Mooresville

Sister cities

• Hockenheim

History

The area that would develop into the town of Mooresville was originally settled by English, German, and Scots-Irish families who moved into the area from nearby Rowan County, as well as from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. Many were seeking new lands on which to establish farms. Many of the early families such as the Wilsons, Davidsons, Cowans, Sherrills, Torrances, and others came to the area as early as the mid-1700s. They formed small communities that eventually grew into the community known as "Deep Well", which took its name from a large natural well that was found in the area. Many of these families established large farms, primarily of cotton, which grew into small plantations by the 1850s. Major Rufus Reid was the most prominent planter in the area, enslaving 81 African Americans on over of land. His property was known as Mount Mourne Plantation, named after the Mourne Mountains of County Down in Northern Ireland. Several other historic plantation homes are set in the area as well, including the Johnson-Neel House, the Cornelius House, Forest Dell Plantation, and the colonial era Belmont Plantation. In 1856, a railroad was placed on a ridge that crossed the land of a local farmer by the name of John Franklin Moore. A small-scale planter, Moore set up a depot on his land, and encouraged others to help establish a small village on the location in the late 1850s. The little village, known as "Moore's Siding", was born. The Civil War hampered developments, with the railroad tracks being removed to aid the Confederate efforts in Virginia. After the war, the tracks were returned, and Moore's Siding slowly began to prosper. Shortly after the Civil War, John Franklin Moore saw the need for the village to incorporate into a town. The town was incorporated as…

Geography

Mooresville is located in southern Iredell County. Interstate 77 passes through the western side of the town, with access from Exits 31 through 36. I-77 leads south to the South Carolina border and north to the Virginia line. Statesville, just to the north, is the county seat. Lake Norman, on the Catawba River, is west of the town center. Mooresville is located north of Charlotte and south of Statesville. According to the United States Census Bureau, Mooresville has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.24%, are water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,468
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  5,253
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  4,831
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,208
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  4,077
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,062
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,882
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  3,714

Largest nearby schools

• Lake Norman High
  High · Mooresville · 1,986 students · 23.4:1 ratio
• Mooresville High School
  High · Mooresville · 1,969 students · 18.8:1 ratio
• Pine Lake Preparatory
  Other · Mooresville · 1,879 students · 16.8:1 ratio
• Langtree Charter Academy
  Other · Mooresville · 1,531 students · 16.3:1 ratio
• Mooresville Middle
  Middle · Mooresville · 933 students · 17.9:1 ratio
• Shepherd Elementary
  Elementary · Mooresville · 711 students · 16.2:1 ratio
• Troutman Elementary
  Elementary · Troutman · 698 students · 14.9:1 ratio
• Coddle Creek Elementary
  Elementary · Mooresville · 696 students · 15.5:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.65 — 2021-08-17
  6 km N of Morganton, North Carolina
• 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 3 — 2014-12-15
  13 km NNW of Cedar Rock, North Carolina
• M 2.5 — 2014-06-12
  4 km NE of Blowing Rock, North Carolina