Robbins, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robbins, North Carolina
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Central business district of Robbins
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Location in Moore County and the state of North Carolina.
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Moore |
| Incorporated | 1935 |
| Named for | Karl Robbins |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.59 sq mi (4.12 km2) |
| • Land | 1.59 sq mi (4.12 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 463 ft (141 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,168 |
| • Density | 733.67/sq mi (283.28/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
27325
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| Area codes | 910, 472 |
| FIPS code | 37-57000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404630 |
Robbins is a small city located in Moore County, North Carolina, in the United States. In 2010, about 1,097 people lived there.
Contents
History of Robbins
Robbins started a long time ago, in 1795. A gunsmith named Alexander Kennedy moved there from Philadelphia with his family. He built a factory near Bear Creek where he made long rifles for American soldiers. This factory, called the Kennedy Rifle Works, operated until 1838. Because of this, the area became known as Mechanics Hill.
The Railroad Arrives
In 1891, the Durham and Charlotte Railroad began connecting different towns. The train tracks reached Mechanics Hill around 1899. Building the railroad created many jobs and brought more people to the area. The railroad also helped businesses by making it easy to transport goods like wood, pottery, and farm products. It also carried passengers.
John B. Lennig was the owner of the railroad company. In 1900, a map was made for the town, and it was named Elise. This name honored Lennig's daughter.
Early Businesses and Education
In 1896, the John L. Frye Company started. They made lumber for railroads and other industries. Even today, many railroad ties that support tracks across the US come from Robbins. John Lennig Frye, a former mayor, was named after the railroad owner, John B. Lennig.
Education was very important to the people of Elise. Local business owners and Lennig worked together to create Elise Academy in 1904. Students from the town and even from other states and countries attended this school. Elise Academy operated until 1940, when it was sold to the Moore County Board of Education. The building that was once the Arrowhead Dormitory for the academy is now the Kennedy Funeral Home.
Karl Robbins and Town Development
In 1890, the famous inventor Thomas Edison visited the town. He was interested in gold mining in the Carter's Mill area. Later, between 1923 and 1924, generators were installed at Carter's Mill to provide electricity to the area.
In 1924, William Cowgill built the first textile plant, which made fabrics. In 1930, a man named Karl Robbins bought the mill and renamed it Pinehurst Silk Mills. Karl Robbins was a manufacturer and a generous person.
In 1935, the town's name was changed to Hemp. This was done to avoid confusion with another town in North Carolina that had a similar name to Elise. For a while, the train station even had "Elise" on one side and "Hemp" on the other!
Karl Robbins did many great things for Hemp. He helped build a modern water treatment plant and a wastewater system in 1937. He also provided fun places for people, like recreational facilities, and even helped get dial telephone service and a new firetruck. He also supported a baseball park. Robbins also helped start Research Triangle Park near Raleigh, North Carolina, which is a big center for research and technology.
To honor Karl Robbins, the people of Hemp decided to change the town's name to Robbins. This change officially happened in 1943, thanks to the North Carolina General Assembly.
Later, other businesses came to Robbins, including a poultry processing plant and factories that made mobile homes and more textile mills. Ithaca Industries, a textile company, once employed 1,100 people, making women's hosiery.
Like many small towns, Robbins faced challenges in the 1990s when many manufacturing jobs were lost. This also meant the town lost many of its water and sewer customers.
Geography of Robbins
Robbins is located on North Carolina Highway 705, which is also known as the Pottery Highway. The city covers about 1.3 square miles (4.12 square kilometers) of land.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 972 | — | |
| 1950 | 1,158 | 19.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,294 | 11.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,059 | −18.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,256 | 18.6% | |
| 1990 | 970 | −22.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,195 | 23.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,097 | −8.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,168 | 6.5% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 1,227 | 11.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Details
The 2020 United States census counted 1,168 people living in Robbins. There were 526 households and 332 families.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 475 | 40.67% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 50 | 4.28% |
| Native American | 1 | 0.09% |
| Asian | 12 | 1.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 41 | 3.51% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 589 | 50.43% |
Famous People from Robbins
- Karl Robbins (1892–1960): The town of Robbins is named after him! He owned a textile mill and was very generous to the town. He helped build the water plant and other important systems. He also helped start Research Triangle Park and supported education and medical research.
- Charles E. Brady Jr. (1951–2006): An astronaut who flew on the space shuttle mission STS-78 in 1996. He spent over 405 hours in space!
- John Edwards (born 1953): An American politician who grew up in Robbins. He served as a US Senator and ran for President twice. In 2004, he was the Vice-Presidential running mate for John Kerry.
- Cam Thomas (born 1986): An NFL Football player. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was first drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2010. Cam played high school football at North Moore High School and college football at the University of North Carolina.
See also
In Spanish: Robbins (Carolina del Norte) para niños
