Whiteville, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Whiteville, North Carolina
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Columbus County Courthouse in Whiteville
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| Motto(s):
"Citizens First"
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 Whiteville, North Carolina
Location in North Carolina
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | North Carolina | ||
| County | Columbus | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 5.56 sq mi (14.40 km2) | ||
| • Land | 5.56 sq mi (14.40 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 79 ft (30 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,766 | ||
| • Density | 857.50/sq mi (331.06/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
28472
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| Area codes | 910, 472 | ||
| FIPS code | 37-73660 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2405738 | ||
Whiteville is a city located in Columbus County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is the largest city in Columbus County. Whiteville is also the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located. In 2020, about 4,766 people lived in Whiteville.
Contents
Whiteville's Early History
Columbus County was created in 1808. In 1810, a community was planned on land owned by James B. White. This was done to create a main town for the county and to build government offices. The area was first called White's Crossing. It officially became a town named Whiteville in 1832. A post office has been open in Whiteville since 1821. During the American Civil War, Union soldiers came through and took over the town.
Sports History in Whiteville
In 1950, Whiteville had a professional minor league baseball team. They were called the Whiteville Tobs and played in the Tobacco State League. The team played for only one season before the league stopped.
Historic Buildings
The Columbus County Courthouse is an important building in Whiteville. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This list includes places that are important to history.
Where is Whiteville Located?
Whiteville is in the north-central part of Columbus County. It is part of a region known as the Carolina Border Belt. This area has many tobacco markets and warehouses near the North Carolina-South Carolina border.
Major Roads Near Whiteville
Two major roads, U.S. Routes 74 and 76, go around the north side of Whiteville. These roads can take you to other cities. For example, US 74 and 76 lead east about 46 miles (74 km) to Wilmington. US 74 goes northwest about 32 miles (51 km) to Lumberton. US 76 goes west about 67 miles (108 km) to Florence, South Carolina.
U.S. Route 701 passes through the western part of Whiteville. It leads north about 23 miles (37 km) to Elizabethtown. It also goes southwest about 44 miles (71 km) to Conway, South Carolina.
Whiteville's Land Area
According to the United States Census Bureau, Whiteville covers a total area of about 5.56 square miles (14.4 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Whiteville's Climate
Whiteville has a mild climate. Here is a look at the average temperatures and rainfall:
| Climate data for WHITEVILLE 7 NW, NC, 1991-2020 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 54.8 (12.7) |
57.8 (14.3) |
65.4 (18.6) |
73.9 (23.3) |
80.6 (27.0) |
86.8 (30.4) |
90.1 (32.3) |
88.2 (31.2) |
83.5 (28.6) |
74.8 (23.8) |
65.3 (18.5) |
57.7 (14.3) |
73.2 (22.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 43.4 (6.3) |
45.8 (7.7) |
52.8 (11.6) |
61.1 (16.2) |
69.1 (20.6) |
76.4 (24.7) |
79.8 (26.6) |
78.2 (25.7) |
73.0 (22.8) |
62.8 (17.1) |
52.6 (11.4) |
46.1 (7.8) |
61.8 (16.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 31.9 (−0.1) |
33.8 (1.0) |
40.2 (4.6) |
48.3 (9.1) |
57.6 (14.2) |
66.1 (18.9) |
69.5 (20.8) |
68.2 (20.1) |
62.6 (17.0) |
50.7 (10.4) |
39.9 (4.4) |
34.6 (1.4) |
50.3 (10.2) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.47 (88) |
3.31 (84) |
3.73 (95) |
3.53 (90) |
4.21 (107) |
4.61 (117) |
5.27 (134) |
5.91 (150) |
6.64 (169) |
3.51 (89) |
3.22 (82) |
3.47 (88) |
50.88 (1,292) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.5 (1.3) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
1.2 (3.0) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.3 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 7.9 | 8.9 | 9.8 | 10.4 | 11.5 | 9.1 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 9.3 | 109.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.9 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Whiteville's Population and People
The population of Whiteville has changed over the years. The United States Census counts how many people live in an area every ten years.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 372 | — | |
| 1900 | 634 | 70.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,368 | 115.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,604 | 17.3% | |
| 1930 | 2,203 | 37.3% | |
| 1940 | 3,011 | 36.7% | |
| 1950 | 4,238 | 40.8% | |
| 1960 | 4,683 | 10.5% | |
| 1970 | 4,195 | −10.4% | |
| 1980 | 5,565 | 32.7% | |
| 1990 | 5,078 | −8.8% | |
| 2000 | 5,148 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 5,394 | 4.8% | |
| 2020 | 4,766 | −11.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Information
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,766 people living in Whiteville. These people made up 2,153 households and 1,337 families. Between 2010 and 2020, the town's population decreased by about 11.64 percent.
Here's a breakdown of the different groups of people living in Whiteville in 2020:
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,253 | 47.27% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,963 | 41.19% |
| Native American | 63 | 1.32% |
| Asian | 39 | 0.82% |
| Other/Mixed | 209 | 4.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 239 | 5.01% |
Education in Whiteville
The Whiteville City School system includes several schools for students of different ages.
Schools in the City System
- Whiteville High School
- Southeastern Early College High School
- Columbus Christian Academy
- North Whiteville Academy
- Central Middle School
- Edgewood Elementary School
- Whiteville Primary School
Whiteville High School Sports
Whiteville High School's sports teams are called the Wolfpack. They compete in the NCHSAA 2A sports division. The school has won many state championships, including:
- Nine in baseball (1983, 1985, 1989, 1991, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018)
- Four individual track championships
- One in team golf (1986)
- Two in football (1965 and 1987)
- Three in basketball (1969, 1999, and 2000)
Higher Education Near Whiteville
Southeastern Community College is located a few miles west of Whiteville. This college offers many programs for students after high school.
Arts and Culture in Whiteville
Whiteville is home to interesting places and events that celebrate art and local culture.
Museums and Festivals
The city has the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville. This is a smaller branch of the main museum in North Carolina.
One of the yearly events is the North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival. It celebrates the local pecan harvest. Also, the state-recognized Waccamaw Siouan tribe holds an annual powwow in October. A powwow is a gathering where Native American people celebrate their culture with dancing, music, and other events.
Local Newspaper
The News Reporter is the official newspaper for Columbus County. It is based in Whiteville and has been published since 1896.
Honoring a Founder
A part of U.S. Route 701 that goes through Columbus County is named after James B. White. He was the person who owned the land where Whiteville was founded. James B. White was also elected as Columbus County's first state senator.
Whiteville in Movies
Whiteville was used as a filming location for a scene in the 1996 movie Bastard out of Carolina. This scene showed a courthouse burning. The movie was based on a novel by Dorothy Allison with the same name.
Transportation in Whiteville
Whiteville has several ways for people to travel to and from the city.
Airport and Highways
The city is served by the Columbus County Municipal Airport. This airport helps people travel by air.
Whiteville is also connected by several highways, including:
- U.S. Route 74
- U.S. Route 76
- U.S. Route 701
- North Carolina Highway 130
- North Carolina Highway 131
Notable People from Whiteville
Many interesting people have come from Whiteville, North Carolina. Here are a few:
- A. R. Ammons: A famous American poet who won important awards.
- Ulysses Currie: An American politician who represented Maryland.
- Dax Harwood: A professional wrestler.
- Dewey L. Hill: A politician.
- MacKenzie Gore: A professional baseball player.
- Tommy Greene: A former MLB (Major League Baseball) pitcher.
- Pat Lennon: A former MLB outfielder.
- Chester McGlockton: A three-time All-Pro NFL (National Football League) defensive tackle.
- Millie and Christine McKoy: conjoined twins who became famous performers.
- Jane McNeill: An actress who has appeared on stage, in films, and on television.
- Ida Stephens Owens: The first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in physiology from Duke University in 1967.
- Charlie Ripple: A former MLB pitcher.
- Reggie Royals: A professional basketball player.
- Ralph E. Suggs: A retired Rear admiral in the United States Navy.
- Chris Wilcox: A former NBA (National Basketball Association) player.
- Maggie Will: A professional golfer who won three times on the LPGA Tour.
- Harvey D. Williams: An African-American U.S. Army major general.
- Mike Wright: A professional baseball pitcher.
Images for kids
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Columbus County Courthouse in Whiteville
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Seal of Whiteville, NC
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Flag of Whiteville, NC
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Downtown Whiteville
See also
In Spanish: Whiteville (Carolina del Norte) para niños
