Star, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Star is a town in Montgomery County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was 807 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 807 people, 335 households, and 211 families residing in the town. The population density
was 666.4 people per square mile (257.5/km²). There were 364 housing units at an average density of 300.6 per square mile (116.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.71% White, 1.98% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.50% Pacific Islander, 5.33% from other races
, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.17% of the population.
There were 335 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples
living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,845, and the median income for a family was $32,083. Males had a median income of $26,563 versus $22,344 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,300. About 12.1% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.8% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
, a man named Angus Leach moved to Hunsucker's Store and helped to found the present Town of Star, serving as postmaster, hotel operator, and general merchandise store owner. Gold was discovered in the area around 1866, and by 1874 there were extensive gold mining operations in the province, particularly around the Little River area of Star. When the Aberdeen and West End Railroad (owned by the Page family of Aberdeen, NC), completed a branch to Star from Filo, NC (Biscoe, North Carolina
) in 1895, it was only a short period later before Star was incorporated into a town. Star was a major shipping point for lumber, turpentine
, and bricks beginning in 1896 with the completion of the Asheboro and Montgomery Railroad, also built by the Page family. In 1896, the Leach Family erected a large wooden hotel to accommodate the travelers and workers of the railroad, and the hotel (The Star Hotel Bed and Breakfast) is still standing today and is owned by Gary Spivey
. In 1897 the Aberdeen and West End Railroad merged with the Asheboro and Montgomery Railroad to form the Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad
, thus opening the area to a whole new range of shipping. The timber industry was the first major factor in the growth of Star. The Star Lumber Company, headed by Z.T. Wright, J.E. Kanoy, and W.T. Harper, had built a tramway in 1896 to haul logs to the mills in town. The tramway was removed in 1901 when the Durham and Charlotte Railroad was built to Star. The Durham and Charlotte Railroad was to connect the two cities of Durham
and Charlotte
. Because The town of Star was the junction and crossroads for the Aberdeen & Asheboro Railroad and the Durham & Charlotte Railroad, business in the town began to pick up. Sometime around 1900, a bottling plant was established in Star by J.R. Ingrahm to bottle sodas for the area. This company preceded the Coca Cola Plant in Star, which was later moved to Biscoe, North Carolina
. In 1907, Star's first undertaker, Mr. H.D. Phillips, established a funeral parlor. This was the beginning of a long and successful business for the Phillips family who still operate the Phillips Funeral Home today. Interesting to note was the organization of a "Carolina Collegiate and Agricultural Institute" around 1910 in Star by Dr. Edward F. Green that cooperated with the North Carolina A & M College in Raleigh
. The town saw massive growth between the years of 1912 and 1950 when the Norfolk Southern Railway (former)
purchased the old lines of the Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad and the Durham and Charlotte Railroad. The operation held a depot, water tank, and coal chute in Star. This new era saw the introduction of the hosiery mill industry, a boom in lumber production, various new stores and products, and a huge surge in population. Since that point, the town continued to slowly grow into a prosperous community. In the 1960s the town undertook the task of erecting some of the first public housing units in the state.
Since then, the hosiery mills experienced a decline and eventually left Star. This left hundreds unemployed and the once prosperous town of Star began to wither away. The buildings that once employed many hard-working people now mostly sit empty. The townspeople hold out hope for new industry to move into Star.
, Badin Lake
, Lake Tillery
, North Carolina Zoo
, and Pinehurst
.
Montgomery County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,822 people, 9,848 households, and 7,189 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 14,145 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
, 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 807 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Star is known as the geographic center of North Carolina as measured via satellite, according to the Army Corps of Engineers http://www.starnc.com. Star is located at 35.398366°N 79.783280°W (35.398366, -79.783280).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 town has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.
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 807 people, 335 households, and 211 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 666.4 people per square mile (257.5/km²). There were 364 housing units at an average density of 300.6 per square mile (116.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.71% White, 1.98% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.50% Pacific Islander, 5.33% 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 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.17% of the population.
There were 335 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,845, and the median income for a family was $32,083. Males had a median income of $26,563 versus $22,344 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 $20,300. About 12.1% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.8% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
History
The town of Star was incorporated in 1897. It was originally called Hunsucker's Store, after a trading post operated by the original landowner, Mr. Martin Hunsucker. After the Civil WarAmerican 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...
, a man named Angus Leach moved to Hunsucker's Store and helped to found the present Town of Star, serving as postmaster, hotel operator, and general merchandise store owner. Gold was discovered in the area around 1866, and by 1874 there were extensive gold mining operations in the province, particularly around the Little River area of Star. When the Aberdeen and West End Railroad (owned by the Page family of Aberdeen, NC), completed a branch to Star from Filo, NC (Biscoe, North Carolina
Biscoe, North Carolina
Biscoe is a town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,700 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Henry Biscoe, an important customer of the local lumber business.- History :...
) in 1895, it was only a short period later before Star was incorporated into a town. Star was a major shipping point for lumber, turpentine
Turpentine
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. It is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene...
, and bricks beginning in 1896 with the completion of the Asheboro and Montgomery Railroad, also built by the Page family. In 1896, the Leach Family erected a large wooden hotel to accommodate the travelers and workers of the railroad, and the hotel (The Star Hotel Bed and Breakfast) is still standing today and is owned by Gary Spivey
Gary Spivey
Gary Spivey claims to be a psychic, medium, spiritual healer and spiritual teacher. He has made appearances on radio programs, TV shows, and in live casino shows and also conducts personal readings, seminars, workshops, and hosts retreats.- Radio shows :...
. In 1897 the Aberdeen and West End Railroad merged with the Asheboro and Montgomery Railroad to form the Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad
Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad
The Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad was the conglomeration of two previous railroads built by the Page family of Aberdeen, North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century....
, thus opening the area to a whole new range of shipping. The timber industry was the first major factor in the growth of Star. The Star Lumber Company, headed by Z.T. Wright, J.E. Kanoy, and W.T. Harper, had built a tramway in 1896 to haul logs to the mills in town. The tramway was removed in 1901 when the Durham and Charlotte Railroad was built to Star. The Durham and Charlotte Railroad was to connect the two cities of Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
and Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. Because The town of Star was the junction and crossroads for the Aberdeen & Asheboro Railroad and the Durham & Charlotte Railroad, business in the town began to pick up. Sometime around 1900, a bottling plant was established in Star by J.R. Ingrahm to bottle sodas for the area. This company preceded the Coca Cola Plant in Star, which was later moved to Biscoe, North Carolina
Biscoe, North Carolina
Biscoe is a town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,700 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Henry Biscoe, an important customer of the local lumber business.- History :...
. In 1907, Star's first undertaker, Mr. H.D. Phillips, established a funeral parlor. This was the beginning of a long and successful business for the Phillips family who still operate the Phillips Funeral Home today. Interesting to note was the organization of a "Carolina Collegiate and Agricultural Institute" around 1910 in Star by Dr. Edward F. Green that cooperated with the North Carolina A & M College in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. The town saw massive growth between the years of 1912 and 1950 when the Norfolk Southern Railway (former)
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...
purchased the old lines of the Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad and the Durham and Charlotte Railroad. The operation held a depot, water tank, and coal chute in Star. This new era saw the introduction of the hosiery mill industry, a boom in lumber production, various new stores and products, and a huge surge in population. Since that point, the town continued to slowly grow into a prosperous community. In the 1960s the town undertook the task of erecting some of the first public housing units in the state.
Since then, the hosiery mills experienced a decline and eventually left Star. This left hundreds unemployed and the once prosperous town of Star began to wither away. The buildings that once employed many hard-working people now mostly sit empty. The townspeople hold out hope for new industry to move into Star.
Star today
Star has been designated as a US Postal Service Christmas Town, and as hosting the Star Fiddler's Convention. The Star Christmas Parade is documented as one of the oldest in the State, as well as the longest with the most entries. The Yadkin Pee Dee Lakes project has its current headquarters in the old Country Life Academy building in Star, and heads the Star Town Revitalization Project, as well as the Central Park NC endeavor. The town is located at the center of the state of North Carolina. Local and nearby attractions include Uwharrie National ForestUwharrie National Forest
Uwharrie National Forest is a federally-designated national forest region located primarily in Montgomery County, but also extending into Randolph and Davidson counties in south central North Carolina. It is the smallest of the four National Forests in North Carolina, with a total area of 50,369...
, Badin Lake
Badin Lake
Badin Lake is one of a series of lakes created by the damming of the Yadkin-Pee Dee River in the Uwharrie Lakes Region of the United States. It was created in 1917 by the Aluminum Company of America. It is contained by Narrows Dam at the town of Badin, North Carolina. Sitting within a valley, the...
, Lake Tillery
Lake Tillery
Lake Tillery is a reservoir between Badin Lake and Blewett Falls Lake in the Uwharrie Lakes Region of North Carolina. It is entirely within Stanly County and Montgomery County, NC. The lake was created by impounding the Pee Dee River, which is created by the confluence of the Yadkin River and the...
, North Carolina Zoo
North Carolina Zoo
The North Carolina Zoo is located in Asheboro in Randolph County, North Carolina in the Uwharrie Mountains near the geographic center of the state, approximately west of Raleigh, NC, United States. At , it is the largest "walk-through" natural-habitat zoo in the world, the first in the United...
, and Pinehurst
Pinehurst
-Place names:Canada* Pinehurst, Nova Scotia, village located outside New Germany* Pinehurst Lake, lake in northeastern AlbertaUnited States* Pinehurst, California* Pinehurst, Georgia* Pinehurst, Idaho* Pinehurst, Massachusetts...
.