Summerfield is a town in
Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat and largest community is Greensboro. Sin ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 10,951.
The town is largely regarded as a suburb of
Greensboro
Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina, af ...
and as development has grown, the town has slowly transformed from a rural farming area into a bedroom community primarily from Northern transplants. It features a town hall, along Oak Ridge Road (aka
NC 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- ...
), west of Battleground Avenue (aka
US 220
U.S. Route 220 (US 220) is a spur route of US 20. It runs in a north–south layout in the eastern United States, unlike its parent route as well as conventionally even-numbered highways, which run east-west. US 220 extends for ...
), as well as a shopping center east of Battleground Avenue and Auburn Road, located on the eastern portion of NC 150.
Interstate 73
Interstate 73 (I-73) is a north–south Interstate Highway, currently located entirely within the US state of North Carolina. It travels , from northwest of Rockingham, North Carolina to northeast of Stokesdale, North Carolina, Stokesdale, ...
passes just west of the town's center, connecting with NC 150, and also connecting with
US 158
U.S. Route 158 (US 158) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Mocksville to Whalebone Junction in Nags Head, and is located entirely in the state of North Carolina. It is also a critical route that connects the ci ...
in the northernmost part of the town.
History
The area was settled in about 1769 by Charles Bruce and acquired the name Bruce's Crossroads. In February 1781 patriot forces under General
Henry Lee III
Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 – March 25, 1818) was an early American Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot and politician who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia United States House of Representatives, Representa ...
and British forces under General
Banastre Tarleton
General Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet (21 August 175415 January 1833) was a British military officer and politician. He is best known as the lieutenant colonel leading the British Legion at the end of the American Revolutionary War. He lat ...
skirmished at the crossroads during the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. The Patriots won the battle and forced the British cavalry to retreat. In 1812 a post office was established, and the community was renamed Summerfield, in homage to evangelist
John Summerfield.
Summerfield School Gymnasium and Community Center has a gym that was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 2012.
The
Summerfield Historic District was listed in 2005.
Former North Carolina Governor
Alexander Martin
Alexander Martin (October 17, 1740November 2, 1807) was a Founding Father of the United States, framer of the U.S. Constitution, fourth and seventh Governor of North Carolina, and an infantry officer in the American Revolutionary War. In priv ...
had a house that he lived in the town square of Summerfield, which is not standing today.
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
stayed in the house during the Revolutionary War. There is currently a historical home on the square known as the Martin House, but it was lived in by a son of the Governor. Currently, the Martin House is owned by the town of Summerfield.
In June 2024, the
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, state government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...
voted to
deannex close to 1000 acres owned by developer David Couch after officials and people living in the area opposed his planned housing development. While an appeal of the action is possible, Couch would get to develop the land without being denied permission by the town government. Nearly a year later, nearby , Greensboro voted to annex a portion of this land.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the town has a total area of 27.3 square miles (70.7 km), of which 27.1 square miles (70.2 km) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km) (0.62%) is water.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 U.S. census, there were 10,951 people, 3,902 households, and 3,227 families residing in the town.
2010 census
At the 2010
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
,
there were 10,232 people, 2,518 households and 2,094 families residing in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...
was 258.9 per square mile (100.0/km). There were 2,653 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 93.47%
Caucasian
Caucasian may refer to:
Common meanings
*Anything from the Caucasus region or related to it
** Ethnic groups in the Caucasus
** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus re ...
, 4.03%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.44%
Native American, 0.64%
Asian, 0.56% from
other races, and 0.85% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino were 1.42% of the population.
There were 2,518 households, of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.4% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.8% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.07.
Age distribution was 28.1% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The
median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...
was $71,738, and the median family income was $79,433. Males had a median income of $51,838 versus $32,798 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $33,116. About 2.5% of families and 3.8% 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 ...
, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Summerfield serves as home to Summerfield Elementary School which serves as the primary school for grades kindergarten to fifth grade in the town. Summerfield Charter Academy (SCA), a charter school operated by National Heritage Academies is also located in Summerfield and educates children from kindergarten through eighth grade although it is not as open and flexible as most charter schools tend to be.
Students of SCA are known as the Summerfield Stampede. Most people in Summerfield attend Northern Guilford Middle School and
Northern Guilford High School
Northern Guilford High School is a public high school located in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is situated in proximity to NC Highway 150, which connects to Browns Summit and to Summerfield.
It opened its doors to students on January 29, 2008 ...
, while some attend Northern Elementary School, all three located east on Route 150, in proximity to
Brown Summit, and having the Nighthawk as their mascot. Some residents attend Northwest Guilford Middle School followed by
Northwest Guilford High School
Northwest Guilford High School is a public high school in Guilford County, North Carolina. In 2022–2023 it had an enrollment of approximately 2,000 students in grades 9 through 12.
The school was ranked by ''Newsweek''s Best High Schools in ...
, both of which are located nearby in Greensboro. The mascot of the NW schools and Summerfield Elementary School is the Viking.
Notable people
*
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...
, 7th president of the United States
*
Alexander Martin
Alexander Martin (October 17, 1740November 2, 1807) was a Founding Father of the United States, framer of the U.S. Constitution, fourth and seventh Governor of North Carolina, and an infantry officer in the American Revolutionary War. In priv ...
, former
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
governor
*
Harold L. Martin, chancellor of
North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (also known as North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina A&T, N.C. A&T, or simply A&T) is a public university, public, Historically black colleges and universities, historicall ...
*
Elizabeth Kitley
Elizabeth Ann Kitley (born September 17, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at Virginia Tech. She was drafted 24th overa ...
, American basketball player
*
Elissa Cunane, American basketball player
References
Works cited
*
External links
Official website of Summerfield, NC* The Stokesdale Sta
a local newspaper serving Summerfield, NC
{{authority control
Rockingham County, North Carolina
Towns in Guilford County, North Carolina
Towns in North Carolina
Populated places established in 1769