The community is 12 miles (19 km) north of Statesville.

The Olin post office was first established in 1852 and continues to operate with a ZIP code 28660.

It was named for Stephen A. Olin, founder and first president of Randolph-Macon college (1832-1836).

[4] The town of Olin had a prohibition of the manufacture and sale of liquor written into its charter.

This article about a location in Iredell County, North Carolina is a stub.