4A • MONDAY, MAY 17, 2010
George Washington took trip through area that later became the city of Kannapolis In 1791, George Washington decided to take a trip through the South after being elected president. He began his trip in Pennsylvania down through the eastern part and worked his way over to the famous Indian Trading Path, called the “Great Wagon Road.” He often visited those who had fought with him in the American Revolution War. On May 29, 1791, he dined at the home of NORRIS Robert Smith, who had DEARMON served with him in the war. Smith lived where Charlotte Motor Speedway is now. The speedway used his home for offices for many years. After reminiscing with Smith, Washington continued on past the location where the famous “Cabarrus Black Boys” blew up the British ammunition supply. The Red Hill Tavern owned by Martin Phifer was his next stop. His home and tavern were located at the back of the current day location of Zemosa Acres, near the Phifer Cemetery. He spent the night there and the next morning continued north on the Great Wagon Road. His travels took him across what is now Highway 73 to the vicinity of Winecoff School Road and on to Cook’s Crossing. From there he followed the road approximately where Highway 29 is today. After a few zig zags he arrived a lit-
tle east of the location of the Kannapolis southern underpass. Near there is the headwaters of Three Mile Branch. It was a popular place for travelers at that time to water their horses and get water for themselves. I believe you can truthfully say that on May 30, 1791, George Washington had a drink of water at the spring near the Kannapolis southern underpass. His entourage certainly watered the horses there. After refreshing himself, his horses and his entourage, he proceeded north toward York Street, bearing off to the right toward what is now Sharp Street. He may or may not have stopped at the Murph Inn. No records indicate that he did. Remember, there were no houses, paved streets or railroad yet, just forest and a few farms. Since there was a huge gully near the Murph Inn, the road curved back toward Ridge Avenue, crossing what is now Rose and East Avenue to a point near First Street and Ridge Avenue. The road then continued north in a fairly straight line, following the ridge to where the northern underpass is now located. The ridge was cut out for the underpass. Again, because of gullies and bad terrain, the road went left up present day North Main Street, probably in the front yards of where the houses are now. The H.E. Ketchie family lived in the vicinity of North Main in the early years of Kannapolis. Homer Ketchie told me of the problem his family had when they tried to plow the front yard
Dislike of annexation bill turns off senators RALEIGH (AP) — There’s a saying around the Legislative Building that a bill has probably found the right balance when neither side of a contentious issue is thrilled with the final product but both can live with it. The 2009 House compromise to the state’s annexation rules now sitting in the Senate may serve as the example for what happens when both sides hold legislation in disdain. Citizens and municipalities are so displeased with the bill that cleared the House after more than a year of debate and lobbying that lawmakers are suggesting it’s doomed after the first week of this year’s short session. “It’s hard to get enthusiastic,” said Sen. Dan Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg, who formed a subcommittee last year to examine the House bill and try to find more agreement. “There’s not a lot of profit dealing with a bill that nobody likes.” Changing the 1959 law that lays out how towns and cities can assume unincorporated areas against the will of the property owners has brought out passion from both municipal leaders and the public. Now their sentiments have turned sour on the bill approved by the House last July by a comfortable margin. Those opposed to involuntary annexations who have been lobbying for changes in the law since 2008 now say the 34-page bill makes the situation worse for home and business owners. And they say their brass ring — requiring a referendum as a prerequisite for involuntary annexations — is tarnished because the threshold for such a vote is too tall for anyone to reach. Fifteen percent of registered voters within the existing city limits and the area to be annexed would have to sign a petition seeking a vote. “The referendum is a joke,” said Tony Tetterton of Johnston County, vice president of the Fair Annexation Coalition, a citizen’s group demanding reform. Tetterton said the bill doesn’t protect residents from the abuses of cities that fail to offer services in a timely manner. The cities and their lobbying group, the North Carolina League of Municipalities, were adamantly opposed to any referendum provision and remain so as this year’s session began. They said it gives voters veto power over a city’s efforts to control suburban sprawl and to create an orderly process for incorporating high-density developments that need police and fire services as well as water and sewer lines. Few people are willing to vote for something that would raise their taxes.
SALISBURY POST
A R E A / S TAT E / O B I T U A R I E S
“What is urban in nature should be considered municipal,” league lobbyist Kelli Kukura said. The league’s opposition comes even after the House bill inserted nearly all 20 suggestions the league offered to lawmakers — suggestions the league said would give citizens more input and time to respond to an annexation proposal. Those suggestions include increasing the time for a property owner to challenge an annexation in court and giving property owners 20 years to pay their share of water and sewer installations. Kukura said there’s not enough time in the budgetadjustment session — likely to end in July — to find a solution that would satisfy both sides. That would mean legislation would have to be reintroduced when a new Legislature gets sworn in next January. Rep. Nelson Dollar, RWake, co-sponsor of the House bill, said one compromise could require county commissioners to formally approve a municipal annexation before it can occur, saying it would at least allow residents in the unincorporated areas to have representation. Members of the anti-annexation movement aren’t giving up. Citizens dressed in red shirts visited the General Assembly last Wednesday, many of whom sat in the gallery overlooking the Senate as it gaveled in the new session — a reminder to those in the chamber that the bill still sits in the finance committee. Annexation groups today will mail the first of 15,000 post cards to senators urging them to approve comprehensive annexation law reform. Future post cards will feature official state wildlife like the cardinal, gray squirrel and plot hound. “We’re mad. We’ve been mad. Hopefully the post cards will be a little bit of a lighter touch,” said Barbara Jackson of Buncombe County, who got into the movement after the town of Woodfin tried unsuccessfully to annex where Jackson lived. Whether reform is pursued this year rests with Buncombe County Sen. Martin Nesbitt, the new majority leader. Predecessor Sen. Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, was largely cool to the idea of broad annexation reform. Nesbitt’s populist bent and mountain origins gives him a different perspective. Nesbitt said there are some abuses with municipal annexation but he’s not sure lawmakers have fully figured out how to reduce them. House members “worked on it a year and a half and have a bill nobody likes,” he said. “What makes us think we can fix it in a month?”
to plant grass. The ground was hard because the wagon wheels had packed it down. They could hardly get the plow in the ground. They did, but it was difficult. The road continued north following somewhat the path of what is now Highway 29 through Landis and China Grove to Salisbury. There were small trails which the Indians had used going off to the east and west of the main road. Some would later become other famous roads. When the federal highway was eventually built, it followed the path similar to the Great Wagon Road, straightening out the zig zags the Indians had used. In 1855, the railroad was constructed near the highway, filling in the gullies and leveling out the terrain. It was originally built about two feet below the level of the current tracks. George Washington followed the route of the Great Wagon Road from the village of Charlotte all the way to the big town of Salisbury. There was a big celebration at that point, welcoming him to town. The next day he continued his trip north, eventually arriving back at the capital in Pennsylvania. There are many tales of his trip south and this is another. Kannapolis would begin construction in 1906, 115 years after George Washington came through. We know he came through from records of his trip and deeds of property telling of the road’s location. Norris Dearmon is a Kannapolis historian.
A R O U N D T H E S TAT E Repair work to cause delays on I-40 in western N.C. RALEIGH (AP) — Traffic on Interstate 40 in western North Carolina will be delayed as work crews continue to make repairs in the area where a rockslide closed the highway for six months. The state Transportation Department said a rolling road block will begin shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday near Exit 20 in Haywood County and Exit 447 in Tennessee. The rolling roadblock will last no more than 30 minutes. During that time, a helicopter will ferry supplies to mountaintop areas near the site of the Oct. 25 rockslide, weather permitting.
CITY FROM 3A tions a nuisance, the conditions will be abated June 2 by the city. The council will also hear a presentation on a proposed rezoning of 13.5 acres on Lumen Christi Lane. The request is to switch from General Residential to Residential Mixed Use. The petitioner, Bishop Peter Jugis, of Charlotte Catholic Diocese, hopes to develop the land, creating Good Shepherd Manor, a 54-unit senior living community.
TRIP FROM 3A being greatly filled in with water, both groundwater seeping up below from the water table, and collected rainwater from above. The water was so murky that only the topmost surface, where leaves and insects float, was fathomable. Large granite “walls” rose from out of the water. They were relatively smooth, not from artisan’s tools, but from well-placed charges of dynamite by the quarrymen, like art produced by the complete antithesis of a delicate chisel strike. Such a unique place, of course, generated its own particular set of rumors. Classmates talked of things that were supposedly buried in the dark waters of the quarry hole. There was mention of old cars possibly on the bottom. There was a mention of skeletons in the water’s depths: teenagers who died from a swimming mishap, a suicide now and then and, even sadder still, infant skeletons from unwanted babies. Our teacher warned us of the dangers of swimming in the quarry hole, such as diving and hitting one’s head on chunks of granite concealed in the gloomy waters. The quarry was such a part of our lives that, of course, the town was named Granite Quar-
After 30 minutes, traffic will be allowed to flow.
Training to apply for tax exempt status CONCORD — Learn how to apply for tax-exempt status June 3 in Concord. Training will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at N.C. Cooperative Extension-Cabarrus County Center, 715 Cabarrus Ave. West, Concord. The class will offer an introduction to applying for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit status. The instructor will review the IRS 1023 application lineby-line. The cost is $25. Register online at www.cabarruscounty.us/ReservePartner or call 704-9203310 or e-mail mmitchell@ cabarruscounty.us. Other items on the agenda include the following: • Salisbury City Manager David Treme will present the fiscal year 2010-2011 proposed budget. • Recognize Police Officer Patrick Schmeltzer, who has returned to the department after a tour of duty in Iraq. • Recognize the police and fire departments’ officers and firefighters of the year. • Consider issuance of a special permit for The Downtowner Restaurant on Lincolnton Road. The Salisbury City Council meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 217 S. Main St.
ry and the school was named Granite Quarry School. The school annual was called “The Quarrier,” and upon opening it the first picture seen was that of the quarry. In different years, the annual would be dedicated to different individuals or classes, but every year, that initial picture of the quarry said, in a way, that it was dedicated to the quarry. An appropriate caption might have read: “This is that from which our name derives; it truly is a part of each of us.” One little thing about the field trip always stuck in my mind — lichens. A lichen is a symbiosis between an algae and a fungus. Lichens can often be seen on rocks.They don’t “eat” rocks, but they produce an acid as a byproduct which sort of “eats into” the rock. There were large boulders of granite on the pathway to the quarry and they were covered with lichens. On the walls of the quarry a great number of lichens could also be seen. I had seen lichens and their effect on the older tombstones of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church cemetery. Names and dates were gradually being worn away by the acid. The lichens on the boulders and the walls of the quarry could be seen, but didn’t stand out there as they did on the old tombstones at St. Pauls. The reason for this — at the quarry, no names were being erased.
John Paul Hill
Larry Keith Cannon, Sr.
KANNAPOLIS — John Paul Hill, age 71, went to be with his Lord on Saturday, May 15, 2010, at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast, Concord, after fighting a courageous battle with lung cancer for three and a half years. Born March 24, 1939, in Cabarrus County, he was the son of the late Caleb Groom Hill and Grace Mae Wingler Hill. In earlier years he was employed with Carolina Rim and Wheel and later with Mack Trucks, both located in Charlotte, in parts sales for a total of 42 years until his retirement in 2005. John was an active member of Shadybrook Baptist Church where he was involved as a deacon, choir member, Sunday School teacher and other phases of church activities. He had a special devotion and love for his family. In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by a brother, James C. Hill. Family members left to cherish his memory include his wife of 52 years and nine months, Dorothy Gunter Hill, who shared fighting his battle daily with him; his children, Mark Hill and Randy Hill & wife, Sylvia both of Kannapolis and Paula Sherrill & husband, Lew of Concord; his grandchildren, Lauren Hill and Joshua Sherrill; one brother, Joel Hill & wife, Sandy of Suwanee, Ga.; his sister-in-law, Patricia Hill of Kannapolis; a cousin, Lynn Eimer of Jacksonville; and four nieces, Jane Hartsell, Crystal Combs, Dawn Woodard and Amie Jo Hewette. Service and Burial: The funeral service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 18, at Shadybrook Baptist Church, Kannapolis, officiated by Rev. Don Davis and Rev. Rickey Oxford. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park, Kannapolis. Visitation: The family will receive friends from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, May 17, at Whitley's Funeral Home. Memorials: Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, 6000 Fairview Road, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28210. A special thanks to Dr. James Wall of NorthEast Oncology, the physicians of NorthEast Lung and the caring staff of IMC, ICU and 3-J Medical Oncology for their love and kind support during this difficult time. Whitley's Funeral Home is assisting the Hill Family. Online condolences may be made at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com.
SALISBURY — Larry Keith Cannon, Sr., age 62, of 1135 Julius Drive, Salisbury, died Saturday, May 15, 2010, at Rowan Regional Medical Center. Born Nov. 25, 1947, in Cabarrus County, he was the son of the late Clyde Woodfin Cannon and Annie Kathleen Adams Cannon. Keith was a 1966 graduate of South Rowan High School. He retired as a senior machinist with Martin-Marietta Aggregates. He was an avid collector of bottle openers and drink paraphernalia. He was the proud owner of a 1965 Mustang and enjoyed area cruise-ins. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Elaine Freeze Cannon; a brother, Clyde “Buddy” Cannon; and a granddaughter, Isabella Cannon. He is survived by a daughter, Angela Renee Cannon and Sandra Bailey, whom he considered like a daughter of Shelby; son, Larry Keith Cannon, Jr. and wife, Heather of Statesville; two stepchildren, Todd Freeze and wife, Lisa of Monroe and Julie Carlton of Dalton, Ga.; three sisters, Shelvia Phillips of Salisbury, Phyllis Byrd and Donna Beaver, both of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; five grandchildren, Catherine Cannon, Gabriel Cannon, Bryson Cannon, Carrie Carlton and Charleigh Carlton. Survivors also include his companion, Sue Lyerly; and her daughters, Sheri Foster and Kimberly Starnes; and their children, Ethan Shane Foster, Jill Nicole Foster, Katherine Miran Starnes and Thomas Henry Starnes; and his beloved poodle, Roxie. Service: Funeral services will be conducted at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lady's Funeral Home Chapel, Kannapolis, with Pastor Ken Reed officiating. Visitation: The family will receive friends prior to the service from 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. At other times, they will be at the home. Memorials: Memorials may be sent to Concordia Lutheran Church, 185 Concordia Church Road, China Grove, NC 28023 or Humane Society of Rowan County, PO Box 295, Salisbury, NC 28145. Lady's Funeral Home and Crematory is assisting with arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.ladysfuneralhome.com.
Lydia Hood Smith
Erma Hollowell Miller
SALISBURY — Erma Hollowell Miller, age 82, of Salisbury, passed away Sunday, May 16, 2010, at Rowan Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending at this time. Lyerly Funeral Home is assisting the Miller Lydia family.
SALISBURY — Hood Smith, age 86, of Salisbury, passed away Saturday, May 15, 2010, at Rowan Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at this time with Summersett Funeral Home.
Mrs. Myrtle Yates Jones Service: Monday 12:30 PM Rowan Christian Church -
Mr. Robert Lee (Bob) Campbell
Mrs. Lydia Hood Smith Incomplete
Service: Tuesday 11:00 AM James C. Lyerly Chapel Visitation: 11:30-1:00 PM -
Mrs. Erma Hollowell Miller Arrangements Pending
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