Kannapolis

History

Early meaning and usage of the city's name was a direct reference to Cannon Mills Corporation, or James William Cannon himself. Early published name variations include "Cannon-opolis" and "Cannapolis". A widely accepted origin of the word "Kannapolis" comes from the combination of the Greek words kanna (reeds, not looms) and polis (city), which some believed meant "City of Looms". Dr. Gary Freeze, Catawba College history and politics department chairman, said a Concord newspaper used the name "Cannon City" in 1906. After mill workers or newspapers called the town "Cannapolis", J.W. Cannon asked Cabarrus County commissioners to give the town the name, but starting with a "K". Kannapolis historian Norris Dearmon said the K might have been to distinguish the town from his Concord mill village. Since, Freeze said, "Jim Cannon didn't study Greek," Cannon did not name the town "city of looms". In 1906 J.W. Cannon purchased the land that later became Kannapolis, and acquired a total of 1,008 acres in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties. Around 808 of those acres of farmland, purchased along the historic wagon road between Salisbury and Charlotte, became the location of the new textile mill, Cannon Manufacturing, which began production in 1908. In 1914, Cannon Manufacturing became known as the world's largest producer of sheets and towels. Shortly after, Cannon opened plants in Rowan County, Concord, and South Carolina totaling 20,000 workers. Mill founder J.W. Cannon's youngest son, Charles A. Cannon, consolidated all the separate mills into the giant Cannon Mills Company in 1928.

Geography

Kannapolis is located on the boundary of Cabarrus and Rowan Counties, with a greater portion of its area in Cabarrus County. U.S. Route 29 (Cannon Boulevard) passes through the city east of the downtown area; U.S. 29 leads northeast to Salisbury and south to Concord. Interstate 85 bypasses the city on the south and the east, with access from exits 54 through 63 (five exits total). I-85 leads northeast to Greensboro and southwest to Charlotte. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which (1.64%) are covered by water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,731
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  6,316
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  5,832
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  5,013
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,896
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,821
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  4,818
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,620

Largest nearby schools

• West Cabarrus High
  High · Concord · 1,833 students · 21.1:1 ratio
• Cox Mill High School
  High · Concord · 1,762 students · 22:1 ratio
• A L Brown High
  High · Kannapolis · 1,741 students · 18.3:1 ratio
• Central Cabarrus High
  High · Concord · 1,305 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Kannapolis Middle
  Middle · Kannapolis · 1,238 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Harris Road Middle
  Middle · Concord · 1,235 students · 18.4:1 ratio
• Northwest Cabarrus High
  High · Concord · 1,138 students · 16.3:1 ratio
• Jay M Robinson High
  High · Concord · 1,080 students · 19.6:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2019-03-26
  8 km E of Archdale, North Carolina
• M 2.68 — 2018-06-10
  2 km NE of Hays, North Carolina
• M 2.58 — 2015-11-15
  10 km S of Denton, North Carolina
• M 2.5 — 2006-11-03
  6 km S of Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• M 2.6 — 2006-10-17
  7 km S of Winston-Salem, North Carolina