Midland, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Midland is a town in southern Cabarrus County
in the U.S. state
of North Carolina
. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it lies in the region known as the Piedmont
. The name of the town is derived from its location approximately one-half way between Charlotte
and Oakboro
on the railroad line. As the town was not yet incorporated at the time of the 2000 census
, it was not listed then, but 2006 Census Bureau estimates give the town's population as 2,978.
Visitors and new residents to the area are often surprised to learn the local pronunciation of the town's name. In local parlance, "Midland" is pronounced as a spondee
, with nearly equal verbal emphasis on both first and last syllables. Other Midlands around the country, including those in Texas and Michigan, are generally pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable. While Midlanders may refer to "MID-lind," Texas, they themselves live in "MID-LAND," North Carolina.
US Hwy 601
and NC 24/27 are the major highways. At this writing (January 2007) there is one traffic signal in the town at the intersection of Hwy. 601 and State Road 24/27, which is north of Midland proper and was once known locally as "Hell's Half Acre." The U.S. Postal Service has maintained a post office in Midland for many years (Zip code 28107), and rural mail routes extend from Midland into portions of four counties.
Formerly, the economy of Midland was essentially agricultural with some textile-related manufacturing jobs. With the growth of Charlotte, N.C. to the west, farming has played a decreasing role in the economic life of the town. Increasingly, Midland has become a bedroom community for those commuting to work in nearby Charlotte and Concord. For many years, there were very few "outsiders" moving to Midland, but over the past two decades, many people with no familial roots in the area have settled there. New residents are attracted to the area for its lower taxes, less expensive housing and real estate prices, and a more rural flavor than that which is to be found in Charlotte or the surrounding larger communities.
The Reed Gold Mine
, site of the first discovery of gold
in the United States, is located east of the town. The Reed Gold Mine is now an historic site under State management and is open to the public. Visitors to the mine can tour a museum with extensive information and displays on North Carolina gold mining, and can walk through several hundred feet of mine tunnels. The area was an important gold mining center in the 19th century; however, gold mining activity in the region predates the founding of Midland.
The town sits approximately 500–550 ft (152.4–167.6 ) above sea level. The land is gently rolling with no especially high points. The most common soil type is a red clay. The area is drained by the Rocky River, which is relatively small and generally shallow. Trees are abundant. There are no significant lakes in the town. Coordinates for Midland are 35°13′38"N 80°30′03"W. The town is located approximately 249 miles (400.7 km) northeast of Atlanta, 526 miles (846.5 km) southwest of New York City, 614 miles (988.1 km) southeast of Chicago, and 650 miles (1,046.1 km) north of Miami. From Midland, it is 2423 miles (3,899.4 km) to the Equator and 3792 miles (6,102.6 km) to the North Pole.
During the past two decades, new businesses have tended to locate north of Midland near the intersection of Hwy 601 and State Road 24/27. Midland has an increasing number of businesses owing mainly to companies locating in the town which, with improved highways, is now more convenient to Charlotte and surrounding areas. Essential services remain limited. A physician's office is now located in Midland, but hospitals with emergency services are located in Concord and Charlotte. A few family-type restaurants and food stands may be found in Midland. A bank is located in the town. Automobile fuel and repairs are available. A public elementary school is located near the town, and a middle school and a high school serving the area are located near Concord. There are no military installations in the area.
Nearby communities include the settlement of Cabarrus, also known as Cabarrus Station, a former railroad stop like Midland. Also nearby are the communities of Locust
and Stanfield
, located in adjoining Stanly County, N.C., and only a few minutes' drive from Midland by automobile. These communities are similar to Midland in many ways, but Locust does now have a chain supermarket and some other nationally-branded businesses.
Transportation to Midland is limited to automobile traffic. The town is no longer served by passenger rail service, and there is no public general aviation airport within 15 –. Commercial flights to the area are usually handled through the airport at Charlotte, approximately one hour's drive to the west. Charlotte's airport has several hundred passenger flights per day with nonstop service to many locations in North America as well as service to Europe and the Caribbean basin. Some air passengers also use the airport at Greensboro, N.C., or at Raleigh/Durham, although these latter airports are two hours or more travel time by automobile. The closest seaports are located along the Atlantic Ocean approximately 165 miles (265.5 km) east of the town.
Nearby recreation includes access to lakes, museums, professional sports, and extensive shopping in surrounding areas. The beaches of both Carolinas are popular vacation destinations. The Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina rise to the west and are also a popular vacation or day-trip destination. The cool, verdant heights of the Appalachian Mountains provide relief from the summer heat of the Piedmont and also winter recreation such as snow skiing. Mt. Mitchell
, the highest mountain in the eastern U.S. at a height of 6684 feet (2,037.3 m), is 106 miles (170.6 km) west-northwest of Midland.
Cabarrus County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 131,063 people, 49,519 households, and 36,545 families residing in the county. The population density was 360 people per square mile . There were 52,848 housing units at an average density of 145 per square mile...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it lies in the region known as the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
. The name of the town is derived from its location approximately one-half way between Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
and Oakboro
Oakboro, North Carolina
Oakboro is a town in Stanly County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,198 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakboro is located at ....
on the railroad line. As the town was not yet incorporated at the time of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, it was not listed then, but 2006 Census Bureau estimates give the town's population as 2,978.
Visitors and new residents to the area are often surprised to learn the local pronunciation of the town's name. In local parlance, "Midland" is pronounced as a spondee
Spondee
In poetry, a spondee is a metrical foot consisting of two long syllables, as determined by syllable weight in classical meters, or two stressed syllables, as determined by stress in modern meters...
, with nearly equal verbal emphasis on both first and last syllables. Other Midlands around the country, including those in Texas and Michigan, are generally pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable. While Midlanders may refer to "MID-lind," Texas, they themselves live in "MID-LAND," North Carolina.
US Hwy 601
U.S. Route 601
Currently, there is one U.S. Route 601 Business loops in North Carolina:* Dobson – It is a route that goes through downtown Dobson, via Main Street.Historically, another business loop had existed in Concord .-See also:...
and NC 24/27 are the major highways. At this writing (January 2007) there is one traffic signal in the town at the intersection of Hwy. 601 and State Road 24/27, which is north of Midland proper and was once known locally as "Hell's Half Acre." The U.S. Postal Service has maintained a post office in Midland for many years (Zip code 28107), and rural mail routes extend from Midland into portions of four counties.
History
Midland began as a railroad town about 1913 with the arrival of rail service. The town is now incorporated, as of 2000. Prior to Midland's becoming a railroad village, a community named Garmon existed in the area and appears on an 1864 map of North Carolina.Formerly, the economy of Midland was essentially agricultural with some textile-related manufacturing jobs. With the growth of Charlotte, N.C. to the west, farming has played a decreasing role in the economic life of the town. Increasingly, Midland has become a bedroom community for those commuting to work in nearby Charlotte and Concord. For many years, there were very few "outsiders" moving to Midland, but over the past two decades, many people with no familial roots in the area have settled there. New residents are attracted to the area for its lower taxes, less expensive housing and real estate prices, and a more rural flavor than that which is to be found in Charlotte or the surrounding larger communities.
The Reed Gold Mine
Reed Gold Mine
The Reed Gold Mine is located in Midland, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and is the site of the first documented commercial gold find in the United States...
, site of the first discovery of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in the United States, is located east of the town. The Reed Gold Mine is now an historic site under State management and is open to the public. Visitors to the mine can tour a museum with extensive information and displays on North Carolina gold mining, and can walk through several hundred feet of mine tunnels. The area was an important gold mining center in the 19th century; however, gold mining activity in the region predates the founding of Midland.
Geography
The climate in Midland is temperate, with chilly winters and hot summers. Thunderstorms are frequent in warmer weather. Severe weather occurs occasionally, and a few tornadoes have been recorded in Midland and its vicinity. Snow accumulations occur on occasion in the winter, and anywhere from zero to three significant accumulations of snow might reasonably be expected in an average winter. Accumulating snows generally melt away between snow events, and there is no consistent snowpack in winter. Pleasantly warm daytime temperatures may be experienced into November. Rainfall averages 40 – per year.The town sits approximately 500–550 ft (152.4–167.6 ) above sea level. The land is gently rolling with no especially high points. The most common soil type is a red clay. The area is drained by the Rocky River, which is relatively small and generally shallow. Trees are abundant. There are no significant lakes in the town. Coordinates for Midland are 35°13′38"N 80°30′03"W. The town is located approximately 249 miles (400.7 km) northeast of Atlanta, 526 miles (846.5 km) southwest of New York City, 614 miles (988.1 km) southeast of Chicago, and 650 miles (1,046.1 km) north of Miami. From Midland, it is 2423 miles (3,899.4 km) to the Equator and 3792 miles (6,102.6 km) to the North Pole.
During the past two decades, new businesses have tended to locate north of Midland near the intersection of Hwy 601 and State Road 24/27. Midland has an increasing number of businesses owing mainly to companies locating in the town which, with improved highways, is now more convenient to Charlotte and surrounding areas. Essential services remain limited. A physician's office is now located in Midland, but hospitals with emergency services are located in Concord and Charlotte. A few family-type restaurants and food stands may be found in Midland. A bank is located in the town. Automobile fuel and repairs are available. A public elementary school is located near the town, and a middle school and a high school serving the area are located near Concord. There are no military installations in the area.
Nearby communities include the settlement of Cabarrus, also known as Cabarrus Station, a former railroad stop like Midland. Also nearby are the communities of Locust
Locust, North Carolina
Locust is a small rural city in Stanly and Cabarrus counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 2,416 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Locust is located at ....
and Stanfield
Stanfield, North Carolina
Stanfield is a town in Stanly County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,113 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stanfield is located at ....
, located in adjoining Stanly County, N.C., and only a few minutes' drive from Midland by automobile. These communities are similar to Midland in many ways, but Locust does now have a chain supermarket and some other nationally-branded businesses.
Transportation to Midland is limited to automobile traffic. The town is no longer served by passenger rail service, and there is no public general aviation airport within 15 –. Commercial flights to the area are usually handled through the airport at Charlotte, approximately one hour's drive to the west. Charlotte's airport has several hundred passenger flights per day with nonstop service to many locations in North America as well as service to Europe and the Caribbean basin. Some air passengers also use the airport at Greensboro, N.C., or at Raleigh/Durham, although these latter airports are two hours or more travel time by automobile. The closest seaports are located along the Atlantic Ocean approximately 165 miles (265.5 km) east of the town.
Nearby recreation includes access to lakes, museums, professional sports, and extensive shopping in surrounding areas. The beaches of both Carolinas are popular vacation destinations. The Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina rise to the west and are also a popular vacation or day-trip destination. The cool, verdant heights of the Appalachian Mountains provide relief from the summer heat of the Piedmont and also winter recreation such as snow skiing. Mt. Mitchell
Mount Mitchell (North Carolina)
Mount Mitchell is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and the highest peak in the eastern United States. It was the highest point in any state of the United States until Texas joined the union in 1845. The nearest higher point east of the Rocky Mountains is Harney Peak in the Black Hills...
, the highest mountain in the eastern U.S. at a height of 6684 feet (2,037.3 m), is 106 miles (170.6 km) west-northwest of Midland.