Eden is a city in Rockingham County, North Carolina. It is part of the Piedmont Triad region. In 2020, about 15,405 people lived there. For many years, from the late 1800s to the 2000s, Eden was a big center for making textiles and other goods. The city was officially formed in 1967. This happened when three smaller towns – Leaksville, Spray, and Draper – joined together.

History of Eden

Leaksville (now Eden) train station in 1912

In the mid-1700s, the area where Eden is now was a huge piece of land. It was about 70,000 acres (283 square kilometers). This land belonged to William Byrd II, a rich landowner from Virginia. He called his large property "The Land of Eden."

William Byrd II had a dream. He wanted to bring many Swiss Protestants to live on his "Land of Eden." He imagined a busy, self-sufficient community. But his dream never came true. One boat of Swiss people sailed for Eden, but it was shipwrecked. None of the few survivors are thought to have reached the area. William Byrd II died in 1744. After his death, many poor Scotch-Irish immigrants started settling on small farms around "Eden."

William Byrd III, his son, inherited "Eden." He wanted to sell the land to get money. In 1755, he sold 26,000 acres (105 square kilometers) to two merchant brothers, Simon and Francis Farley. More and more settlers were moving into the area. The Farley brothers tried to create large farms, but often, settlers just moved onto the land and built homes.

Many later settlers didn't know about William Byrd. They knew about an old Native American village near Town Creek. This spot became the main center for new settlers. The 26,000-acre area became known as the Sauratown tract. In 1775, James Parke Farley, Francis Farley's son, moved to Sauratown.

Over the years, many families settled in the "Land of Eden." Their descendants still live in the area today. These include the Brodnax, Dillard, Ruffin, Morehead, Henry, and Winston families. Many Scottish families also settled here, such as the Galloway, Scales, Watt, Lenox, Campbell, and Moir families.

Eden: From 1900 to Today

After several tries, the towns of Leaksville, Draper, Spray, and the Meadows Greens area voted to join together. This happened on September 12, 1967. Most people voted for the new city to be called Eden. This name came from what surveyor William Byrd II called the region in the 1700s. Eden immediately became the biggest city in Rockingham County.

In 1970, the city grew a lot.
By 2000, the population reached 15,908 people.
In 2010, the population was 15,527.
In 2014, a large amount of coal ash and water spilled into the Dan River near Eden. This came from a power plant.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Eden's economy faced challenges. Several textile mills closed down. For example, Fieldcrest Cannon laid off many workers. Pluma closed in 1999, Spray Cotton Mills in 2001, and Pillowtex in 2003. Many workers had to move to bigger cities to find new jobs. The closure of these textile mills left the Miller Brewing Company as the city's main industry. However, it also announced its closure in 2015. The loss of these big companies affected local shops, causing many to close.

Every year, Eden hosts the River Fest in September. This festival celebrates the city's history. Many historic places in Eden are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Boone Road Historic District and the Leaksville Commercial Historic District.

Geography of Eden

The Smith River in Eden

The Smith River and the Dan River meet on the south side of Eden. The Dan River runs along Eden's southern edge. The Smith River flows through the city from the north to meet the Dan River.

Greensboro is about 36 miles (58 km) south of Eden. Reidsville is about 15 miles (24 km) southeast. High Point is about 45 miles (72 km) south. Danville, Virginia is about 26 miles (42 km) northeast of the city.

The city covers a total area of about 15.2 square miles (39.4 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.

Eden's Neighborhoods

Some neighborhoods in Eden include:

Central Area/Meadow Summit
Fairview
Sunset Hills
Fitzgerald/Leaksville Junction
City Center

Major Industry and Economy

Eden Mall in 2020

Eden has three main downtown areas. These are located in the former towns of Leaksville, Spray, and Draper.

A man named B. Frank Mebane started his first textile mill here in 1893. Later, Marshall Field took over the company in 1912 and named it Fieldcrest. This company made textile products like sheets and blankets. It employed over 3,000 people. After buying Cannon Mills in 1986, the company became Fieldcrest Cannon. However, the textile industry was changing, and many companies moved their factories to places where labor was cheaper.

In 1997, Fieldcrest Cannon was sold to Pillowtex. Pillowtex closed its Eden plants in 2003. This meant the last 495 textile workers in Eden lost their jobs.

The Miller Brewing Company also had a large brewery in Eden. In 2012, it employed almost 700 people. It produced nine million barrels of beer each year. But in 2015, Miller announced it would close the brewery. In 2020, it was announced that Nestle Purina will move into the old MillerCoors building. They plan to open in 2022.

In 2017, the German grocery store Lidl started building a store in Eden. It was expected to open in 2018.

The Eden Mall was built in 1980. It was a large shopping center. However, the mall started to decline in the late 1990s when stores like Kmart and Belk closed. The mall's condition got worse. It closed to the public in the early 2020s. It became an example of a "Dead mall" because it had very few stores left.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1960	3,382	—
1970	15,871	369.3%
1980	15,672	−1.3%
1990	15,238	−2.8%
2000	15,908	4.4%
2010	15,527	−2.4%
2020	15,421	−0.7%
2022 (est.)	15,325	−1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 Census Details

Eden racial composition
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	9,400	60.96%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	3,952	25.63%
Native American	62	0.4%
Asian	147	0.95%
Pacific Islander	4	0.03%
Other/Mixed	700	4.54%
Hispanic or Latino	1,156	7.5%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,421 people living in Eden. There were 6,581 households and 3,976 families.

Awards for Eden

All-America City Award - 2011

Healthcare Services

UNC Health Rockingham: This is a hospital that serves Rockingham County and southern Virginia.
UNC Rockingham Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center
UNC Rockingham Wound Healing Center
Cone Health Medical Group Heartcare of Eden
UNC Rockingham Outpatient Rehab
Piedmont Surgical Associates
UNC Family Medicine at Eden
Royalty Health and Wellness Resources
Genesis Medical

Sports and Recreation

Sports History

The Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets was a former Minor League Baseball team. It was made up of players from the three towns that formed Eden. The team played from 1934 to 1942. They won championships in 1935 and 1942. They were connected to Major League Baseball teams like the Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers.

Parks and Fun Places

The city has many parks and recreation spots:

Bridge Street Center
Freedom Ball Field Complex
Freedom Park
John E. Grogan Park
Mill Avenue Recreation Center
Mill Avenue swimming pool
Morgan Road Community Center
Peter Hill Park
Washington Street Park
Spray (Dehart) Community Center
Smith River Greenway
Skate Park

Transportation

Eden is served by the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro. There is also the Shiloh Airport in Stoneville. Major roads serving Eden include US 311, NC 14, and NC 87. The closest major highway is US 220.

Culture in Eden

Festivals and Events

Every September, Eden hosts its annual Fall Riverfest. This festival celebrates the city's art, history, and its rivers. It takes place on Washington Street, which is the oldest downtown street. Another event is the Charlie Poole Music festival, which features famous musicians. The Eden Chamber of Commerce also holds the Eden Business Expo. This event helps local businesses show off their products and job openings.

Eden Museum

The Eden Museum officially opened on September 19, 2009. Its exhibits were completed in 2010. The museum was started by the Eden Preservation Society. It tells the story of Eden's history. This includes how the towns of Leaksville, Spray, and Draper joined together. It also covers the area's ancient past, the Saura Indians, William Byrd, and the World Wars.

Smith River Greenway

The Smith River Greenway is a walking trail that follows the Smith River. It is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long. It goes past the Eden Family YMCA and Island Ford Landing. Along the trail, you can see many interesting plants and animals. The Greenway can cross the Smith River on Meadow Road. There is parking, picnic areas, and restrooms for visitors. The city plans to extend the trail towards the Spray dam in the future.

Eden on TV

Eden was featured in an episode of the Netflix animated show BoJack Horseman. In the episode "The Amelia Earhart Story," one of the characters, Princess Carolyn, visits her hometown of Eden.

Education in Eden

Rockingham County Schools serves the City of Eden. The school system was created in 1993.

Elementary Schools

Central Elementary School
Douglas Elementary School
Leaksville-Spray Elementary
Draper Elementary School (closed in 2019–2020)

Middle and High Schools

James E. Holmes Middle School
John Motley Morehead High School

Colleges and Universities

Rockingham Community College – located in Wentworth, NC

Media in Eden

Radio Stations

WLOE at 1490 AM started in 1946. Its call letters stand for "Wonderful Land of Eden." You can also hear it at 92.5 FM.
WCLW at 1130 AM plays Southern gospel music.
WPTI at 94.5 FM is a commercial FM talk and sports radio station.

Local Newspapers

Greensboro News & Record
Eden's Own Journal

Television Stations

WFMY-TV, Channel 2 CBS, Greensboro
WGHP, Channel 8 Fox, High Point
WXII-TV, Channel 12 NBC, Winston-Salem
WGPX, Channel 16, Ion, Burlington
WGSR-LD, Channel 19 Independent, Reidsville
WCWG, Channel 20, The CW, Lexington
WXLV-TV, Channel 45, ABC, Winston-Salem
WMYV-TV, Channel 48, MyNetworkTV, Greensboro

Notable People from Eden

Clint Barrow, aka Andre Chase, a professional wrestler for WWE.
Houston Barrow, aka Lance Bravado, a professional wrestler.
Tabitha Brown, an actress and internet celebrity.
Bill Butler, a former NFL player.
Herb Clarke, a former weatherman and TV journalist.
Ben Cook, an actor who appeared on 30 Rock and Veep.
Norwood Creek, a film and TV producer, director, and editor.
Antico Dalton, a retired NFL and Canadian Football League player.
William Gordon, a former bishop.
R.S. Gwynn, a poet.
Carol M. Highsmith, a photographer who documents America for the Library of Congress.
Jennifer King, the first full-time black female coach in NFL history.
Machinedrum, an electronic musician.
Charlie Poole, an old-time and bluegrass musician.
Takayo Siddle, a college basketball coach.
Edwin Wilson, a professor at Wake Forest University.

Eden, North Carolina facts for kids

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