Calabash, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Calabash, North Carolina
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| Nickname(s):
Seafood Capital of the World
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 Calabash, North Carolina
Location in North Carolina
Calabash, North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | North Carolina | |
| County | Brunswick | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.87 sq mi (12.62 km2) | |
| • Land | 4.53 sq mi (11.73 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.34 sq mi (0.88 km2) | |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,011 | |
| • Density | 443.93/sq mi (171.40/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
28467
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| Area codes | 910, 472 | |
| FIPS code | 37-09540 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405358 | |
Calabash is a small fishing town located in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States. It's famous for its seafood restaurants and is even called the "Seafood Capital of the World." In 2020, about 2,011 people lived in Calabash.
History of Calabash
Calabash got its name from special plants called gourds. These gourds grew in the area and were used by early settlers to drink water from wells.
Since the 1930s, Calabash has been known for its unique way of frying seafood. This cooking style is now famous as "Calabash Style" seafood. Many restaurants in towns along the coast of eastern Carolina, like Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, serve Calabash style buffets. Myrtle Beach is only about 25 miles away from Calabash.
In 1983, Calabash had 32 restaurants and around 180 residents. Forty years later, the town still had about the same number of restaurants, but its population had grown to around 2,000 people.
In 1998, a part of Calabash became its own town called Carolina Shores. This happened after some disagreements about things like sewer services, trash collection, and rules for signs. Today, the town of Carolina Shores shares a border with Calabash.
Geography of Calabash
Calabash is located in the southwestern part of Brunswick County. Its southwest edge touches the border of South Carolina. To the northwest, it borders the town of Carolina Shores. The town of Sunset Beach is located to the east.
The Calabash River flows through the southern part of the town. This river is affected by tides and leads southwest to the Little River in South Carolina. The Little River then flows into the Atlantic Ocean about 3 miles downstream.
The main road in Calabash is North Carolina Highway 179, also known as Beach Drive. This road goes west to U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina. If you go east, it's a winding 15-mile drive to Shallotte.
The town of Calabash covers a total area of about 9.5 square kilometers (3.7 square miles). Most of this area, about 8.6 square kilometers (3.3 square miles), is land. The remaining 0.9 square kilometers (0.3 square miles), which is about 9.27% of the total area, is water.
Population Information
Calabash is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's part of a larger group of towns and cities around Wilmington.
According to the 2020 United States census, there were 2,011 people living in Calabash. These people made up 812 households, and 415 of those households were families.
Here's how the population has changed over the years:
- 1980: 128 people
- 1990: 1,210 people
- 2000: 711 people
- 2010: 1,786 people
- 2020: 2,011 people
Town Services
The town of Calabash provides important emergency services. These services help not only the people in Calabash but also those in nearby communities like Sunset Beach and Carolina Shores.
