Elkin, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Elkin is a town in Surry
and Wilkes
counties in the U.S. state
of North Carolina
, along the Yadkin River
. Elkin shares its name with the surrounding township
of Elkin Township
. The population was 4,109 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.4 km²), of which, 6.3 square miles (16.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (1.10%) is water.
of 2000, there were 4,109 people, 1,690 households, and 1,051 families residing in the town. The population density
was 655.7 people per square mile (253.0/km²). There were 1,854 housing units at an average density of 295.8 per square mile (114.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 84.11% White, 7.23% African American, 0.02% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 6.81% from other races
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.43% of the population.
There were 1,690 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples
living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,698, and the median income for a family was $38,667. Males had a median income of $29,514 versus $22,108 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,123. About 6.3% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
and the Big Elkin Creek has drawn people to the area of what is now Elkin, since the coming of the Paleo-Indians 10,000 years ago. The Sioux Indians settled along the Yadkin River as early as 500 BC. The first English colonists came in the mid-eighteenth century, Cherokee Indians were also in the area, although the Cherokees had been active in the French and Indian War
, they had joined in treaties with the English in 1763, followed by the events of the American Revolution
.
Alexander Chatham opened a small woolen mill in 1877 that grew to become Elkin’s largest industry for many decades, but as other mills in the area it has dwindled. The Northwestern North Carolina Railroad arrived in 1890; the town was ready to take the opportunities the railroad brought for commercial and industrial expansion. It’s strategic location near the Yadkin River and the Big Elkin Creek and as a stop on the railroad caused prosperity that produced brick stores, many industries, and fine houses.
The beginning of industry with the cotton mill, the Civil War involvement, the coming of the railroad, the town’s coping with the depression of the Thirties, and the two world wars heavily influenced the town's development.
once featured Elkin and its cruisers on the front page of the national news paper. However, a crackdown by local police in the late 1990s completely wiped out the once-vibrant weekend cruising scene leaving downtown Elkin deserted on weekend nights.
On Saturday, October 10, 2009, cruising life returned to downtown Elkin for the first time in almost 20 years. A fundraiser was held to raise money to restore the historic Reeves Theater in downtown Elkin. For a $5 donation, participants would be given a decal for their car and then be allowed cruise the former downtown cruising loop. Many people both young and old participated, with many parents who were cruisers in their younger days bringing their children out to show them how fun downtown Elkin used to be.
Elkin High School athletics are one of the most renown 1A programs in the state. The football program captured state titles in 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. They also won one in 1967 as a 3A program. Elkin has also produced numerous fencing, soccer, volleyball, tennis, swimming, and wrestling state championships.
passes along the eastern side of Elkin.
U.S. Highway 21 passes through Elkin.
.
Commercial flights are available through Piedmont Triad International Airport
in Greensboro
and Charlotte Douglas International Airport
.
Print
The Tribune
, a community newspaper published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, provides coverage of Elkin as well as nearby Jonesville
and parts of Wilkes County
and Yadkin County
. The Winston-Salem Journal
and Mount Airy News
, larger daily newspapers, also cover Surry County.
radio station (wifm.com) broadcasts from 813 N. Bridge Street in Elkin.
Elkin is part of the Piedmont Triad
radio and television market, but many broadcasts from the Charlotte
market also can be received.
Surry County, North Carolina
Surry County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 73,673. Its county seat is Dobson.- History :The county was formed in 1771 from Rowan County...
and Wilkes
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 2000 U.S. Census listed the county's population at 65,632; the 2010 U.S. Census listed the population at 69,340...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
, along the Yadkin River
Yadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
. Elkin shares its name with the surrounding township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
of Elkin Township
Elkin Township, Surry County, North Carolina
Elkin Township is one of fifteen townships in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. The township had a population of 6,524 according to the 2000 census....
. The population was 4,109 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Elkin is located at 36°15′28"N 80°51′5"W (36.257709, -80.851296).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 town has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.4 km²), of which, 6.3 square miles (16.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (1.10%) is water.
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 4,109 people, 1,690 households, and 1,051 families residing in the town. 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 655.7 people per square mile (253.0/km²). There were 1,854 housing units at an average density of 295.8 per square mile (114.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 84.11% White, 7.23% African American, 0.02% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 6.81% 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 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.43% of the population.
There were 1,690 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% 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, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,698, and the median income for a family was $38,667. Males had a median income of $29,514 versus $22,108 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 town was $21,123. About 6.3% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
The flowing together of the Yadkin RiverYadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
and the Big Elkin Creek has drawn people to the area of what is now Elkin, since the coming of the Paleo-Indians 10,000 years ago. The Sioux Indians settled along the Yadkin River as early as 500 BC. The first English colonists came in the mid-eighteenth century, Cherokee Indians were also in the area, although the Cherokees had been active in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, they had joined in treaties with the English in 1763, followed by the events of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
Alexander Chatham opened a small woolen mill in 1877 that grew to become Elkin’s largest industry for many decades, but as other mills in the area it has dwindled. The Northwestern North Carolina Railroad arrived in 1890; the town was ready to take the opportunities the railroad brought for commercial and industrial expansion. It’s strategic location near the Yadkin River and the Big Elkin Creek and as a stop on the railroad caused prosperity that produced brick stores, many industries, and fine houses.
The beginning of industry with the cotton mill, the Civil War involvement, the coming of the railroad, the town’s coping with the depression of the Thirties, and the two world wars heavily influenced the town's development.
Cruising
Elkin had the biggest cruising community on the east coast during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. USA TODAYUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
once featured Elkin and its cruisers on the front page of the national news paper. However, a crackdown by local police in the late 1990s completely wiped out the once-vibrant weekend cruising scene leaving downtown Elkin deserted on weekend nights.
On Saturday, October 10, 2009, cruising life returned to downtown Elkin for the first time in almost 20 years. A fundraiser was held to raise money to restore the historic Reeves Theater in downtown Elkin. For a $5 donation, participants would be given a decal for their car and then be allowed cruise the former downtown cruising loop. Many people both young and old participated, with many parents who were cruisers in their younger days bringing their children out to show them how fun downtown Elkin used to be.
Education
Elkin is served by the Elkin city school system. It operates an elementary school (Grades 1-6) with a population of approximately 700, a middle school (Grades 7-8) and a high school (Grades 9-12) with approximately 384 students. The high school has had new developments made to the building; the construction of the new science, math, and CTE programs completed in the 2006-2007 school year, leaving construction of the English and history building to be completed later on.Elkin High School athletics are one of the most renown 1A programs in the state. The football program captured state titles in 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. They also won one in 1967 as a 3A program. Elkin has also produced numerous fencing, soccer, volleyball, tennis, swimming, and wrestling state championships.
Highways
Interstate 77Interstate 77
Interstate 77 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the old U.S...
passes along the eastern side of Elkin.
U.S. Highway 21 passes through Elkin.
Airports
The town is served by Elkin Municipal AirportElkin Municipal Airport
Elkin Municipal Airport is a public airport located three miles northeast of the central business district of Elkin, a town in Surry County, North Carolina, USA. This general aviation airport covers 91 acres and has one runway.- External links :...
.
Commercial flights are available through Piedmont Triad International Airport
Piedmont Triad International Airport
Piedmont Triad International Airport is an airport just west of Greensboro, serving Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem as well as the entire Piedmont Triad Region in North Carolina. The airport has 3 runways; the third opened January 27, 2010 for traffic. The airport is located just off...
in Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
and Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...
.
The Tribune (Elkin, North Carolina)
The Tribune is a tri-weekly newspaper published in Elkin, North Carolina. It has covered the tri-county area of Surry, Wilkes, and Yadkin counties since 1911. The Tribune has an average paid circulation of about 3,000.-Overview:...
, a community newspaper published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, provides coverage of Elkin as well as nearby Jonesville
Jonesville, North Carolina
Jonesville is the oldest town in Yadkin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,464 at the 2000 census. However, it grew by nearly 800 residents in 2001 when it merged with neighboring Arlington. The county seat is Yadkinville. The closest large city is Winston-Salem away....
and parts of Wilkes County
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 2000 U.S. Census listed the county's population at 65,632; the 2010 U.S. Census listed the population at 69,340...
and Yadkin County
Yadkin County, North Carolina
- Cities and towns :*Boonville*East Bend*Jonesville*Yadkinville-Towns of the past:These towns were incorporated at one time:*Arlington, merged with Jonesville in 2001.*Hamptonville, chartered in 1818.*Huntsville, incorporated in 1792....
. The Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem Journal
The Winston-Salem Journal is a daily newspaper primarily serving the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and its county, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It also features coverage of Northwestern North Carolina and circulates as far west as Tennessee and north to Virginia.The paper is owned by...
and Mount Airy News
Mount Airy News
The Mount Airy News is a 7-day a week newspaper published in Mount Airy, North Carolina. It was established in 1880. The News has a circulation of 9,263 according to The Park's LIbrary List of North Carolina newspapers....
, larger daily newspapers, also cover Surry County.
Broadcast
WIFM 100.9 FMFM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
radio station (wifm.com) broadcasts from 813 N. Bridge Street in Elkin.
Elkin is part of the Piedmont Triad
Piedmont Triad
The Piedmont Triad, or Triad, is a north-central region of the U.S. state of North Carolina that consists of the area within and surrounding the three major cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group or "triad" of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the...
radio and television market, but many broadcasts from the 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...
market also can be received.