Kannapolis
Northwest of Concord with a population hovering around 40,000 in 2006. Early usage and meaning of the name Kannapolis comes from 2 greek words "kanna" (reeds or looms) and "polis" (city), which means "City of Looms".
A city connected by Cabarrus and Rowan County, Kannapolis was formed in 1906 by James William Cannon. His son Charles developed Cannon Mills into the worlds largest producer of household textiles. Cannon Mill's employees lived in what was considered a Mill Village of craftsman style homes. They lived here for low rent, with free maintenance, low cost utilities, free garbage collection while paying no taxes. The Cannons also provided a YMCA, a hospital, police departments, loans, and scholarships for their employees.
In 1982 David Murdock, owner of Castle & Cooke, Inc. and Dole Food Co., bought Cannon Mills. He merged the mill with Fieldcrest mills in 1985 to make Fieldcrest Cannon. Pillowtex Corporation purchased Fieldcrest Cannon in 1997, and soon went bankrupt. With David Murdock hoping to help revitalize Kannapolis from the fall of the Mill, announced on September 12, 2005 plans to open the 350 acre, North Carolina Research Campus. The campus is based in the heart of Kannapolis where the once formidable mill stood. They have already started construction on the Central building called the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory is a 311,000 sq. ft., and will include an 80,000 sq. ft. core laboratory managed mainly by Duke University. Once this project is completed, the Campus will be home to roughly 100 companies looking to hire around 5,000 scientists, Biotech researchers, and many others.
For more information about this Biotech Center Click Here
Kannapolis is also home to the Kannapolis Intimidators, a Single-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
