Wanchese () is a

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) on Roanoke Island in Dare 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 was named after Wanchese, the last known ruler of the Roanoke Native American tribe encountered by English colonists in the sixteenth century. The population was 1,642 at the 2010 census. Today, Wanchese is the center of commercial fishing and boatbuilding on the Outer Banks. The residents of Wanchese are governed by the Dare County Board of Commissioners. Wanchese is part of District 1, along with Manteo, Roanoke Island and Manns Harbor.

Geography

Wanchese is located at , and on the southern end of Roanoke Island. According to the United States, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (14.26%) is water.

History

''Also see: History of Roanoke Island'' Archeological evidence shows that Wanchese was the site of the first fishing village on Roanoke Island.

Indigenous people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

inhabited the area 1500 years ago, and their various cultures used this site for fishing for 1100 years. They also collected oysters and shellfish from nearby beds in the Sound."ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE TILLETT SITE"
Carolina Alongkian Project, 2002, accessed 23 Apr 2010 What is called the Tillett Site (after the last owners) had been occupied originally when it was still part of the mainland, during the entire Archaic Period (8000-1000 BC). After the sea levels rose and it became an island, the saline conditions of the Sound became established, giving rise to the later indigenous fishing culture, including that of the historic Roanoke tribe. Three later periods of occupation were identified: * Mount Pleasant component, beginning around 400 and ending around 800; * Colington component, the prehistoric manifestation of the Carolina Algonkian culture, from 800 to 1650; and * Historic period component, related mostly to the Green family use of the site as a farmstead from c. 1884 to 1910/20. There was also fishing in this area. During the first two periods, the Tillett site was a seasonal settlement. The Roanoke came to it from the mainland to fish and collect shellfish. At the time of English exploration, the Algonquian-speaking Roanoke tribe used the site for seasonal fishing. Their main town was on the western shore of Croatan Sound. After permanent English colonization in the 1650s, the site continued to be used for fishing by the Anglo-Americans. During the 19th century Wanchese had the only light-house on Roanoke Island, called Marshes Light, which has since been reconstructed in Manteo. In the 1980s, it was to be redeveloped for a major commercial fishing port and seafood processing facility.

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 1,522 people, 683 households, and 488 families residing in the CDP.

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 in ...

of 2000, there were 1,527 people, 614 households, and 432 families residing in the CDP. 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 325.8 people per square mile (125.7/km²). There were 690 housing units at an average density of 147.2 per square mile (56.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.10%

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 ...

, 0.33%

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 ...

, 0.59% Native American, 0.13%

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 ...

, 0.46% 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 0.39% from two or more races.

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 were 1.83% of the population. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $39,250, and the median income for a family was $43,173. Males had a median income of $28,958 versus $21,591 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 CDP was $17,492. About 5.1% of families and 8.1% 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 10.1% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Residents are zoned to Dare County Schools. Zoned schools include Manteo Elementary School, Manteo Middle School, and

Manteo High School Manteo High School is one of ten schools located in Dare County, North Carolina. The high school was named after the Native American chief Manteo, who assisted the Roanoke Colony. Renovations to the school were completed in 2007. In addition ...

References

External links

{{authority control Census-designated places in Dare County, North Carolina Census-designated places in North Carolina Roanoke Island