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Town Center Plan
January 2007
Morrisville lies at a historical crossroads. A number of different themes run through the
history of the town. A series of motifs have been developed for the Town Center Plan, with
each motif symbolizing a different thread in the Morrisville story. Each chapter of the plan
features a different motif.
The star motif is drawn from the wrought iron fence that encircles
the Page Family Cemetery on the property of the First Baptist
Church. It symbolizes the rich family history of the town, with
a number of families having a longstanding presence in the
community, both in the area around the historic crossroads and
in the Shiloh community to the north.
The train tracks represent Morrisville’s emergence as a
railroad town and its connections to the region and the outside
world, which have only grown with its proximity to additional
transportation improvements including Interstate 40,
Interstate 540, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
The cannon symbolizes Morrisville’s role in the Civil War. The
town was the site of the last cavalry charge of the war on April
13, 1865. It was also the location where a request for peace was
probably first tendered by General Johnston to General Sherman
that led to the largest troop surrender of the war and the beginning
of a return to normal life for soldiers and civilians.
The scrollwork, a motif visible on a number of historic homes in
Morrisville, ischaracteristicof thevernacular Italianatearchitecture
in vogue during the late 19th century. The scrollwork symbolizes
the post-Civil War economic resurgence that enabled some
Morrisville residents to indulge in architectural ornamentation to
demonstrate their growing prosperity.
The church steeple motif is drawn from the old Christian Church.
It symbolizes Morrisville’s religious history and its significance
to the community, with houses of worship serving as important
institutions in the life of the town.
The mill building doors symbolize Morrisville’s participation
in the textile industry. In the early 20th century, Samuel
Horne ran a knitting mill on the site of the current day Ruritan
Park. Unfortunately, the mill burned down in the 1930s, but
a number of mill houses remain and are still being used
today as residences.
Threads of the Morrisville Story