Downtown Statesville provide you with a small town feel even though Statesville keep expanding. It…read morestill feels historic and North Carolina unlike Mooresville. Not a lot of shops or good restaurants. Mostly pawn shop and coffee shop from what I am seeing. More are coming though with more people moving into town. Free parking, always a plus. There are seasonal events from time to time to boost tourism in downtown. It

Downtown Statesville has improved dramatically over the past 5-10 years. Many new businesses and…read morenew parking is underway. There are festivals and activities regularly scheduled. Fun for the family during the day and for the adults in nightlife around downtown. I enjoy visiting the new places and patronizing those familiar places for local shopping. Downtown Statesville has a lot to offer for the young and old!

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.]

In front of a gas station a block from the center of Statesville, this marker recalls the US…read moreoccupation of Statesville. As you know, North Carolina seceded from the Union and was part of the Confederacy. The marker reads, "Stoneman's Raid. On a raid through western North Carolina Gen. Stoneman's U.S. cavalry occupied Statesville, April 13, 1865." Online, there is more information. "In late March 1865, Union cavalry under Major General George Stoneman, commander of the Union army "District of East Tennessee," marched throughout western North Carolina during one of the longest cavalry raids in history. About 5,000 men under Stoneman's command entered North Carolina with a mission "to destroy and not to fight battles" in order to expedite the close of the Civil War. Stoneman's raid coincided with the raids of General William T. Sherman in the eastern sections of the state, stretching local home guard and militia units thinly across the state and forcing Confederate commanders to make hard choices on where their men were needed most." "Stoneman's raid targeted next the railroad town of Statesville. Stoneman's men were in the city only briefly on April 13 as they destroyed the railroad depot, rail lines and burned the office of the Iredell Express. Although the men passed quickly through the town on their way westward, the city was briefly re-occupied until April 17 by a portion of Stoneman's army after a successful trip towards Charlotte and the South Carolina border. While in town during the second visit, Union troops engaged in several skirmishes with local Confederates." [Review 14661 overall, 161 of 2021, number 2810 in North Carolina.]

Formerly Lakewood Park, this is now known as Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The centerpiece is a…read morestocked lake with fishing permitted from Monday to Thursday. Three large picnic shelters, one of which has charcoal grills and a fireplace set up. The walking trails surround the lake, two playgrounds and a very pretty waterfront gazebo that would be quite lovely for photo opportunities, especially when the leaves are turning. Large open outdoor amphitheater. [Review 14553 overall, 51 of 2021, number 2789 in North Carolina.]

Awesome festival! Lots of unique items...Lots of food,ice cream.... Pet friendly…read more Music till 7:00

Fort Dobbs Historic site is undoubtedly one of the best sites in the NC historic site system! From…read morea modern visitor center to a detailed guided tour, Fort Dobbs has everything to keep you interested. Fort Dobbs provides tons of history concerning the French and Indian War, as it is the only NC historic site concerning that period. There are several points of interest for you to explore, a .5 mile nature trail, a new visitor center with an exhibit opening soon, and a fort for you to explore! If you want to see the inside of the fort, you HAVE to take the guided tour. There are 4 tour times, with cheap prices! Our tour lasted about an hour and 45 minutes, and was extremely detailed! Our tour guide (the site manager) has studied history in college for nearly 12 years!! He constantly had more information and detailed history to tell us about, never ending for 105 minutes! Everyone in our group was impressed, and were thankful to have such a great tour guide. The guided tour is worth it! If you're in the area, you should stop by! It's a great way to get some fresh air and expand your knowledge concerning the 7 Years War (French and Indian War).

Fort Dobbs is such a cool, low-key stop if you're into history. It's a reconstruction of the…read moreoriginal 1756 fort (finished in 2019), and you can only go inside with a guided tour every 45 minutes--totally worth it. Our tour was about 45 minutes, super educational, and took us through different rooms while explaining what happened here. It's also really affordable ($5 adults, $1 kids). There's an older visitor center with a small gift shop (new one coming soon), plus a picnic shelter, restrooms, and a short walking trail. Great quick visit for families.

Love this place!!! Must go if in the area! We had a beer…read moreand lunch one Saturday. Saw real cowboys at the bar.

What a neat place! Went there this weekend for a quick day trip away from Charlotte. This little…read moreplace is quaint, rustic and definitely a good time. We didn't get to enjoy most of the attraction to the small city within a city, due to being out of season but we did go to the Silver Spur an played skeeball, pinball and had a drink while we listened to karaoke! We had THE BEST RIBS OF ALL TIME! The photos aren't on my phone, they're on my boyfriend's which I highly regret! The food was great, the company was wonderful and kind. I can't wait to go back when the whole town opens back up. Our only disappointment was there was no options for horse rentals with horseback riding.