Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth City is a city
in Pasquotank County
and Camden County
in the State of North Carolina
. With a population of 18,683 at the 2010 census, Elizabeth City is the county seat
of Pasquotank County.
Because Elizabeth City has a high degree of economic integration with its neighboring counties, and the majority of the population in Camden, Pasquotank, and Perquimans County is concentrated in this city, Elizabeth City has been designated as the heart of the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area
, with a population of 64,042 as of 2009. Because the area outside this city is sparsely populated, however, Elizabeth City only shares a border with one town—the consolidated city-county of Camden. The largest city in the Elizabeth City μSA, this town is not only the economic center of this region, but it is also home to many historical sites and cultural traditions.
Known as the “Harbor of Hospitality", Elizabeth City has had a long history of shipping due to its location at the narrowing of the Pasquotank River. Founded in 1794, Elizabeth City prospered early on from the Dismal Swamp Canal as a mercantile city, before later shifting later into a varied industrial and commercial focus. While Elizabeth City still retains its extensive waterfront property, it is thoroughly linked to neighboring counties and cities by interstate highways and bridges and serves as the site of a US Coast Guard Base. The city has also been cited as one of "The 100 Best Small Towns in America" by author Norman Crampton.
In 1793, construction of the Dismal Swamp Canal, which would drive Elizabeth City's commerce, began, the North Carolina Assembly incorporated the town of Redding. In 1794, the town was renamed Elizabethtown, but due to confusion with another town of the same name, in 1801, the city was renamed Elizabeth City. The name "Elizabeth" has been variously attributed to honor either Queen
Elizabeth I of England
, who 200 years earlier spearheaded the colonization of the Carolina and Virginia coasts, or Elizabeth "Betsy" Tooley, a local tavern proprietress who donated much of the land for the new town.
The improvements made to the Dismal Swamp Canal made Elizabeth City a financial center of trade and commercially successful for the early 19th century. In 1826, the federal government purchased 600 stocks in the canal and, in 1829, additional funds for improvements were raised by the Norfolk lottery. With these funds, the Dismal Swamp Canal was widened and deepened, allowing for larger boats to ship their goods.
Further bolstering Elizabeth City’s financial success was the movement in 1827 of the customs house from Camden County to Elizabeth City, leading much of northeast Albemarle’s trade to be directed directly through Elizabeth City. From only 1829 to 1832, Elizabeth City’s tolls tripled. During the American Civil War
the Confederate States had a small fleet stationed at Elizabeth City. After the Battle of Roanoke Island
the Union forces sent a fleet to take Elizabeth City. There was a small skirmish that followed which ended in a Union victory. Elizabeth City was under Union control for the remainder of the war though Confederate irregulars engaged in Guerrilla warfare with Union forces in the area for the remainder of the war.
Meanwhile overland travel slowly improved, furnishing greater trade between neighboring counties, and a ferry continued to be used for transport between Elizabeth City and Camden county. However, the completion of competing canals and railroads around Elizabeth City diverted some of its financial success to neighboring cities. The Portsmouth and Weldon Railroad, completed in the 1830s allowed for goods to be transported from the Roanoke River to be directly transported to Weldon, and the Albemarle-Chesapeake Canal, completed in 1859, created a deeper channel for merchants shipping goods from the Eastern Albemarle Sound to Norfolk. It would not be until 1881 that the Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad, later renamed the Norfolk Southern Railway
, would once again jumpstart the city's industry.
Industry grew further during World War II, particularly in shipbuilding, tapering off over the following decades as industry withdrew to form the service, government and agriculture-dominant economic sectors present today. A recent revival in tourism and civic revitalization centered over downtown and the city's varied historic districts has further shaped the city's current P.R. image.
, which connects to the Albemarle Sound
and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway
. Directly across the river lies Camden County
.
Elizabeth City is located at 36°17′44"N 76°13′30"W (36.295585, -76.224954).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, Elizabeth City has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²), of which, 8.9 square miles (23.1 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (6.49%) is water. Located in the Inner Banks
of North Carolina, Elizabeth City is largely flat and marshy with an elevation of only 12 ft (3.7 m). The city's semi-coastal geography has played an important role in its history—Elizabeth City once hosted thriving oyster and timber industries.
, experiencing seasonal variation in temperature and precipitation. Due to its location, however, relatively close to the Albemarle Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, the temperature variations are somewhat softened. On average, Elizabeth City has its highest temperature and accumulation of precipitation in July. Elizabeth City commonly experiences thunderstorms during these summer months and has endured many tropical storms and hurricanes due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. This city experiences very little snowfall, however, on receiving on average a total of 3.5 inches (88.9 mm) of snow.
, the northeastern regional branch of the North Carolina Museum of History
. Located near the waterfront, the museum contains many permanent and revolving exhibits on the history and culture of the Albemarle region.
Greater Elizabeth City (Pasquotank County) has 6 National Register Historic Districts and 6 resources that are listed individually on the National Register, containing the state's largest concentration of antebellum-style homes and commercial buildings.
Notably, the Virginia Dare Hotel and Arcade, a neoclassical building designed in 1927 by William Lee Stoddart
, continues to form the skyline of Elizabeth City and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This nine-story building adorned with a two-story arcade currently serves as an elderly apartment complex.
Elizabeth City has also been the birthplace of a few government officials in its history. Judge John Warren Davis
, a justice on the Federal Court of Appeals was born in Elizabeth City as was John C. B. Ehringhaus, governor of North Carolina from 1933-7 and for whom Ehringhaus Street, a major thoroughfare, is named.
During the same era, nine-ball legend Luther Lassiter
was born in Elizabeth City, and developed much of his skill at pool
in the City Billiards pool hall.
, an annual celebration of the potato
, one of the region's most important crops. The festival has steadily become one of the most popular draws in northeastern North Carolina, and is usually held in mid-May in downtown Elizabeth City.
has served as Elizabeth City's sole newspaper since its founding by Herbert Peele in 1911. In mid-2009, the Daily Advance was bought by Cooke Communications.
Due to its proximity to Hampton Roads
, many of the major network affiliates received in Elizabeth City actually are broadcast from southeastern Virginia cities, including WTKR (CBS), WAVY (NBC), WVEC (ABC), WVBT
(FOX), and WHRO-TV
(PBS). In fact, the only non-public service station based in Elizabeth City is W18BB, broadcasting from Elizabeth City State University
.
, the largest United States Coast Guard
Air Station on the East Coast, is located directly south of Elizabeth City's city limits. Recently incorporated into the United States Department of Homeland Security
, the base, along with a host of defense contractors anchored by DRS Technologies
, provide a host of local jobs and maintains an influx of Coast Guard and industry employees from all around the country.
The USCG Air Station and the Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC) in Elizabeth City was also featured in numerous scenes of the 2006 Disney movie "The Guardian", although the base was made to look like Kodiak, Alaska in keeping with the film's script.
Elizabeth City is also home to one of the United States' few airship factories. Many of the nation's commercial blimps are made and serviced here. The current airship facilities evolved from what had previously been Naval Air Station Weeksville, operational from 1941 to 1957. NAS Weeksville's LTA craft played a vital role in German U-boat
spotting during World War II, helping to minimize losses to East Coast shipping.
Capitalizing on the region's reputation as the birthplace of aviation including the Wright Brothers' First Flight on the Outer Banks, presence of the U.S. Coast Guard and the lighter-than-air blimp industry, a joint public-private airpark adjacent to the Coast Guard base is in the planning stages. Intended to make Elizabeth City a premier hub of the aviation industry, the airpark hopes to attract major tenants as well as the Aviation Science programs of Elizabeth City State University
and related programs by the College of the Albemarle
.
was 1,923.2 people per square mile (742.3/km2). There were 7,463 housing units at an average density of 835.1 per square mile (322.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 40.24% White, 56.60% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races
, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.
There were 6,577 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples
living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 15.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,193, and the median income for a family was $28,037. Males had a median income of $27,434 versus $20,836 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,333. About 25.1% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.5% of those under age 18 and 23.7% of those age 65 or over.
Elizabeth City is home to one private and two public institutions of higher education.
Elizabeth City State University
, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System, is a historically African-American college, currently enrolling 3,061 students on a compact 200 acre (0.809372 km²) campus along the city's southern edge. Founded in 1891 as a teacher training school, it now serves the higher educational needs of northeastern North Carolina's sixteen counties. It offers a doctor of pharmacy program in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, as well as aviation science programs in a joint venture with the College of the Albemarle.
Mid-Atlantic Christian University, a private Christian institution, is located along the Pasquotank River
, north of downtown Elizabeth City. It was founded in 1948.
Also located here is the main campus of the College of the Albemarle
, positioned on the city's northern edge adjacent to Albemarle Hospital. It is known as the first community college to be established under the (North Carolina) Community College Act of 1960.
All three schools have agreements allowing students to dual-enroll in one of the other two institutions.
style of government.
Elizabeth City’s government is composed of the City Council and the Mayor. The City Council itself is composed of eight council members and the City Manager, elected by these council members. The City Manager serves a largely executive function, overseeing the city’s administrative departments, appointing department heads and city employees, and informing the rest of the Council of relevant municipal conditions. Currently, the city manager is Rich Olsen. The eight council members, on the other hand, acts in a legislative regard, adopting city policies, holding the Manager responsible, and choosing a Mayor pro-Tempore from its council members. This council is elected every two years by each of the four wards composing the city electing two members.
The Mayor, elected by the whole voter body every two years, also serves an executive function, serving as the head of a council meeting and casting a tie-breaking vote for the council. As of 2011, the mayor is Roger McLean. The council holds its meetings every second and fourth Monday of the month and is rebroadcast on a public service channel.
Elizabeth City has an office for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
, headed by Terrence W. Boyle as the resident judge. This Court presides over cases in the northern region of this district.
Elizabeth City also occupies North Carolina’s First Congressional District, served by US Representative GK Butterfield.
Elizabeth City is linked to neighboring counties and cities through a network of and interstate highways.
Most unusual are the four branches of U.S. Route 17 that pass through the city - rarely are there more than two or three variants of the same route in any given community.
(Mainline) US 17 enters Pasquotank County from the southwest (Perquimans County), travels through Elizabeth City as Hughes Boulevard (the former US 17 Bypass from 1969 to 2002), departing as the northern section of North Road Street as it continues north into Camden County toward the Virginia border.
US 17 Business branches off Hughes Boulevard and travels east as Ehringhaus Street, turning north through Downtown as North Road Street, ending with at its intersection with (Mainline) US 17/Hughes Boulevard and continuing as such as North Road Street.
US 17 Truck Business appears to be a designation unique among U.S. routes, traveling from the Camden Causeway west along Elizabeth St. and north along Hughes Blvd to double-terminate with US 17 Business.
The last and newest branch is the US 17 Bypass, a fully access-controlled and interstate-grade freeway. Completed in 2002 to the immediate west of the city, the bypass eliminated one of the last remaining inner-city stretches of US 17 in North Carolina.
U.S. Route 158 forms a route westward from Camden County
, providing Elizabeth City linkage to points east including the Outer Banks
of North Carolina. In town, US 158 temporarily merges with US 17, traveling northeastward before diverging at Morgan's Corner and continuing westward across the Great Dismal Swamp
into Gates County.
North Carolina Highway 344
forms a minor connection southeastward from the US 17 Bypass to southern Pasquotank County, serving as a major commercial and industrial corridor, providing access to Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City
, Elizabeth City State University
, TCom and the rural unincorporated community of Weeksville.
, and located 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of the city limits, named the Elizabeth City Regional Airport
(IATA: ECG, ICAO: KECG, FAA LID
: ECG).
Scheduled domestic and international passenger services are available at Norfolk International Airport
(IATA: ORF, ICAO: KORF, FAA LID: ORF), located about an hour away in Norfolk, Virginia.
, a short line operated by the North Carolina and Virginia Railroad, extends 82 miles (132 km) between Edenton, North Carolina, and Chesapeake, Virginia. This line had first been established in 1881 as the Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad, later renamed the Norfolk Southern Railway
. Once one of Norfolk Southern's principal lines, the decline of the region's industry and the demolition of tracks across the Albemarle Sound
from Edenton to Mackey's Ferry marginalized the route, forcing the line's lease to the Chesapeake and Albemarle in 1990.
The closest passenger service is provided by Amtrak
in Newport News, Virginia
, approximately one and a half hours to the north.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Pasquotank County
Pasquotank County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 40,661 people, 13,907 households, and 9,687 families residing in the county. The population density was 154 people per square mile . There were 14,289 housing units at an average density of 63 per square mile...
and Camden County
Camden County, North Carolina
-Schools:There are five schools in Camden County: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, Camden County High School, and CamTech High School. However one other former school lies in Shiloh. It was a community school for the Shiloh area. The school is now home to a...
in the State 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...
. With a population of 18,683 at the 2010 census, Elizabeth City 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 Pasquotank County.
Because Elizabeth City has a high degree of economic integration with its neighboring counties, and the majority of the population in Camden, Pasquotank, and Perquimans County is concentrated in this city, Elizabeth City has been designated as the heart of the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area
Elizabeth City micropolitan area
The Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in the Inner Banks region of eastern North Carolina, anchored by the city of Elizabeth City....
, with a population of 64,042 as of 2009. Because the area outside this city is sparsely populated, however, Elizabeth City only shares a border with one town—the consolidated city-county of Camden. The largest city in the Elizabeth City μSA, this town is not only the economic center of this region, but it is also home to many historical sites and cultural traditions.
Known as the “Harbor of Hospitality", Elizabeth City has had a long history of shipping due to its location at the narrowing of the Pasquotank River. Founded in 1794, Elizabeth City prospered early on from the Dismal Swamp Canal as a mercantile city, before later shifting later into a varied industrial and commercial focus. While Elizabeth City still retains its extensive waterfront property, it is thoroughly linked to neighboring counties and cities by interstate highways and bridges and serves as the site of a US Coast Guard Base. The city has also been cited as one of "The 100 Best Small Towns in America" by author Norman Crampton.
History
Located at the narrows of the Pasquotank River, the area that would become Elizabeth City soon served as a trading site, and as early as the mid 18th century, inspection stations and ferries were established. With the addition of minor roads, a schoolhouse, and soon a church, a small community was established at these narrows.Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, who 200 years earlier spearheaded the colonization of the Carolina and Virginia coasts, or Elizabeth "Betsy" Tooley, a local tavern proprietress who donated much of the land for the new town.
The improvements made to the Dismal Swamp Canal made Elizabeth City a financial center of trade and commercially successful for the early 19th century. In 1826, the federal government purchased 600 stocks in the canal and, in 1829, additional funds for improvements were raised by the Norfolk lottery. With these funds, the Dismal Swamp Canal was widened and deepened, allowing for larger boats to ship their goods.
Further bolstering Elizabeth City’s financial success was the movement in 1827 of the customs house from Camden County to Elizabeth City, leading much of northeast Albemarle’s trade to be directed directly through Elizabeth City. From only 1829 to 1832, Elizabeth City’s tolls tripled. During the American 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...
the Confederate States had a small fleet stationed at Elizabeth City. After the Battle of Roanoke Island
Battle of Roanoke Island
The opening phase of what came to be called the Burnside Expedition, the Battle of Roanoke Island was an amphibious operation of the American Civil War, fought on February 7–8, 1862, in the North Carolina Sounds a short distance south of the Virginia border...
the Union forces sent a fleet to take Elizabeth City. There was a small skirmish that followed which ended in a Union victory. Elizabeth City was under Union control for the remainder of the war though Confederate irregulars engaged in Guerrilla warfare with Union forces in the area for the remainder of the war.
Meanwhile overland travel slowly improved, furnishing greater trade between neighboring counties, and a ferry continued to be used for transport between Elizabeth City and Camden county. However, the completion of competing canals and railroads around Elizabeth City diverted some of its financial success to neighboring cities. The Portsmouth and Weldon Railroad, completed in the 1830s allowed for goods to be transported from the Roanoke River to be directly transported to Weldon, and the Albemarle-Chesapeake Canal, completed in 1859, created a deeper channel for merchants shipping goods from the Eastern Albemarle Sound to Norfolk. It would not be until 1881 that the Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad, later renamed the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway (former)
The Norfolk Southern Railway was the final name of a railroad running from Norfolk, Virginia southwest and west to Charlotte, North Carolina. It was acquired by the Southern Railway in 1974, which was merged with the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1990 to form the current entity of the Norfolk...
, would once again jumpstart the city's industry.
Industry grew further during World War II, particularly in shipbuilding, tapering off over the following decades as industry withdrew to form the service, government and agriculture-dominant economic sectors present today. A recent revival in tourism and civic revitalization centered over downtown and the city's varied historic districts has further shaped the city's current P.R. image.
Battle of Elizabeth City
During the Civil War, there was a small battle between the Confederate States of America and the United States of America near Elizabeth City on the Pasquotank River on February 10, 1862. It was nothing more than a skirmish and casualties were low. The battle ended in a Union victory and resulted in the capture of Elizabeth City by the Union.Geography
Elizabeth city is located alongside the Pasquotank RiverPasquotank River
The Pasquotank River is a coastal water-body in Northeastern North Carolina in the United States. Located between Camden and Pasquotank counties, the Pasquotank connects directly to the Albemarle Sound and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway via Elizabeth City.-History:The name "Pasquotank" is...
, which connects to the Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located,...
and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
. Directly across the river lies Camden County
Camden County, North Carolina
-Schools:There are five schools in Camden County: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, Camden County High School, and CamTech High School. However one other former school lies in Shiloh. It was a community school for the Shiloh area. The school is now home to a...
.
Elizabeth City is located at 36°17′44"N 76°13′30"W (36.295585, -76.224954).
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...
, Elizabeth City has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²), of which, 8.9 square miles (23.1 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (6.49%) is water. Located in the Inner Banks
Inner Banks
The Inner Banks is a term used by some to describe the inland coastal region of eastern North Carolina, an area on the East Coast of the United States that is 22,227 square-miles by its broadest definition...
of North Carolina, Elizabeth City is largely flat and marshy with an elevation of only 12 ft (3.7 m). The city's semi-coastal geography has played an important role in its history—Elizabeth City once hosted thriving oyster and timber industries.
Climate
Elizabeth City has a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
, experiencing seasonal variation in temperature and precipitation. Due to its location, however, relatively close to the Albemarle Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, the temperature variations are somewhat softened. On average, Elizabeth City has its highest temperature and accumulation of precipitation in July. Elizabeth City commonly experiences thunderstorms during these summer months and has endured many tropical storms and hurricanes due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. This city experiences very little snowfall, however, on receiving on average a total of 3.5 inches (88.9 mm) of snow.
Arts & Culture
Elizabeth City is home to the Museum of the AlbemarleMuseum of the Albemarle
The Museum of the Albemarle is located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It serves as the northeastern regional branch of the North Carolina Museum of History...
, the northeastern regional branch of the North Carolina Museum of History
North Carolina Museum of History
The North Carolina Museum of History is located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Permanent exhibits focus on the state’s military history, decorative arts, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, and more. Visitors will see a variety of short-term and traveling exhibits...
. Located near the waterfront, the museum contains many permanent and revolving exhibits on the history and culture of the Albemarle region.
Greater Elizabeth City (Pasquotank County) has 6 National Register Historic Districts and 6 resources that are listed individually on the National Register, containing the state's largest concentration of antebellum-style homes and commercial buildings.
Notably, the Virginia Dare Hotel and Arcade, a neoclassical building designed in 1927 by William Lee Stoddart
William Lee Stoddart
William Lee Stoddart was an architect best known for urban hotels in the eastern United States. Even though he was born in Tenafly, New Jersey, the bulk of his commissions were in the South. He maintained offices in Atlanta and New York City....
, continues to form the skyline of Elizabeth City and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This nine-story building adorned with a two-story arcade currently serves as an elderly apartment complex.
Elizabeth City has also been the birthplace of a few government officials in its history. Judge John Warren Davis
John Warren Davis
John Warren Davis was a New Jersey politician and federal judge.-Early life and education:...
, a justice on the Federal Court of Appeals was born in Elizabeth City as was John C. B. Ehringhaus, governor of North Carolina from 1933-7 and for whom Ehringhaus Street, a major thoroughfare, is named.
During the same era, nine-ball legend Luther Lassiter
Luther Lassiter
Luther Lassiter , born Luther Clement Lassiter, Jr. and nicknamed Wimpy, was a world-renowned American pool player from Elizabeth City, North Carolina...
was born in Elizabeth City, and developed much of his skill at pool
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
in the City Billiards pool hall.
North Carolina Potato Festival
Elizabeth City also hosts the North Carolina Potato FestivalNorth Carolina Potato Festival
North Carolina Potato Festival is an annual tradition in Northeastern North Carolina that celebrates one of the region's most important crops. Originally known as the Albemarle Potato Festival, which ran from 1940 through 1970, the once-prominent event was revived in 2001 as the North Carolina...
, an annual celebration of the potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
, one of the region's most important crops. The festival has steadily become one of the most popular draws in northeastern North Carolina, and is usually held in mid-May in downtown Elizabeth City.
Media
The Daily AdvanceElizabeth City Daily Advance
Elizabeth City Daily Advance is a daily newspaper based in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The newspaper is owned by Cooke Communications.-Sale to Cooke Communications:Cox Enterprises sold The Daily Advance to Cooke Communications on July 31, 2009....
has served as Elizabeth City's sole newspaper since its founding by Herbert Peele in 1911. In mid-2009, the Daily Advance was bought by Cooke Communications.
Due to its proximity to Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
, many of the major network affiliates received in Elizabeth City actually are broadcast from southeastern Virginia cities, including WTKR (CBS), WAVY (NBC), WVEC (ABC), WVBT
WVBT
WVBT is the Fox-affiliated television station for the Hampton Roads area of Southeastern Virginia that is licensed to Virginia Beach. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 29 from a transmitter in the Driver section of Suffolk...
(FOX), and WHRO-TV
WHRO-TV
WHRO-TV digital channel 15 is the Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station for Hampton Roads, Virginia . The station is licensed to both Hampton and Norfolk with the studios at the Public Telecommunications Center for Hampton Roads next to the campus of Old Dominion University...
(PBS). In fact, the only non-public service station based in Elizabeth City is W18BB, broadcasting from Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University is a public, historically black college located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in the United States...
.
U.S. Coast Guard
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth CityCoast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City is a United States Coast Guard air station located at Elizabeth City Regional Airport in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, along the Pasquotank River near the opening of the Albemarle Sound...
, the largest United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
Air Station on the East Coast, is located directly south of Elizabeth City's city limits. Recently incorporated into the United States Department of Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
, the base, along with a host of defense contractors anchored by DRS Technologies
DRS Technologies
DRS Technologies, Inc. is a US-based defense contractor. Previously traded on the NYSE, the company was purchased by the Italian firm Finmeccanica in October 2008.-History:...
, provide a host of local jobs and maintains an influx of Coast Guard and industry employees from all around the country.
The USCG Air Station and the Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC) in Elizabeth City was also featured in numerous scenes of the 2006 Disney movie "The Guardian", although the base was made to look like Kodiak, Alaska in keeping with the film's script.
Elizabeth City is also home to one of the United States' few airship factories. Many of the nation's commercial blimps are made and serviced here. The current airship facilities evolved from what had previously been Naval Air Station Weeksville, operational from 1941 to 1957. NAS Weeksville's LTA craft played a vital role in German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
spotting during World War II, helping to minimize losses to East Coast shipping.
Capitalizing on the region's reputation as the birthplace of aviation including the Wright Brothers' First Flight on the Outer Banks, presence of the U.S. Coast Guard and the lighter-than-air blimp industry, a joint public-private airpark adjacent to the Coast Guard base is in the planning stages. Intended to make Elizabeth City a premier hub of the aviation industry, the airpark hopes to attract major tenants as well as the Aviation Science programs of Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University is a public, historically black college located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in the United States...
and related programs by the College of the Albemarle
College of The Albemarle
College of the Albemarle is a community college located in the Albemarle region of northeastern North Carolina. The main campus is located in Elizabeth City with satellite campuses in Manteo and Edenton...
.
Demographics
According to Census Bureau estimates for July 1, 2008, there were 20,188 people, 6,877 households, and 4,689 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,923.2 people per square mile (742.3/km2). There were 7,463 housing units at an average density of 835.1 per square mile (322.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 40.24% White, 56.60% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.62% 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 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.
There were 6,577 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% 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, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 15.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,193, and the median income for a family was $28,037. Males had a median income of $27,434 versus $20,836 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 $13,333. About 25.1% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.5% of those under age 18 and 23.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
All public education is overseen by the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County School Board of Education. ECPPS, the local school system, operates seven elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and one alternative learning school. Elizabeth City is additionally home to some private and religious schools, including Albemarle School, Foreshadow Academy, Victory Christian School, and Cathedral Christian Academy.Elizabeth City is home to one private and two public institutions of higher education.
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University is a public, historically black college located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in the United States...
, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System, is a historically African-American college, currently enrolling 3,061 students on a compact 200 acre (0.809372 km²) campus along the city's southern edge. Founded in 1891 as a teacher training school, it now serves the higher educational needs of northeastern North Carolina's sixteen counties. It offers a doctor of pharmacy program in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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...
, as well as aviation science programs in a joint venture with the College of the Albemarle.
Mid-Atlantic Christian University, a private Christian institution, is located along the Pasquotank River
Pasquotank River
The Pasquotank River is a coastal water-body in Northeastern North Carolina in the United States. Located between Camden and Pasquotank counties, the Pasquotank connects directly to the Albemarle Sound and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway via Elizabeth City.-History:The name "Pasquotank" is...
, north of downtown Elizabeth City. It was founded in 1948.
Also located here is the main campus of the College of the Albemarle
College of The Albemarle
College of the Albemarle is a community college located in the Albemarle region of northeastern North Carolina. The main campus is located in Elizabeth City with satellite campuses in Manteo and Edenton...
, positioned on the city's northern edge adjacent to Albemarle Hospital. It is known as the first community college to be established under the (North Carolina) Community College Act of 1960.
All three schools have agreements allowing students to dual-enroll in one of the other two institutions.
Government
Elizabeth City serves as the County Seat of Pasquotank County under a council-managerCouncil-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...
style of government.
Elizabeth City’s government is composed of the City Council and the Mayor. The City Council itself is composed of eight council members and the City Manager, elected by these council members. The City Manager serves a largely executive function, overseeing the city’s administrative departments, appointing department heads and city employees, and informing the rest of the Council of relevant municipal conditions. Currently, the city manager is Rich Olsen. The eight council members, on the other hand, acts in a legislative regard, adopting city policies, holding the Manager responsible, and choosing a Mayor pro-Tempore from its council members. This council is elected every two years by each of the four wards composing the city electing two members.
The Mayor, elected by the whole voter body every two years, also serves an executive function, serving as the head of a council meeting and casting a tie-breaking vote for the council. As of 2011, the mayor is Roger McLean. The council holds its meetings every second and fourth Monday of the month and is rebroadcast on a public service channel.
Elizabeth City has an office for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina is the United States District Court that serves the eastern 44 counties in North Carolina. Appeals from the Eastern District of North Carolina are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit The...
, headed by Terrence W. Boyle as the resident judge. This Court presides over cases in the northern region of this district.
Elizabeth City also occupies North Carolina’s First Congressional District, served by US Representative GK Butterfield.
Highways
Most unusual are the four branches of U.S. Route 17 that pass through the city - rarely are there more than two or three variants of the same route in any given community.
(Mainline) US 17 enters Pasquotank County from the southwest (Perquimans County), travels through Elizabeth City as Hughes Boulevard (the former US 17 Bypass from 1969 to 2002), departing as the northern section of North Road Street as it continues north into Camden County toward the Virginia border.
US 17 Business branches off Hughes Boulevard and travels east as Ehringhaus Street, turning north through Downtown as North Road Street, ending with at its intersection with (Mainline) US 17/Hughes Boulevard and continuing as such as North Road Street.
US 17 Truck Business appears to be a designation unique among U.S. routes, traveling from the Camden Causeway west along Elizabeth St. and north along Hughes Blvd to double-terminate with US 17 Business.
The last and newest branch is the US 17 Bypass, a fully access-controlled and interstate-grade freeway. Completed in 2002 to the immediate west of the city, the bypass eliminated one of the last remaining inner-city stretches of US 17 in North Carolina.
U.S. Route 158 forms a route westward from Camden County
Camden County, North Carolina
-Schools:There are five schools in Camden County: Grandy Primary School, Camden Intermediate School, Camden Middle School, Camden County High School, and CamTech High School. However one other former school lies in Shiloh. It was a community school for the Shiloh area. The school is now home to a...
, providing Elizabeth City linkage to points east including the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
of North Carolina. In town, US 158 temporarily merges with US 17, traveling northeastward before diverging at Morgan's Corner and continuing westward across the Great Dismal Swamp
Great Dismal Swamp
The Great Dismal Swamp is a marshy area on the Coastal Plain Region of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the United States. It is located in parts of southern Chesapeake and Suffolk in Virginia, as well as northern...
into Gates County.
North Carolina Highway 344
North Carolina Highway 344
NC 344 is a north–south state highway in coastal North Carolina; it is entirely in Pasquotank County.-Route description:The highway's southern terminus lies at the shores of the Pasquotank River near its mouth with the Albemarle Sound...
forms a minor connection southeastward from the US 17 Bypass to southern Pasquotank County, serving as a major commercial and industrial corridor, providing access to Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City is a United States Coast Guard air station located at Elizabeth City Regional Airport in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, along the Pasquotank River near the opening of the Albemarle Sound...
, Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University is a public, historically black college located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in the United States...
, TCom and the rural unincorporated community of Weeksville.
Air
Elizabeth City has a joint civil-military airport, shared with the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth CityCoast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City is a United States Coast Guard air station located at Elizabeth City Regional Airport in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, along the Pasquotank River near the opening of the Albemarle Sound...
, and located 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of the city limits, named the Elizabeth City Regional Airport
Elizabeth City Regional Airport
Elizabeth City Regional Airport , also known as Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Regional Airport or ECG Regional Airport, is a joint civil-military public airport located on the shores of the Pasquotank River, four miles southeast of Elizabeth City, in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, USA. This...
(IATA: ECG, ICAO: KECG, FAA LID
LID
LID is an abbreviation for:* Language Independent Datatypes . Now renamed to General Purpose Datatypes.* League for Industrial Democracy .* Lewica i Demokraci , Polish party....
: ECG).
Scheduled domestic and international passenger services are available at Norfolk International Airport
Norfolk International Airport
-Baggage Claims:Southwest Airlines #1,Delta Airlines #2,US Airways | American Airlines #3,Continental Airlines|United Express #5- Facilities and aircraft :...
(IATA: ORF, ICAO: KORF, FAA LID: ORF), located about an hour away in Norfolk, Virginia.
Rail
The Chesapeake and Albemarle RailroadChesapeake and Albemarle Railroad
The Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad is a short-line railroad that operates of track from Chesapeake, Virginia to Edenton, North Carolina.The railroad was originally part of the Norfolk Southern Railroad, which continued south, crossing the Albemarle Sound and on to Mackeys Ferry and Plymouth...
, a short line operated by the North Carolina and Virginia Railroad, extends 82 miles (132 km) between Edenton, North Carolina, and Chesapeake, Virginia. This line had first been established in 1881 as the Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad, later renamed the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway (former)
The Norfolk Southern Railway was the final name of a railroad running from Norfolk, Virginia southwest and west to Charlotte, North Carolina. It was acquired by the Southern Railway in 1974, which was merged with the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1990 to form the current entity of the Norfolk...
. Once one of Norfolk Southern's principal lines, the decline of the region's industry and the demolition of tracks across the Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located,...
from Edenton to Mackey's Ferry marginalized the route, forcing the line's lease to the Chesapeake and Albemarle in 1990.
The closest passenger service is provided by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
in Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
, approximately one and a half hours to the north.
External links
- Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Official Elizabeth City, NC website
- Pasquotank County website
- Elizabeth City State University
- U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City
- Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce
- North Carolina Potato Festival
- Designated Historic Districts in Elizabeth City
- Albemarle Hospital
- TCom Manufacturing
- Elizabeth City Area CVB's Blog