Editing Lincolnton, North Carolina (section)

==History==
[[File:Schenck Mill Lincolnton North Carolina 1813.jpg|thumb|left|Lincoln Cotton Mills, built 1813]]
[[File:Rhodes-mfg-co.jpg|thumb|right|10-year-old factory worker in Lincolnton, 1908.  Photo by [[Lewis Hine]].]]

In June 1780 during the [[American Revolutionary War]], the future site of Lincolnton was the site of the [[Battle of Ramsour's Mill]], a small engagement in which local [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalists]] were defeated by pro-independence forces. Some historians{{who|date=October 2011}} consider the battle significant because it disrupted Loyalist organizing in the region at a crucial time.

After the Revolution, the legislature organized a new county by splitting this area from [[Tryon County, North Carolina|old Tryon County]] (named in the colonial era for a royally appointed governor). The 1780 battle site was chosen for the seat of Lincoln County. The new city and the county were named for Major General [[Benjamin Lincoln]], who served in the [[Continental Army]] during the Revolutionary War.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gannett|first=Henry|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|year=1905|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n186 187]}}</ref>

The [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] area was developed for industry, based on using the water power from the streams and rivers there. With the advantage of the South Fork of the Catawba, Lincolnton was the site of the first [[textile mill]] in North Carolina, constructed by Michael Schenck in 1813.<ref>[http://www.textilehistory.org/MichaelSchenck.html Michael Schenck] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728090552/http://www.textilehistory.org/MichaelSchenck.html |date=2011-07-28 }}, textilehistory.org</ref> It was the first cotton mill built south of the [[Potomac River]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-18 |title=Schenk-Warlick Mill (O-7) {{!}} NC DNCR |url=https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/01/18/schenk-warlick-mill-o-7 |access-date=2024-11-03 |website=www.dncr.nc.gov |language=en}}</ref> Cotton processing became a major industry in the area. St. Luke's Episcopal Church was founded in 1841.<ref name="s3.amazonaws.com">{{cite web |url=http://s3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/3153327/St._Luke_s_Historical_Brochure.pdf |title=Historical Brochure |publisher=St. Luke's Episcopal Church |access-date=March 25, 2021 }}</ref>

During the [[American Civil War]], Lincoln County had many residents who either joined or were conscripted to the [[Confederate Army]]. Among them was Major General [[Stephen Dodson Ramseur]], who was mortally wounded at the [[Battle of Cedar Creek]] in Virginia. His body was returned to Lincolnton for burial. [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] missionary bishop [[Henry C. Lay]] spent the final months of the Civil War in the town. [[Union Army|Union]] forces occupied Lincoln County on Easter Monday, 1865, shortly before the close of the war.<ref name="s3.amazonaws.com"/>

As county seat and a center of the textile industry, city residents prospered on the returns from cotton cultivation. The city has numerous properties, including churches, which have been listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] since the late 20th century. It has three recognized historic districts: [[Lincolnton Commercial Historic District]], [[South Aspen Street Historic District]], and [[West Main Street Historic District (Lincolnton, North Carolina)|West Main Street Historic District]]. These were centers of the earliest businesses and retail activities. There was much activity around the [[Lincoln County Courthouse (North Carolina)|Lincoln County Courthouse]] on court days, when farmers typically came to town to trade and sell their goods.

Residences, churches and other notable buildings marked the development of the city; they include the [[Caldwell-Cobb-Love House]], [[Emanuel United Church of Christ (Lincolnton, North Carolina)|Emanuel United Church of Christ]], [[Emmanuel Lutheran Church (Lincolnton, North Carolina)|Emmanuel Lutheran Church]], [[Eureka Manufacturing Company Cotton Mill]], [[First Baptist Church (Lincolnton, North Carolina)|First Baptist Church]], [[First Presbyterian Church (Lincolnton, North Carolina)|First Presbyterian Church]], [[First United Methodist Church (Lincolnton, North Carolina)|First United Methodist Church]], [[Methodist Church Cemetery]],  [[Lincolnton Recreation Department Youth Center]], [[Loretz House]], [[Old White Church Cemetery]], [[Pleasant Retreat Academy]], [[Shadow Lawn (Lincolnton, North Carolina)|Shadow Lawn]], [[St. Luke's Church and Cemetery]], and [[Woodside (Lincolnton, North Carolina)|Woodside]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref><ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20131227.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=2013-12-27|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 12/16/13 through 12/20/13 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

In 1986, Lincolnton expanded by annexing the town of [[Boger City, North Carolina|Boger City]].<ref>{{cite web | last =  Harrison | first = Jenna-Ley | title = New City Fire Station Opened in Boger City | publisher = Lincoln Times-News | url = http://www.lincolntimesnews.com/2011/05/16/new-city-fire-station-opened-in-boger-city/ | access-date = March 26, 2016}}</ref>