1916 Map of Gastonia

About this map

Industrial and agricultural life in the Piedmont thrives along the South Fork Catawba River and its many tributaries. The landscape is defined by a dense network of textile production and transportation, centered on the growing hub of Gastonia and the prominent Loray Mills complex. This 1914 survey captures the region just as the textile industry was reshaping the local economy, shown through the cluster of mills and mill villages like McAdenville and High Shoals. Beyond the industrial centers, the map documents a deeply rooted rural community, preserving the locations of early iron industry sites like Rehoboth Furnace and spiritual landmarks such as Ebenezer Belmont Abbey. The prominence of Spencer Mtn provides a clear landmark over a terrain crisscrossed by five different railroads, including the Seaboard Air Line and the Southern, which facilitated the movement of goods and people between towns like Lincolnton and Mount Holly.