a few times for work, but he tells me he could never stay away too long.

- 'Cause time is our most valuable asset.

And so Hickory is a place where you can invest your time wisely.

I think that it, again, it goes to that pace of life and just being able to kind of approach things more reasonably.

- [Dara] Right on Second Street Northwest, there's someone who knows all too well what it means to invest time wisely in Hickory.

- I used to take a daily walk from where we lived up to the coffee shop.

I just kind of became aware of the fact that the guys who owned it were losing interest.

And so I said to them, "If you guys decide to sell, talk to us first."

And about a year later, they said, "You remember when you told us to talk to you?"

- [Dara] Now 12 years later, Scott Owens is the co-owner of the coffee shop, Tasteful Beans, where he comes in every morning at 4:30, working alongside his employees, preparing frappes, coffees, and connecting with his customers.

- We're willing to pause and talk for a little while and lets you get to know them.

It's not quite the same as something that's on the highway where you pull in, you get what you want, and you pull back out and you go on your way.

Here it's a different kind of pace.

And I enjoy the interactions that we're able to have.

- [Dara] Owen says Hickory is also been a great atmosphere for another passion of his, poetry.

One that allows him to express his inner thoughts and love for the city.

I have a poem about the trees of Hickory.

I have a poem about the fact that Hickory is on the river and what that means historically.

I feel like I enjoy life more when I'm surrounded by history and art and poetry and nature.

- [Dara] And when you hear of wonderful amenities like that, you often associate it with a large price tag.

But according to "Travel and Leisure" magazine, who named Hickory the most beautiful and affordable place to live in the country, the city has a median home price of $161,000.

That's $264,000 less than the $425,000 median price of a home in Charlotte.

- Hickory's not full of things that are too ostentatious, and that can make it more affordable.

It's a pretty place, but it's not a place with palaces and mansions.

In the old communities, like Oakwood where I live, or Kentwood over here, or Claremont, they're just, like, moderate-sized family homes.

- Well, let's go back in time to when this city looked much different.

(folk music) - It started as a stop-over for people going from Salisbury to Morganton in the days of wagons.

Around 1784, there was someone who built a cabin as a lodge, and it was named Hickory Tavern.

And throughout the early 19th century, it was a place that people spent the night, had a few drinks, came in for a meal as they were on their way, either to or from Morganton on their their way to Salisbury.

- [Dara] In 1870, Henry Robinson and Dolph Shuford established the Town of Hickory Tavern.

Then in 1873, the name was changed to the Town of Hickory.

And in 1889, it became the City of Hickory.

Because we had the railroad coming through here, it was a center of commerce.

And Hickory was different than a lot of towns in that it didn't have an old family tradition.

So they just welcomed anybody that had an entrepreneurial idea to come here.

- [Dara] One of the people they welcomed was Daniel Schuler.

- He built the the first Hickory bank, and it also was a beautiful bank full of marble and chandeliers and frescoes.

He also was responsible for bringing the Elliot Opera House to town.

It had seating for 750 people.

Now Daniel Schuler's other significant thing that he brought to Hickory was the Hickory Inn.

And it was built in 1888.

- [Dara] However, his work didn't stop there.

The Harper House on North Center Street was one of Schuler's creations too.

- It only took one year for him to build it.

It was beautiful hand-carved wood, all kinds of adornments all over the house.

- [Dara] Mata tells me the home is a top destination spot for people of all ages when they visit.

- Spent around $1.5 million to restore this home, to make it that crown jewel of Hickory.

I like to call it Hickory's Biltmore.

- [Dara] So whether you're learning more about its history, hiking through the mountains or trotting along City Walk, the country's most beautiful and affordable place to live is always ready to welcome you in.

For "Carolina IMPACT," I'm Dara Khaalid.