Shelby, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Shelby is a city in Cleveland County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was 19,477 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Cleveland County
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 18.2 square miles (47.1 km²), of which, 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.11%) is water.
of 2010, there were 20,429 people, 7,927 households, and 5,144 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,073.8 people per square mile (414.6/km²). There were 8,853 housing units at an average density of 488.1 per square mile (188.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 53.88% White, 48.97% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races
, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.
There were 7,927 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% 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 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,345, and the median income for a family was $38,603. Males had a median income of $30,038 versus $21,362 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,708. About 14.3% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
In their October 9, 2008 issue, Forbes magazine named Shelby, North Carolina the third most vulnerable city in America because of the high unemployment rate, poverty rate, and lack of economical development.
.
A fictionalized version of the city is the setting of HBO comedy show, Eastbound & Down
. Filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina
, it bears little geographic or cultural resemblance to the real place. Actor–writer Danny McBride chose the location as an inspiration because of its size, attitude, and name.
In the 10th episode of the TV show Make It or Break It, Shelby is mentioned as being the location of Lauren Tanner's mother.
On the 41st episode of the TV show Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern
, the host travels to the annual Livermush festival in Shelby.
On November 11, 2007, the Oxygen Network's "Captured" aired a profile of the The Brenda Sue Brown Murder
mystery that took place in Shelby, North Carolina in 1966.
Cleveland County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile . There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile...
, 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 19,477 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Cleveland County
Cleveland County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile . There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile...
.
Geography
Shelby is located at 35°17′18"N 81°32′16"W (35.288272, -81.537787).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 18.2 square miles (47.1 km²), of which, 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.11%) 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 2010, there were 20,429 people, 7,927 households, and 5,144 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 1,073.8 people per square mile (414.6/km²). There were 8,853 housing units at an average density of 488.1 per square mile (188.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 53.88% White, 48.97% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.72% 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 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.
There were 7,927 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% 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 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,345, and the median income for a family was $38,603. Males had a median income of $30,038 versus $21,362 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 $18,708. About 14.3% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
In their October 9, 2008 issue, Forbes magazine named Shelby, North Carolina the third most vulnerable city in America because of the high unemployment rate, poverty rate, and lack of economical development.
Annual events
- Cleveland County Fair - October 1, 2009 marked the 85th anniversary of the Cleveland County Fair. The Cleveland County Fair is one of the biggest in the state. Around 200,000 visitors attend each year and more and more people are coming every year.
- LivermushLivermushLivermush is a Southern United States food product composed of pig liver, head parts, and cornmeal. It is commonly spiced with pepper and sage...
Expo - Shelby, North Carolina hosts an annual LivermushLivermushLivermush is a Southern United States food product composed of pig liver, head parts, and cornmeal. It is commonly spiced with pepper and sage...
Exposition, which began in 1987 to celebrate the unique delicacy. In that year the Cleveland County Commissioners and the Shelby City Council passed resolutions proclaiming that "livermushLivermushLivermush is a Southern United States food product composed of pig liver, head parts, and cornmeal. It is commonly spiced with pepper and sage...
is the most delicious, most economical and most versatile of meats."
- Alive After Five Outdoor Concerts- Live music on the court square, presented by the Uptown Shelby Association and its community partners. Food and beverage vendors on site, Uptown restaurants open late for dinner.
- American Legion World SeriesAmerican Legion BaseballAmerican Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by teenage boys in 50 states in the USA. More than five thousand teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1925 at Milbank, South Dakota...
- Between 2011 and 2013 Shelby will play host to the American Legion World Series with a view to becoming the permanent home of the tournament. In order to host the event Shelby High SchoolShelby High SchoolShelby High School is the name of several high schools in the United States:* Shelby High School , in Shelby, Oceana County, Michigan* Shelby High School , in Shelby, Nebraska...
's Hoyt S. Keeter Stadium underwent an extensive renovation and expansion to 5,500-capacity.
In popular culture
The film adaptation of the novel Blood Done Signed My Name was filmed in Shelby, as well as the film adaptations of The Hunger GamesThe Hunger Games (film)
The Hunger Games is an upcoming science fiction action drama film directed by Gary Ross and is based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth...
.
A fictionalized version of the city is the setting of HBO comedy show, Eastbound & Down
Eastbound & Down
Eastbound & Down is an American comedy television series broadcast on HBO, starring Danny McBride as Kenny Powers, a former professional baseball pitcher, who after an up and down career in the major leagues is forced to return to his hometown middle-school in Shelby, North Carolina, as a...
. Filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
, it bears little geographic or cultural resemblance to the real place. Actor–writer Danny McBride chose the location as an inspiration because of its size, attitude, and name.
In the 10th episode of the TV show Make It or Break It, Shelby is mentioned as being the location of Lauren Tanner's mother.
On the 41st episode of the TV show Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern
Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern
Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern is a documentary-styled travel and cuisine television show hosted by Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel. The first season debuted on Monday, February 26, 2007 at 9pm ET/PT....
, the host travels to the annual Livermush festival in Shelby.
On November 11, 2007, the Oxygen Network's "Captured" aired a profile of the The Brenda Sue Brown Murder
The Brenda Sue Brown Murder
On July 27, 1966, rescue workers found the nude body of eleven year old missing child Brenda Sue Brown in a wooded area near downtown Shelby, North Carolina...
mystery that took place in Shelby, North Carolina in 1966.
Notable people
- Bobby BellBobby BellBobby Lee Bell, Sr is a former professional American football linebacker/defensive end. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Chiefs' team that won Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings.- High school career :He excelled in...
, NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Hall of Famer - Charles C. Blanton US Air Force Lieutenant General
- Alicia BridgesAlicia BridgesAlicia Bridges is an American singer who co-wrote and performed her international hit "I Love the Nightlife " in 1978.-Early years:...
, disco singer - Bill ChampionBill ChampionBuford Billy Champion , is a retired American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who played in 202 games in the Major Leagues from -. He would play for the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies.-External links:...
, MLB player. - Morris DavisMorris DavisColonel Morris D. Davis is a United States Air Force officer and lawyer, was appointed to serve as the third Chief Prosecutor in the Guantanamo military commissions....
, Colonel in US Air Force - Thomas Dixon, Jr.Thomas Dixon, Jr.Thomas F. Dixon, Jr. was an American Baptist minister, playwright, lecturer, North Carolina state legislator, lawyer, and author, perhaps best known for writing The Clansman — which was to become the inspiration for D. W...
, minister, author - Eddie DodsonEddie DodsonEddie Dodson was known as the New York Yankees Bandit. Before his death he was connected to 72 bank robberies.- Early life :...
, bank robber - Manny FernandezManny Fernandez (wrestler)Emanuel "Manny" Fernandez is an American professional wrestler currently wrestling for different independent promotions. He is best known by the his ring name "The Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez.-Professional wrestling career:...
, "The Raging Bull", professional wrestler, former NFL player - David FlairDavid FlairDavid Richard Fliehr better known by his ring name David Flair is a professional wrestler best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling , where he held the United States and World Tag Team championships...
, Professional Wrestler - Oliver Max GardnerOliver Max GardnerOliver Max Gardner was the 57th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1929 to 1933.-Early years and education:...
, 57th Governor of North CarolinaGovernor of North CarolinaThe Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:... - Alvin GentryAlvin GentryAlvin Gentry is an American professional basketball coach, and college basketball player, who has led four different NBA teams. He served as an interim coach for the Miami Heat at the end of the 1995 season, and later coached the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Clippers...
, Head coachCoach (sport)In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
of the Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
of the NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Don GibsonDon GibsonDonald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was...
, Country Music Hall of Famer - Kay Hagan, current junior SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from North Carolina. - Robert HarrillRobert HarrillRobert E. Harrill or Robert Harrell, , was known as "The Fort Fisher Hermit". He became a hermit in 1955 at the age of 62 after a string of unsuccessful and unsatisfying jobs and a failed marriage. Harrill hitchhiked to Fort Fisher on the North Carolina Coast from Morganton, North Carolina, a...
, The Fort Fisher Hermit - Keith E. HaynesKeith E. HaynesKeith E. Haynes is an American politician and lawyer. Haynes was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. He represents the 44th Legislative District in the Maryland House of Delegates and is the current Vice-Chair of the Baltimore City Delegation. As a...
, Maryland Statesman, Lawyer - Trey Hill, Grammy-nominated Guitarist, Songwriter and Producer. See SONICFLOOdSONICFLOOdSonicflood is an American Christian Worship band from Nashville, Tennessee. Originally under the name Zilch, the band formed in 1997. The group took the name Sonicflood in 1998 as they became known as a praise and worship band following some line-up changes...
. - Norris HopperNorris HopperNorris Stephen Hopper is an outfielder who is presently with the Somerset Patriots. He attended Shelby High School, and in addition to his baseball abilities was an outstanding quarterback for the school's football team...
, MLB player - Hatcher HughesHatcher HughesHatcher Hughes was an American playwright who lived in Grover, NC, as featured in the book Images of America. He was on the teaching staff of Columbia University from 1912 onward...
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winner - Charlie Justice, NFL player, two-time Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
runner-up - Doug LimerickDoug LimerickDoug Limerick is an American radio personality. He has been a news correspondent for ABC Radio Networks since 1982. In March 2009, he was chosen as a possible successor to Paul Harvey on the radio show The Rest of the Story...
, ABC radio newscaster - Patty LovelessPatty LovelessPatty Loveless , is an American country music singer.Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first album, Loveless has been one of the most popular female singers of the Neotraditional country movement, although she has also recorded albums in the Country pop and...
, country music singer - Scottie MontgomeryScottie MontgomeryScottie Montgomery is an American football coach and former wide receiver. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.-Early years:...
, NFL wide receiver, Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Arena Football League player - Travis PadgettTravis PadgettTravis Padgett is a track and field sprint athlete who competes internationally for the United States. He was an All-American and national champion sprinter at Clemson University....
, Olympic athlete in Track & Field - Floyd PattersonFloyd PattersonFloyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
, heavyweight boxing champion, Boxing Hall Of Famer - Mel PhillipsMel PhillipsMelvin Phillips , is a former American professional football player who played his entire 12-year NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers. He has been an assistant coach with the Miami Dolphins since 1985....
, former NFL safety, former NFL coach - Rodney Allen RippyRodney Allen RippyRodney Allen Rippy is an American former child actor. He appeared in TV commercials for the fast-food chain Jack in the Box in the early 1970s, as well as in numerous roles in television and movies....
, former child actor - Earl ScruggsEarl ScruggsEarl Eugene Scruggs is an American musician noted for perfecting and popularizing a 3-finger banjo-picking style that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music...
, banjo player and composer on Hollywood Walk Of FameHollywood Walk of FameThe Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California... - Isaac ShelbyIsaac ShelbyIsaac Shelby was the first and fifth Governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky and served in the state legislatures of Virginia and North Carolina. He was also a soldier in Lord Dunmore's War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812...
, soldier, governor - Charlotte SmithCharlotte Smith (basketball player)Charlotte Smith was a professional basketball player for the Charlotte Sting, Washington Mystics, and Indiana Fever in the WNBA and for the Colorado Xplosion and San Jose Lasers in the ABL...
, WNBA basketball player - Brandon SpikesBrandon Spikes-2010 season:Spikes was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract on July 26, 2010. Spikes quickly became a starter at inside linebacker in the Patriots 3–4 defense, alongside Jerod Mayo. Against Baltimore in Week 6 of his rookie...
, 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...
linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... - Billy StandridgeBilly StandridgeBilly Standridge is a former NASCAR driver. He began running the NASCAR Busch Series in 1986, when he finished 14th at the All Pro 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in his own Pontiac. After that, he began running a limited schedule in the Busch Series, posting five top-ten finishes in 84 starts, the...
, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver - Tim SteeleTim Steele (racing)Tim Steele is a retired American stock car racer. He won three ARCA Remax Series national championships and raced in NASCAR's highest three series. He was inducted in the Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.-Background:Steele began racing as a 5-year-old in motorcycle ice racing...
, 3-time ARCA champion, NASCAR driver - David ThompsonDavid Thompson (basketball)David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
, NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
Hall of Famer - Cliff WashburnCliff WashburnClifton "Cliff" Washburn is a gridiron football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
, NFL offensive tackle, Houston TexansHouston TexansThe Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Tim WilkisonTim WilkisonTim Wilkison is a former professional male tennis player from the United States.Wilkison was the #1 ranked junior in the United States and went on to play professional tennis for over 25 years. He won 6 singles titles and 9 doubles championships...
, Tennis - Tom Wright, MLB player.