Category: Local History

Before Badin Lake: How a River, a Dam, and a Company Town Changed Stanly County
Discover the history behind Badin Lake, Narrows Dam and the company town, with photographs, a timeline, an energy diagram and places to explore.
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How Stanly County Took Shape: Rivers, Railroads, and the Stories Between Its Towns
Explore how rivers, county government, railroads and community life shaped Stanly County, with photographs, a timeline and a population chart.
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Places you can recognize

A closer look at Stanly County.

Restored train station and railway tracks in Albemarle, North Carolina — Albemarle’s restored train station beside railway tracks, photographed in 2019. Photo: Indy beetle · CC0.

Downtown Badin streetscape — Downtown Badin, photographed in February 2021. Photo: Indy beetle · CC0.

Brick storefronts along Main Street in Norwood, North Carolina — Main Street in Norwood, photographed in January 2020. Photo: Indy beetle · CC0.

Brick storefronts along North Main Street in Oakboro, North Carolina — North Main Street in Oakboro, photographed October 2023. Photo: Indy beetle · CC0.

The whole county

All ten towns. One map.

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Choose a town on the map or in the list below. Points are the U.S. Census Bureau’s published municipal reference locations; use the street maps for local directions.