Davidson: Last week, the NC Department of Commerce announced another lithium-based company would be coming to North Carolina. Japanese company Dai Nippong Printing (DNP) received approval from the state to build their first EV battery pouch manufacturing plant in the US. The new plant is slated to be built in Linwood, a small town located in our county of the week: Davidson. Here’s what else to know:
Located in the Piedmont region, Davidson County was formed in 1822 out of Rowan County. The county gets its name after Brigadier General William Lee Davidson, who was killed during the Battle of Cowan’s Ford in 1781. In 1911, a proposal came forth to apportion part of the county for the creation of a new Piedmont County in which High Point would be the county seat. Following opposition from residents in the impacted counties, the plan was voted down by the legislature.
The county seat of Lexington was incorporated in 1828 and named after the 1775 battles that started the American Revolution: Lexington and Concord. Referred to as the “Barbecue Capital of the World” and known for Lexington-style barbecue, it is home to approximately 19 barbecue restaurants, more per capita than any other city. Lexington also hosts the annual Barbecue Festival, which takes place on the last two weekends in October and will celebrate its 40th year in 2024.
In homage to Lexington’s rich barbecue history, Pigs in the City is a public art initiative coordinated by Uptown Lexington, Inc. that began in 2003 as an effort to revitalize the city. Painted pigs are located throughout Lexington and can be sponsored by companies who work in conjunction with local artists to render themed pigs to sit outside of their business. Visitors can go on a tour of the city’s pigs by picking up a map from the Lexington Visitor Center.
The county’s most populous city, Thomasville, earned the nickname of “Chair City” for its 30-ft replica of a Duncan Phyfe armchair located in the middle of the city. Thomasville Furniture first constructed the chair out of pine in 1922 to symbolize the importance of the county’s furniture industry. Due to exposure from the elements, the original chair had to be torn down in 1936. In 1951 the chair was rebuilt out of more lasting material and remains today. During the 1960 election, vice presidential candidate Lyndon B. Johnson used the Big Chair as a campaign stop to meet voters.
Known as the home of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) – a racing operation founded in 1969 by Richard Childress and regarded as one of the most legendary teams in NASCAR history – the small town of Welcome houses RCR’s manufacturing operation and the Richard Childress Museum on a 52-acre campus. The Museum is located in the 47,000 sq. Ft shop that once housed Dale Earnhardt’s No. 3 team and boasts a wide ranging collection of NASCAR history. Located less than five miles from his racing operation, Richard Childress opened the 70-acre Childress Vineyards in Lexington in 2004.
Davidson is one of the state’s earliest Republican counties and continues to solidly support GOP candidates. It will play a major role in electing a Congressman in North Carolina’s newly drawn 6th district, which stretches from High Point to Kannapolis and includes all of Davidson, Davie and Rowan counties. A Democratic candidate has not won Davidson since Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1944, when he defeated Republican Thomas Dewey by a mere 10 votes. In 2012, Mitt Romney carried the county by a 41-point margin, which Donald Trump expanded to 48 points in both 2016 and 2020. In 2022, Ted Budd carried the county by nearly 50%
