Mebane, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mebane, North Carolina
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
West Clay Street
|
|||
|
|||
| Nickname(s):
Biggest Little Town on Earth
|
|||
| Motto(s):
"Positively Charming"
|
|||
 Mebane, North Carolina
Location in North Carolina
Mebane, North Carolina
Location in the United States
|
|||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | North Carolina | ||
| Counties | Alamance, Orange | ||
| Named for | Brigadier General Alexander Mebane | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | City Manager/City Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 11.17 sq mi (28.94 km2) | ||
| • Land | 11.01 sq mi (28.51 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.17 sq mi (0.43 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 682 ft (208 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 17,797 | ||
| • Density | 1,616.88/sq mi (624.27/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
27302
|
||
| Area code(s) | 919/336 | ||
| FIPS code | 37-42240 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2405061 | ||
Mebane is a city mostly in Alamance County, North Carolina, USA. A small part is in Orange County. It was named after Alexander Mebane, a general from the American Revolutionary War. He also served in the U.S. Congress. The town started as "Mebanesville" in 1881. Its name changed to "Mebane" in 1883. It officially became a city in 1987. In 2020, about 17,797 people lived there.
Mebane is one of the fastest-growing cities in North Carolina. It sits between two important areas: the Research Triangle and the Piedmont Triad. Most of Mebane is in Alamance County. This county is part of the Burlington area. Burlington is then part of the larger Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point area. Small parts of Mebane are in Orange County. This county is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill area. This area is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary area.
Contents
History of Mebane
Mebane was first called Mebansville when it became a town in 1880. Three years later, its name changed to Mebane. It was named after Brigadier General Alexander Mebane. He was an officer during the American Revolution. Later, he became a U.S. Congressman.
Many historic places in Mebane are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include old farms, houses, schools, and churches. For example, the William Cook House and Hawfields Presbyterian Church are on this list.
Post Office Mural Project
In 1939, as part of the New Deal, an artist named Margaret C. Gates won a contest. She was chosen to create a mural for the Mebane post office. Her painting, Landscape—Tobacco Curing, showed a man and a boy working on a tobacco farm. It was finished and put up in 1941. In 1965, the post office was updated. The mural was damaged when workers tried to move it. A local artist, Henry E. Rood III, made a new copy of the painting. This copy now hangs in the post office.
City Changes and New Slogan
The North Carolina Department of Transportation planned to move North Carolina Highway 119. This road currently goes through downtown Mebane. However, some communities had concerns about the new route. They also felt they didn't have good access to city services. This led to some complaints. In 1999, the project was paused for four years. But in 2009, the plan was approved.
In October 2014, the city council voted for a new city seal and slogan. The old slogan was "A progressive community, the perfect place to call home." The new slogan is "Positively Charming."
Mebane's Geography
Mebane covers about 21.9 square kilometers (about 8.5 square miles). Most of this area, about 21.6 square kilometers (8.3 square miles), is land. A small part, about 0.3 square kilometers (0.1 square miles), is water.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 218 | — | |
| 1910 | 693 | 217.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,351 | 94.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,568 | 16.1% | |
| 1940 | 2,060 | 31.4% | |
| 1950 | 2,068 | 0.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,364 | 14.3% | |
| 1970 | 2,573 | 8.8% | |
| 1980 | 2,782 | 8.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,754 | 70.9% | |
| 2000 | 7,284 | 53.2% | |
| 2010 | 11,393 | 56.4% | |
| 2020 | 17,797 | 56.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 20,212 | 77.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2020
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 10,351 | 58.16% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,303 | 24.18% |
| Native American | 46 | 0.26% |
| Asian | 592 | 3.33% |
| Pacific Islander | 15 | 0.08% |
| Other/Mixed | 959 | 5.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,531 | 8.6% |
In 2020, Mebane had 17,797 people. There were 5,763 households and 3,745 families living in the city.
Population in 2010
In 2010, 11,393 people lived in Mebane. The city had about 1,363 people per square mile. There were 5,045 homes. The people living in Mebane were:
- 73.5% White
- 20.4% African American
- 0.5% Native American
- 1.2% Asian
- 0.1% Pacific Islander
- 0.2% from other races
- 2.6% from two or more races
About 6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Telephone and Media
Mebane is located where two different phone service areas meet. Most phone numbers in Mebane use the 919/984 area code. The rest of Alamance County uses the 336/743 area code. This was done so that all of Mebane would be in the same area code.
Since Mebane is split between two TV markets, its cable service offers channels from both areas. However, satellite TV customers usually get the channels from the Triad area. Mebane also has its own weekly newspaper, the Mebane Enterprise. It covers local news, city government, arts, and high school sports.
Education in Mebane
The schools in Mebane depend on which county a student lives in. Students in the Alamance County part go to schools in the Alamance-Burlington School System. Those in the Orange County part go to Orange County Schools.
Alamance County Schools
Public schools for Mebane residents in Alamance County include:
- Eastern Alamance High School
- Hawfields Middle School
- Woodlawn Middle School
- Audrey W. Garrett Elementary School
- South Mebane Elementary School
- E. M. Yoder Elementary School
Orange County Schools
Mebane residents in Orange County are zoned for:
- Efland Cheeks Elementary School
- Gravely Hill Middle School
- Orange Middle School
- Orange High School
- Cedar Ridge High School
Private and Higher Education
Mebane has one private school, Bradford Academy. It is a classical Christian school that started in 2008.
Mebane is also close to several well-known universities. These include Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, North Carolina Central University, and Elon University. North Carolina State University and Saint Augustine's University are also nearby in Raleigh. Alamance Community College is a two-year college in Graham, just 6 miles west of Mebane.
Commerce and Shopping
Downtown Mebane was recognized as a Top Five Great Place in North Carolina for 2017. It has many stores selling home furnishings, antiques, and trendy clothes. You can also find a wide variety of restaurants there. Coffee shops are popular spots for residents, young professionals, and students.
Garrett Crossing is a shopping center on the south side of Mebane. It is located near Interstate 85 and Interstate 40. This center has large retail stores, restaurants, and smaller shops. There is also a Tanger Outlet mall in Mebane. It is located on Arrowhead Boulevard, north of I-85.
Notable People from Mebane
- Lucy Hughes Brown: The first African American woman doctor in South Carolina.
- A. Oveta Fuller: A famous virologist who grew up near Yanceyville, North Carolina.
- Zack Littell: An MLB pitcher.
- Ricardo Marsh: A professional basketball player. He was the top scorer in the Israeli Basketball Premier League in 2007.
- Junior Robinson: A professional basketball player.
- Zoë Roth: Known as "Disaster Girl" from an internet meme.
Images for kids
-
West Clay Street
-
Mebane City Flag
-
Mebane City Seal
