Kenly is a town in
Johnston and
Wilson
Wilson may refer to:
People
* Wilson (name)
** List of people with given name Wilson
** List of people with surname Wilson
* Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender
* Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...
counties in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. It was named for John R. Kenly, Northern Division Superintendent of the
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967 it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast L ...
, who later became president of the railroad in 1913. The population was 1,339 at the
2010 census,
down from 1,569 in 2000.
History
The community was settled in about 1875, developing along the "Short-Cut" rail line of the
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad (W&W) name began use in 1855, having been originally chartered as the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad in 1834. At the time of its completion in 1840, the line was the longest railroad in the world with of track ...
. It was incorporated in 1887 as Kenly, being named for railroad official J. R. Kenly. In 1897, the community's first school, Kenly Academy, a private boarding institution, was established. Kenly High School, a public institution, was opened in 1914. That year the town received its first electric service.
In July 2022, all five members of Kenly's police force resigned, citing a "hostile work environment", allegedly created by the newly-appointed town manager.
Geography
Kenly is located in eastern Johnston County.
A small portion of the town extends into the southwest corner of Wilson County.
U.S. Route 301 (Church Street) is the main road through the center of town.
North Carolina Highway 222
North Carolina Highway 222 (NC 222) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The highway traverses between Emit and Belvoir, connecting the rural towns of Kenly, Fremont, Eureka, Stantonsburg, Saratoga, Foun ...
(Second Street) crosses US 301 in the center of Kenly.
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
runs along the northwest edge of Kenly, with access from Exit 107 (US 301).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, Kenly has a total area of , of which , or 0.16%, are water.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 1,491 people, 744 households, and 416 families residing in the town.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 1,569 people, 671 households, and 414 families residing in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,035.1 people per square mile (398.5/km
2). There were 754 housing units at an average density of 497.4 per square mile (191.5/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 55.32%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 40.60%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.25%
Native American, 0.25%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2.29% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.27% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 3.57% of the population.
There were 671 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,865, and the median income for a family was $33,214. Males had a median income of $24,250 versus $17,917 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $14,181. About 23.3% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
Boyette Slave House was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1979.
Education
* Glendale-Kenly Elementary
*
North Johnston High School
North Johnston High School is a public high school in Kenly, North Carolina
Kenly is a town in Johnston and Wilson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was named for John R. Kenly, Northern Division Superintendent of the Atlantic Co ...
Notable people
*
Al Evans
Alfred Hubert Evans (September 28, 1916 – April 6, 1979) was an American Major League Baseball catcher and a Minor League manager. Listed at tall and , Evans batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Kenly, North Carolina.
Basically a co ...
,
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player
*
The O'Kaysions
The O'Kaysions are an American pop band from Kenly, North Carolina that first formed in 1959. They are best known for their 1968 million-seller " Girl Watcher".
Career
The group first formed under the name The Kays in 1959, and scored a Top 10 ...
Culture
Kenly is the home of the Eastern North Carolina
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
The Church of God, with headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee, United States, is a Holiness Pentecostal Christian denomination. The Church of God's publishing house is Pathway Press.
History
Origins (1886–1902)
R. G. Spurling (1857–1935), ...
State Executive Offices and Conference Center.
References
Works cited
*
*
External links
Town of Kenly official website
{{authority control
Towns in Johnston County, North Carolina
Towns in Wilson County, North Carolina
Towns in North Carolina