The name "Yadkin" itself likely derives from the Siouan word "Yattken", which may mean "big trees"…read moreor "place of big trees," first recorded by explorer Gabriel Arthur in 1673. European settlement began in earnest around 1748, when traders Morgan Bryan and George Forbush moved their families to the banks of Deep Creek. Squire Boone, father of the famed frontiersman Daniel Boone, also brought his family to the region in the 1750s. Yadkin County was officially formed in 1850, carved from the southern portion of Surry County to resolve political divisions. The Yadkin County Courthouse is a modest structure. Just two stories, it is composed of buff-colored brick and concrete, with a flat roofline and a clean, modernist profile. This design emphasizes horizontal lines and simplicity, typical of postwar public buildings that favored utility over ornamentation. Inside, it houses the County Superior Court and District Court for North Carolina's 23rd Judicial District, continuing its role as a hub of local governance and justice. There is parking nearby but keep in mind that cell phones and other things are not permitted inside. So you won't have interior pictures unless they're official. [Review 1015 of 2025 - 4361 in North Carolina - 24569 overall]

Wilkes County was founded in 1778 and became a cradle of Appalachian culture, moonshine lore, and…read moreearly NASCAR. Its current courthouse in Wilkesboro, completed in 1998, replaced the historic 1902 structure and reflects a more modern design. Wilkes County is named for John Wilkes, who was an English radical, journalist and politician. In 2001, this new structure was completed. While it lacks the ornate Beaux-Arts and Classical Revival flourishes of its predecessor, the 2001 structure emphasizes practicality and efficiency, with a more subdued architectural profile. It is modern and massive and could easily be mistaken for an office building. It is functional, accessible and secure. That said, there is more than enough parking and they have even set up some EV chargers along the way. [Review 1205 of 2025 - 4390 in North Carolina - 24757 overall]

This historical marker is located on a corner not far from downtown Statesville near a gas station…read moreand a lovely church. The marker points out a local newspaperman and his background. It reads, "J.P. Caldwell. Editor of Statesville "Landmark" (1880-92), Charlotte "Observer" (1892-1909). His home was two blocks north." Online, there is more information. "At the age of fourteen, Caldwell took an apprenticeship in the office of the Iredell Express, Statesville's first newspaper, under the tutelage of E. B. Drake. Drake's newspaper was renamed the Statesville American shortly after the end of the Civil War. Drake became a Republican in 1872, and a rival, Democratic newspaper, the Statesville Intelligencer, appeared in the northern part of Iredell County, published by Charles R. Jones. Jones soon enticed Caldwell away from Drake by offering to raise his pay one dollar a week." "Caldwell continued his journalistic pursuits, eventually becoming an editor of the Charlotte Observer. In January 1880 he purchased the rights to the Statesville Landmark, the successor to the Intelligencer. From 1880 to 1892 Caldwell published the Landmark before buying the Charlotte Chronicle, the successor to the weekly Charlotte Observer. He soon moved to Charlotte, renamed the Chronicle the Observer, and actively managed it into one of the state's most notable and well respected newspapers." "In 1877 Caldwell married Maggie Spratt. Together they had five children, only three of whom lived to maturity. Maggie died soon after Caldwell purchased the Chronicle, and he subsequently remarried to Addie Williams, who bore him a daughter. Caldwell edited the Charlotte Observer until March 8, 1909, when he suffered a stroke that paralyzed him. Transferred to Broughton Hospital at Morganton, Caldwell died there on November 22, 1911." I read the Observer often. Thank you, Mister Caldwell, for your efforts! [Review 14537 overall, 35 of 2021, number 2778 in North Carolina.]

Located just down the hill from the Caldwell Heritage Museum which is the 1905 county courthouse,…read morethis marker points out the history of an educational institution that is no longer but was in the heritage museum for a time. It is marker number N-30 and it reads, "Davenport College. For women; chartered 1859 by Methodist Episcopal Church, South; merged with Greensboro College, 1933. Two bldgs. stand 100 ft. S.W." It was erected in 1956 by the North Carolina Archives and Highway Departments. There is more information online. The college began in 1955 after local Methodists raised funds and secure land, becoming an early center for women's education in Caldwell County. It endured wartime loses during Stoneman's Raid, then burned in 1877 and was rebuilt as a smaller school that gradually returned to collegiate status in the early twentieth century. For decades, it served as a cultural hub, offering lectures and performances to the wider community. Financial pressures during the Depression led to its closure in 1933 and eventual consolidation with Greensboro College, after which the remaining campus buildings were used by the county school system. The last surviving structure now houses the Caldwell Heritage Museum. [Review 556 of 2026 - 4650 in North Carolina - 25738 overall]

Located just around the corner from the historic Iredell County Courthouse, this marker points out…read morea business that no longer stands in Statesville. Marker M-57 reads, "Wallace Brothers Herbarium. World renowned supplier of medicinal herbs, barks, berries & roots. Est. by Jewish immigrants, 1871. One block NW until 1942." David and Isaac Wallace, German Jewish immigrants, built a thriving mercantile and herb-trading enterprise in Statesville beginning in 1859, eventually creating what became the world's largest herbarium. Their success was fueled by botanist Mordecai Hyams, whose Appalachian expeditions and training of rural pickers supplied thousands of plant varieties to distilleries, pharmaceutical companies and international markets. The Wallace Brothers gained national and international acclaim, earning gold medals at major exhibitions in Philadelphia and Paris and later appearing at the Chicago and Saint Louis World's Fairs. Their herb trade provided crucial income for struggling North Carolinians during the 1870s, though the company's bankruptcy in 1895 ended the family's dominance even as descendants carried the business into the mid-twentieth century. Despite the decline of herbal medicine, the legacy of the Wallaces and the Hyams endures through their contributions to botany, the founding of Statesville's Jewish congregation, and the preservation of thousands of plant specimens now held in major institutions. It is marker number M-57 and it was erected by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History in 2023. There is limited parking nearby. [Review 589 of 2026 - 4678 in North Carolina - 25770 overall]

This marker is on US21 in front of the Barium Springs Home for Children…read more(http://www.childrenshopealliance.org/). It reads, "Formerly Presbyterian Orphans Home. Opened here in 1891 by Synod of N.C. Jethro Rumple was first chair, Board of Regents." and the marker is in very good condition. On line, as is customary with North Carolina's markers, there is more information. "The years 1870-1920 were the "golden age" of the orphanage movement. Sixteen institutions were started in North Carolina, most with the backing of a charitable group or religious denomination. Barium Springs Home for Children had its beginnings in Charlotte, where in 1883 Presbyterian ladies set up a home for destitute children. In 1888 they asked the Presbyterian Synod of North Carolina to assume oversight." "The Presbyterian Orphans Home, with peak enrollment of 377 in 1929, was a major part of life in Iredell County, fielding strong athletic teams. Financial support comes from Presbyterian churches across the state, the Duke Endowment, and other contributors. The home remained a long-term facility longer than similar institutions but, with the rise of foster care, has shifted focus to specialized short-term residential care and other services." [Review 13833 overall, 1155 of 2020, number 2526 in North Carolina.]

Located in the center of Wilkesboro at the courthouse, this marker points out the US occupation of…read morethe city during the Civil War. It reads, "On a raid through Western North Carolina, General Stoneman's U.S. cavalry occupied Wilkesboro. March 29, 1865." This was one of the longest cavalry raids of the Civil War through western North Carolina, aiming to cripple Confederate infrastructure rather than engage in direct combat. His 5,000-man force destroyed railroads, factories, and supply lines, disrupted Confederate defenses, and ultimately helped block escape routes for Lee and Johnston's armies. After a brief, rain-soaked pause in Wilkesboro, Stoneman's men resumed their march north, continuing their campaign into May and aiding in the pursuit of fleeing Confederate leaders. During the extended stay, Union troops on raids in the countryside discovered several moonshine stills and the drunken soldiers rode roughshod over the town of Wilkesboro. Angered by his men's actions, Stoneman tried unsuccessfully to stop their recklessness. The surrender at Appomattox Court House occurred on April 9, 1865, just eleven days after. [Review 1277 of 2025 - 4431 in North Carolina - 24829 overall]

Set prominently in front of the historic Wilkes County Courthouse, this memorial honors local…read moreveterans who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Dedicated in 1970, it reflects a national movement during the Vietnam era to recognize service across multiple generations and conflicts. The obelisk itself is simple but dignified. Tall, tapered, and solemn, it was designed to convey permanence and respect. Its placement ensures it remains visible to passersby and serves as a natural gathering spot for commemorative events. The plaques have weathered over time and could benefit from some care, but the monument still stands as a meaningful tribute to Wilkes County's veterans. [Review 1278 of 2025 - 4432 in North Carolina - 24830 overall]