Rowan County ( ),Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina Collection website at the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

. Retrieved August 16, 2023. officially the County of Rowan, is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

in the U.S. state of

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

. 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 parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...

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

Charlotte metropolitan area The Charlotte metropolitan area is a metropolitan area of the U.S. states of North and South Carolina, containing the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. The metropolitan area also includes the cities of Gastonia, Concord, Huntersville, and ...

. Established in 1753 from the upper 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 area eventually comprising Anson County was originally occupied by Native Ameri ...

, it was

named after A namesake is a person, place, or thing bearing the name of another. Most commonly, it refers to an individual who is purposely named after another (e.g. John F. Kennedy Jr would be the namesake of John F. Kennedy). In common parlance, it may mea ...

acting Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad range of sk ...

North Carolina governor The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Seventy-five people have held the office since the first state governor, Richard Caswell, took office in 1777. The governor serves a term of four ye ...

Matthew Rowan Matthew Rowan (died April 1760) was a British colonial official who was the acting governor of North Carolina from 1753 to 1754. Biography Matthew Rowan was born in County Antrim, Ireland, but the date of his birth remains unknown. He was t ...

. Originally a vast territory with unlimited western boundaries, Rowan County was reduced in size to after several counties were formed from it in the 18th and

19th 19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number. Mathematics Nineteen is the eighth prime number. Number theory 19 forms a twin prime with 17, a cousin prime with 23, and a sexy prime with 13. ...

centuries.

History

16th century

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 the US state of North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway, Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river a ...

and inhabited by the Wateree. At the time, the area was ruled by a female chief whom the Spaniards called ''Guatari Mico'' (Mico was a term common among the Muskogee and Souian speaking peoples of the south to mean "chief" or "leader"). The Spaniards called the village Salamanca in honor of the city of

Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...

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. Secular priests (sometimes known as diocesan priests) are priests who commit themselves to a certain geographi ...

named Sebastián Montero. 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 () was the first major European land-claim and attempted settlement-area in northern America during the European Age of Discovery. ''La Florida'' formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and th ...

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 and

St. Luke Luke the Evangelist was one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical gospels. The Early Church Fathers ascribed to him authorship of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Prominent figu ...

's Parish were established on March 27, 1753, from the upper part of Anson County,

. It was named for Matthew Rowan, acting governor of North Carolina 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 (, 1734September 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 beyo ...

'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 judi ...

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 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 was 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat and largest community is Greensboro. Since ...

. 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 the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

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

Iredell County Iredell County ( )Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina Co ...

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 History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...

, 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 List of Governors of North Carolina, 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 ...

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, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.36%) is 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. ...

State and local protected areas/sites

* Bell Tower Green * 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, Spencer, North Carolina. It is a collection of automobiles, aircraft, and List of railway vehicles, railway vehicles. The museum is located at the former Southern Ra ...

* Second Creek Game Land *

Yadkin River Game Land Yadkin may refer to: * Yadkin County, North Carolina * Yadkin River * Yadkin Valley AVA Yadkin Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) expanding across seven counties of northwestern North Carolina encompassing approximately in the Yadk ...

(part)

Major water bodies

* Cold Water Creek *

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 ...

High Rock Lake High Rock Lake is a reservoir located on the Yadkin River in central North Carolina in the counties of Davidson County, North Carolina, Davidson and Rowan County, North Carolina, Rowan. Built in 1926-27 by the Tallassee Power Company, a wholly o ...

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 G ...

* Kannapolis Lake * Lake Corriher * Lake Fisher * Lake Wright *

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 lo ...

Adjacent counties

Cabarrus County Cabarrus County ( )Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina ...

– south * Davidson County – east * Davie County – north *

Iredell County Iredell County ( )Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina Co ...

– 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, ...

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, Southern and Southwestern United States ...

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 or U.S. Highway 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida, to Ellicott City, Maryland, just west of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, in the Eastern United Stat ...

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 U.S. 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 a north ...

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 * Salisbury Station

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 146,875 people, 55,241 households, and 37,900 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 138,428 people, 53,140

households A household consists of one 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 ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...

residing in the county. The population density was . There were 60,211 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 76.52%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 16.18%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.34% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.035%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 4.33% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. 7.69% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino 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 commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland, in New Zealand regional councils, and in Canadian municipalities. In the council-manager government, ...

. 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. A county usually has three to five ...

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.

County commission prayer

In 2013 the

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. 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 an equitable remedy in the form of a special court order compelling a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. It was developed by the English courts of equity but its origins go back to Roman law and the equitable rem ...

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 United States federal court, federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the United States district court, district cou ...

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 ''Establishment Clause'' an ...

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, on March 4, 1789. Originally includi ...

, the full court sitting ''

en banc In law, an ''en banc'' (; alternatively ''in banc'', ''in banco'' or ''in bank''; ) session is when all the judges of a court sit to hear a case, not just one judge or a smaller panel of judges. For courts like the United States Courts of Appeal ...

'' 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 Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

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 and judicial system

Rowan County lies within the bounds of North Carolina's 27th Prosecutorial District, the 19C

Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...

District, and the 19C District Court District. 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 structure which houses judicial functions for a governmental entity such as a state, region, province, county, prefecture, regency, or similar governmental unit. A courthouse is home to one or more courtrooms, ...

security, civil process, operation of detention facility, 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, the , which is common ...

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, such as traffic calming, to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users include pedestrians, cyclists, Driving, motorists, passengers of vehicles, and p ...

, 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 and the Cherokee-American Wars, a political leader in North Carolina, and an important figure in the early history of the Southwes ...

*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 Southern Association of Colleges ...

, 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 Christian university in Buies Creek, North Carolina, United States. Campbell's main campus in Buies Creek is home to its College of Arts & Sciences, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Divinity School, Scho ...

, 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 school, primary or Secondary school, secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school dis ...

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 ( )Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina ...

) attend Kannapolis city schools. Their public school system operates independently of the countywide school systems.

Private schools

* North Hills Christian School – (pre-school through high school) * Rockwell Christian School (pre-school through high school) * Sacred Heart Catholic School – (elementary through middle school) * Salisbury Academy – (pre-kindergarten through middle school) * Salisbury Adventist School

Libraries

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 th ...

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

Media

The

Salisbury Post The ''Salisbury Post'' is an American, English-language daily newspaper, founded in 1905, in Salisbury, North Carolina Salisbury ( ) is a city in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region of North Carolina, United States; it has been the ...

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

Communities

Map of Rowan County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

Cities

(mostly in Cabarrus County; incorporated in 1984) *

(county seat and largest community; 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 is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

(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 is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, inc ...

(first postmaster John W. Frick, January 24, 1889, to July 16, 1906; reestablished February 26, 1932, with Lawson J. McCombs postmaster)) * 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 places

* Enochville (chartered town from 1874 to 1977) * Gold Hill (post office established on May 15, 1844, Robert E. Rives first postmaster)

Unincorporated communities

* Barber (also known as Barber Junction; post office opened May 11, 1900; first postmaster John T. Barber) * Bear Poplar (post office from September 12, 1878, to February 11, 1966, Lucy J. Kistler first postmaster) * Bellemeade * Bostian Heights (formerly Bostians, Post office: August 6, 1875, to July 16, 1877, Sophia L. Bostian as first postmaster) * Correll Park * Craven (post office from October 30, 1882, to October 15, 1915; first postmaster Allen H. Newsome) *

Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase (as it appears in the northern hemisphere) in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hindu iconography, Hind ...

(post office from March 5, 1898, to May 29, 1925, J.M.L. Lyerly first postmaster) * Dogwood Acres * Dukeville * Ellis Crossroads * Five Forks * Five Points * Franklin *

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

* Mill Bridge (post office from July 23, 1874, to September 30, 1903, Mary E. McCublin first postmaster) * Morgan Ford * Mount Ulla (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 (spelled Mountulla in 1894), first postmaster James Cowan; known as Rowan from October 24 to November 22, 1899; Mount Ulla post office re-established on November 22, 1899, with Adam E. Sherrill postmaster) * Mount Vernon (post office from May 27, 1822, to February 29, 1904; first postmaster Jacob Krider) * Needmore * Orchard Hills *

Pittsburg Pittsburg may refer to: Places United States Cities, towns, townships and counties *Pittsburg, California * Pittsburg, Florida *Pittsburg, Kansas, Crawford County *Pittsburg, New Hampshire * Pittsburg, Oklahoma *Pittsburg, Texas *Pittsburg Coun ...

* Pooletown (first known as Pool; post office from February 6, 1872, to September 15, 1906; first postmaster John F. Hodges) * Sandy Ridge Terrace * Shannon Park * Shupings Mill * Timbercreek * Trading Ford (post office from April 4, 1890, to January 15, 1906; first postmaster George W. Long) * Union Terrace * Watson Village (formerly known as Watsonville; post office from July 20, 1874, to June 30, 1903; first postmaster William F. Watson) * Westcliff * Woodbine * Woodbridge Run * Woodleaf (first known as Wood Leaf; postmaster was Daniel Wood, September 4, 1855) * Yadkin

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 and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...

* Gold Hill * Litaker * Locke *

Morgan Morgan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment'', also called ''Morgan!'', a 1966 comedy film * ''Morgan'' (2012 film), an American drama * ''Morgan'' (2016 film), an American science fiction thriller * ...

* Mount Ulla *

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

* Scotch Irish * Steele *

Unity Unity is the state of being as one (either literally or figuratively). It may also refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpoo ...

Notable people

Tommy Barnhardt Thomas Ray Barnhardt (born June 11, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a punter in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was selected in the ninth rou ...

(born 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 ...

(1746–1781),

colonel * Joseph Dickson (1745–1825), American Revolutionary War Colonel and Congressman *

John Willis Ellis John Willis Ellis (November 23, 1820 – July 7, 1861) was the 35th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1859 to 1861. He was born in Rowan County, North Carolina. Ellis attended the University of North Carolina, studied law under ...

(1820–1861), former

governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the United States, U.S. state of North Carolina. Seventy-five people have held the office since the first state governor, Richard Caswell, took office in 1777. The governor serves a ...

from 1859 to 1861,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 and ...

(1930–2013), professional wrestler * James Allen Graham (1921–2003), former North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture * Phil Kirk (born 1944), 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 ...

* Francis Locke (1722–1796), 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

* Francis Locke, Jr. (1766–1823), congressman * Matthew Locke (1730–1801), congressman and Brigadier General in the American Revolution * W. Eugene McCombs (1925–2004), politician and former Rowan County Commissioner *

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 appointe ...

(1854–1930), former U.S. Senator for North Carolina * Joseph Pearson (1776–1834), congressman *

(1721–1805), 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 ...

References

External links

; Government * ; General information *
NCGenWeb Rowan County
genealogy resources for the county *
Rowan Museum

Rowan Public Library

''Salisbury Post''
* {{Authority control 1753 establishments in North Carolina Charlotte metropolitan area Populated places established in 1753