Mount Holly, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Mount Holly is a small suburban city
in northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina
, United States. The city is situated on the western bank of the Catawba River
in the Southern Piedmont area of North Carolina, north of Interstate 85
, south of North Carolina State Highway 16
, and west of Charlotte
. The population was 9,618 at the 2000 census.
Historic sites in Mount Holly include St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, built in 1843; the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1881; the C.E. Hutchinson House and Augusta Rhyne Cannon, 1894; and the Dellinger-Nantz House, 1899.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 8 square miles (20.7 km²), of which, 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (2.51%) is water.
around 1750. In 1754, a land grant was issued to James Kuykendall of Holland in the locale known as Dutchman’s Creek. Later in 1838, a post office in the area was named Woodlawn. In 1875, the name of the town was changed to Mount Holly, after the Mount Holly Cotton Mill that was started that year. The name “Mount Holly” was used in recognition of the famed yarn made at a spinning mill in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
A.P. and D.E. Rhyne and Ambrose Costner originally owned the Mount Holly Cotton Mill. It was the fourth mill to be built in Gaston County and is the oldest surviving mill today. The mill’s success and the prosperity of the area as a whole led local residents to petition the North Carolina General Assembly for incorporation of Mount Holly in 1879.
The first railroad in Gaston County, the Carolina Central Railway, began serving Mount Holly in 1860. The line, which runs parallel with North Carolina State Highway 27
, is still in service and operated by CSX. In 1911, construction began on the area’s second railroad known as the Piedmont and Northern Railway
. On May 20, 1912 it made its first run from Charlotte to Gastonia.
Electricity became available to homes and businesses around the turn of the twentieth century. The Woodlawn Mill, located on Woodlawn Avenue, was built in 1906 and was the first mill in Gaston County to be served with electricity.
of 2000, there were 9,618 people, 4,028 households, and 2,658 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,236.3 people per square mile (477.3/km²). There were 4,241 housing units at an average density of 545.2 per square mile (210.5/km²). The racial composition of the city was: 86.05% White, 9.58% Black or African American
, 2.80% Asian American
, 2.12% Hispanic or Latino American
, 0.35% Native American
, 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
, 0.75% some other race
, and 1.06% two or more races
.
There were 4,028 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples
living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,459, and the median income for a family was $46,295. Males had a median income of $32,128 versus $23,965 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,161. About 8.2% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
is elected every two years in November, and the Council Members, elected at-large, serve four-year staggered terms. The City Council appoints a professional City Manager
to run the day-to-day operations.
, and East Gaston High School
are the public schools that serve Mount Holly. All four schools are part of the Gaston County Schools
. Because of Mount Holly's geographical location, residents there have access to a number of public and private colleges and universities, including Belmont Abbey College
, Gaston College
, Central Piedmont Community College
, Queens University of Charlotte
, Pfeiffer University
, Johnson and Wales University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
, and Johnson C. Smith University
.
The Gaston-Lincoln Regional Public Library System, which serves Gaston County
and Lincoln County
, has a branch in Mount Holly.
and Gastonia
, have created conditions for an expanding population in recent years.
The textile industry continues to play a significant role in the Mount Holly area. The Gaston County Economic Development Commission’s current Manufacturing Directory lists nineteen manufacturing firms in the area, ten of which are textile related. The city’s largest textile firm is American & Efird, Inc. (A&E), the world’s second-largest thread maker. The firm was created with a 1952 merger of American Yarn and Processing Company (located in Mount Holly) and the Efird Manufacturing Company (located in Albemarle, North Carolina
). American Yarn had its start in 1891 when Charles Egbert Hutchison founded the Nims Manufacturing Company on Dutchman's Creek. With six plants and their corporate offices in Mount Holly, A&E employs over 980 persons, and maintains a strong presence in the community. Other textile businesses in Mount Holly include a large textile dyestuff plant of Swiss firm Clariant and a denim mill of Burlington Industries
.
In 1990, the Freightliner Trucks
Manufacturing Plant was annexed into the city. Freightliner and its subsidiary businesses have been a significant employer in Mount Holly since 1979.
Since 2007, National Gypsum has operated a wallboard plant in Mount Holly. While gypsum wallboard is typically produced from gypsum rock, the Mount Holly plant uses byproduct gypsum produced by sulfur dioxide scrubbers at four of Duke Power’s coal-fired power plants.
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 northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina
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...
, United States. The city is situated on the western bank of the Catawba River
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
in the Southern Piedmont area of North Carolina, north of Interstate 85
Interstate 85
Interstate 85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond...
, south of North Carolina State Highway 16
North Carolina State Highway 16
North Carolina Highway 16 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It runs from NC 75, in Waxhaw, to the Virginia state line, near the community of Grassy Creek.-Route description:...
, and 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...
. The population was 9,618 at the 2000 census.
Historic sites in Mount Holly include St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, built in 1843; the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1881; the C.E. Hutchinson House and Augusta Rhyne Cannon, 1894; and the Dellinger-Nantz House, 1899.
Geography
Mount Holly is located at 35°17′43"N 81°1′10"W (35.295178, -81.019319).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 8 square miles (20.7 km²), of which, 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (2.51%) is water.
History
Land grants were first issued in the Mount Holly area by King George II of Great BritainGeorge II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
around 1750. In 1754, a land grant was issued to James Kuykendall of Holland in the locale known as Dutchman’s Creek. Later in 1838, a post office in the area was named Woodlawn. In 1875, the name of the town was changed to Mount Holly, after the Mount Holly Cotton Mill that was started that year. The name “Mount Holly” was used in recognition of the famed yarn made at a spinning mill in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
A.P. and D.E. Rhyne and Ambrose Costner originally owned the Mount Holly Cotton Mill. It was the fourth mill to be built in Gaston County and is the oldest surviving mill today. The mill’s success and the prosperity of the area as a whole led local residents to petition the North Carolina General Assembly for incorporation of Mount Holly in 1879.
The first railroad in Gaston County, the Carolina Central Railway, began serving Mount Holly in 1860. The line, which runs parallel with North Carolina State Highway 27
North Carolina State Highway 27
North Carolina Highway 27 is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina. The route traverses through southern and central North Carolina, about of it as a concurrency with North Carolina Highway 24.-Route description:...
, is still in service and operated by CSX. In 1911, construction began on the area’s second railroad known as the Piedmont and Northern Railway
Piedmont and Northern Railway
The Piedmont & Northern Railway was a heavy electric interurban company operating over two disconnected divisions in North and South Carolina. Tracks spanned total between the two segments, with the northern division running from Charlotte, to Gastonia, North Carolina, including a three-mile ...
. On May 20, 1912 it made its first run from Charlotte to Gastonia.
Electricity became available to homes and businesses around the turn of the twentieth century. The Woodlawn Mill, located on Woodlawn Avenue, was built in 1906 and was the first mill in Gaston County to be served with electricity.
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 9,618 people, 4,028 households, and 2,658 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 1,236.3 people per square mile (477.3/km²). There were 4,241 housing units at an average density of 545.2 per square mile (210.5/km²). The racial composition of the city was: 86.05% White, 9.58% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 2.80% Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 2.12% Hispanic or Latino American
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
, 0.35% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.75% some other race
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 1.06% two or more races
Multiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
.
There were 4,028 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% 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, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,459, and the median income for a family was $46,295. Males had a median income of $32,128 versus $23,965 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 $20,161. About 8.2% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The City of Mount Holly has a Council-Manager form of government with a Mayor and six Council Members. The MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is elected every two years in November, and the Council Members, elected at-large, serve four-year staggered terms. The City Council appoints a professional City Manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
to run the day-to-day operations.
Education
Two elementary schools (Pinewood and Rankin), Mount Holly Middle SchoolMount Holly Middle School
Mount Holly Middle School is a public middle school in the Gaston County Schools school district located in Mount Holly, North Carolina, United States.Jennifer Reep serves as principal. The Assistant principal is Jason Douvikas....
, and East Gaston High School
East Gaston High School
East Gaston High School is a public high school that is part of the Gaston County Schools and is located in Mount Holly, North Carolina, United States. The school was established in 1972 when high schools in the neighboring communities of Mount Holly and Stanley were consolidated...
are the public schools that serve Mount Holly. All four schools are part of the Gaston County Schools
Gaston County Schools
Gaston County Schools is a public school district located in Gaston County, North Carolina. With 32,437 students enrolled in 54 schools as of the 2008/09 academic year, it is the seventh largest public school district in North Carolina.-Schools:...
. Because of Mount Holly's geographical location, residents there have access to a number of public and private colleges and universities, including Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College is a private liberal-arts Catholic college located in Belmont, North Carolina, USA west of Uptown Charlotte. It was founded in 1876 by the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey...
, Gaston College
Gaston College
Gaston College is a community college located in Dallas, North Carolina.Serving Gaston County and Lincoln County, Gaston College enrolls over 5,000 students each term in curriculum programs and about 16,000 students in continuing education programs...
, Central Piedmont Community College
Central Piedmont Community College
Central Piedmont Community College is a large community college in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The school was founded in 1963; it is the result of a merger between Mecklenburg College and the Central Industrial Education Center....
, Queens University of Charlotte
Queens University of Charlotte
Queens University of Charlotte is a private, co-educational, comprehensive university located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school has approximately 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students through the College of Arts and Sciences, the McColl School of Business, the Wayland H. Cato, Jr. School...
, Pfeiffer University
Pfeiffer University
Pfeiffer University is a private university located in the village of Misenheimer near Richfield, North Carolina.- History :Pfeiffer originated from a home school operated by Miss Emily Prudden in the late 19th century...
, Johnson and Wales University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte , also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
, and Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University is a private, co-ed, four-year liberal arts institution of higher learning located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. JCSU is also a historically black college...
.
The Gaston-Lincoln Regional Public Library System, which serves 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...
and Lincoln County
Lincoln County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 71,498 people, 24,041 households, and 18,174 families residing in the county. The population density was 214 people per square mile . There were 25,717 housing units at an average density of 86 per square mile...
, has a branch in Mount Holly.
Economy
Improvements in the regional transportation network and the economic growth of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, and Mount Holly's strategic location between CharlotteCharlotte, 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...
and 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,...
, have created conditions for an expanding population in recent years.
The textile industry continues to play a significant role in the Mount Holly area. The Gaston County Economic Development Commission’s current Manufacturing Directory lists nineteen manufacturing firms in the area, ten of which are textile related. The city’s largest textile firm is American & Efird, Inc. (A&E), the world’s second-largest thread maker. The firm was created with a 1952 merger of American Yarn and Processing Company (located in Mount Holly) and the Efird Manufacturing Company (located in Albemarle, North Carolina
Albemarle, North Carolina
Albemarle is the county seat of Stanly County, North Carolina. The population was 15,680 at the 2000 census. It is governed by Mayor Elbert L. "Whit" Whitley, Jr...
). American Yarn had its start in 1891 when Charles Egbert Hutchison founded the Nims Manufacturing Company on Dutchman's Creek. With six plants and their corporate offices in Mount Holly, A&E employs over 980 persons, and maintains a strong presence in the community. Other textile businesses in Mount Holly include a large textile dyestuff plant of Swiss firm Clariant and a denim mill of Burlington Industries
Burlington Industries
Burlington Industries is a diversified U. S. fabric maker based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1923, the company has operations in the United States, Mexico, and India and a global manufacturing and product development network based in Hong Kong. The company entered Chapter 11...
.
In 1990, the Freightliner Trucks
Freightliner Trucks
Freightliner Trucks is an American manufacturer of heavy duty trucks, chassis and semi-trailer trucks in the United States. The company was founded as Freightliner Inc in 1942 and is now a division of Daimler Trucks North America, a subsidiary of the German Daimler AG...
Manufacturing Plant was annexed into the city. Freightliner and its subsidiary businesses have been a significant employer in Mount Holly since 1979.
Since 2007, National Gypsum has operated a wallboard plant in Mount Holly. While gypsum wallboard is typically produced from gypsum rock, the Mount Holly plant uses byproduct gypsum produced by sulfur dioxide scrubbers at four of Duke Power’s coal-fired power plants.