Siloam, North Carolina facts for kids

Siloam is a small community in Surry County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is not a city or town, but an "unincorporated community." This means it does not have its own local government.

The Yadkin River forms the southern edge of Siloam. The Ararat River flows nearby to the east. Siloam is part of the larger Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. In 2000, about 1,233 people lived in the area covered by Siloam's ZIP code.

Siloam's History

Siloam started to grow around the Siloam Methodist Church. This church was founded in 1818. Its name comes from the biblical Pool of Siloam.

A post office opened in Siloam in 1837. This helped the community connect with other places.

Railroad and Growth

The area saw more growth starting in 1890. This was when the Southern Railway added a stop in Siloam. Trains helped people and goods move in and out of the community. Today, the Yadkin Valley Railroad uses these same tracks. They run just north of the Yadkin River in Surry County.

Several historic homes and buildings in Siloam are important. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Samuel Josiah Atkinson House, the C. C. Cundiff House, and the Marion House and Marion Brothers Store.

Bridge Collapse Event

On February 23, 1975, a sad event happened in Siloam. A one-lane steel bridge collapsed. This bridge connected Yadkin and Surry counties. Four people lost their lives, and 16 others were hurt.

This collapse brought attention to bridge safety across the country. It was even reported in national magazines like Reader's Digest and on The CBS Evening News.

The new bridge built in its place is called the Atkinson-Needham Memorial Bridge. It honors the four victims: Samuel Hugh and Ola Marion Atkinson, and Judy Needham and her 3-year-old daughter, Andrea Lee. A boy named Graham Atkinson was rescued from the collapse. He later became the Surry County Sheriff.

The accident happened around 9:25 p.m. A car hit a wooden railing on the bridge. This caused the bridge to fall into the river, which was high from rain. In heavy fog, six more cars drove off the collapsed bridge within 17 minutes.

By the 1970s, the state had put a sign on the bridge. It said "Local Traffic Only." This bridge was not new. It had been used near High Rock Lake before. It was moved and put together in Siloam in 1938. A state report in 1974 said the bridge was old and needed to be fixed or replaced. State officials later said it should have been replaced, but there was not enough money.

Weeks before the collapse, Hugh Atkinson had asked state officials to tear the bridge down. After he passed away, his family found a letter he had written to the governor. In the letter, he asked for action on the bridge.

Siloam's Population

In 2000, the population of Siloam's ZIP code area was 1,233 people. There were 489 households and 377 families living there. Most of the people living in Siloam were White (97.73%). A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds. About 2.11% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 32.7% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (77.1%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.52 people. The average family had 2.88 people.

The population included people of all ages. About 23.4% were under 18. About 11.1% were 65 or older. The average age in Siloam was 36 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 106 males.