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Traveling to Find Antiques

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People travel for a number of reasons, which can be group into two categories, business or pleasure.  Typically when traveling for pleasure, people have a certain goal in mind.  Some choose to travel to relax, some to create memories with family without the direct sat tv, and some are traveling to find or discover something.  Often, those looking for something special when traveling are antique collectors who are hoping to find rare items to add to their collections.  Typically people who enjoy antiques like the rich history behind a piece.  When people travel to go antiquing, they look for places that are full of history and unique people.  Here are three places that any antique or history lover should visit in their lifetime, and each of the three places is located in the Southeast. 

If you want to find deep history and a town with vast influences, look no further than Charleston, South Carolina.  Charleston was founded in 1670.  Today, you can still see the Continental, European, and Asian influences all around you.  The influences of King Charles II, the “Merry Monarch,” for which the town was named are still very present as well.  During the 18th and 19th centuries, Charleston’s seaport was of most importance, importing materials and cultures.  In the town and countryside, two major wars were fought, and invasions were commonplace.  Pirates, Indians, and armies frequented the town of Charleston, only adding to its unique influences and past.  Each year Charleston hosts a large antique event that features timeless pieces that any antique enthusiast would be thrilled to add to his or her collection.

Head to the Northwest a ways and you will find another spot rich in treasures and history.  Asheville, North Carolina has had quite the past.  The first settlers came to the area in 1784.  In 1864 the population was 500, and today it is around 85,000.  A Confederate military hub was located in Asheville during the Civil War. Shortly after the Civil War, the now historic Biltmore House began construction.  Still, the Biltmore is the largest privately owned home in the country.  Years later when the economy was booming in the 1920s, Asheville hosted a variety of people from famous authors to presidents.  F. Scott Fitzgerald frequented the town.  Of course, the 1930s brought a time of depression, and Asheville was one of the hardest hit cities of all.  However, today you will find the city bustling.  Still you can witness the history of the town when you are visiting.  For antique lovers, the best antiques can be found in the Biltmore Antique District.  There you will find the Sweeten Creek Antique Mall which hosts 31,000 feet of antiques, and the Antique Tobacco Barn has 70,000 square feet of antiques.  If you are looking for treasures, you will surely find them in Asheville.

Staying in North Carolina, but heading east, the small town of Cameron is a huge antique destination.  It has repeatedly been voted “Best Antique Area in North Carolina” in North Carolina’s Our State Magazine.  The humble beginnings of this tiny town are like that of many of the towns in North Carolina.  It started with the railroad track, and the town was built around it.  Along with the railroad, the town also featured the Fayetteville Plank Road.  In 1875 when the track came through, so did the people to settle in the area.  The most prominent businesses of the time were turpentine distilleries and dewberry farming.  The antique stores found in Cameron are all in the original buildings that were once homes, doctors’ offices, and general stores in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  The antique fairs and festivals are spread throughout the year in Cameron, and often even more vendors come into the town with more selection.