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 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 ...

Cleveland County Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

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 ...

, United States. It lies near the western edge of the Charlotte combined statistical area. The population was 20,323 at the 2010 census.

History

The area was originally inhabited by

Catawba Catawba may refer to: *Catawba people, a Native American tribe in the Carolinas *Catawba language, a language in the Catawban languages family *Catawban languages Botany *Catalpa, a genus of trees, based on the name used by the Catawba and other N ...

and

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

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

Isaac Shelby Isaac Shelby (December 11, 1750 – July 18, 1826) was the first and fifth Governor of Kentucky and served in the state legislatures of Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic an ...

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

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

. Shelby was agricultural until the railways in the 1870s stimulated Shelby's development. Textiles later became its chief industry during the 1920s when production of cotton in

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, 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, droughts, insect infestations, and government acreage controls resulted in the decline of cotton as Cleveland County's primary crop. Shelby, 1925

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 The Historic Campbell Building is a former department store in Shelby, North Carolina. Completed in 1927, the building's grand opening as The Campbell's Department Store took place on March 9, 1928. The building is significant for its type of bri ...

and others are 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 ...

Banker's House The Banker's House is a historic home located at 319 N. Lafayette St. in Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina. It was designed by architect G.S.H. Appleget, and was built in 1874–1875. It is a -story, T-shaped, stuccoed brick house in ...

Joshua Beam House Joshua Beam House is a historic home located near Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina. It was built about 1845, and is a two-story, gable-roofed frame dwelling in the Greek Revival style. It has a one-story rear kitchen ell. The front fac ...

Central Shelby Historic District Central Shelby Historic District is a national historic district located at Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina. It encompasses 229 contributing buildings in the central business district and surrounding residential areas of Shelby. Th ...

, Cleveland County Courthouse,

East Marion-Belvedere Park Historic District East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the f ...

James Heyward Hull House The James Heyward Hull House is a historic home located at Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina. It was built 1874 and extensively remodeled in 1907. The remodeling added the Classical Revival style semi-elliptical monumental portico wi ...

, Masonic Temple Building, Dr. Victor McBrayer House, George Sperling House and Outbuildings, Joseph Suttle House,

Webbley Webbley, also known as the O. Max Gardner House, is a historic home located at Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina. It was built in 1852, and overbuilt in 1907 in the Colonial Revival style. It is a two-story frame dwelling with a low-p ...

, and West Warren Street Historic District. 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 men wielded power through the local, State and Federal governments. The most notable men of Shelby's political leadership were brothers James L. Webb and Edwin Yates Webb and brothers-in-law

O. Max Gardner Oliver Max Gardner (March 22, 1882February 6, 1947) was an American politician who served as the List of Governors of North Carolina, 57th Governor of North Carolina, governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1929 to 1933. A member of the ...

and

Clyde R. Hoey Clyde Roark Hoey (December 11, 1877May 12, 1954) was an American Democratic politician from North Carolina. He served in both houses of the state legislature and served briefly in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1919 to 1921. He was Nor ...

. As governors, NC representatives, and US congressman, the group impacted Shelby life and Shelby's reputation throughout the state. 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 on the courthouse square. The project was initially met with enthusiasm, until it was announced that Dixon wanted McAfee to wear a

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...

mask in the statue. A confederate monument is located on the west side of the courthouse square while foreign war monuments stand on the north and south sides.

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 in order 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 by ...

. The local pavilion hosts a twice-a-week Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, as well 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 a non-profit organization of U.S. war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...

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. Newgrass brewing, multiple restaurants, and other local businesses are attracting day trippers and shoppers from across the region. Party 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 enjoy ...

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 that is common in Western North Carolina, and is typically consumed as a breakfast and lunch food. ...

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, North Carolina 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. 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 (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 ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.17%, is 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 21,918 people, 8,013 households, and 4,887 families residing in the city.

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 19,477 people, 7,927 households, and 5,144 families residing in the city. 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 1,073.8 people per square mile (414.6/km). There were 8,853 housing units at an average density of 488.1/sq mi (188.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 56.88%

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 ...

, 40.97%

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 ...

, 0.09% Native American, 0.56%

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 ...

, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, 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 the original p ...

, 0.72% 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 0.76% 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 ...

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 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 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 $18,708. About 14.3% of families and 17.8% 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 26.7% 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 A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

. 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 i ...

(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 Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...

and

Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

will be connected by virtually uninterrupted freeway via

Interstate 85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...

, 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 11W) and US 23 in ...

. Shelby is also served by four

North Carolina State Highways The North Carolina Highway System consists of a vast network of Interstate, United States, and state highways, managed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. North Carolina has the second largest state maintained highway network in t ...

. *

North Carolina Highway 18 North Carolina Highway 18 (NC 18) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling north–south through the Foothills region, it connects the cities of Shelby, Morganton, Lenoir, Wilkesboro and North Wilk ...

North Carolina Highway 150 North Carolina Highway 150 (NC 150) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves the Foothills and Piedmont Triad areas of the state, connecting the cities of Shelby, Mooresville, Salisbury and Winston-Salem. ...

North Carolina Highway 180 North Carolina Highway 180 (NC 180) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The highway serves as a bypass east of Shelby, serving as an alternate through route of NC 18. Route description NC 180 is a ...

North Carolina Highway 226 North Carolina Highway 226 (NC 226) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling north–south through Western North Carolina, it connects the cities and towns of Grover, Shelby, Marion, Spruce Pine and Ba ...

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).

In popular culture

The film adaptation of ''

Blood Done Sign My Name ''Blood Done Sign My Name'' (2004) is a historical memoir written by Timothy B. Tyson. He explores the 1970 murder of Henry D. Marrow, a black man in Tyson's then hometown of Oxford, North Carolina. The murder is described as the result of t ...

'' was filmed in Shelby, as well as the reaping scene in the film adaptation of ''

The Hunger Games ''The Hunger Games'' is a series of young adult dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The first three novels are part of a trilogy following teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and the fourth book is a prequel set ...

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

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, 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 ba ...

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

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...

, 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. He starred in the HBO television series ''Eastbound & Down'', '' Vice Principals'', and ''The Righteous Gemstones'', also co-creating th ...

chose the location as an inspiration because of its size, attitude, and name. On the 41st episode of the TV show ''

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern Bizarre may refer to: *Bizarre (rapper) (born 1976), an American rapper and member of hip hop group D12 *Bizarre (band), a Spanish rock band * ''Bizarre'' (TV series), a Canadian sketch comedy television series * ''Bizarre'' (magazine), a sister ...

'', the host travels to the annual 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, North Carolina in 1966.

Notable people

Jo Adell Jordon Scott Adell (born April 8, 1999) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2020. Amateur career Adell graduated from Ballard High School in Louisvi ...

, outfielder for the

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...

. *

Bobby Bell Bobby Lee Bell Sr. (born June 17, 1940) is an American former professional football player who played as an outside linebacker and defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the College Football ...

, 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 club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

, member of the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...

Alicia Bridges Alicia Bridges (born July 15, 1953) is an American singer and songwriter who co-wrote and performed her international hit "I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)" in 1978. Early years Born in Charlotte, North Carolina and raised in the small Cleve ...

, disco singer *

Jonathan Bullard Jonathan Bullard (born October 22, 1993) is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of th ...

, NFL Defensive End * Bill Champion,

MLB 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 *

Morris Davis Morris Durham "Moe" Davis (born July 31, 1958) is an American retired U.S. Air Force colonel, attorney, educator, politician, and former administrative law judge. Davis was appointed the third Chief Prosecutor of the Guantanamo military commiss ...

, colonel in US Air Force * Asha Degree, child reported missing in 2000 * Thomas Dixon Jr., minister, author *

Eddie Dodson Eddie Dodson (December 24, 1948 – February 21, 2003) was known as the ''New York Yankees Bandit''. Before his death he was connected to 72 bank robberies. Early life Dodson was born in Shelby, North Carolina, on December 24, 1948. Shortly afte ...

, 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 rofessional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he held the WCW United States ...

, professional wrestler *

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

, professional wrestler *

Margaret Gardner Hoey Margaret Elizabeth "Bess" Hoey ( Gardner; January 21, 1875 – February 13, 1942) was an American civic leader and political hostess who served as the First Lady of North Carolina from 1937 to 1941. She was part of the "Shelby Dynasty" and is the ...

, First Lady of North Carolina *

Oliver Max Gardner Oliver Max Gardner (March 22, 1882February 6, 1947) was an American politician who served as the 57th governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1929 to 1933. A member of the Democratic Party, Gardner worked in the administrations of Pre ...

, 57th

governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

Alvin Gentry Alvin Harris Gentry (born November 5, 1954) is an American professional basketball coach. A former college basketball player, Gentry has led six different NBA teams. He served as an interim head coach for the Miami Heat at the end of the 1994– ...

head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...

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 Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

of the

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

, 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 ...

Charlie Harbison Charles Edward Harbison (born October 27, 1958) is an American football coach who served as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the defensive coordinator and def ...

, Missouri University Defensive Backs Coach *

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 Senator from North Carolina from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, she previo ...

, former

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

for North Carolina *

Tre Harbison Tre Harbison III (born July 1, 1998) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Charlotte 49ers football, Charlotte and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Browns after the 2021 NFL Draft. Col ...

- NFL running back * Robert Harrill, the Fort Fisher Hermit * Keith E. Haynes, Maryland politician, lawyer *

Norris Hopper Norris Stephen Hopper (born March 24, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played three seasons of Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds. Drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the eighth round of the 1998 ...

, MLB player *

Hatcher Hughes Hatcher Hughes (12 February 1881, Polkville, North Carolina – 19 October 1945, New York City) was an American playwright who lived in Grover, NC, as featured in the book ''Images of America''. He was on the teaching staff of Columbia Uni ...

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

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

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...

runner-up *

Doug Limerick Doug Limerick is an American radio personality. He has been a news correspondent for ABC Radio Networks since 1982. Career Limerick, a native of Shelby, North Carolina, started his career working the night shift, playing Top 40 music at WOHS rad ...

, 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 Manteo Mitchell (born July 6, 1987) is an American sprinter who competes in the 200m, 400m, and relay. He was a member of the USA team that won the gold medal in the Men's 4×400 metres relay (splitting 45.7) at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Ch ...

, 2012 Olympics silver medalist *

Scottie Montgomery Scottie Austin Montgomery (born May 26, 1978) is an American football coach for the Indianapolis Colts He most recently was the offensive coordinator at the University of Maryland. Prior to his tenure with Maryland, he was the head football coa ...

, NFL wide receiver,

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...

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 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...

player, head coach at

East Carolina University East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...

Kevin Nanney Kevin Nanney, also known by his gamer tag of PPMD and formerly known as Dr. PeePee, is an inactive American professional '' Super Smash Bros. Melee'' player. Nanney is one of the "Five Gods" of Melee, alongside Jason "Mew2King" Zimmerman, Joseph ...

, Former professional

Super Smash Brothers Melee ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' is a 2001 crossover fighting video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series. It features characters from Ninte ...

player *

Dawson Odums Dawson Tayrone Odums is an American football coach. He is the head coach at Norfolk State University, a position he has held since 2021. Odums served as the interim head football coach at Clark Atlanta University for one season, in 2004, and ...

, Southern University Football Head Coach *

Travis Padgett Travis Padgett (born December 13, 1986) is a track and field sprint athlete who competes internationally for the United States. He was an All-American and national champion sprinter at Clemson University. He broke the NCAA collegiate record at ...

, Olympic athlete in

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

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 Melvin Phillips (born January 6, 1942), is a former American professional football player who played his entire 12-year NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers. Coaching career Phillips coached the defensive backs for the Detroit Lions from 19 ...

, former NFL safety, former NFL coach * Stephanie Pogue, artist and art educator *

Nina Repeta Nina Repeta (born September 10, 1967) is an American actress best known for her role as Bessie Potter on the television drama ''Dawson's Creek'', which aired from 1998 to 2003. She attended East Carolina University with Kevin Williamson, the ...

, actress known for her role on ''Dawson's Creek'' * Price D. Rice, U.S. Army Air Corps/U.S. Air Force officer/full-bird 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 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Fighter Group, 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the ...

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-fin ...

, banjo player and composer on

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

, soldier and

Governor of Kentucky The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-el ...

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

Brandon Spikes Brandon Spikes (born September 3, 1987) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Florida, was recognized as an All-American twice and was a member of two BCS National Championship teams. He wa ...

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...

for the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

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

driver * David Thompson,

Hall of Famer *

Cliff Washburn Clifton "Cliff" Washburn (born January 25, 1980) is a former professional athlete who played in the American National Football League, NFL Europe and United Football League as well as with the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the New ...

, 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 (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...

Jim Washburn Jim Washburn (born December 2, 1949) is an American football coach. He was the assistant defensive line coach for the Detroit Lions from 2013 to 2015, defensive line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League and the Tenness ...

, NFL defensive line coach *

Edwin Y. Webb Edwin Yates Webb (May 23, 1872 – February 7, 1955) was a Democratic United States Representative from North Carolina and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Education ...

, 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 Fi ...

, First Lady of North Carolina * Tim Wilkison, tennis * Robert Williams, 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