Stem, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stem, North Carolina
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Location of Stem, North Carolina
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| Country | United States | |
| State | North Carolina | |
| County | Granville | |
| Incorporated | 1911 | |
| Named for | W. T. Stem | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1.51 sq mi (3.92 km2) | |
| • Land | 1.51 sq mi (3.91 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | |
| Elevation | 453 ft (138 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 960 | |
| • Density | 635.34/sq mi (245.30/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
27581
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| Area code(s) | 919 | |
| FIPS code | 37-65320 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2406665 | |
Stem is a small town located in Granville County, North Carolina, in the United States. In 2020, about 960 people lived there. Stem is known for its interesting history and a famous local basketball legend.
Contents
The History of Stem
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Stem Town Hall, the local government building.
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A community dinner in Tally Ho, near Stem, in 1939.
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The town of Stem was created in 1888 by William Thomas Stem. It was once part of a larger area called Tally Ho township. William Thomas Stem and his family owned a general store and land where a new train line ended.
The town grew up around this new train station. Stem officially became an incorporated town in 1911. This means it became its own legal entity with its own local government.
Stem is also home to the historic Cozart-Coley House. The Tally Ho area, where Stem is located, was the childhood home of James E. Webb. He was a very important person, and the famous space telescope is named after him!
Where is Stem Located?
Stem is a small town with a total area of about 1.5 square miles (3.9 square kilometers). Only a tiny part of this area is water.
The town is found within the Tally Ho voting area of Granville County. This helps define its specific location within the county.
Schools in Stem
Students living in Stem attend schools within the local district. Here are the schools assigned to the town:
- Elementary School (Kindergarten to 5th grade) - Butner-Stem Elementary School
- Middle School (6th to 8th grade) - Butner-Stem Middle School
- High School (9th to 12th grade) - Granville Central High School
The Famous Basketball Game Story
There's a fun local story about the Stem High School basketball team. People in Granville County love to tell how the Stem team supposedly played and beat the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill men's team!
The story says that in 1936, the Stem team won their county championship. Their coach, known as Coach Pegram, rewarded them with a trip. They were going to watch UNC play another college team, Davidson, at an arena called the Tin Can.
However, a snowstorm stopped the Davidson team from arriving. Coach Pegram offered his team to play instead, so the crowd would still have a game to watch. The Stem team, with players like Brent Meadows and James "Bunk" Guthrie, played really well. They even won the game with a last-second shot!
This story is a local legend and might not be completely true. Records from that time don't fully confirm it. For example, a UNC game was canceled on February 12, 1936, due to the flu. But the college newspaper only mentioned the UNC team practicing.
Even if it's just a story, it's a big part of Stem's local history. It even brought statewide attention to the town in 1999 and 2000 when newspapers wrote about it.
Who Lives in Stem?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 245 | — | |
| 1930 | 256 | 4.5% | |
| 1940 | 218 | −14.8% | |
| 1950 | 217 | −0.5% | |
| 1960 | 221 | 1.8% | |
| 1970 | 242 | 9.5% | |
| 1980 | 222 | −8.3% | |
| 1990 | 249 | 12.2% | |
| 2000 | 229 | −8.0% | |
| 2010 | 463 | 102.2% | |
| 2020 | 960 | 107.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, the town of Stem had 960 people living in 466 homes. The population density was about 640 people per square mile.
About 64.2% of the people identified as White, and 21.7% identified as African American. About 12.1% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Many households in Stem have children. About 49.3% of homes had children under 18 living there. The average household had 2.5 people.
The population in Stem is quite young. About 31.5% of the people were 19 years old or younger. The average age in Stem was 32.1 years.
The median income for a household in Stem was $73,750. This means half the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less. Only a small number of people, about 2.7%, lived below the poverty line.
See also
In Spanish: Stem (Carolina del Norte) para niños
