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Iredell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 122,660. Its county seat is Statesville6. It is a major hub of NASCAR racing, with many race shops located in the county (mostly around Mooresville). NASCAR also operates the NASCAR Technical Institute in the county. Many NASCAR drivers live around Mooresville and Lake Norman. Although northern Iredell County has retained much of its rural character, the southern half of the county is experiencing rapid urbanization and population growth, largely due to the immense popularity of the Lake Norman area for residents of nearby Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city. Iredell County is an important transportation center for the state, as both Interstate 77 and Interstate 40 cross just north of Statesville. This has given birth to the county's nickname "Crossroads of the Future." Residents have easy access south down I-77 to Charlotte, North Carolina, north to Elkin, North Carolina and Roanoke, Virginia, east to Winston-Salem, and west along I-40 to Hickory, North Carolina, and Asheville. Farming is still a major source of income for many Iredell county residents, in both the southern and northern portions of the county. Dairy farming has been particularly popular in Iredell County for centuries. However, the rapid population growth in southern Iredell County is putting increasing pressure on farmlands, and soaring land prices has led increasing numbers of farmers to sell their land to developers.
History
The county was formed in 1788 from Rowan County. It was named for James Iredell, an advocate of ratification of the United States Constitution, who was appointed an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States by George Washington in 1790. In 1847 parts of Iredell County, Caldwell County, and Wilkes County were combined to form Alexander County. Timeline
Population History
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