Albemarle, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
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. (who was re-elected in 2005 after a 28-year hiatus from the same position) and a seven-member City Council.
, which is the French version of the medieval latinization Albamarla of the town Aumale
in Normandy, France. From Vulgar Latin
alba "white" and margila "marlstone". The word root can be explained entirely with two Celtic words : alba "white", later "heaven" (Cf. Albion
), the Latin word alba would be a Deckname for it and margila, which derives of Celtic marga. The Latin expression albamargila would be an exact loan translation of the Celtic one glisomarga "white marl".
and New Jersey
seeking enhanced religious and political tolerance, while immigrants of English backgrounds came to the region from Virginia
and the Cape Fear River
Basin in Eastern North Carolina
.
In early English colonial times, the Albemarle area was politically part of the New Hanover Precinct
, out of which the Bladen Precinct
was created in 1734. The renamed Bladen County
was subdivided to create Anson County
in 1750, which in turn spawned Montgomery County
in 1779.
to Salisbury
and the Old Stage Road connecting Charlotte
and Raleigh
emerged as an important hub for regional commerce and trade. The region remained part of Montgomery County
until 1841, when after years of attempted separation, prominent residents of the increasingly populous areas west of the Yadkin
/Pee Dee River
system successfully petitioned the North Carolina General Assembly for the establishment of Stanly County
as an independent entity.
Soon after the new County was formed, its Board of Commissioners was tasked with establishing a permanent county seat within eight miles (13 km) of the home of Eben Hearne (the County's first sheriff), and with laying out a new town, in which a courthouse would be erected http://www.stanlysheriff.org/history02.htm. Nehemiah Hearne's heirs donated 51 acres (206,389.9 m²) from his plantation near the intersection of the Old Turnpike and Old Stage Roads for the construction of the new County Seat. The County Commissioners established the town's boundaries, laid out streets and surveyed and marked parcels of property within Hearne's donated land. The first land lot sale financed the new town's public buildings and paid some part of the elected official’s salaries. The courthouse was erected in 1842 and used for 50 years. The City of Albemarle was formally incorporated in 1857. The town was named for Albemarle County, the first county established in North Carolina, which was in turn named for the Duke of Albemarle, George Monck, one of the Lords Proprietors granted the province of Carolina in 1663 by King Charles II
.
, all later supplanted by textile manufucturing. The Efird Manufacturing Co. (later American and Efird Mills) opened its first mill in Albemarle in 1896, and was followed soon thereafter by the Wiscasset Mill Company, the Cannon Mill Company, the Lillian Knitting Mill and others. In 1899, Wiscassett Mills Company established Cabarrus Bank and Trust, the first bank in Albemarle. By 1910, an electrical distribution plan for the City was underway.
The Yadkin Railroad began rail service to Albermarle from Salisbury
in 1891. In 1911, the Winston Salem Southbound Railway (WSS) constructed its own line through Albemarle to support the booming textile and market, eventually driving the Yadkin Railroad into obsolescence. http://www.ncrailways.net/companies/WSS.htm. The WSS still provides freight service through Albemarle, but since 1933 there has been no passenger service to the city. (The Old Market Street Station on the WSS line has been restored, and is now the site of a popular Farmer's Market. The railbed of the Yadkin Railroad has been ripped up and paved over, though a one mile (1.6 km) segment of its route south of Albemarle now serves as a hiking trail in Rock Creek Park). In 1923, a state contract was let to construct NC-24/27
to Charlotte
, the first paved highway out of Albemarle. In 1950, Stanly County Memorial Hospital opened on land donated by Wiscassett Mills.
as a National Main Street City in 2005. There are a number of historic preservation and adaptive reuse
projects in its downtown that have been recently completed or are underway, including an initiative to create a greenway linking many of the City's parks and historic sites. The Freeman-Marks House, probably built during the 1820s, is the oldest known surviving house in Albemarle. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
, along with the Romanesque Revival Opera House/Starnes Jewelers Building http://www.albemarleoperahouse.com (1908) and three small historic districts in the City's downtown area. Another important historic property is the Isaiah W. "Buck" Snuggs House, an antebellum home on Third Street then owned and now named for a Stanly County sheriff who lost his leg in the Civil War
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
. The Stanly County Museum http://www.stanlycountymuseum.com/ in Albemarle provides a focal point for regional historic research and preservation.
, Albemarle has a total area of 15.8 square miles (40.9 km²), of which, 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.44%) is water.
The city is centered on the junction of U.S. Route 52
and the duplexed NC-24/27
in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. Its topography is characterized by rolling, eroded hills, deciduous forests, and fast-running, narrow, shallow streams that feed the Yadkin
/Pee Dee River
Basin. Little Long Creek and Town Creek are the major non-seasonal streams through Albemarle; both flow generally southward into the Long and Big Bear Creek Sub-basin.
and meta-argillite
are common in this formation, interbedded with meta-sandstone
, meta-conglomerate
and meta-volcanic rock
. Biotite
is the most prevalent Paleozoic
metamorphic rock
in the region.
of 2000, there were 15,680 people, 6,291 households, and 4,158 families residing in the city. The population density
was 999.0 people per square mile (385.6/km²). There were 6,954 housing units at an average density of 443.1 per square mile (171.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.85% White, 20.50% African American, 0.24% Native American, 4.16% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.07% from other races
, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.87% of the population.
There were 6,291 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples
living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,442, and the median income for a family was $41,729. Males had a median income of $31,001 versus $20,589 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,511. About 11.8% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Morrow Mountain State Park
is a large state park located east of the city. It is situated on a high elevation in the Uwharrie Mountains
adjoining the Yadkin River
, and offers many recreational activities. In addition to a natural history museum, the park also features the restored 19th-century homesite of Dr. Francis J. Kron.
, Inc. (CNHI) The Weekly Post http://www.weeklypostnc.com is a weekly newspaper focusing on local community events in the area. Albemarle is also within the outer coverage and delivery area of the Charlotte Observer http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/.
Albemarle and Stanly County are served by two local radio stations, WSPC
at 1010 AM with a News/Talk format and WZKY
at 1580 AM with an Oldies music format. Both stations are owned by Stanly Communications, Inc.
Television stations available are from the Charlotte Designated Market Area, which Stanly County and Albemarle are a part of. Additionally, the local cable provider carries one station from Greensboro, WFMY-TV
.
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 Stanly County, North Carolina
Stanly County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 60,585 people. In 2000 there were 22,223 households, and 16,156 families residing in the county. The population density was 147 people per square mile . There were 24,582 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
. The population was 15,680 at the 2000 census. It is governed by Mayor Elbert L. "Whit" Whitley, Jr. (who was re-elected in 2005 after a 28-year hiatus from the same position) and a seven-member City Council.
Etymology
This place-name is derived of the English noble surname AlbemarleAlbemarle
The name Albemarle comes from the city of Aumale and may refer to:-People:*Duke of Albemarle, the most notable being:**George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle , English soldier, naval officer and statesman*Earl of Albemarle...
, which is the French version of the medieval latinization Albamarla of the town Aumale
Aumale
Aumale is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in north-western France.-Geography:A village of farming and associated light industry, situated in the valley of the Bresle River of the Norman Pays de Bray in Normandy on the border with Picardie. It is around ...
in Normandy, France. From Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin is any of the nonstandard forms of Latin from which the Romance languages developed. Because of its nonstandard nature, it had no official orthography. All written works used Classical Latin, with very few exceptions...
alba "white" and margila "marlstone". The word root can be explained entirely with two Celtic words : alba "white", later "heaven" (Cf. Albion
Albion
Albion is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. Today, it is still sometimes used poetically to refer to the island or England in particular. It is also the basis of the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
), the Latin word alba would be a Deckname for it and margila, which derives of Celtic marga. The Latin expression albamargila would be an exact loan translation of the Celtic one glisomarga "white marl".
Ancient and Colonial
The site of modern-day Albemarle was originally peopled by small tribes of hunter-gatherers and Mound Builders whose artifacts and settlements have been dated back nearly 10,000 years. Large-scale European settlement of the region came in the mid-18th century via two primary waves: immigrants of Dutch, Scots-Irish and German descent moved from PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
seeking enhanced religious and political tolerance, while immigrants of English backgrounds came to the region from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and the Cape Fear River
Cape Fear River
The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The overall water quality of the river is continuously measured and monitored by and conducted by the , , and the...
Basin in Eastern 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...
.
In early English colonial times, the Albemarle area was politically part of the New Hanover Precinct
New Hanover County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 160,307 people, 68,183 households, and 41,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 806 people per square mile . There were 79,616 housing units at an average density of 400 per square mile...
, out of which the Bladen Precinct
Bladen County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
was created in 1734. The renamed Bladen County
Bladen County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
was subdivided to create Anson County
Anson County, North Carolina
-See also:*National Register of Historic Places listings in Anson County, North Carolina-External links:*...
in 1750, which in turn spawned Montgomery County
Montgomery County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,822 people, 9,848 households, and 7,189 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 14,145 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
in 1779.
The establishment of Stanly County and Albemarle
The Albemarle region's first post office was established in 1826; it was then known as Smith's Store. The nearby crossroads of the Old Turnpike Road from FayettevilleFayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
to Salisbury
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
and the Old Stage Road connecting 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...
and Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
emerged as an important hub for regional commerce and trade. The region remained part of Montgomery County
Montgomery County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,822 people, 9,848 households, and 7,189 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 14,145 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
until 1841, when after years of attempted separation, prominent residents of the increasingly populous areas west of the Yadkin
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...
/Pee Dee River
Pee Dee River
The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River. It is extensively dammed for flood...
system successfully petitioned the North Carolina General Assembly for the establishment of Stanly County
Stanly County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 60,585 people. In 2000 there were 22,223 households, and 16,156 families residing in the county. The population density was 147 people per square mile . There were 24,582 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
as an independent entity.
Soon after the new County was formed, its Board of Commissioners was tasked with establishing a permanent county seat within eight miles (13 km) of the home of Eben Hearne (the County's first sheriff), and with laying out a new town, in which a courthouse would be erected http://www.stanlysheriff.org/history02.htm. Nehemiah Hearne's heirs donated 51 acres (206,389.9 m²) from his plantation near the intersection of the Old Turnpike and Old Stage Roads for the construction of the new County Seat. The County Commissioners established the town's boundaries, laid out streets and surveyed and marked parcels of property within Hearne's donated land. The first land lot sale financed the new town's public buildings and paid some part of the elected official’s salaries. The courthouse was erected in 1842 and used for 50 years. The City of Albemarle was formally incorporated in 1857. The town was named for Albemarle County, the first county established in North Carolina, which was in turn named for the Duke of Albemarle, George Monck, one of the Lords Proprietors granted the province of Carolina in 1663 by King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.
Economic history
The Albemarle region’s early economic growth was fueled by agriculture (with cotton as the primary crop), regional mercantile trade and a short-lived gold rush in the nearby Uwharrie MountainsUwharrie Mountains
The Uwharrie Mountains are a mountain range in North Carolina. The range lies in the counties of Randolph, Montgomery, Stanly, and Davidson, although its foothills stretch into Cabarrus, Anson, Union counties and terminate in the hills of Person. Formed approximately 500 million years ago by...
, all later supplanted by textile manufucturing. The Efird Manufacturing Co. (later American and Efird Mills) opened its first mill in Albemarle in 1896, and was followed soon thereafter by the Wiscasset Mill Company, the Cannon Mill Company, the Lillian Knitting Mill and others. In 1899, Wiscassett Mills Company established Cabarrus Bank and Trust, the first bank in Albemarle. By 1910, an electrical distribution plan for the City was underway.
The Yadkin Railroad began rail service to Albermarle from Salisbury
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
in 1891. In 1911, the Winston Salem Southbound Railway (WSS) constructed its own line through Albemarle to support the booming textile and market, eventually driving the Yadkin Railroad into obsolescence. http://www.ncrailways.net/companies/WSS.htm. The WSS still provides freight service through Albemarle, but since 1933 there has been no passenger service to the city. (The Old Market Street Station on the WSS line has been restored, and is now the site of a popular Farmer's Market. The railbed of the Yadkin Railroad has been ripped up and paved over, though a one mile (1.6 km) segment of its route south of Albemarle now serves as a hiking trail in Rock Creek Park). In 1923, a state contract was let to construct NC-24/27
North Carolina State Highway 24
North Carolina Highway 24 is a North Carolina state highway. It is one of the longest in the state, running from Charlotte to Morehead City. About of NC 24 is cosigned with North Carolina Highway 27.- Route description :...
to 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 first paved highway out of Albemarle. In 1950, Stanly County Memorial Hospital opened on land donated by Wiscassett Mills.
Historic preservation
Albemarle was recognized by the National Trust for Historic PreservationNational Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
as a National Main Street City in 2005. There are a number of historic preservation and adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
projects in its downtown that have been recently completed or are underway, including an initiative to create a greenway linking many of the City's parks and historic sites. The Freeman-Marks House, probably built during the 1820s, is the oldest known surviving house in Albemarle. It is listed in 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...
, along with the Romanesque Revival Opera House/Starnes Jewelers Building http://www.albemarleoperahouse.com (1908) and three small historic districts in the City's downtown area. Another important historic property is the Isaiah W. "Buck" Snuggs House, an antebellum home on Third Street then owned and now named for a Stanly County sheriff who lost his leg in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
. The Stanly County Museum http://www.stanlycountymuseum.com/ in Albemarle provides a focal point for regional historic research and preservation.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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...
, Albemarle has a total area of 15.8 square miles (40.9 km²), of which, 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.44%) is water.
The city is centered on the junction of U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
and the duplexed NC-24/27
North Carolina State Highway 24
North Carolina Highway 24 is a North Carolina state highway. It is one of the longest in the state, running from Charlotte to Morehead City. About of NC 24 is cosigned with North Carolina Highway 27.- Route description :...
in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. Its topography is characterized by rolling, eroded hills, deciduous forests, and fast-running, narrow, shallow streams that feed the Yadkin
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...
/Pee Dee River
Pee Dee River
The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River. It is extensively dammed for flood...
Basin. Little Long Creek and Town Creek are the major non-seasonal streams through Albemarle; both flow generally southward into the Long and Big Bear Creek Sub-basin.
Geology
Albemarle is located in the Floyd Church Formation of the Carolina Slate Belt. Thickly bedded, axially cleaved meta-mudstoneMudstone
Mudstone is a fine grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Grain size is up to 0.0625 mm with individual grains too small to be distinguished without a microscope. With increased pressure over time the platey clay minerals may become aligned, with the...
and meta-argillite
Argillite
An argillite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock composed predominantly of indurated clay particles. Argillaceous rocks are basically lithified muds and oozes. They contain variable amounts of silt-sized particles. The argillites grade into shale when the fissile layering typical of shale is...
are common in this formation, interbedded with meta-sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, meta-conglomerate
Conglomerate (geology)
A conglomerate is a rock consisting of individual clasts within a finer-grained matrix that have become cemented together. Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks consisting of rounded fragments and are thus differentiated from breccias, which consist of angular clasts...
and meta-volcanic rock
Volcanic rock
Volcanic rock is a rock formed from magma erupted from a volcano. In other words, it is an igneous rock of volcanic origin...
. Biotite
Biotite
Biotite is a common phyllosilicate mineral within the mica group, with the approximate chemical formula . More generally, it refers to the dark mica series, primarily a solid-solution series between the iron-endmember annite, and the magnesium-endmember phlogopite; more aluminous endmembers...
is the most prevalent Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
in the region.
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 15,680 people, 6,291 households, and 4,158 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 999.0 people per square mile (385.6/km²). There were 6,954 housing units at an average density of 443.1 per square mile (171.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.85% White, 20.50% African American, 0.24% Native American, 4.16% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.07% 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 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.87% of the population.
There were 6,291 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% 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, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,442, and the median income for a family was $41,729. Males had a median income of $31,001 versus $20,589 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 $17,511. About 11.8% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Parks and recreation
Albemarle's Parks and Recreation Department was established in 1963. It currently operates and administers five parks within the city's limits, as well as a soccer complex and a ceramics facility. The newest facility under the Department's purview is City Lake, a 75 acres (303,514.5 m²) park on a 100 acre (0.404686 km²) lake that was opened in 2003, joining Rock Creek Park, Chuck Morehead Memorial Park, Roosevelt Ingram Memorial Park and Don Montgomery Memorial Park.Morrow Mountain State Park
Morrow Mountain State Park
Morrow Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Stanly County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near Albemarle, North Carolina Morrow Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Stanly County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near Albemarle, North...
is a large state park located east of the city. It is situated on a high elevation in the Uwharrie Mountains
Uwharrie Mountains
The Uwharrie Mountains are a mountain range in North Carolina. The range lies in the counties of Randolph, Montgomery, Stanly, and Davidson, although its foothills stretch into Cabarrus, Anson, Union counties and terminate in the hills of Person. Formed approximately 500 million years ago by...
adjoining 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...
, and offers many recreational activities. In addition to a natural history museum, the park also features the restored 19th-century homesite of Dr. Francis J. Kron.
Media
Albemarle and its environs are served by the Stanly News and Press http://www.thesnaponline.com/, which was founded in 1880 and is currently owned by Community Newspaper HoldingsCommunity Newspaper Holdings
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. is a publisher of newspapers and advertising-related publications throughout the eastern part of the United States. The company was formed in 1997 by Ralph Martin, and is based in Birmingham, Alabama. The company is financed by the Retirement Systems of...
, Inc. (CNHI) The Weekly Post http://www.weeklypostnc.com is a weekly newspaper focusing on local community events in the area. Albemarle is also within the outer coverage and delivery area of the Charlotte Observer http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/.
Albemarle and Stanly County are served by two local radio stations, WSPC
WSPC
WSPC is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Albemarle, North Carolina, USA. The station is currently owned by Stanly Communications and features programing from ABC Radio , CBS Radio and Premiere Radio Networks....
at 1010 AM with a News/Talk format and WZKY
WZKY
WZKY is a radio station licensed to serve Albemarle, North Carolina, USA. The station is owned by Stanly Communications.WZKY broadcasts an oldies music format that includes programming from the Classic Hits network by ABC Radio....
at 1580 AM with an Oldies music format. Both stations are owned by Stanly Communications, Inc.
Television stations available are from the Charlotte Designated Market Area, which Stanly County and Albemarle are a part of. Additionally, the local cable provider carries one station from Greensboro, WFMY-TV
WFMY-TV
WFMY-TV is a television station in Greensboro, North Carolina. Owned by the Gannett Company, WFMYis the CBS affiliate for the Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem area...
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Notable people
- W. Horace Carter, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
- Phillip Harwood, convicted contract killer.
- William E. Moore, III, NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
ISSISSThe ISS is the International Space Station.ISS may also refer to:* I See Stars, an American electronic rock band* ISS A/S, a Danish service company* Idea Star Singer, a Malayalam music reality show by Asianet TV...
Flight Controller. - Monty Montgomery, former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. - Kellie PicklerKellie PicklerKellie Dawn Pickler is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to 19 Recordings and BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing...
, 2006 American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
contestant and successful country recording artist, and three-time Stanly County AIDS Rodeo for Charity Champion (2002-2004). - Tommy Smith, former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. - Andy Huneycutt, stand-in for Jason AcuñaJason AcuñaJason Acuña , also known as Wee-Man, is an American TV host and actor. He is one of the stars of Jackass on MTV and the host of NESN's skateboarding show 54321. Acuña has achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, and is tall...
in several independent films. - Bradley Holt, a Minor league baseball starting pitcher with the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
organization. - T.A. McLendon, American football running back, holds several national HS records.
- Woody DurhamWoody DurhamWoody Lombardi Durham , known as "The Voice of the Tar Heels", was the longtime play-by-play radio announcer for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football and basketball teams from 1971 to 2011. Durham grew up in Albemarle, North Carolina alongside Bob Harris, longtime accouncer for UNC...
, radio play-by-play announcer for the Carolina Tar Heels. Mr. Durham started his radio career at radio station WZKY 1580 AM in Albemarle. - Bob Harris, radio play-by-play announcer for the Duke Bluedevils. Mr. Harris started his radio career at radio station WZKY 1580 AM in Albemarle.
- Thomas F. Blalock, professional driver and Hollywood stunt doubleStunt doubleA stunt double is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television , and for other sophisticated stunts...
. - Alexander Wolf, architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
of critically acclaimed fallout shelters and rape dungeons. - Heather Ross MillerHeather Ross MillerHeather Ross Miller is an American writer.Miller was born in Albemarle, North Carolina. In 1961, she earned a bachelors degree from Woman's College . She went on to earn an MFA in creative writing from the college in 1969. For the 1968-69 and 1973-74 years, she earned fellowships from the National...
, writer. - Stuart Daniel Baker aka Unknown HinsonUnknown HinsonStuart Daniel Baker, better known by his stage name, Unknown Hinson, is a comedic country musician, songwriter, and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as the voice of Early Cuyler on the Adult Swim cartoon series Squidbillies....
, Musician, voice actor for the adult swim cartoon SquidbilliesSquidbilliesSquidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and...
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Education
- Albemarle High School http://www.ahs.scs.k12.nc.us/
- Stanly Community College http://www.stanly.edu