Our History

Rowan County was first settled by Scotch-Irish who moved from Pennsylvania down the "Great Wagon Road" into North Carolina. Germans migrated to Pennsylvania in the 1740s and 20 years later followed their Scotch-Irish neighbors to Rowan County.

As the upper region of Anson County became settled, the Colonial Assembly established the County of Rowan and the Parish of Saint Luke on April 12, 1753.

At that time, Rowan County included all the territory north to Virginia, east to what is today Guilford County, N.C., and west to the mountains. Twenty-six counties later were formed from Rowan, which is named for Matthew Rowan, acting governor of the colony in 1753.