History Around the Catawba River
The Catawba River starts by several joined springs, near Mount Mitchell (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986). It starts out as a small stream, but is fed by several creeks and slowly widens into a river (Jacobs 2008). The river then flows through the Appalachian Mountains, down through the North Carolina Piedmont, and then south east through South Carolina to the Atlantic Ocean (Jacobs, 2008).
The Catawbas Indians Come to the Area
Centuries ago, Native Americans known as the Catawbas, originally from Canada, moved from the Kentucky River area and immigrated south to the Piedmont of North Carolina (Jacobs, 2008). The Catawbas ended up settling on the Catawba River near the Cherokees (Jacobs, 2008). The Catawbas called the river Eswa Taroa meaning “The great river” (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986). The Catawbas found the river to be an endless supply of food and water. However, the Catawbas were not living in a peaceful environment and did not get along with the Cherokees; they were constantly fighting with one another (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The river was eventually named after the people who lived by it, the Catawba Indians (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986).
Archeologists Ray Boone and Tim Fries have collected artifacts from the Catawbas in and around the Mooresville area along the original riverbed of the Catawba River (Jacobs, 2008).
European Settlers
European settlers began to arrive in the Catawba River area around the 16th century (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Spanish explorers Hernando de Soto and Juan Pardo were some of the first to travel through the Catawba River area (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986). Traders and settlers soon followed and settled in the Catawba River area (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). They found the soil to be very rich and great for farming. The winter climate was also milder than what they were accustomed to (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). During the mid-1700s the trading path though the south increased, bringing more people to the Catawba River area including Scotch-Irish settlers from Pennsylvania (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986).
The Catawbas were very friendly with the traders and settlers that come to the area, but sadly the Catawbas started to suffer the consequences from their new neighbors. The Catawbas immune systems were not used to the diseases that the settlers brought with them including smallpox and other European diseases (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The Catawbas numbers plummeted from a nation of 5,000 strong in the 1600s to less than 400 in 1775 (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986).
The American Revolution
During the American Revolution, on February 1, 1781, there was a battle that occurred on the Catawba River near Cowans Ford (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The British General Charles Cornwallis was in pursuit of General Nathanael Green (Jacobs, 2008). When General Charles Cornwallis and his troops reached the Catawba River at Cowans Ford, General William Lee Davidson and a group of farmers were waiting on him (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Due to recent rains the Catawba River had deepened and the shallowest point was waist deep (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Early in the battle General William Lee Davidson was shot near his heart and fell off his horse into the Catawba River (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Without their leader the farmers were successfully able to delay the British and allowed the Americans to advance further away (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986). Davidson county and the town of Davidson were named in honor of General William Lee Davidson (Jacobs, 2008). Today there is a monument horning General William Lee Davidson near the Cowans Ford Dam (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986).
The Flood of 1916
In July of 1916 what the locals called “The Greatest Flood since Noah” hit the Catawba River Valley (Hartshorn, 2004). A large hurricane from the gulf of Mexico passed over the Catawba River Valley on July 8th, 9th, and 10th(Hartshorn, 2004). During that time the ground became saturated and the water table reached a dangerous level (Hartshorn, 2004).Less than a week later on Friday July 14th, two hurricanes joined over the Catawba River Valley (Hartshorn, 2004). During July 14th, 15th, and 16ththe heaviest rains ever recorded in the Catawba River Valley occurred (Hartshorn, 2004). The joined hurricanes released 22 inches of rain in a 24 hour stretch, causing the Catawba River to rise from 24 feet to 58.4 feet in 24 hours (Gleasner & Gleasner,
1986). Due to a previous flood in 1910 locals were somewhat prepared for flooding (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). However, several locals including the workers at the East Monbo mill were only prepared for a few feet (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The East Monbo mill workers were shocked when the Catawba River raised high enough to fill the mill to the rafters and later removed the roof of the mill (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). When it was safe to return to the mill workers were amazed to see more than five feet of sand covering the machinery (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Locals lined the bank of the Catawba River trying to hook things that were floating down the Catawba River (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). One local counted 273 bales of cotton in an hour and a half (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). During the flood bridges were completely destroyed, railroad tracks were lost, and telephone lines were removed, severing communication with the outside world (Hartshorn, 2004). The estimated damage from the flood was between one million and four million dollars (Hartshorn, 2004).
The Catawbas Indians Come to the Area
Centuries ago, Native Americans known as the Catawbas, originally from Canada, moved from the Kentucky River area and immigrated south to the Piedmont of North Carolina (Jacobs, 2008). The Catawbas ended up settling on the Catawba River near the Cherokees (Jacobs, 2008). The Catawbas called the river Eswa Taroa meaning “The great river” (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986). The Catawbas found the river to be an endless supply of food and water. However, the Catawbas were not living in a peaceful environment and did not get along with the Cherokees; they were constantly fighting with one another (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The river was eventually named after the people who lived by it, the Catawba Indians (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986).
Archeologists Ray Boone and Tim Fries have collected artifacts from the Catawbas in and around the Mooresville area along the original riverbed of the Catawba River (Jacobs, 2008).
European Settlers
European settlers began to arrive in the Catawba River area around the 16th century (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Spanish explorers Hernando de Soto and Juan Pardo were some of the first to travel through the Catawba River area (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986). Traders and settlers soon followed and settled in the Catawba River area (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). They found the soil to be very rich and great for farming. The winter climate was also milder than what they were accustomed to (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). During the mid-1700s the trading path though the south increased, bringing more people to the Catawba River area including Scotch-Irish settlers from Pennsylvania (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986).
The Catawbas were very friendly with the traders and settlers that come to the area, but sadly the Catawbas started to suffer the consequences from their new neighbors. The Catawbas immune systems were not used to the diseases that the settlers brought with them including smallpox and other European diseases (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The Catawbas numbers plummeted from a nation of 5,000 strong in the 1600s to less than 400 in 1775 (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986).
The American Revolution
During the American Revolution, on February 1, 1781, there was a battle that occurred on the Catawba River near Cowans Ford (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The British General Charles Cornwallis was in pursuit of General Nathanael Green (Jacobs, 2008). When General Charles Cornwallis and his troops reached the Catawba River at Cowans Ford, General William Lee Davidson and a group of farmers were waiting on him (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Due to recent rains the Catawba River had deepened and the shallowest point was waist deep (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Early in the battle General William Lee Davidson was shot near his heart and fell off his horse into the Catawba River (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Without their leader the farmers were successfully able to delay the British and allowed the Americans to advance further away (Gleasner& Gleasner, 1986). Davidson county and the town of Davidson were named in honor of General William Lee Davidson (Jacobs, 2008). Today there is a monument horning General William Lee Davidson near the Cowans Ford Dam (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986).
The Flood of 1916
In July of 1916 what the locals called “The Greatest Flood since Noah” hit the Catawba River Valley (Hartshorn, 2004). A large hurricane from the gulf of Mexico passed over the Catawba River Valley on July 8th, 9th, and 10th(Hartshorn, 2004). During that time the ground became saturated and the water table reached a dangerous level (Hartshorn, 2004).Less than a week later on Friday July 14th, two hurricanes joined over the Catawba River Valley (Hartshorn, 2004). During July 14th, 15th, and 16ththe heaviest rains ever recorded in the Catawba River Valley occurred (Hartshorn, 2004). The joined hurricanes released 22 inches of rain in a 24 hour stretch, causing the Catawba River to rise from 24 feet to 58.4 feet in 24 hours (Gleasner & Gleasner,
1986). Due to a previous flood in 1910 locals were somewhat prepared for flooding (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). However, several locals including the workers at the East Monbo mill were only prepared for a few feet (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The East Monbo mill workers were shocked when the Catawba River raised high enough to fill the mill to the rafters and later removed the roof of the mill (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). When it was safe to return to the mill workers were amazed to see more than five feet of sand covering the machinery (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). Locals lined the bank of the Catawba River trying to hook things that were floating down the Catawba River (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). One local counted 273 bales of cotton in an hour and a half (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). During the flood bridges were completely destroyed, railroad tracks were lost, and telephone lines were removed, severing communication with the outside world (Hartshorn, 2004). The estimated damage from the flood was between one million and four million dollars (Hartshorn, 2004).