Granite Falls, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Granite Falls, North Carolina
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Downtown Granite Falls, as viewed facing southeast on Main Street
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Location of Granite Falls, North Carolina
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| Country | United States | |
| State | North Carolina | |
| County | Caldwell | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.98 sq mi (12.90 km2) | |
| • Land | 4.94 sq mi (12.79 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2) | |
| Elevation | 1,099 ft (335 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,965 | |
| • Density | 1,005.67/sq mi (388.33/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
28630
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| Area code(s) | 828 | |
| FIPS code | 37-27420 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2406601 | |
Granite Falls is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,722 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
The name Granite Falls comes from the waters that splash over the granite boulders spanning Gunpowder Creek. In 1791, pioneer Andrew Baird began operating an iron works beside Gunpowder Creek, and in doing so, became owner of all the land now occupied by the Town of Granite Falls. The community would start to form from that point. Granite Falls was incorporated as a town in 1899. Before its incorporation, Granite Falls went by many other names such as Baird's Forge, Catawba View, Lovelady, and Granite.
Geography
Granite Falls is located near the southern border of Caldwell County. It is bordered to the south by the town of Rhodhiss, to the southwest by Lake Rhodhiss on the Catawba River (Lake Hickory), and to the west by the town of Sawmills. The center of town is located on a ridge between the Catawba River to the west and Gunpowder Creek, a tributary of the Catawba, to the east.
U.S. Route 321 (Hickory Boulevard) is a four-lane highway that passes through the eastern side of town; it leads 6 miles (10 km) southeast to the center of Hickory and 10 miles (16 km) northwest to Lenoir, the Caldwell County seat. US 321 Alternate runs through the center of Granite Falls as North and South Main Street.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.3 square miles (13.6 km2), of which 5.2 square miles (13.5 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.84%, is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 277 | — | |
| 1910 | 381 | 37.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,101 | 189.0% | |
| 1930 | 2,147 | 95.0% | |
| 1940 | 1,873 | −12.8% | |
| 1950 | 2,286 | 22.1% | |
| 1960 | 2,644 | 15.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,388 | −9.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,580 | 8.0% | |
| 1990 | 3,253 | 26.1% | |
| 2000 | 4,612 | 41.8% | |
| 2010 | 4,722 | 2.4% | |
| 2020 | 4,965 | 5.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 4,189 | 84.37% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 164 | 3.3% |
| Native American | 11 | 0.22% |
| Asian | 39 | 0.79% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 223 | 4.49% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 337 | 6.79% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,965 people, 1,799 households, and 1,344 families residing in the town.
Education
High school
- South Caldwell High School (Hudson address)
Middle school
- Granite Falls Middle School
Elementary schools
- Baton Elementary School
- Dudley Shoals Elementary School
- Granite Falls Elementary School
- Sawmills Elementary School
Alternative school
- Gateway School (grades 6–12)
Media
- Kicks 103.3, Kicks 103.3, local radio station
- WJRI, News Talk 1340 WJRI, local radio station
- WKGX, AM 1080 WKGX, local radio station
- WYCV AM 900, local radio station
Notable people
- Madison Bumgarner – MLB pitcher, 3x World Series Champion and 2014 World Series MVP
- Eric Church – country music singer-songwriter
- Jack Curtis – former MLB player
- Donnie Kirkpatrick – college football coach
- Cyndee Peters – American-Swedish gospel singer and author
- Edgar V. Starnes – politician and real estate investor
- Amy H. Sturgis – author, speaker, and scholar of science fiction/fantasy studies and Native American studies
- Maxie Williams – former NFL player
See also
In Spanish: Granite Falls (Carolina del Norte) para niños
