Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Roanoke Rapids is a city in Halifax County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was 16,957 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²), of which, 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.51%) is water.
The town is located at the beginning of the North Carolina Piedmont, on the Roanoke River
at the fall line
, which marks the area where an upland region (continental bedrock
) and a coastal plain
(coastal alluvia
) meet. The fall line is typically prominent where a river crosses it, for there will usually be rapids or waterfalls. Because of these features, river boats typically could not travel any further inland. Because settlements needed a port and a ready supply of water power, they often developed where the river crosses the fall line. The Roanoke River and its falls inspired the development of Roanoke Rapids; businessmen such as Sam Patterson and other textile manufacturers used the river to power their mills.
The most prominent example of fall line settlement was the establishment of the cities along the eastern coast of the United States
where the Appalachian Rise
and the coastal plains meet.
The seven-mile-long Roanoke Rapids Canal trail starts at the Roanoke dam and ends roughly a mile after passing the historic aqueduct. The trail is fairly narrow, which limits access to walkers, runners, and bikers.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 16,957 people, 6,909 households, and 4,594 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,163.8 people per square mile (835.1/km²). There were 7,595 housing units at an average density of 969.2 per square mile (374.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.03% White, 24.87% African American, 0.58% Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races
, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 6,909 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples
living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,745, and the median income for a family was $40,337. Males had a median income of $31,756 versus $21,305 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,972. About 15.1% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.
, being home to multiple textile mills. Roanoke Rapids is now home to a KapStone Paper and Packaging
paper manufacturing facility.
building or Senior building as it is sometimes referred, opened in 1921 and is still in use. The building embodies many elements of Elizabethan Gothic and Tudor Revival architecture in its castle-like facade. It was built by industrialist Samuel Paterson and designed by renowned architect Hobart Upjohn
in a modified H-design. Hobart Upjohn was the grandson of Richard Upjohn, architect of Christ Episcopal Church
in Raleigh, North Carolina
. The high school is the dominant building in the city's central core and is flanked by another castle-like structure which formerly housed a National Guard Armory.
The Roanoke Canal Museum and Trail is one of the city's oldest historical sites. The 1823 canal lock building has been adapted as a museum to show the significance of the canal system to American westward expansion. It offers an in-depth look at the influential people who pushed for the Roanoke River
to become a source of trade and navigation, as well as the commodities that were shipped and traded on the Roanoke River. The trail, over seven miles long, is adjacent to the museum and largely parallel to the Roanoke River. It is commonly used by runners, bikers, photographers, and wildlife admirers. It is used as the course for the annual Roanoke Canal Half Marathon, and the Roanoke Canal Mountain Biking Club is located nearby.
Roanoke Rapids had planned Carolina Crossroads
, an entertainment district founded by a group of local business developers. Attractions were to include the Randy Parton
Theater as an anchor for the development, an outdoor amphitheater, a campground, an aquarium, hotels, restaurants, outlet shopping, travel center, several other dinner theaters, and water park. The association between the city and Randy Parton
, brother of Dolly Parton
, ended in December 2006. The city renamed the theater as the Roanoke Rapids Theater. A Black Widow Billiards Center was also announced by the pool player, Jeanette Lee. In October 2008, the city agreed to a lease/sale ofl the Roanoke Rapids Theater to Lafayette Gatling for $12.5 million. Gatling, a Chicago developer, said he would continue to develop the theater and work with the developers of the Carolina Crossroads
entertainment district. In November 2011, the city agreed to sell the theater outright to Gatling in an effort to reduce the city's debt from the project.
Halifax County
Halifax County is the name of three counties:*In Canada:**Halifax County, Nova Scotia*In the United States:**Halifax County, North Carolina**Halifax County, Virginia...
, 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 16,957 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area
Roanoke Rapids micropolitan area
The Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in North Carolina, anchored by the city of Roanoke Rapids....
.
Geography
Roanoke Rapids is located at 36°27′16"N 77°39′17"W (36.454528, -77.654822).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 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²), of which, 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.51%) is water.
The town is located at the beginning of the North Carolina Piedmont, on the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
at the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
, which marks the area where an upland region (continental bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
) and a coastal plain
Coastal plain
A coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. One of the world's longest coastal plains is located in eastern South America. The southwestern coastal plain of North America is notable for its species diversity...
(coastal alluvia
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
) meet. The fall line is typically prominent where a river crosses it, for there will usually be rapids or waterfalls. Because of these features, river boats typically could not travel any further inland. Because settlements needed a port and a ready supply of water power, they often developed where the river crosses the fall line. The Roanoke River and its falls inspired the development of Roanoke Rapids; businessmen such as Sam Patterson and other textile manufacturers used the river to power their mills.
The most prominent example of fall line settlement was the establishment of the cities along the eastern coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where the Appalachian Rise
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
and the coastal plains meet.
The seven-mile-long Roanoke Rapids Canal trail starts at the Roanoke dam and ends roughly a mile after passing the historic aqueduct. The trail is fairly narrow, which limits access to walkers, runners, and bikers.
Demographics
| Historical populations | |
|---|---|
| Census year | Population |
| 1970 | 13,508 |
| 1980 | 14,702 |
| 1990 | 15,722 |
| 2000 | 16,957 |
| 2008 | 17,483 |
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 16,957 people, 6,909 households, and 4,594 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,163.8 people per square mile (835.1/km²). There were 7,595 housing units at an average density of 969.2 per square mile (374.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.03% White, 24.87% African American, 0.58% Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.50% 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 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 6,909 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% 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, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,745, and the median income for a family was $40,337. Males had a median income of $31,756 versus $21,305 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 $15,972. About 15.1% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.
Industry
The city was first settled as a mill townMill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
, being home to multiple textile mills. Roanoke Rapids is now home to a KapStone Paper and Packaging
Kapstone
KapStone Paper and Packaging is an American pulp and paper company based in Northbrook, IL.The company has Kraft paper manufacturing facilities in Roanoke Rapids, NC and North Charleston, SC as well as a lumber mill in Summerville, SC...
paper manufacturing facility.
Attractions
Roanoke Rapids is known for a number of historical sites. The original Roanoke Rapids High SchoolRoanoke Rapids High School
Roanoke Rapids High School is a public high school in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.-Building history:Roanoke Rapids High School opened in 1921. It was the brainchild of local industrialist Samuel Paterson and was intended to be the centerpiece of the entire Roanoke Rapids community. The school...
building or Senior building as it is sometimes referred, opened in 1921 and is still in use. The building embodies many elements of Elizabethan Gothic and Tudor Revival architecture in its castle-like facade. It was built by industrialist Samuel Paterson and designed by renowned architect Hobart Upjohn
Hobart Upjohn
Hobart Upjohn was an American architect, best known for designing a number of ecclesiastical and educational structures in New York and in North Carolina. He also designed a number of significant private homes. His firm produced a total of about 150 projects, a third of which were in North...
in a modified H-design. Hobart Upjohn was the grandson of Richard Upjohn, architect of Christ Episcopal Church
Christ Episcopal Church (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Christ Episcopal Church is an Episcopal church in Raleigh, North Carolina located on Edenton Street.It is located within Capitol Area Historic District, a National Historic Landmark district and has a distinctive bronze weather vane at the peak of its steeple...
in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. The high school is the dominant building in the city's central core and is flanked by another castle-like structure which formerly housed a National Guard Armory.
The Roanoke Canal Museum and Trail is one of the city's oldest historical sites. The 1823 canal lock building has been adapted as a museum to show the significance of the canal system to American westward expansion. It offers an in-depth look at the influential people who pushed for the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
to become a source of trade and navigation, as well as the commodities that were shipped and traded on the Roanoke River. The trail, over seven miles long, is adjacent to the museum and largely parallel to the Roanoke River. It is commonly used by runners, bikers, photographers, and wildlife admirers. It is used as the course for the annual Roanoke Canal Half Marathon, and the Roanoke Canal Mountain Biking Club is located nearby.
Roanoke Rapids had planned Carolina Crossroads
Carolina Crossroads
Carolina Crossroads is a planned entertainment development near Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina located near the intersection of I-95 and US 158. The development was hoped to bring new jobs to the area which had been affected in recent years as textile mills closed and jobs moved out of the area...
, an entertainment district founded by a group of local business developers. Attractions were to include the Randy Parton
Randy Parton
Randy Parton is an American singer-songwriter, actor and businessman, best known as the brother of Dolly Parton and Stella Parton. Born in Sevierville, Tennessee, Parton is the eighth of twelve children born to father, Robert Lee Parton Sr. and mother, Avie Lee Caroline Owens. His siblings are...
Theater as an anchor for the development, an outdoor amphitheater, a campground, an aquarium, hotels, restaurants, outlet shopping, travel center, several other dinner theaters, and water park. The association between the city and Randy Parton
Randy Parton
Randy Parton is an American singer-songwriter, actor and businessman, best known as the brother of Dolly Parton and Stella Parton. Born in Sevierville, Tennessee, Parton is the eighth of twelve children born to father, Robert Lee Parton Sr. and mother, Avie Lee Caroline Owens. His siblings are...
, brother of Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, ended in December 2006. The city renamed the theater as the Roanoke Rapids Theater. A Black Widow Billiards Center was also announced by the pool player, Jeanette Lee. In October 2008, the city agreed to a lease/sale ofl the Roanoke Rapids Theater to Lafayette Gatling for $12.5 million. Gatling, a Chicago developer, said he would continue to develop the theater and work with the developers of the Carolina Crossroads
Carolina Crossroads
Carolina Crossroads is a planned entertainment development near Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina located near the intersection of I-95 and US 158. The development was hoped to bring new jobs to the area which had been affected in recent years as textile mills closed and jobs moved out of the area...
entertainment district. In November 2011, the city agreed to sell the theater outright to Gatling in an effort to reduce the city's debt from the project.