Founded about 1893, the Town of Cornelius was incorporated in 1905. The town name honors Joseph B. Cornelius [1833-1914] who was the principal investor and stockholder in a cotton mill. The success of the mill was a principle driver of the growth and creation of the town.
The town benefitted significantly from the 1963 damming of the Catawba River to create Lake Norman. Cornelius has about 70 miles of property along its shoreline.