Wilson, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wilson, North Carolina
City
Wilson Municipal Building
Flag Seal Logo
Location of Wilson in Wilson County, North Carolina
Wilson, North Carolina Location in North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Wilson, North Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States Wilson, North Carolina Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Wilson
Townships	Black Creek Old Fields Stantonsburg Taylors Toisnot Wilson
Incorporated	January 29, 1849 (1849-01-29Tmdy)
Named for	Col. Louis D. Wilson
Government
• Type	Council–Manager
Area
• Total	32.12 sq mi (83.18 km2)
• Land	31.24 sq mi (80.92 km2)
• Water	0.87 sq mi (2.26 km2)
Elevation	108 ft (33 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	47,851
• Density	1,531.53/sq mi (591.32/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern Time Zone (USA/Canada))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (-4)
Zip Codes	27822, 27880, 27893, 27894, 27895, 27896
Area code	252
FIPS code	37-74540
GNIS feature ID	2405758
Interstate Highways
U.S. Highways

Wilson is a city in North Carolina, United States. It is the main city of Wilson County, North Carolina. Wilson is the 23rd largest city in North Carolina by population.

The city is about 40 miles (64 km) east of Raleigh, the state capital. Major highways like Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 264 meet here. In 2019, about 49,459 people lived in Wilson. It is also a key city in a larger area called the Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids CSA, which had about 297,726 people in 2018.

In the early 2000s, Wilson was ranked 18th among North Carolina's many cities. Between 1990 and 2010, the city's population grew by over 40%. This growth happened because new neighborhoods were built, attracting many new residents. New shops and businesses also opened, especially in the northwest part of the city.

Wilson is a city with many different cultures. In 2012, about 48% of the people were African American, and 43% were White. The remaining 9% included people from Latino and Asian backgrounds, such as Vietnamese, Chinese, and Indian. The U.S. Census Bureau also estimated that nearly 5,000 people in the county (7.5%) were born outside the U.S. Most of these, about 3,000 people, moved to the U.S. after 2000.

Long ago, Wilson was famous for growing tobacco. In the 1800s, it was known as "The World’s Greatest Tobacco Market." Today, Wilson has a varied economy. It includes farming, manufacturing (making goods), and different types of businesses and services.

History of Wilson

Nash Street in Wilson, 1908

Aerial view of Wilson in 1925

The city of Wilson started as a small community. It grew around the Toisnot Primitive Baptist Church, which was built in the early 1800s. The community was first called Toisnot.

In 1836, a railroad company began building a train line from Wilmington to Weldon. The railway reached Toisnot in 1839. By 1840, trains were running both north and south through the community. This helped the community grow much faster.

The North Carolina General Assembly officially made Toisnot a town. They named it Wilson after Colonel Louis Dicken Wilson. He was a state senator and a U.S. Volunteer who died during the Mexican–American War in 1848. The first town leaders included Joshua Barnes, John W. Farmer, James D. Barnes, Dylan Dieterle, Jonathan D. Rountree, and Arthur Farmer.

Several historic places in Wilson are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include old houses, bank buildings, and historic districts that show the city's past.

Geography and Climate

Wilson covers a total area of about 23.4 square miles (60.6 km2). Most of this area, 23.3 square miles (60.3 km2), is land. Only a small part, 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2), is water.

The city is located where Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 264 cross. It takes about 45 minutes to drive from Wilson to Raleigh, the state capital. Wilson is also the starting point of Interstate 795. This highway connects to Interstate 40 and the port city of Wilmington, North Carolina.

Wilson's Climate

Wilson has a mild climate. Summers are warm and humid, while winters are cool. The city gets a good amount of rain throughout the year. Snowfall is usually very light.

Population Changes

Wilson's Population in 2020

In 2020, the 2020 United States census counted 47,851 people living in Wilson. There were 19,667 households and 11,529 families in the city.

Economy and Jobs

Wilson is where Branch Banking and Trust Corporation started. This company is now called Truist Financial. Truist Financial is one of the biggest employers in Wilson County. About 2,200 people work there in different financial jobs.

Bridgestone Americas has a factory in Wilson. Over 1,800 people work there making radial tires for cars and light trucks. Bridgestone recently spent $250 million to update the factory. It now makes special run-flat tires sold in the U.S. and Japan.

Other large employers in Wilson include:

• Wilson County Schools
• Wilson Medical Center
• Smithfield Packing Co. (pork products)
• Collins Aerospace (aircraft fire protection systems)
• Sandoz (generic medicines)
• Merck Manufacturing Division (pharmaceutical drugs)
• Ardagh Group (glass containers)

Top Employers in Wilson

Here are the top employers in Wilson, based on a 2023 report:

Sports in Wilson

Wilson is home to the Wilson Tobs. This is a summer baseball team for college players. The Tobs play at Fleming Stadium in Wilson. They started playing in the league's first season in 1997.

Wilson Speedway used to host NASCAR Cup Series races. It held 12 races between 1951 and 1960. The track was open at the county fairgrounds from 1934 to 1989.

The Carolina Mudcats, a Single-A Minor League Baseball team, are planning to move to Wilson. They are expected to relocate after the 2025 Carolina League season. They will play in a new $75.5-million stadium near downtown Wilson. This new stadium will be about 20 miles (32 km) east of their current home.

Tourist Attractions

Whirligig Park in Wilson

Wilson is famous for the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park. This park displays unique art pieces called "whirligigs". Vollis Simpson made these large, moving sculptures from old metal.

Simpson became well-known after he made a whirligig for the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. This huge sculpture, 55 feet (17 m) tall and 45 feet (14 m) wide, was called "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." It was put up for the museum's opening in 1995. Other whirligigs by Simpson have been shown in museums in New York City and Williamsburg, Virginia. The Whirligig Park in Wilson officially opened in late 2017.

Education in Wilson

Wilson has many schools, including public, charter, and private schools. It also has colleges.

Public Schools

Elementary Schools

Middle Schools

• C H Darden
• Forest Hills Middle
• Toisnot
• Elm City
• Speight
• Springfield

High Schools

• E. T. Beddingfield High School
• Ralph L. Fike High School
• James B. Hunt High School
• Wilson Early College Academy
• Wilson Academy of Applied Technology
• Wilson Preparatory Academy

Alternative Schools

• Daniels Learning Center (for grades 6-8).

Charter Schools

The Youth Enrichment Program of Wilson, Inc. runs the Sallie B. Howard School for the Arts and Education. This school is named after Sallie Baldwin Howard. Wilson Preparatory Academy also serves students from Wilson and nearby counties as a charter school.

State-Operated Schools

The Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf is in Wilson. It is run by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Private Schools

Wilson has several private schools:

• Community Christian School (Daycare - Pre-K -12)
• Garnett Christian Academy
• Wilson Christian Academy (Daycare - Pre-K -12)
• Greenfield School (Pre-K-12) (not connected to a religion)
• Charis Prep (Christian, 9-12)

Colleges

• Barton College, a liberal arts college
• Wilson Community College.

Media and Communications

The main newspaper in Wilson is the Wilson Times, which started in 1896. Television news for Wilson comes from stations in Raleigh, North Carolina. These stations include ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX channels.

City Services and Transportation

Telecommunications

The city of Wilson has its own cable TV and internet service called Greenlight. It offers cable TV, phone, and internet services to its residents. Greenlight was created in 2008 to give people a local choice for these services. It now serves over 6,000 homes and businesses. Greenlight also provides free wireless internet in downtown Wilson.

In 2013, Wilson was the first city in North Carolina to offer super-fast gigabit internet. This service lets users upload or download data at one billion bits per second. However, a state law in North Carolina stops Wilson from expanding its network to nearby towns that want it. This rule was supported by a court decision in 2016.

Transportation

Wilson has two airports: Wilson Industrial Airport and Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport (RWI). The city also has the Wilson Amtrak Station for train travel.

Many highways pass through Wilson: I-95, I-587, I-795, U.S. 301, U.S. Route 264, U.S. 117, N.C. 42, and N.C. 58. Some main roads like Hines Street, Tarboro Street, and Ward Boulevard have five lanes.

RIDE is Wilson's on-demand transportation service. It replaced the old bus system on September 1, 2020. RIDE is a partnership between the City of Wilson and Via, a company that specializes in this type of service. You can find more information at https://www.wilsonnc.org/residents/all-departments/public-works/wilson-transit-ride-wilson-industrial-air-center/ride.

Healthcare

Wilson Medical Center is a hospital in Wilson. It has 330 beds for patients.

Famous People from Wilson

• Jamareo Artis – Musician and bass player for Bruno Mars.
• Cora Lily Woodard Aycock (1868–1952) – First Lady of North Carolina.
• Red Barrett (1915–1990) – Baseball pitcher who played for eleven seasons.
• Glenn Bass (born 1939) – Former American football player.
• Hunter Bell – Author and actor, raised in Wilson.
• G. K. Butterfield (born 1947) – Former U.S. Representative for North Carolina.
• Jean Farmer-Butterfield – A Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly.
• Freddie Bynum (born 1980) – Shortstop for the Somerset Patriots baseball team.
• Ben Flowers (1927–2009) – Raised in Wilson, played for four Major League baseball teams.
• Jentezen Franklin – Senior Pastor at Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia.
• Celeste Gold Broughton (1925–2022) – Writer and socialite.
• Daisy Hendley Gold (1893–1975) – Journalist and author.
• Pleasant Daniel Gold (1833–1920) – American publisher and clergyman.
• James B. Hunt, Jr. – Served a record four terms as governor of North Carolina.
• Martha Hunt (born 1989) – American fashion model.
• Izel Jenkins (born 1964) – Football player for the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Giants.
• Thomas Kenan (1838–1911) – Confederate soldier and politician.
• Ike Lassiter (born 1940) – Former American football defensive lineman.
• Walt McKeel (born 1972) – Former professional baseball player.
• Louis B. Meyer (1933–1999) – A North Carolina judge.
• Ed Mitchell (born 1948/1949) – Famous barbecue pitmaster and businessman.
• Naomi E. Morris (1921–1986) – A judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
• Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. (born 1964) – American actor.
• Vance Page (1905–1951) – Pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.
• Stan Partenheimer [Party] (1922–1989) – Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals.
• Julius Peppers (born 1980) – American retired football player for the Carolina Panthers.
• Randy Renfrow (born 1958) – Former NASCAR driver.
• Corey Thomas (born 1975) – Former professional American football wide receiver.
• Gregory Walcott – Born Bernard Mattox, appeared in the film Battle Cry.
• John Webb (1926–2008) – American judge on the North Carolina Supreme Court.
• Harry F. Weyher Jr. (1921–2002) – American lawyer and president of the Pioneer Fund.
• John E. Woodard (1855–1928) – Mayor of Wilson, state delegate, and state senator.

Images for kids

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  Nash Street in Wilson, 1908

• 

  Aerial view of Wilson in 1925

See also

In Spanish: Wilson (Carolina del Norte) para niños