Bessemer City, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Bessemer City is a small suburban city
in Gaston County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was 5,592 at the 2010 census. The city is approximately 6 miles northwest of Gastonia
and 25 miles west of Charlotte
. It was settled in 1756 and founded in 1893.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²), of which, 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.70%) is water. Elevation: 904 feet (275.5 m).
who created the Bessemer Process
for smelting iron. Bessemer City was founded on land purchased from the Ormand family, near the Sloan-Washington-Ormand Iron Furnace. Ironically, it was the Bessemer Process which made Bessemer City's early iron smelting industry obsolete.
The earliest European settlement in the Bessemer City area dates to 1754, when King George II of England granted about 2,000 acres (8.2 km) to James Ormand (b.1716 - d. 1771) who was married to the dau. of Adam Meek. His wife was Mary Meek Ormand. This land was named in his will, and was given to his children. One of his sons Jacob Ormand (b. 1743 - d. 1810) married 2nd. Elizabeth Leslie, niece of Andrew Jackson
. James Ormand established the Ormand Mining Company to extract iron ore. He was the son of James Ormand Sr. (b. 1669 - d. Feb. 20,1766) It is not known for sure when a furnace was built on the land, but it was before 1786, it was then called the Washington Furnace. Named after the family of Colonel John C. Washington. The Old Ormand Furnace was used to process most of the iron ore that was mined in the area and today is one of the oldest remaining furnaces in the country. Despite a local tale that cannon balls were made during the American Revolutionary War
, there is no proof the furnace was built that early. Please read paragraph 2 of this article and decide for yourself. The furnace was sold and later bought back by the family of Zenas Stanhope
Ormand (b. July 12, 1802 - d. July 28, 18780. The furance made iron implements and other products for local and statewide use and was in operation until the mid-19th century (when the Bessemer process made small furnace operations uneconomical). The "Old Furnace" is still owned by the Ormand Family Foundation and the site is used as a gathering place for the Ormand, Ormond Family Reunion, one of the oldest family reunions in America, held annually ever since 1897.
During the late 1840s, corn and cotton were the region’s two main crops. Whiskey production was also profitable. Gaston County had more licensed whiskey distilleries than any county in North Carolina.
In 1871, the Atlanta & Charlotte Division of the Richmond & Danville Railroad Company built through Gaston County. Laying the track through Whetstone Mountain, located west of modern-day Bessemer City, was considered a great engineering accomplishment. John Wooten built a general store next to the railroad on the site of present-day Bessemer City and called the store and depot "Wooten's Station"
In 1891, John Askew Smith, previously of Reidsville, North Carolina
, moved with his wife Fannie and brother-in-law, John A. Pinchback, to Gaston County. Smith purchased 1700 acres (6.9 km²) and wanted to establish a town on to the east of Whetstone Mountain. By 1893, Smith and other residents petitioned the North Carolina legislature to incorporate the town. On March 6, 1893, Bessemer City was officially chartered. Smith hired W.R. Richardson, an engineer from Guilford County, North Carolina
, to lay out the town. Smith's "Highacre" house, built in the early 20th century, is now occupied by the Eury family.
The population of Bessemer City at the time of its charter was very small, with only a few families, but by 1900 it had grown to between 500 and 600 people. In 1895, Stonewall Jackson Durham and John M. Odell incorporated Southern Cotton Mills and as their first venture completed and opened the failed Smith/Pinchback Mill. A series of textile mills opened by Smith and Pinchback; Durham and Odell; Frank, Robert and Max Goldberg; as well as the Ragan Spinning Company, gave Bessemer City its industrial foundation.
of 2000, there were 5,119 people, 2,009 households, and 1,436 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,205.6 people per square mile (465.0/km²). There were 2,149 housing units at an average density of 506.1 per square mile (195.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.49% White, 13.42% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 1.04% from other races
, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.50% of the population.
Ancestries:
For population 25 years and over in Bessemer City:
There were 2,009 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% 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 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,826, and the median income for a family was $39,759. Males had a median income of $31,357 versus $23,133 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,971. About 8.8% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
in Gaston County
Gaston County, North Carolina
Gaston County is a county located just west of Charlotte in the southern Piedmont in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third largest county, by population, in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area, officially designated the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,592 at the 2010 census. The city is approximately 6 miles northwest of Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
and 25 miles west of Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. It was settled in 1756 and founded in 1893.
Geography
Bessemer City is located at 35°17′3"N 81°16′58"W (35.284262, -81.282853).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²), of which, 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.70%) is water. Elevation: 904 feet (275.5 m).
History
Bessemer City is named for Sir Henry BessemerHenry Bessemer
Sir Henry Bessemer was an English engineer, inventor, and businessman. Bessemer's name is chiefly known in connection with the Bessemer process for the manufacture of steel.-Anthony Bessemer:...
who created the Bessemer Process
Bessemer process
The Bessemer process was the first inexpensive industrial process for the mass-production of steel from molten pig iron. The process is named after its inventor, Henry Bessemer, who took out a patent on the process in 1855. The process was independently discovered in 1851 by William Kelly...
for smelting iron. Bessemer City was founded on land purchased from the Ormand family, near the Sloan-Washington-Ormand Iron Furnace. Ironically, it was the Bessemer Process which made Bessemer City's early iron smelting industry obsolete.
The earliest European settlement in the Bessemer City area dates to 1754, when King George II of England granted about 2,000 acres (8.2 km) to James Ormand (b.1716 - d. 1771) who was married to the dau. of Adam Meek. His wife was Mary Meek Ormand. This land was named in his will, and was given to his children. One of his sons Jacob Ormand (b. 1743 - d. 1810) married 2nd. Elizabeth Leslie, niece of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. James Ormand established the Ormand Mining Company to extract iron ore. He was the son of James Ormand Sr. (b. 1669 - d. Feb. 20,1766) It is not known for sure when a furnace was built on the land, but it was before 1786, it was then called the Washington Furnace. Named after the family of Colonel John C. Washington. The Old Ormand Furnace was used to process most of the iron ore that was mined in the area and today is one of the oldest remaining furnaces in the country. Despite a local tale that cannon balls were made during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, there is no proof the furnace was built that early. Please read paragraph 2 of this article and decide for yourself. The furnace was sold and later bought back by the family of Zenas Stanhope
Stanhope
-Places:* Stanhope, Victoria, Australia* Stanhope, Prince Edward Island, Canada* Stanhope, Quebec, Canada* Stanhope, County Durham, England, UK* Stanhope, Kent, England, UK* Stanhope, Peeblesshire, Scotland, UK* Stanhope, Iowa, US* Stanhope, New Jersey, US...
Ormand (b. July 12, 1802 - d. July 28, 18780. The furance made iron implements and other products for local and statewide use and was in operation until the mid-19th century (when the Bessemer process made small furnace operations uneconomical). The "Old Furnace" is still owned by the Ormand Family Foundation and the site is used as a gathering place for the Ormand, Ormond Family Reunion, one of the oldest family reunions in America, held annually ever since 1897.
During the late 1840s, corn and cotton were the region’s two main crops. Whiskey production was also profitable. Gaston County had more licensed whiskey distilleries than any county in North Carolina.
In 1871, the Atlanta & Charlotte Division of the Richmond & Danville Railroad Company built through Gaston County. Laying the track through Whetstone Mountain, located west of modern-day Bessemer City, was considered a great engineering accomplishment. John Wooten built a general store next to the railroad on the site of present-day Bessemer City and called the store and depot "Wooten's Station"
In 1891, John Askew Smith, previously of Reidsville, North Carolina
Reidsville, North Carolina
Reidsville is a city located in Rockingham County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 14,485.Originally established in the early 19th century as an outpost and stop on the stage line that ran between Salisbury, NC and Danville, VA called Wrights Crossroads,...
, moved with his wife Fannie and brother-in-law, John A. Pinchback, to Gaston County. Smith purchased 1700 acres (6.9 km²) and wanted to establish a town on to the east of Whetstone Mountain. By 1893, Smith and other residents petitioned the North Carolina legislature to incorporate the town. On March 6, 1893, Bessemer City was officially chartered. Smith hired W.R. Richardson, an engineer from Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In 2010, the Census Bureau estimated the county's population to be 491,230. Its seat is Greensboro. Since 1938, an additional county court has been located in High Point, North Carolina, making Guilford one of only a handful...
, to lay out the town. Smith's "Highacre" house, built in the early 20th century, is now occupied by the Eury family.
The population of Bessemer City at the time of its charter was very small, with only a few families, but by 1900 it had grown to between 500 and 600 people. In 1895, Stonewall Jackson Durham and John M. Odell incorporated Southern Cotton Mills and as their first venture completed and opened the failed Smith/Pinchback Mill. A series of textile mills opened by Smith and Pinchback; Durham and Odell; Frank, Robert and Max Goldberg; as well as the Ragan Spinning Company, gave Bessemer City its industrial foundation.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,119 people, 2,009 households, and 1,436 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,205.6 people per square mile (465.0/km²). There were 2,149 housing units at an average density of 506.1 per square mile (195.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.49% White, 13.42% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 1.04% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.50% of the population.
Ancestries:
- United States, 21.4%
- German, 8.7%
- Irish, 7.8%
- English 5.6%
- Scots-Irish, 2.0%
- Dutch, 1.7%
For population 25 years and over in Bessemer City:
- High school or higher: 68.6%
- Bachelor's degree or higher: 7.7%
- Graduate or professional degree: 2.4%
- Unemployed: 7.0%
- Mean travel time to work: 24.5 minutes
There were 2,009 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% 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 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,826, and the median income for a family was $39,759. Males had a median income of $31,357 versus $23,133 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,971. About 8.8% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
Business and Industry
One of the largest industries in Bessemer City is FMC Lithium, Inc., the largest producer of lithium in the World. Lithium is used in many products including pharmaceuticals, batteries, ceramics, and construction products. Advanced Drainage Systems, the largest polyethylene pipe and fittings manufacturer in the country, operates a 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) facility in Bessemer City employing 100 people. Other manufacturers include Hunter Douglas (Designer Shades Division) and Dole. There is also still some agriculture in the form of Kiser's Dairy Farm, among others. In 2008, Kisers dairy was converted into a farm for raising angus beef cattle. Melvin Kiser is a descendent of one of the founding families of Bessemer City and he has about 200 animals.Famous residents
- Phil CrosbyPhil Crosby (American football)Phillip Jermaine Crosby is a former American football fullback who played in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills from 2001 until 2003. He played college football at the University of Tennessee and Coffeyville Community College....
- retired professional American FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player with the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL - Kevin MillwoodKevin MillwoodKevin Austin Millwood is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has previously played for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies.-Personal life:Millwood graduated from Bessemer City High School in North Carolina...
- professional baseball player - Jimmy WayneJimmy WayneJimmy Wayne Barber is an American country music singer and songwriter. He released his self-titled debut album in 2003 on the DreamWorks Records label. Four singles were released from it, including "Stay Gone" and "I Love You This Much", which both reached Top Ten on the Billboard country charts...
, Country singer & songwriter. Graduated from Bessemer City High School