Rocky Mount, North Carolina
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| City of Rocky Mount | |||
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| — City — | |||
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| Nickname(s): "City on the Rise" "Rock City" | |||
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| Coordinates: 35°56′16″N 77°47′26″W / 35.93778°N 77.79056°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | North Carolina | ||
| Counties | Nash, Edgecombe | ||
| Founded | Circa March 22, 1816 | ||
| Incorporated | February 28, 1867 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | David W.Combs | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 35.8 sq mi (92.7 km2) | ||
| - Land | 35.6 sq mi (92.1 km2) | ||
| - Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) 0.59% | ||
| - Urban | 41 sq mi (106 km2) | ||
| - Metro | 1,050 sq mi (2,718 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 100 ft (31 m) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - City | 56,844 | ||
| - Density | 1,571.4/sq mi (606.7/km2) | ||
| - Urban | 61,657 | ||
| - Metro | 145,596 | ||
| - Metro Density | 136/sq mi (53/km2) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Zip Code | 27801-04 | ||
| Area code(s) | 252 | ||
| FIPS code | 37-57500[1] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1022368[2] | ||
| Website | www.rockymountnc.gov | ||
Rocky Mount is an All-America City Award-winning city in Edgecombe and Nash counties in the coastal plains of the state of North Carolina. Although it was not formally incorporated until February 28, 1867, the North Carolina community that became the city of Rocky Mount dates from the beginning of the 19th century, and the first post office in the area opened in 1816. In 1996, the town of Battleboro merged with the city of Rocky Mount. As of 2007, the city's population was 56,844.
Rocky Mount is the principal city of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 143,026, as of 2000, and which encompasses all of both Edgecombe and Nash counties. Rocky Mount is also a part of a Combined Statistical Area which consists of both Rocky Mount and Wilson Metropolitan Areas. The Rocky Mount-Wilson CSA population is currently over 200,000 residents. The city is about 45 minutes away from the state capital, Raleigh.
Rocky Mount has a growing arts community. The city operates an Arts Center, a Children's Museum & Science Center, and a Community Theater at the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences
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[edit] History of Rocky Mount
"Rocky Mount had its beginning in the early part of the 19th century. It centered around the first post office which was established at the Falls of the Tar River on March 22, 1816. It was at that point that the name Rocky Mount appeared in documented history. The name undoubtedly derived from the rocky mound at the falls of the Tar River, which was also the site of one of the first cotton mills in North Carolina: Rocky Mount Mills was established in 1818. The Wilmington-Weldon Railroad was built about 2 miles east of the mill in 1845 and became the main connection for Rocky Mount to the outside world.
The advent of the railroad did not cause an immediate boom for Rocky Mount. One important innovation it produced, however, was the establishment of Rocky Mount as a point of departure for travelers from the north and south. The Raleigh-Tarboro stage route (roughly highways 95 and 64) passed just below Rocky Mount which became the logical debarking point for railroad travelers wishing to proceed east or west.
The Civil War and Reconstruction Era brought hard times to Rocky Mount but the town survived. On February 19, 1867 Rocky Mount was incorporated as a Town.
The establishment of the Rocky Mount tobacco market in the late 1800s is one of the town's most noteworthy development. The demand for bright leaf tobacco rose rapidly as the cigarette industry took shape and the growth of the tobacco market led to the establishment of the town's first bank in 1889.
Also during this period, the railroad exerted a powerful influence on the town. The tracks first reached Rocky Mount on Christmas Eve, in 1839. In 1840, a train of cars en route to Wilmington stopped in Rocky Mount to import some "Old Nash" for special toasts at opening festivities. The fame of Nash County apple brandy had spread fast. As Rocky Mount encouraged the Atlantic Coast Line to locate shops and yard facilities in the town, there was an influx of railroad employees into Rocky Mount. In 1871, the county line moved from the Tar River to its present location in the center of the main tracks.
By the end of the nineteenth century, Rocky Mount's population was approximately 3,000. A main railroad line, a well established cotton mill, and productive farmland were major contributors to the area's growth and prosperity. To encourage and promote further growth and development, the Chamber of Commerce was established in 1904.
In February 28, 1907 with a population of approximately 7,500 Rocky Mount was incorporated as a City. The twentieth century brought a number of "firsts" to Rocky Mount - the first public school; one of the most modern hotels in the state, the Ricks Hotel; the first library; the establishment of the first daily newspaper, the Rocky Mount Evening Telegram; the first hospitals with services available to the public and the YMCA.
City Lake drew city-wide attention in the late 30's. The digging of this water reservoir, a project of the Works Project Administration, gave gainful employment to the unemployed and gave the citizens of Rocky Mount pride in a peaceful and beautiful site.
In view of the community's educational facilities, the 50's and 60's brought rapid growth. A new high school opened in 1953. North Carolina Wesleyan College opened in 1960. In 1968, Nash Community College and Edgecombe Community College opened in the twin counties in order to meet the needs of citizens in technical, vocational and general education programs.
1970 marked the year Rocky Mount was named an All-American city. The little town built upon a rock had become the progressive city on the Great Falls of the Tar. The Seventies also brought a new post office building, completion of Nash General Hospital, a new campus for Nash Community College, recreational use of the reservoir on the Tar River, a new water plant, the Rocky Mount-Wilson airport and new highways.
The Eighties brought in a new regional shopping mall, located on Wesleyan Boulevard, and an athletic center on Hardee's Boulevard. Now, in 2008, the city continues to grow and prosper with a population of over 60,000."
[edit] Historic Rocky Mount Mills Village
Situated near Rocky Mount’s Tar River, the Rocky Mount Mills Historic Mill Village grew in the late 19th and early 20th century as a small community of tenants working for the Mill. Changes in industrialization eventually forced the closing of the mill, and this intimate way of life came to an end. However, when the mill closed, the property remained as a tangible reminder of an important era in the United States. Thus The Mill Village is a unique offering of extraordinary property.
Though the property has been rental for its entire existence, covenants are now being place on the property to assure home ownership and owner occupancy. The covenants are also designed to protect the historical integrity of the existing structures in the village and to control the new infill residential construction.
Now, you have the opportunity to purchase one of these charming homes, each recognized by the National Register of Historic Places, and rehabilitate it. Built between 1885 and 1940, the houses of Rocky Mount Mills Historic Mill Village still maintain the rather rural ambiance of their formative years. Located on approximately 74 acres, the Mill Village retains its intimate feel, yet nearby thoroughfares provide easy access to the city’s many shopping areas, highways, popular restaurants, and entertainment events. In addition, the village’s close proximity to Rocky Mount’s Battle Park and greenway is ideal for hiking, fishing, biking, and nature enthusiasts. The very upscale community of River Falls at Stonewall is also nearby on the other side of the river.
The houses themselves stand in generally good condition. A typical house can be described as such: a one-story building of gabled, saddlebag of frame construction with weatherboard siding, complete with gabled one-story ell and hip-roofed porch. The two-story buildings are single-pile frame construction with weatherboard siding, rear one-story addition, and hip-roofed porch. Once accommodating 145 homes, the Village now contains 62 remaining residences. The layout of lots has approximated the original design for the village where the lots are deep and originally accommodated large a vegetable gardens in the rear. In many cases, the original windows, doors, and hardware are intact and even an occasional claw-foot tub is still in place. Each is an authentic creation from the later nineteenth century to mid-twentieth century.
It is important to note that while many of Rocky Mount’s communities flooded during Hurricane Floyd, none of the homes in the Mill Village experienced any damage or flooding at all.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census of 2000,[1] there were 55,893 people, 21,435 households, and 14,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 606.7/km² (1,571.4/mi²). There were 24,167 housing units at an average density of 262.3/km² (679.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 40.92% White, 56.02% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.91% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.85% of the population.
There were 21,435 households out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 20.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,661, and the median income for a family was $39,929. Males had a median income of $31,455 versus $34,409 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,804. About 15.8% of families and 20.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under the age of 18 and 16.5% ages 65 or older.
Forbes Magazine ranked Rocky Mount in October 2009 as on of America's 10 most impoverished cities. The list included notoriously slumping cities such as Flint., Mich.; Macon, Ga.; and El Centro, Calif.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.8 square miles (92.7 km²), of which, 35.6 square miles (92.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.59%) is water.
Rocky Mount is situated uniquely, in that the city straddles the county line, with part of it in Nash County and part of it in Edgecombe County. CSX Transportation tracks also separate the city at the county line, meaning that going to the other side of town always means crossing the tracks.
[edit] Transportation
There are 3 major highways that intersect in Rocky Mount: U.S. Route 64, Interstate 95, and US 301. Interstate 95 runs through a portion of West Rocky Mount, US 64 runs east to west through Rocky Mount, and US 301 runs north to south through Rocky Mount. Buck Leonard Blvd is also a 4-lane divided highway in Rocky Mount that connects Sunset Ave to US 64. US 64 puts Rocky Mount less than 45 minutes east of Raleigh, and US 301 puts Rocky Mount 15 minutes north of the city of Wilson. The city of Rocky Mount is currently in the works of constructing a new multi-lane highway called the Northern Connector which will connect West Rocky Mount to North Rocky Mount. The highway is being built to settle traffic on Wesleyan Blvd. and other roads in the Northern Rocky Mount area.
Interstate 95 Exits: N.C 4, Dortches Blvd., and U.S. 64 with a future exit at Sunset Avenue just south of the U.S. 64 exit.
U.S. 64 Exits: Raleigh. St, Atlantic. Ave, Centura. Hwy/Church. St, Benvenue. Rd/Peachtree. St, U.S 301(Wesleyan. Blvd) Buck Leonard Blvd. TO Sunset Ave, Winstead Ave, Interstate 95, and Old Carraige Rd.
U.S 301 (Wesleyan. Blvd) Exits: Benvenue Rd, U.S 64, Sunset Ave, Bethelehem Rd, West Mount Dr, and N.C 97(Raleigh Rd).
Airports:
The Rocky Mount-Wilson (RWI) Airport serves the Counties of Nash, Wilson and Edgecombe with regional air service. It is on NC Highway 97, and is just 6.5 miles from Rocky Mount, 9 miles from Wilson and only minutes from industrial traffic routes I-95, US 64, 264, 301 and NC 98.
The closest international airport is Raleigh-Durham International (RDU).
Train:
Rocky Mount is serviced by Amtrak. The train station is centrally located on Main Street in downtown Rocky Mount. It’s just over 4 1/2 hours and only 4 train stops from the nation’s capital Washington, DC.Rocky Mount's Freight Train Service Is CSX Transportation,Every Day About 30 Trains Visit Rocky Mount.
"100 Coast Line Street
Building Description: Rocky Mount's current train station was constructed as a passenger station in three stages. In 1893 the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad built a two-story red brick Romanesque station with one-story wings. In 1911-12, Wilmington & Weldon Railroad's corporate successor, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, added two stories to the wings. In 1916, a third story was added to the entire structure. In the 1960s, a modern addition was built between the wings to house railroad switches and signal equipment. The building also served as a division headquarters for ACL and its successors, Seaboard Coast Line and CSXT. CSXT vacated the office space in the late 1980s. The building is part of Rocky Mount's Historic District."
[edit] Nash General Hospital
Nash General Hospital, opened in 1971, was the first all-private room hospital in North Carolina. Since then, this acute care, 282-bed facility has been the premier health care provider for Nash, Edgecombe and surrounding counties. A beacon of health care excellence, it was made possible by local leaders who had a vision for the future of the community, and more than 35 years later, Nash General Hospital is still on the cutting edge of the most recent medical advancements by utilizing state-of-the-art equipment to practice innovative and compassionate health care.
Nash General Hospital is home to the Women’s Center, Cardiovascular Services, the Critical Care Unit and thousands of employees who have dedicated their careers to providing compassionate care to patients.
Nash Day Hospital: Opened in 1984, Nash Day Hospital was one of the first free-standing outpatient surgery facilities in the nation. For more than two decades, Nash Day Hospital has provided quality care, close to home. Nash Day’s aggressive planning and management for the future has significantly broadened its scope of services to accommodate its growing number of patients. Sound fiscal management has allowed Nash Day to stay on the cutting edge of health care technology while maintaining among the lowest ambulatory costs in the state. Services include radiology, radiation oncology, endoscopy, rehabilitation and surgery.
The Nash Cancer Treatment Center was recognized by the College of Surgeons as one of the top 10 percent of cancer treatment facilities in the country. The Nash Cancer Treatment Center is approved by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. An approved center assures our community that the equipment, personnel and other resources needed for optimal care of the patient are available within Nash Health Care Systems or through referral.
Nash General Surgery Pavilion: In 2004, Nash Health Care Systems opened a state-of-the-art, $26 million Surgery Pavilion. This 84,800 square-foot facility features seven operating rooms and one cysto suite for urology procedures. There are 14 pre-op rooms and 13 recovery rooms.
The waiting rooms were specifically designed to meet the physical and psychological needs of patients, and include CDs, flat-panel TVs and soothing sound and light machines to promote relaxation. In addition, there is a children’s waiting area designed especially for kids with computer games and coloring books.
The pavilion serves as a “one-stop shop” where patients can complete their pre-operational lab work without having to go to several different locations. Anesthesia consults will also be done at the surgery pavilion Each operating room has teleconferencing capability — meaning the surgeon can consult with other doctors across the country or provide teaching or training opportunities for other health care professionals without leaving the operating room.
A conference center and classrooms complements these new OR suites, and allows health care, nursing and medical students to observe surgeries in real time.
[edit] Education
The City of Rocky Mount is served by the Nash-Rocky Mount Public School System, along with a number of private and charter schools in the area. Post-secondary institutions include Nash Community College,Shaw University, North Carolina Wesleyan College and Edgecombe Community College.
Nash-Rocky Mount Elementary Schools include Benvenue Elementary, D.S.Johnson Elementary, Englewood Elementary School,O.R. Pope Elementary School, Susie C. Baskerville Elementary School, M.B. Hubbard Elementary School, Coopers School, Winstead Avenue Elementary School,Red Oak Elementary, Bullock Elementary, and Nashville Elementary.
Middle schools include JFW Parker Middle School, Edwards Middle School, Southern Nash Middle School, Red Oak Middle School, and Nash Central Middle School.
Public high schools include Rocky Mount High School, Northern Nash High School, Southern Nash High School, Nash Central High School, and Nash-Rocky Mount Early College High School. The private schools located in Rocky Mount are Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH), Rocky Mount Academy, Faith Christian School, and Falls Road Baptist School.
One N.C. charter school located in Rocky Mount is Rocky Mount Preparatory School.
[edit] Other
Rocky Mount was the home of R.M.I. (Rocky Mount Instruments), best known for the 368x Electra Piano Harpsichord, which was a significant instrument in the world of rock and jazz in the late 60's-early 70's, most famously used by the likes of John Lennon, Leon Russell, Rick Wakeman, Tony Banks, and Keith Jarrett. Rocky Mount was also the home of Centura Bank until it was bought the Royal Bank of Canada and moved the United States headquarters to nearby Raleigh. The first Hardee's fast food franchise was in Rocky Mount, ironically it was on McDonald Street. The actual first Hardee's had been in nearby Greenville. It has since been torn down. Rocky Mount and nearby Nashville had some of the few Hardee's restaurant owned directly by the corporation and not a franchise; they have since been sold to Boddie-Noel. Rocky Mount is also the corporate headquarters of Boddie-Noell, which owns many Hardee's franchises and all of the Texas Steakhouse restaurants. Composer Ben Johnston lives in Rocky Mount. Rocky Mount was referenced in the song "Methamphetamine" by Old Crow Medicins Show on their Tennessee Pusher album.
The Kaba-Ilco Corporation Headquarters is in Rocky Mount. Kaba-Ilco is reputedly the world's largest producer of keys. About 608 persons are employed at its Rocky Mount facilities, which occupy about 40,000 square feet, according to business reference sources. Google street-finder shows two and possibly three Kaba-Ilco large commercial buildings at 400 Jeffreys Road in Rocky Mount. Kaba-Ilco has taken a lead in developing after-market products for the expanding automotive transponder key market. Almost all autos currently in production now use transponder or electronic keys. Where traditional mechanical keys cost a few dollars to make or duplicate, electronic keys can cost hundreds, especially when sold by auto dealers, who are used to reaping large profits from consumers on parts and accessories. The Kaba-Ilco after-market products, which are sold and installed through locksmiths, are dramatically price-competitive compared to auto dealer prices.
[edit] Notable residents
- J.J. Arrington, NFL running back
- Anthony Avent, former NBA player
- Lloyd W. Bailey, a faithless elector in the 1968 presidential election, who cast his vote for George Wallace instead of Richard Nixon.
- Thurbert Baker, current Attorney General of the state of Georgia.
- F.C. Barnes, national gospel recording artist.
- Luther Barnes, international gospel recording artist, preacher, composer, producer, songwriter, community servant, retired school teacher, Nash County, Hall of Fame in 2005.
- Herman Boone, born in Rocky Mount; coach on which the movie Remember the Titans was based.
- Jim Boyd, 1956 Olympic Gold Medaist in boxing.
- Jim Clack, center for the 1970s Terry Bradshaw-led Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Roy A. Cooper, current Attorney General of the state of North Carolina.
- Harold Ray Denton, born in Rocky Mount; Director of Reactor Regulation for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and spokesperson for President Jimmy Carter during the Three Mile Island incident; inducted in the Tri-County Hall of Fame in 2005.
- Mike Easley, former Governor of the state of North Carolina.
- Phil Ford, former assistant coach at UNC-Chapel Hill and the school's second all-time leading scorer, currently with the Charlotte Bobcats as an assistant to Larry Brown.
- James Carson Gardner, first Republican Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina of the 20th century; opened first franchise store of the fast food restaurant Hardee's in Rocky Mount.
- Kaye Gibbons, critically Acclaimed Novelist
- Allan Gurganus, born in Rocky Mount; American writer whose work is often set in North Carolina.
- William B. Harrison, Jr. Chairman of JP Morgan Chase.
- Earle Hyman, born in Rocky Mount; best known for his role as Russell Huxtable, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable's father, on the The Cosby Show.
- Curtis J. Holt, Sr.Civil Rights Activist
- Kay Kyser, big band leader of the 1930s and 1940s.
- Walter Fenner Leonard, better known as Buck Leonard, was a famous Negro League first baseman.
- Thelonious Monk, famous jazz musician.
- Ken Peacock, current Chancellor of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina
- Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers Defensive End
- Bill Pully, President of the North Carolina Hospital Association
- Jimmy Robbins, acoustic singer-songwriter signed to Universal Motown Records
- Tom Smith, musician, Fulbright Professor, IAJE Jazz Ambassador Recipient
- Harold Vick, jazz bandleader and session-man, best known for his first solo album Steppin' Out (1963) and his appearance in the Spike Lee film School Daze backing vocalist Phyllis Hyman.
- Charles Linwood Williams, better known as Buck Williams, born in Rocky Mount; 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year and a 3-time NBA All-Star; former President of NBA Players Association.
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead, rising Hollywood star; most notable roles are in Sky High, Final Destination 3, Black Christmas, Grindhouse - Death Proof, and Live Free or Die Hard.
- Bill Winters, radio disc jockey; began career at WEED-AM in Rocky Mount and went on to many major markets including WCBS-FM 101.1 in New York City.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rocky Mount, North Carolina |
- City of Rocky Mount (official website)
- Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce
- North Carolina Wesleyan College
- Rocky Mount, North Carolina is at coordinates 35°57′15″N 77°48′20″W / 35.954112°N 77.805572°WCoordinates: 35°57′15″N 77°48′20″W / 35.954112°N 77.805572°W
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