Rocky Mount, North Carolina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Rocky Mount | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| U.S. state | North Carolina | ||
| County(s) | Edgecombe, Nash | ||
| Founded | Circa March 22, 1816 | ||
| Incorporated | February 28, 1867 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Frederick E. Turnage | ||
| 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) | ||
| - Urban | 41 sq mi (106 km²) | ||
| - Metro | 1,050 sq mi (2,718 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 100 ft (31 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - City | 55,893 | ||
| - Density | 1,571.4/sq mi (606.7/km²) | ||
| - Urban | 61,657 | ||
| - Metro | 143,026 | ||
| - Metro Density | 136/sq mi (53/km²) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| [[ZIP Code]] | 27801 | ||
| Website: www.ci.rocky-mount.nc.us | |||
Rocky Mount is a city of the coastal plains 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. The city straddles the county line, with part of it in Nash County and part of it in Edgecombe County. In 1996 the town of Battleboro merged with the city of Rocky Mount. It is the principal city of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of both Edgecombe and Nash counties and Rocky Mount. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 55,893.
The City of Rocky Mount has a growing arts community. The City operates an Arts Center, a Children's Museum & Science Center, and a Community Theatre at the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences .
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 92.7 km² (35.8 mi²). 92.1 km² (35.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (0.59%) is water.
[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 ,North Carolina Wesleyan College and Edgecombe Community College.
Nash Rocky Mount Schools, Parker Middle School, Edward's Junior High School, Faith Christian School, Rocky Mount High School, Rocky Mount Academy, Falls Road Baptist Church School(Rocky Mount, North Carolina)|, Johnson Elementary, Englewood Elementary, Northern Nash High School, Southern Nash High School, Nash Central High School, Nash Rocky Mount Early College High School, O.R. Pope Elementary School, and DS Johnson Elementary School,Winstead Ave. Elementary, Rocky Mount Prep. School, Nash Central Middle School
[edit] Demographics
There were 51,082 households out of which 45.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 30.2% 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 was 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 $62,661, and the median income for a family was $39,929. Males had a median income of $41,455 versus $34,409 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,804. In 2001 it had a population of 57,150. The population density was 606.7/km² (1,571.4/mi²). There were 70,000 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, 0.4% Native American, 0.40% 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 3.10% of the population. In addition, a significant portion of the population, regardless of race, has hereditary links to various Amerindian groups.
[edit] Growth & Development
Rocky Mount is a growing area, with many new residents settling in the area and several developments in the works.
[edit] Flood
In the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in 1999, 30% of Rocky Mount was estimated to be under water due to the flooding of the Tar River and Stoney Creek. Pictures
[edit] Famous Rocky Mount Natives
- J.J. Arrington, NFL running back
- Thurbert Baker, current Attorney General of the state of Georgia.
- Herman Boone, the coach on which the movie Remember the Titans was based, was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on October 28, 1935. Boone graduated from Booker T. Washington High School (later re-named Rocky Mount Senior High School) in 1954. He coached high school football in Virginia and North Carolina.
- Jim Clack, center for the 1970's Terry Bradshaw-led Pittsburg Steelers.
- Mike Easley, current Governor of the state of North Carolina.
- Phil Ford was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on February 9, 1956, and he graduated from Rocky Mount Senior High School in 1974.
- Kaye Gibbons, Critically Acclaimed Novelist
- Allan Gurganus, the American writer whose work is often set in North Carolina, was born in Rocky Mount in 1947.
- William B. Harrison, Jr. Chairman of JPMorgan Chase.
- Earle Hyman was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on October 11, 1926. He is best known for his role as Russell Huxtable, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable's father, on the The Cosby Show.
- Walter Fenner Leonard, better known as Buck Leonard, was a famous Negro League first baseman.
- Thelonious Sphere Monk was born on October 10, 1917, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Monk was a legendary jazz pianist known for his innovative techniques. He was among a select group of musicians responsible for the birth of a new form of jazz known as "bebop."
- G. Kennedy Thompson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
- Wachovia Corporation was born in Rocky Mount in 1950.
- 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", was born in Rocky Mount on March 8, 1960, and was the 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year and a 3-time NBA All-Star. Buck was also a President of NBA Players Association.
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead was born in Rocky Mount on November 28, 1984. A distant cousin of * Ava Gardner, she is a notable Hollywood actress and has appeared in productions such as Touched by an Angel and Final Destination 3 [1]
[edit] External links
- City of Rocky Mount (official website)
- Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce
[edit] Community links
- Rocky Mount Youth Area Soccer Association RMAYSA
- RMAYSA- Select Soccer
- North Carolina Wesleyan College
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
