Wadesboro, North Carolina

Wadesboro, North Carolina
Town
Flag Seal
Nickname:  "The Heart of the Carolinas"
Location within the state of North Carolina
Wadesboro Location within the contiguous United States of America
Coordinates: 34°57′53″N80°04′29″W / 34.96472°N 80.07472°W / 34.96472; -80.07472
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Anson
Township	Wadesboro
Founded	1783
Founded by	Patrick Boggan
Named for	Thomas Wade
Government
• Type	Council–Manager
•  Mayor	John I. Ballard (I)
Area [1]
• Total	6.61 sq mi (17.12 km2)
• Land	6.60 sq mi (17.08 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation [2]	525 ft (160 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,008
• Density	759.25/sq mi (293.16/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	28135, 28170
Area code	704
FIPS code	37-70380 [3]
GNIS feature ID	2406812 [2]
Website	townofwadesboro.org

Wadesboro is a town and the county seat of Anson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,008 at the 2020 census. ^[4] The town was originally found in 1783 as New Town but changed by the North Carolina General Assembly to Wadesboro in 1787 to honor Colonel Thomas Wade, ^{[5] [6]} a native son, state legislator, and Revolutionary War commander of the Anson County Regiment. ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}

History

Children in Wadesboro, 1938. Photo by Marion Post Wolcott.

Originally named Newtown, the town was renamed by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1787 to honor of Colonel Thomas Wade after his service with the Anson County Regiment of militia in the American Revolutionary War.

In 1900, astronomers determined that Wadesboro would be the best location in North America for viewing a total solar eclipse. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, then based in Washington, D.C., loaded several railroad cars with scientific equipment and headed to the town.

The Boggan-Hammond House and Alexander Little Wing, United States Post Office, and Wadesboro Downtown Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ^[11]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.4 km²), of which 0.012 square miles (0.03 km²), or 0.20%, is water. ^[7]

Wadesboro is situated 19 miles (31 km) west of Rockingham, 23 miles (37 km) north of Cheraw, 28 miles (45 km) east of Monroe, and 30 miles (48 km) south of Albemarle.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	460		—
1870	480		—
1880	800		66.7%
1890	1,198		49.8%
1900	1,546		29.0%
1910	2,376		53.7%
1920	2,648		11.4%
1930	3,124		18.0%
1940	3,587		14.8%
1950	3,408		−5.0%
1960	3,744		9.9%
1970	3,977		6.2%
1980	4,206		5.8%
1990	3,645		−13.3%
2000	3,552		−2.6%
2010	5,813		63.7%
2020	5,008		−13.8%
2021 (est.)	5,038	[4]	0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [12]

2020 census

Wadesboro racial composition ^[13]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	1,610	32.15%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	3,066	61.88%
Native American	18	0.36%
Asian	66	1.32%
Other/Mixed	126	2.52%
Hispanic or Latino	89	1.78%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,008 people, 2,022 households, and 1,164 families residing in the town.

2010 census

As of the census ^[3] of 2010, there were 5,813 people, 2,303 households, and 1,428 families residing in the town. The population density was 921.2 inhabitants per square mile (355.7/km²). There were 2,692 housing units at an average density of 426.6 per square mile (164.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 35.6% White, 60.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.9% some other race, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population. ^[14]

There were 2,303 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.1% were headed by married couples living together, 25.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40, and the average family size was 3.09. ^[14]

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.8 years. For every 100 females there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.5 males. ^[14]

For the period 2007–11, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $32,550, and the median income for a family was $34,522. Male full-time workers had a median income of $38,385 versus $29,297 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,055. About 19.0% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.1% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over. ^[15]

Education

Wadesboro is served by the Anson County School District.

Media

• The Anson Record

Television stations available are from the Charlotte Designated Market Area, which Anson County and Wadesboro are a part of. Additionally, the local cable provider carries one station from Columbia, South Carolina, WIS-TV.

Notable people

• Thomas Samuel Ashe, congressman from North Carolina; practiced law in Wadesboro
• Hugh Hammond Bennett, founder of the Soil Conservation Service, now Natural Resources Conservation Service, president of the Association of American Geographers
• Risden Tyler Bennett, congressman
• Tom Brewer, baseball player
• John Culpepper, congressman from North Carolina
• Edmund Strother Dargan, congressman from Alabama and representative to the Confederate States Congress during the American Civil War
• Thomas F. Davis, fifth Episcopal bishop of South Carolina; deacon at Calvary Church in Wadesboro
• Ed Emory, football player and coach
• Blind Boy Fuller, musician
• John Gaddy, baseball player
• Pryor A. Gibson, III, eight-term member of North Carolina General Assembly
• John T. Henley, member of the North Carolina House of Representatives and North Carolina Senate
• Cedrick Holt, football player
• Timmy Horne, nose tackle for the Atlanta Falcons
• Alvin Paul Kitchin, congressman from North Carolina; practiced law in Wadesboro
• Leon Levine, founder of Family Dollar variety store chain
• James A. Lockhart, congressman from North Carolina; lived in Wadesboro
• Gary Porter, former driver of the Carolina Crusher and Grave Digger Monster Truck
• Sylvester "Junkyard Dog" Ritter, professional wrestler
• Cornelius Robinson, member of Provisional Confederate Congress
• Leonidas D. Robinson, congressman from North Carolina
• Jerome Robinson, baseball player
• Will Robinson, basketball player
• Trinton Sturdivant, football player
• Hoyt Patrick Taylor, 21st lieutenant governor of North Carolina; former mayor of Wadesboro
• Hoyt Patrick Taylor Jr., speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives and 26th lieutenant governor of North Carolina
• William L. Terry, congressman from Arkansas
• Colonel Thomas Wade, Revolutionary War hero and legislator

In popular culture

Horror film Evil Dead II was filmed in Wadesboro, and the Huntley House became the production office for the film. Most of Evil Dead II was filmed in the woods near that farmhouse, or J.R. Faison Junior High School, which is where the interior cabin set was located.^{[ citation needed ]}

See also

• United States portal

• List of municipalities in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Anson County, North Carolina

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Wadesboro, North Carolina
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
5. "The Patriot Leaders in North Carolina - Thomas Wade". www.carolana.com. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
6. "Boggan, Patrick | NCpedia". ncpedia.org. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
7. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Wadesboro town, North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
8. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
9. "Thomas Wade". NCPedia. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
10. "Anson County | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
11. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
13. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
14. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Wadesboro town, North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
15. "Selected Economic Characteristics: 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP03): Wadesboro town, North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2013.

Further reading

• Address Delivered at Wadesboro, N. C. Before the Daughters of the Confederacy and the Confederate Veterans, by W. M. Hammond on the 7th of August, 1903 (Speech). Atlanta, Ga.: Foote & Davies Company. 1903.

External links

• Official website