Shelby is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Cleveland County, North Carolina Cleveland County is a County (United States), county located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the western Piedmont, on the southern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, t ...

. It lies near the western edge of the Charlotte- Concord, NC- SC Combined Statistical Area. The population was 21,918 at the 2020 census.

History

The area was originally inhabited by Catawba and

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

peoples and was later settled around 1760. The city was chartered in 1843 and named after Colonel

Isaac Shelby Isaac Shelby (December 11, 1750 – July 18, 1826) was an American politician and military officer who was the List of governors of Kentucky, first and fifth Governor of Kentucky and served in the state legislatures of Virginia and North Ca ...

, a hero of the battle of Kings Mountain (1780) during the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

. Shelby was agricultural until the railways in the 1870s stimulated Shelby's development. In 1916, Thomas Dixon, Jr., the author of '' The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan'', planned to erect a statue of his uncle

Leroy McAfee Leroy Magnum McAfee (1837 – 1873) was an American Confederate veteran and politician. He was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He later served as the inspiration for the protagonist of his nephew Thomas Dixon Jr.'s infam ...

on the courthouse square. The project was initially met with enthusiasm, until it was announced that Dixon wanted the statue to be wearing a

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...

mask. A Confederate monument is located on the west side of the courthouse square, while foreign war monuments stand on the north and south sides. Nevertheless, the

did have a significant presence in Shelby in the 1870s and its crimes were the subject of depositions and affidavits collected by Captain Albion Howe (1841–1873) of the 4th Regiment Artillery. Textiles later became its chief industry during the

1920s File:1920s decade montage.png, From left, clockwise: Third Tipperary Brigade Flying Column No. 2 under Seán Hogan during the Irish War of Independence; Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcohol in accordance to the Eighteenth Amendment to ...

, when production of cotton in Cleveland County rose from 8,000 to 80,000 bales a year. Cotton production peaked in 1948 with Cleveland County producing 83,549 bales, making it North Carolina's premier cotton county. In the

1930s File:1930s decade montage.png, From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Owens Thompson, Florence Thompson shows the effects of the Great Depression; due to extreme drought conditions, farms across the south-central Uni ...

, Shelby was known as "The Leading Shopping Center between Charlotte and Asheville". People from surrounding counties came to Shelby to shop, since there were numerous types of local and chain stores. By 1947, Shelby was a true thriving town with the mills paying among the highest wages in the South. In the

1950s File:1950s decade montage.png, 370x370px, Top, L-R: U.S. Marines engaged in street fighting during the Korean War, late September 1950; The first polio vaccine is developed by Jonas Salk.Centre, L-R: US tests its first thermonuclear bomb with co ...

, droughts, insect infestations, and government acreage controls resulted in the decline of cotton as Cleveland County's primary crop. Shelby was home to a group of political leaders in the first half of the 20th century, that have become known as the "Shelby Dynasty." These political leaders wielded power through the local, State and Federal governments. The most notable of Shelby's political leadership were brothers James L. Webb and Edwin Yates Webb and brothers-in-law O. Max Gardner and Clyde R. Hoey. As governors, NC representatives, and US congressman, the group impacted Shelby life and Shelby's reputation throughout the state. The architecture of Shelby is noteworthy in that despite being in a rural area, there are magnificent homes and buildings with unique character. Some buildings are county landmarks, such as the Historic Campbell Building and others are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

: Banker's House, Joshua Beam House, Central Shelby Historic District, Cleveland County Courthouse, East Marion-Belvedere Park Historic District, James Heyward Hull House, Masonic Temple Building,

Dr. Victor McBrayer House Dr. Victor McBrayer House, also known as Owen House, is a historic home located near Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina. It was built in 1893, and is a -story, modified "U"-plan, eclectic frame dwelling with Italianate, Gothic Revival, a ...

, George Sperling House and Outbuildings, Joseph Suttle House, Webbley, and West Warren Street Historic District.

Community

Shelby's community of art, music, and government all take place in Uptown Shelby historic district. Uptown Shelby is home to a large square, local businesses, and a variety of restaurants surrounding The Courthouse Square. Re-branded as "uptown" in the 70s to bring town-people back off the highway and away from the mall, this area has been named a "Main Street" by the

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 ...

. The local pavilion hosts a twice-a-week Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, as well as local concerts. Monthly summer festivals like Shelby Alive and Seventh Inning Stretch, hosted by the

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...

World Series, brings regional music acts to perform in the city. With a low cost of living and a vibrant small town environment, Uptown Shelby has experienced a 10% growth in street level occupancy from 78% to 88%. Uptown Shelby hosts opportunities for active living with groups that engage in cycling, running, crossfit, and yoga. Multiple restaurants and other local businesses are attracting day trippers and shoppers from across the region. Part of the city brand, live music is a part of community with the Earl Scruggs Center and the

Don Gibson Donald Eugene Gibson (April 3, 1928 – November 17, 2003) was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson wrote such country standards as " Sweet Dreams" and " I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjo ...

Theatre. Other public attractions include walking trails like the thread trail and the Broad River Trail as well as public events. Reoccurring events include the Fall

Livermush Livermush is a Southern United States pork food product prepared using pig liver, parts of pig heads, cornmeal and spices. It is a regional cuisine, regional dish that is common in Western North Carolina. It is typically consumed as a breakfast an ...

festival, The Cleveland County fair which is the largest county agricultural fair in North Carolina, The 7thinning Stretch, The Art of Sound, Arts on the Square, and various fundraisers. Shelby is known throughout the state for its collaborative methods between private, non-profit, and public sector organizations with groups like Leadership Cleveland County. In 2011, Shelby was named the permanent home of the American Legion Baseball World Series after decades of rotating venues for the event.

Geography

Shelby is located in south-central Cleveland County. U.S. Route 74, a four-lane highway, runs through the city south of the center, and leads east to Gastonia and west to Rutherfordton. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.17%, is water.

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Shelby has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Shelby was on July 30, 1952, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 31, 1966.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 21,918 people, 8,013 households, and 4,887 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 19,477 people, 7,927 households, and 5,144 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 8,853 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 56.88%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 40.97%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.09% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.72% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population. There were 7,927 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,345, and the median income for a family was $38,603. Males had a median income of $30,038 versus $21,362 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,708. About 14.3% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Highways

Shelby is served by US Highway 74 and its business route. US 74 Business travels through uptown Shelby along Marion St. and Warren St., giving travelers access to Shelby's growing central business district. Currently, a

controlled-access highway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...

(signed as US 74) is under construction from Mooresboro to Kings Mountain, which will bypass Shelby to the north. Upon completion of the project, Charlotte and Asheville will be connected by virtually uninterrupted freeway via Interstate 85, US Highway 74, and

Interstate 26 Interstate 26 (I-26) is a main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Nominally east–west, as indicated by its even number, I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W, US Route 11W (US 11W) ...

. Shelby is also served by four North Carolina State Highways. * North Carolina Highway 18 * North Carolina Highway 150 * North Carolina Highway 180 * North Carolina Highway 226

Airports

Shelby-Cleveland County Regional Airport serves the city and county. The airport is used mostly for general aviation and is owned by the city of Shelby. Commercial air service is provided within a 2-hour drive at Charlotte (CLT), Asheville (AVL), Concord (USA) and Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP).

Education

Cleveland County Schools is the school district for all of Cleveland County, including Shelby. Prior to January 2004, the city was in Shelby City Schools, a separate school district. Secondary and intermediate schools include: * Shelby High School * Shelby Middle School Elementary schools include: * Elizabeth Elementary School * Jefferson Elementary School * James Love Elementary School Springmore, Township Three, and Union elementary schools have Shelby postal addresses but are outside of the Shelby corporate limits. Graham and Marion elementary schools closed in 2022, and the former Shelby Intermediate School was to be converted into an elementary school including the former Graham and Marion zones; in other words, it became Elizabeth Elementary School. The building had been Elizabeth Elementary prior to being converted into an intermediate school. The conversion returned it to its former name.

In popular culture

The 2004 film adaptation of '' Blood Done Sign My Name'' was filmed in Shelby – as well as the reaping scene in the 2012 film adaptation of ''

The Hunger Games ''The Hunger Games'' are a series of Young adult fiction, young adult Dystopian fiction, dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The series consists of a trilogy that follows teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and two ...

'', and the 1982

slasher film A slasher film is a subgenre of horror films involving a killer or a group of killers stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed or sharp tools. Although the term "slasher" may occasionally be used informally as a generic ...

'' Death Screams''. A fictionalized version of the city is the setting of

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

comedy show '' Eastbound & Down''. Filmed in

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...

, it bears little geographic or cultural resemblance to the real place. Actor and writer

Danny McBride Daniel Richard McBride (born December 29, 1976) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer. Known for his unique acting and writing style, the accolades he has received include nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and four Sat ...

chose the location as an inspiration because of its size, attitude, and name. The TV show '' Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern'' visited the 2009 Livermush festival in Shelby. On November 11, 2007, the Oxygen Network's "Captured" aired a profile of The Brenda Sue Brown murder mystery that took place in Shelby in 1966.

Notable people

* Jo Adell, outfielder for the

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...

* Bobby Bell, former NFL linebacker for the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...

, member of the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...

* Alicia Bridges, disco singer *

Jonathan Bullard Jonathan Bullard (born October 22, 1993) is an American professional football defensive end. He played college football at Florida and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft, and has also played for the Arizon ...

, NFL defensive end * Bill Champion,

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player * Morris Davis, colonel in U.S. Air Force * Asha Degree, child reported missing in 2000 * Thomas Dixon Jr., minister, author * Eddie Dodson, bank robber * Robert Lee Durham, educator and lawyer * Manny Fernandez, "The Raging Bull", professional wrestler *

David Flair David Richard Fliehr (born March 6, 1979), better known by the ring name David Flair, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he held the WCW United States Cha ...

, professional wrestler *

Charlotte Flair Ashley Elizabeth Fliehr (born April 5, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Charlotte Flair. Flair is a second-generation professional wrestler, being t ...

, professional wrestler * Margaret Gardner Hoey, First Lady of North Carolina * Oliver Max Gardner, 57th

governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the United States, U.S. state of North Carolina. Seventy-five people have held the office since the first state governor, Richard Caswell, took office in 1777. The governor serves a ...

* Alvin Gentry,

head coach A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional responsible for training and developing athletes within a sports team. This role often has a higher public profile and salary than other coaching positions. In some sports, such as associat ...

of the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...

of the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

, singer and songwriter; member of the

Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...

Kay Hagan Janet Kay Hagan (née Ruthven; May 26, 1953 – October 28, 2019) was an American lawyer, banking executive, and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States Senator from North Carolina from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democr ...

, former

U.S. senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

for North Carolina * Charlie Harbison,

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Univers ...

defensive backs coach * Tre Harbison, NFL running back * Robert Harrill, the Fort Fisher Hermit *

Keith E. Haynes Keith E. Haynes (born February 15, 1963) is a former American politician and lawyer. Haynes was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. He represents the 44th Legislative District (Baltimore) in the Mary ...

, Maryland politician, lawyer * Norris Hopper, MLB player * Hatcher Hughes,

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

-winning playwright * Charlie Justice, NFL player, two-time

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...

runner-up * Doug Limerick, ABC radio newscaster *

Patty Loveless Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957) is an American country music singer. She began performing in her teenaged years before signing her first recording contract with MCA Records' Nashville division in 1985. While her first ...

, country music singer * Manteo Mitchell, 2012 Olympics silver medalist in the men's 4x400 metre relay * Scottie Montgomery, NFL wide receiver,

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...

Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 Arena Football League season, 1987 season, making it the third longest-runnin ...

player, head coach at

East Carolina University East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of universities in North Carolina by enrollment, fourth largest university in North Carolina and the only one in the state with s ...

* Kevin Nanney, former professional '' Super Smash Bros. Melee'' player * Dawson Odums, Southern University football head coach * Travis Padgett,

2008 Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fr ...

athlete in the men's 4x100 metre relay *

Floyd Patterson Floyd Patterson (January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1972, and twice reigned as the world heavyweight champion between 1956 and 1962. At the age of 21, he became the youngest boxer in his ...

, heavyweight boxing champion, Boxing Hall of Famer * Mel Phillips, former NFL safety, former NFL coach * Stephanie Pogue, artist and art educator * Nina Repeta, actress known for her role on ''

Dawson's Creek ''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. It aired from January 20, 19 ...

'' * Price D. Rice, U.S. Army Air Corps/U.S. Air Force colonel and member of the

Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Fighter Group, 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of th ...

Earl Scruggs Earl Eugene Scruggs (January 6, 1924 – March 28, 2012) was an American musician noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style, now called "Scruggs style", which is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. His three-finge ...

, banjo player and composer on

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

, soldier and

Governor of Kentucky The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; sinc ...

, for whom the city of Shelby is named * Charlotte Smith, WNBA basketball player * Brandon Spikes,

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...

for the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...

* Billy Standridge,

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...

driver * David Thompson, ABA and NBA guard, Basketball Hall of Famer * Cliff Washburn, NFL offensive tackle,

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...

* Jim Washburn, NFL defensive line coach * Edwin Y. Webb, politician and judge * James L. Webb, politician and judge *

Fay Webb-Gardner Fay Lamar Webb-Gardner (September 7, 1885 – January 16, 1969) was an American political hostess, businesswoman, and philanthropist. As the wife of Oliver Max Gardner, she served as the Second Lady of North Carolina from 1917 to 1923 and as Firs ...

, First Lady of North Carolina *

Tim Wilkison Tim Wilkison (born November 23, 1959) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. Tennis career Wilkison was the No. 1 ranked junior in the United States and played on the tour for over 25 years. He prepped at McCallie Scho ...

, former professional tennis player *

Robert Williams Robert, Rob, Robbie, Bob or Bobby Williams may refer to: Architecture * Train %26 Williams#Robert Edmund Williams, Robert Edmund Williams (1874–1960), Canadian-American architect * Robert Williams (architect) (1848–1918), Welsh architect a ...

, former NFL cornerback * Tom Wright, MLB player

References

External links

*
Shelby, North Carolina
National Park Service ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' travel itinerary {{authority control Cities in Cleveland County, North Carolina County seats in North Carolina Cities in North Carolina