Statesville 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 civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Iredell County, North Carolina Iredell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 186,693. Its county seat is Statesville, and its largest town is Mooresville. The county was formed in 1788, subtracted from Ro ...

, United States, and it is part of the

Charlotte metropolitan area The Charlotte metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as Metrolina, is a metropolitan area of the U.S. states of North and South Carolina, within and surrounding the city of Charlotte. The metropolitan area also includes the cities of Gastonia, ...

. Statesville was established in 1789 by an act of the North Carolina Legislature. The population was recorded as 95 in the 1800 Census. The population was 28,419 at the time of the 2020 census.

History

In 1753, Scots-Irish Presbyterians and

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

Lutherans, who had originally settled in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, began arriving in what would become Statesville in 1789Keever, Homer M.; ''Iredell Piedmont County'', with illustrations by Louise Gilbert and maps by Mild red Jenkins Miller, published for the Iredell County Bicentennial Commission by Brady Printing Company from type set by the Statesville Record and Landmark, copyright, November 1976 to plant crops in the fertile soil where game and water were also plentiful. The settlement, known as

Fourth Creek Congregation The community of the Fourth Creek Congregation was a group of Ulster Scots people, Scots-Irish Presbyterians who first arrived in the Province of North Carolina in the mid to late 1730s and established a congregation by 1750 under pastor John Tho ...

, was named for the freshwater stream running to the north of the present-day city center, the fourth creek west of the neighboring settlement of

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

. The center of the settlement was a log cabin where the

Presbyterians Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

worshiped and where the First Presbyterian Church is located today. Statesville Old U

In 1755, colonial governor

Arthur Dobbs Arthur Dobbs (2 April 1689 – 28 March 1765) was a British colonial official who served as the seventh governor of North Carolina from 1754 until 1764. Early life and career Dobbs was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, where his mother had been sen ...

authorized the construction of the colony's frontier fort, which was located approximately due north of the Fourth Creek settlement. Built and garrisoned by North Carolina provincial soldiers,

Fort Dobbs ''Fort Dobbs'' is a 1958 American Western film, the first of three directed by Gordon Douglas to star Clint Walker. The other two were: '' Yellowstone Kelly'' in 1959 and '' Gold of the Seven Saints'' in 1961. Released by Warner Brothers and ...

defended British North America's western frontier in the colony of North Carolina during the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

and

Anglo-Cherokee War The Anglo-Cherokee War (1758–1761; in the Cherokee language: the ''"war with those in the red coats"'' or ''"War with the English"''), was also known from the Anglo-European perspective as the Cherokee War, the Cherokee Uprising, or the Cherok ...

. Fort Dobbs combined the functions of a military barracks, fortification, refuge for settlers, provisioning depot and center for negotiations with Native Americans. The state legislature divided Rowan County in 1788, and the new county was named "Iredell" for

James Iredell James Iredell (October 5, 1751 – October 20, 1799) was one of the first Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was appointed by President George Washington and served from 1790 until his death in 1799. His son, James Iredel ...

, associate justice of the first Supreme Court during the presidency of George Washington. One year later, the legislature selected a spot for the county seat. The Fourth Creek Congregation was chosen, and the settlement became known as "Statesville". The 1800 US Census lists the town as "States Ville", which was later combined as "Statesville". In 1800, there were 95 inhabitants in "States Ville", including 68 free white persons and 27 slaves."United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHR8-5KZ : accessed 19 December 2018), States Ville, Iredell, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 675, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 29; FHL microfilm 337,905. As early as 1833, Statesville's leaders began laying track for railroads to connect the

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

area of North Carolina with the rest of the country. By 1858, Statesville was growing rapidly and soon afterward began leading the state in the production of

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

and tobacco products, the manufacture and blending of

whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden cask ...

, and became a large distribution center for roots and herbs. On August 27, 1891, a passenger train derailed on a bridge, and seven cars fell down. About 30 people died in the accident.

Geography

Statesville is in central Iredell County, in the western part of the

region of North Carolina. According to the

U.S. 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 ...

, Statesville has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.48%, are water. The north side of Statesville is drained by Fourth Creek, while the south side is drained by Third Creek. Both creeks flow east, joining just before reaching the

South Yadkin River The South Yadkin River is a long river that flows through Alexander, Davie, Iredell, Rowan, and Wilkes counties of North Carolina. The mouth is located north of High Rock Lake, where the South Yadkin River meets the Yadkin River. Major citi ...

near

Cooleemee Cooleemee (),
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

< ...

Climate

Statesville has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

( Cfa) like most of the state of North Carolina, although its higher elevation leads to cooler temperatures than much of the Piedmont. Summers are generally hot and humid, with mild nights, while winters are usually cool with chilly nights and sporadic snowfall. Severe thunderstorms can be an issue during summer, with wind speeds of 60 mph and even gusts of 95 mph being recorded during these storms.

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 28,419 people, 10,628 households, and 6,536 families residing in the city.

2010 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 2010, there were 24,633 people, 9,338 households, and 5,957 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,195.8 people per square mile (438.6/km). There were 10,041 housing units at an average density of 489.1 per square mile (188.8/km). The racial composition of the city was: 59.94%

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 ...

, 31.87%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

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 ...

, 7.11%

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 ...

Latino American Hispanic and Latino Americans ( es, Estadounidenses hispanos y latinos; pt, Estadunidenses hispânicos e latinos) are Americans of Spanish and/or Latin American ancestry. More broadly, these demographics include all Americans who identify as ...

, 2.71%

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...

, 0.18% Native American, 0.02%

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii ...

or Other Pacific Islander, 3.84% some other races, and 1.42%

two or more races 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many culture ...

. There were 9,338 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.99. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,925, and the median income for a family was $41,694. Males had a median income of $31,255 versus $22,490 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 city was $19,328. About 12.7% of families and 16.1% 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 23.7% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Historic sites

* Academy Hill Historic District * Center Street A.M.E. Zion Church, built in 1903 * Congregation Emanuel is one of fewer than a hundred nineteenth-century synagogue buildings still standing in the United States. * East Broad Street–Davie Avenue Historic District * Fourth Creek Burial Ground, burials from 1759 *

Iredell County Courthouse The Iredell County Courthouse is a historic courthouse building located at Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina. It was built in 1899, and is a two- to three-story, square Beaux Arts building. It is sheathed in yellow brick and consists ...

, built in 1899 * Key Memorial Chapel, also known as St. Philips Roman Catholic Church, built in 1898 *

Main Building, Mitchell College Main Building, Mitchell College is a historic building located on the campus of Mitchell Community College at Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina. It was built in 1854–1856, and is a three-story stuccoed brick building with a heroic he ...

, built in 1854-1856 * McElwee Houses, built in the late 1800s and early 1900s * Mitchell College Historic District, buildings dating from 1857 to 1930 * Morrison-Mott House, built about 1904 to 1905 * Col. Silas Alexander Sharpe House, built about 1860 or 1865 * South Race Street Historic District, 85 buildings built in the late 1800s and early 1900s *

Statesville Commercial Historic District Statesville Commercial Historic District is a national historic district located at Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina. It encompasses 54 contributing buildings in the central business district of Statesville. The district includes n ...

, 54 buildings built between 1875 and 1925 * Henry Turner House and Caldwell–Turner Mill Site, built about 1860 * United States Post Office and County Courthouse, built in 1891

Museums

The Governor Zebulon Vance House and Museum is operated by the

United Daughters of the Confederacy The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American neo-Confederate hereditary association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers engaging in the commemoration of these ancestors, the funding of monuments to them, ...

; Vance lived in the house at the end of the

U.S. Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Other museums include Iredell Museums, Heritage Museum, and The Children's Museum.

Sports

Statesville was home to a minor league baseball teams of various names, mainly the

Statesville Owls The Statesville Owls were a minor league baseball team located in Statesville, North Carolina. Statesville minor league teams played a member of the North Carolina Association (1900), Tar Heel League (1939–1940), North Carolina State League, (19 ...

, from 1939 until 1969. They played in several leagues over the years including the

Tar Heel League The Tar Heel League was a mid-20th century Class D level professional minor baseball league, based in North Carolina in the United States. It operated during the full seasons of , and , and from the opening of the season through June 21, . The ...

(1939–1940), North Carolina State League (1942, 1947–1952),

Western Carolina League The original Western Carolina League was a Class-D circuit in Minor League Baseball which was ideated and created by John Henry Moss. The league ran from 1948 to 1952, then combined with the North Carolina State League to form the Tar Heel Leag ...

(1960–1962), and Western Carolinas League (1963–1969). They were league champions in their respective league in 1940, 1948, and 1962. The field was located at Statesville Senior High School and thus named Senior High Stadium.

Education

The city is part of the Iredell–Statesville School District. Schools within the city limits include East Iredell Elementary, N.B. Mills Elementary, Northview School, Pressly Elementary, and Statesville Middle School, and Statesville High School. Schools serving Statesville residents but located outside the city limits include Cloverleaf Elementary School, East Iredell Middle School, and Third Creek Elementary School. Wayside Elementary School was an elementary school located off Salisbury Road in eastern Statesville. The current school building opened in 1941 and closed in 2002 when Wayside School and Alan D. Rutherford School merged to form Third Creek Elementary. The former Wayside building is currently home to the UAW 3520 headquarters, while the former Alan D. Rutherford site is home to the Iredell-Statesville Schools Administrative Annex, now known as the Alan D. Rutherford Education Building. Statesville Christian School is a non-denominational K4–12 private school serving the greater Statesville area. Mitchell Community College, founded as a Presbyterian women's college in 1852, is now a public

community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...

. In the 2008–2009 academic year, it became the first community college in the United States to be accepted into

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

's University Student Launch Initiative competition.

Media

Print

* The '' Statesville Record & Landmark'' is Statesville's daily newspaper, primarily serving Iredell County. It is published seven days a week.

Radio

WAME WAME (550 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic country format. Licensed to Statesville, North Carolina, United States. The station is owned by Statesville Family Radio Corporation. WAME's programming can also be heard on FM at 92.9&nb ...

, "Real Country 550 & 92.9" is an AM/FM station at 550 kHz and 92.9 mHz that plays

classic country Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country and western music hits from past decades. Repertoire The radio format specializes in hits from the 1950s through the early 1980s, and focus primarily on innov ...

music. *

WSIC WSIC (1400 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Statesville, North Carolina. The station carries a talk radio format and is owned by Iredell Broadcasting, Inc. Mark Sanger is the President and CEO. WSIC-TV is broadcast over-the-web via th ...

, 1400 AM & 100.7 FM, has a news-talk format. In addition, the signals of many stations from the Charlotte area and

Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, and H ...

region reach Statesville.

Infrastructure

Highways

Interstate 40 and

Interstate 77 Interstate 77 (I-77) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the ...

intersect in the northeastern part of the city, and

US 21 U.S. Route 21 or U.S. Highway 21 (US 21) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway in the Southeastern United States that travels . The southern terminus is in Hunting Island Sta ...

, US 64, and US 70 run through the center of Statesville.

Notable people

* Gair Allie (1931–2016), former

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 * Julianne Baird (born 1952), soprano singer *

Breon Borders Breon Borders (born July 22, 1995) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Duke. He has been a member of 12 different NFL teams. Early years Borders grew up in Statesville, North Carolina. During hi ...

(born 1995),

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

defensive back *

Hayne D. Boyden Hayne Davis Boyden (January 11, 1897 – August 23, 1978) was a highly decorated Naval aviator and aviation pioneer in the United States Marine Corps who retired at the rank of Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General. A veteran of se ...

(1897-1978), Naval aviator and Brigadier general, USMC * Johnny Chapman (born 1967), stock car racing driver * Louis Clarke (1901–1977),

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

gold medal winner in 4x100 m relay * Chris Cole (born 1982), professional skateboarder *

Blake Crouch William Blake Crouch (born October 15, 1978) is an American author best known for his '' Wayward Pines Trilogy'', which was adapted into the 2015 television series ''Wayward Pines''. Early life and education Crouch was born near the town of St ...

(born 1978), author and producer * Jake Crum (born 1991), driver in the

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. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...

Camping World Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck based stock cars. The series is one of th ...

* Mark Davidson (born 1961), former outfielder for the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

and

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

Jerome Henderson Jerome Virgil Henderson (born August 8, 1969) is the current defensive backs coach for the New York Giants, and a former American football cornerback for the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets of the ...

(born 1969), NFL cornerback * Columbus Vance Henkel, Jr. (1908–1971), five-term North Carolina Senator; editor of "

The Blowing Rocket ''The Blowing Rocket'' is a weekly newspaper in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, United States. History The newspaper was created as a tabloid by state Senator Columbus Vance Henkel, Jr., in June 1932. During the 1930s and 1940s it was a seasonal n ...

" *

Rockie Lynne Rockie Lynn Rash (born November 14, 1964) is an American country music artist, known professionally as Rockie Lynne. He was signed to Universal South Records in late 2005, releasing his self-titled debut album in early 2006. This album produced ...

(born 1964), country music artist * Danny Malboeuf (born 1960), visual artist combining

surrealism Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...

with other genres * Thomas Marshburn (born 1960),

astronaut * Barry Moore (born 1943), former Major League Baseball pitcher *

Justin Moose Justin Moose (born November 23, 1983 in Statesville, North Carolina) is a former American soccer player. Career College and amateur Moose played college soccer at Wake Forest University from 2002 to 2005, where he was ACC Rookie of the Year a ...

(born 1983), professional

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player * Ryan Newman (born 1977), NASCAR driver * William Stevens Powell (1919–2015), historian, author, teacher, and librarian known for his extensive work on the history of North Carolina, lived in Statesville, updated 2015 by Government & Heritage Library staff * Stephen C. Reber,

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

of the

United Episcopal Church of North America The United Episcopal Church of North America (UECNA) is a church in the Anglican tradition and is part of the Continuing Anglican movement. It is not part of the Anglican Communion. The UECNA describes itself as "embracing the broad base of cere ...

* William Sharpe (1742–1818), lawyer, politician, American Revolution patriot, and a delegate to the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

* Mike Skinner (born 1957), NASCAR driver *

Vinson Smith Robert Vinson Smith (born July 3, 1965), is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. Smith played in the NFL for the At ...

(born 1965), NFL linebacker *

Herm Starrette Herman Paul Starrette (November 20, 1936 – June 2, 2017) was an American relief pitcher; pitching and bullpen coach; and farm system official in Major League Baseball. Starrette was a native and lifelong resident of Statesville, North Carolina ...

(1936–2017), former Major League Baseball pitcher and coach * T.M. Stikeleather (1848–1934), populist representative in 1894 and 1900 for the 27th district, which included Iredell, Davie and Yadkin counties * Theodore Taylor (1921–2006), writer *

Jared Watts Jared Watts (born February 3, 1992) is a retired American professional soccer player who played as a defender. Career Youth career Watts spent time with North Meck SC as well as with the IMG Soccer Academy. He would attend Wake Forest Unive ...

(born 1992),

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

player

References

{{Authority control Cities in North Carolina German-American culture in North Carolina Scotch-Irish American culture in North Carolina Cities in Iredell County, North Carolina County seats in North Carolina Populated places established in 1753 1753 establishments in North Carolina