Longwood, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Longwood, North Carolina
Unincorporated community
Longwood, North Carolina Location in North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Longwood, North Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Brunswick
Elevation	46 ft (14 m)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	28452
Area codes	910, 472
GNIS feature ID	989023

Longwood is a small place in Brunswick County, North Carolina, in the United States. It's not a city or town with its own government, but a community. You can find it about 8.6 miles north of Sunset Beach on North Carolina Highway 904. Longwood has its own post office with the ZIP code 28452.

An important part of Longwood is the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. It was started in 1886 under an oak tree near Butler's Mill Pond. The Longwood Head Start Center helps young children in the area. Today, Longwood also has a Dollar General store.

Longwood's History

How Longwood Got Its Name

The story of Longwood begins with William Asbury "Jinx" Long. He grew up nearby and learned how to run a store. Later, he opened his own general store. This store was located near Butler's Pond.

One day, a photographer visited Jinx's store. The photographer showed him a picture of a young woman named Bessie Lee Butler. Jinx immediately said he would marry her. Bessie's family owned a lot of land in the area. On February 24, 1907, Jinx and Bessie got married. Many of their family members still live in Longwood today.

Growth of the Community

Around the 1910s and 1920s, times became tough for the Long family. People who bought things from Jinx's store weren't paying him back. Even though they owned a lot of land, they didn't have much money. So, Jinx and Bessie started selling their land to pay their debts.

A company called Jackson Brothers Railroad and Lumber Co. was very interested in buying land. They were building railroad tracks and cutting down trees in the area. Around 1922, Jackson Brothers took over the mill at Butler's Pond. They started clearing lots of timber.

The company then created a new settlement for its workers. They named the streets after things like "Peachtree" and "Sunset." They called this new community Long's Wood, named after the Long family who sold them the land. Many workers moved in, hoping for steady jobs. This helped the community grow.

Longwood's Development

In 1925, people wanted to open a "Longwood" post office. They hoped it would serve about 500 people. Other business owners also came to Longwood. For example, Rice Gwynn opened a store and started a large farm.

Jackson Brothers stayed in the area for about 10 years. They slowly left in the early 1930s. The stores they started stayed open. Jackson Brothers also sold the cleared land for farming. On June 15, 1939, the Longwood Baptist Church began holding services. A church building was finished in 1940.

Longwood Road was once the main street of the community. It had many businesses, like a tractor dealership and general stores. In the 1950s, Geneva Boyd's Longwood Grill was a popular spot for teenagers. In 1984, there were talks about Longwood becoming an official town. However, many businesses have closed since then. Many young people have also left to find jobs elsewhere.

In September 2002, the Longwood Community Action Group was formed. This group helps organize clean-up days. They also ask the county for more help for the community. They even hold "Family and Friends Day" events. These events include health fairs and information about careers. Mr. Freddie Stevenson has done a lot to help the community.

Longwood's Weather

Longwood, North Carolina, has a climate with warm summers and mild winters. The weather here is typical for this part of North Carolina.

Famous People from Longwood

• Phil Flowers - A talented singer and songwriter.