Charlotte in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Building a Cross Country Course at McAlpine Creek Park

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 31, 2026

1. Building a Cross Country Course at McAlpine Creek Park Marker

Inscription. From the inspiration of a dedicated teacher/coach with his students, a championship course became part of this beautiful Mecklenburg County park.

This 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) course was designed by Coach LarrybMcAfee and built by members of the 1978 & 1979 East Mecklenburg High School Cross Country teams under his guidance. Through its storied history, hundreds of thousands of runners for all competition levels including youth, high school, collegiate, AAU, USATF, and more have experienced the course competing in local, state and national cross-country events.

The Course follows a wide straightaway along McAlpine Creek Greenway that thins the pack before looping into woods along a scenic route to the only hill on the course. After the descent, the route comes out of the forest and weaves the shorelines of two ponds, home to ducks, herons, and other wildlife before the final stretch to the finish.

(caption) 2017 Race finish (top) and 1979 finish with Coach Larry McAfee (bottom).

Photo: @sfdunstan

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Parks & Recreational Areas •

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Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1978.

Location. 35° 9.052′ N, 80° 44.489′ W. Marker is in Charlotte, North Carolina, in Mecklenburg County. It can be reached from Monroe Road 0.3 miles north of Covedale Drive, on the right when traveling north. Located along the McAlpine Creek Greenway in McAlpine Creek Park east of the parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8711 Monroe Road, Charlotte NC 28212, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Former U.S. Post Office (approx. 2.6 miles away); E.J. Funderburk General Merchandise Store (approx. 2.6

Full view of the Marker/ kiosk image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 31, 2026

2. Full view of the Marker/ kiosk

miles away); Funderburk Brothers Dry Goods Store (approx. 2.6 miles away); Heath and Reid General Store (approx. 2.6 miles away); Renfrow Hardware (approx. 2.6 miles away); Matthews Depot (approx. 2.7 miles away); Grier-Rea House (approx. 3.2 miles away); Cameron Morrison (approx. 4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charlotte.

Marker in the grove of trees image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 31, 2026

3. Marker in the grove of trees

Cross Country Course at McAlpine Creek Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 31, 2026

4. Cross Country Course at McAlpine Creek Park

larry McAfee Cross Country chute image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 31, 2026

5. larry McAfee Cross Country chute

Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 31, 2026, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 17 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 31, 2026, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.