History of High Point

The town of High Point was chartered on May 26, 1859. It was located at the crossroads of the North Carolina Railroad and the Fayetteville and Western Plank Road (now Main Street).

This intersection was the highest point on the railroad which stretched between Goldsboro and Charlotte, thus inspiring the name of the new town.
If you have any specific genealogical or local High Point History questions contact the Heritage Research Center.
Enjoy this video of images of High Point set to original music by High Pointer David Williams.

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The High Point Museum uses HistoryPin to address the question, “Why does High Point look the way it does?” On HistoryPin, you can compare past and present High Point by viewing historic images alongside current street views. As more images in the Museum’s collections are digitized, they will be added to our HistoryPin profile. Check back often to see what’s new.
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