Bessemer City, NC
 Named for an inventor and tied to iron ore mining, Bessemer City is this week’s Carolina Community.
In the mid-1700’s King George II granted land to James Ormand in Gaston County, who started a mining company and helped develop Bessemer City, named after Sir Henry Bessemer, an English engineer. The mine’s ore was used to make cannon balls in the Revolutionary War.
 Scotch, Irish, and Dutch settled the region. Cotton and corn were abundant crops, and at one time there were 48 licensed distilleries of Banner Corn Whiskey. In addition to the iron ore, deposits of gold, lime, sulfur, and tin have been identified. In the late 1800’s several cotton mills gave Bessemer City its industrial base. Today, the largest producer of lithium in both Americas is here.
Celebrations include a Down Home Festival. Bessemer City is headquarters of the Carolina Cruisers classic auto club.
For its Revolutionary history tied to current commerce, we salute Bessemer City as this week’s Carolina Community.
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