Kannapolis is a city in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, and Rowan counties in the state of NC., northwest of Concord and northeast of Charlotte. The population was 36,910 at the 2000 census. It is the home of the Kannapolis Intimidators, the Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
A city with a total area of 30.4 square miles.
It is home to shaw university, offering undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs.
Notable residents include, Ralph Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, both former NASCAR racer champions, Carl Edwards, David Ragan.
David H. Murdock, owner of Castle & Cooke, Inc. and Dole Food Company, Inc., and Molly Corbett Broad, President of the 16-campus University of North Carolina system, unveiled plans on September 12, 2005 for the North Carolina Research Campus, a massive scientific and economic revitalization project that encompasses the former Cannon Mills plant and entire downtown area of Kannapolis, North Carolina.
- Curb Museum for Music and Motorsports
- Dale Earnhardt Tribute
- GI Memorial House Museum
- History Room at the Kannapolis Branch of the Cannon Memorial Library
- Textile Museum and Exhibition
- Dale Trail
Kannapolis, NC is located in the I-85 corridor north of Charlotte, NC on the western side of Cabarrus County and the southern end of Rowan County. The city covers 31 square miles and has a population of approximately 39,000. At one time, Kannapolis was a traditional mill village that surrounded Cannon Mills. Cannon Mills, which was the world leader in the manufacturing of home textile products, became Fieldcrest Cannon and later Pillowtex Corporation. Pillowtex Corporation closed July 30, 2003. Kannapolis incorporated in 1984 and has experienced steady growth in its business sector and residential areas. Kannapolis is now home to companies such as Shoe Show, Stanley Works, K-Town Furniture, and Novant Health.
Transportation is no problem for residents and visitors alike. Multiple transportation options include bus, vanpool or carpool to Amtrak connecting Kannapolis to NY, Philly, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Raleigh and Charlotte.
Kannapolis is a thriving city of 40,000 located along the I-85 corridor in the Charlotte region of North Carolina. A central point in the expanding area north of Charlotte, Kannapolis is less than 30 minutes from I-77, uptown Charlotte, Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
A city in transition, Kannapolis was originally a traditional mill village owned entirely by Pillowtex predecessor Cannon Mills and incorporated in 1984.
The City prepared for the day the mill closed. In the mid-1990's, 10 square miles of land to the west of Kannapolis was identified as a growth area. The area was annexed in 1999 and is the location of Kannapolis Gateway Business Park, Biscayne Business Park, Stanley Works, Shoe Show, Dogwood Industrial Park, a development by Childress Klein and executive housing.
In the past decade, a new a $4 million YMCA, a senior center, a public library, a baseball stadium for the Kannapolis Intimidators, a Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, and Kannapolis Gateway Businesses Park are examples of the successful partnerships that are improving the community, attracting new business and creating new jobs.
The North Carolina Research Campus, a 350-acre massive scientific and economic revitalization project that encompasses the former Pillowtex plant and the entire downtown area of Kannapolis, will house state-of-the-art laboratory space and is expected to become home to over 100 biotechnology companies. A partnership with the University of North Carolina, including UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte has been forged to advance groundbreaking research focused on health and nutrition and to enable each of these institutions to have a physical presence in Kannapolis.
When completed, the North Carolina Research Campus will include more than one million square feet of office and laboratory space, 350,000 square feet of new retail and commercial space, and approximately 700 new residential units.
Your quality of life will thrive in Kannapolis. With a mild annual average temperature of 61 degrees, Kannapolis offers a small-town lifestyle with all the benefits of major-city attractions. There are parks and greenways, the Kannapolis Intimidators minor league baseball team and quality schools in the Cabarrus County, Rowan County and Kannapolis City Schools systems. There are also ample new neighborhood developments.
Kannapolis' award-winning summer concert series, festivals and other events harken back to a simpler era. Meanwhile, Kannapolis' neighbor Charlotte offers the NFL, NBA, and a strong arts community with the #1 per capita in giving to the arts and sciences in the nation. Kannapolis also sits square in the middle of NASCAR Valley, with nearly every team's headquarters a short drive away.
The region surrounding Kannapolis is home to four universities, 11 liberal arts colleges and ten community colleges. The Blue Ridge Mountains are two hours away and the Carolina beaches less than a four-hour drive. Other outdoor activities include boating, hiking and golf are less than an hour away.
Kannapolis boasts ample land for business sites and buildings with easy interstate access, class A flex space, warehouses and retail locations to fit most every need.