Whynot, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Whynot, North Carolina is an unincorporated community in Randolph County
, North Carolina
, United States
, and is included in the Piedmont Triad
metropolitan region. Whynot is located on NC 705
, also known as the "North Carolina Pottery Highway", one mile southeast of Seagrove
and seven miles west of Jugtown Pottery, a historic pottery listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The North Carolina Pottery Highway contains over 100 potteries
and galleries in a 15-square mile (30 km²) region surrounding Seagrove.
Whynot was first settled in the 18th century by German and English people
, along with the nearby communities of Steeds
, Sophia
, Erect
, Hemp, and Lonely. The origin of the name came from residents debating a title for their community. A man asked "Why not name the town Whynot and let's go home?" The community was originally spelled with two separate words, "Why Not". Area residents first began making pottery in the 18th century. The Why Not Academy and Business Institute, a combination public and private school, was located in the community from 1893 to 1916.
Whynot is home to several Seagrove area pottery shops including Dirtworks Pottery, Tom Gray Pottery, Dixieland Pottery, Marsh Pottery, Kovack Pottery, Michele Hastings & Jeff Brown Pottery, and Whynot Pottery.
Randolph County, North Carolina
-Notable people:*Naomi Wise, murder victim*Richard Petty - Nascar driver.*Lee Petty - Nascar pioneer. Richard Petty's father.*Kyle Petty - Nascar driver. Son of Richard Petty*Adam Petty - Nascar driver. Kyle Petty's son...
, 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...
, and is included in 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...
metropolitan region. Whynot is located on NC 705
North Carolina Highway 705
NC 705 is a state highway in central North Carolina; it travels mostly through the southern Piedmont Triad. The route is marked as the Pottery Highway or Pottery Road and as a North Carolina Scenic Byway due to the large number of potters in and surrounding Seagrove.-Randolph County:NC 705 begins...
, also known as the "North Carolina Pottery Highway", one mile southeast of Seagrove
Seagrove, North Carolina
Seagrove is a town in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 246 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a railroad official...
and seven miles west of Jugtown Pottery, a historic pottery listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The North Carolina Pottery Highway contains over 100 potteries
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
and galleries in a 15-square mile (30 km²) region surrounding Seagrove.
Whynot was first settled in the 18th century by German and English people
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, along with the nearby communities of Steeds
Steeds, North Carolina
Steeds is an unincorporated community located in the north eastern part of Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States.-Location:Steeds is located on US 220 two miles north of the Community of Ether...
, Sophia
Sophia, North Carolina
Sophia is an unincorporated area in central Randolph County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is located along U.S. Highway 311, just northwest of the route's intersection of with I-73/I-74/US 220 and southeast of Archdale, North Carolina. It is the location of WGHP-TV's television...
, Erect
Erect, North Carolina
Erect, North Carolina is an unincorporated community in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States, and part of the Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. Erect is located on NC 42, seven miles east of the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, and two miles west of Coleridge...
, Hemp, and Lonely. The origin of the name came from residents debating a title for their community. A man asked "Why not name the town Whynot and let's go home?" The community was originally spelled with two separate words, "Why Not". Area residents first began making pottery in the 18th century. The Why Not Academy and Business Institute, a combination public and private school, was located in the community from 1893 to 1916.
Whynot is home to several Seagrove area pottery shops including Dirtworks Pottery, Tom Gray Pottery, Dixieland Pottery, Marsh Pottery, Kovack Pottery, Michele Hastings & Jeff Brown Pottery, and Whynot Pottery.
Further reading
- Why Not, North Carolina, by William T. Auman and Minnie S. Stuart, Why Not Memorial Association, 1986.