Tarboro is a town located in

Edgecombe County Edgecombe County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,900. Its county seat is Tarboro. Edgecombe County is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

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 ...

, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 10,721. It is 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 ...

of Edgecombe County. The town is on the opposite bank of the

Tar River The Tar River is a river that is approximately long, in northeast North Carolina flowing generally southeast to an estuary of Pamlico Sound. The Tar River becomes the tidal Pamlico River once it underpasses the U.S. Highway 17 Bridge in Wash ...

from Princeville. It is also part of the

Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids CSA The Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids Combined Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in northeastern North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the CSA had a population of 310,416, wit ...

. Tarboro is located near the western edge of North Carolina's

coastal plain A coastal plain is flat, low-lying land adjacent to a sea coast. A fall line commonly marks the border between a coastal plain and a piedmont area. Some of the largest coastal plains are in Alaska and the southeastern United States. The Gulf Co ...

. It has many historical churches, some dating from as early as 1742. Tarboro was chartered by British colonists in 1760. Located in a bend of the Tar River, it was an important river port, the head of navigation on the Tar River just east of the

fall line A fall line (or fall zone) is the area where an upland region and a coastal plain meet and is typically prominent where rivers cross it, with resulting rapids or waterfalls. The uplands are relatively hard crystalline basement rock, and the coa ...

of the

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

. As early as the 1730s, a small community developed around this natural asset. With different businesses, a church, a jail, two warehouses, a courthouse, a few well built private houses, together with a score of "plain and cheap" houses, made a bustling village by the late 1700s.

History

Created in 1760, Tarboro is the ninth-oldest incorporated town in North Carolina. Situated on the

at the

in the Piedmont, the town served the area as an important colonial river port. It was a thriving trade center until the Civil War. Scholars believe that the area around Tarboro was settled by 1733, but

Edward Moseley Edward Moseley ( ca. 16 February 1682 - 11 July 1749), was a British colonial official who served as the first public treasurer of North Carolina from 1715 until his death in July 1749). He previously served as the surveyor-general of North Ca ...

's map of that year indicates only

Tuscarora Tuscarora may refer to the following: First nations and Native American people and culture * Tuscarora people **''Federal Power Commission v. Tuscarora Indian Nation'' (1960) * Tuscarora language, an Iroquoian language of the Tuscarora people * ...

Native Americans, an Iroquoian-language speaking group. By 1750, the area was widely known as "Tawboro", a name attributed to ''Taw'', the Tuscaroran word for "river of health". "Tarrburg", as the town was called on maps of 1770–75, was chartered November 30, 1760, as "Tarborough" by the General Assembly. In September of the same year, Joseph and Ester Howell deeded of their property to the Reverend James Moir, Lawrence Toole (a merchant), Captains Aquilla Sugg and Elisha Battle, and Benjamin Hart, Esquire, for five shillings and one peppercorn. As commissioners, these men laid out a town with lots not exceeding and streets not wider than , with 12 lots and a "common" set aside for public use. Lots were to be sold for two pounds, with the proceeds to be turned over to the Howells; however, full payment was not received for all of the 109 lots sold, and some were not sold for the 40 shillings price. After Halifax County was separated from Edgecombe County in 1758–59, the original county seat of Enfield was within Halifax. Tarboro officially was designated as the county seat of Edgecombe in 1764. For four years the county government had met in Redman's Field. The

North Carolina State Legislature The North Carolina General Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets in the North Carolina ...

met here once in 1787 and again in 1987. President

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

is known to have slept in Tarboro during a visit on his 1791 Southern tour. He is noted to have said of the town that it was "as good a salute as could be given with one piece of artillery." According to the book, ''Edgecombe County: Twelve North Carolina Counties in 1810–11'', by Dr Jeremiah Battle, the following is an 1810 account of the town:

"Tarboro, the only town in the county, is handsomely situated on the south-west bank of
Tar River The Tar River is a river that is approximately long, in northeast North Carolina flowing generally southeast to an estuary of Pamlico Sound. The Tar River becomes the tidal Pamlico River once it underpasses the U.S. Highway 17 Bridge in Wash ...
, just above the mouth of Hendrick's Creek, in lat. 35 deg. 45 min. It is forty-eight miles west by north from
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, thirty-six south of Halifax, eighty-three northwest of Newbern, and sixty-eight east of
Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
. It was laid off into lots in the year 1760. The streets are seventy-two feet wide, and cross each other at right angles, leaving squares of each. These squares being divided into lots of , makes every lot front or face two streets. "There are about fifty private houses in it; and generally from fifteen to twenty stores, a church, a jail, two warehouses, and a large Court House, which in the year 1785 was used for the sitting of the State Legislature. There are several good springs adjacent to the town, but for culinary purposes almost every person or family has a well; and some of these wells afford good water the greater part of the year. This place affords good encouragement to all industrious persons, particularly merchants of almost every description. Sixty or seventy merchants have had full employment here at one time. But such of them as have emigrated to this place have too soon found themselves in prosperous situations, and have betaken themselves to idleness and dissipation."

Due to the development of cotton

plantations A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Th ...

in the uplands, which were worked by

slave labor Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

in the antebellum years, by the 1870s Halifax and Edgecombe counties were among several in northeast North Carolina with majority-black populations. Before being disfranchised by the Democrats' passage in 1899 of a new state constitutions, black citizens elected four African Americans to the U.S. Congress from

North Carolina's 2nd congressional district North Carolina's 2nd congressional district is located in the central part of the state. The district contains most of Wake County. Prior to court-mandated redistricting in 2019, it also included northern Johnston County, southern Nash County, ...

in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. They also elected many blacks to local offices. Congressman

George Henry White George Henry White (December 18, 1852 – December 28, 1918) was an American attorney and politician, elected as a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 2nd congressional district between 1897 and 1901. He later became a banker ...

, a successful attorney, lived in Tarboro. After passage of the disfranchising constitution, he left the state, stating it was impossible for a black to be a man there. He became a successful banker in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, and

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

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, ...

. The federal

Voting Rights Act The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...

of 1965 provided for oversight and enforcement of the constitutional rights of African Americans to vote. They have since been able to participate again in political life in North Carolina.

Hurricane Floyd

FEMA - 136 - Photograph by Dave Gatley taken on 11-08-1999 in North Carolina

Hurricane Floyd Hurricane Floyd was a very powerful Cape Verde hurricane which struck the Bahamas and the East Coast of the United States. It was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd tr ...

was a very powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that struck the east coast of the United States in 1999. It was the sixth

named storm Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the ...

, fourth

hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. With its approach, officials ordered the third largest evacuation in

US history The history of the lands that became the United States began with the arrival of the first people in the Americas around 15,000 BC. Numerous indigenous cultures formed, and many saw transformations in the 16th century away from more densely ...

(behind

Hurricane Gustav Hurricane Gustav () was the second most destructive hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. The seventh tropical cyclone, third hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Gustav caused serious damage and casualties in Haiti, ...

and Hurricane Rita, respectively), and 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes. The hurricane formed off the coast of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and lasted from September 7 to September 19, peaking in strength as a very strong Category 4 hurricane—just 2 mph short of the highest possible rating on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Flooding in Tarboro occurred mostly in areas around the

, which exceeded 500-year flood levels along its lower stretches; it crested above flood stage. The Tar River surrounds about half of Tarboro as both the North end and Southern ends of the city have developed along it. Flooding began upstream in Rocky Mount, where up to 30% of the city was underwater for several days. In Tarboro, much of the downtown became flooded by several feet of water. Nearby, the town of Princeville was largely destroyed when the waters of the Tar poured over the town's levee, covering the town with more than of floodwater for ten days. Part of the Tarboro and Princeville city limits are defined by the Tar River.

Tarboro Historic District

Recognized by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

in 1977, the 45-block Tarboro Historic District has more than 300 contributing structures, from residences to historic churches to original 19th-century storefronts along Tarboro's Main Street. The gateway to the Tarboro Historic District is the Tarboro Town Common, a park that has a canopy of tall oaks. War memorials are installed here. The Town Common originally surrounded the town and is the second-oldest legislated town common in the country. Initially the location for common grazing of livestock, community gatherings and military drills, the Town Common is the only remaining original common on the East Coast outside of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. Within the historic district is the Blount-Bridgers House, an 1808 Federal-style mansion that is operated as a museum: it holds several important document collections and works by Hobson Pittman, a nationally recognized artist and Tarboro native. Opened to the public in 1982, the Blount-Bridgers House serves as the town's art and civic center. A self-guided Historic District National Recreation Trail, beginning at the Blount-Bridgers House, leads visitors through the scenic older neighborhoods of the town. The district includes five 18th-century homes, with the oldest being the Archibald White house (ca. 1785) located on the corner of Church and Trade streets. The district has more than two dozen

antebellum Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to: United States history * Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States ** Antebellum Georgia ** Antebellum South Carolina ** Antebellum Virginia * Antebellum ...

homes built from 1800 to 1860. The largest section is late 19th-and early 20th-century and includes Victorian, Second Empire, Neo-classical revival, and Arts and Crafts-style homes. The town's walkable downtown is recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street Program. Also within the historic district, at the cross of North Church Street and Albemarle Avenue, is the Tarboro-Edgecombe Farmers' Market. The market operates on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 am to 10 am, and Saturdays from 8 am to 11 am. A variety of events, including the Tarboro Common Arts Festival and the Blueberry Day, are celebrated in downtown. Additional buildings 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 ...

The Barracks ''The Barracks'' was the first novel by Irish writer John McGahern (1934-2006). Critically acclaimed when it was published in 1963, it won the AE Memorial Award from the Arts Council of Ireland and the Macauley Fellowship.Gonzalez, Alexander G ...

, Batts House and Outbuildings, Calvary Episcopal Church and Churchyard, Coats House, Coolmore Plantation, Cotton Press,

Eastern Star Baptist Church Eastern Star Baptist Church was a historic Baptist church located at Church and Wagner Streets in Tarboro, Edgecombe County, North Carolina. The church was built about 1875, and was a one-story, Carpenter Gothic style building. It was built by ...

, Edgecombe Agricultural Works, Howell Homeplace, Lone Pine, Oakland Plantation, Piney Prospect, Quigless Clinic, Railroad Depot Complex, Redmond-Shackelford House, St. Paul Baptist Church, and Walston-Bulluck House.

Geography

Tarboro is located at 35°54'10" North, 77°32'45" West (35.902850, −77.545959). 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 t ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.33%, is water.

Climate

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 10,721 people, 4,635 households, and 2,848 families residing in the town.

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 in ...

of 2010, there were 11,415 people, 4,565 households, and 2,958 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was 1,025.3 people per square mile (395.9/km). There were 4,993 housing units at an average density of 448.5 per square mile (173.2/km). The racial makeup of the town was 47.2%

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 o ...

, 48.4%

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 ...

, 0.1% Native American, 0.5%

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 ...

, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.9% some other race, and 0.8% from two or more races. 4.9% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...

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. There were 4,565 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were headed by married couples living together, 22.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35, and the average family size was 2.94. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males. For the period 2010–14, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $34,267, and the median income for a family was $46,884. Male full-time workers had a median income of $32,776, versus $35,013 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $20,085. 16.0% of the population and 12.0% of families 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 ...

. Out of the total population, 28.9% of those under the age of 18 and 11.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

tiremaker

Triangle Group In mathematics, a triangle group is a group that can be realized geometrically by sequences of reflections across the sides of a triangle. The triangle can be an ordinary Euclidean triangle, a triangle on the sphere, or a hyperbolic triangl ...

will be building two manufacturing facilities at a 1,449-acre site in

at Kingsboro Business Park, located between Rocky Mount and Tarboro. Phase 1 of the project is set to open in 2020 and phase 2 in 2022. At $580 million, it will be the largest ever manufacturing investment in rural North Carolina with the creation of 800 jobs and an estimated contribution of more than $2.4 billion to the state's economy. Corning has also constructed a new $86 million distribution center that will bring 111 new jobs, they will be operational in the first quarter 2020.

Largest employers

Below is a list of some of the largest employers in Tarboro as of 2019.

Education

Edgecombe County Public Schools Edgecombe County Public Schools (previously called Edgecombe County Schools) is a PK– 12 graded school district serving Edgecombe County, North Carolina. It was formed in 1993 from the merger of the old Edgecombe County Schools and Tarboro City ...

' headquarters are located in Tarboro, and the schools serve all cities and towns of the county. ECPS operates a total of 15 public schools: 6

elementary schools A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...

, 4

middle school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...

s, and 5 high schools. Tarboro is home to seven of the public schools: Stocks Elementary, Princeville Elementary, Pattillo Middle School, Martin Millennium Academy, Edgecombe Early College High School, North Edgecombe High School and Tarboro High School. There is one public

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

in Tarboro, North East Carolina Prep School. Higher education is provided by

Edgecombe Community College Edgecombe Community College is a public community college in Tarboro, North Carolina. It is part of the North Carolina Community College System. History Edgecombe Technical Institute opened as an extension unit of Wilson County Technical Insti ...

. ECC offers more than 130 academic degrees, diplomas, and certificates. Edgecombe also operates a separate campus in nearby Rocky Mount.

Government

The town of Tarboro has a council-manager form of government. The town is divided into eight wards with a total of eight council members that serve members of the town's council are elected from the town's eight wards for four-year staggered terms. The mayor serves a four-year term. , the town manager is Troy R. Lewis.

Council members

* Tate Mayo (

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

) * Othar Woodard (Ward 1) * Leo Taylor (Ward 2) * Steve Burnette (Ward 3) * C. B. Brown (Ward 4) * John Jenkins (Ward 5) * Deborah Jordan (Ward 6) * Sabrina Bynum (Ward 7) * Al Braxton (Ward 8)

Infrastructure

Transportation

Interstate 95 and

U.S. 64 U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,326 miles (3,743 km) from Nags Head in eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 1 ...

were constructed near Tarboro, allowing for access to and from the East Coast's major markets, many of which are within one day's drive. The city is east of

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

, the

state capital Below is an index of pages containing lists of capital cities. National capitals *List of national capitals * List of national capitals by latitude *List of national capitals by population * List of national capitals by area * List of capital c ...

; northwest of Greenville, a primary eastern North Carolina hub; east of Rocky Mount; and west of the

Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...

. Tarboro is convenient to area and regional airports, freight and passenger train service, interstate and intrastate highway systems, and the deepwater ports of

Morehead City Morehead City is a port town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007. It forms part of the Crystal Coast. Hist ...

and

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 t ...

Major highways

*: Four-laned from Tarboro west to

, and four-laned from Tarboro east to North Carolina's

. *: A major north-south link between the

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

area and

Jacksonville, North Carolina Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the 14th-largest city in North Carolina. Jacksonville is the county seat and most populous commu ...

. *: Located west of Tarboro (accessed via four-laned U.S. 64), this major interstate provides access to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, the

Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...

, and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Airports

Tarboro-Edgecombe Airport: This facility, located north of downtown, has a paved and lighted runway with a approach apron from both ends, accommodating a wide variety of small general aviation aircraft.

Pitt–Greenville Airport Pitt–Greenville Airport is a public airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space ...

: Located south of Tarboro, this airport has a lighted precision approach runway, a lighted non-precision crosswind runway and a unlighted visual approach runway. PGV provides commuter service to Charlotte Douglas International Airport through

US Airways Express US Airways Express was the brand name for the regional affiliate of US Airways, under which a number of individually owned commuter air carriers and regional airlines operate short and medium haul routes. This code sharing service was previously ...

with 11 daily flights. Jet service is available. All aircraft services are available, including charters. Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport: Located west of Tarboro, this airport has one runway which is lighted and extends a length of .

Raleigh–Durham International Airport Raleigh–Durham International Airport , locally known by its IATA code RDU, is an international airport that serves Raleigh, Durham, and the surrounding Research Triangle region of North Carolina as its main airport. It is located in unincorpo ...

: More commonly known as RDU, this major international airport serves the U.S. and abroad. Located west of Tarboro, RDU hosts numerous major carriers with daily departures. Additionally, numerous commuter carriers connect RDU to the northeast and other southern cities.

Rail

Tarboro has access to both freight and passenger rail service.

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

provides two north and two southbound trains per day at its

Rocky Mount station Rocky Mount station, officially the Helen P. Gay Rocky Mount Historic Train Station, is an intermodal transit station in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States. Its main building serves as an Amtrak train station, while an adjacent building s ...

, located west of Tarboro. Service is to

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

and

. Freight service is provided by

CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...

. Trains travel to destinations in eastern North Carolina and also to points west and south of town.

Health care

ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital, formerly Heritage Hospital, is a hospital located in Tarboro, North Carolina. It is a part of the ECU Health. Edgecombe General Hospital opened as a county-owned hospital in 1916. It succeeded Pittman Hospital, whic ...

is a full-service, 117-bed acute care facility where residents of Tarboro,

and surrounding communities receive a wide range of health services close to home. In 1998, Heritage joined University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina which is now

ECU Health ECU Health (formerly Vidant Health) is a not-for-profit, 1,447-bed hospital system that serves more than 1.4 million people in 29 Eastern North Carolina counties. The health system is made up of nine hospitals and more than 12,000 employees. EC ...

. More than 20 specialties are represented by ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital's medical staff. In addition to acute care, services include rehabilitation, oncology and outpatient clinics.

Media

The ''Tarboro Weekly'' and ''Tar River Times'' serves as the main daily newspapers for the town of Tarboro and surrounding areas. ''

The Daily Southerner ''The Daily Southerner'' was an American, English language four-day (Monday and Wednesday through Friday) a week newspaper primarily serving the town of Tarboro, North Carolina, U.S., and surrounding Edgecombe County, North Carolina. The paper ce ...

'' was the main daily newspaper for the town of Tarboro and Edgecombe County from 1826 until it ceased publication on May 30, 2014. The ''

Rocky Mount Telegram The ''Rocky Mount Telegram'' is an American, English language daily newspaper based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. History Adams Publishing Group, a family-owned company led by CEO, Mark Adams, bought the ''Telegram'' in 2018 from Cooke Communica ...

'' also serves the town of Tarboro and the entire

Rocky Mount metropolitan area The Rocky Mount Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Edgecombe and Nash County, North Carolina, Nash – in Eastern North ...

Notable people

Kelvin Bryant Kelvin LeRoy Bryant (born September 26, 1960) is a former American football running back in the National Football League and the United States Football League. High school Bryant played two years of varsity football at Tarboro High School in Ta ...

, retired NFL running back * Mike Caldwell,

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 *

Elijah Clarke Elijah Clarke (1742 – December 15, 1799) was an American military officer and Georgia legislator. Career Elijah Clarke was born near Tarboro in Edgecombe County, Province of North Carolina, the son of John Clarke of Anson County, North Car ...

, Revolutionary War hero and namesake of

Clarke County Clarke County may refer to: ;Places *One of five counties in the United States: **Clarke County, Alabama **Clarke County, Georgia **Clarke County, Iowa **Clarke County, Mississippi **Clarke County, Virginia Clarke County is a county in the Com ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Shaun Draughn Kenneth Shaun Draughn ( "drone"; born December 7, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of North Carolina. He signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2011. In his ...

, NFL running back for the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...

Player Bio: Shaun Draughn
University of North Carolina, retrieved November 15, 2019. * L. H. Fountain, congressman * Willie H. Fuller, combat fighter pilot, and combat flight instructor with the

332nd Fighter Group The 332d Expeditionary Operations Group is a provisional air expeditionary group of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command, currently active. It was inactivated on 8 May 2012 and reactivated 16 November 2014. The group forms part of ...

's 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as 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 Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army ...

or "Red Tails" *

Todd Gurley Todd Jerome Gurley II (born August 3, 1994) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Georgia, where he re ...

, NFL running back, 3x

Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...

selection and 2x First-team

All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...

Brian Hargrove David Brian Hargrove (born April 2) is an American television writer and producer. He was a co-creator of the television series ''Titus'' (2000–2002), along with Christopher Titus and Jack Kenny. Early life and education Born David Brian Har ...

, television writer/producer *

Montrezl Harrell Montrezl Dashay Harrell (; (born January 26, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals. Harrell received t ...

, NBA player for the Philadelphia 76ers *

Janice Bryant Howroyd Janice Bryant Howroyd (born September 1, 1952) is an entrepreneur, businesswoman, and author. She is founder and chief executive officer of The ActOne Group, the largest privately held, minority-woman-owned personnel company founded in the U.S. Ho ...

, first African American woman to build and own a billion dollar company * Ben Jones, politician, actor *

Joshua Lawrence Joshua Lawrence (1778–1843), of Tarboro, North Carolina, was an influential Baptist minister in the eastern United States during the Baptist missions controversy in the early 19th century. Joshua Lawrence was born September 10, 1778. Lawren ...

(1778–1843), influential Baptist minister in the early 19th century *

Derrick Lewis Derrick James Lewis (born February 7, 1985) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he currently holds the record for most knockouts ...

, professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player *

Tyquan Lewis Tyquan Lewis (born January 30, 1995) is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, and high school football at Tarboro High School. High scho ...

, NFL defensive lineman *

Jim Phillips Sr. Jimmie Watkins "Jim" Phillips, Sr. (July 21, 1931 – May 25, 2018) was an American politician who served in the North Carolina Senate from 1997 to 2001. A Democrat, he represented senate district 23. Early life and education Phillips was born ...

, North Carolina state senator * General

Hugh Shelton Henry Hugh Shelton (born January 2, 1942) is a former United States Army officer who served as the 14th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001. Early life, family and education Shelton was born in Tarboro, North Carolina and g ...

, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff * Hubert Simmons, Negro league baseball player for the

Baltimore Elite Giants The Baltimore Elite Giants were a professional baseball team that played in the Negro leagues from to . The team was established by Thomas T. Wilson, in Nashville, Tennessee as the semi-pro Nashville Standard Giants on March 26, 1920. The team w ...

* Joseph K. Spiers,

U.S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...

general * Adolphus Staton,

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

rear admiral *

Trent Tucker Kelvin Trent Tucker (born December 20, 1959) is an American retired professional basketball player who played eleven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A shooting guard, Tucker attended the University of Minnesota from 1978 t ...

, former NBA player *

Harvie Ward Edward Harvie Ward, Jr. (December 8, 1925 – September 4, 2004) was an American golfer best known for his amateur career. He is best known for winning both the U.S. Amateur (twice) and the British Amateur. Born in Tarboro, North Carolina, Ward ...

, former professional golfer best known for his amateur career * Ed Weeks, set numerous records for growing large vegetables * Milton Moran Weston II, activist, clergyman, businessman *

, African-American attorney and last black U.S. Congressman elected from North Carolina in the 19th century; lived in Tarboro when elected in 1898, and moved away at the end of his term in protest against the disenfranchisement of blacks by the state legislature *

Burgess Whitehead Burgess Urquhart "Whitey" Whitehead (June 29, 1910 – November 25, 1993) was a Major League Baseball second baseman from 1933 to 1946. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Biography Whitehead was bo ...

, MLB second baseman

References

External links

Town of Tarboro official website

Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce

''The Grey Area newspaper''
local newspaper {{Authority control Tarboro, North Carolina Towns in Edgecombe County, North Carolina Towns in North Carolina County seats in North Carolina Rocky Mount metropolitan area Populated places established in 1760 1760 establishments in North Carolina Historic Albemarle Tour