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Norwood, North Carolina
Town
Norwood, North Carolina.jpg
Location of Norwood, North Carolina
Location of Norwood, North Carolina
Country United States
State North Carolina
County Stanly
Area
 • Total 4.55 sq mi (11.78 km2)
 • Land 4.54 sq mi (11.75 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation
413 ft (126 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,367
 • Density 521.60/sq mi (201.39/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
28128
Area code(s) 704
FIPS code 37-47980
GNIS feature ID 2407011
Website norwoodgov.com

Norwood is a small town located in Stanly County, North Carolina, in the United States. It's known for its beautiful natural surroundings, including nearby lakes and rivers. In 2020, about 2,367 people lived here.

Norwood's Location and Size

Norwood is in the southern Piedmont region of North Carolina. It sits where the Pee Dee River and the Rocky River meet. Lake Tillery borders the town on its eastern side. The town covers an area of about 4.5 square miles (11.7 square kilometers), and almost all of it is land.

U.S. Route 52 is a main road that goes through Norwood. It connects the town to other places like Wadesboro and Albemarle.

Who Lives in Norwood?

Norwood has grown quite a bit over the years. Here's how its population has changed:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 159
1900 663 317.0%
1910 928 40.0%
1920 1,221 31.6%
1930 1,452 18.9%
1940 1,515 4.3%
1950 1,735 14.5%
1960 1,844 6.3%
1970 1,896 2.8%
1980 1,818 −4.1%
1990 1,617 −11.1%
2000 2,216 37.0%
2010 2,379 7.4%
2020 2,367 −0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

Norwood's Population in 2020

In 2020, there were 2,367 people living in Norwood. These people made up 830 households and 584 families.

The town is home to people from many different backgrounds:

Norwood's Population Makeup
Group Number Percentage
White (not Hispanic) 1,672 70.34%
Black or African American (not Hispanic) 458 19.35%
Native American 14 0.59%
Asian 1 0.1%
Other/Mixed 75 3.17%
Hispanic or Latino 133 5.62%

Life in Norwood

Norwood has good services for its residents. It has its own water and sewer system. The town also provides police and fire protection with full-time officers.

Things to Do and See

Norwood is a great place for outdoor activities. It's surrounded by Lake Tillery and the Rocky River, offering lots of chances for fun. You can also play golf at the Piney Point Golf Club.

The town has two parks for relaxing and exercising:

  • Darrell Almond Community Park: This park has a gazebo, a central pond, and the Skidmore House, which the community can use. It also features walking trails, picnic shelters, horseshoe pits, and a playground.
  • Norwood Memorial Park: Located between Turner and College streets, this park has athletic fields and a larger community building.

Nearby, you can visit Morrow Mountain State Park and the Uwharrie National Forest. These places offer many historic and beautiful spots to explore.

Community Events

Norwood hosts several fun events throughout the year:

  • Arbor Day: Celebrated in April, focusing on trees and nature.
  • Picnic in the Park: A community picnic held in October.
  • Annual Christmas Parade: A festive parade to celebrate the holidays.

Just south of town, Fork Stables hosts special events like Outdoor Heritage Days. They also have competitions for horse riding, including cross country, dressage, and show jumping.

Transportation and Planning

Norwood has a plan for its future growth. This includes improving roads and transportation. They also plan to add more sidewalks and trails, making it easier to walk and bike around town. Several state bicycle trails pass through Norwood, and there are scenic routes along highways like N.C. 24/27/73.

Norwood's History

The first people to settle in the Norwood area arrived in the 1740s. They followed old Native American trails and rivers.

Early Settlements and Colson's Ordinary

One of the first families, the Colsons, settled near where the Rocky and Pee Dee rivers meet. They built a place called Colson's Ordinary. This was like an old-fashioned inn or tavern, offering food and a place to stay. The Colsons also ran a mill and a ferry.

During the American Revolutionary War, Colson's land was the site of a battle. American patriots won a victory against local forces who supported the British. This event is sometimes called the Battle of Colson's Mill. Today, this area is known as The Fork, named for the two rivers meeting there.

From Center to Norwood

In the early 1800s, a camp meeting place was set up in the middle of the Rocky River and Pee Dee River area. This spot became known as Center. In 1826, Methodists built the first church there. As more people came, Center grew into a trading hub.

The town of Norwood was officially created in 1881. It was named after the Norwood brothers' store, which was an early business in the Center community and also held the local post office.

Growth and Challenges

In the 1800s, Norwood's economy was mostly based on farming. Stores in town sold farming tools and other things people needed. Norwood's first high school, a private school, was built in 1879.

Industries started to come to Norwood in the late 1890s. The Norwood Manufacturing Company built a cotton mill, which also included a village for its workers. Later, in the 1940s, a company called Collins & Aikman bought and updated this factory.

Railroads changed Norwood a lot. When the Yadkin Railroad arrived in 1891, it made it easier to send goods to bigger markets across the state and country. Eventually, two more railroads served Norwood: the original Norfolk Southern and the Winston-Salem Southbound. For a while, people could even ride a train from Norwood to other towns.

In the early 1900s, a big fire damaged Norwood's downtown area. It burned many wooden buildings on Main Street. After the fire, most new buildings were built with brick, making them stronger. Norwood's first public school was built in 1913.

Power and Progress

The Pee Dee River was used to create electricity. In 1926, Carolina Power & Light Company began building the Tillery Hydroelectric development. This project started making electricity in 1928, providing power to the area.

The Great Depression in the 1930s was a tough time for Norwood. Many businesses and farms struggled, and the town's only bank failed.

In the 1950s, a new town hall and police station were built. Over the years, these buildings have moved to different locations in town.

The Randle House, an important historic building in Norwood, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Norwood (Carolina del Norte) para niños

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