China Grove is one of the oldest towns in Rowan County, North Carolina. A post office was established at China Grove in 1823. It was named because of the many Chinaberry trees which grew there. The name was changed briefly to Lutherville. In 1849 the name was changed back to China Grove. The town was not laid out until 1873 when lots began to be sold. It was incorporated in 1889. One claim to fame is that the first Rural Free Delivery Mail in North Carolina--and the second in the United States-- was made from the China Grove post office on October 23, 1896.

China Grove is located along highway 29 south of Salisbury. It is part of an urbanized area which stretches from the northern reaches of China Grove's city limits to the southern city limits of Concord. The cities of China Grove, Landis, Kannapolis and Concord are all within these bounds. These cities are contiguous. Many descendants of Nicholas Beaver populate this area of North Carolina which sits astride both Rowan and Cabarrus Counties. Just to the west of China Grove is Grants Creek named because of the early grants of land located along the creek. It is also generally considered the dividing line between German and Scotch-Irish settlement in Rowan County. Nicholas Beaver settled along Coldwater Creek which is east of China Grove & Landis. Peter Beaver was farther east not far from Organ and Lowerstone churches. Henry Beaver settled west of China Grove and indeed west of Grants Creek.