Pleasant Gardens (North Carolina) facts for kids
Pleasant Gardens was a large farm, or plantation, in Rowan County, North Carolina. It was the home of Joseph "Pleasant Gardens" McDowell (1758–1799). Today, you can find parts of the old Pleasant Gardens house near Marion, North Carolina.
A Look Back at Pleasant Gardens
The story of Pleasant Gardens began in 1768. That's when Joseph McDowell's father, Hunting John McDowell, bought the land. Back then, the land was part of Anson County. Later, in 1753, it became part of Rowan County. Then, in 1777, it joined Burke County. Joseph McDowell was born in 1758, before his father bought this special land.
In 1842, the area became McDowell County. This county was named after Joseph "Pleasant Gardens" McDowell, who passed away in 1795.
Who Lived There?
Experts have studied the remaining parts of the property. They believe the main house was built later, between 1812 and 1826. It was built by Joseph McDowell's third son, James Moffett McDowell (1791-1854). The McDowell family owned this farm until 1848.
The old farm, located near Marion, North Carolina on U.S. 70, started to fall apart in the 1900s.
In 1790, a count of people living in Burke County showed Joseph McDowell, Jr. as the head of his household. His home included two white males under 16, one female, and nine people who were enslaved.
After Joseph McDowell died, his wife, Mary Moffett McDowell, married John Carson. Mary inherited some of the Pleasant Gardens land. On this land, John Carson built the famous Carson House.
The Land's Story
Here's another interesting story about the land, though it's not fully proven. In 1748, "Hunting" John McDowell received a special land grant. This grant covered what we now call Pleasant Gardens. It included land from Swan's Pond up the Catawba River to present-day Marion.
One day, while hunting with his friend Henry Weidner, they found a beautiful green valley. It was filled with many old trees. Back then, people sometimes settled disagreements with a friendly wrestling match. McDowell won this match!
After settling near the Catawba River in Pleasant Gardens, McDowell raised his family. He received two more land grants. He is also mentioned in a book called The Wataugans by Max Dixon. The book says he helped with talks between settlers and the Cherokee people. These talks were about buying land along the Nolichucky River in Tennessee.
His son, Joseph McDowell, is famous for his important role in the Battle of Kings Mountain. As you know, McDowell County is named in his honor. Today, his home is one of the few old homes in North Carolina still standing. It was built by the family it's named after.
- Brochure from McDowell House restaurant (marker file, Research Branch, North Carolina Office of Archives and History)
- Land Grant, Joseph McDowell, Anson County, North Carolina, 31 Mar 1750, Book: 10 pg: 286; Catawba River
- Land Grant, Joseph McDowell, Anson County, Granted 1750, Book 375, On the No. side of Catawba River joining the lands he now lives on beginning at a red oak on both sides of the Great Meadow, no 610
