Wendell, North Carolina Facts for Kids

Wendell is a town located in Wake County, North Carolina, in the United States. It's like a smaller town connected to a bigger city, Raleigh, which is the capital of North Carolina. In 2020, about 9,793 people lived there.

History of Wendell
Geography and Location
- Climate and Weather
Population and People
- 2020 Census Information
- 2010 Census Information
Education in Wendell
Economy and Businesses
Transportation Around Town
- Getting Around by Passenger Transport
- Roads for Driving
Parks and Fun Activities
Famous People from Wendell
Annual Town Events
Images for kids
See also

History of Wendell

Wendell was officially made a town in 1903. Its story began in the 1850s when farmers from Granville County faced a big problem. Their tobacco crops were failing due to a plant disease. Because of this, they decided to move to a new place where the land was better for farming.

As more people moved to this new area, a small village started to grow. The people living there asked their local schoolteacher, M.A. Griffin, to help them choose a name for their village. Griffin suggested the name Wendell, to honor his favorite poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes. Even though the poet's name is said a certain way, the townspeople of Wendell say each part of the name with equal emphasis. The town's official seal was chosen on April 4, 1963.

The first post office in Wendell was built in 1891. Today, the Wendell Historical Society has worked to restore this old building. The oldest organization in Wendell is Hephzibah Baptist Church, which started in 1809. The town's first newspaper was the Wendell Clarion, which began in 1911. Later, it was replaced by the Gold Leaf Farmer, and now the local news is covered by the Eastern Wake News.

Several important places in Wendell are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized for their historical value. These places include the Dr. Thomas H. Avera House, Harmony Plantation, Riley Hill School, Sunnyside, the Wendell Boulevard Historic District, and the Wendell Commercial Historic District.

Geography and Location

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Wendell covers an area of about 13.5 square kilometers (5.2 square miles). All of this area is land.

Wendell is located in the central-eastern part of North Carolina. This area is special because it's where two different land regions meet: the Piedmont and the Atlantic Coastal Plain. This meeting point is often called the "Fall Line". It's where the land starts to get higher as you move inland, and you might see small waterfalls or rapids in rivers. Because of its central location, Wendell is about two and a half hours away from Atlantic Beach by car. It's also about four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Climate and Weather

Wendell has a mild subtropical climate. This means it has comfortable temperatures in the spring, fall, and winter. Summers are usually hot and humid.

In winter, the high temperatures are typically around 10 to 13 degrees Celsius (low 50s Fahrenheit). Nighttime lows are usually between -2 and 2 degrees Celsius (low-to-mid 30s Fahrenheit). Sometimes, winter days can even reach 15 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) or warmer. Spring and fall days often reach the low-to-mid 20s Celsius (low-to-mid 70s Fahrenheit). Nighttime lows during these seasons are usually around 10 to 14 degrees Celsius (lower 50s Fahrenheit). In summer, daytime highs often reach 29 to 35 degrees Celsius (upper 80s to low 90s Fahrenheit). The months with the most rain are July and August.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	759	—
1920	1,239	63.2%
1930	980	−20.9%
1940	1,132	15.5%
1950	1,253	10.7%
1960	1,620	29.3%
1970	1,929	19.1%
1980	2,222	15.2%
1990	2,822	27.0%
2000	4,247	50.5%
2010	5,845	37.6%
2020	9,793	67.5%
2023 (est.)	14,400	146.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 Census Information

Wendell racial composition
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	4,925	50.29%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	2,564	26.18%
Native American	37	0.38%
Asian	224	2.29%
Pacific Islander	8	0.08%
Other/Mixed	493	5.03%
Hispanic or Latino	1,542	15.75%

In 2020, the United States census showed that 9,793 people lived in Wendell. There were 2,686 households and 1,941 families living in the town.

2010 Census Information

The 2010 census reported that 5,845 people lived in Wendell. There were 2,430 homes. The town had about 1123.2 people per square mile.

The racial makeup of the town in 2010 was:

58.1% White
30.2% African American
0.8% Native American
0.9% Asian (Japanese)
0.01% Pacific Islander
3.20% from other races
1.34% from two or more races

About 11.5% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, 40% of the homes were built before 1980. Of the people living in Wendell, 55% were married. About 29.5% of homes had children under 18 living there. About 11.6% of the population was 65 years or older. Also, 29% of people were between 25 and 44 years old, and 30% were between 0 and 19 years old. The average age in 2010 was 35. The average household had 2.12 people.

The average income for a family in Wendell was $47,908. The average income per person in the town was $26,556. About 17.3% of the people in Wendell lived below the poverty line.

Education in Wendell

The town of Wendell has five public schools. These schools are managed by the Wake County Public School System. They include Lake Myra Elementary, Carver Elementary School, Wendell Elementary School, Wendell Middle School, and East Wake High School.

Wendell is also home to one college, Southeastern Free Will Baptist College.

Economy and Businesses

Downtown Wendell has many different businesses. These include the Bearded Bee Brewing Company and Daedong-USA, which makes Kioti tractors.

Transportation Around Town

Getting Around by Passenger Transport

Air Travel: Wendell is served by Raleigh-Durham International Airport. This airport is located in northwestern Wake County, near I-40.
Interstate Highway: I-87 is the closest major highway to Wendell. It is located west of the town.
Trains: Wendell used to have a passenger train line that ran between Raleigh and Wilson. This service stopped in 1943. Today, Wendell does not have direct passenger train service. The closest Amtrak train stations are in Raleigh and Selma.
Local Bus: The Triangle Transit Authority runs buses that serve the region. These buses connect to the local bus systems in nearby cities like Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

Roads for Driving

The main highway in Wendell is US 64. This highway helps people travel to Raleigh and to the North Carolina coast.
Other important highways in the area include US 264, NC 97, and NC 231.

Parks and Fun Activities

Wendell has three parks and recreation places for people to enjoy. These are Wendell Park, the Wendell Community Center, and J. Ashley Wall Town Square.

Famous People from Wendell

Greg Ellis: A former NFL defensive end who was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2007.
George J. Laurer: The person who invented the Universal Product Code (UPC), which are the barcodes you see on products.
Ron and Amy Shirley: Reality television stars from the show Lizard Lick Towing.
Gregory Walcott: An actor.

Annual Town Events

Harvest Festival: This fun event happens every year in October.
International Food and Music Festival: This festival is held every year in September.

Images for kids

Downtown Wendell on the corner of W. Campen St. and N. Main St. on March 24, 2023
Location in Wake County and the state of North Carolina.

Wendell, North Carolina facts for kids

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