That’s what Kannapolis preservationists want to do as they consider seeking National Register of Historic Places designation for a big chunk of the town that sprang up around Cannon Mills in the early 1900s.

Between 1907 and 1927, the textile company founded by James William Cannon built more than 1,500 homes that were rented to generations of mill workers. Many of the dwellings still exist, row upon row of modest frame homes with big front porches, hardwood floors and high ceilings.

They harken both to the city’s distinct heritage and to a time and way of life when people often walked to work and neighborhoods were more close-knit and had more character than the bland subdivisions that threaten to cover the region like kudzu.

Some residents worry that historic designation would restrict the kind of renovations they could make to mill houses, but preservationists say that isn’t the intent. Federal designation alone doesn’t impose rigid rules, although it does offer federal and state tax breaks for homeowners and businesses whose renovations meet certain guidelines.

Rather than fearing restrictions, residents might look to Concord, Spencer, Salisbury and other cities where historic areas have increased tourism, boosted home values and helped rescue areas that might otherwise have fallen into decay and disrepair. Historic areas have helped increase civic pride in those cities, while also strengthening the sense of community.

Kannapolis recently has focused on developing a vision for the kind of community it wants to be in the coming decades. Citizen committees have made many recommendations for improving the quality of life, including plans for a network of trails and greenspace connecting neighborhood to neighborhood, an outdoor amphitheater, new sports complexes and an industrial park to help diversify the economy.