Snow Hill, North Carolina Facts for Kids

Snow Hill is a town located in Greene County, North Carolina, United States. It is the main town, also known as the county seat, of Greene County. In 2010, about 1,595 people lived there. Snow Hill is also part of the larger Greenville area.

This town is well-known for tennis! Many junior and adult players visit Snow Hill to compete in special tournaments organized by the USTA (United States Tennis Association). The Green Ridge Racquet Club is a popular spot for these events.

History of Snow Hill
Geography of Snow Hill
- Major Roads
- Area Size
Population and People
Education in Snow Hill
Transportation
- Airports
- Highways
Notable People from Snow Hill
See also

History of Snow Hill

Snow Hill has a long and interesting past. It is located near where a very important battle happened in 1713. This was the final big fight of the Tuscarora War at Fort Neoheroka.

How Snow Hill Got Its Name

There are a few ideas about how Snow Hill got its name.

One idea is that Native Americans camped by the Contentnea Creek. They called the white sands along the creek "snowy white," which became "snowy hills." It doesn't snow much there, so the white sand idea makes more sense.
Another idea comes from an old newspaper. It said the name meant "loblolly pine is in water."
A more recent idea from the Tuscarora language suggests it means "as fish go by."

Early Days and Growth

Snow Hill started as a small community in the middle of Greene County. It officially became a town in 1828. For a while, it was almost chosen to be the capital of North Carolina! It was also a very important trading spot along Contentnea Creek. This creek was a main route for trade between Wilson and New Bern. Contentnea Creek connects to the Neuse River near Kinston.

Baseball in Snow Hill

It's thought that Snow Hill is the smallest town in the United States to ever have a professional baseball team! From 1937 to 1940, a team called the Snow Hill Billies played in a league called the Class D Coastal Plain League. They even won the league championship in 1937. Some players who later became famous, like Aaron Robinson and Al Gettel (who played for the New York Yankees), started their careers with the Billies. Walter Rabb, who coached baseball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for almost 30 years, also played for them.

Recent Events and Historic Places

In April 2011, a strong tornado hit Snow Hill. It caused a lot of damage to the town.

Several places in Snow Hill are considered very important historically. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include:

The Greene County Courthouse
The Neoheroka Fort Site
The Snow Hill Colored High School
The Snow Hill Historic District
The St. Barnabas Episcopal Church

Geography of Snow Hill

Snow Hill is located in the southern part of Greene County. It sits on a low hill next to the Contentnea Creek.

Major Roads

Several important roads pass through or near Snow Hill:

U.S. Route 13 goes through the northern part of town. It leads northeast about 23 miles (37 km) to Greenville and southwest about 21 miles (34 km) to Goldsboro.
U.S. Route 258 goes through the center of town. It leads north about 11 miles (18 km) to Farmville and south about 16 miles (26 km) to Kinston.

Area Size

The United States Census Bureau says that Snow Hill covers a total area of about 1.5 square miles (4.0 km²). All of this area is land.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	320	—
1880	332	3.8%
1890	283	−14.8%
1900	405	43.1%
1910	450	11.1%
1920	700	55.6%
1930	826	18.0%
1940	928	12.3%
1950	946	1.9%
1960	1,043	10.3%
1970	1,359	30.3%
1980	1,374	1.1%
1990	1,378	0.3%
2000	1,514	9.9%
2010	1,595	5.4%
2020	1,481	−7.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,481 people living in Snow Hill. About 45.85% of the people were Black or African American, and about 39.43% were White. Around 10.33% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Education in Snow Hill

Schools in Snow Hill are managed by the Greene County Public School system. There are six schools:

Greene Central High School
Greene Early College High School
Greene County Middle School
Greene County Intermediate School
Snow Hill Primary School
West Greene Elementary School

For higher education, students can attend nearby East Carolina University. There are also community colleges in Goldsboro, Greenville, and Kinston.

Transportation

Airports

The closest airport to Snow Hill is Pitt-Greenville Airport (IATA: PGV, ICAO: KPGV, FAA LID: PGV). It offers flights to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. However, most people in Snow Hill use Raleigh-Durham International Airport for longer trips, both within the country and internationally.

Highways

Several state and U.S. highways run through Snow Hill. These include US 13, US 258, NC 903, NC 58, and NC 91. The closest Interstate Highway is I-795, which is about 21 miles (34 km) west in Fremont.

Notable People from Snow Hill

Many interesting people have come from Snow Hill, including:

Don Davis: He is currently a member of the United States House of Representatives for North Carolina's 1st congressional district. He also used to be a member of the North Carolina Senate.
Ray E. Eubanks: A US Army paratrooper who received the Medal of Honor during World War II for his bravery.
Petey Pablo: A well-known rapper.
Rapsody: Another famous rapper.
Mule Shirley: A professional baseball player who played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball.

Snow Hill, North Carolina facts for kids

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