SALISBURY, N.C. — Salisbury’s deep roots as a transportation hub are helping fuel a new era of growth, attracting families, entrepreneurs and dozens of new businesses as the city evolves into an economic driver of its own, community leaders say.
Energy is spreading along the main corridor.
If you ask Aaron Kepley, director of the Rowan Museum, it’s no surprise.
He shared some history with Channel 9, starting in the center of town.
“Right in the middle would have been the courthouse in the 1750s, and you would have had to go around it,” he said. “This intersection is ancient. This goes back to two Native American walking paths.
The paths turned into important trading routes, wagon roads, and were part of the rail system.
Interstates were eventually built.
Salisbury is home to the century-old sweet cherry soda, Cheerwine.
It still makes room for spots, such as Sarum Brewing.
Co-owner Andy Maben says Sarum means Salisbury in Latin.
They chose it for their name as a nod to the original settlement of Salisbury, England, called Old Sarum.
He said the town’s character is eclectic and inclusive.
Since 2020, more than 75 new businesses have opened in Salisbury. And the population’s grown to more than 35,000.
“We are going from a bedroom community of Charlotte, which we were for a while, to now becoming an economic driver,” Kepley said.
Maben moved to Salisbury to attend Catawba College 25 years ago and never left.
Salisbury aims to welcome everyone and make them feel at home, he said.
“So, when somebody does come visit our town, that they fall in love with it just like I did,” Maben said, adding that he wants to stay.
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