Whiteville, North Carolina

Whiteville is a city in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,394 at the 2010 census.[4] It is the largest city in Columbus County and is the county seat.[5]

Whiteville, North Carolina
City
Columbus County Courthouse in Whiteville
Columbus County Courthouse in Whiteville
Flag of Whiteville, North Carolina
Flag
Official seal of Whiteville, North Carolina
Seal
Motto: 
"Citizens First"
Whiteville is located in North Carolina
Whiteville
Whiteville
Location within the state of North Carolina
Coordinates: 34°19′50″N 78°42′05″W
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountyColumbus
Government
 • MayorTerry Mann
Area
[1]
 • Total5.56 sq mi (14.40 km2)
 • Land5.56 sq mi (14.40 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[2]
79 ft (30 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total4,766
 • Density857.50/sq mi (331.06/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
28472
Area codes910, 472
FIPS code37-73660[3]
GNIS feature ID2405738[2]
Websitewww.whitevillenc.gov

History

Columbus County was created in 1808. In 1810, a community was platted on land owned by James B. White for the purpose of creating a county seat and establishing government buildings.[6] It was originally known as White's Crossing before being incorporated under its present name in 1832.[7] A post office called Whiteville has been in operation since 1821.[8] The town was sacked by Union forces during the latter stages of the American Civil War.[9]

In 1950, Whiteville fielded a professional minor league baseball team in the Class D Tobacco State League. The Whiteville Tobs club lasted only one season before disbanding with the entire league.[10]

The Columbus County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[11]

Geography

Whiteville is located in north-central Columbus County within the Carolina Border Belt, a regional network of tobacco markets and warehouses along both sides of the North Carolina-South Carolina border.[12] Combined U.S. Routes 74 and 76 bypass the city on its north side and lead east 46 miles (74 km) to Wilmington. US 74 leads northwest 32 miles (51 km) to Lumberton, and US 76 leads west 67 miles (108 km) to Florence, South Carolina. U.S. Route 701 passes through the western side of Whiteville, leading north 23 miles (37 km) to Elizabethtown and southwest 44 miles (71 km) to Conway, South Carolina.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Whiteville has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14.1 km2), all land.[4]

Climate
Climate data for WHITEVILLE 7 NW, NC, 1991-2020 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 54.8
(12.7)		 57.8
(14.3)		 65.4
(18.6)		 73.9
(23.3)		 80.6
(27.0)		 86.8
(30.4)		 90.1
(32.3)		 88.2
(31.2)		 83.5
(28.6)		 74.8
(23.8)		 65.3
(18.5)		 57.7
(14.3)		 73.2
(22.9)
Daily mean °F (°C) 43.4
(6.3)		 45.8
(7.7)		 52.8
(11.6)		 61.1
(16.2)		 69.1
(20.6)		 76.4
(24.7)		 79.8
(26.6)		 78.2
(25.7)		 73.0
(22.8)		 62.8
(17.1)		 52.6
(11.4)		 46.1
(7.8)		 61.8
(16.6)
Average low °F (°C) 31.9
(−0.1)		 33.8
(1.0)		 40.2
(4.6)		 48.3
(9.1)		 57.6
(14.2)		 66.1
(18.9)		 69.5
(20.8)		 68.2
(20.1)		 62.6
(17.0)		 50.7
(10.4)		 39.9
(4.4)		 34.6
(1.4)		 50.3
(10.2)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.47
(88)		 3.31
(84)		 3.73
(95)		 3.53
(90)		 4.21
(107)		 4.61
(117)		 5.27
(134)		 5.91
(150)		 6.64
(169)		 3.51
(89)		 3.22
(82)		 3.47
(88)		 50.88
(1,292)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.5
(1.3)		 0.3
(0.76)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.4
(1.0)		 1.2
(3.0)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 9.3 9.0 9.2 7.9 8.9 9.8 10.4 11.5 9.1 7.0 7.7 9.3 109.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.9
Source: NOAA[13][14]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1890372—
190063470.4%
19101,368115.8%
19201,60417.3%
19302,20337.3%
19403,01136.7%
19504,23840.8%
19604,68310.5%
19704,195−10.4%
19805,56532.7%
19905,078−8.8%
20005,1481.4%
20105,3944.8%
20204,766−11.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]

2020 census
Whiteville racial composition[16]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 2,253 47.27%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 1,963 41.19%
Native American 63 1.32%
Asian 39 0.82%
Other/Mixed 209 4.39%
Hispanic or Latino 239 5.01%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,766 people, 2,153 households, and 1,337 families residing in the city. Between 2010 and 2020, the town lost 11.64 percent of its population.[17]

2000 census

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 5,148 people, 2,191 households, and 1,336 families residing in the city. The population density was 957.5 inhabitants per square mile (369.7/km2). There were 2,450 housing units at an average density of 455.7 per square mile (175.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 60.51% White, 36.67% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 2,191 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 20.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.9 males.

Less than a fourth of the citizens hold a bachelor's degree.[18]

The median income for a household in the city was $25,455, and the median income for a family was $34,128. Males had a median income of $35,074 versus $23,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,337. About 19.0% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.0% of those under age 18 and 33.7% of those age 65 or over, resulting in over a third of the residents living in poverty.[18]

Education

The Whiteville City School system includes the following schools:

Whiteville High School, home of the Wolfpack, competes in the NCHSAA 2A sports division and has won 19 state championships: nine in baseball (1983, 1985, 1989, 1991, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018), four individual track championships, one in team golf (1986), two in football (1965 and 1987), and three in basketball (1969, 1999, and 2000).[19][20][21][22]

Waccamaw Academy, which opened in 1968, closed in 2012.[23]

Southeastern Community College is located a few miles to the west of Whiteville.

Arts and culture
Downtown Whiteville

The city is the site of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville, a satellite museum of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Annual events include the North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival. In addition, the state-recognized Waccamaw Siouan tribe holds an annual powwow in October with numerous public events.

The News Reporter, the official newspaper that serves Columbus County, is based in Whiteville. It has been published since 1896.

The stretch of U.S. Route 701 through Columbus County is named for Whiteville's founder, James B. White, who was elected as Columbus County's first state senator.

Representation in other media

Transportation

Although the railroad tracks leading from west of town toward Lake Waccamaw have long been disconnected, Whiteville is served by the Columbus County Municipal Airport and several highways, which include U.S. Route 74, U.S. Route 76, U.S. Route 701, North Carolina Highway 130, and North Carolina Highway 131.

Notable people

References
  1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Whiteville, North Carolina
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Whiteville city, North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
  5. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. Corbitt 2000, p. 71.
  7. Powell 1976, p. 532.
  8. "Columbus County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  9. Justesen 2012, p. 12.
  10. Holaday, Chris (2016). "The Tobacco State League; A North Carolina Baseball History, 1946–1950".. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-6670-9.
  11. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  12. Yeargin, W.W. (2006). "Tobacco Belts". NCPedia. North Carolina Government & Heritage Library. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  13. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  14. "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  15. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  16. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  17. Schofield, Ivey (August 17, 2021). "Columbus leaders react to disappointing census results". The News Reporter. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  18. "This tiny North Carolina paper replaced the money it lost in advertising with money made in circulation". September 24, 2019.
  19. Baseball State Championship List. NCHSAA.
  20. Football State Championship List. NCHSAA.
  21. Men's Basketball State Champions List. NCHSAA.
  22. Men's Golf State Champions. NCHSAA.
  23. (May 23, 2012). Waccamaw Academy prepares to permanently close Friday. wect.com. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  24. Pat Lennon Stats. Baseball-Reference. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  25. "Ida Stephens Owens at the Bouchet Society".
  26. Charlie Ripple Player Card - The Baseball Cube. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  27. ABA Players-Reggie Royals. nasljerseys.com. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  28. Tuouy, William. (Sep 24, 1995). Air Strikes Are Why the America Was Built: Thousands Aboard Carrier Participate in Missions Over Bosnia. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  29. Ploski, Harry A.; Williams, James De Bois (1990). Reference Library of Black America. Vol. 3. Gale Group, Inc. p. 908. ISBN 978-0-7876-4367-6.
  30. Mike Wright Stats. Baseball-Reference. Retrieved June 26, 2020.

Works cited
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