Chocowinity, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chocowinity, North Carolina
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Location of Chocowinity, North Carolina
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Beaufort |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.00 sq mi (2.58 km2) |
| • Land | 1.00 sq mi (2.58 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 722 |
| • Density | 724.17/sq mi (279.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
27817
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| Area code(s) | 252 |
| FIPS code | 37-12580 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2406267 |
Chocowinity (pronounced chok-ə-WIN-ə-tee) is a small town in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. In 2020, about 722 people lived there. This town is part of the Washington Area. It is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plains region, which is known for its flat land and proximity to the coast.
Contents
History of Chocowinity
What's in a Name?
The name Chocowinity has an interesting past! Some people think it comes from an old Native American word, chackauene, which means "otter" or "little otters." But many local people believe the name actually means "fish in many waters."
In 1928, a man named Rev. N.C. Hughes met a Native American person who explained the name. When Mr. Hughes said "Chocowinity" and its older name "Chocawanateth," the Native American replied, "Oh yes, that word means FISH FROM MANY WATERS."
Chocowinity and the Railroad
In the early 1900s, Chocowinity became a very important place for trains. It was a main hub for the Norfolk Southern Railway starting in 1910.
Around 1917, the railroad started calling the town "Marsden." This was because "Marsden" was much easier to spell when sending messages by telegraph than "Chocowinity." The new name honored Marsden J. Perry, who was one of the railroad's financial supporters and later became its president.
The Norfolk Southern Railway was a big system. It had lines connecting places like Norfolk, Virginia and Charlotte. It also served many towns in eastern and central North Carolina, including Raleigh and Greenville.
Later, this railroad joined with another company called the Southern Railway. In the 1980s, it helped form the large Norfolk Southern Railway System we know today. In 1970, the railroad went back to using "Chocowinity" for the town's name. This happened because they started using 2-way radios instead of telegraphs, making the longer name easier to say.
Historic Site
The Trinity Episcopal Cemetery is a special historic place in Chocowinity. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
Geography of Chocowinity
Chocowinity covers an area of about 1.0 square mile (2.58 square kilometers). All of this area is land. The town is located in a flat region of North Carolina.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 580 | — | |
| 1970 | 566 | −2.4% | |
| 1980 | 644 | 13.8% | |
| 1990 | 624 | −3.1% | |
| 2000 | 733 | 17.5% | |
| 2010 | 820 | 11.9% | |
| 2020 | 722 | −12.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in Chocowinity?
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 722 people living in Chocowinity. Most residents were White (about 49.7%) or Black/African American (about 40.4%). There were also smaller groups of Asian, Native American, and people of mixed races. About 6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. In total, there were 498 households and 243 families in the town.
See also
- In Spanish: Chocowinity (Carolina del Norte) para niños
