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Two student societies on the Davidson College campus used to debate the issues of the day across the quad. One such student was 28th President of the United States Woodrow Wilson, who was a Davidson College student before transferring and eventually graduating from Princeton University in 1879.
Which came first, the town or the college? In charming Davidson, it hardly matters. Not when you're surrounded by plenty of walkable sidewalks, greenery all around and a community that actively works to keep its small-town charm alive and well. Named for local Revolutionary War hero Brigadier General William Lee Davidson, the lakeside town of Davidson was founded in 1837. More than 10,000 residents live in the cozy community just north of picturesque Lake Norman. A turning point for the town was in the late 1880s when neighboring community Cornelius' cotton industry took over. Davidson had to find new ways to keep its economy going since it couldn't keep pace with the manufacturing cities of nearby Cornelius and Mooresville. A diversified economy built largely on the college helped Davidson grow, but in the 1970s the residents and town leaders decided to make permanent changes to purposely limit the town's growth. Today, the result of the concerned citizens' hard work can be seen in the miles of walking trails and greenways that connect neighborhoods. Open spaces of manicured green grass can be seen in front of and between office buildings, a stark contrast from the overgrown cityscape of Charlotte just 20 miles south on Interstate 77. View Davidson City Guide