Cabarrus County, North Carolina

Cabarrus County is a place in the south-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 225,804, making it the 9th-most populous county in North Carolina. The main town, called the county seat, is Concord, which became an official town in 1803.

One of the most exciting events in the county’s history happened in 1799 when a boy named Conrad Reed found gold in Little Meadow Creek. This discovery led to the creation of the Reed Gold Mine, now a National Historic Landmark, and brought many people to the area looking for gold.

Before the Civil War, the land in Cabarrus County was mostly used for small farms, although some cotton plantations existed too. By 1860, about one-third of the people living there were enslaved African Americans. Even before the war, the area began to grow with the help of textile mills that turned cotton into cloth. After a railroad was built, more mills were added. A special mill called the Coleman Manufacturing Company was started in 1897 by Warren Clay Coleman and others, and it was the first cotton mill in the nation to be owned and run by African Americans. This mill remained important to the area’s economy for many years, and in 2015, the Coleman-Franklin-Cannon Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Cabarrus County was created on December 29, 1792, from Mecklenburg County. It is located in the Piedmont and was named after Stephen Cabarrus from Chowan County, who was a leader in the North Carolina House of Commons.

Before settlers arrived, the Catawba Indians lived in the area. Later, people from Germany and Scotland settled there. They could not agree on where to put the county's main town. Finally, they chose a central spot and named it Concord, meaning "peace." Concord became the official town in 1806.

In 1799, a young boy named Conrad Reed found a large piece of gold in a stream on his family's farm. This discovery was the first known gold find in America and started gold mining in the area. The mine where he found the gold later became a famous historic site.

Geography

Cabarrus County is located in the south-central part of North Carolina. The county covers about 364 square miles, most of which is land with just a small amount of water.

The county sits in the gentle, rolling hills of the Carolina Piedmont. While there are no very tall mountains, the eastern part of the county includes the western edge of the Uwharrie Mountains. The land generally slopes down toward the southeast. The largest river in the county is the Rocky River, which starts in Iredell County and flows into another river further away.

The weather in Cabarrus County is mild, with warm summers and cool winters. Sometimes there are thunderstorms in the summer and occasional snow in the winter, though it doesn’t snow very often.

State and local protected areas/sites

• Buffalo Creek Preserve
• Reed Gold Mine
• Pharr Family Preserve Trail

Major water bodies

See also: Category:Rivers of Cabarrus County, North Carolina

• Adams Creek
• Back Creek
• Black Run Creek
• Black Run Reservoir
• Coddle Creek
• Don T. Howell Reservoir
• Dutch Buffalo Creek
• Jennie Wolf Creek
• Keasler Lake
• Lake Concord
• Lake Fisher
• Little Buffalo Creek
• Rocky River

Adjacent counties

• Rowan County – north
• Stanly County – east
• Union County – south
• Mecklenburg County – west-southwest
• Iredell County – north

Demographics

2020 census

In 2020, Cabarrus County had 225,804 people living there. The average age was 37.6 years. About one in four people were younger than 18, and one in eight were 65 or older. For every 100 girls and women, there were 94 boys and men.

The people in Cabarrus County include many different groups. Most are White, with smaller numbers of Black or African American, Asian, and others. Some people are also Hispanic or Latino. Most people live in towns and cities, while some live in the countryside.

2000 census

In 2000, there were 131,063 people living in Cabarrus County. The average age was 35 years. About one in four people were younger than 18, and about one in ten were 65 or older. For every 100 girls and women, there were 97 boys and men.

Most people in Cabarrus County come from families with roots in places like Scotland, Ireland, Germany, or England. The number of African-American people has gone down since the late 1800s, partly because many moved to cities during the 20th century for better jobs. In 2000, African-American people made up a little more than 12 percent of the population.

Religion

Many people in Cabarrus County follow Protestant faiths. There is also a small Jewish community and two Catholic churches. Nearby Charlotte has Eastern Orthodox and Islamic communities.

Government and politics

Cabarrus County is part of the Centralina Council of Governments. It is run by a group of five leaders called the Board of Commissioners, who are chosen by voters across the whole county to serve for four years. A County Manager helps take care of the county's daily work.

The county keeps records of land and property. These records help people find information about land ownership. There is also a special center for young people called the Stonewall Jackson Youth Development Center, which is part of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and is located near Concord.

In past elections, Cabarrus County has often voted for Republican candidates. However, in the 2024 gubernatorial election, Josh Stein, a Democrat, won the county.

Transportation and communications

Interstate 85 passes through the northern part of Cabarrus County from southwest to northeast. The city is also served by several U.S. and state highways, including U.S. highways U.S. Route 52, U.S. Route 29, 601, and NC highways 73, 24/27, 200, 49, and 3.

The Concord-Padgett Regional Airport is located west of Concord. For commercial flights, people can travel to airports in Charlotte or the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. Passenger rail service is available to Kannapolis via Amtrak.

Both wired and wireless phone services are available almost everywhere in the county. Cable television can be found in many areas. Cabarrus County is part of the Greater Charlotte area for radio and TV broadcasts.

Major highways

• I-85
• US 29
• US 52
• US 601
• NC 3
• NC 24
• NC 27
• NC 49
• NC 73
• NC 200

Major infrastructure

• Concord-Padgett Regional Airport

Education

The Cabarrus County School System provides education for most of the county, except for some parts of Kannapolis, where the Kannapolis City Schools operate. This school system is known for having good student success and a safe learning environment.

The county is also home to Barber-Scotia College, the Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, and a branch of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Nearby in Mecklenburg County, UNC Charlotte is close enough for residents to easily reach by Highway 49. The Cabarrus County Public Library system has six locations to serve the community.

Healthcare

Concord, the county seat of Cabarrus County, offers important medical care through Atrium Health Cabarrus. This facility includes a 24-hour emergency department and a trauma center to help people in need.

Media

Cabarrus County has a few places to get news and listen to music. You can read the Concord-Kannapolis Independent Tribune in print or online, and there's also a weekly paper called The Weekly Post. For music, radio station WEGO 1410 AM plays songs from the 60's and 70's. Another station, WTIX, broadcasts from a tower near Poplar Tent Road in Concord and has its studios in the Hidden Plaza on Church Street North in Concord.

Attractions

Cabarrus County has some interesting places to visit. One of them is the Reed Gold Mine, where people found gold for the first time in the United States in 1799.

You can also find the Concord Mills Mall in the county, and nearby there is a Great Wolf Lodge across Interstate 85.

NASCAR

The western part of Cabarrus County features a large racing complex in Concord, home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. This famous track hosts two big NASCAR races each year on different layouts. Other tracks like the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMAX Dragway also hold exciting events.

The county is also where several important race teams are based, such as Hendrick Motorsports, RFK Racing, Legacy Motor Club, and Trackhouse Racing in Concord, along with Haas Factory Team in Kannapolis, and Hyak Motorsports and Wood Brothers Racing in Harrisburg. In 2008, a special wind tunnel called Windshear opened in Concord to help racing teams and car makers test their vehicles.

Communities

Cabarrus County has several places where people live. The largest city and the county seat is Concord. Another big place is Kannapolis, which also stretches into another area called Rowan. There is also a town named Locust, though most of it lies in Stanly.

Other towns in the county include Harrisburg, Midland, and Mount Pleasant. The county is split into twelve areas known as townships, each with its own name and number. Some of these townships share names with the towns, like Kannapolis, Rimertown, Gold Hill, Mt Pleasant, and Midland.

There are also smaller places without their own local government, such as Fisher Town, Georgeville, Odell School, Rimertown, and Rocky River.