Many things have changed between Davidson's modest beginnings in a largely rural area in the mid-1830s and today's populous, largely urban community in the greater Charlotte region. But two things have stayed Davidson College has been a significant institution, and many newcomers to the town and college, arriving year after year, have made significant contributions to the community. These contributions, in a town that has taken civic life seriously, often involved efforts to work together to benefit the entire town. Davidson is a quintessential college town. It is also much more.This book incorporates the experiences and voices of the town - mill and college, black and white, women and men, business owners and school children. It is a comprehensive history, beginning with a prologue that discusses the founding of the college/town and ending with an epilogue that brings the story up to the early 2000s. In a detailed, documented account that includes many illustrations, the authors bring the town's history to life.