Carrboro, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Carrboro is a town in Orange County
in the U.S. state
of North Carolina
. The population was 19,582 at the 2010 census. The town, which is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan statistical area, was named after North Carolina industrialist Julian Shakespeare Carr.
Located near Chapel Hill
and the University of North Carolina
, Carrboro has a reputation as one of the most liberal communities in the Southern United States
. It was the first municipality in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor
, Mike Nelson, in 1995 and the first municipality in the state to grant domestic-partner
benefits to same-sex couples. In October 2002, Carrboro was among the first municipalities in the South to adopt resolutions opposing the Iraq War
and the USA PATRIOT Act
.
, Carrboro was settled in 1882 around the State University Railroad. The local merchants stipulated that the railroad station had to be at least two miles (3 km) outside of town in order to discourage students from leaving on the weekends and spending their money elsewhere.
Settlement in West End increased after Thomas F. Lloyd
of Chapel Hill built the Alberta Cotton Mill next to the railroad depot in 1898. Julian Shakespeare Carr bought this and other nearby buildings in 1909, adding them to the network of mills that became the Durham Hosiery Mills. West End was incorporated in 1911 and renamed Venable in honor of chemistry professor and UNC president Francis Preston Venable
. Just two years later, the town was renamed Carrboro, after Carr began providing streets and electric power to the community and expanding the mill buildings. The original mill changed hands several times over the succeeding decades. The Carrboro Board of Aldermen intended to have it demolished in 1975 until a community petition and fund-raising effort provided for its restoration as Carr Mill Mall
. The railroad depot in Carrboro also served the local lumber industry, and Carrboro became a major hub in the hardwood
cross-tie market.
Carrboro was home to the Melba Movie Theatre, built in the 1920s, and located at either 118 or 120 E. Main Street. Patrons viewed movies on cane bottom kitchen chairs. Films were accompanied by live piano music. Citizens also frequented Joe Sparrow's Pool located behind his home off Old Pittsboro Road. The large natural spring public pool was eventually closed because of tensions arising from race and gender segregation.
Some of the most distinctive architectural treasures of Carrboro are its approximately 150 mill houses constructed in the 1910s-30s. Many of these homes have been restored, yet numerous ones have been razed. The homes were originally built by Lloyd and Carr for their workers and their families.
In the early 1990s, a sizable influx of Latino
immigrants began moving to Carrboro, attracted by jobs in the building and service trades. The Hispanic population of Carrboro increased by 936% between 1990 and 2003, to 12% of the Carrboro population. As these immigrants settled in Carrboro, they brought the foods and cultures of their native countries to the town. Carrboro is now home to three Latino tiendas (grocery stores). Other businesses, including national grocery chains like Food Lion
, adapted to the change in demographics by stocking a wider variety of Central and South American food products.
According to the US Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 4.48 square miles (11.6 km²), of which 4.47 square miles (11.6 km²) is land and 0.01 square mile (0.0258998811 km²) is water.
On January 31, 2006, the total area of the town increased by approximately 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) to a total area of approximately 4.98 square miles (12.9 km²).
n humid subtropical climate
. Summer conditions are hot and humid, with daily average high temperatures of 85 °F (29.4 °C) and higher. Winter temperatures tend to remain above or well above freezing, though snowfall does happen and occasional snow and ice storms are not unusual. The average high temperature in July, the hottest month of the year, is 89 °F (31.7 °C), and the average high temperature in January, the coldest month, is 49 °F (9.4 °C). Average monthly precipitation ranges from 3.2 to 4.5 in (8.1 to 11.4 cm), with the heaviest precipitation occurring during the summer months.
of 2000, there were 16,782 people, 7,570 households, and 3,126 families residing in the town. The population density
was 3,753.7 people per square mile (1,449.6/km²). There were 8,207 housing units at an average density of 1,835.7 per square mile (708.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 72.67% White, 13.54% African American, 0.36% Native American, 5.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.85% from other races
, and 2.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.29% of the population.
There were 7,570 households out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.3% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 58.7% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.5% 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 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 21.4% from 18 to 24, 40.3% from 25 to 44, 14.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,527, and the median income for a family was $47,330. Males had a median income of $30,099 versus $31,090 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,429. About 11.0% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over. As with neighboring Chapel Hill
, affordable housing has become a pressing local issue.
Carrboro has a thriving arts scene. The town is known for the Carrboro Music Festival, an all-day event which celebrates local music with performances throughout the downtown area. The music festival began in 1998 as the Fête de la Musique, and was held on the summer solstice
. In 2002, the name of the event was changed to the Carrboro Music Festival. In order to increase attendance, the event was moved to the fall, avoiding the summer heat. Carrboro is also home to the annual West End Poetry Festival, which draws in a great selection of local poets.
Carrboro is home to two music venues that host national and regional acts. The Carrboro ArtsCenter features nationally known roots music acts, such as David Lindley
, Leon Russell
, and Dr. John
as well as internationally known artists including Richard Thompson and k.d. lang
. The ArtsCenter also holds art classes, dance classes, and art exhibitions. Not far away, the Cat's Cradle typically hosts more rock acts than the ArtsCenter, but a number of musicians have played both venues. The Reservoir and Open Eye Cafe also host bands on a semi-regular basis.
In June 2004, WCOM
began broadcasting at 103.5 FM in Carrboro. WCOM is a low-power FM station featuring music, community affairs, and Spanish-language
programming. The station is volunteer-run and all shows feature local radio talent.
The Carrboro Citizen
is a locally-owned community newspaper based in Carrboro. Launched in March 2007, the Citizen is published weekly (on Thursdays) and is distributed free throughout town and the surrounding area.
Carrboro is also a favorite destination of UNC
students for its relatively large number and diversity of restaurants. Anderson Park provides a host of outdoor athletic activities including a dog park.
Carrboro is home to some of the originators of the modern hooping
movement. In 2001, Vivian Spiral began hooping on the Weaver Street Market lawn during the weekly music events. Julia Hartsell joined her for the 2002 music season. Jonathan Baxter, founder of the HoopPath, also lives and teaches hooping in Carrboro. The first annual HoopPath Retreat was held Carrboro in 2007 and still happens there every year. The Hoop Convergence, started in 2008, is also held annually in Carrboro and the surrounding area.
.
Carrboro operates under a council-manager
form of government. The governing body of the town, the Board of Aldermen, consists of a mayor
and six aldermen
. The mayor, who is elected every two years, presides at all meetings of the Board of Aldermen and votes on all issues to the same extent as any other member of the board. The aldermen are elected for staggered terms of four years. All elections are at-large and nonpartisan and are decided by a simple plurality. City operations are managed by the city manager
, who is chosen by the Board of Aldermen.
Carrboro is in the 4th Congressional district of North Carolina and is represented by Rep. David Price
. At the state level, Carrboro is in Senate district 23 (represented by Sen. Ellie Kinnaird
), House district 50 (represented by Rep. Bill Faison
), House district 54 (represented by Rep. Joe Hackney
), and House district 56 (represented by Rep. Verla Insko
).
manages public primary and secondary education for more than 11,000 students in and around Carrboro and Chapel Hill. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools consistently rank as number one in North Carolina in terms of graduation rate, test scores and percentage of college-bound seniors. Elementary school students in Carrboro attend Carrboro Elementary School, McDougle Elementary School, Morris Grove Elementary School, Frank Porter Graham Elementary School, or Seawell Elementary School. Middle school students in Carrboro attend Culbreth Middle School, McDougle Middle School, or Smith Middle School. High school students living in Carrboro attend Carrboro High School
(opened in 2007) or Chapel Hill High School.
as defined by Nielsen Media Research
.
WCOM-LP (103.5 FM) is a low-power, community radio station that serves Chapel Hill-Carrboro.
, Mexico
Juventino Rosas
, Mexico
San Jorge
, Nicaragua
Saratov
, Russia
Orange County, North Carolina
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. The population was 19,582 at the 2010 census. The town, which is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan statistical area, was named after North Carolina industrialist Julian Shakespeare Carr.
Located near Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
and the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, Carrboro has a reputation as one of the most liberal communities in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. It was the first municipality in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, Mike Nelson, in 1995 and the first municipality in the state to grant domestic-partner
Domestic partnership
A domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by marriage nor a civil union...
benefits to same-sex couples. In October 2002, Carrboro was among the first municipalities in the South to adopt resolutions opposing the Iraq War
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
and the USA PATRIOT Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
.
History
Known originally as West End because of its location west of Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, Carrboro was settled in 1882 around the State University Railroad. The local merchants stipulated that the railroad station had to be at least two miles (3 km) outside of town in order to discourage students from leaving on the weekends and spending their money elsewhere.
Settlement in West End increased after Thomas F. Lloyd
Thomas F. Lloyd
Thomas Franklin Lloyd is one of the founders of Carrboro, North Carolina. He was a prominent North Carolina industrialist who built the Alberta Cotton Mill in 1898 in Carrboro; the former factory building is now home to the Carr Mill Mall.He was part of a prominent family that settled in Orange...
of Chapel Hill built the Alberta Cotton Mill next to the railroad depot in 1898. Julian Shakespeare Carr bought this and other nearby buildings in 1909, adding them to the network of mills that became the Durham Hosiery Mills. West End was incorporated in 1911 and renamed Venable in honor of chemistry professor and UNC president Francis Preston Venable
Francis Preston Venable
Francis Preston Venable was a chemist, educator, and president of the University of North Carolina . His father, Charles Scott Venable, was aide-de-camp to Gen. Robert E...
. Just two years later, the town was renamed Carrboro, after Carr began providing streets and electric power to the community and expanding the mill buildings. The original mill changed hands several times over the succeeding decades. The Carrboro Board of Aldermen intended to have it demolished in 1975 until a community petition and fund-raising effort provided for its restoration as Carr Mill Mall
Carr Mill Mall
Carr Mill Mall is a small, local shopping mall located in Carrboro, North Carolina. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a host for numerous local live performances and other cultural events.-History:...
. The railroad depot in Carrboro also served the local lumber industry, and Carrboro became a major hub in the hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
cross-tie market.
Carrboro was home to the Melba Movie Theatre, built in the 1920s, and located at either 118 or 120 E. Main Street. Patrons viewed movies on cane bottom kitchen chairs. Films were accompanied by live piano music. Citizens also frequented Joe Sparrow's Pool located behind his home off Old Pittsboro Road. The large natural spring public pool was eventually closed because of tensions arising from race and gender segregation.
Some of the most distinctive architectural treasures of Carrboro are its approximately 150 mill houses constructed in the 1910s-30s. Many of these homes have been restored, yet numerous ones have been razed. The homes were originally built by Lloyd and Carr for their workers and their families.
In the early 1990s, a sizable influx of Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
immigrants began moving to Carrboro, attracted by jobs in the building and service trades. The Hispanic population of Carrboro increased by 936% between 1990 and 2003, to 12% of the Carrboro population. As these immigrants settled in Carrboro, they brought the foods and cultures of their native countries to the town. Carrboro is now home to three Latino tiendas (grocery stores). Other businesses, including national grocery chains like Food Lion
Food Lion
Food Lion LLC is an American grocery store company headquartered in Salisbury, North Carolina that operates approximately 1,300 supermarkets in 11 Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states as well as Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia under the Food Lion, Harveys Supermarket, Bloom, Bottom Dollar...
, adapted to the change in demographics by stocking a wider variety of Central and South American food products.
Nickname
Carrboro's nickname, "The Paris of the Piedmont," stems from a sarcastic comment by John Martin, a reporter for the now-defunct Chapel Hill Weekly. In 1970, Nyle Frank, now a musician but then a graduate student in political science at the nearby University of North Carolina, organized an alternative "Invisible University," and announced plans to have himself crowned as the institution's new "King" in Carrboro. Martin commented, "I can see it now – The Paris of the Piedmont."Geography
Carrboro is located at 35°55′14"N 79°5′2"W (35.920422, -79.083933).According to the US 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 4.48 square miles (11.6 km²), of which 4.47 square miles (11.6 km²) is land and 0.01 square mile (0.0258998811 km²) is water.
On January 31, 2006, the total area of the town increased by approximately 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) to a total area of approximately 4.98 square miles (12.9 km²).
Climate
Carrboro typically has a North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
. Summer conditions are hot and humid, with daily average high temperatures of 85 °F (29.4 °C) and higher. Winter temperatures tend to remain above or well above freezing, though snowfall does happen and occasional snow and ice storms are not unusual. The average high temperature in July, the hottest month of the year, is 89 °F (31.7 °C), and the average high temperature in January, the coldest month, is 49 °F (9.4 °C). Average monthly precipitation ranges from 3.2 to 4.5 in (8.1 to 11.4 cm), with the heaviest precipitation occurring during the summer months.
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 16,782 people, 7,570 households, and 3,126 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 3,753.7 people per square mile (1,449.6/km²). There were 8,207 housing units at an average density of 1,835.7 per square mile (708.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 72.67% White, 13.54% African American, 0.36% Native American, 5.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.85% 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 2.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.29% of the population.
There were 7,570 households out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.3% 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, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 58.7% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.5% 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 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.0% under the age of 18, 21.4% from 18 to 24, 40.3% from 25 to 44, 14.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,527, and the median income for a family was $47,330. Males had a median income of $30,099 versus $31,090 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 $21,429. About 11.0% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over. As with neighboring Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, affordable housing has become a pressing local issue.
Attractions
One of Carrboro's attractions is the Carrboro Farmer's Market, which features local organic produce, locally produced cheeses, baked goods, and handmade crafts. Created in 1977, the Market was one of the first in the area to link farmers directly with their customers. The Market requires that everything sold must be produced within a 50 miles (80.5 km) radius of Carrboro.Solstice
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky, as viewed from Earth, reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes...
. In 2002, the name of the event was changed to the Carrboro Music Festival. In order to increase attendance, the event was moved to the fall, avoiding the summer heat. Carrboro is also home to the annual West End Poetry Festival, which draws in a great selection of local poets.
Carrboro is home to two music venues that host national and regional acts. The Carrboro ArtsCenter features nationally known roots music acts, such as David Lindley
David Lindley (musician)
David Perry Lindley is an American musician who is notable for his work with Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, and other rock musicians. He has worked extensively in other genres as well, performing with artists as varied as Curtis Mayfield and Dolly Parton...
, Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
, and Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
as well as internationally known artists including Richard Thompson and k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
. The ArtsCenter also holds art classes, dance classes, and art exhibitions. Not far away, the Cat's Cradle typically hosts more rock acts than the ArtsCenter, but a number of musicians have played both venues. The Reservoir and Open Eye Cafe also host bands on a semi-regular basis.
In June 2004, WCOM
WCOM
WCOM-LP is a community low-power FM radio station, broadcasting from Carrboro, North Carolina. It broadcasts from a radio tower over Mary Scroggs Elementary School soccer field in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Its studios are located in Carrboro at 208 E. Main Street, near the Cat's Cradle. It is...
began broadcasting at 103.5 FM in Carrboro. WCOM is a low-power FM station featuring music, community affairs, and Spanish-language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
programming. The station is volunteer-run and all shows feature local radio talent.
The Carrboro Citizen
Carrboro Citizen
The Carrboro Citizen is a weekly newspaper based in Carrboro, North Carolina. The Citizen covers Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Pittsboro, Orange County and northern Chatham County, North Carolina. The newspaper is published on Thursdays and distributed free in racks throughout the coverage...
is a locally-owned community newspaper based in Carrboro. Launched in March 2007, the Citizen is published weekly (on Thursdays) and is distributed free throughout town and the surrounding area.
Carrboro is also a favorite destination of UNC
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
students for its relatively large number and diversity of restaurants. Anderson Park provides a host of outdoor athletic activities including a dog park.
Carrboro is home to some of the originators of the modern hooping
Hooping
Hooping generally refers to artistic movement and dancing with a hoop used as a prop or dance partner. Hoops can be made of metal, wood or plastic. Hooping combines technical moves and tricks with freestyle or technical dancing, and is typically accompanied by music...
movement. In 2001, Vivian Spiral began hooping on the Weaver Street Market lawn during the weekly music events. Julia Hartsell joined her for the 2002 music season. Jonathan Baxter, founder of the HoopPath, also lives and teaches hooping in Carrboro. The first annual HoopPath Retreat was held Carrboro in 2007 and still happens there every year. The Hoop Convergence, started in 2008, is also held annually in Carrboro and the surrounding area.
Food scene
Carrboro hosts an eclectic and notable food scene that is perfectly suited for foodies and "locavores" alike. In addition to the Carrboro Farmers Market, which features fresh locally-grown produce year round, the town eateries and specialty food shops have also garnered regional and national acclaim for their strong support of locally produced food and enterprising spirit.Libraries
Carrboro is also home to two branches of the Orange County Public Library System: the Carrboro Branch Library and the Carrboro Cybrary. Carrboro Branch Library is located in McDougle Elementary and Middle School. Services include a medium sized circulating collection of books, audiobooks, movies on DVD and VHS, and music CDs; computer and Internet access; magazines; and local and national newspapers. Carrboro Cybrary is located in the Century Center in the heart of downtown Carrboro. Services include a small circulating collection of contemporary fiction, nonfiction, audiobooks, and Spanish and English language learning materials; computer, Internet, and wireless access; magazines; and local and national newspapers. Orange County residents may access these services free of charge, and nonresidents may access the computers free of charge. In the most recent Orange County budget presented to the county board in March 2009 by the Orange County Manager, the Cybrary and McDougle branch library are asked to be closed to save $250,000 due to the opening of a new library in HillsboroughHillsborough, North Carolina
Hillsborough is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,653 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Orange County....
.
Parks and recreation
Carrboro has 10 parks, from large community parks to small neighborhood parks and play areas. The 55 acres (222,577.3 m²) 'Henry Anderson Community Park (aka, "The Hank") contains multiple lighted baseball fields, basketball courts, and tennis courts and other recreational facilities. The Adams Tract is a 27 acres (109,265.2 m²) urban forest area near the center of town that contains 1.25 miles (2 km) of trails for walking and hiking. Several neighborhood parks and other facilities provide multipurpose fields and playground equipment.Law and government
Council-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
form of government. The governing body of the town, the Board of Aldermen, consists of a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and six aldermen
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
. The mayor, who is elected every two years, presides at all meetings of the Board of Aldermen and votes on all issues to the same extent as any other member of the board. The aldermen are elected for staggered terms of four years. All elections are at-large and nonpartisan and are decided by a simple plurality. City operations are managed by the 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...
, who is chosen by the Board of Aldermen.
Carrboro is in the 4th Congressional district of North Carolina and is represented by Rep. David Price
David Price (American politician)
David Eugene Price is a professor and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997 and previously from 1987 to 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
. At the state level, Carrboro is in Senate district 23 (represented by Sen. Ellie Kinnaird
Eleanor Kinnaird
Eleanor G. 'Ellie' Kinnaird is a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 23rd Senate district since 1997. Her district includes constituents in Orange and Person counties...
), House district 50 (represented by Rep. Bill Faison
Bill Faison
Bill Faison is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and a member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 50th House district since 2005...
), House district 54 (represented by Rep. Joe Hackney
Joe Hackney
Joe Hackney is a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's fifty-fourth House district, including constituents in Chatham, Orange, and Moore counties. A farmer and attorney from Chapel Hill, Hackney is currently serving in his sixteenth term in the state...
), and House district 56 (represented by Rep. Verla Insko
Verla C. Insko
Verla Clemens Insko is a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's fifty-sixth House district, including constituents in Orange county. A retired health program administrator from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Insko is currently serving in her seventh term...
).
Education
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City SchoolsChapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is a school district which educates over ten thousand students in the southeastern part of Orange County, North Carolina. Being near three major universities as well as the Research Triangle Park, it serves one of the best educated populations in the United States...
manages public primary and secondary education for more than 11,000 students in and around Carrboro and Chapel Hill. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools consistently rank as number one in North Carolina in terms of graduation rate, test scores and percentage of college-bound seniors. Elementary school students in Carrboro attend Carrboro Elementary School, McDougle Elementary School, Morris Grove Elementary School, Frank Porter Graham Elementary School, or Seawell Elementary School. Middle school students in Carrboro attend Culbreth Middle School, McDougle Middle School, or Smith Middle School. High school students living in Carrboro attend Carrboro High School
Carrboro High School
Carrboro High School is a suburban non-charter high school located in Carrboro, North Carolina. It is located close to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Carrboro High school is part of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district which contains two other high schools, Chapel Hill...
(opened in 2007) or Chapel Hill High School.
Media
The metro area has TV broadcasting stations that serve the Raleigh-Durham Designated Market Area (DMA)Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
as defined by Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
.
WCOM-LP (103.5 FM) is a low-power, community radio station that serves Chapel Hill-Carrboro.
Sister cities
CelayaCelaya
Celaya is a city and its surrounding municipality in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 310,413. The municipality for which the city serves as municipal seat, had a...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Juventino Rosas
Santa Cruz de Juventino Rosas
Santa Cruz de Juventino Rosas is a Mexican city located in the central east region of the state of Guanajuato. The municipality has an area of 428.64 square kilometres and is bordered to the north by San Miguel de Allende, to the northeast by Comonfort, to the southeast by Celaya, to the south...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
San Jorge
San Jorge, Rivas
San Jorge is a municipality in the Rivas department of Nicaragua. Settled in 1888, San Jorge was originally home to a coal mine, but soon after mining began, settlers realized that it wasn't coal under the ground, but instead it was "fool's coal," otherwise known as granite...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
Saratov
Saratov
-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
External links
- Town of Carrboro official Web site
- Carrboro.com
- Carrboro's History
- Carrboro Community Resource and Visitors Guide
- Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
- Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce
- Carrboro Farmers Market
- Carrboro Music Festival
- Carrboro Poetry Festival
- OrangePolitics.org Multi-author blog about progressive politics in Orange County
- Squeeze the Pulp Internet forum on politics, news, and community in Orange County
- WCOM Radio WCOM 103.5 FM, Carrboro Community Radio
- The Carrboro Citizen Locally-owned community newspaper
- Birds of Carrboro
- West End Poet's Weekend (Annual poetry festival)
- Carrboro's hooping scene