mooresville

Text Box: Mooresville is the center of growth in southern Iredell County. There are really three Mooresville’s: The original town area east of Interstate 77, newer parts of town west of I-77 and unincorporated Mooresville where residents have a Mooresville address but don’t actually live within the town limits. Scratch that: there’s more new growth east of I-77, in the Mount Mourne area to the southeast and northeast of historic downtown. Whichever Mooresville you live in, there’s a lot to see and do.

History: Mooresville was an important cotton trading town, thanks to the railroad tracks downtown. The town later produced its own textiles at the Mooresville Cotton Mill Co. factory. After the mill closed in 1999, the town remade itself as Race City, USA – today more than 90 percent of NASCAR motorsports teams are headquartered in the area.

Landmarks: Historic downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places, including D.E. Turner & Co. Hardware Store, which looks much the same as when it opened in 1899.

What the Locals Know: Pat’s Gourmet Coffee Shop downtown on North Main Street is the hangout spot for veterans, who gather every Thursday starting at 9 a.m. to gab for a few hours, and for bluegrass junkies, who jam informally every Saturday starting at 9 a.m.

Notables: NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt and his racer son Dale Jr. were born in Cabarrus County, but both are synonymous with Race City, USA. The elder Earnhardt built his racing empire here. Junior, a graduate of Mooresville High, still lives in the area.

On the Job: Home improvement giant Lowe’s Cos. Inc.’s corporate campus opened in 2003 and could employ up to 4,500 in the next few years. Lake Norman Regional Medical Center and physicians’ offices are also changing the job market in this former mill town.

Chow: You can’t miss Big Daddy’s of Lake Norman if you head west on N.C. 150 – it’s got race cars on its roof. Inside you’ll find the best seafood and raw bar around, served in a family atmosphere. Try The Prickly Pear, modern Mexican delivered in a renovated church on North Main Street.

See the Sights: Check out your favorite NASCAR drivers’ shops in Lakeside Business Park or the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. headquarters off N.C. 3.

You’re from Mooresville if … your Daddy and Mama worked at the mill.

Don’t Miss: The Mooresville Ice Cream Co., makers of DeLuxe Ice Cream, one of the town’s oldest businesses (open weekdays). The annual Christmas parade marches downtown the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.