This is a collection of geographical or topographical terms often found in Cabarrus records. Page number references on some items are for quotations from The North Carolina Gazetteer, 2nd edition, by William S. Powell & Michael Hill, published by UNC Press.
Collet Map of North Carolina, 1770
Adams Creek ~ rises in central Cabarrus and flows SE into Dutch Buffalo Creek; named for John Adam Blackwelder, an early settler [p.4]
Afton Run ~ a stream which rises in north Cabarrus and flows south into Coddle Creek; also appears in early documents as Ashton Run and Astin’s Run [p.5].
Anderson Creek ~ rises in south Cabarrus and flows east into Rocky River; appears on MacRae map, 1833 [p.10].
Back Creek ~ rises in SE Mecklenburg County and flows east into SW Cabarrus to join Rocky River; so called because it appears to back into Rocky River rather than flow into it; shown as Buck Creek on Kerr map, 1882, and as Black Creek on recent state highway maps [p.19].
Barriers Mill ~ community on Dutch Buffalo Creek in east Cabarrus [p.26].
Bethpage ~ community in NW Cabarrus ~ Bethpage Community
Black Creek ~ rises on Rowan/Cabarrus border, flows south then SE into Dutch Buffalo Creek
Bost Creek ~ rises in SE Cabarrus, flows SE into Rocky River [p.62].
Bost Mill ~ community in SE Cabarrus on Rocky River, former site of gristmill and sawmill [p.62].
Cabarrus ~ community in the southern tip area of Cabarrus, west of Midland, on Muddy Creek
Caldwell Creek ~ rises in SE Mecklenburg County, flows north into Cabarrus and Reedy Creek; name for family of David Caldwell (d. about 1780) [p.86].
Cannon Crossroads ~ map ~ named for Cannon family ~ once called Wallace Crossroads
Centerview ~ community in south Kannapolis
Coddle Creek ~ community in NW Cabarrus; had post office in 1877.
Coddle Creek ~ rises along the Rowan-Iredell county line and flows south through Cabarrus into Rocky River. Appears on the Collet map, 1770, as Coddle Creek [p.119].
Cold Springs ~ community east of Concord in east Cabarrus
Cold Water ~ community east of Concord and west of Cold Springs, just to east of Cold Water Creek
Cold Water Creek ~ rises in south Rowan County and flows south into Cabarrus County, where it enters Rocky River. Appears on the Collet map, 1770 [p.120].
Colemans ~ historic community no longer on maps
Concord ~ county seat
Cooks Crossing ~ community in north Cabarrus
Cooks Cross Roads Township ~ former township in NW Cabarrus, now township #4; formerly also known as Kannapolis Township [p.126].
Cox Mill ~ community WSW of Concord, in western Cabarrus; see Mill Grove
Deweese ~ community in NW Cabarrus
Deweese Township ~ former township in NW Cabarrus; now township #3; formerly also known as Odell School Township (see Odell) [p.151].
Drys Mill ~ community in NE Cabarrus
Dutch Buffalo Creek ~ rises near Organ Church in SE Rowan County and flows SE through Cabarrus County into Rocky River; named for the “Pennsylvania Dutch” (German, Deutsch) who settled there [p.163].
Faggarts ~ community southeast of Concord between Irish Buffalo Creek and Cold Water Creek
Fisher Town ~ community in the west of the southern/Cabarrus part of Kannapolis
Flows Store ~ community in southern Cabarrus
Furrs ~
Garmons ~ historic community, location unknown
Georgeville ~ also called Shinville ~
Glass ~ named for early settler Peter Glass ~
Gold Hill ~ name on a road in the NE corner of Cabarrus, because it is close to the Gold Hill community of south Rowan County. Reed Gold Mine is in southern Cabarrus.
Hamby Branch ~ rises in east central Cabarrus and flows south into Rocky River [p.225].
Harrisburg ~ see Harris’ Depot ~ settled mostly by Scotch-Irish sometime between 1732 and 1765, Harrisburg, still home to families that arrived in the 1700s, came by its name from the Robert Harris family and his descendants. Mr. Harris was established on land of his own here in 1766. With the coming of the railroad in the 1850s, the depot took the name of the landowner from whom the right-of-way was purchased, becoming known as Harris Depot. In 1874 (possible error in date) the Post Office underwent a change of name from Harris Depot to Harrisburg. (More likely after 1877) A business district and town center developed down by the railroad, but in 1923, with the construction of what is now known as N.C. 49, Harrisburg’s business district shifted to the new road. Harrisburg Depot closed in 1933.
Harris Depot ~ had post office in 1877
Heilmans Mill ~ community in north Cabarrus, north of Concord
Horton Branch ~ rises in southern Cabarrus and flows northeast into Anderson Creek
Irish Buffalo Creek ~ rises in SW Rowan County and flows S into Cabarrus County, where it enters Coldwater Creek; called Buffalo Creek on the Collet map, 1770, but Irish Buffalo Creek on the Price map, 1808; named for Scots-Irish settlers [p.263].
Jackson Park ~ community SE of Concord and south of West Concord
Jennie Wolf Creek ~ also recorded as Schene Wolf Creek ~ rises near Organ and Lower Stone Churches approx. 5 mi. SW of Rockwell, SE Rowan County, and flows south into NE Cabarrus, where it enters Dutch Buffalo Creek; probably named by early German settlers, schene being derived from schon (beautiful) [p.470].
Kannapolis ~ the southern part is in Cabarrus, but the northern part is in Rowan County ~ In 1906, James William Cannon bought several farms to build Cannon Mills Company. Under the direction of James Cannon’s son, Charles, Cannon Mills became the world’s largest producer of household textiles. Kannapolis was built as a mill village of small craftsman-style homes.
Kirkland ~ historic community
Little Bear Creek ~ rises in NE Cabarrus and flows SW into Dutch Buffalo Creek [p.304].
Little Buffalo Creek ~ rises in south Rowan and north Cabarrus counties and flows SW into Dutch Buffalo Creek [p.305].
Little Cold Water Creek ~ rises in north Cabarrus and flows south into Cold Water Creek [p.306].
Long Creek ~ rises in south Rowan County and flows across the NE tip of Cabarrus; it enters Stanly County, where it runs the entire length of the county before entering Rocky River on the Stanly/Anson border [p.318].
McKee Creek ~ rises in east Mecklenburg County and flows NE into Reedy Creek in Cabarrus [p.339].
Meadow Creek ~ rises in western Stanly County and flows SSW through Cabarrus into Rocky River; there is also a Little Meadow Creek just to the west of Meadow Creek, originating from Smiths Lake and flowing SSW into Rocky River.
Midland ~ community in the southern tip area of Cabarrus; the town dates from the early 20th century and began as a railroad town about 1913; the name of the town is derived from its location approximately one-half way between Charlotte and Oakboro on the railroad line.
Mill Creek ~ rises in NW Cabarrus and flows south into Coddle Creek [p.347].
Mill Grove ~ country home of Carl Propst in west Cabarrus; originally home of Robert Harris, who ran a mill on nearby Rocky River; later sold to Michael Cox and named Cox Mill [p.349].
Mill Hill ~ home built by Jacob Stirewalt in 1821 on Mill Creek in north Cabarrus; restored in 1938; nearby creek dammed to provide power for a gristmill and tannery [p.349].
Mill Hill ~ had post office in 1877; Named after Mill Hill plantation, 200 acres deeded by the English king in 1753 and transformed by Jacob Stirewalt into a bustling village with shops, mills and a post office.
Mount Gilead ~ community in north Cabarrus County, NE of Concord
Mount Mitchell ~ history ~ community
Mount Pleasant ~ town in east Cabarrus; altitude 630; settled about 1750 by Germans from Pennsylvania; incorporated 1859; took its name from its elevated site between Buffalo Creek and Adams Creek; former home of 2 Lutheran Synod church schools: Mount Pleasant Collegiate Institute (male) and Mount Amoena Seminary (female) [p.363].
Muddy Creek ~ rises in the south tip of Cabarrus and flows SE into Rocky River [p.365].
New Gilead ~ also called Mt Gilead (see that listing)
North Concord ~ community between Concord and Kannapolis
Oak Cliffs ~ community in east Cabarrus, south of Mount Pleasant
Oak Lawn ~ historic community
Odell ~ history ~ community named after Concord educator, W. R. Odell ~ Wikipedia article
Odell School Township ~ former township in NW Cabarrus, now township #3; once known as Deweese Township [p.385].
Pharrs Mill ~ community SSW of Concord, in southern Cabarrus
Pioneer Mills ~ community in southern Cabarrus; had post office in 1877
Poplar Tent Township ~ former township in west Cabarrus, now township #2 [p. 419].
Reedy Creek ~ rises in SW Cabarrus Co. and flows NE into Rocky River [p. 435].
Rimer or Rimertown ~ history ~ map ~ a community NE of Concord; named after its founder, Daniel Rimer, early pioneer and blacksmith
Roberta Mill ~ community in west Cabarrus that grew up around Pattersons Mill, a name by which it was once known [p.445].
Rocky River ~ community in southern Cabarrus, south of Concord, and situated between Rocky River and Reedy Creek
Rocky River ~ rises in SE Iredell County near Mooresville and flows south along the Cabarrus-Mecklenburg county line for a short distance; across Cabarrus to the Cabarrus-Stanly county line, which it forms for a short distance; and to the Stanly-Union and Anson-Stanly county lines, which it forms before entering Pee Dee River. Appears on the Collet map, 1770 [p.451].
Royal Oaks ~ community in extreme south Kannapolis
Schene Wolf Creek ~ see Jennie Wolf Creek
Shady Brook ~ near Kannapolis
Shankletown ~ predominately African-American community located in the area of Concord; Shankletown School.
Smith’s Ford ~ had post office in 1877
Springsville ~
Three Mile Branch ~ rises in north Cabarrus County and flows SE into Cold Water Creek [p.522].
Tulin ~ post office in 1877
Wallace Creek ~ rises in NE Mecklenburg County and flows NE into Cabarrus County, where it enters Reedy Creek [p.546].
Wallace Crossroads ~ community in western Cabarrus, west of Concord, now known as Cannon Crossroads
Watts Crossroad ~ community NE of Concord and north of Mt. Pleasant
West Brook ~
West Concord ~ community SW of Concord
Wil-Mar Park ~ community in north Concord
Winecoff
