Town of Cornelius, NC Preview

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Pedego e-bikes

Pedego Lake Norman is a family-owned small business on a mission to connect the Lake Norman community to the joy of electric bikes. Owners, Tom and Grace Kennedy ,have been Huntersville residents since 2016, and their children can often be found helping out at the shop. It’s a true family affair! Pedego e-bikes are available to rent and purchase, with free test rides encouraged. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Introduction to this tour

Welcome to a tour of the history of the town of Cornelius. First, we will give some background of this region of the Piedmont country. Then, we will discuss the reason the town Cornelius was established. On our tour, we will point out some historical sites that played a part in the development of the town. The Piedmont's early Native American inhabitants, the Catawbas, numbered between 4,000 and 8,000. The Catawbas were not a nomadic tribe, living in bark houses rather than tepees. They enjoyed nature's bounty and supplemented it by planting fields of corn. The Catawbas resisted the influx of Europeans until 1759, when a smallpox epidemic drastically reduced their numbers. Survivors were forced to sign a treaty that restricted them to a small area around present-day Rock Hill, South Carolina. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Early history of the town

Beginning in the colonial era, cotton was grown for personal use, as well as for market. One advantage of growing cotton was that it could be grown equally well in small or large quantities. It required little equipment or skill to produce and provided year-round work for enslaved persons. Harvested crops were non-perishable, could be transported to market with little damage and always found a ready sale. The town of Cornelius’s origin has been traced to a dispute over cotton weighing. In the late 1800s, two thriving cotton purchasing firms located in Davidson disagreed on whether an official town cotton weigher should be appointed. After a heated election was held, a town cotton weigher was hired. The cotton purchasing firm which opposed the appointment decided to relocate much of its operations just south of the Davidson town limits. After heavy rains, the road on the hill leading into Davidson would become so muddy that many cotton farmers found it safer and more convenient to conduct their business just south of Davidson in a small frame building. The success of that cotton purchasing business later inspired its owners to construct a cotton mill where raw cotton could be converted into cloth. The owners of the cotton purchasing firm lacked the needed money to make the idea of a cotton mill a reality. Joseph Benjamin Cornelius supplied the needed investment and the mill was opened. Although not a resident of Cornelius, the town recognized the significant role of J.B. Cornelius, by naming the town Cornelius. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Antiquity Covered bridge

The Antiquity Bridge and street connects Cornelius to the nearby town of Davidson. An audio tour of the Town of Davidson is available on this PocketStreets app. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Turn left to Antiquity Greenway

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Biking Etiquette

A common practice of bike riding etiquette is to announce yourself when approaching persons from the rear who are walking in your direction of travel. A frequently 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

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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

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Antiquity Greenway

This is the end of the Antiquity Greenway. Exit the Greenway and proceed toward the railroad crossing signals. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Cotton Mill

We are currently Researching the history of the cotton mill. The Cornelius Cotton Mill opened in the 1890’s where Food Lion and the Town Hall are located today. The mill was demolished in 1997 ??. Tap the green Continue button on your phone

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The railroad and Crossing the highway

Stop for a minute to hear this complete narrative. In 1861, steam locomotives made their inaugural entry into the town of Cornelius. The railway line passed through Cornelius, 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 Cornelius 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. Carefully cross the highway with the light. Walk your bike across. Tap the green Continue button on your phone

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Town Hall

The Cornelius Cotton Mill opened in the 1890’s where Food Lion and the Town Hall are located today. The current Town Hall building was completed in 1999. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Cornelius Presbyterian Church

The Cornelius Presbyterian Church was founded in April 1909. The church began as a Sunday School in times when transportation for members of the congregation was very difficult. Presbyterians were not as numerous as Baptists and Methodists. One reason was that Presbyterians required more formal education for their ministers so supply could not keep pace with demand. In an effort to alleviate that deficit, Davidson College was founded in 1837 as a training ground for future Presbyterian ministers. In the early 20th century, before the establishment of public education, most educational opportunities in Cornelius were connected directly to religious organizations. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Cornelius Library

The Cornelius branch Library received funding in 1929 from a grant from the Julius Rosenwald Fund. However, progress was halted because of the great depression in 1931. It wouldn’t be until after 1956 that the library was physically established. In February 2000, the Cornelius Library was opened in the building seen today. The Cornelius Branch offers reading and reference materials for all ages. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Smithville

Smithville was founded in 1910 and is one of the oldest communities and the largest concentration of African Americans in Cornelius, with roots dating back to the 1880s. Originally called Lemley by freed slaves around 1869, it was renamed Smithville in honor of Jacob L. Smith. Many of the men in the neighborhood worked as laborers and sharecroppers for Smith. In 1908 Jacob Smith began to parcel out his land to black families, hoping they would create a community where families could live together. The Smithville community is home to a former Rosenwald School, built in 1922, which served the once thriving, predominantly African American community of Cornelius. The Rosenwald School Program was established in the early 1900's to improve education for African Americans in the south. Booker T. Washington conceived the idea of a "hands-on self-help" approach to education which he called "industrial education". He teamed with Julius Rosenwald, CEO of Sears, Roebuck and Company to build rural schools for the black community. Together, Washington and Rosenwald were one of the first to utilize the matching grant idea. Rosenwald and the community came up with the cash and the school board agreed to operate the facility. Approximately 5,350 such schoolhouses were built across 15 southern states. North Carolina had the majority of the structures with more than 800 schools, 26 of which were in Mecklenburg County. After integration in1954, the Rosenwald School served as a community center, but it is currently abandoned. After becoming a historical landmark in 2006, the community began looking for new ways to use the school building. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Union Bethel AME Zion Church

Research needed - planted by Torrence Chapel AME Zion Church about 1917 ?. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Fidler house

The Fidler House was constructed in 1919 by W.C. Fidler and designated as a local historic landmark in 2007. It is an example of craftsman-style bungalow homes that were popular in the 1900s. Until 2005, the house had remained in the Fidler family. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Cornelius Elementary School - Ag building

In 1885 R.J. Stough, a widower, was raising a family as a single parent. He established the first school, located near Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. Stough hired Miss Emma Thompson as the first teacher. The next year, Stough remarried. His bride was Miss Thompson, the first school teacher. In that day and age, school teachers had to be single women, so a new teacher had to be found. In 1917, the school was moved to where it is located today. The original building was demolished and the school rebuilt as you see it today. The Ag building is the oldest building on the campus. It is being considered for restoration and use as a museum recounting the history of the town. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Doctor Washam’s office

In the early 1900s, Doctor William Washam earned a medical degree from North Carolina Medical College which was then located at Davidson College. His office was in this house with patients coming and going through the side entrance. He performed everything from obstetrics to denistry, even mixing his own medicine before a pharmacy was established in town. Because he understood human nature as well as the science side of medicine, he was well-loved in town. He worked until his 85th birthday. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Potts Barbershop

Pott’s Barbershop has been in the same spot on Catawba Avenue since the 1960s. It was originally opened in 1952. The building was designated as a historic landmark by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historical Landmark Commission in October, 2021. The shop is the oldest business in Cornelius owned by African Americans. Pott’s Barbershop became the first integrated barbershop in town, and likely the first in northern Mecklenburg County. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Cain Art Center

In 2013, Cornelius recognized the need for an arts and cultural venue. $4 million of municipal bond funds were allocated to create an arts district. In 2017, the town purchased the 1.85 acre lot where Cain Center for the Arts is now situated. The Center opened in 2023. Named after Cornelius residents and local community leaders Ericka and Bill Cain, this facility promotes and presents the literary, visual, and performing arts for the enrichment of the community by providing a venue for artists to exhibit and perform. The center also offers a variety of arts experiences including classes, workshops, camps, gallery exhibits, and concerts. Tap the green Continue Tour button on your phone

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Crossing the highway

Carefully walk your bike across the highway to return to the bike shop. Tap the green Continue button on your phone

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End of the tour

The team at GeoTours thanks you for taking this tour. If you have comments, please email us at geotours4u@gmail.com. Turn right at the next corner to return to Pedego e-Bike shop