Pedego Electric Bikes
19911 Zion Avenue, Cornelius. This tour is a joint project of Pedego E-Bike of Lake Norman and GeoTours. This tour takes you from Cornelius into Davidson’s downtown area. Along the way, we will see some historic buildings dating from the mid 1800s, hear of the challenges faced by early pioneers and learn some details of how the community developed. The ride covers gentle terrain while negotiating a few crowded districts. A refreshing stop awaits at the conclusion of the tour before riding back to Cornelius. Length of the tour is about 4 miles and takes 1-2 hours. Continue toward the entrance of the Antiquity Greenway. It is impoertant to get in the habit of tapping the green Continue Tour button after listening to each narrative. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone now.
Antiquity Greenway
Antiquity Greenway is a half-mile segment of the Town of Cornelius' growing collection of multiuse paths and is part of the trail loop called the Emerald Necklace. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Bike riding etiquette
A common practice of bike riding etiquette is to announce yourself when approachiing persons from the rear who are walking in your direction of travel. A frequntly used announcement is, "approaching on your left", which bike riders make in time for the walkers or runners to move to one side. Be alert for sudden movement of walkers and be especially cautious of walkers with dogs. Think, "safety", for both walkers and yourself. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Virgin Springs
Before Cornelius was a settlement, this area was known as Virgin Springs. The location was about halfway on the road from Charlotte to Statesville. The spring was cool and fresh and was a good place to water and rest the horses. Settlers also rested and traded news. Today, the exact location of the spring is not known due to the alteration of the landscape as the town of Cornelius developed. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
At the fork, keep left.
Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone.
End of Antiquity Greenway
This is the end of the Antiquity Greenway. Turn left on the sidewalk of South Street. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Temple Kol Tikvah
Temple Kol Tikvah was founded in 2000 and serves more than 180 families of the local Jewish community. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Davidson Town Hall
Originally, this structure served as Davidson Elementary School, playing a vital role in the education of local children. However, in 2023, the building underwent a remarkable transformation and was reintroduced as the renovated Davidson Town Hall. This repurposing project has garnered recognition for its environmentally innovative approach, successfully marrying Davidson's commitment to historical preservation with its vision for a dynamic and creative future. The repurposed Davidson Town Hall stands as a testament to the town's forward thinking mindset and its dedication to sustainability and honoring its rich heritage. Continue straight ahead toward Main Street. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Main Street
Originally a Catawba trading path, Main Street has been an essential landmark of the area for centuries. Today, North main street is a lively hub for food, music, locally-owned business, and safe community gathering. However, in the 1800s, the road was not well maintained. Davidson College students called the road the “red sea” when rains turned red Piedmont clay into muddy puddles. In 1899 the town improved the sidewalks and rid the horrors of the red mud. Sanitation also improved greatly once the town banned pig pens within a miles radius of the street. Continue toward Main Street. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Raeford's Barber Shop
Davidson boasts a vibrant history of black-owned barbershops. Raeford's barber shop, located across Main Street, is a prominent illustration of these businesses' significance as community resources and catalysts for Davidson's cultural progress. In September 1925, a student expressed, "There are no white barbers here. I had my hair cut this afternoon for 25 cents!" Continue on the Main Street sidewalk toward the college.Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Farmer’s Market
Look across the street by the parking lot and the brick mural. The market is open Saturdays between 9 am and 12 pm from April through November. , It aims to create a vibrant community gathering through its many musical and entertainment activities. It features over 35 vendors within a 100-mile radius of the market, and it serves over 1,300 shoppers per week. Continue on the Main Street sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Davidson Library.
The first public library in Davidson was established in 1911 by the Women's Civic League. This women's group for community betterment maintained the old Davidson library for decades. Today, the library provides essential tutoring, resumé workshops, support groups, art events, and free gaming. Continue on the Main Street sidewalk in the direction of the college. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Davidson College
Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. We can attribute most of the growth of the town to Davidson College which was established in 1837. In fact, for many years the name of the town was Davidson College, before being changed to just Davidson. Originally, the school was built to prepare young men for becoming Presbyterian ministers. Today the liberal arts school is known for much more, yet the Presbyterian traditions are still reflected in the Honor Code: the students’ commitment to refrain from lying, stealing, and cheating. However, now the College is known for much more such as - The romantic old well, where reportedly couples who kiss at the well can expect to get married, which is not a far-fetched idea considering that 40 percent of students become married to other Davidson students, - Alumni Steph Curry, one of the greatest NBA shooters of all time, - the Davidson Trust Financial aid program, which claims to meet 100% of students' financial needs. Continue on the Main Street sidewalk in the direction of the college. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Davidson College Presbyterian Church
While it is well-known that the Presbyterian church that founded Davidson College had a focus on educating young men for the role of pastors, the crucial contributions of women within the church often go overlooked. During the 1800s and early 1900s, the presence of women on the college campus was limited to faculty wives and daughters. Despite their restricted roles, these women wielded significant social influence within the church community. They exercised their power by organizing civic groups, which not only provided them with valuable leadership experiences but also allowed them to actively engage in important local matters, with a particular emphasis on education. Continue on the Main Street sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Carolina Inn
Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. On the opposite side of Main Street from the campus is the Carolina Inn. In 1848 this building was constructed to serve as a store. In 1855 the building was transformed into the 13-room Helper Hotel. During the 1920s and 1930s the building served as a weekend rooming house for college-aged girls visiting male students at Davidson College. Davidson College bought the Helper Hotel in 1946. In 1971 the college completed restoration of the building and renamed it the Carolina Inn. Today, the college uses the building for offices and classrooms. Continue on the Main Street sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Oak Row and Elm Row dormitories
Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. The historical buildings situated on the Davidson College campus are known as Oak Row and Elm Row. These small brick structures hold a significant place in the college's history, as they were constructed in 1836, just before the arrival of the first students. These buildings are located on the campus's original quadrangle. Today, these buildings serve as spaces for meetings and classrooms. In March of 2023, the President of the college announced a meaningful initiative to commemorate and honor the enslaved and exploited individuals whose labor contributed to the construction of the institution. A notable memorial in the form of a bronze sculpture, depicting two large, weathered hands, will be prominently erected on the lawn near the Oak and Elm buildings. This memorial will be visible from Main Street, serving as a reminder of the college's complex past. The enslaved individuals who played a crucial role in producing the bricks for Davidson College's initial structures, tending to its land, and serving its faculty and students went unrecognized for their labor. Even after the Civil War, their lives remained intertwined with Davidson as its leaders supported Jim Crow laws, which denied them voting rights, property ownership, and equal education. While Davidson cannot fully atone for this dark history, the college believes that these public efforts will serve as another step towards reconciling with the past and acknowledging the contributions and injustices endured by these individuals. Continue on the Main Street sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Davidson College Cultural Transitions
Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. While Davidson College is well known for basketball today, basketball, in the mid 1900s, served as a socially transcending force for Davidson children. Young children from African American, white, and mill families would gather on the court to play basketball without prejudicial surveillance from parents and broader society. This is one of the earliest examples of rebellion against social divisions. These transitions can partially be attributed to the change in the student body’s diversity. Here is a brief summary of Davidsons diversity timeline: - In the year 1890 the first international student was admitted from Switzerland, - 1900 was when the first Persian student entered, - 1921 the first Chinese student was admitted, - 1931 the First Jewish student and 7 Latino students were enrolled, - The first African American students entered Davidson in the Fall of 1964, - It wasn't until 1965 that Jewish and catholic students could attend synagogue or church instead of the Presbyterian Church, - 1972 was the official start of coeducation although daughters of professors had attended classes since 1860, - The first gay support group was formed in 1986, - In 1989 Davidson started providing services for learning disabilities. Today, Davidson’s student population is composed of - 30% domestic students of color, - 11% international students, and - there are 6% more female than male identifying students. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
cross Main Street using the crosswalk signal
Look both ways before crossing. Continue on Delburg Street headed away from Main Street. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
The Delburg Cotton Mill
Stop and take a break to listen to the full story before going on. The red brick building straight ahead is the former Delburg Cotton Mill. The mill opened in 1907 and operated until 1950. After 1950 the building was little used for 50 years until it was renovated for use as high-end shops, offices and restaurants. Its use today is consistent with the town of Davidson's vision to preserve and repurpose the town’s remaining historical buildings. In Davidson, like in mill communities across the South, the Delburg Mill filled with many workers seeking a change from the hardscrabble of farm life. Many farm laborers left the fields for the factories in hopes that regular hours and cash wages would improve their standard of living. But life in the mill was not easy. Unlike farm labor, which varied according to the season, the pace and pattern of mill labor was monotonous. The mill workers' day was governed by the clock and the whistle. The mill worker’s wages rarely covered the bare necessities of living expenses. Walk across the tracks to get a closer look at the Delburg Mill and Davidson College's HurtHub. Then return and continue on the Jackson Street sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Housing and Segregation
Housing has been a significant issue of segregation and inequality in Davidson. The presence of the Davidson railroad, similar to other transportation systems in the southern region, served as a physical divider, separating the town and impacting the quality of its housing opportunities. In 1949, a fire broke out in Brady's Alley on Main Street, close to the current Davidson Post Office on the side of the college that is situated across the railroad. This fire resulted in the destruction of a substantial portion of the town's low-income rental housing, which was primarily inhabited by black employees of the College. To address this issue, a solution was devised to construct new housing specifically for African American families, primarily located on the opposite side of the railroad. This marked the earliest attempt at experimenting with affordable housing options within the community, facilitated through federal funding for homeownership. However, critics argue that while this initiative provided newer homes, it also perpetuated segregated neighborhoods. Cross to the sidewalk on the opposite side of Jackson St. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
The Railroad
Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. In 1861, steam locomotives made their inaugural entry into the town of Davidson. The railway line passed through Davidson, connecting Statesville and Charlotte. However, the train service was short-lived, lasting only three years. In 1864, during the midst of the Civil War, the tracks were dismantled and repurposed by the Confederate government for more strategically significant routes. It took ten years for the tracks to be restored, and for the rail line to resume operation. The true significance of the railroad's arrival in Davidson lay in the newfound ability of residents and businesses to import goods and export cotton and manufactured products, free from reliance on the inadequate dirt roads of that era. However, with the rise in automobile usage in the early 1900s, passenger utilization of the rail line gradually declined. As of today, this particular section of the railway remains unused. Continue on the Jackson Street sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
The Davidson United Presbyterian Church
Look for the white building across the railroad tracks. Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. The Davidson United Presbyterian Church holds the distinction of being the oldest African-American congregation in the town of Davidson. Established in 1870, the original structure was a modest wooden chapel. In the early 1900s, many children received their education from ministers until the transition from private to public schools occurred in 1911. This shift was primarily driven by the efforts of town women, who utilized the church as a platform to amplify their voices. Notably, the Presbyterian Church in Davidson was the first to embrace single women as missionaries. Alongside the AME Zion Black congregation, these churches served as focal points for cultivating civic awareness and generating ideas for social progress. They advocated for improvements in housing, established day-care centers, and offered recreational opportunities, all aimed at enhancing the well-being of the community. Continue on the Jackson Street sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
The Train Depot
The red building next to the train tracks served as the train depot. Its construction took place in 1897. About that time, if you were traveling from Davidson to Charlotte by train, the journey would typically last a couple of hours, which was significantly faster compared to the all-day trip it would take by horse-drawn wagon on muddy roads. Presently, the building is owned by Davidson College and is located on property controlled by the Norfolk Southern Railway. Cross Depot Street and continue on the Jackson Street sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Linden Cotton Mill
Look across the railroad tracks at the large gray building. Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. Built in 1891, the Linden Mill was the first cotton mill in Davidson. It was a truly local enterprise, evident from the composition of its board of directors, which included two college professors and four merchants from the community who also served on the town board. Given the prevalent connections between politics and business in America during that era, it is not surprising that the town board granted the company a 20-year exemption from paying local property taxes. By 1930, the Linden Mill had merged with the Delburg Mill, and the building was subsequently occupied by the Carolina Asbestos Company. However, in the late 1960s, the asbestos business was compelled to shut down due to the implementation of new health and environmental regulations. Continue on the sidewalk. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Post Office
Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. The original Davidson post office was constructed using wood and was situated at the present location of the Soda Shop. Unfortunately, due to its combustible materials, it succumbed to fire, a common event in the history of Main Street. Since 1906, the post office has undergone seven relocations. The post office has played a significant role as a cherished public space, where members of the community gathered and engaged in conversations. The introduction of mail-by-delivery systems faced strong criticism from the townspeople for many years, primarily due to the post office's historical significance as a central hub for social interactions, particularly among professors, business owners, and students. This gathering place for the public has always been an integral part of Davidson's local culture. As a townie wrote fifty years ago, "Residents of small towns tend to be curious, and if there's anything noteworthy happening, it's highly likely that the majority of the townsfolk will be aware of it and discuss it." Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Nearing the end of the tour
Before reaching the fire station on the left-hand side, please cross Jackson Street and proceed into the parking lot. From there, continue walking in the direction of Main Street. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Summit Coffee
If you're in need of a break, Summit Coffee makes for a pleasant rest. When you're ready to resume your journey, simply walk your bike to the crosswalk across from the Flatiron restaurant in the Stowe’s Corner building. Cross Main Street and then proceed along South Street for approximately 0.8 miles until you reach the Antiquity Greenway. Follow the greenway back to the Pedego Electric Bike store. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone
Thank you
We appreciate you joining us on this short tour of Davidson town, where you had the opportunity to discover some of its rich history, including the contributions of the college and the dedicated individuals who played a pivotal role in establishing this vibrant community. Thank you for your participation! Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone. To prevent draining the battery on your phone, it is a good idea to stop the PocketSights app now.
