Lewisville is a residential community of more than 13,000 in western Forsyth County, North Carolina. While the town was incorporated in 1991, we have a long history as a township dating back to the 1700s. One of the reasons the residents decided to incorporate was to retain our small-town feel, and a great deal of time and effort has gone into planning for future growth.
Town of Lewisville History
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In the mid-1770s, settlers moving westward following the Great Wagon Road from Pennsylvania down into Virginia and then North Carolina frequently stopped overnight on the banks of the Yadkin River before crossing the Shallow Ford.
A town was born in the 19th century when Moravian settlers blazed a wagon trail across the pastures and established a community here.
Lewisville was named after one of those settlers, Lewis Laugenour (pictured right), a benefactor who donated lands for development in the central area of town.
His home, constructed in the late 1850’s, still stands (pictured left).
Another landmark in the community is the Roller Mill, built in 1910 and operated until 1984. While no longer an operating mill, the building still stands, now housing other businesses and serving as an anchor for downtown development.
Below are photos of the Roller Mill circa 1950s and 2018.
Starting in the spring of 1989, the Lewisville Civic Club began an effort to incorporate Lewisville for the purpose of preserving its small-town, family-friendly atmosphere.
Civic Club members created a citizen survey and sent it to Lewisville residents to get input. After receiving a positive outcome from the survey, they held eight public forums to inform and garner feedback. They also recruited volunteers and help from the community. Guided by professionals and the NC Regional Council of Governments, they planned for, organized, and accomplished the work to set up a town.
On May 27, 1991, the North Carolina General Assembly ratified Senate Bill 299, chartering the Town of Lewisville and naming an interim town council. The Town was chartered as a council-manager form of government with the mayor and six council members making decisions, and the manager and staff implementing and carrying out the day-to-day operations.
The Town of Lewisville was officially incorporated with a public vote on Tuesday, August 13, 1991. The interim town council was sworn in by Judge William Reingold before this meeting, which took place in the Lewisville Elementary School Auditorium. The first regular meeting of the interim town council was held on August 20, 1991.
Lewisville's first Mayor and Town Council were elected in November 1991. They set to work creating a structure and managing the business of the community.
Lewisville's First Mayor
The first Mayor was Henry "Hank" Chilton.
First Town Council Members
- Ken Sadler
- Lynn Thrower
- Jane Welch
- Marcia Enns
- David McKee
- Dan Jennings
A logo was designed for the Town and was adopted in 1991.
The logo depicts a stylized version of the 1910 Lewisville Roller Mill, a symbol of the past and the future of the Town.
The Lewisville Beautification Committee, then chaired by Doran Tate, held a contest for the logo, and the design of Ms. Tracy Daniel Heriot, a graphic design major at Appalachian State University, was selected. On June 1, 1995, the Council approved the Official Town Seal, which included the logo.
The Town's first newsletter came out in the fall of 1991. The Lewisville Citizen was then adopted by the Town in 1991 as the name of the Town's newsletter. It was named after a community newspaper, called The Lewisville Citizen, published from 1948 to 1961 by the Lewisville Civic Club.
The newsletter is published every two months and is mailed to all residents. Past copies are available online at lewisvillenc.net/newsletter.
Lewisville's Town Motto
Shallow Fords to Great Heights