Matthews, NC

Four Mile Creek Greenway turns Matthews' historic center into part of a daily walking and cycling network. Its two paved miles connect neighborhood access points with the community center, elementary school, Fountain Rock and Squirrel Lake parks, and the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex. The route is normally open at all hours, though creek flooding and repairs can interrupt access. A second, 1.5-mile heritage trail runs from Town Hall and the library through Crestdale, one of North Carolina's oldest African American communities, then reconnects with Four Mile Creek at John Street; signs along the route recount neighborhood history. Near the downtown end, the Matthews Library occupies the same Matthews Station Street civic cluster as Town Hall and keeps evening hours four weekdays.

That cluster grew around the railroad. The first train arrived in 1874, the stop took the name Matthews, and the surviving depot stands beside the present library. Ten late-19th- and early-20th-century downtown buildings were listed together on the National Register in 1996. The compact street grid also functions as an events venue. Matthews' 2026 schedule put the free two-day Summerfest in Stumptown Park and closed portions of Trade Street for rides, food vendors, and live music. The town's broader calendar includes the Beats 'n Bites concert-and-food-truck series, Matthews Alive, Juneteenth programming, outdoor movies, symphony night, and winter events.