Advance (pronounced with the stress on the first syllable) is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

(CDP) in Davie County,

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 seventy-five miles northeast of

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,138. It is located along

North Carolina Highway 801 North Carolina Highway 801 (NC 801) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The highway runs north–south, traversing the central Piedmont region of the state. Route description A two-lane rural highway, it tra ...

just south of Bermuda Run. Advance is part of the

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, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group of cities lies in the Piedmon ...

region of North Carolina.

Geography

Advance is located in eastern Davie County. The

Yadkin River The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, p ...

forms the eastern edge of the CDP and is the Davidson County line. 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 ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.95%, is water. Neighboring communities and municipalities include Bermuda Run, to the north, and Mocksville, the Davie County seat, to the west. The largest neighboring city is Winston-Salem, NC. Advance is home to Shady Grove Elementary School and William Ellis Middle School.

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 1,499 people, 469 households, and 320 families residing in the CDP.

Etymology

Various accounts exist for the origin of the town's name. Some suggest the name was derived from the name of a popular resident and freed slave, Samuel Vance Allen. Other accounts suggest the community was named by residents who hoped that with the addition of a post office, the community would advance.

Encompassing communities

While Advance remains unincorporated, it is recognized by the US Postal Service under ZIP code 27006. The common area of Advance includes several smaller unincorporated communities that are not recognized by the Postal Service: *Bixby *Cornatzer *Farmington (south of Spillman Road) *Fork Church *Fulton *Hillsdale *Redland *Shady Grove *Smith Grove Housing developments includ
Oak ValleyUnderpass Road Communities (Greenwood Lakes, Westridge, Countryside, Eastside)
Hidden Creek, and others.

Local businesses

Advance has had several businesses that were prominent through its history. A few of these include: *801 Shell *Advance Barber Shop *Advance Car Wash (building still standing, but the business has long been closed down) *Advance Country Store *Advance Florist *Advance Video – (no longer in business) known locally as Jitter's. *Allen Geomatics – a Land Surveying firm *Jeffco – a salon equipment and fixture company *L&G Hair Design – (closed) *Sparkle Clean Pools – Swimming pool services *Tucker's Place restaurant – located in the building that once housed Advance Video *Vogler's TV & VCR Service – a television repair shop *Wright Farm Gates – a farm and ranch equipment distribution company

Schools and civic service

* Advance Masonic Lodge * Advance Volunteer Fire Department * Davie Civitan Club * Cornatzer Elementary School * Macedonia Moravian Preschool * Shady Grove Elementary School * William Ellis Middle School * Davidson County Community College, Kinderton Campus

Churches

*Advance Baptist Church *Advance United Methodist Church
Bethlehem United Methodist Church
321 Redland Road, Advance, NC 27006 *Calvary Baptist Church, West Campus (March 2009) *Elbaville Methodist Church
Fulton United Methodist Church
*Hillsdale Baptist Church *Hillsdale United Methodist Church *Macedonia Moravian Church *Mocks United Methodist Church *Piney Grove United Methodist Church *Redland Church Of Christ *Redland Pentecostal Holiness Church *Yadkin Valley Baptist Church *Mt. Sinai A.M.E Zion Church

Landmarks

One significant landmark in the Advance area is the Vestal Potts Gymnasium. The basketball gymnasium is named after legendary coach Vestal Potts who coached Shady Grove's basketball teams to numerous championships. Fulton United Methodist Church and John Edward Belle Shutt House and Outbuildings 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 ...

Notable people

Advance has several notable citizens. These include: *

Ted Budd Theodore Paul Budd (born October 21, 1971) is an American businessman and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, his district covers the north-central part of the state. Budd was ...

, United States Congressman

References

External links

Advance Fire Department

Underpass Road Communities
{{authority control Census-designated places in Davie County, North Carolina Census-designated places in North Carolina