Feb. 11, 2019 marks 140 years from when Davidson, NC officially incorporated as a Town.

February 11, 1879, the town of ‘Davidson College’ became official. The name was later changed in 1891 to what we now know as the ‘Town of Davidson’. Looking through the original documents from the North Carolina General Assembly (images 4-6), there are many interesting facts from the past worth noting.

Original City Limit Boundaries:
The original town boundaries make a simple rectangle 1 mile x 1.33 miles, a total area of 1.3 sq. miles compared to approximately 5 sq. miles today (13 sq. miles when including the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The original document states 1 mile x 1.5 miles which was later corrected in 1891.

Leadership:
Taking less than a full page (image 6), the rules of elections, governing, taxes & law are defined, specifying interim Mayor W.P. Williams, a Marshall and 5 Commissioners.  Many familiar names, one standing out being that of the Knox lineage.

Taking less than a full page (image 6), the rules of elections, governing, taxes & law are defined, specifying interim Mayor W.P. Williams, a Marshall and 5 Commissioners.  Many familiar names, one standing out being that of the Knox lineage.

Landmarks:
The boundary markers indicate the corners as well as a physical gate on the county border between Iredell & Mecklenburg counties.  At the time, ‘Main St.’ was what is today Shearer St., which is where the town border intersects with the point on the county borders.

A series of images below show the original town borders as they appear today.  Notice some of the locations within, outside and on the borders. Grey Rd. splits off Concord just past the border.  Mimosa cemetery is located just south of the border while the Christian Aid Society cemetery on campus just inside the eastern border.

What do find that’s interesting?

Beaty Property Enthusiasts Take Note:
The Beaty property is the last piece of untouched property within the original town limits. All the more reason to conserve the property as an intact piece of Davidson history.