Asheboro, North Carolina

Not to be confused with Asheville, North Carolina.

Asheboro, North Carolina
City
Asheboro municipal building
Seal
Nickname:  Zoo City
Motto:  "Exactly where you want to be."
Location of Asheboro, North Carolina
Asheboro Show map of North Carolina Asheboro Show map of the United States Asheboro Show map of North America
Coordinates: 35°42′57″N79°48′46″W / 35.71583°N 79.81278°W / 35.71583; -79.81278
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Randolph
Incorporated	December 25, 1796
Named for	Samuel Ashe
Government
• Mayor	David Smith
Area [1]
• Total	19.00 sq mi (49.20 km2)
• Land	18.90 sq mi (48.95 km2)
• Water	0.09 sq mi (0.24 km2)
Elevation [2]	846 ft (258 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	27,156
• Density	1,436.75/sq mi (554.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	27203-27205
Area code	336-743
FIPS code	37-02080 [3]
GNIS feature ID	2403119 [2]
Website	www.asheboronc.gov

Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. ^[4] The population was 27,156 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Greensboro-High Point Metropolitan Area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the state-owned North Carolina Zoo. ^[5]

History

Asheboro was named after Samuel Ashe, the ninth governor of North Carolina (1795–1798), and became the county seat of Randolph County in 1796. ^[6] It was a small village in the 1800s, with a population of less than 200 through the Civil War; its main function was housing the county courthouse, and the town was most active when court was in session. Asheboro's population only began to grow significantly following its connection to railroads: the High Point, Randleman, Asheboro and Southern Railroad first served the city in 1889, followed by the Montgomery Railroad in 1896. ^[7]

Asheboro emerged as a textile production center in the 20th century with the opening of the Acme Hosiery Mills in 1909. After World War II, the city's manufacturing sector grew to include batteries, wires and food products. The city's main tourist attraction, the North Carolina Zoo, opened in 1974. ^[7]

Asheboro suffered from an economic downturn in the 2000s due to a decline in its traditional manufacturing industries amid increasing competition from overseas; the national news program 60 Minutes described it as a "dying town" in 2012. ^[8]

In recent years, Asheboro has flourished into a vibrant city. North Carolina's largest economic developments are occurring in Asheboro, ^[9] and future job growth is strong. ^[10]

Housing rehabilitation projects are ensuring safer, more attractive housing for residents. ^[11]

In 2015, Sunset Avenue in Downtown Asheboro was named a Great Main Street by the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association. ^[12]

In 2016, Asheboro received the All-America City Award, a prestigious award that honors communities developing innovative solutions to pressing problems. Asheboro received the award for its efforts to "ensure that all our children are healthy and successful in school and life." ^[13]

Historic buildings

The following buildings in Asheboro are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: ^{[14] [15] [16] [17]}

• Acme-McCrary Hosiery Mills
• Asheboro Hosiery Mills and Cranford Furniture Company Complex
• Central School
• Wilson Kindley Farm and Kindley Mine
• Lewis-Thornburg Farm
• Mount Shepherd Pottery Site
• Randolph County Courthouse
• Sunset Theater
• Thayer Farm Site (31RD10)

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.4 square miles (40 km²), of which 15.3 square miles (40 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (0.58%) is water. Asheboro is known as the center point of North Carolina. Although Asheboro is located in the gently rolling Piedmont plateau region of central North Carolina, far to the east of the Appalachian Mountains, the town and surrounding area are surprisingly hilly. The town lies within the Uwharrie Mountains, a series of ancient ridges and monadnocks which have been worn down by erosion to high hills. As such, Asheboro gives the impression of being in a more mountainous area than it actually is.

Climate

The climate of Asheboro is a warm temperate climate (Cfa), with cool winters and hot summers.

Climate data for Asheboro, North Carolina(1991-2020 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	78 (26)	82 (28)	92 (33)	93 (34)	97 (36)	103 (39)	104 (40)	105 (41)	100 (38)	96 (36)	87 (31)	79 (26)	105 (41)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	50.0 (10.0)	54.2 (12.3)	62.0 (16.7)	71.5 (21.9)	78.0 (25.6)	84.8 (29.3)	88.3 (31.3)	86.5 (30.3)	80.6 (27.0)	71.2 (21.8)	61.0 (16.1)	52.8 (11.6)	70.1 (21.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)	39.7 (4.3)	43.2 (6.2)	50.3 (10.2)	59.1 (15.1)	66.6 (19.2)	74.0 (23.3)	77.7 (25.4)	76.2 (24.6)	70.1 (21.2)	59.5 (15.3)	49.4 (9.7)	42.6 (5.9)	59.0 (15.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	29.4 (−1.4)	32.1 (0.1)	38.6 (3.7)	46.7 (8.2)	55.2 (12.9)	63.2 (17.3)	67.0 (19.4)	65.9 (18.8)	59.6 (15.3)	47.8 (8.8)	37.7 (3.2)	32.4 (0.2)	48.0 (8.9)
Record low °F (°C)	−8 (−22)	2 (−17)	8 (−13)	25 (−4)	33 (1)	39 (4)	45 (7)	46 (8)	36 (2)	21 (−6)	10 (−12)	−1 (−18)	−8 (−22)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.95 (100)	3.22 (82)	4.09 (104)	3.94 (100)	3.76 (96)	4.08 (104)	4.18 (106)	3.87 (98)	4.84 (123)	3.50 (89)	3.55 (90)	3.64 (92)	46.62 (1,184)
Source: NOAA [18]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	176		—
1870	182		—
1880	299		64.3%
1890	510		70.6%
1900	992		94.5%
1910	1,865		88.0%
1920	2,559		37.2%
1930	5,021		96.2%
1940	6,981		39.0%
1950	7,701		10.3%
1960	9,449		22.7%
1970	10,797		14.3%
1980	15,252		41.3%
1990	16,362		7.3%
2000	21,672		32.5%
2010	25,012		15.4%
2020	27,156		8.6%
2022 (est.)	27,482	[19]	1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [20]

2020 census

Asheboro racial composition ^[21]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	14,315	52.71%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	3,300	12.15%
Native American	119	0.44%
Asian	365	1.34%
Pacific Islander	3	0.01%
Other/Mixed	1,069	3.94%
Hispanic or Latino	7,985	29.4%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 27,156 people, 10,841 households, and 6,130 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census ^[3] of 2000, there were 21,672 people, 8,756 households, and 5,516 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,412.5 inhabitants per square mile (545.4/km²). There were 9,515 housing units at an average density of 620.1 per square mile (239.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.45% White, 12.08% African American, 0.51% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 7.72% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30.9% of the population.

There were 8,756 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

Economy

Top employers

According to Asheboro's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, ^[22] the top employers in the city were:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Technimark	1,500
2	Klaussner Furniture Industries	1,100
3	Randolph Health	1,084
4	North Carolina Zoo	630
5	Asheboro City Schools	620
6	Energizer Battery	405
7	City of Asheboro	330
8	DJO Global/Elastic Therapy	240
9	Post Consumer Brands	230
10	Bossong Hosiery	225

In October 2012 Hyosung USA announced the closure of the Asheboro wire plant and loss of 310 jobs. Built by Goodyear and acquired by Hyosung in 2011, the plant makes wires for use in car and truck tires. ^[23]

Black & Decker Corp was one of the main employers in the mid 1990s; one of its products, the SnakeLight, sold millions after being introduced in late 1994. The plant employed about 1,100 workers in 1998 and was one of the three biggest employers in Randolph County. ^[24]

Culture

Sports

• Asheboro is home to the Asheboro ZooKeepers of the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The ZooKeepers play at McCrary Park in Asheboro.
• Caraway Speedway, a Whelen Southern Modified Tour racing location.

Retail

Randolph Mall opened in 1982.

Transportation

Routes include U.S. Route 220 and Interstate 73/Interstate 74, which connect it to Greensboro, U.S. Route 64 bypasses most of Asheboro to the south, while it goes through more of the city limits as a separate business route. U.S. 64 also connects the city to Raleigh, and North Carolina Highway 49, which connects the city to Charlotte.

Asheboro Regional Airport serves general aviation traffic to and from the city. The closest airport with scheduled passenger service is Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro.

Education

Asheboro City Schools operates public schools serving the city.

Fayetteville Street Christian School, located in Asheboro, is the largest private school in Randolph County. ^[25]

In addition the Randolph County Schools has its headquarters in Asheboro. ^[26]

Notable people

• Sam Ard, former NASCAR driver; 1983 and 1984 Nascar Busch Series Champion
• William Johnston Armfield, business executive and philanthropist
• Scott Bankhead, Major League Baseball and 1984 US Olympic Team pitcher ^[27]
• Chuck Bown, former NASCAR driver; 1990 Nascar Busch Series Champion
• Lane Caudell, musician and actor
• Keith Crisco, businessman and public official
• William Cicero Hammer, U.S. Congressional Representative Democrat from 1921 to 1930
• Nick Coe, professional football defensive lineman ^[28]
• Andy Headen, former NFL linebacker for the New York Giants
• Randy Henderson, Mayor of Fort Myers, Florida from 2009-2020 ^[29]
• Elizabeth Lail, actress known for her role as Guinevere Beck in You
• Paul Martin Newby, justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court ^[30]
• Reynolds Price, novelist, essayist and educator, resident of the town in the 1930s and 1940s ^[31]
• Julius Ramsay, Emmy-nominated television director and editor
• Marmaduke Swaim Robins, lawyer, private secretary to the civil war era governor, state legislator, and newspaperman. His son served as mayor of Asheboro. ^[32]
• Joe Spinks, professional basketball player ^[33]
• Jonathan Worth, North Carolina Governor from 1865 to 1868 during early Reconstruction ^[7]

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Asheboro, North Carolina
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
5. NC Zoological Park Funding and Organization (PDF) Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2010-10-08.
6. Martin, Jonathan. "Randolph County (1779)". North Carolina History Project. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
7. "History - City of Asheboro, NC". www.ci.asheboro.nc.us. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
8. "The death and life of Asheboro, N.C." www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
9. https://www.asheboronc.gov/news_detail_T34_R318.php
10. https://www.bestplaces.net/economy/city/north%20carolina/asheboro
11. https://www.asheboronc.gov/discover_asheboro/about_asheboro/awards___recognitions.php
12. https://www.asheboronc.gov/discover_asheboro/about_asheboro/awards___recognitions.php
13. https://www.asheboronc.gov/discover_asheboro/about_asheboro/awards___recognitions.php
14. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
15. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 8/18/14 through 8/23/14. National Park Service. August 29, 2014.
16. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties:12/05/11 through 12/09/11. National Park Service. December 16, 2011.
17. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 4/18/11 through 4/22/11. National Park Service. April 29, 2011.
18. "Asheboro, NC". NOAA. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
19. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in North Carolina: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Census.gov. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
20. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
21. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
22. "City of Asheboro CAFR" (PDF).
23. ".biz - Hyosung closing Asheboro plant and laying off 310 | newsobserver.com blogs". Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
24. Writer, DOUG CAMPBELL Staff (June 17, 1998). "BLACK & DECKER TO MOVE TWO UNITS FROM ASHEBORO\ MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES AT THE ASHEBORO PLANT WILL KEEP THEIR JOBS, COMPANY OFFICIALS SAY". Greensboro News and Record.
25. "."
26. "RANDOLPH COUNTY SCHOOLS CENTRAL OFFICE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORY." Randolph County Schools. Retrieved on September 21, 2013. "Administrative Offices 2222-C S. Fayetteville Street Asheboro, NC 27205"
27. "Scott Bankhead". baseball-reference.com . Retrieved April 19, 2014.
28. Sinor, Wesley (April 5, 2017). "How Auburn's Nick Coe earned his peculiar nickname". AL.com . Advance Publications . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
29. Mars Hill University Names Randall Henderson, Jr. as Alumnus of the Year. mhu.edu. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
30. Paul Newby | The Federalist Society. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
31. http://www.ci.asheboro.nc.us/Newsletters/CenterPoint_Sep06.pdf Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved on 2008-10-26.
32. Holt, Ross. "LibGuides: Historic Landmark Preservation Commission: Marmaduke Robins Law Office". randolphlibrary.libguides.com.
33. Joe Spinks inducted into Campbell Sports Hall of Fame. gocamels.com. Retrieved October 29, 2020.

External links

• United States portal

• Official website
• Official Visitor Info for the Greater Asheboro Area
• Asheboro/Randolph County Chamber of Commerce