[7] When the American Civil War began in 1861, Alexander County was fourteen years old.

The court house records in Taylorsville were destroyed by troops under Major General George Stoneman in a raid on Easter Sunday in 1865.

[8] The Alexander Railroad based in Taylorsville began in 1946, with one connection to Norfolk Southern in Statesville, North Carolina.

[9] Alexander County is located within the Foothills region of western North Carolina.

The "Brushies," as they are called locally, rise from 300 to 1,000 feet (300 m) above the surrounding countryside, and dominate the county's northern horizon.

The highest point in Alexander County is Hickory Knob in the Brushies; it has an elevation of 2,560 feet (780 m) above sea level.

The remainder of Alexander County's terrain consists of gently rolling countryside.

The county is served by US Highway 64, a controlled-access roadway connecting Taylorsville with Lenoir and Statesville.

The Alexander Railroad Company is an active short-line rail system operating between Taylorsville and Statesville, and connecting with Norfolk Southern.

In contrast, Hillary Clinton in 2016 obtained barely twenty percent of the county's vote.

Alexander County is a member of the regional Western Piedmont Council of Governments.