A Great Place to Live, Work & Play: Waxhaw, NC
Waxhaw takes its name from the Waxhaws, both the name for the area and the name for the Indian tribe that once inhabited it. The community dates back to the 1700s, but it wasn’t until 1888 that the railroad, laying tracks to Atlanta, brought prosperity. Tracks still run through the center of town along the green, grassy strip dividing two rows of stores.
The community was once dependent on cotton, but when the fiber lost its luster in the early 1960s, Waxhaw reshaped itself as an antique and fine dining center. The Town currently has dozens of specialty shops and dining ranging from mom & pop restaurants to fine dining bistros. (Not all shops are clustered together, so explore.).
The Waxhaw Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places, and Waxhaw has some wonderful old houses near the center of town. Residents and town government are also working on beautification plans. A beautiful Town Park is conveniently located in downtown Waxhaw. For new housing nearby, look along NC 75 East & West of Waxhaw, as well as Hwy 16 North of Waxhaw.
Near Waxhaw is Cane Creek Park, a 1,050-acre park that draws visitors with its beauty and its activities. A lot of folks had a hand in this park, which opened in 1978. The facility, on Harkey Road south of Waxhaw, was a cooperative venture between Union County, the Union Conservation District and the Soil Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
More information can be found by visiting the Museum of the Waxhaws on Hwy. 75, just east of Downtown.
President Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States was born in or near the Waxhaw, North Carolina area.
The debate over Andrew Jackson’s exact birthplace is ongoing. The two most likely locations are Crawford Plantation, located in Lancaster County, South Carolina, and the George McCamie cabin, located in what is now Union County, North Carolina. Both sites are located only a few miles from each other and at the time of Jackson’s birth the state line had yet to be drawn. Jackson himself claimed on many occasions to have been born in South Carolina but it is important to remember that at the time he made these statements South Carolina was in a bitter dispute with the federal government. It is possible that Jackson may have been trying to show an affinity for South Carolina in order to ease difficulties with the state.
A strong oral tradition claims that Jackson was born in North Carolina. Chief among this is the testimony of Mrs. Sarah Lathen, who’s mother was a midwife at Jackson’s birth. She claims that the birth took place at the McCamie cabin in North Carolina.
Waxhaw and Union County has some of the highest rates of growth in the United States, and Waxhaw has seen a major construction boom since 2000. Many new residents live in Waxhaw and work in Charlotte, N.C..
When you’re in the vicinity of Charlotte, North Carolina or just looking for a trip back into the not so distant past, then be sure to visit Waxhaw, North Carolina.
Located about 30 minutes south of Charlotte, with easy access to the I-485 beltway connecting to two Interstate Highways, I-77 and I-85 and other major highways.
