Helen Arthur-Cornett

When James William Cannon bought several acres of sage field seven miles north of Concord, North Carolina and opened his Cabarrus Cotton Mill in 1892, he forever altered the fate of the surrounding land and sowed the seeds of what was to become Kannapolis. By the time he died in 1921, the name Cannon was "synonymous with the word towel" and the "model mill town" he had started to build had begun growing into the beautiful city is it is today. In this collection of writings first published in the Charlotte Observer's "A Look Back" column, author Helen Arthur-Cornett not only informs readers about the history of Kannapolis, but also brings the past to life through comic snippets and intimate scenes from the city's earlier years. She tells about teaching practices in the first Kannapolis schools, the fierce, lasting football rivalry between Cannon and Concord High Schools, and even "Granddaddy W.D's" adventures with a runaway Model T. Trim, the beloved black mule whose unprecedented strength and endurance contributed monumentally to constructing the city in 1906 trots through the pages, accompanied by a long line of interesting characters that also made their marks on national and regional history. Whether they discuss the area's first settlers or legendary July 4th parades, the columns twinkle with charm and wit that will make this unique glimpse into the Kannapolis of yore treasured far into the future.

This humorous and historical compilation of anecdotes and vignettes is a valuable selection of Helen Arthur-Cornett's best work from her tenure as a writer for the Charlotte Observer and offers readers, whether old-timers or newcomers to the area, a warm and informative perspective on the history and folklore of Cabarrus County, North Carolina. We meet a delightful cast of characters whose stories offer a glimpse into the inner workings of a small town and tell of a truly independent way of life. Jacob Shinn discovering gold in a cotton field; the death of Little Miss Stonewall; the legend of Hamby Hill; these are just some of the stories that bring the history of the county to life. Spanning over a century of Concord's most memorable characters and events, this delightful collection is sure to inform and entertain, while at the same time, preserving the valuable work of Helen Arthur-Cornett and the history she seeks to protect and share.