West Jefferson, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Jefferson, North Carolina
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North Jefferson Avenue in West Jefferson
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Location of West Jefferson, North Carolina
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Ashe |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.15 sq mi (5.58 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,986 ft (910 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,279 |
| • Density | 594.33/sq mi (229.44/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
28694
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| Area code(s) | 336, 743 |
| FIPS code | 37-72540 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2406863 |
West Jefferson is a small town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. It's known as a place where people go for vacations and to relax. In 2020, about 1,279 people lived there.
Many tourists and people who have retired like to visit West Jefferson. They often come from places like Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. They enjoy the cooler weather and mountain views.
Contents
History of West Jefferson
West Jefferson became an official town in 1909. For a long time, it was special because it had the only cheese factory in the southeastern United States.
A big reason West Jefferson grew was the Norfolk and Western Railroad, also called the "Virginia Creeper." The town was a major stop on this railway.
Over time, the railroad became less important, and many textile factory jobs moved to other countries. Because of this, West Jefferson's economy now mostly relies on tourism.
West Jefferson Today
Since the town is in the Appalachian Mountains, many tourists visit each year. Some people from out of state have even built vacation homes nearby.
Things to see and do in West Jefferson include:
- A fun main street with restaurants and local art.
- A cheese factory where you can see how cheese is made.
- An old-fashioned movie theater.
- An annual festival with lots of activities.
- A caboose (the last car on a train) that you can see.
- A playground for kids.
Geography and Location
West Jefferson is located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountain range. It sits in a valley between two mountains: Mount Jefferson to the east and Paddy Mountain to the west.
The United States Census Bureau says that the town covers about 5.4 square kilometers (or 2.1 square miles) of land.
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 462 | — | |
| 1930 | 704 | 52.4% | |
| 1940 | 883 | 25.4% | |
| 1950 | 871 | −1.4% | |
| 1960 | 1,000 | 14.8% | |
| 1970 | 889 | −11.1% | |
| 1980 | 822 | −7.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,002 | 21.9% | |
| 2000 | 1,081 | 7.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,299 | 20.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,279 | −1.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of West Jefferson has changed over the years. In 1920, there were 462 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 1,279 people.
Who Lives in West Jefferson?
In 2020, there were 1,279 people living in West Jefferson. Most people living there were White (about 84%). There were also smaller numbers of Black or African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 11% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
West Jefferson Dr Pepper
West Jefferson is home to a special soda company called West Jefferson Dr Pepper (WJDP). This company is famous for making its non-diet sodas with real cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. This includes many Dr Pepper Snapple Group drinks and even Mountain Dew.
WJDP is one of only two companies in the United States that are allowed to make Mountain Dew but are not part of the Pepsi company.
Special Soda
Even though WJDP doesn't ship its sodas outside its local area, some websites sell their products at a higher price. People are willing to pay more because they like that the soda is made with cane sugar, which is rare for bottlers in the U.S.
Local Newspapers
Ashe County has two main newspapers that cover news in West Jefferson and the surrounding area.
- The Jefferson Post is the older newspaper. It comes out twice a week and is sold by subscription and at newsstands.
- The "Ashe Mountain Times" is another newspaper that comes out once a week. It is known for having a lot of local stories and is the largest newspaper in Ashe County.
See also
In Spanish: West Jefferson (Carolina del Norte) para niños
