Knightdale tourist information
Knightdale continues to experience economic growth, while still maintaining the sense of community that can only be experienced in a small town. In Knightdale, we are big enough to offer many cultural, recreational, and employment opportunities, yet small enough to maintain our identity as a community.
In February of 1701, John Lawson was hired by the King of England to explore the interior of what was then called "Carolina." He was the first to document observations of the area that is now known as Knightdale. He traveled up the Neuse River and reported meeting Tuscarora natives on the banks near where the town now exists. After Lawson concluded his expedition, he reported his findings to the King of England. Soon thereafter, area land was granted to willing settlers.
In 1730, John Hinton settled in what is now Knightdale. Hinton's land grant extended to present-day Clayton, but he made his home near where Hodge Road and Old Faison Road now intersect. At that time, his land was part of Craven County. In 1771, most of Hinton's property became part of the newly named Wake County.
Hinton was a leader in North Carolina 's first battle in the American Revolution. Later, he was named a dele- gate to the fourth Provincial Congress, which passed a resolution that helped form the basis of Thomas Jefferson 's Declaration of Independence. Three of the seven plantations Hinton built in the Knightdale area still exist. They are The Oaks, Midway, and Beaver Dam.
As more settlers came to the Knightdale area, they made their living as farmers of tobacco and cotton. After the Civil War, Raleigh 's population grew rapidly. This growth assisted in the formation of several small communities around the city. T he present-day town of Knightdale was known as St. Matthew's Township. For many years the township was simply a crossroads with a small post office.
In the late 1800's, citizens of St. Matthew's Township wanted to establish a town. One of the citizens, Henry Haywood Knight, donated large portions of land for the railroad to establish a route through the township. Although Knight did not live to see it, his donations did bring the railroad to St. Matthew's Township in 1904. Knightdale, the broad valley of Knight, is named for Henry Haywood Knight. The railroad brought prosperity to the town by providing a means of commerce for farmers and merchants. The residence of the station master still stands along Railroad Street's tracks.
The North Carolina General Assembly granted Knightdale's official incorporation papers on March 27, 1927. In the 30's and 40's this rural farming community began to transform into a center for business and trade. In the 1950's, Knightdale's first volunteer fire department was formed to serve the growing population. In those days, citizens sometimes gathered in the downtown area at the intersection of First Avenue and Main Street to view movies on the exterior wall of what was then the bank. Today, Knightdale is known as a modem and progressive community that provides its residents with a small town quality of life while being strategically located in the thriving Triangle area.
Knightdale aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Knightdale aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Knightdale.
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