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From railroading and Civil War heritage to exotic animals and plentiful recreation areas, Rowan County offers activities
and attractions the whole family will enjoy. Whether you visit for several days or an afternoon, you'll discover why folks say we are "More Than Just A Whistle Stop."
  North Carolina Transportation Museum 411 S. Salisbury Ave. Spencer, NC 704.636.2889 Toll free 877.NCTM FUN (877.628.6386) Located halfway between Washington, DC, and Atlanta, GA, on the site of what was once Southern Railway Company's largest steam locomotive repair facility. Visit antique automobiles at "Bumper to Bumper" and trace the history of transportation in "Wagons, Wheels and Wings." Experience the days of the working railroad repair shop in the restored 1924 Robert Julian Roundhouse. Seasonal train ride (fee) and audiovisual show, visitor center and gift shop. April through October: Open Mon.-Sat. 9 am to 5 pm, Sun. 1 to 5 pm; November through March: Open Tues.-Sat. 10 am to 4 pm, Sun. 1 to 4 pm. Closed some holidays, call for information. Museum is free. Charge for train rides, turntable rides and guided tours. Special annual events include Rail Days, Antique Car & Truck Shows, and Steamfest. Lazy 5 Ranch NC Hwy. 150 14 miles west of Salisbury (4 miles east of Mooresville) 704.663.5100 A unique drive-through animal park featuring over 600 exotic animals from around the world. Take plenty of time to study their behavior from your own car along the 3.5 mile trail that winds through 185 acres of gently sloping pastureland. Picnic areas and horse-drawn wagon rides available along with a petting zoo, playground and gift shop. Open Mon.-Sat. 9 am until 1 hour before sunset, Sun. 1 pm until one hour before sunset. Admission. Salisbury National Cemetery 202 Government Rd. via Military Ave. or Long St. Salisbury, NC 704.636.2661 Dedicated in 1874, the Salisbury National Cemetery is the final resting place for veterans of all wars. The cemetery was established to honor the thousands of Union soldiers who died at the Salisbury Confederate Prison during the Civil War. Office open Mon.-Fri. 8 am to 4:30 pm. Grounds are never closed. Special Memorial Day service held the last Sunday in May. An audiotape-guided tour is available at the Rowan County Visitor Information Center. History/Genealogy Room at Rowan Public Library 201 W. Fisher St. Salisbury, NC 704.638.3021 The Edith M. Clark History Room is a valuable resource for family historians whose ancestors came from the 13 original Southern and Middle Atlantic colonies. The collection focuses on all of North Carolina with significant holdings from bordering states and those showing heavy migration in and out of the Piedmont area of N.C. Mon.-Thurs. 9 am to 9 pm, Fri. and Sat. 9 am to 5 pm, Sun. (September - May) 1 to 5 pm. W.J. Walls Heritage Hall701 W. Monroe St. Salisbury, NC 704.797.1094 Located on the campus of Livingstone College, Heritage Hall is a repository for the papers and records of Livingstone College, Hood Theological Seminary and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion Church). Open Mon.-Fri. 9 am to 5 pm, there is no charge to tour the facility, which contains some African and religious artifacts. Heritage Hall is also a research and writing center which encourages the study of works dating back to the seventeen hundreds and offers a program of writing and research leading to the publication of manuscripts. Utzman-Chambers House 116 S. Jackson St. Salisbury, NC 704.633.5946 This 1819 Federal townhouse was built by Jacob Stirewalt, master builder of the period, and reflects the lifestyle of the more affluent citizens of the early 1800s with its unique curved staircase and exquisite interior moldings and details. One of the few surviving Federal period townhouses in Piedmont North Carolina, it features period rooms with Hepplewhite and Chippendale furniture as well as furniture made by Rowan County craftsmen. House and gardens open Thurs.-Sun. 1 to 4 pm. Admission. Josephus Hall House 226 S. Jackson St. Salisbury, NC 704.636.0103 This impressive house museum was once home to Dr. Josephus Hall, Chief Surgeon at the Salisbury Confederate Prison during the Civil War. Built in 1820 in the Federal style, the Hall House showcases additions from 1859 and 1900 that added Greek Revival and Victorian features. The interior boasts painted ceilings, original fixtures and an impressive collection of mid-Victorian furnishings and accessories belonging to the Hall family. Guided tours. Sat. and Sun. 1 to 4 pm. Admission. Old Stone House Old Stone House Rd./E. Lyerly St. (1/2 mile off NC Hwy 152) Granite Quarry, NC 704.633.5946 When Michael Braun completed his stone house in 1766, the site was virtual wilderness. The two-story Georgian house is indeed stately for its time with the stones on the front carefully shaped and matched, creating an impressive face to visitors. Climb to the second floor and you'll discover high up next to the chimney, two openings believed to be gun ports for the inhabitants to fight off hostile Indians. Open Sat. and Sun. 1 to 4 pm, April through November. Admission. An 18th Century Folk Christmas is re-created the weekend after Christmas featuring decorations, trades, crafts of the period, musket firings and cooking demonstrations. Kerr Mill 550 Sloan Rd. Mt. Ulla, NC 704.637.7776 Built in 1823, the mill was the source of flour and cornmeal for the inhabitants of the western part of the county. Filled with milling equipment and artifacts from the 1800s, the mill is located at Sloan Park, which offers picnic and play areas for the whole family. Park open sunrise to sunset daily. Kerr Mill open Sat. and Sun. 1 to 7 pm. Open by appointment Mon., Thurs. and Fri. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Free. Village of Gold Hill St. Stephen's Church Rd. (via Old NC 80 off US 52) Gold Hill, NC "The richest mining property east of the Mississippi." This was the message sent to England in the mid-1800s after gold was discovered here in 1824. Once a thriving, rough and rowdy mining town in the eastern part of Rowan County, the village is coming to life again with the restoration of area homes and stores. Visit the Rock Jail, Mauney's 1840 Store and Museum, and the E.H. Montgomery Store. Picnic and playground area in the park. Park closes at dark daily. No admission charge. Mauney's and Montgomery's Stores 704.279.1632, open Tues.- Sat. 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sun. 2 to 5:30 pm. Extended holiday hours. Annual events include a Bluegrass Festival the 3rd weekend of May and Founder's Day Celebration the last Saturday in September. Waterworks Visual Arts Center 123 East Liberty Street Salisbury, NC 28144 (704) 638-1882 (704) 636-1895 Fax Located in Downtown Salisbury, the Waterworks Visual Arts center offers exciting and enriching opportunities in art for all citizens of Rowan County through exhibitions, education, and outreach programs. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Waterworks exhibitions revolve throughout the year featuring a wide range of nationally & regionally recognized artists. Revolving exhibitions feature interesting and powerful sculptures. Visitors are welcome to do research or read in the Dula Art Library. Galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday 10-5. Office hours are Monday-Friday 9-5 Closed major holidays. Free admission. Donations appreciated. Kannapolis Intimidators Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium (Located off I-85 at Exit 63) Kannapolis, NC 704.932.3267 The Single A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox baseball club, the Kannapolis Intimidators play 71 home games at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium, April thru September. Ticket office is open Mon.-Sat. 9 am to 5 pm. Rowan Museum, Inc. 202 N. Main St. Salisbury, NC 28144 Phone: 704.633.5946 The Rowan Museum is located in the 1854 Courthouse which survived Stoneman’s raid. It is one of the finest examples of pre-civil war architecture in the state. Housing the collections of the Museum, its grand old rooms including the beautiful second floor court room and public gathering place, reflect the life and history of Rowan County through displays and interpretive exhibits. It is open to the public, Thursday through Sunday, 1 - 4 pm with a charge for admission. For more information or to schedule group tours, call 704-633-5946. The Rowan Museum also sponsors an annual Antiques Show the second Friday and Saturday in November, featuring 20 fine dealers from across the country. Historic Districts There are 11 historic districts in Rowan County, ten in Salisbury and one in Spencer. In Salisbury, the 30-square-block area consisting of the historic Downtown and the West Square residential district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Spencer National Register District, located adjacent to the NC Transportation Museum, is the largest contiguous district in North Carolina. It contains 322 residential and commercial buildings primarily constructed between 1905 and 1920 to provide support and housing for the workers of Southern Railway's former steam locomotive repair facility. Salisbury Community Park and Athletic Complex
935 Hurley School Road Salisbury, N.C. Over 300 acres, this spacious park located in the western area of Rowan County features a beautiful, natural setting with the best of active and passive recreation for the entire family. Completed sections as of January 2003 include: 3 baseball/softball fields, 4 soccer fields, a paved parking lot, an 8-acre lake stocked for seasonal fishing, play structures, picnic areas. Work continues for a 1.5 mile walking trail, additional athletic fields and other amenities as part of the Friends of the Park funding program. Annual events at the Community Park include the Marshmallow Drop in the Spring, a Fishing Derby in the Summer, RCYSA Spring and Fall Soccer recreation league and tournaments, Little League Baseball in the Summer and Fall, an Hispanic Sunday Soccer league, tournaments sponsored by the NSA (National Softball Assoc.) and, of course, Salisbury Parks and Recreation athletic programs. For more info, please call our department at 704-638-5291 or visit our website by clicking the link to the right. 
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