Jamestown, North Carolina

Interstate 74 bypasses the town, giving the town access to Winston-Salem, Asheboro, and Rockingham. Lexington Road, Greensboro Road, and Main Street all connect the town to Greensboro and High Point. The Jamestown Parkway is a limited-access highway that effectively bypasses Greensboro Road and Main Street, also serving as one of the main routes connecting Greensboro to High Point. The route is mainly four-lanes while having at-grade intersections and grade-separations, though with only one street crossing over the parkway. The route has no actual interchanges with other roads in the town compared to similarly-built routes in the state.[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²), all land.[4] The Deep River, a tributary of the Cape Fear River, flows through the southern part of the town.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,668 people, 1,812 households, and 1,219 families residing in the town.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 3,088 people, 1,229 households, and 924 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,159.0 inhabitants per square mile (447.5/km²). There were 1,293 housing units at an average density of 485.3 per square mile (187.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 86.79% White, 7.97% African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.40% Asian, 0.74% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.04% of the population.

There were 1,229 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $107,331, and the median income for a family was $77,549. Males had a median income of $58,889 versus $35,771 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,689. About 4.5% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

As early as 1701, the Keyauwee people were living in a village in this region. They enjoyed the area's mild climate, abundant natural resources, and the fertile hunting grounds along the Deep and Uwharrie rivers.

Part of a loose confederacy of 20 or more tribes, it is believed that by the 1760s, the Keyauwee had moved south, close to the boundary between the two Carolinas, where they were likely absorbed by the Catawba tribe.[7]

By the late 18th century, European settlers came to Jamestown. Many were Quaker families who moved to the area from Pennsylvania in search of productive farmland. Among the original settlers was James Mendenhall, who established a farmstead near present-day Jamestown in 1762. Though Mendenhall moved to Georgia in 1775, his son George remained, and by 1816, he founded the village of Jamestown in honor of his father.

The Mendenhall family, who owned and operated the area's first grist and lumber mills, also owned much of the town's original land. Today, High Point City Lake is situated where the original family farmhouse and land was located.

In 1781, during the Revolutionary War, British General Cornwallis' army camped near the settlement and commandeered provisions from local farms and mills prior to his engagement with Nathanael Greene's troops at New Garden, in modern-day Greensboro.

By 1800, Jamestown was a bustling settlement of 150 residents with its own post office, inn and Freemasons' lodge. Around this same time, gold was discovered near Jamestown, and several mines profited until the California Gold Rush frenzy shut down local efforts.

In 1811, James Mendenhall's son Richard, a local tanner, built the Mendenhall Plantation homestead, a highlight of any tour of Jamestown today.

In addition to farming and related industries, Jamestown was home to a gun factory, which manufactured a sturdy and accurate muzzle-loading gun known as the "Jamestown Rifle", the mainstay of Jamestown's industry through the latter half of the 19th century and a highly prized collectible among gun enthusiasts today.

During the Civil War, Jamestown's Quakers, who opposed war and violence, attempted to remain neutral. However, the Confederacy demanded that those who were able to make shoes, uniforms, or weapons continue to do so or pay heavy taxes. Records indicate that Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his entourage passed through Jamestown during their hasty retreat to the south after the Civil War ended.

Prior to the war, Jamestown was a known "stop" along the Underground Railroad, which helped fugitive slaves reach freedom in the North. According to local historical records, many Quaker homes in this area had a trap door leading to the basement to help slaves escape. Further, according to records, the Mendenhall and Beard families were instrumental in assisting in emancipation efforts.

Built in 1856, the railroad bisects Jamestown, and still provides a vital link for freight and some passengers between the port cities to the east and interior destinations.

By April 1947, the North Carolina General Assembly granted Jamestown incorporation. Several months after incorporation, Jamestown adopted zoning districts and began construction of a municipal water and sewer system.

T. C. Ragsdale Sr. served as the town's first mayor, and Charles P. Turner was the first town manager.

In the 1950s, with a population of approximately 750, the town boasted such improvements as street lighting, water and sewer service, and a fire department.

During the 1960s, Jamestown grew quickly. Several residential neighborhoods sprang from old farmland. An ABC board was formed and a liquor store was constructed, enabling the town to pay off debt incurred for water and sewer lines as well as fund the building of Town Hall in 1967 and the Jamestown Park and Golf Course in 1974.[9]

The Former Jamestown High School, Gardner House, Jamestown Historic District, McCulloch's Gold Mill, Richard Mendenhall Plantation Buildings, Oakdale Cotton Mill Village, and Ragsdale Farm are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[10]