Lumberton, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Lumberton is a city in Robeson County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was 20,795 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Robeson County
. Lumberton, located in southern North Carolina's Inner Banks
region, is located on the Lumber River
. Founded in 1787 by John Willis, an officer in the American Revolution
, Lumberton was originally a shipping point for lumber
used by the Navy, which was sent downriver to Georgetown
, South Carolina
. Most of the town's growth, however, began shortly after World War II
.
in 1787 and was named the county seat of Robeson County. Lumberton was incorporated in 1859.
Robeson County
is located in the Coastal Plains region of southeastern North Carolina
. The county was created from Bladen County in 1786 by two American Revolutionary War
heroes and residents of the area, General John Willis and Colonel Thomas Robeson. The county was named after Colonel Robeson and the land for the county seat was donated by General Willis, who is also credited with naming the county seat Lumberton.
David Lynch
's 1986 film Blue Velvet was set in Lumberton, though it was actually filmed about 70 miles (112.7 km) southeast in Wilmington
. This situation raised some problems during filming, so Lynch filmed a small sequence in Lumberton and was subsequently allowed to use the name.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 15.8 square miles (40.9 km2), of which 15.7 square miles (40.7 km2) are land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km2) (0.44%) is water.
Lumberton is located on the Lumber River
in the state's Coastal Plains region. The Lumber River State Park
, 115 miles (185.1 km) of natural and scenic waterway
, flows through Lumberton. The river was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River and is part of the North Carolina Natural and Scenic River System. The Lumber River has been classified as natural, scenic and recreational. Recreation includes canoeing
and boating
, fishing
, hunting
, picnicking, camping
, nature study, swimming, biking, jogging
, crafts and fossil
and artifact hunting.
Lumberton is the larger principal city of the Lumberton-Laurinburg CSA, a Combined Statistical Area
that includes the Lumberton
(Robeson County) and Laurinburg
(Scotland County
micropolitan areas, which had a combined population of 159,337 at the 2000 census
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 20,795 people, 7,827 households and 5,165 families residing in Lumberton. The population density
was 1,322.4 people per square mile (510.8/km2). There were 8,800 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile (216.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 48.54% White, 35.44% African American, 12.79% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races
and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.30% of the population.
Of the 7,827 households, 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 38.8% were married couples
living together; 23.0% had a female householder with no husband present; and 34.0% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.01.
The city's population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18; 9.3% from 18 to 24; 28.2% from 25 to 44; 21.3% from 45 to 64; and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in Lumberton was $26,782, and the median income for a family was $33,839. Males had a median income of $28,903 versus $24,503 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,504. About 23.9% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.4% of those under age 18 and 23.7% of those age 65 or over.
, a prominent member of the Black Panther Party
and, more famously, the mother of rapper Tupac Shakur
- was born in Lumberton on January 10, 1947.
Tupac Shakur - (Son of Alice Faye Williams - a.k.a. Afeni Shakur) part of his ashes were also buried in Lumberton in 2003. The rest of his ashes have been divided among other family members.
Dr. Johnny Hunt
, who was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention
in 2008, was born in Lumberton.
Robeson County, North Carolina
Robeson County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010 it had a population of 134,168. Since then, it has been one of the 10% of United States counties that were majority-minority; its combined population of American Indian, African American and Latino residents comprise over...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 20,795 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Robeson County
Robeson County, North Carolina
Robeson County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010 it had a population of 134,168. Since then, it has been one of the 10% of United States counties that were majority-minority; its combined population of American Indian, African American and Latino residents comprise over...
. Lumberton, located in southern North Carolina's 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...
region, is located on the Lumber River
Lumber River
The Lumber River is a river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which still is the name of its headwater. The waterway known as the Lumber River extends downstream from the Scotland County-Hoke County border to the...
. Founded in 1787 by John Willis, an officer in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, Lumberton was originally a shipping point for lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
used by the Navy, which was sent downriver to Georgetown
Georgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown is the third oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County, in the Low Country. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River, and Sampit River, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina,...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Most of the town's growth, however, began shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The City of Lumberton was created by an Act of the North Carolina General AssemblyNorth Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
in 1787 and was named the county seat of Robeson County. Lumberton was incorporated in 1859.
Robeson County
Robeson County, North Carolina
Robeson County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010 it had a population of 134,168. Since then, it has been one of the 10% of United States counties that were majority-minority; its combined population of American Indian, African American and Latino residents comprise over...
is located in the Coastal Plains region of southeastern 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 county was created from Bladen County in 1786 by two American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
heroes and residents of the area, General John Willis and Colonel Thomas Robeson. The county was named after Colonel Robeson and the land for the county seat was donated by General Willis, who is also credited with naming the county seat Lumberton.
David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
's 1986 film Blue Velvet was set in Lumberton, though it was actually filmed about 70 miles (112.7 km) southeast in Wilmington
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. This situation raised some problems during filming, so Lynch filmed a small sequence in Lumberton and was subsequently allowed to use the name.
Geography
Lumberton is located at 34.627239°N 79.011947°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 15.8 square miles (40.9 km2), of which 15.7 square miles (40.7 km2) are land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km2) (0.44%) is water.
Lumberton is located on the Lumber River
Lumber River
The Lumber River is a river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which still is the name of its headwater. The waterway known as the Lumber River extends downstream from the Scotland County-Hoke County border to the...
in the state's Coastal Plains region. The Lumber River State Park
Lumber River State Park
Lumber River State Park is a North Carolina state park along the Lumber River in Scotland, Hoke, Robeson and Columbus counties in the United States. It covers 9234 acres along a 115-mile stretch of the Lumber River. Lumber River State Park is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plain...
, 115 miles (185.1 km) of natural and scenic waterway
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
, flows through Lumberton. The river was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River and is part of the North Carolina Natural and Scenic River System. The Lumber River has been classified as natural, scenic and recreational. Recreation includes canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, picnicking, camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, nature study, swimming, biking, jogging
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
, crafts and fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
and artifact hunting.
Demographics
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
that includes the Lumberton
Robeson County, North Carolina
Robeson County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010 it had a population of 134,168. Since then, it has been one of the 10% of United States counties that were majority-minority; its combined population of American Indian, African American and Latino residents comprise over...
(Robeson County) and Laurinburg
Scotland County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,998 people, 13,399 households, and 9,674 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 14,693 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
(Scotland County
Scotland County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,998 people, 13,399 households, and 9,674 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 14,693 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
micropolitan areas, which had a combined population of 159,337 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
As of the census
Census
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 20,795 people, 7,827 households and 5,165 families residing in Lumberton. 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 1,322.4 people per square mile (510.8/km2). There were 8,800 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile (216.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 48.54% White, 35.44% African American, 12.79% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% 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 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.30% of the population.
Of the 7,827 households, 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 38.8% 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; 23.0% had a female householder with no husband present; and 34.0% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.01.
The city's population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18; 9.3% from 18 to 24; 28.2% from 25 to 44; 21.3% from 45 to 64; and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in Lumberton was $26,782, and the median income for a family was $33,839. Males had a median income of $28,903 versus $24,503 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 $15,504. About 23.9% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.4% of those under age 18 and 23.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
Alice Faye Williams - a.k.a. Afeni ShakurAfeni Shakur
Afeni Shakur Davis is an African American music businesswoman, philanthropist, former political activist and ex-Black Panther. She is the mother of the late Tupac Shakur...
, a prominent member of the Black Panther Party
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....
and, more famously, the mother of rapper Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
- was born in Lumberton on January 10, 1947.
Tupac Shakur - (Son of Alice Faye Williams - a.k.a. Afeni Shakur) part of his ashes were also buried in Lumberton in 2003. The rest of his ashes have been divided among other family members.
Dr. Johnny Hunt
Johnny Hunt
Johnny M. Hunt is an evangelical Christian pastor, author, and former President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is currently the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Woodstock, in Woodstock, Georgia.- Early life :...
, who was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
in 2008, was born in Lumberton.
External links