McAdenville

History

McAdenville was incorporated in 1881. It was named after Rufus Yancey McAden, president of McAden Mills, the town's textile mill. McAden had served in the North Carolina House of Commons from 1862 to 1867, and was Speaker of the House in 1866. He came to Charlotte in 1867 to become president of the two-year-old First National Bank. Pharr Yarns, a yarn manufacturing company, was founded in McAdenville in 1939. It grew to become a major employer and sponsored various projects in the town during its existence. It was sold in 2019. A Christmas tradition in the town for many years has been the decorating of the entire town in Christmas lights. The event is called Christmas Town USA. The Christmas Town USA contains 375 lit trees and over 200 wreaths attached to city light poles. The lights attract visitors from all over the country and is one of the biggest light shows in the US. Begun in 1956 with the assistance of Pharr Yarns, many trees and buildings in the town are covered in Christmas lights and some form of decoration. More than 600,000 vehicles visit each year. The McAdenville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

Geography

McAdenville is located on the South Fork Catawba River. McAdenville Lake is formed by a dam on the South Fork in central McAdenville. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 4.33%, is water. The town lies in the Cramerton Watershed. The McAdenville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  11,781
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  9,724
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  9,690
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  8,555
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,852
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,410
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  7,276
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,731

Largest nearby schools

• Piedmont Community Charter School
  Other · Gastonia · 1,906 students · 16.4:1 ratio
• Mountain Island Charter School
  Other · Mt. Holly · 1,703 students · 17:1 ratio
• Ashbrook High
  High · Gastonia · 1,303 students · 23.3:1 ratio
• North Gaston High
  High · Dallas · 1,134 students · 21:1 ratio
• Hunter Huss High
  High · Gastonia · 1,120 students · 24.3:1 ratio
• Forestview High
  High · Gastonia · 1,081 students · 20:1 ratio
• Stuart W Cramer High
  High · Belmont · 964 students · 18.9:1 ratio
• South Point High
  High · Belmont · 955 students · 18.4:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.65 — 2021-08-17
  6 km N of Morganton, North Carolina
• M 2.58 — 2015-11-15
  10 km S of Denton, North Carolina
• M 3 — 2014-12-15
  13 km NNW of Cedar Rock, North Carolina
• M 2.5 — 2012-10-29
  5 km SSE of West Marion, North Carolina
• M 2.5 — 2010-10-28
  2 km NW of Pacolet, South Carolina
• M 3 — 2007-08-04
  12 km ENE of Lake Lure, North Carolina