Spring Lake is a town in
Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to:
Australia
* Cumberland County, New South Wales
* the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia
Canada
*Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
United Kingdom
* Cumberland, historic county
*Cumberl ...
,
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, United States. The
2010 census recorded the population at 11,964 people,
with an estimated population in 2019 of 12,005.
History
The current name of the town first appeared around 1923 for a spring fed lake, which probably formed when the railroad was built about 1860. The community grew slowly until World War II. At its incorporation, the town selected the post office on Main Street as the center of town. The town limits extended only eight-tenths of a mile from its center, but increased rapidly as nearby Fort Bragg was built up. Today, Spring Lake remains a quaint town with its close ties to nearby Fort Bragg.
Previously, the area was called "Clayton Cut", due to the pathway cut that ran through the area where the railroad later resided, and also "Prince's Siding", after a man named Prince who owned a sawmill on this land.
Spring Lake was officially incorporated on April 9, 1951.
Grady Howard was named interim mayor on this date, and was officially elected the first mayor of Spring Lake on June 5, 1951.
The modern growth spurt beginning in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
is attributed to the proximity of
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty from 2023–2025) is a United States Army, U.S. Army Military base, military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 m ...
.
Long Valley Farm was 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 ...
in 1994.
Geography
Spring Lake is located in northwestern Cumberland County. It is bordered to the south by the city of
Fayetteville, the Cumberland County seat, to the west by
Hoke and
Moore counties, and to the north by
Harnett County. Large portions of the town limits are occupied by
Pope Air Force Base and parts of Fort Bragg.
North Carolina Highways
87 and
24 run concurrently through the town, leading south to downtown Fayetteville. NC 87 leads north to
Sanford, while NC 24 runs northwest to
Carthage
Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
.
North Carolina Highway 210 leads northeast to
Lillington and southeast as Murchison Road to downtown Fayetteville.
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 town of Spring Lake has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.88%, is water.
The Little River, a tributary of the
Cape Fear River, runs the length of the town from west to east, passing north of the town center.
It includes sections of the
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty from 2023–2025) is a United States Army, U.S. Army Military base, military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 m ...
property, including
Pope Field
Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Fayetteville, in Spring Lake, North Carolina, Spring Lake, Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal A ...
.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 11,660 people, 4,369 households, and 2,653 families residing in the town.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 11,964 people, 4,202 households, and 2,880 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 4,855 housing units at an average density of 210.2 units per square mile (81.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 47.2%
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 ...
, 36.3%
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 ...
, 1.1%
Native American, 3.0%
Asian, 0.5%
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 ...
, 5.1%
some other race, and 6.9% 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 15.4% of the population.
There were 4,202 households, out of which 46.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were headed by
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65, and the average family size was 3.21.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.2% under the age of 18, 19.3% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 13.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.2 males.
For the period 2009–13, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $36,538, and the median income for a family was $38,243. Male full-time workers had a median income of $34,921 versus $29,473 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $15,852. About 19.5% of families and 23.2% 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 ...
, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 21.1% of those age 65 or over.
Law and government
In May 2009, Spring Lake's police department was stripped of its authority, with the
Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to:
Australia
* Cumberland County, New South Wales
* the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia
Canada
*Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
United Kingdom
* Cumberland, historic county
*Cumberl ...
Sheriff's Office assuming command in the town. This happened after two of its senior officers were arrested on an array of charges including embezzlement, larceny, obstruction of justice, second-degree kidnapping, and breaking and entering.
[Spring Lake Police Department stripped of authority](_blank)
WRAL. Accessed on May 4, 2009. The District Attorney dropped the majority of misdemeanor cases the department had investigated, saying "We can no longer rely upon the basic presumed integrity of the work product of this department."
Chief of Police A.C. Brown resigned in the aftermath of the scandal. The town has since revamped the department with the hiring of new officers and a new police chief, Dysoaneik Spellman. The power to investigate misdemeanors was restored in 2010.
Spring Lake is served by a mayor and town board. Members are elected for two year renewable terms. The current board consists of mayor Kia Anthony and aldermen Marvin Lackman, Raul Palacios as well as alderwomen Adrian Jones Thompson, Sona Cooper and mayor pro-tem Robyn Chadwick.
The next municipal election in Spring Lake will be in November 2023.
Education
The
Cumberland County Schools district serves most areas for grades PK-12. The
Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) operates public schools on
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty from 2023–2025) is a United States Army, U.S. Army Military base, military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 m ...
for PK-8, but for high school Fort Bragg students attend local public schools in their respective counties.
Notable people
*
Jim Carter, professional golfer and 1983 NCAA champion
*
Vanessa Grubbs,
nephrologist and a writer
*
Harold Landry,
NFL linebacker
Harold Landry Stats
''Pro-Football-Reference''. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
* Marvin W. Lucas, politician, retired principal
References
External links
Town of Spring Lake official website
{{authority control
Towns in Cumberland County, North Carolina
Towns in North Carolina
Populated places established in 1923
Fayetteville, North Carolina metropolitan area