Historic Latta Plantation and the Carolina Raptor Center in Charlotte, NC are two great places to escape to nature. They are situated on the northern end of Mecklenburg County. There are many parts of this park that stand out including; the abundant history of the park, the Carolina Raptor Center, the nature center, the horse stables and the abundance of recreational opportunities.
It is hard to visit or talk about Historic Latta Plantation and not recognize the history that surrounds the property. Situated along the banks of the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County the plantation was built in the year 1800. It was first owned by James Latta, an immigrant from Northern Ireland. Latta and his family lived on the plantation until his death in 1837. The plantation was used mainly for farming cotton. At the time of his death Lattas' wife sold the property. It was owned by two different families until 1922 when it was purchased by Crescent Land and Timber Company. This company was a subsidiary of Duke Power and they used the area to harvest timber. The property was used until the 1950's when the house was abandoned. Left abandoned until the 1970's, the property was bought by a group of citizens who saw a need to preserve such a historic part of Mecklenburg County. The group formed a private non-profit entity, Latta Place, Inc., to save and restore the property. This group still serves the plantation as an advisory group.
Because Latta Place Inc. had the vision to preserve this property the plantation is one of the best places in the Charlotte area for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The park includes a total of 1,351 acres and 16 miles of trails. It is a great place to go for horseback riding, hiking and as a kayak put-in for nearby Mountain Island Lake. This is the only park in Mecklenburg County open to equestrians. There is a working stable that offers guided horseback tours and lessons. The trails can be enjoyed by horse or by foot, and are a great place for a quick stroll or an afternoon picnic.
One of the most unique features of the plantation is the Carolina Raptor Center. The Carolina Raptors Center is a birds of prey rehabilitation center. They take injured birds in and rehabilitate them in hopes to one day release them back to the wild. Some of the birds are too injured to be safely let back in to the wild. Because of this they use them as parts of interpretive programs. Most of the birds have been hit by a car. Many times this is because someone has thrown food outside the window of a car. Then a squirrel, rabbit, or some other type of animal will come down to the road to eat this food. They then get hit by a car. The birds of prey will come down to eat the meat of these dead animals and get hit themselves. This is why it is so important to not litter. It seems like such a harmless act, but it can touch the lives of many living things. The Carolina Raptor Center does interpretive programs both on the grounds and throughout the Charlotte community. Some popular groups that they serve are elementary school classrooms, scout groups, home school groups and even summer camps. 
My personal favorite way to use this facility is for Kayaking. There are two landing areas that provide access to Gar Creek and Mountain Island Lake. Mountain Island Lake was created in 1924 and is still managed by Duke Energy. It was created as part of the Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station. The lake is fed by the Catawba River, and is the smallest of the three man-made lakes that border Mecklenburg County. The others are Lake Norman and Lake Wylie. Mountain Island Lake is managed by Charlotte-based Company Duke Energy. The lake has around 3,281 acres of surface area and 61 miles
of shoreline. It is very narrow and about ten miles long. This area can be used for an hour long paddle after work or as an all day excursion.
Historic Latta Plantation and the Carolina Raptor Center are another example of a place to enjoy the outdoors right in Mecklenburg County. You do not have to spend a three day weekend going to the mountains or driving three hours to the beach in order to enjoy the outdoors. There are many places to enjoy the outdoors with your friends and family right here in Charlotte. If you are interested in visiting Historic Latta Plantation below are some websites that can help you plan your visit.
http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/
http://lattaplantation.org/latta/index.php?page=home
http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/ParkandRec/
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