Rowan County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the U.S. state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

that was formed in 1753, as part of the British

Province of North Carolina Province of North Carolina was a province of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain that existed in North America from 1712(p. 80) to 1776. It was one of the five Southern Colonies, Southern colonies and one of the Thirteen Colonies, thir ...

. It was originally a vast territory with unlimited western boundaries, but its size was reduced to 524 sq mi after several counties were formed from Rowan County in the 18th and 19th centuries. As of the 2020 census, its population was 146,875. Its

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 ...

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

, is the oldest continuously populated European-American town in the western half of North Carolina. Rowan County is located northeast of

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...

, and is considered part of the

Charlotte metropolitan area The Charlotte metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as Metrolina, is a metropolitan area of the U.S. states of North and South Carolina, within and surrounding the city of Charlotte. The metropolitan area also includes the cities of Gastonia, ...

History

Early history

The first Europeans to enter what is now Rowan County were members of the Spanish expedition of Juan Pardo in 1567. They established a fort and a mission in the native village of Guatari, believed to be located near the

Yadkin River The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, po ...

and inhabited by the Wateree. At the time, the area was ruled by a female chief whom the Spaniards called ''Guatari Mico'' (Mico was the Wateree's term for chief). The Spaniards called the village Salamanca in honor of the city of

Salamanca Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritag ...

in western Spain, and established a mission, headed by a

secular priest In Christianity, the term secular clergy refers to deacons and priests who are not monastics or otherwise members of religious life. A secular priest (sometimes known as a diocesan priest) is a priest who commits themselves to a certain geogr ...

named

Sebastián Montero Sebastián Montero (born in Écija) was a Spanish secular priest who was active in the later half of the sixteenth century in North America. In the historical record, Montero was the first person to introduce Christianity in what is now North Caroli ...

. This fort was one of six that Pardo's expedition established before he returned separately to Spain in 1568. Small garrisons were stationed at each fort. They were built into the interior, including across the mountains in what is now southeastern Tennessee. In 1568, Native Americans at each fort massacred all but one soldier in the garrisons. The Spanish never returned to this interior area in other colonizing attempts, instead concentrating their efforts in

Spanish Florida Spanish Florida ( es, La Florida) was the first major European land claim and attempted settlement in North America during the European Age of Discovery. ''La Florida'' formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, ...

18th century

English colonial settlement of North Carolina came decades later, starting in the coastal areas, where settlers migrated south from Virginia. Explorers and fur traders were the first to reach the Piedmont, paving the way for eventual settlers. Rowan County was formed in 1753 from the northern part of

Anson County Anson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,055. Its county seat is Wadesboro. History The county was formed in 1750 from Bladen County. It was named for George Anson, Ba ...

. It was named for

Matthew Rowan Matthew Rowan (died April 1760) was a British colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Span ...

, acting

governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

from 1753 to 1754. It was intended to incorporate all of the lands of the

Granville District The Granville District (or Granville's district) was an approximately 60-mile wide strip of land in the North Carolina colony adjoining the boundary with the Province of Virginia, lying between north latitudes 35° 34' and 36° 30'. From 1663 unti ...

that had previously been included in Anson County. A house several miles west of present-day Salisbury in "the Irish settlement" served as the first courthouse starting June 15, 1753.

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

's father Squire Boone served as one of the first

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...

s. By mid-1754 a new courthouse site was selected near "the place where the Old Waggon Road (crosses) over Grant's Creek." As was typical of the time, Rowan County was originally a vast territory with an indefinite western boundary. As the population increased in the region, portions were taken to organize other counties and their seats. In 1770, the eastern portion was combined with the western part of

Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...

to form

Guilford County Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population is 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat, and largest municipality, is Greensboro. Si ...

. In 1771 the northeastern portion of what was left became Surry County. In 1777 the western part of Rowan County was organized as Burke County. After the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, in 1788, the western portion of the now much smaller Rowan County was organized as Iredell County.

19th century

In 1822, Davidson County was formed from an eastern section. Finally, in 1836, that part of Rowan County north 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 ...

became Davie County, and Rowan County took its present form and size. Since Rowan County was developed for tobacco, cotton cultivation, and mixed farming in the antebellum period, many of the plantation owners and some farmers were dependent on enslaved labor. Cotton and tobacco continued as a commodity crop after the war and into the 20th century. The population of Rowan County was 27.1 percent slaves in 1860. During and following the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

, the state legislature encouraged investment in railways, which had not occurred before. In addition, textile mills were built here and elsewhere in the Piedmont, bringing back cotton processing and manufacturing from centers in New York and New England. Urban populations increased.

20th century

At the turn of the 20th century, after losing to Republican-Populist fusionist candidates, Democrats regained power and passed laws erecting barriers to voter registration to disenfranchise most Blacks. Together with the passage of Jim Crow laws, which suppressed Blacks socially, these measures ended the progress of African Americans in the state, after Republican men had already been serving in Congress.

Charles Aycock Charles Brantley Aycock (November 1, 1859 – April 4, 1912) was the 50th governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1901 to 1905. After starting his career as a lawyer and teacher, he became active in the Democratic Party during the part ...

and Robert Glenn, who were elected as state governors in 1900 and 1904, respectively, ran political campaigns to appeal to Whites. Six lynchings of African Americans were recorded in Rowan County from the late 19th into the early 20th centuries. This was the second-highest total of killings in the state, a number of extrajudicial murders that two other counties also had. The racial terrorism of lynchings enforced White suppression of African Americans. In 1902, brothers James and Harrison Gillespie, aged 11 and 13, were lynched by a White mob for allegedly killing a young White woman working in a field.Amy Louise Wood, "Lynching and Local History: A Review of 'Troubled Ground'"
''Southern Spaces'', May 8, 2012; accessed June 8, 2018 In August 1906, six African-American men were arrested as suspects in the murder of a farm family. That evening, a White mob stormed the county jail in Salisbury, freeing all the White prisoners, interrogating the Black ones, and taking out Jack Dillingham, Nease Gillespie, and his son John. The mob hanged the three men from a tree in a field, mutilated and tortured them, and shot them numerous times. A center of textile manufacturing spanning from the late 19th to the late 20th century, the county has worked to attract new industries, after many textile manufacturing occupations moved offshore to lower wage markets during the late 20th century.

21st century

In 2003, the county held the "250 Fest", celebrating its 250th anniversary.

Geography

According to the

U.S. 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 county has a total area of , of which (2.4%) are covered by water. The county's eastern border is formed by the

. North of Ellis Crossroads, the

meets the Yadkin. The South Yadkin forms the county's northern border with Davie County. The southern border is an east-west line that bisects the city of

Kannapolis Kannapolis () is a city in Cabarrus and Rowan counties, in the U.S. state of North Carolina, northwest of Concord and northeast of Charlotte and is a suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The city of Kannapolis was incorporated in 1984. Th ...

State and local protected areas/sites

* Eagle Point Nature Preserve * Gold Hill Mines Historic Park * Lake Corriher Wilderness Park *

North Carolina Transportation Museum The North Carolina Transportation Museum is a museum in Spencer, North Carolina. It is a collection of automobiles, aircraft, and railway vehicles. The museum is located at the former Southern Railway's 1896-era Spencer Shops and devotes much ...

Major water bodies

Cold Water Creek (Irish Buffalo Creek tributary) Cold Water Creek is a long 4th order tributary to Irish Buffalo Creek in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. Course Cold Water Creek rises about 0.5 miles northeast of China Grove, North Carolina, and then flows southeast and south to join Irish B ...

Dutch Buffalo Creek Dutch Buffalo Creek is a long 4th order tributary to the Rocky River in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. This is the only stream of this name in the United States. Variant names According to the Geographic Names Information System The Ge ...

High Rock Lake High Rock Lake is a reservoir located on the Yadkin River in central North Carolina in the counties of Davidson and Rowan. Built in 1926-27 by the Tallassee Power Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa), the ...

Irish Buffalo Creek Irish Buffalo Creek is a long 4th order tributary to the Rocky River in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. This is the only stream of this name in the United States. Variant names According to the Geographic Names Information System The Geo ...

* Kannapolis Lake * Lake Corriher * Lake Fisher *

Tuckertown Reservoir The Tuckertown Reservoir is the reservoir formed by the Tuckertown Dam at the North end of Badin Lake and the High Rock Dam at the bottom of High Rock Lake in the Uwharrie Lakes Region in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The reservoir is loca ...

Adjacent counties

Cabarrus County Cabarrus County ( )
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Davidson County – east * Davie County – north * Iredell County – west * Stanly County – southeast

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * *

Interstate 85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...

passes through the county from southwest to northeast. In the early 2000s, I-85 was widened in the central and northern part of the county, from exit 68, US 29 Connector, north almost to the Davidson County line. A new bridge over the Yadkin River was also built.

U.S. Route 70 U.S. Route 70 or U.S. Highway 70 (US 70) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. It is a major east–west highway of the Southeastern United States, Southeastern, Southern Unite ...

enters the northwestern part of Rowan County, west of Cleveland. It runs southeast into Salisbury, where it follows Jake Alexander Boulevard to the southeast and joins US 29 North as Main Street. US 70 continues northeast as Main Street; it is called Salisbury Avenue in Spencer before crossing into Davidson County.

U.S. Route 29 U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington me ...

forms Main Street in Kannapolis, China Grove, and Landis in the southern part of the county. It joins US 70 as Main Street through Salisbury, and as Salisbury Avenue in Spencer.

U.S. Route 52 U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States highway in the central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows ...

is the main artery for the southeastern part of the county, serving the towns of Gold Hill, Rockwell, and Granite Quarry. Just before reaching downtown Salisbury, US-52 joins Interstate 85, which it follows into Davidson county.

Major infrastructure

* Mid-Carolina Regional Airport, near

. * Salisbury Station

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 146,875 people, 55,241 households, and 37,900 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 138,428 people, 53,140

households A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is impo ...

, and 37,058

families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...

residing in the county. The population density was 270.7 people per square mile (98/km²). There were 60,211 housing units at an average density of 117.7 per square mile (41/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.52%

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 ...

, 16.18%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.34% Native American, 1.00%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.035%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 4.33% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.60% from two or more races. 7.69% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. Of the 53,140 households, 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.20% were married couples living together, 8.49% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.41% had a male householder with no wife and 30.26% were non-families. 25.22% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.15% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, 27.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.57 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.28 males. According to the 2000 Census, The median income for a household in the county was $37,494, and the median income for a family was $44,242. Males had a median income of $31,626 versus $23,437 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,071. About 8.10% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.70% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.

Law, government, and politics

The primary governing body of Rowan County is a

council–manager government The council–manager government is a form of local government used for municipalities, counties, or other equivalent regions. It is one of the two most common forms of local government in the United States along with the mayor–council govern ...

. The five-member

Board of Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...

are elected from single-member districts. As a group, they hire the County Manager, who is responsible for operations. The current County Manager is Aaron Church. The current Commissioners are Greg Edds (Chairman), Jim Greene (Vice-Chairman), Judy Klusman, Mike Caskey, and Craig Pierce. Commissioners are elected to four-year terms, with three being elected during midterm national elections, and two being elected during presidential election years. The commission passes the Code of Ordinances for the county. Rowan County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments. In the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

, the county is represented by

Richard Burr Richard Mauze Burr (born November 30, 1955) is an American businessman and politician who is the senior United States senator from North Carolina, serving since 2005. A member of the Republican Party, Burr was previously a member of the United ...

and

Thom Tillis Thomas Roland Tillis (born August 30, 1960) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from North Carolina since 2015. A Republican, he was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2006, and began servi ...

County commission prayer

In 2013 the

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...

filed suit on behalf of three Rowan county residents against the county commission's practice of starting their meeting with sectarian prayers by the commissioners, who instructed attendees to stand and join in. A federal district court issued an

injunction An injunction is a legal and equitable remedy in the form of a special court order that compels a party to do or refrain from specific acts. ("The court of appeals ... has exclusive jurisdiction to enjoin, set aside, suspend (in whole or in pa ...

forbidding the county commissioners from praying at their meetings. After a divided panel of the

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in case citations, 4th Cir.) is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Maryla ...

found that the prayers did not violate the

Establishment Clause In United States law, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, together with that Amendment's Free Exercise Clause, form the constitutional right of freedom of religion. The relevant constitutional text ...

of the

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven ar ...

, the full court sitting ''

en banc In law, an en banc session (; French for "in bench"; also known as ''in banc'', ''in banco'' or ''in bank'') is a session in which a case is heard before all the judges of a court (before the entire bench) rather than by one judge or a smaller ...

'' disagreed and affirmed the injunction. The

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

declined to review, over the written dissent of two justices. In 2019, the county was forced to pay $285,000 to the ACLU for the plaintiffs' legal fees because it had lost the lawsuit.

Law enforcement

The Rowan County Sheriff's Office was founded in 1753 when Rowan County was created from Anson County. Its duties include

courthouse A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...

security, civil process, operation of

detention facility A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

, investigations and community patrol. It has over 200 employees, most of which are sworn deputies. The current

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

of Rowan County is Kevin L. Auten, who was appointed after the retirement of George Wilhelm in 2009. Auten won election to a full term in his own right in 2010. The Rowan County Sheriff's Office won the J. Stannard Baker Award, a national award for outstanding achievement in

highway safety Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures used to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, vehicle passengers, horse riders, and passengers of on-road ...

, in 2003. *1753–1754 Unknown *1754–1758 David Jones *1758–1759 Edward Hughes *1759–1763 Benjamin Miller (Milner) *1763–1764 William Nassery *1764–1767 Francis Locke *1767–1768

Griffith Rutherford Griffith Rutherford (c. 1721 – August 10, 1805) was an American military officer in the Revolutionary War, a political leader in North Carolina, and an important figure in the early history of the Southwest Territory and the state of Ten ...

*1768–1769 Andrew Allison *1769–1769 Adam Allison (August 11 – November 16) *1770–1770 No Sheriff *1771–1771 William Temple Coles *1771–1772 James McKay *1772–1774 Daniel Little, Esq. *1774–1777 James Kerr *1777–1779 Galbraith Falls *1779–1779 George Henry Berger (February 2, 1779May 5, 1779) *1779–1779 Samuel Hughey (May 6 – November 3) *1779–1780 Josiah Rounsevall, Esq. (November 3 – May 3) *1780–1780 Moses Winslow, Esq. (May 3 – August 9) *1780–1781 William Brandon, Esq. (August 9 – May 9) *1781–1781 Peter Faust (May 9 – August 7) *1781–1782 James Craige *1782–1785 John Brevard Jr. *1785–1786 John Brevard Sr. *1786–1787 Hugh Terrence (Torrence, Torrance, Tarrants) *1787–1790 Lewis Beard *1790–1792 Isaac Jones *1792–1794 John Braly (Brawley) Jr. *1794–1808 John Troy *1808–1813 Edward Chambers *1813–1814 John Smith, Esq. *1814–1818 Alexander Frohock *1818–1820 John Beard, Esq. *1820–1824 Samuel Jones *1824–1826 Charles Fisher *1826–1828 Isaac D. Jones *1828–1837 Fielding Slater *1837–1841 John H. Hardie *1841–1849 Richard W. Long *1849–1858 Caleb Kluttz *1858–1865 W. A. Walton *1865–1866 Solomon Kluttz *1867–1872 W. A. Walton *1872–1880 C. F. Waggoner *1880–1890 Charles C. Krider *1890–1900 J. M. Monroe *1900–1906 D. R. Julian *1906–1908 Hodge Krider (father of J. H. Krider) *1908–1914 J. H. McKenzie *1914–1928 J. H. Krider *1928–1930 R. P. Lyerly *1930–1931 W. Locke McKenzie *1931–1932 Cal Miller *1932–1950 J. H. Krider *1950–1966 Arthur J. Shuping *1966–1986 John Stirewalt *1986–1986 Junius L. Bost (February – December) *1986–1998 Robert G. Martin *1998–2009 George A. Wilhelm *2010–pres. Kevin L. Auten (served as acting head while chief deputy from the time former sheriff Wilhelm resigned until Auten was appointed as sheriff in 2010)

Education

Colleges

Catawba College Catawba College is a private college in Salisbury, North Carolina. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its c ...

, founded in 1851 *

Livingstone College Livingstone College is a private, historically black Christian college in Salisbury, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Livingstone College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Sout ...

, founded in 1879 * Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. (Otherwise known as RCCC), founded in 1963 * Hood Theological Seminary, founded in 1885, became independent in 2001 *

Campbell University Campbell University is a private Baptist university in Buies Creek, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (Southern Baptist Convention). Southern Baptist ConventionColleges and Universities sbc.net ...

, teaching hospital at Novant Health, Rowan Medical Center, started in 2014

Rowan–Salisbury School System

The Rowan–Salisbury School System is a PK- 12 graded

school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, wh ...

covering nearly all of Rowan County. The 35 schools in the district serve 20,887 students as of 2009–2010. It was formed in 1989 with the merger of Rowan County Schools and Salisbury City Schools.

Kannapolis City Schools

Students living in the portion of

located in Rowan County (the city is mostly in

Cabarrus County Cabarrus County ( )
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Rowan Public Library The Rowan Public Library is a public library system in Rowan County, North Carolina. It was founded in 1911. History On March 11, 1911 a group called Traveler's Club met at the Lodge of Salisbury Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, on the ...

** Headquarters (Salisbury) ** East Branch (Rockwell) ** Frank T. Tadlock South Rowan Regional Library (China Grove) ** West Branch (Cleveland)

Media

The Salisbury Post, founded in 1905, is a local newspaper that is published several days a week.

Communities

Cities

(portions in Cabarrus County, incorporated in 1984) *

(county seat and largest city. Founded in 1753; first post master George Lauman, June 12, 1792)

Towns

* China Grove (post office first established on November 27, 1823, with Noah Partee as postmaster; also called Luthersville in 1846–1849 and Eufaula 1855–1859) *

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

(first postmaster William A. Allison, March 3, 1887; was Third Creek 1884–1887, postmaster William L. Allison; was Rowan Mills 1856–1884, was Cowansville 1831–1856, first postmaster John Cowan) * East Spencer (first postmaster William J. Hatley, February 12, 1913) *

Faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people often ...

(first postmaster John W. Frick, January 24, 1889, to July 16, 1906) * Granite Quarry (founded in the 1800s; originally called Woodsides, first postmaster was John F. Wiley, August 7, 1891, to January 14, 1902; first postmaster was William S. Brown, January 15, 1902) * Landis (first postmaster was Joel Corriher, July 17, 1902) * Rockwell (first postmaster was Peter Miller, March 1, 1872) * Spencer (founded in 1896, first postmaster Hugh Smith, July 15, 1897)

Census-designated place

Enochville Enochville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,851 at the 2000 census. History The census-designated place had previously been an incorporated town, one of the oldest in Rowan Co ...

(chartered town from 1874 to 1977)

Unincorporated communities

* Bear Poplar (post office from September 12, 1878, to February 11, 1966, Lucy J. Kistler first postmaster) * Bostian Heights (formerly Bostians, Post office: August 6, 1875, to July 16, 1877, Sophia L. Bostian as first postmaster) *

Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often shown wearing a crescent moon on his ...

(post office from March 5, 1898, to May 29, 1925, J.M.L. Lyerly first postmaster * Dogwood Acres * Dukeville *

Gold Hill Gold Hill may refer to: Canada * Gold Hill, British Columbia United Kingdom * Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset, a steep street used in Hovis commercial United States ;Alabama * Gold Hill, Alabama ;California * Gold Hill, El Dorado County, C ...

(post office established on May 15, 1844, Robert E. Rives first postmaster) *

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

* Mill Bridge (post office from July 23, 1874, to September 30, 1903, Mary E. McCublin first postmaster) *

Mount Ulla Mount Ulla () (also known as Claymore Peak) is a sharp peak between Meserve and Hart Glaciers in the Asgard Range, Victoria Land. The summit is a knife-edge ridge which drops away on both sides. Named by the Victoria University of Wellington A ...

(formerly Wood Grove, post office from April 12, 1830, to April 22, 1843, first postmaster Julius J. Reeves; Mount Ulla post office from April 22, 1843, to October 24, 1899, first postmaster James Cowan, post office re-established on November 22, 1899) * Woodleaf (first postmaster was Daniel Wood, September 4, 1855)

Townships

By the requirements of the North Carolina Constitution of 1868, the county was divided into townships. Previous to that time, the subdivisions were Captain's Districts. While the Captain's Districts referred primarily to the militia, it served also for the election precinct, the tax listing and tax collecting district. The following townships in Rowan County were created in 1868: * Atwell * China Grove *

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

* Litaker * Locke * Morgan *

Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...

* Scotch Irish *

Steele Steele may refer to: Places America * Steele, Alabama, a town * Steele, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Steele, Kentucky, an unincorporated community * Steele, Missouri, a city * Lonetree, Montana, a ghost town originally called Steele ...

Unity Unity may refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England * Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a h ...

Notable people

County-wide notables include the following: * Tommy Barnhardt (1963 ), NFL player, played at UNC *

William Lee Davidson William Lee Davidson (1746–1781) was an officer in the North Carolina militia and Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Pennsylvania and moved with his family to Rowan County, North Carolina in 1750. He was kil ...

(17461781), Revolutionary War Colonel *

Joseph Dickson Joseph Dickson (April 1745April 14, 1825) was an American politician and soldier who represented North Carolina's 1st district in the United States House of Representatives from 1799 to 1801, and would later serve in the Tennessee House of Re ...

(17451825), Revolutionary War Colonel and Congressman *

Governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

John W. Ellis (18201861), born in what was then eastern Rowan County and practiced law in Salisbury. *

Jackie Fargo Henry Faggart (June 26, 1930 – June 24, 2013) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jackie Fargo. He competed in Southeastern regional promotions and the National Wrestling Alliance during the 1950s, 1960s an ...

(19302013), professional wrestler * Former North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture

James Allen Graham James Allen Graham, (April 27, 1921 – November 20, 2003) was an American teacher and politician who served as the thirteenth North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture. Early life Graham was born on April 7, 1921 to James Turner and Laura Bla ...

was born and raised in Cleveland. *

Phil Kirk Phillip J. Kirk Jr. (born November 24, 1944) is a North Carolina political figure. He is a former chairman of the North Carolina State Board of Education (1997–2003) and a former president of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce (then known ...

, former chairman of the

North Carolina State Board of Education The North Carolina State Board of Education, established by Article 9 of the Constitution of North Carolina, supervises and administers the public school systems of North Carolina. The board sets policy and general procedures for public school syst ...

, is a Rowan native. * Francis Locke (17221796), plantation owner in Rowan, noted for his victory at the

Battle of Ramseur's Mill The Battle of Ramsour's Mill took place on June 20, 1780 in present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina, during the British campaign to gain control of the southern colonies in the American Revolutionary War. The number of fighters on each side of th ...

during the

''Locke, Francis''
Brawley, James S.; 1991; NCpedia.com; transcription from "Dictionary of North Carolina Biography," (6 volumes); edited by William S. Powell; copyright 1979–1996; University of North Carolina Press; accessed January 2015 * Congressman Francis Locke, Jr. (17661823), born in Rowan County *

Matthew Locke Matthew Locke may refer to: * Matthew Locke (administrator) (fl. 1660–1683), English Secretary at War from 1666 to 1683 * Matthew Locke (composer) (c. 1621–1677), English Baroque composer and music theorist * Matthew Locke (soldier) (1974–2 ...

(17301801), Congressman and Brigadier General in the American Revolution *

W. Eugene McCombs Willard Eugene McCombs (16 June 1925 – 20 January 2004) was a United States Republican Party, Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's seventy-sixth House district (83rd and 84th) from Faith, North Carolin ...

(19252004), North Carolina assemblyman and Rowan County Commissioner * U.S. Senator

Lee Slater Overman Lee Slater Overman (January 3, 1854December 12, 1930) was a Democratic U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina between 1903 and 1930. He was the first US Senator to be elected by popular vote in the state, as the legislature had appointed ...

(18541930)Lee S. Overman
marker. * Joseph Pearson (17761834), Congressman *

(17211805), military officer and Revolutionary War general, commander of the

Salisbury District Brigade The Salisbury District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). This unit was established by the Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disban ...

For a full list of notables from Rowan County and places within the county, see :People from Rowan County, North Carolina.