Discover the History and Heritage of Matthews
Nestled between Charlotte and Monroe, the area now known as Matthews was once an unspoiled landscape of rolling woodlands, abundant with towering trees. This land, rich and inviting, lay adjacent to the trading trails and hunting grounds of the Waxhaw and Catawba Indians. Drawn by the fertile soil, early settlers, mainly farmers, began to clear the land for planting in the early 1800s. Their efforts left behind numerous tree stumps, giving rise to the area’s first unofficial name of Stumptown.
The history of Matthews is deeply intertwined with the land and the people who shaped it. On July 12, 1825, John Miles Fullwood became the first postmaster of Stumptown. The post office was established as Fullwood Station, with Mr. Fullwood managing postal duties from his store and stagecoach stop, all located within his home. Over the next 50 years, as the community grew, mail and letters were addressed to Fullwood, until the town was officially incorporated as Matthews in 1879.
The arrival of the first train on December 15, 1874, marked a pivotal moment in the town’s history. The completion of a new section of the Carolina Central Railway brought the first train into town. The stop was named Matthews Station in honor of Edward Watson Matthews, a New York businessman and board member of the railway. As many as thirteen trains a day soon passed through Matthews, connecting the town with the Wilmington-Tennessee Line and opening up new opportunities for local farmers and businesses. Soon incoming mail arriving by train was addressed to Matthews Station.
One of Matthews' early pioneers, Jeremiah Solomon Reid, often called the "Father of Matthews," played a key role in the town's incorporation. Reid headed the town charter committee and carried the completed charter to Raleigh, where the State of North Carolina officially named the town Matthews on March 8, 1879. The new town’s boundaries were surveyed and laid out within a one-mile radius from the intersection of what is now the intersection of John and Trade Streets. The official census taken in 1880 listed 191 residents.
As the town grew, so did its needs. By 1879, Matthews was home to a growing population, and the next logical step was to establish essential services for its residents. By 1884, the Branson Business Directory listed eight merchants in Matthews, including seven general stores and one drug store.
Among the town's influential figures was Ellison James Funderburk, who became a prosperous farmer and businessman, raising eleven children in Fullwood/Matthews, and building a large two-story home still standing at 316 E Matthews Street.
T. J. (Captain) Renfrow moved to the area in 1881 and began working at the Rea Gold Mine, located on a 1,000-acre tract of land located around the current intersection of Monroe Road and Sardis Road North. He was named captain of mine operations, an honorary title that followed him the remainder of his life.
Captain Renfrow later recognized the need for a general merchandise store to serve the community, and by 1900, T. J. Renfrow & Sons was open for business. His ventures expanded to include the Renfrow Cotton Gin and cotton brokerage service by 1906, further solidifying his impact on the town’s development.
With the town’s expansion came new families and the establishment of essential infrastructure. A brick school was built in 1907, which has since become the Matthews Community Center. The town also had its own bank, the Bank of Matthews, which operated independently from 1909 to 1976 before merging with BB&T (now Truist). Notable businesses of the time included a livery stable and the A. J. Williams Hotel, both of which were damaged in the fire of 1918.
The Matthews Historical Foundation was established in 1987 to preserve the town's history, starting with the care of the family home of early Matthews physician Dr. T. N. Reid. The Foundation’s mission of bringing Matthews’ history to life expanded with the establishment of the Matthews Heritage Museum in 2013. Located in the 1879 Massey-Clark House at 232 N Trade Street, the award-winning museum has become a vital resource for the community, offering guided tours for children and adults.
In 1996, ten buildings in the commercial block of Trade Street were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Matthews received the prestigious Preserve America designation from the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2014, becoming the 30th community in North Carolina to earn this honor. The following year, the R. F. Outen Pottery on Jefferson Street was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, Matthews has grown from a humble town of 191 citizens in 1880 to a vibrant community of over 30,124 in 2022. While it has expanded from one square mile to seventeen, Matthews has retained its small-town charm and sense of community. It remains a wonderful place to call home.
To learn more about the rich history of Matthews, visit the Matthews Heritage Museum. Open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with free admission, the museum offers a deep dive into the stories that shaped this remarkable town.