Honoring our hometown heroes. Find out how on

HONORING MILITARY HOMETOWN HEROES

We are excited to announce the launch of the Military Hometown Heroes Banner Program. Banners honoring military service members will be displayed in downtown Matthews during Veterans Day and Memorial Day every year. Each banner will display the service person’s photo, include their rank/ grade, full name and branch of the military they are serving or served in.

Applications are now being accepted. To qualify, honorees must be a former or current resident of the Town of Matthews, have an honorable discharge and must be serving or have served in the United States Armed Forces.

Applications must be submitted by September 15, 2021. More information about the program is available here.

Sample banner image courtesy of NCNewsOnline.

MATTHEWS HERITAGE TRAIL NOW OPEN FOR USE

The Matthews Heritage Trail: Celebrating Historic Crestdale is a new three-mile trail in downtown Matthews and the Crestdale area. The trail will allow users to reach multiple destinations by a series of connections. The Heritage Trail begins behind the Matthews Town Hall/Library building, continues through the Historic Crestdale Community and connects to Four Mile Creek Greenway at John Street.

Crestdale is one of the oldest African American communities in North Carolina. The Town of Matthews and the Crestdale community have worked to preserve this piece of local history by completing this trail. Signage is placed at specific locations along the trail, detailing some of the history and interesting facts about Crestdale. The Town would like to extend a special 2 thank you to Barbara Taylor, Director of the Matthews Heritage Museum for her work on curating the historical information.

Click HERE to learn more.

The Railroad

Getting to Matthews by Rail Working on the Railroad The Carolina Central Railroad linked the Wilmington area to Charlotte, then west to Rutherfordton, one of the earliest towns and the most important commercial and political center in western North Carolina. Christopher Bechtler, Sr., established a coin-producing operation there that is recognized as the most successful private mint in United States history. The rail line also linked with rail lines to the south and north, making travel so much easier. Tank Town residents who worked for the train included Sam Boyd, James Clay, Will Jackson, Raymond Alexander and Charlie Roland. Some of them lived in “section houses” provided by the railroad. Most of the men did track work. In 1940, they made $600 a year. The train transported freight as well as people, including Dr. Massey’s bed when he moved from Florida to town. Dr. H. V. Massey moved In March 1879, Dr. H. V. Massey to Matthews in shipped his mattress and bedstead by 1879. His house rail from Waldo, Florida, where he is the Matthews had been living, to Matthews Station. Heritage Museum. Carolina Central Railway Boarding Pass, 1875. Courtesy: Dr. H. V. Massey Collection, Matthews Heritage Museum Courtesy: North Carolina Historic Sites This steam engine was used on the Carolina Central Railway. SAL Number 416 was Carolina Central Number 26. Steam engines needed to stop for water approximately every 100 miles. Courtesy: State Archives of North Carolina Courtesy: https://carolana.com/NC/Transportation/railroads/nc.rr.carolina. Central.html The informational signage placed along specific locations of the Crestdale Heritage Trail help tell the story and share the history of this important community in Matthews. Here’s an example of one of the signs.