Smithfield, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smithfield, North Carolina
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Downtown Smithfield Historic District
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Location in Johnston County and the state of North Carolina
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 Smithfield, North Carolina
Location in North Carolina
Smithfield, North Carolina
Location in the United States
Smithfield, North Carolina
Location in North America
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  North Carolina |
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| County | Johnston | |
| Townships | Selma, Smithfield, Wilson Mills | |
| Chartered | May 9, 1777 | |
| Named for | John Smith | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council–Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 12.39 sq mi (32.08 km2) | |
| • Land | 12.37 sq mi (32.05 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) | |
| Elevation | 125 ft (38 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,292 | |
| • Density | 912.56/sq mi (352.34/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
27577
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| Area code | 919 | |
| FIPS code | 37-62520 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2407352 | |
| Major airport | RDU | |
Smithfield is a town in North Carolina, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Johnston County, North Carolina. In 2020, about 11,292 people lived there.
Smithfield is famous for the Ava Gardner Museum. It also has Wild Bill's Western Town, called Shadowhawk. The town is located along the Neuse River. Visitors enjoy the yearly Smithfield Ham and Yam Festival. They can also walk along the Buffalo Creek Greenway. The historic downtown area is also a popular spot.
The town is close to North Carolina's Research Triangle. It is about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Raleigh. The larger Raleigh-Durham-Cary area has over 2 million people.
Contents
History of Smithfield
Smithfield started near Smith's ferry on the Neuse River. It was the first town in Johnston County. It was also the county's second county seat. The county courthouse moved to Smithfield in 1771.
The settlement was first known as Johnston County Court House. It became an official town, called Smithfield, in 1777. The state legislature of North Carolina met in Smithfield in 1779 and 1780.
Geography of Smithfield
Smithfield is in the middle of Johnston County. It is next to Selma to the northeast. Interstate 95 runs along the town's southeastern side. You can get on I-95 from Exits 93, 95, and 97.
I-95 goes about 46 miles (74 km) northeast to Rocky Mount. It goes the same distance southwest to Fayetteville. U.S. Route 301 goes through Selma on Brightleaf Boulevard. It leads northeast 4 miles (6 km) to Selma's center. It goes southwest 15 miles (24 km) to Benson.
U.S. Route 70 passes just northeast of Smithfield. It goes northwest 30 miles (48 km) to Raleigh. It goes southeast 22 miles (35 km) to Goldsboro. A special route, U.S. Route 70 Business, goes through downtown Smithfield as Market Street.
The town covers about 12.39 square miles (32.1 km2). Only a tiny part, about 0.01 square miles (0.04 km2), is water. The Neuse River flows through the town. It is west of the downtown area. The river separates downtown from the West Smithfield neighborhood.
Climate in Smithfield
Smithfield has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has cool winters and hot summers. This climate helps pine forests grow well. You can also find laurel plants and live oak trees here.
| Climate data for Smithfield, North Carolina(1991-2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 53.6 (12.0) |
57.0 (13.9) |
64.5 (18.1) |
74.1 (23.4) |
81.0 (27.2) |
88.9 (31.6) |
91.7 (33.2) |
89.3 (31.8) |
83.6 (28.7) |
74.3 (23.5) |
64.4 (18.0) |
56.7 (13.7) |
73.3 (22.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 42.5 (5.8) |
45.2 (7.3) |
51.9 (11.1) |
60.8 (16.0) |
69.2 (20.7) |
77.1 (25.1) |
81.2 (27.3) |
78.9 (26.1) |
73.3 (22.9) |
62.2 (16.8) |
51.7 (10.9) |
45.2 (7.3) |
61.6 (16.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 31.4 (−0.3) |
33.3 (0.7) |
39.3 (4.1) |
47.5 (8.6) |
57.4 (14.1) |
65.9 (18.8) |
70.8 (21.6) |
68.6 (20.3) |
62.9 (17.2) |
50.1 (10.1) |
39.0 (3.9) |
33.8 (1.0) |
50.0 (10.0) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.45 (88) |
3.31 (84) |
4.01 (102) |
3.69 (94) |
4.20 (107) |
4.67 (119) |
5.54 (141) |
5.28 (134) |
5.51 (140) |
3.21 (82) |
3.25 (83) |
3.25 (83) |
49.37 (1,257) |
| Source: https://w2.weather.gov/climate/ | |||||||||||||
Population of Smithfield
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 329 | — | |
| 1870 | 415 | — | |
| 1880 | 485 | 16.9% | |
| 1890 | 550 | 13.4% | |
| 1900 | 764 | 38.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,347 | 76.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,895 | 40.7% | |
| 1930 | 2,543 | 34.2% | |
| 1940 | 3,678 | 44.6% | |
| 1950 | 5,574 | 51.5% | |
| 1960 | 6,117 | 9.7% | |
| 1970 | 6,677 | 9.2% | |
| 1980 | 7,288 | 9.2% | |
| 1990 | 7,540 | 3.5% | |
| 2000 | 11,510 | 52.7% | |
| 2010 | 10,966 | −4.7% | |
| 2020 | 11,292 | 3.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the 2020 United States census, 11,292 people lived in Smithfield. There were 4,951 households and 2,919 families.
Education in Smithfield
All schools in Smithfield are part of the Johnston County Schools district.
Elementary Schools
- South Smithfield Elementary School
- West Smithfield Elementary School
Middle Schools
- Smithfield Middle School
- The Innovation Academy at South Campus
High Schools
- Johnston County Middle College High School
- Johnston County Early College Academy
- Smithfield-Selma High School
Other Schools
- Neuse Charter School
- Johnston Community College
Healthcare in Smithfield
- UNC Health Care - Johnston Health is a hospital that serves the area.
Famous People from Smithfield
Many notable people have connections to Smithfield:
- Elreta Alexander-Ralston was a judge and lawyer.
- Gary Clark is a former NBA player.
- Harmeet Dhillon is a lawyer and a Republican Party official.
- Barry Foote was a Major League Baseball catcher.
- Ava Gardner was a famous actress. She was born nearby and is buried in Smithfield.
- Shane Helms is a professional wrestler.
- Neal Lancaster is a professional golfer.
- Amber O'Neal is a professional wrestler.
- Edward W. Pou was a U.S. congressman for many years.
- William Cary Renfrow was the third governor of Oklahoma Territory.
- Jerry Sands is a professional baseball player.
- Ray Tanner is an athletic director and former baseball coach.
- John Townsend is an author.
- Curtis Whitley was an NFL offensive lineman.
- Jonathan Williams is a professional football running back.
See also
In Spanish: Smithfield (Carolina del Norte) para niños
