In 1859, Lewis Case Laugenour invested his wealth, which he acquired during the California Gold Rush, into establishing a town called Lewisville in Forsyth County. In the late 1700s, the surrounding area was visited by frontiersmen, Colonial soldiers, and pioneers journeying down the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road. Travelers often stopped at Shallow Ford on the Yadkin River to camp until the river was safe to cross with wagons, horses, and livestock on their way to a new home, to war, or to trade in nearby Moravian settlements. Over time, this area of rolling hills, rich bottomland, streams, and abundant wildlife was settled. By the late 1800s, Lewisville became a bustling stopover for travelers who utilized campgrounds, the tavern, and the trading post to rest for the journey on to Winston and Salem. Today, in the emerging Yadkin Valley wine region, Lewisville is a community-oriented village surrounding a town square with plentiful sidewalks, parks, churches, small businesses, schools, and a public library.