Black History Sites in the Centralina Region

From historic neighborhoods and civil rights landmarks to museums and dedicated institutions, our region is rich with Black history. Between Centralina’s nine counties, there are countless sites that serve as essential touchpoints for education and reflection. This Black History Month, we invite you to learn about, honor and celebrate the stories that have shaped our communities. Here are three to get you started:   

Lincolnton Fire Department  

Through the late 1890s and early 1900s, Lincolnton was served by a group of volunteer firefighters, all of whom were Black men. While little is known about the group, the Town of Lincolntown shares the following: 

“In the late 1890’s and early 1900’s an organized group of African American men, with Henry Taylor as fire chief, constituted the Lincolnton Fire Department. In 1907, a more organized department was recognized by the Town of Lincolnton as the first organized fire department under the leadership of G.W. McAllister with 12 volunteer firefighters. The Department in 1907 shared a small building with the Police Department on Court Square where City Lunch stands today. The first recorded fire apparatus was a pump mounted on wheels which was rolled to a cistern on the courthouse grounds.” 

Mount Holly 

Many may not know that as they walk through downtown Mount Holly, they’re walking on what was once the property of the first formerly enslaved person to own property in Gaston County. Ransom Hunter once worked the Middleton plantation in South Carolina but went on to own more than 1,900 acres of land as a free man.  

Gaston County goes on to say that “Hunter’s legacy extends beyond land ownership; he facilitated numerous financial transactions with prominent society members, contributing to the development of the post-Civil War South. Today, downtown Mount Holly bears the imprint of Ransom Hunter’s vision and philanthropy.” 

More can be learned through the Ransom Hunter Foundation.  

Barber-Scotia College  

Barber-Scotia College was the first historically black higher education institution for women to be established after the Civil War. Originally called Scotia Seminary, it provided an alternative to domestic or agricultural labor and offered training for those interested in social work or teaching.  

Recently, two NCWorks centers sent volunteers to Barber-Scotia’s campus to help clean dorms and facilities as part of the centers’ “day of giving.”