Shelby, North Carolina – Revolutionary War Street Names

Many streets in Shelby were intentionally named after heroes of the American Revolutionary War, reflecting the patriotic spirit and national pride present when the town was planned.

Revolutionary War–Named Streets

• DeKalb Street — Baron Johann de Kalb, Continental Army Major General, mortally wounded at the Battle of Camden.

• Graham Street — General Joseph Graham, North Carolina militia leader who fought in fifteen engagements and survived being left for dead at the Battle of Charlotte.

• Lafayette Street — Marquis de Lafayette, French aristocrat and Major General at age nineteen, a key ally of George Washington.

• Marion Street — Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox,” famous for guerrilla and hit-and-run warfare in South Carolina.

• Morgan Street — General Daniel Morgan, commander of the decisive American victory at the Battle of Cowpens.

• Pinckney Street — Named for the Pinckney family of South Carolina, including Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Thomas Pinckney, Revolutionary officers and statesmen.

• Sumter Street — General Thomas Sumter, the “Carolina Gamecock,” known for relentless militia leadership.

• Warren Street — Dr. Joseph Warren, patriot leader killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

• Washington Street — George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.

City Name

Shelby itself was named for Colonel Isaac Shelby, hero of the Battle of Kings Mountain and later the first governor of Kentucky.

Street-Naming and City Planning Committee

Shelby’s street names were selected by local leaders involved in the original town plan, several of whom had recently visited Washington, D.C. and were inspired by its wide, formal streets and patriotic symbolism.

Key figures included:
Samuel S. Gidney (Surveyor)
John R. Logan (Drew the first map)
James Love (Major land donor)

The full six-man planning committee consisted of:
Samuel S. Gidney
John R. Logan
John B. Harry
Green B. Palmer
William Oates
John K. Wells