Salisbury, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Salisbury, North Carolina
City
Clockwise from top left: Rowan County Courthouse, Fame statue, St. John's Lutheran Church, Farmers & Merchants Bank, the Bell Tower Green
Flag Seal
Location of Salisbury, North Carolina
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Rowan
Area
• Total	22.03 sq mi (57.05 km2)
• Land	22.03 sq mi (57.05 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	702 ft (214 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	35,540
• Estimate  (2022)	35,808
• Density	1,613.47/sq mi (622.98/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	28144-28147-28146
Area code(s)	704,980
FIPS code	37-58860
GNIS feature ID	2405407

Salisbury (pronounced SAWLZ-ber-ee) is a city in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, United States. It has been the main city for Rowan County since 1753. At that time, the county's land stretched all the way to the Mississippi River!

Salisbury is about 25 miles northeast of Charlotte. It is part of the larger Charlotte metropolitan area. The city has been growing, and the 2020 census showed 35,580 people living there.

Salisbury is the oldest town in western North Carolina that has always had people living in it since colonial times. It is famous for keeping its old buildings and history safe. It has five Local Historic Districts and ten National Register Historic Districts.

Some well-known companies are based in Salisbury. These include the soft drink company Cheerwine and the supermarket chain Food Lion. Also, Rack Room Shoes was started here.

A Look Back: Salisbury's History

In 1753, a special group decided to set aside 40 acres of land for a county seat. This is where the main government buildings would be. The official document for this land, called a deed, is from February 11, 1755. It shows that 635 acres were given for "Salisbury Township."

The city was built where an old Native American trading path crossed. This made it an important place for trade along the Great Wagon Road in North Carolina. Later, in the late 1800s, Salisbury became a major train center. Many people traveled through the city by train.

In the 1900s, Salisbury's economy grew with many factories. Textile mills, which made cloth, were a big part of this growth.

Where is Salisbury?

Rowan County Courthouse, Salisbury, 1934

Salisbury is located at 35.668289 degrees North latitude and -80.478479 degrees West longitude.

The United States Census Bureau says the city covers about 17.8 square miles (46.1 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Who Lives in Salisbury?

Salisbury's Population in 2020

In the 2020 United States census, there were 35,540 people living in Salisbury. These people made up 12,524 households and 7,325 families.

Salisbury's Population in 2010

The census of 2010 counted 33,663 people in Salisbury. There were 10,276 households and 6,186 families. The city had about 1,488 people per square mile.

About 21.8% of the people were under 18 years old. About 19.9% were 65 years or older. The average age in the city was 37 years.

Salisbury's Economy

Shopping and Local Businesses

Salisbury has a downtown area with many blocks of shops. You can find it near the crossing of Innes Street and Main Street. This area has many unique, local businesses. You can find shops, antique stores, and cultural places.

Sometimes, "Downtown Nights Out" events happen. These let people shop late, enjoy music, and eat at nice restaurants. Other shopping areas include West End Plaza.

Fast Internet for Everyone

In 2015, Salisbury's Fibrant system (now called Hotwire) became very fast. It could provide 10 gigabits of internet speed across the whole town. This was a very advanced system for a city-owned network.

Major Job Providers

Many people in Salisbury work for big companies and organizations. Some of the largest employers are:

• Food Lion: A regional grocery store chain.
• W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center: A hospital for veterans.
• The City of Salisbury and Rowan County governments.
• Novant Health Rowan Medical Center: A local hospital.
• The Rowan Salisbury School System.

There are also smaller businesses, including some textile factories. In 2019, the pet food company Chewy announced it would build a large facility here. This facility would create 1,200 new jobs.

Arts and Culture in Salisbury

Protecting History

Salisbury Confederate Monument, Gloria Victis (moved in 2020 to the Old Lutheran Cemetery)

Salisbury has done a great job of protecting its history. It was the site of a prisoner of war camp during the American Civil War. The city has ten National Register historic districts. Many old homes and business buildings from the 1800s and early 1900s are here. Several of these buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Since 1975, the city has marked five Local Historic Districts. These areas have hundreds of important buildings. If you own a property in these districts, you need special permission to change the outside of your building. The city also offers money to help owners fix up their historic homes and businesses.

Exploring History on Foot

You can take a walking tour that starts at the Rowan County Convention and Visitor's Bureau. This tour shows you Salisbury's history. You can see buildings from the 1800s and old items. For example, you can see the desk that President Andrew Jackson used when he studied law in Salisbury.

The Rowan Museum has exhibits in three buildings:

• Salisbury's 1854 County Courthouse.
• The circa 1815 Utzman–Chambers House Museum.
• The 1820 Josephus Hall House.

These places teach you about Historic Salisbury. The city has 10 National Register Historic Districts with over 1,200 historic properties.

The Salisbury History and Art Trail has markers around the city. These markers combine history and art. They tell stories from Salisbury's past. The trail is divided into five historical periods.

A City Full of Art

Salisbury has many cultural resources. People in the community really support arts and culture. They work to protect existing art and link it to the city's goals. These goals include economic growth, neighborhood development, and education.

The city loves historic preservation and has lots of art activities. People value art education and volunteer a lot for civic projects. Many professional and amateur artists live here. They get support from local people and groups. The city also has a growing public art program downtown.

The Salisbury Sculpture Show is one example of public art. The local Rowan Arts Council holds a Rowan Art Crawl every month. This event lets you see more than 25 artists, studios, and galleries. The Rail Walk Arts District, near the old train station, also has many artists and galleries.

The Waterworks Visual Arts Center offers many art opportunities. These include exhibitions, classes, and outreach programs. The Salisbury Symphony Orchestra performs in the city. You can also see live theater at places like the Piedmont Players Theatre and Lee Street Theatre.

Bell Tower Green is a new park that opened in 2021. It is named after the bell tower of the old First Presbyterian Church. The park was built with over $13 million in donations. It is expected to help the downtown area grow and is a great place for concerts.

Libraries for Learning

The main branch of the Rowan County Public Library is in Salisbury. It has a special room called the Edith M. Clark History Room. This room has many books and records about western North Carolina history and family trees.

Learning in Salisbury

Salisbury High School

Catawba College

Salisbury has many schools, both public and private.

Rowan–Salisbury School System

The Rowan–Salisbury School System was created in 1989. This happened when the Rowan County Schools and the Salisbury City Schools joined together. A well-known school in this system is Salisbury High School.

There are also two charter schools in Rowan County: Essie Mae Kiser Foxx Charter School and Faith Academy Charter School.

Private Schools

Many private schools serve the children of Salisbury. Some of these schools were started a long time ago.

• North Hills Christian School (PK-12)
• Rockwell Christian School (PK-12)
• RCHSA, a homeschool group
• Sacred Heart Catholic School (K-8)
• Salisbury Academy (3K-12)
• Salisbury Adventist School (K-7)
• Salisbury Christian School (K-12)
• St. John's Kindergarten (PK-K)

Colleges and Universities

Salisbury is home to several colleges and universities:

• Catawba College
• Livingstone College
• Rowan–Cabarrus Community College
• Hood Theological Seminary

Media in Salisbury

The Salisbury Post is the local daily newspaper. It started in 1905.

WSAT, also known as "Memories 1280," is an AM radio station. It plays older pop music. It also broadcasts games for the Carolina Panthers, Catawba College, and local high schools.

WSTP is another AM station. It is connected to Catawba College and helps train students for careers in broadcasting.

iHeartMedia owns the alternative rock radio station WEND (New Rock 106.5 The End). It is licensed to Salisbury.

Salisbury does not have its own broadcast television stations. However, it gets TV channels from nearby Charlotte. WSRG-TV is a government channel available on Hotwire (channel 394) and Spectrum Salisbury (channel 16). It serves Rowan County.

Getting Around Salisbury

Trains and Highways

Amtrak trains connect Salisbury to many major cities. You can take the Crescent, Carolinian, and Piedmont trains from Salisbury. These trains go to cities like New York, Washington, Raleigh, Charlotte, and New Orleans. The Amtrak station is on Depot and Liberty streets.

Salisbury is also served by major roads. These include Interstate 85 and US Highways 601, 29, 52, and 70. The Mid-Carolina Regional Airport is also nearby.

Salisbury is located about halfway between Charlotte and Greensboro. Interstate 85 has three exits for Salisbury: Exit 74 (Julian Road), Exit 75 (US Highway 601/Jake Alexander Boulevard), and Exit 76 (Innes Street/US Highway 52).

Public Transportation

The City of Salisbury's Transit System (STS) offers public transportation. It has three bus routes. All routes start and end at the "Transfer Site" on Depot Street. Anyone can ride the Salisbury Transit bus. The buses do not run on Sundays or some holidays.

Famous People from Salisbury

• Bill Baker (1911–2006), a baseball player.
• Sidney Blackmer (1895–1973), an actor who was born and grew up in Salisbury.
• Elizabeth Hanford Dole (born 1936), a former U.S. senator and government official.
• Mike Evans (1949–2006), an actor and co-creator of the TV show Good Times.
• James Goodnight (born 1943), the CEO of SAS Institute.
• Javon Hargrave (born 1993), a football player for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.
• President Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), practiced law in Salisbury.
• Bobby Jackson (born 1973), an NBA player.
• Ralph Ketner (1920–2016), a businessman who helped start Food Lion.
• Britt Nicole (born 1985), a Contemporary Christian music artist.
• Bobby Parnell (born 1984), a baseball pitcher for the New York Mets.
• Julian Robertson (born 1932), a financier and giver to charity.
• Zion Williamson (born 2000), an NBA basketball player.

Sister City

Salisbury has one sister city. This is a special friendship between two cities in different countries.

• Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Images for kids

• 

  Child laborer in Salisbury, 1908. Photo by Lewis Hine.

See also

In Spanish: Salisbury (Carolina del Norte) para niños