Pittsboro, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pittsboro, North Carolina
Town
Hillsboro Street in downtown Pittsboro
Seal
Nickname(s):  Circle City
Location of Pittsboro, North Carolina
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Chatham
Area
• Total	5.52 sq mi (14.29 km2)
• Land	5.49 sq mi (14.21 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation	466 ft (142 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,537
• Density	826.86/sq mi (319.24/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	27228, 27312
Area code(s)	919 / 984
FIPS code	37-52660
GNIS feature ID	2407130

Pittsboro is a town located in Chatham County, North Carolina, United States. It's the main town, or county seat, of Chatham County. In 2010, about 3,743 people lived there. By 2020, the population grew to 4,537 people.

The town was founded in the late 1700s, right after the American Revolutionary War. It became the county seat for the new Chatham County. Before the American Civil War, the economy was mostly small farms. After the Civil War, the town saw some difficult times. Later, in the late 1800s, factories and mills started to appear. This was because many rivers in the area could power them. The town kept growing throughout the 20th century. Today, many industries have moved away. Pittsboro has become a "bedroom community." This means many people live there but travel to nearby cities like those in the Research Triangle for work.

Pittsboro's Past: A Look at History

Pittsboro officially became a town in 1785. The first Chatham County Court House was on land owned by Mial Scurlock. However, in 1787, the government decided a town couldn't be built there. So, the town's leaders bought land next to it from William Petty. They then planned out the town. That same year, Pittsboro was officially named the county seat. Chatham County is named after William Pitt, the first Earl of Chatham. But Pittsboro itself is named after his son, William Pitt the Younger.

Pittsboro was once considered for two important locations. It could have been the home of the University of North Carolina. It was also thought of as the state capitol. The university ended up in Chapel Hill. The state capitol was built about 34 miles (55 km) east, in Raleigh.

Local Money: The PLENTY Currency

Some people in Pittsboro tried to bring back a local currency called the PLENTY. It was first created in 2002. In 2009, a local bank would exchange $9 for every $10 of PLENTY. However, this local money didn't become widely used during either attempt.

The Chatham County Courthouse Fire

The Chatham County Courthouse before the fire.

On March 25, 2010, the Chatham County Courthouse caught fire. It was being renovated at the time. Smoke was first reported around 4:15 p.m. Firefighters were called around 4:45 p.m. By 5 p.m., smoke was seen coming from the clock tower. The building was safely emptied.

The fire badly damaged the clock tower and the third floor. It was first thought that all computers and records were destroyed. Luckily, there were copies stored elsewhere, so the information could be saved.

The Chatham County Courthouse in August 2013, rebuilt after the fire.

Around 1:30 a.m. on March 26, 2010, the clock tower fell onto the main building. The rest of the building only had damage on the second floor. There was also smoke and water damage throughout. Eleven fire departments helped put out the fire.

Investigators found that a soldering torch caused the fire. It had set wood near the roof on fire. Workers tried to put out the flames but couldn't. On March 31, 2010, the Chatham County Commissioners voted to rebuild the courthouse. The courthouse officially reopened on April 20, 2013.

Learning in Pittsboro: Schools and Colleges

Pittsboro has several schools and a college campus for students.

• Pittsboro Elementary School
• Horton Middle School
• Margaret B. Pollard Middle School
• Northwood High School
• Central Carolina Community College (CCCC), Chatham County Campus
• Seaforth High School

News and Media in Pittsboro

Newspapers

• Chatham Journal

Network television

• WTVD (ABC channel)
• WRAL-TV (NBC channel)
• WRAZ (TV) (FOX channel)
• WNCN (CBS channel)

Pittsboro's Location and Landscape

Pittsboro is located east of the center of Chatham County. Its coordinates are 35°43′13″N 79°10′35″W.

The town covers about 10.8 square kilometers (4.2 square miles). Most of this area, about 10.7 square kilometers (4.1 square miles), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square kilometers (0.04 square miles), is water.

Major roads run through Pittsboro. U.S. Highways 15 and 501 go through the town together. They are known as Hillsboro Street and Sanford Road. These roads lead north about 17 miles (27 km) to Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina. They also go south about 17 miles (27 km) to Sanford.

U.S. Route 64 goes around Pittsboro to the north. It leads east about 34 miles (55 km) to Raleigh. It also goes west about 16 miles (26 km) to Siler City. A business route, U.S. Route 64 Business, passes through the town as West Street and East Street. It crosses US 15/501 at a traffic circle. This circle surrounds the old Chatham County Courthouse in the town center. North Carolina Highway 87 goes northwest from Pittsboro about 32 miles (51 km) to Burlington.

Pittsboro is near the center of North Carolina. It is about 150 miles (240 km) from Wilmington on the coast. It's also about the same distance from Boone in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Jordan Lake is about 8 miles (13 km) east of Pittsboro. It's a great place for fun activities like fishing and boating. The lake covers about 14,000 acres (5,700 ha) of water. It also provides drinking water for Raleigh and the town of Cary.

Who Lives in Pittsboro: Demographics

Demographics tell us about the people who live in a place. This includes their age, race, and how many households there are.

Pittsboro's Population in 2020

According to the 2020 United States census, Pittsboro had 4,537 people. There were 1,841 households and 1,044 families living in the town.

Pittsboro's Population in 2010

The Census of 2010 showed a population of 3,743. This was a 68% increase since the year 2000. The racial makeup of the town was:

• 72% White
• 19% African American
• 4% some other race alone
• 2% two or more races

Almost 9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. About 54% of the people were female, and 46% were male.

Pittsboro's Economy

Pittsboro used to be known for textiles and poultry farming. It was even home to the world's largest clothing label mill. Now, the town's economy relies on people who commute to work in other cities. It also depends on local shops and a growing business in genetics. New housing developments help the town's economy as it changes from older industries.

Pittsboro has a good water supply from the Haw River. In the future, Jordan Lake will provide much of the water. The town is about 15 miles (24 km) and 25 miles (40 km) from major power plants. Important highways, US 15-501 and US 64, cross paths here.

Pittsboro is home to the Chatham County Government. It also has the Chatham County Justice Center. Many non-profit groups and social service organizations are located here. Pittsboro is also a Certified Retirement Community. This means it's a good place for people to retire.

Historic Places in Pittsboro

Many buildings and places in Pittsboro are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important for their history or architecture.

• A. P. Terry House
• Alston-DeGraffenried House
• Aspen Hall
• Baldwin's Mill
• Chatham County Courthouse
• Hadley House and Grist Mill
• Hall-London House
• Luther Clegg House
• Henry Adolphus London House
• James A. Thomas Farm
• Lewis Freeman House
• London Cottage
• Kelvin
• McClenahan House
• Moore-Manning House
• Patrick St. Lawrence House
• Pittsboro Historic District
• Pittsboro Masonic Lodge
• Pittsboro Presbyterian Church
• Reid House
• Sheriff Stephen Wiley Brewer Farmstead

Famous People from Pittsboro

Here are some notable people who have connections to Pittsboro:

• David Drake (1945–2023), a writer of science fiction and fantasy.
• William Joseph Franks (1830–1880), a sailor in the Union Navy who earned the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War.
• Anne Taylor Nash (1884–1968), a painter.
• Tobais Palmer (born 1990), a football wide receiver.
• Abraham Rencher (1798–1883), a governor of New Mexico Territory and a congressman.
• Charles M. Stedman (1841–1930), the last Civil War veteran to serve in Congress.
• Nathan Alexander Stedman (1762–1847), a politician.
• Ursula Vernon (born 1977), a children's author and artist.
• James Iredell Waddell (1824–1886), an officer in the United States Navy and later in the Confederate States Navy.

Other Interesting Facts

A new community called Asteria is being built in Pittsboro by Storyliving by Disney.

See also

In Spanish: Pittsboro (Carolina del Norte) para niños