Denton, was once known as Finch's Hill or Finch's Cross Roads. The name came from Patterson Finch , a landowner who's home was located on the summit of the hill. Finch's Hill is the watershed between the Yadkin River and the Uwharrie River. Streams on the west side of Finch's Hill flowed to the Yadkin River and streams on the east side flowed toward the Uwharrie River, eventually emptying into the Pee Dee River.

The main road through the area ran east-west and provided no direct link to the communities of Lexington and Thomasville to the north. The southern portions of Davidson County remained isolated throughout the nineteenth century, until the construction of the railroad.

In 1906, the construction of the Thomasville-Denton railroad was completed. The railroad was established to supply lumber from the wooded areas of southern Davidson County to the newly established furniture plants in Thomasville, located in the northern part of the county. As a result, Denton flourished, establishing new industries and a bank. Prior to the railroad, there were only 16 families in Denton.

The town of Denton became incorporated in 1907. Both Jackson Hill and Healing Springs, South of Denton were already established communities with post offices prior to the petition of the Denton post office in 1878. Previous names had been rejected because they were already in use. The name Denton was chosen, after Denton Texas.