Prior to colonization, three Siouan-speaking tribes associated with a culture group called the Eastern Siouans probably inhabited the area that is now Iredell County. Broken into several smaller tribes, they were the Catawba, the Waccamaw Siouan, the Cheraw, the Winyaw, the Wateree and the Sugaree. The following list shows significant events and firsts in the history of the area that is now called Iredell County, North Carolina.[6][9][10][11][12]
Detail of a 1770 map of North Carolina by John Collett depicting the locations of Fort Dobbs, the Yadkin and Catawba Rivers, and Salisbury[13]Bostian Bridge Train Wreck in 1891. Remains of the locomotive and wooden passenger cars at the base of the 60-foot-high Bostian Bridge, over Third Creek near Statesville.Historice Statesville Court House and Post Office, c. 1900
1730–1750 – first Scots-Irish and German immigrants seeking good soil, game, and proximity to fresh water had settled the area of modern-day Iredell County[6]
1750–1776 – Lord Granville and later his son issued Granville Grants of land in the Granville District, which included the area that later became Iredell County but was then Anson and later Rowan Counties[14]
1753 – Rowan County created from a portion of Anson County
1754–1763 – Fort Dobbs (named after Governor Arthur Dobbs) was erected as a defense facility during the French and Indian War (1754–63). Today, the location of Fort Dobbs is a North Carolina State Historic Site.
1775, August 1 – Rowan County Regiment, North Carolina Militia established; most Iredell residents that saw service while in North Carolina, served in this regiment; for a time in 1775 and 1782 the regiment was divided into 1st and 2nd Rowan County Regiment[15]
1775–1783 – North Carolina contributes 30,000 to 36,000 men during the American Revolutionary War, including the Continental Army, local North Carolina County Regiments of militia, and other State Troops[15]
1778, August – Adlai Osborne compiles Tax List of Rowan County to raise money for the upcoming Revolutionary War, including Capt Caldwell's, Capt Nichols', Capt Falls', and Capt Purviance's Districts that would become part of Iredell County in 1788[17]
1787 – New Sterling ARP Church established in Buffalo Shoals area that would become New Sterling[18]
1788, November 3 – Iredell County was incorporated in 1788 when it was formed from adjacent Rowan County. It is named for Honorable James Iredell, Sr. (1751–1799), Attorney General of North Carolina during the Revolutionary War, Supreme Court Justice, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1788. Its county seat is Statesville.
1789, November 21 – North Carolina admitted to the Union as the 12th state
1789 – Fourth Creek Congregation location chosen by the legislature as county seat of Iredell County, named Statesville
1790s – McKendree United Methodist Church established in Mooresville
1790 – August 13 – first 26 lots sold in Statesville
1794 – Grassy Knob Baptist Church established near what would become Union Grove in northern Iredell County
1800 – U.S. census shows 11 heads of household, including 68 free white persons and 27 slaves in "States Ville"
1801 – first post office established in Statesville
1819 – second county courthouse built in Statesville
1847 – The only major cession of Iredell territory to another county was that to Alexander County, created in early 1847 from Iredell, Burke, and Wilkes counties.
1854 – fire burns second county courthouse and court house records
1900s – Industries producing tobacco, liquor, and herbs (Statesville's Wallace Herbarium was one of the largest such facilities in the world during the late 19th and early 20th centuries) were later supplemented by the production of livestock, dairy products, and breeder chickens, of which the county remains a leading producer.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 597.39 square miles (1,547.2 km2), of which 574.41 square miles (1,487.7 km2) is land and 22.98 square miles (59.5 km2) (3.85%) is water.[21]
Iredell County is located within the Piedmont Region of central North Carolina. The northwestern section of the county contains the Brushy Mountains, a deeply eroded spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains far to the west. The highest point in Iredell County, Fox Mountain, is in the Brushies; it rises to 1,760 feet. Although the "Brushies", as they are often called locally, are not high in the normal sense, they do rise prominently above the surrounding countryside. The remainder of Iredell County consists of gently rolling countryside occasionally broken by low hills and small river valleys. The county's largest river, the Catawba, forms much of its western border. Lake Norman, North Carolina's largest manmade lake, is the most prominent geographic feature of southern Iredell County; it is often called North Carolina's "inland sea".
The northern third of Iredell County is highly rural and contains no large towns. Due to the thinly populated nature of this portion of the state, it is one of the select places in North Carolina where the speed limit on Interstate Highways exceeds 65 mph, as Interstate 77 north of Statesville has a speed limit of 70 mph.
Iredell County is one of the longest counties in the state and stretches for nearly fifty miles north to south, from Yadkin County in the north to Mecklenburg County in the south.
According to the 2000 census data, there were 47,360 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
As of 2013[update],[44] the median income for a household in the county was $50,058. Males had a median income of $34,590 versus $24,031 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,348.[44] About 6.2% of families and 13.5%[44] of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Iredell County is governed by the Board of Commissioners, consisting of five commissioners elected at-large, which requires each to attract a majority of the votes.[45]
The Iredell County Commissioners (2016–present) are James Mallory (chairman), Marvin Norman, Tommy Bowles, Jeff McNeely and Gene Houpe, all Republicans.[45]
The Register of Deeds of Iredell County is Ronald "Duck" Wyatt (Republican), appointed in 2016. The Register of Deeds serves as custodian and manager of a large number of land records and vital records.[47]
The Senior Resident Superior Court Judge is Joe Crosswhite. The Chief District Court Judge is Dale Graham. James Lee (Jim) Mixson III has served as Iredell County's Clerk of Superior Court since 2012. Clerks of Superior Court in North Carolina also serve as Probate Judges in addition to their administrative duties.[49]
Since 1952, Iredell County voting records show a strong Republican majority. Before 1952, however, Iredell was part of the Democratic "Solid South" and voted for no Republican presidential candidate after Reconstruction except Herbert Hoover in 1928. In 1964, the year that national civil rights legislation was passed, it was one of 13 North Carolina counties to vote for Barry Goldwater. In the past 17 elections, the only Democrat to carry Iredell County was Jimmy Carter in 1976, who was a native son of Georgia and the South.[50]
United States presidential election results for Iredell County, North Carolina[50]
The Iredell County Sheriff's Office was founded in 1789, in the year after the county was formed from Rowan County.[51] The Sheriff of Iredell County is Darren E. Campbell (Republican), elected in December 2014. He succeeded Phillip Redmond, who was first elected in 1994.[52] One of the most famous prisoners held by Sheriff William Franklin Wasson in the Iredell County jail was Tom Dula, who was hung on May 1, 1868, in Statesville.[53][54]
Economy
Farming is still a major source of income for many Iredell County residents. Dairy farming has been particularly popular in Iredell County since the early 1800s, in both the northern and southern sections of the county. However, the rapid population growth and development in southern Iredell County is putting increasing pressure on farmlands, and many farms in this section are giving way to shopping centers, housing developments, and large corporate office parks.[10]
Iredell County is a major hub of NASCAR racing, with many race shops located in the county (mostly around Mooresville). Universal Technical Institute operates NASCAR Technical Institute under licensing agreements. The school offers racing-related instruction to prepare the student for their job search in the racing industry. Many NASCAR drivers live around Mooresville and Lake Norman. Although northern Iredell County has retained much of its rural character, the southern half of the county is experiencing rapid suburbanization and population growth, largely due to the immense popularity of the Lake Norman area for residents of nearby Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city.
Lowe's has its corporate headquarters in Mooresville.[55]
Education
The county is served by two traditional public school districts: Iredell-Statesville Schools (ISS) and Mooresville Graded School District (MGSD). The county is also served by several public charter schools[56]
Iredell Statesville School District
The following schools were in the Iredell—Statesville School District as of 2018:[57]
Middle Schools: Woodland Heights, East Iredell, Lakeshore, North Iredell, Statesville, Troutman, West Iredell
Elementary Schools: Celeste Henkel, Central, Cloverleaf, Coddle Creek, Cool Spring, East Iredell, Harmony, Lake Norman, Lakeshore, N. B. Mills, Scotts, Sharon, Shepherd, Third Creek, Troutman, Union Grove, Woodland Heights
Mitchell College, Statesville: Mitchell Community College was originally founded in 1856 in Statesville, North Carolina, as Concord Female College. The school was purchased by Robert and Roxanna Simonton around 1872 and renamed Simonton Female College. It became Mitchell College in 1917.
Olin High School (1857)
Snow Creek Academy (1849)
Statesville/Clio Academy, Muschat's Academy (1814)
Communities
Map of Iredell County with municipal and township labels
By the requirements of the North Carolina Constitution of 1868, all counties in North Carolina were divided into townships. Previous to that time, the subdivisions in Iredell County 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.[68][17]
The following townships were created in 1868:[10][11]
In the 1700s and 1800s, before there were many towns in what became Iredell County, property was identified by stream, rivers, or adjacent landowners. The following is a list of the streams, rivers, and creeks in Iredell County.[10][11]
The table below lists towns and post offices (PO) that no longer exist or that were once in Iredell County but are now in another county:[10][9]
Historical Populated Places (date range)
A Abernathy PO (1891–1903), Adams PO (1892–1901), Allison's PO (1831–1832), Amity Hill PO (1851–1892), Amity PO (1892–1906), Armfield PO (1881–1902), B Banton PO (1892–1905), Bell's Crossroads, Belt's Bridge PO (1858–1867), Bethany Church PO (1822–1880), Bogies PO (1826–1846), Boyden Post Office (1857–1861), Bradford Crossroads, Bryantsville Post Office, Buffalo, Buffalo Shoal PO, C Callahan, Campbell's Grove (1813–1824), Carstown, Catawba Station, Chestnut Grove PO (Catawba County, 1856–1859), Celestica Hinkle, Charles (1889–1951), Charles PO (1899–1951), Cherry Plains PO (1813–1815), Claud PO (1903–1905), Clio Post Office (1883–1902), Clover Bottom PO (1830–1835), Coddle Creek (1903–1915), Congers PO (1874–1880), Cool Springs PO (1852–1907), Crater's Mills PO (1851–1857), D Daltonia PO (1898–1905), Deep Well (1842–1866), Doolie PO (1881–1903), Dunlap (1893–1936), E Eagle City PO (1894–1907), Eagle Mills PO (1848–1894), East Monbo (1909–1925), Ebenezer, Elmwood (1878–1954), Enola PO (1858–1872), Eufola (1903–1943), Eupeptic Springs (1875–1905), Evalin PO (1884–1906), F Fallstown Post Office (1813–1866), Fancy Hill (aka Loray (1840–1903), Flake (1904–1905), Fort Dobbs (1755–1766), Fourth Creek Settlement (1750–1789), Friends Mill/Friends PO (1900–1907), Fulbright (1899–1912), G Garland (1886–1886), Goshen PO (1829–1842), Granite Hill PO (1857–1866, 1871–1895), Granitehill PO (1895–1903), Grassy Creek (1840–1841), Grassy Fork PO (1840–1841), Gratz PO (1900–1904), Guss PO (1888–1892), H Henderson's Cross Roads, Hilo PO (1900–1904), Houstonville PO (1813–1869, 1883–1955), J Jenning's Mills PO (1872–1892), K Kyle Crossroads, L Liberty Hill PO (1826–1880), Linker, Longford PO (1886–1907), Loray (aka Fancy Hill, 1840–1903), Lorn, M Malans PO (1902–1903), Map PO (1901–1902), Maple Bottom PO (1849–1851), Mayhew PO (1881–1905), Mazeppa PO (1900–1908), McCurdy PO (1879–1906), Miller PO (1883–1904), Mount Pleasant, Muddy Fork PO (1831–1834), Murdock PO (1880–1881), N Net PO (1894–1907), New Hope Forge PO (1827–1832), New Hope PO (1832–1894), New Institute PO (1852–1856), New Sterling PO (1858–1905), Newhope PO (1894–1955), Nicholson's Mills (1876–1905), Norfolk PO, Norwood, O Oak Forest PO (1837–1907), Oak Grove (1826–1828), Olin PO, Oswalt (1895–1927), P Perth PO (1889–1901), Poison Springs (1886–1889), Poplar Bridge (1861–1877), Poplar Grove PO (1829–1856), Post Oak PO (1850–1859), Pressly PO (1888–1903), R Reno PO (1875–1876), River Hill PO (1875–1907), Robinsons PO (1830–1831), Rock Cut PO (1859–1903), Rocky Creek PO (1827–1855), Rod PO (1899–1905), S Scott's Cross Roads (1873–1894), Settle PO (1873–1906), Sharon, Sharpesburg (1893–1903), Sharpesburg Township (1892–1893), Sheperd/Shepherds PO, Shiloh (1824–1829), Shinnville (1889–1905), Sigma (1891–1903), Simonton's Mills PO (1871–1871), Smith's Cross Roads (1832–1832), Snow Creek (1831–1903), Snow Creek Iron Works (1802–1825), Spring Grove PO (1827–1847), Spring PO (1898–1903), Staphel/Stophel PO (1898/1892–1901), Sullivan PO (1827–1831), Sweet Home PO, T Tabor Church PO (1828–1845), Talmadge PO (1900–1905), Thoma's Ferry (1828–1831), Trip PO (1901–1903), Turner's Store PO (1831–1844), Turnersburgh (1858–1894), V V Point, Vance PO (1882–1901), W Watts PO (1891–1903), Waugh PO (1887–1901), Weisner PO (1886–1903), Wildwood Park, Williamsburg PO (1818–1827), Williamsburgh PO (1832–1905)
Former Iredell County Towns that are now part of other counties (county, period that they were in Iredell)
Catawba Station (Catawba, 1856–1859), Elk Shoal (Alexander, 1875–1881), Evalin (Wilkes, 1884–1906), Grade (Alexander, 1882–1883), James Cross Roads PO (Alexander, 1831–1847), Hiddenite (Alexander, d. 1849), Mount Pisgah (Alexander, 1817–1849), Spring Grove (Rowan, 1818–1847, 1855–1883), Stony Point (Alexander, 1826–1849), Taylorsville (aka James Cross Roads, Alexander, 1847–1847), Tulin (Cabarrus, 1856–1870), Zion (Yadkin, 1830–1856)
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxKeever, Homer M. (November 1976). Iredell Piedmont County, with illustrations by Louise Gilbert and maps by Mildred Jenkins Miller. Iredell County Bicentennial Commission by Brady Printing Company from type set by the Statesville Record and Landmark.
^ abcdefghijkThe Heritage of Iredell County, 1980, published by the Genealogical Society of Iredell County, PO Box 946, Statesville, North Carolina 28677, ISBN0-89459-087-1, 642 pages with index
^ abThe Heritage of Iredell County, NC Vol II, 2000, published by the Genealogical Society of Iredell County, PO Box 946, Statesville, North Carolina 29866, LC # 00-110956, 574 pages with index
^Miller, Mildred. Peggy Byers Gray and Robert Ernest Mize (ed.). From Stirling to Sterling, the Bicentennial History of New Sterling Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. 1987. The Delmar Company.
^Fannings Illustrated Gazateer of the United States. New York: Phelps, Fanning and Company, 195 Broadway. 1853. p. 169. Retrieved August 21, 2019., Population: 1810, 10,972; 1820, 13,071; 1830, 15,262; 1840, 15,685; 1850, 14,718
^West, John Foster (April 2002). The Ballad of Tom Dula: The Documented Story Behind the Murder of Laura Foster. Parkway Publishers. ISBN1-887905-55-3.
^West, John Foster (May 1993). Lift up Your Head, Tom Dooley: The True Story of the Appalachian Murder That Inspired One of America's Most Popular Ballads. Asheboro, North Carolina: Down Home Press. ISBN1-878086-20-0.
^"Form 10-K". www.sec.gov. February 1, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
^"School". ncpublicschools.org. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
Keever, Homer M.; Iredell Piedmont County, with illustrations by Louise Gilbert and maps by Mild red Jenkins Miller, published for the Iredell County Bicentennial Commission by Brady Printing Company from type set by the Statesville Record and Landmark, copyright, November 1976, by Homer M. Keever.
The Heritage of Iredell County, 1980, published by the Genealogical Society of Iredell County, PO Box 946, Statesville, North Carolina 28677, ISBN0-89459-087-1, 642 pages with index
The Heritage of Iredell County, NC Vol II, 2000, published by the Genealogical Society of Iredell County, PO Box 946, Statesville, North Carolina 29866, LC # 00–110956, 574 pages with index
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