Rowan County

About

Rowan County’s formation began politically when 350 Anson County residents petitioned the legislature in 1753 to form a new county. The legislature granted their petition and Rowan was established as as wide expanse of land stretching all the way west and up to the Virginia line, comprising much of the state’s western frontier. Beginning in 1770, 27 counties would be formed out of Rowan, but the county seat of Salisbury remained a key political and economic center for Western North Carolina. In 1774, a group assembled in Salisbury to sign the document known as the Rowan Resolves, which expressed support for the Boston Tea Party and is considered by some to be the first document to announce North Carolina’s involvement in the American Revolution.

In 1824, gold was discovered in Gold Hill, located in the southeastern part of the county, and home to more than twenty mines. The Randolph and Barnhardt mines were two of the most famous and profitable in the Southeast. During the gold rush, the mines produced more than $6m in gold which led to the creation of the federal mint in Charlotte. In the first half of the 19th century, Gold Hill was so profitable that the Mayor of Charlotte at the time said he “hopes for Charlotte to one day, be as big and prosperous as Gold Hill.” Following the discovery of gold, copper was found in the mines in 1907.

Like many counties in the Piedmont, the fertile soil provided a profitable environment for farming. From the 1740’s, the county has maintained a steady economy in agriculture. Every year, Farmers Day festival is held in China Grove on the third Saturday of July to celebrate local farmers. Visitors to China Grove can stop by the China Grove Roller Mill, a historic roller mill built in 1903 which served as a meeting place for the county’s agricultural community for more than one hundred years.

In addition to agriculture, Rowan is known for its contributions to transportation. When the Southern Railway took off towards the end of the nineteenth century, the company determined that it needed a facility between headquarters in Washington DC and Atlanta and chose Salisbury. Spencer Shops, named after Southern Railway president Samuel Spencer, served as the main steam engine repair facility for the Railway. Following Spencer Shop’s decommission in the 1970s, Southern Railway donated the site to the state. The NC Transportation Museum now occupies the former repair shop.

The birthplace of former US Senator Elizabeth Dole, Rowan County solidly favors Republicans. In 2012, Mitt Romney won the county by over 25 points. In 2016 and 2020, Donald Trump won the county by more than 35 points. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Geography

County Seat: Salisbury
Biggest Cities:
  • Salisbury
  • China Grove
  • Rockwell
  • Granite Quarry
Media Market: Charlotte

Elected Officials

County Data