Williamston, North Carolina

Williamston is a town in and the county seat of Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,248 at the 2020 census. It is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately to the southwest.

History

Williamston was founded in 1779 and named after Williams William, a local military commander during the American Revolution.

Williamston was a focus of activity in the Civil Rights Movement. Beginning in June 1963, civil rights activists led by Golden Frinks protested at City Hall for 29 consecutive days. The Ku Klux Klan was very active in this part of the state during this time, including a well-documented rally in Williamston on October 5, 1963, attended by mostly local residents but with several carloads of attendees traveling over 150 miles to attend.

On August 3, 2023, Martin General Hospital in Williamston announced that it would suspend operations due to Quorum Health, which operated the hospital, filing for bankruptcy. The hospital said that it faced challenges due to a declining population and residents opting to go to other hospitals. The next day, former hospital employees organized a protest after its closure. They said the goal was to get the attention of an elected official in hopes they would rethink the decision of the hospital being shut down. On August 14–15, Governor Roy Cooper visited Williamston to hold roundtable discussions about the lack of access of medical care in rural areas. He used the recent closure of the hospital as an example of why he supported expanding Medicaid across rural areas of North Carolina. On October 5, four clinics in Williamston also closed, further adding to the current healthcare crisis in the town.

Geography

Williamston is in eastern North Carolina, in central Martin County. It is bordered to the north by the Roanoke River, which serves as the Bertie County line.

Major highways include US 13, US 17 and US 64. Tarboro is to the west and Plymouth is to the east, both by US 64. Washington is to the south by US 17, and Windsor is to the north via US 17 and 13 combined. Greenville is to the southwest via US 13 or by local highways.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town of Williamston has a total area of , all land.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,248 people, 2,274 households, and 1,388 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,844 people, 2,350 households, and 1,536 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,506 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 57.50% African American, 40.41% White, 0.29% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.

There were 2,350 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% were married couples living together, 26.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 72.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 65.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,925, and the median income for a family was $32,984. Males had a median income of $28,661 versus $20,337 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,125. 29.0% of the population and 22.8% of families were below the poverty line. 40.5% of those under the age of 18 and 28.6% of those 65 and
older were living below the poverty line.

Arts and culture

Williamston has long been a town centered around equine activity. Its logo showcases a horse, and the town houses one of the largest agricultural centers in Eastern North Carolina - the Senator Bob Martin Agricultural Center. Many events including horse shows, rodeos, tractor pulls, and monster truck shows take place in the Agricultural Center. Williamston also draws thousands of people to its annual "Carolina Country Stampede" in September. The two-day festival showcases local food, vendors, business owners, and bands, typically with a well known headlining band to end the festival such as Emerson Drive in 2017.

Education

Williamston is served by Martin County Schools, a public school district that covers the entire county. The schools in the Williamston area include:
*Williamston Primary School, a school serving grades PK-2
*E.J Hayes Elementary School, a school serving grades 3-5
*Riverside Middle School, a school serving grades 6-8
* Martin County High School, a school serving grades 9-12
Williamston is also home to Martin Community College, a public community college noted for having its own equine health program.

Infrastructure

Emergency services

The Williamston Fire Rescue EMS responds to approximately 2,500 fire, rescue, EMS or hazardous materials calls per year, and covers a area. It has 19 full-time members, and approximately 37 volunteers.

Notable people

* Asa Biggs, U.S. congressman from North Carolina and federal judge
* Tillie Ehringhaus, First Lady of North Carolina
* William E. Ingram Jr., former director of the Army National Guard
* Gaylord Perry, Major League Baseball pitcher and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
* Jim Perry, Major League Baseball pitcher
* Sarah J. C. Whittlesey, author, poet, hymn writer

References

External links

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Towns in Martin County, North Carolina
Towns in North Carolina
County seats in North Carolina
Historic Albemarle Tour
Populated places established in 1779
1779 establishments in North Carolina