Taylorsville, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Taylorsville is a town in Alexander County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was 1,799 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Alexander County
.
Taylorsville is part of the Hickory
–Lenoir
–Morganton
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
The land for the town was donated by J.M. Bogle who gave 22 acres (89,030.9 m²), William Matheson who gave 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) and James James who gave 11 acres for a total of 46 acres. Most of the land was woodland and the road from Statesville to Morganton passed to the South of town.
A commission of Alexander C. McIntosh, R.L. Steel, Sion Harrington, J.H. Newland, and George Swain, treasurer, were appointed to lay out the town of Taylorsville and sell lots to raise money for the building of a courthouse and jail.
An auction of lots was held August 11, 1847 and 47 lots were sold. The second sale was November 30, 1847 and 10 lots were sold. At a third auction on March 8, 1848, five lots were sold. The total amounted to $6,674.75.
The Town of Taylorsville was incorporated in 1851.
The first mayor was John Watts and was appointed by the commissioners. The boundaries of the incorporated town would be square and each side 160 poles or one-half mile.
of 2000, there were 1,799 people, 746 households, and 446 families residing in the town. The population density
was 897.6 people per square mile (347.3/km2). There were 819 housing units at an average density of 408.6 per square mile (158.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 82.71% White, 11.40% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 3.50% from other races
, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.17% of the population.
There were 746 households out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples
living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 25.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $24,875, and the median income for a family was $34,063. Males had a median income of $29,737 versus $20,135 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $14,876. About 12.7% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.
Alexander County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 33,603 people, 13,137 households, and 9,747 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 14,098 housing units at an average density of 54 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 1,799 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 Alexander County
Alexander County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 33,603 people, 13,137 households, and 9,747 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 14,098 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile...
.
Taylorsville is part of the Hickory
Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...
–Lenoir
Lenoir, North Carolina
Lenoir is a city in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 18,228 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County. Lenoir is located in the Blue Ridge foothills. The city also contains the Brushy Mountains, a spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains...
–Morganton
Morganton, North Carolina
Morganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Unifour
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area or The Unifor, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties in the Catawba Valley region of western North Carolina...
.
Geography
Taylorsville is located at 35.917869°N 81.174561°W.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 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
History
The Town of Taylorsville was formed in 1847 along with Alexander County. As stated in the Heritage of Alexander County, published by the Alexander County Genealogical Society: A commission of William Dula of Caldwell Co., Dr. James Calloway of Wilkes, Co., Milton Campbell of Iredell Co., and Robert Allen, Reuben Watts and Robert L. Steel of Alexander County were named to select a site as near the center of the county as possible for the seat of justice. The town was named Taylorsville in honor of General Zachary Taylor who at that time was in Mexico engaged in a war.The land for the town was donated by J.M. Bogle who gave 22 acres (89,030.9 m²), William Matheson who gave 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) and James James who gave 11 acres for a total of 46 acres. Most of the land was woodland and the road from Statesville to Morganton passed to the South of town.
A commission of Alexander C. McIntosh, R.L. Steel, Sion Harrington, J.H. Newland, and George Swain, treasurer, were appointed to lay out the town of Taylorsville and sell lots to raise money for the building of a courthouse and jail.
An auction of lots was held August 11, 1847 and 47 lots were sold. The second sale was November 30, 1847 and 10 lots were sold. At a third auction on March 8, 1848, five lots were sold. The total amounted to $6,674.75.
The Town of Taylorsville was incorporated in 1851.
The first mayor was John Watts and was appointed by the commissioners. The boundaries of the incorporated town would be square and each side 160 poles or one-half mile.
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 1,799 people, 746 households, and 446 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 897.6 people per square mile (347.3/km2). There were 819 housing units at an average density of 408.6 per square mile (158.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 82.71% White, 11.40% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 3.50% 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 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.17% of the population.
There were 746 households out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% 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, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 25.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $24,875, and the median income for a family was $34,063. Males had a median income of $29,737 versus $20,135 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 $14,876. About 12.7% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Harry GantHarry GantHarry Phil Gant is a retired American racecar driver best known for driving the #33 Skoal Bandit car on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit during the 1980s and 1990s.-Nicknames:...
(retired NASCAR driver) - Harry Deal and the GalaxiesHarry Deal and the GalaxiesHarry Deal and the Galaxies is a rock and roll band formed in Taylorsville, North Carolina, United States, in 1959. They are most famous for playing a style of music known as beach music, which began in the 1960s in dance clubs of South Carolina beach towns such as Myrtle Beach.-Career:The group...
(longtime "beach music" band) - Charles E. AllenCharles E. AllenCharles E. Allen is an American public servant, notable for his roles at the United States Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis and, before that, the Central Intelligence Agency.-Department of Homeland Security:...
(former Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the US Department of Homeland Security)
See also
- Mitchell Gold Co.Mitchell Gold Co.Mitchell Gold Co. is a residential and commercial furniture manufacturer based in Taylorsville, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 when Mitchell Gold combined his marketing experience with that of partner Bob Williams, an art director. In April 2005, the company name was changed to Mitchell...
, residential and commercial furnitureFurnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
manufacturer based in Taylorsville