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Knightdale, North Carolina

Knightdale is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Knightdale has a population of 19,435, up from 11,401 in 2010. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the town's population to be 17,843, as of July 1, 2019. Knightdale's population grew 10.4% from 2010 to 2013, making it the second fastest-growing community in the Research Triangle region for that time period.

Named for Henry Haywood Knight, a local Wake County landowner who donated land to found a railroad depot, the town was incorporated in 1927. By the 1960s, the economic center of town migrated from the area around the rail depot to U.S. Highway 64, which ran north of downtown Knightdale. Since 1990, the community has experienced a significant population boom, getting its own high school in 2004, and a new freeway bypass in 2006. Since 2010, several new shopping centers have sprung up along Business U.S. 64 (Knightdale Boulevard), the main thoroughfare through town. A large destination park, Knightdale Station Park, opened in 2013 just to the east of the old downtown area as part of a revitalization effort, the park was expanded in 2018 to add an amphitheater. Interstate 540 passes directly through the town before its eastern terminus at Interstate 87, while Interstate 87 (in concurrency with US 64) travels along a southern freeway bypass.

Early history
In 1700, the Lords Proprietor of the Carolina Colony hired John Lawson to explore the area. He began his 1000 mi trek near present-day Charleston, South Carolina, and according to his diary, passed through the area sometime in February 1701. He wrote about a meeting with the Tuscarora Native American tribe on the banks of the Neuse River, and with the help of an interpreter, Lawson made peace with the Tuscarora.

After receiving the report from Lawson, the King of England began to apportion these lands to willing settlers. In 1730, John Hinton settled in what would one day be called Knightdale in an area near the Neuse River, not far from where Hodge Road and Old Faison Road now intersect.

As more settlers arrived, the colonial government appointed Hinton to be the Justice of the Peace for Craven County. Eventually, Johnston County was carved out of Craven County in the 1750s and Wake County carved out of Johnston County in 1771.

When the American Revolution began, Hinton switched his allegiance to the colonials. He became a military leader and played a key role in the first battle of the American Revolution fought on North Carolina soil, the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge. Hinton owned seven plantations in the Knightdale area, of which three are still intact: The Oaks, Midway, and Beaver Dam.

19th century
After independence, the population of the area began to increase, with farmers growing products such as tobacco and cotton. Slaves were used at Midway Plantation and Beaver Dam Plantation in Knightdale. There are unmarked grave plots for slaves throughout Knightdale. Although documentation of grave sites has been lost, the burials remain a significant part of the local landscape.

During the Civil War, the Confederate and Union armies were present in the area. The Clay Hill and Midway plantations saw the greatest damage, and after the war had ended, the residents began to rebuild. During this time, nearby Raleigh experienced a population boom. As a result, local leaders redrew the map of Wake County and divided it into townships. The area that became Knightdale was located in St. Matthew's Township, where it still is today.

For many years the Knightdale area was a crossroads served only by a post office. By the end of the 19th century, locals decided there was a need to establish a town. Henry Haywood Knight donated some of his land holdings in the area to the Norfolk and Southern Railroad Company in order to entice the company to build a railroad that would provide freight and passenger service. Although Knight did not live to see the railroad arrive in Knightdale, not long after his death in 1904, the railroad finally came to the community that would bear his name.

20th century
After the railroad and depot were built, the area began to develop quickly. Norfolk and Southern moved families into the community to take care of the railroad, and many of the older homes that exist today in Knightdale were built specifically for the use of railroad workers and their families. The first railroad stationmaster's house can still be seen along the tracks on Railroad Street. As the community continued to grow, Knightdale received its articles of official incorporation from the North Carolina Legislature on March 9, 1927, with the first mayor being Bennett L. Wall.

On February 7, 1940, a fire broke out in the center of town. The townspeople turned out to help extinguish the fire, but the fire was not brought under control until firefighters arrived from Raleigh with an adequate water supply. Several businesses and homes were destroyed and the townspeople rebuilt the historic downtown area.

After World War II, the population of Knightdale grew at a steady pace, thanks to the Baby Boom. The corner drugstore, the bank, and the barber shop located on First Avenue served as places of business, as well as places for social gatherings. Movies were often shown on the wall of the old bank building, which is located at the intersection of First Avenue and Main Street. In 1952 a municipal water system was installed.

Beginning in the 1960s the majority of new businesses in Knightdale began locating along US 64. With the addition of the Mingo Creek sewer outfall in the late 1980s, development on the south side of US 64 began. Subdivisions such as Parkside, Planter's Walk and Mingo Creek subdivisions were built, rapidly increasing the town's population. Between 1990 and 2000 Knightdale's population increased from 1,700 to more than 6,000 residents, making it the seventh fastest-growing town in North Carolina.

Frankie Muniz, a popular television and film actor, grew up in Knightdale. He started his acting career performing the role of Tiny Tim in "A Christmas Carol" for three years. Nominations for his performances include the Hollywood Reporter Young Star Award and the Young Artist of Hollywood Award. He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.

21st century
In 2002, Knightdale's first female mayor, Jeanne Milliken Bonds, was elected.

There are multiple historic sites in Knightdale that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places including: Beaver Dam, Henry H. and Bettie S. Knight Farm, and Midway Plantation House and Outbuildings.

Law and government
Knightdale has a Council-manager government. Under this system the citizens elect a mayor and five council members as the town's governing body. The council then appoints the Town Manager who serves at the discretion of the council. Council members are elected to four-year terms. Three of the members are elected in one year, and the two remaining members and the mayor are elected two years later. The mayor, as the principal elected official of the town, provides leadership to the governing body and the community, and presides over board meetings.

The current mayor is Jessica Day, and current town council members include Latatious Morris (Mayor Pro Tem), Mark Swan, Stephen Morgan, Ben McDonald, and Steve Evans.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 16.1 km2, all land.

Knightdale is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where the North American Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This area is known as the "Fall Line" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. Its central Piedmont location and access to large highways places Knightdale a little over two hours northwest of Wrightsville Beach, NC by car and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Climate
Knightdale has a moderate subtropical climate, with moderate temperatures in the spring, fall, and winter. Summers are typically hot with high humidity. Winter highs generally range in the low 50s°F (10 to 13 °C) with lows in the low-to-mid 30s°F (-2 to 2 °C), although an occasional 60 °F (15 °C) or warmer winter day is not uncommon. Spring and fall days usually reach the low-to-mid 70s°F (low 20s°C), with lows at night in the lower 50s°F (10 to 14 °C). Summer daytime highs often reach the upper 80s to low 90s°F (29 to 35 °C). The rainiest months are July and August.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,435 people, 6,110 households, and 4,114 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,406 people and 3,754 households in the town. The median value of owner-occupied homes in Knightdale was $174,300. The Homeownership Rate was 71.7%.

Median income for a household was $75,285 in 2011; by comparison, Median income in North Carolina for the same time period was $46,291. Per capita income for the town was $27,938. For the period 2007-2011, about 5.9% of the population lived below the poverty line; by comparison, 16.1% of North Carolina residents lived below the poverty line.

Among adults age 25 and older, 41.2% had at a bachelor's degree or higher; 93% had earned at least a high school degree.

The population density was 1,837 people per square mile. There were 2,352 housing units at an average density of 877.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 50% White, 38.3% African American, 11.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% Asian, 0.6% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, and 3.5% from two or more races.

There were 3,754 households, out of which the Census counted 2,760 as family households; 45.9% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.47.

Knightdale's median age was 31.6 years. Largest brackets by age include 35–44 years (20.6%); 25–34 years (18.2%); 45–54 years (12.2%); 10–14 years (11.7%). Females made up 54.6% of the population, while men made up 45.4%.

Public education
Knightdale's public schools are administered by the Wake County Public School System, the 19th largest school district in the country. Students in Knightdale attend the following schools, some of which are located in neighboring communities:

Elementary schools

 * Beaverdam Elementary
 * Forestville Elementary
 * Hodge Road Elementary
 * Knightdale Elementary
 * Lake Myra Elementary
 * Lockhart Elementary

Middle schools

 * Carnage Middle School
 * Neuse River Middle School
 * Wendell Middle School

High schools

 * Knightdale High School
 * East Wake High School

Higher education
Knightdale has no post-secondary schools. Nearby institutions, all located in nearby Raleigh, include North Carolina State University, Meredith College, Shaw University, Saint Augustine's College and Wake Technical Community College. The Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is in Wake Forest, and the Southeastern Free Will Baptist College is located in nearby Wendell.

Library
The Wake County Public Library System operates a branch facility, the East Regional Library, in Knightdale.

Parks and recreation
Knightdale is served by two parks and one community center. The Eugene F. Harper Memorial Park is located downtown. The Knightdale Recreation Center is attached to Forestville Elementary's gym. The Knightdale Environmental Park is a trail system that is located in the southern portion of Knightdale.

Knightdale Station Park
Knightdale Station Park, adjacent to a large housing development also named Knightdale Station, occupies a large tract of land on the east side of town, across First Avenue from many of the older businesses in the original central business district of Knightdale. The park was opened in three phases, in 2013, 2014, and 2018 and currently features walking trails, a dog park, a large playground, a splash pad, several soccer fields, a covered exhibition area, an amphitheater for performances, a nine-hole disc golf course, and several large open fields and forested areas.

Mingo Creek Greenway
The Mingo Creek Greenway was completed in July 2014. The 3.5 mile, 10-foot wide trail connects Mingo Creek Park in the east to the 33-mile City of Raleigh's Neuse River Trail in the west. The two trails connect over a newly opened pedestrian bridge that spans the Neuse River.

Air

 * Commercial air service for Knightdale is served by Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), which is located approximately 27.9 miles from town in northwestern Wake County.
 * A small general aviation known as Raleigh East Airport lies at the eastern edge of Knightdale.

Rail

 * Knightdale Amtrak's closest passenger train service is approximately 12.8 miles west of town in Raleigh.

Bus

 * The Triangle Transit Authority operates the Knightdale-Raleigh Express (KRX) which connects Knightdale commuters to municipal bus systems in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.

Roads

Major routes through and near Knightdale include:
 * ,, and run concurrently along the Knightdale Bypass south and east of town. Knightdale can be accessed via the Hodge Road (Exit 6), Smithfield Road (Exit 9), Wendell Falls Boulevard (Exit 11), and US 64 Business (Exit 13) interchanges.
 * runs along the west side of town. Knightdale can be accessed via the US 64 Business interchange (Exit 24).
 * , known locally as Knightdale Boulevard, is a former alignment of US 64/US 264 and forms the main commercial district in town. It connects Knightdale to Raleigh and Wendell.

Notable people

 * Ronnie Ash, track and field Olympic athlete specializing in hurdles
 * Burkheart Ellis, track and field sprinter, represented Barbados at the 2016 Summer Olympics
 * Jesse Ferguson, heavyweight professional boxer
 * Rachelle Friedman, blogger
 * Joe Lewis, kickboxer, point karate fighter, and actor
 * Jeanne Milliken Bonds, politician who served as Mayor of Knightdale
 * Frankie Muniz, actor, best known for playing the title character in Malcolm in the Middle (lived in Knightdale)
 * Stan Okoye, professional basketball player
 * Barbara Pierre, track and field sprinter, represented Haiti at the 2008 Summer Olympics

title: Knightdale, North Carolina


text:
Rolesville, North Carolina

Rolesville is a town in northeastern Wake County, North Carolina, United States, a suburb of the capital city of Raleigh. It is the second oldest town in Wake County and has been one of the fastest-growing towns in the state of North Carolina for the past several years. The population was 9,475 at the 2020 census.

Rolesville was incorporated on January 18, 1837, by the North Carolina Legislature. In 2012, the town celebrated its 175th anniversary.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau the town has an area of 10.2 sqkm, all land.

Elected officials
The Town of Rolesville has an elected body composed of a mayor and five commissioners. The responsibility of the Town Board is to review, hear, consider, and approve/disapprove items of business affecting the town residents. The mission of the Board of Commissioners is to uphold the values and traditions that make Rolesville, the second oldest incorporated Town in Wake County, a very special place to live. It is the board's desire to make sure that Rolesville continues to be progressive in its attitude and outlook towards change, all the while maintaining its small town charm and friendly neighborhood communities.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,475 people, 2,204 households, and 2,054 families residing in the town.

Geology
Rolesville is the namesake of the Rolesville diorite Batholith, also known as the Rolesville Pluton. While the batholith extends into regions north and south of Wake County, the bedrock formation is particularly visible in the form of rocky outcrops within the town limits and the immediate vicinity.

Parks & Recreation
The Town of Rolesville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, staff, and developers continually work together to improve the park system for area residents. Rolesville currently has three parks, acres of open space, and miles of trails being planned and designed through approved development. The department offers several youth and adult athletics leagues, recreation programming, summer camps, and special events throughout the year.
 * Parks and Facilities
 * Main Street Park (200 S Main Street)
 * Redford Place Park (121 Redford Place Drive)
 * Mill Bridge Nature Park (425 Nature Park Drive)
 * Rolesville Community Center (514 Southtown Circle).
 * Athletics (youth and adult)
 * Recreation Programming
 * Special Events

Education

 * Rolesville Elementary School
 * Rolesville Middle School
 * Rolesville High School
 * Sanford Creek Elementary School
 * Thales Academy Junior High/High School - Rolesville

Accolades

 * 1) Realtor.com: One of America's top 10 boom towns (#7)
 * 2) SafeWise: Top 50 safest cities in North Carolina, 2015 (#23)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Rolesville, North Carolina


text:
Exeter College, Oxford

Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and the fourth-oldest college of the university.

The college was founded in 1314 by two brothers from Devon, Bishop Walter Stapledon and Sir Richard Stapledon, as an institution to educate clergy, and has been located on Turl Street since 1315. At its foundation Exeter was popular with sons of the Devon gentry, though it has since become associated with a much broader range of notable alumni, including Raymond Raikes, William Morris, J. R. R. Tolkien, Richard Burton, Roger Bannister, Alan Bennett, and Philip Pullman.

History
Exeter College was founded in 1314 by Walter Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter and later treasurer to Edward II, and his brother, Sir Richard Stapledon, judge and politician, as a school to educate clergy. The college initially used Hart Hall, now Hertford College, and moved to Turl Street in 1315. During its first century, it was known as Stapledon Hall and was significantly smaller, with just twelve to fourteen students. The college grew significantly from the 15th century onward, and began offering rooms to its students. The college motto is "Floreat Exon.", meaning "Let Exeter Flourish".

In the 16th century, donations from Sir William Petre, assumed to be an Exeter graduate, whose daughter Dorothy Wadham (1534–1618) was a co-founder with her husband Nicholas Wadham (1531–1609) of Wadham College, created the eight Petrean Fellowships, and further contributions from his son John Petre, 1st Baron Petre (1549–1613) helped to expand and transform the college.

Sir John Acland (died 1620), a Devonshire gentleman, donated £800, which largely financed the building of a new dining hall, and also established two scholarships for poor students, the first to be created at the college. In a clever move by the bursar to fill the new buildings as they were completed, a significant number of noble Roman Catholic students were invited to enrol and take classes at the enlarged college; however, they were not allowed to matriculate. As a result, over time, Exeter College became one of the leading colleges in the university.

In the 18th century the college experienced declining popularity, as did all of Oxford's other colleges. University reforms in the 1850s helped to end this period of stagnation.

Women at Exeter
For over six centuries after its founding, women were not permitted to study at Exeter, but in 1979 it joined many other men's colleges in admitting its first female students. Today it admits men and women in roughly equal numbers. In 1993, Exeter College became the first of the former all-male colleges to elect a woman, Marilyn Butler, as its rector. When Butler's tenure expired in October 2004, the college elected another woman—Frances Cairncross, former senior editor of The Economist—as rector.

In 2014, the author J. K. Rowling was elected an honorary fellow of the college for the "extraordinary contribution she has made to the field of literature, and in particular to children's reading and literacy".

Adelphi Wine Club
Formed in the 1850s, the Adelphi Wine Club is reputed to be one of the oldest three wine clubs in Oxford. The club draws its membership from undergraduates studying at Exeter College. It has been forcibly closed down by college authorities several times throughout its tumultuous existence and is currently believed to be dormant. The club was renowned for its extravagant dinners, and for excessive gambling after each meeting. One black ball was sufficient to exclude an undergraduate from membership. Beginning in 1923, the college forbade any student holding an exhibition to join the club.

Notable members include Sir Martin Le Quesne, and J.P.V.D. Balsdon.

Front Quadrangle
The Front Quadrangle sits on roughly the site of the medieval college, although of the earliest buildings, only Palmer's Tower in the north-eastern corner remains. Constructed in 1432, the tower, which was once the primary entrance to the college, now houses various offices and lodgings for fellows, and at its base is a memorial to members who were killed in the Second World War. The quadrangle is dominated by the chapel, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and constructed in 1854–1860, which was heavily inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. On the opposite side stands the hall, constructed in 1618, notable for its vaulted ceilings and numerous fine portraits, underneath which is the college bar. Building work over the following century resulted in the quadrangle taking on its current appearance in 1710. The Front Quadrangle also houses the Junior, Middle and Senior Common Rooms, as well as lodgings for fellows and undergraduates.

Margary quadrangle
The Margary quadrangle was completed in 1964 with the construction of the Thomas Wood building to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the college and named for Ivan Margary, who paid for its restoration. The quadrangle also incorporates the rector's lodgings, designed by Gilbert Scott and constructed in 1857, and staircases nine, ten and eleven, also erected during the 19th century.

Fellows' Garden

A passageway from the Front Quadrangle leads through to the college's Fellows' Garden, in which stands the library, designed by Gilbert Scott in the 13th-century style. The area is also bounded on the left hand side by Convocation House, the Divinity School and the Bodleian Library, and on the right by Brasenose Lane. The Mound, situated at the end of the Garden, offers views over Radcliffe Square, including All Souls' College and the Radcliffe Camera.

Cohen Quad
In 2007–2008, the college purchased the main site of Ruskin College on Walton Street for £7 million. The buildings were redeveloped to designs by Alison Brooks Architects to provide a range of student bedrooms, teaching rooms, and study space. In 2017 Cohen Quad was formally opened, named for the parents of Sir Ronald Cohen. The premises represent the college's largest physical expansion since the 14th century. The Cohen Quad won an RIBA South Award as well as Regional Building of the Year.

In literature and films
Exeter College is the basis for the fictional Jordan College in Philip Pullman's novel trilogy His Dark Materials. The 2007 film version of the first novel, The Golden Compass (originally Northern Lights), used the college for location filming. The final episode of Inspector Morse, based on the novel The Remorseful Day, was filmed in the college chapel and Front Quadrangle, where Morse has a heart attack.

Student life

Exeter has a reputation for having a close-knit student body. First-year undergraduates are housed on the college's Turl Street site, and there is dedicated graduate accommodation for the college on Iffley Road.

As the university's fourth oldest college, a certain emphasis is placed on tradition, especially during special occasions such as the annual Burns Night, a dinner in honour of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, when a traditional meal of haggis is served. The college's ties with Williams College in the United States, as well as the generally international composition of the MCR, makes the annual Thanksgiving dinner a popular occasion.

Choir
Exeter has a mixed-voice choir, made up of 24 singers, which is administered, conducted and accompanied solely by the Organ Scholars. It is the only college in either Oxford or Cambridge where a choir, run entirely by the Organ Scholar, sings three services a week, and has been heard recently on a number of broadcasts for BBC Radio 4's The Daily Service. The college offers Choral and Parry–Wood Organ Scholarships, and former Organ Scholars include Robert Sharpe (Director of Music, York Minster), Christopher Herrick (International Concert Organist and former Organist, Westminster Abbey), and David Trendell (Director of Music, King's College London), as well as Directors of Music at Rugby, Charterhouse, Sherborne, and Latymer Upper Schools.

Sports
Sports at Exeter College are not headed by the school itself but rather by student-run clubs. There are sports grounds, which can be reserved with the campus groundsman. The sports that have active student run clubs as of October 2023 are: boating, netball, football, cricket, badminton, hockey, rugby, ice hockey, pool, darts, croquet, and lacrosse.

In March 2014 Exeter College Association Football Club defeated St Catherine's College 2–1 in the final of the Cuppers tournament to lift the trophy for the first time in over 40 years. In May 2019 Turl Street Rugby, made up of students from Exeter College, Jesus College and Lincoln College, won Oxford's inaugural 15-a-side Women's Rugby Union Cuppers tournament.

Former students
Amongst Exeter's alumni are many writers, including J. R. R. Tolkien, Alan Bennett, Martin Amis and Philip Pullman; Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes; the actors Richard Burton and Imogen Stubbs; Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan, John Kufuor, the former President of Ghana and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, former president of Peru.

Academics and tutors

 * Basil Allchin, organist
 * C.T. Atkinson, Fellow and tutor in military history, 1898–1955.
 * Frank Close
 * Cornelia Druțu
 * Raymond Dwek
 * Sandra Fredman
 * William Gould
 * Catherine M. Green
 * Michael Hart
 * Elizabeth Jeffreys
 * Eric Waldram Kemp – Fellow, tutor, and chaplain 1946–1969, later bishop of Chichester
 * Jacob Klein
 * George Alfred Kolkhorst – Reader in Spanish 1931–1958
 * John Maddicott – History fellow
 * Michael Osborne (academic)
 * George Rawlinson
 * Andrew Steane
 * Magdi Wahba – Egyptian academic and lexicographer
 * Helen Watanabe-O'Kelly – Official fellow and tutor in German

Rectors
In June 2023, Andrew Roe was announced as the next rector of the college, starting in October 2024.

title: Exeter College, Oxford


text:
Wake Forest, North Carolina

Wake Forest is a town in Franklin and Wake counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina; located almost entirely in Wake County, it lies just north of the state capital, Raleigh. At the 2020 census, the population was 47,601, up from 30,117 in 2010. It is part of the Raleigh metropolitan area. Wake Forest was the original home of Wake Forest University for 122 years before it moved to Winston-Salem in 1956.

History
In 1832, Dr. Calvin Jones, originally from New England, bought 615 acre of forested land in Wake County, North Carolina. He built his plantation here. The sparsely populated area became known as the Forest of Wake, or Wake Forest. Jones sold his farm to the North Carolina Baptist Convention for $2,000, who opened the Wake Forest Manual Labor Institute, later Wake Forest College, on the site. The Raleigh & Gaston Railroad, completed in 1840, established a depot in nearby Forestville that stimulated the school and surrounding village. College leaders convinced the railroad to move the depot even closer to the college in 1874, leading to more economic development. This community was incorporated as the "Town of Wake Forest College" in 1880. In 1909, the word "College" was removed from the name of the town. The college moved to the much larger city of Winston-Salem in 1956. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary began offering classes on the original campus of Wake Forest University in 1950, and occupied the entire campus when the university completed its move.

In 2007, the town was listed by Forbes magazine as the 20th fastest growing suburb in America, with a 73.2 percent increase in population between 2000 and 2006.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.4 km2, of which 39.1 km2 is land and 0.3 km2  (0.80%) is water.

Wake Forest is located in the northeast-central region of North Carolina, where the North American Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This area is known as the "Fall Line" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. Its central Piedmont location situates Wake Forest approximately three hours by car west of Atlantic Beach, and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Climate
Wake Forest enjoys a moderate subtropical climate, with moderate temperatures in the spring, fall, and winter. Summers are typically hot with high humidity. Winter highs generally range in the low 50s °F (10 to 13 °C) with lows in the low-to-mid 30s °F (-2 to 2 °C), although an occasional 60 °F (15 °C) or warmer winter day is not uncommon. Spring and fall days usually reach the low-to-mid 70s °F (low 20s °C), with lows at night in the lower 50s °F (10 to 14 °C). Summer daytime highs often reach the upper 80s to low 90s °F (29 to 35 °C). The rainiest months are July and August.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 47,601 people, 14,732 households, and 11,104 families residing in the town.

Performing arts
Wake Forest hosts the annual Wake Forest Dance Festival every fall at E. Carroll Joyner Park.

Historical locations
The DuBois Center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The W. E. B. DuBois School opened in 1926 for the African-American community in Wake Forest before racial segregation ceased in 1971. After the school outgrew the facility and moved to a new location, the building was vacant for a decade until the DuBois Alumni Association purchased the building and made it into a community center.

Other listings in or near Wake Forest on the National Register of Historic Places are the Bailey-Estes House, Downtown Wake Forest Historic District, Glen Royall Mill Village Historic District, Lea Laboratory, Oakforest, Powell House, Purefoy-Chappell House and Outbuildings, Purefoy-Dunn Plantation, Rock Cliff Farm, Royall Cotton Mill Commissary, South Brick House, Thompson House, Wake Forest Historic District, Wakefield Dairy Complex, and Wakefields.

Wake Forest Historical Museum, also known as the Dr. Calvin Jones House, was built in 1820 and was the residence of the first president of Wake Forest College and the center of activities that took place at the school. The museum displays the history of the town of Wake Forest as well as Wake Forest University. The house contains collections of photos, books, college publications, furniture, documents, professors’ writings, and medical, law and sports memorabilia.

Library
The Wake County Public Library System operates a branch in Wake Forest.

Parks and recreation
Wake Forest is home to the Falls Lake State Recreation Area. Falls Lake Park contains the 12000 acre Falls Lake and 26000 acre of woodlands.

Wake Forest is served by ten parks and community centers. They include the following:
 * Plummer Park
 * Joyner Park
 * Tyler Run Park
 * Holding Park and Wake Forest Community House
 * J.B. Flaherty Park
 * Taylor Street Park and Alston Massenburg Center
 * Ailey Young Park
 * H.L. Miller Park
 * Kiwanis Park
 * Smith Creek Soccer Center

Government
Wake Forest operates under the council–manager form of government. The citizens elect a mayor and board of commissioners as the town's governing body. The town manager is appointed by the board to serve as the chief operating officer administering all municipal affairs. The current mayor is Vivian A. Jones (R, term expires 2025) and the board of commissioners are James E. "Jim" Dyer (R, 2023), Nick Sliwinski (R, 2025), Chad D. Sary (R, 2023), R. Keith Shackleford (D, 2025), and Adam B. Wright (D, 2023).

A new town hall facility opened in downtown Wake Forest in September 2010, and was LEED Platinum certified in November 2011. All town departments are housed in the facility, except police (which has its own building nearby) and public works.

Primary and secondary education
The town is served by twelve public schools which are administered by the Wake County Public School System and Granville County Public School System. Public schools include:
 * Heritage Elementary School
 * Jones Dairy Elementary School
 * Mount Energy Elementary
 * Wake Forest Elementary School
 * Richland Creek Elementary School
 * G C Hawley Middle
 * Heritage Middle School
 * Granville Early College High
 * Wake Forest Middle School
 * Heritage High School
 * Wake Forest High School

Charter schools include Franklin Academy (K-12),Wake Forest Charter Academy (K-8), Endeavor Charter School (K-8), and Envision Science Academy (K-8). Private schools include Thales Academy, All Saints Academy, and St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School, serving grades K-8. Wake Forest is also home to two Montessori schools, Wake Forest Montessori and Children's House of Wake Forest.

Higher learning
Wake Technical Community College is an area two-year college with a north campus on Louisburg Road in Raleigh. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is a seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention. It began offering classes in 1950 on the original campus of Wake Forest University and is commonly known by its acronym, SEBTS.

Passenger

 * Air: Wake Forest is served by Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which is located 20 mi southwest of the town in northwestern Wake County.
 * Interstate Highway: Wake Forest can be accessed by I-85 and I-40. The town is located to the east of I-85 and north of I-40.
 * Wake Forest is not currently served directly by passenger trains. Amtrak serves nearby Raleigh. NCDOT expects to extend the Piedmont service from Raleigh to a new Wake Forest train station by 2030 as part of an initiative to build high-speed rail between Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia.
 * Local bus: The Triangle Transit Authority operates buses that serve the region and connect to municipal bus systems in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

Roads

 * Wake Forest is located off US 1 (also known as Capital Boulevard in northern Wake County), a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States.
 * Other highways that run through the area include NC 96 and NC 98.

On air

 * WCPE-FM, located in Wake Forest, is a classical music station that provides its programming over the air, via the Internet, and via C-band and Ku-band satellite.

Newspaper

 * The town's independently owned community newspaper, The Wake Weekly, has an average circulation of more than 8,400 copies per week.

Online

 * Wake Forest News is a humor publication with the motto, "Half our news is fit to print".
 * Wake Forest Today is the town's first digital daily news portal. It is an online news source that covers local news and events regarding Wake Forest and the surrounding area.

title: Wake Forest, North Carolina


text:
Wendell, North Carolina

Wendell is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. It is a satellite town of Raleigh, the state capital. The population was 5,845 at the 2010 census.

History
Incorporated in 1903, Wendell was settled in the 1850s, when farmers in Granville County were victims of a blight that came to be known as the Granville County Wilt. Their tobacco crops failed, and they chose to move to a new location with more fertile land for their crops.

As settlement increased, a small village took form. The villagers asked the local schoolteacher, M.A. Griffin, to choose a name. Griffin suggested they call it Wendell, in honor of his favorite poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes. However, the townspeople pronounce each syllable with equal emphasis, not as the poet's middle name is said. The Town seal was adopted on April 4, 1963.

The first post office was built in 1891, and has been restored by the Wendell Historical Society. The oldest institution in Wendell is Hephzibah Baptist Church, founded in 1809. The first newspaper was the Wendell Clarion, founded in 1911, which was succeeded by the Gold Leaf Farmer and currently the Eastern Wake News.

Wendell has four buildings and two districts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Dr. Thomas H. Avera House, Harmony Plantation, Riley Hill School, Sunnyside, Wendell Boulevard Historic District, and the Wendell Commercial Historic District:.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 13.5 km2, all land.

Wendell is located in the northeast-central region of North Carolina, where the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This area is known as the "Fall Line" because it marks the elevation inland at which rapids and small waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. Its central Piedmont location situates Wendell approximately two and a half hours (via car) west of Atlantic Beach, and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Climate
Wendell enjoys a moderate subtropical climate, with moderate temperatures in the spring, fall, and winter. Summers are typically hot with high humidity. Winter highs generally range in the low 50s°F (10 to 13 2°C) with lows in the low-to-mid 30s°F (-2 to 2 °C), although an occasional 60 °F (15 °C) or warmer winter day is not uncommon. Spring and fall days usually reach the low-to-mid 70s°F (low 20s°C), with lows at night in the lower 50s°F (10 to 14 °C). Summer daytime highs often reach the upper 80s to low 90s°F (29 to 35 °C). The rainiest months are July and August.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,793 people, 2,686 households, and 1,941 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 5,845 people and 2,430 housing units. The population density was 1123.2 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 58.1% White, 30.2% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.9% Japanese, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.20% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.5% of the population.

As of the 2010 census, there were 2430 housing units, with 40% of units built before 1980. Of the 2010 population, 55% were married. 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 11.6% were persons 65 years or older, 29% were between the ages of 25–44, and 30% were between the ages of 0–19. The median age in 2010 was 35. The average household size was 2.12.

The median family income for a household in the town was $47,908, The per capita income for the town was $26,556. About 17.3% of the population was below the poverty line.

Education
The town is served by five public schools, which are administered by the Wake County Public School System. They include Lake Myra Elementary, Carver Elementary School, Wendell Elementary School, Wendell Middle School and East Wake High School.

The town is home to one institution of higher learning, Southeastern Free Will Baptist College.

Economy
Downtown Wendell houses many businesses; including the Bearded Bee Brewing Company and Daedong-USA, the maker of Kioti tractors.

Passenger

 * Air: Wendell is served by Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which is located in northwestern Wake County on I-40.
 * Interstate highway: I-87 is the closest Interstate to Wendell and is located west of the town.
 * Wendell was served by a passenger line between Raleigh and Wilson with stops in Knightdale, Zebulon, and Wendell, but was terminated in 1943. Wendell is not served directly by passenger trains. The nearest Amtrak stations are in Raleigh and Selma.
 * Local bus: The Triangle Transit Authority operates buses that serve the region and connect to municipal bus systems in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.

Roads

 * The main highway in Wendell is US 64 which allows access to Raleigh and the North Carolina coast.
 * Other highways in the area include US 264, NC 97, and NC 231.

Parks and recreation
The town is served by three recreational parks and facilities. They include Wendell Park, Wendell Community Center, and J. Ashley Wall Town Square.

Notable people

 * Greg Ellis (born 1975), NFL defensive end and 2007 Pro Bowl selection
 * George J. Laurer (1925–2019), inventor of the Universal Product Code
 * Ron and Amy Shirley, reality television stars of Lizard Lick Towing
 * Gregory Walcott (1928–2015), actor

Notable annual town events

 * Harvest Festival: takes place annually in October
 * International Food and Music Festival: held annually in September

title: Wendell, North Carolina


text:
Macon, North Carolina

Macon is a town located in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 119. It is named for Nathaniel Macon, long-time Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.4 sqmi, 0.4 sqmi all land.

2020 census
At the 2020 census, there were 110 people, 33 households, and 18 families in the town. The population density was 234.04 PD/sqmi. There were 54 housing units at an average density of 114.9 /sqmi.

2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 119 people, 52 households, and 38 families residing in the town. The population density was 253.2 PD/sqmi. There were 63 housing units at an average density of 44.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 101 (84.87%) white, 16 (13.45%) black, 1 (0.84%) Native American, and 1 (0.84%) from two or more races. None of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

There were 52 households, out of which 13 (25%) had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29 (55.8%) were married couples living together, 7 (13.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1 (1.9%) was an unmarried opposite-sex couple, and 14 (26.9%) were non-families. 12 (23.1%) of all households were made up of individuals, and 9 (17.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29, and the average family size was 2.68.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20 (16.8%) under the age of 18, 8 (6.7%) aged 18 to 24, 18 (15.1%) aged 25 to 44, 52 (43.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 21 (17.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.4 males.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 115 people, 45 households, and 34 families residing in the town. The population density was 252.8 PD/sqmi. There were 63 housing units at an average density of 138.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 81.74% White, 13.04% African American, 1.74% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 2.61% from two or more races. 1.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 45 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.1% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,521 and the median income for a family was $55,625. Males had a median income of $26,667 versus $22,917 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,642. 5.7% of the population and 6.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, none were under the age of 18 and 14.8% were 65 or older.

Notable people
Macon is the birthplace of writer and professor at Duke University, Reynolds Price, and the setting of his 1986 novel, Kate Vaiden. Fannie Pennington, an activist, was also born and raised here.

title: Macon, North Carolina


text:
Norlina, North Carolina

Norlina is a town in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,118 at the 2010 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.12 sqmi, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 920 people, 537 households, and 266 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,107 people, 482 households, and 300 families residing in the town. The population density was 986.0 PD/sqmi. There were 534 housing units at an average density of 475.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 57.36% White, 41.46% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.72% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.

There were 482 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% were married couples living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,300, and the median income for a family was $28,125. Males had a median income of $23,182 versus $21,354 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,355. About 12.9% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.9% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over.

History
Norlina was first called the "Ridgeway Junction" in 1837. As a railroad passed through this area, many citizens started to sell wood and water to the railroad. Eventually this began to expand, and in the 1860s the name changed to the "Woodyard". By the 1870s, the area had grown in business, and was referred to as the "Junction". The Seaboard & Raleigh Railroad had just been formed, and the "Junction" was now thriving with its business. A small community was formed, including two hardware stores, a horse drawn taxi service, and smithing shops. By 1900, John Williams established the Seaboard Air Line Railway and it grew to over 4,680 miles. This small group of people had turned the railway stop into a real town. In 1913 the name Norlina was coined, being a portmanteau of the beginning of "North" and the ending of "Carolina".

title: Norlina, North Carolina


text:
Creswell, North Carolina

Creswell is a town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 207 at the 2020 census.

Geography
The town is located in the North Carolina Inner Banks on the north-central portion of the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula, and along the western edge of the southern portions of the Scuppernong River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.4 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 278 people, 118 households, and 86 families residing in the town. The population density was 666.0 PD/sqmi. There were 141 housing units at an average density of 337.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 50.00% White, 39.93% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 1.80% Pacific Islander, 4.68% from other races, and 2.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.83% of the population.

There were 118 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 27.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 19.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,833, and the median income for a family was $23,750. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $16,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,769. About 18.3% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 20.3% of those 65 or over.

History
Creswell was incorporated in 1874, and named for John Angel James Creswell, the United States Postmaster General at that time. The structures in downtown Creswell are some of North Carolina's best remaining examples of downtown architecture from the late 19th century.

The Belgrade and St. David's Church, Creswell Historic District, Davenport House, and Somerset Place State Historic Site are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Highways and roads
The town can be accessed from the east or west by U.S. Highway 64, and from the north or south by North Carolina Highway 94.

Creswell is within 300 mi of these destinations:

 * 9 mi - Columbia
 * 21 mi - Edenton
 * 23 mi - Plymouth
 * 44 mi - Williamston
 * 45 mi - Elizabeth City
 * 46 mi - Manteo
 * 54 mi - Nags Head
 * 55 mi - Washington
 * 69 mi - Greenville
 * 83 mi - Norfolk, Virginia
 * 93 mi - Virginia Beach, Virginia
 * 139 mi - Raleigh

 * 148 mi - Richmond, Virginia
 * 154 mi - Durham
 * 170 mi - Wilmington
 * 207 mi - Greensboro
 * 234 mi - Winston-Salem
 * 241 mi - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
 * 253 mi - Washington, D.C.
 * 260 mi - Roanoke, Virginia
 * 266 mi - Dover, Delaware
 * 280 mi - Charlotte
 * 290 mi - Baltimore, Maryland
 * 294 mi - Atlantic City, New Jersey

Airports
Air travel is best served through the Norfolk International Airport (ORF) in Norfolk, Virginia or the Pitt-Greenville Airport (PGV) in Greenville, North Carolina

Town government
The Mayor of Creswell is Edwin Ray Blount.

Elected members to the Town Council:
 * Syble J. Spruill
 * Gerald Woodley
 * Ron Ambrose
 * J. D. Melton

State government
Creswell is served in the North Carolina General Assembly by State Senator Stan White (Democrat) and State Representative Tim Spear (Democrat).

Federal government
The town is also served in the United States Congress by U.S. Senator Richard Burr (Republican), U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (Democrat) and U.S. Representative G. K. Butterfield (Democrat).

Recent issues
The Town of Creswell is aligned with a group called North Carolinians Opposed to the Outlying Landing Field. This group opposes a United States Navy proposal to construct an outlying landing field near the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Washington County.

Attractions

 * Gravesite of J. Johnston Pettigrew - famous Civil War general who lived in the area
 * Somerset Place - former plantation home that now operates as a state historic site
 * Pettigrew State Park
 * Lake Phelps
 * Albemarle Sound
 * Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
 * Davenport Homestead

The town symbol, an artesian well hand-pump, can be found on Main Street in heart of downtown.

Notable people

 * Ebenezer Pettigrew - US House of Representatives to the 24th Congress
 * Elmo Langley - race car driver and owner, NASCAR pace car driver
 * J. Johnston Pettigrew - Confederate general, author and representative to the South Carolina legislature

Education

 * Creswell Elementary School
 * Creswell High School
 * Pocosin Innovative Charter

Newspaper
Creswell is served by the weekly Roanoke Beacon newspaper from Plymouth, North Carolina, and the daily Washington Daily News from Washington, North Carolina.

Television
Creswell is part of the Greenville–Washington–New Bern–Morehead City market, which is the 107th largest in 2006, according to Nielsen Media Research. Broadcast television stations serving the market include:

 * WUND-TV the (2) Columbia PBS affiliate, (part of the UNC-TV Network)
 * WITN-TV the (7) Washington/Greenville/New Bern NBC affiliate
 * WFXI-TV the (8) Morehead City Fox affiliate
 * WNCT-TV the (9) Greenville CBS affiliate
 * WCTI-TV the (12) New Bern ABC affiliate

title: Creswell, North Carolina


text:
Plymouth, North Carolina

Plymouth is the most populous town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,320 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Washington County. Plymouth is located on the Roanoke River about seven miles (11 km) upriver from its mouth into the Albemarle Sound in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Plymouth has a total area of 3.9 sqmi, of which 3.9 sqmi is land and 0.26% is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,320 people, 1,522 households, and 678 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 3,878 people living in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 68.3% Black, 28.9% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% from some other race and 0.9% of two or more races. 1.2% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,107 people, 1,623 households, and 1,119 families living in the town. The population density was 1,061.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,829 housing units at an average density of 472.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 35.04% White, 63.09% African American, 0.02% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.73% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.31% of the population.

There were 1,623 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples living together, 27.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $17,281, and the median income for a family was $26,800. Males had a median income of $26,352 versus $17,350 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,067. About 30.8% of families and 37.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 54.3% of those under age 18 and 28.8% of those age 65 or over.

History
The Moratuc tribe of American Indians was living in a large settlement on Welch Creek near the current Domtar pulp mill site in 1585 when the area was explored by English settlers. Moratuc was an Indian name for the Roanoke River. The Moratuc tribe were probably an Algonquian tribe, but there is debate that they may have been Iroquois.

Plymouth was established in 1787 by Arthur Rhodes on 100 acre of his Brick House plantation he subdivided into 172 lots. Note that "Brickhouse" is a common local patronym. In 1790, the North Carolina General Assembly named Plymouth a "port of delivery" and in 1808 it was named a "port of entry". The county seat of Washington County was moved to Plymouth from Lee's Mill, as Roper, North Carolina, was then known, by special act of the General Assembly on January 31, 1823. A new courthouse was completed by November 1824 on the same site where the present courthouse stands. It stood until 1862 when it caught fire and burned to the ground from a shell fired by a Union gunboat during bombardment of Plymouth.

Plymouth has the historical distinction of being the site of the second-largest battle in North Carolina and its last Confederate victory, the Battle of Plymouth (1864), during the American Civil War. The Confederate ironclad warship CSS Albemarle — and its eventual sinking on October 27, 1864, while moored at a dock in Plymouth — are the centerpieces of this history.

Beginning early in the war and for its remainder, the Union controlled the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. The geographical importance for the Northern forces of Plymouth's location at the mouth of the Roanoke River was the Union desire to push upriver and capture the vital Wilmington and Weldon Railroad line passing through Weldon, North Carolina, which would completely cut off the major supply line for General Robert E. Lee's army in Virginia from more southerly ports. This would essentially end all materiel support for Lee's forces and force his defeat or retreat from Virginia.

Fort Branch, located upriver at Hamilton, successfully blocked the Union gunboats and troops sailing upstream from Plymouth at the river bend called Rainbow Branch. The fort held until April 10, 1865, one day after General Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, at which point it was abandoned and its cannons were hurled into the Roanoke River. Thus, the war histories of Fort Branch and Plymouth are intimately connected.

Plymouth State Normal School was established to educate African American teachers. It was moved to Elizabeth City in 1903 and became Elizabeth City State University.

The Port O'Plymouth History Museum, located in the circa 1923 former Atlantic Coast Line Railroad station in downtown Plymouth, has an excellent, nationally recognized collection of Civil War artifacts, including one of the most complete belt-buckle and button collections in the U.S. and a model of the ironclad ram CSS Albemarle.

The Garrett's Island House, Latham House, Perry-Spruill House, Plymouth Historic District, and Washington County Courthouse, New Chapel Missionary Baptist Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Economy
The primary industry for the area is Domtar Paper Company, LLC., a paper manufacturer. The paper mill and its related facilities have been the largest employer since 1937. It was owned by Kieckhefer Container Company (John W. Kieckhefer) which was merged into Weyerhauser in 1957. In March 2007, Weyerhauser sold its paper interests to Domtar. The paper mill is now a Domtar papermill, while the onsite sawmill is still owned by Weyerhauser. In October 2009, Domtar announced the end of paper machine operations, and the mill will be converted to produce fluff pulp alone, with a 33% workforce reduction to about 360 employees.

The town is re-branding itself as a tourist destination to offset the reduction in paper-making employment, taking advantage of its natural environment, being surrounded by tracts of forests and swamplands. A riverfront boardwalk has been built, with views of the Roanoke River. Plymouth is home to the North Carolina Black Bear Festival, an annual three-day event at the beginning of June centered around bears.

Education

 * Pines Elementary School
 * Plymouth High School
 * Pocosin Innovative Charter
 * Washington County Middle School
 * Washington County Early College High School

Notable people

 * Aaron Anderson (1811–1886), sailor
 * Charles Bowser (born 1959), former NFL player
 * Don Brown (born 1960), author, attorney, former naval officer
 * Augustin Daly (1838–1899), Playwright, drama critic, theatrical owner and manager
 * Louis C. Latham (1840–1895), member of the United States House of Representatives
 * Jacklyn H. Lucas (1928–2008), marine and Medal of Honor recipient
 * Lowes Moore (born 1957), basketball player
 * Rodney Purvis (born 1994), basketball player
 * Reddy Rowe (1887–1966), football and baseball player and coach
 * J. B. Smoove (born 1965), actor and comedian
 * Frederick W. Wurster (1850–1917), Mayor of Brooklyn (1896–1897)

title: Plymouth, North Carolina


text:
Roper, North Carolina

Roper is a town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was at the  Census. It was known as Lee's Mill (named for Thomas Lee) until 1890, when the John L. Roper Lumber Company was established in the town and its name changed to Roper.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.9 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of, there were people, 238 households, residing in the town. The population density was 566.59 people per square mile ( people per km$2$). There were 268 housing units at an average density of 309.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 14.78% White, 78.95% African American, 4.25% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.82% of the population.

There were 238 households, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 28.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were not families. About 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town, the population was distributed as 35.4% under the age of 19, 3.1% from 20 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 75.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $19,536, and the median income for a family was $29,457. About 52.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 72.1% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

title: Roper, North Carolina


text:
Greyfriars, Oxford

Greyfriars is a Roman Catholic friary and parish located in East Oxford, which until 2008 was also a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford. Situated on the Iffley Road in East Oxford, it was one of the smallest constituent halls of the university. Its status as a permanent private hall (PPH) derived from the fact that it was governed by an outside institution (the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, a Franciscan religious order), rather than by the fellows of the University as a constituent college is.

In 2007 the decision was made to close the hall, with students transferred to Regent's Park College. The buildings continue to host the friary which formerly co-existed with the hall.

Greyfriars has one of the most distinctive buildings in Oxford; it is the only flint-stone Norman-style building in the city, and its green spire is prominently visible along the Iffley Road and from the university's Roger Bannister running track.

Medieval friary
The original Greyfriars church and friary was founded by the Franciscans in 1224. The friars had a long and esteemed history in Oxford, listing many famous alumni, including the English statesman, Robert Grosseteste, also a theologian and Bishop of Lincoln, who became head of Greyfriars, Master of the School of Oxford from 1208, and the first Chancellor of the University of Oxford. In 1517, the order divided into two branches. The friars who had been living in city-convents, ministering there and teaching in universities became known as "Conventuals"; while the friars who preferred a more eremitical life became known as "Observants". (The Capuchins developed in 1528.) The friaries were suppressed during the Reformation in the 16th century.

20th century friary and hall
In 1905, the Capuchin branch of the order established a friary, known as St Anselm's, which was recognised by the university as a house of studies in 1910. The Church of St Edmund and St Frideswide on Iffley Road was established in 1911 as a chapel of ease to the Jesuit church of St Aloysius. In 1928, the Jesuits handed it over to the Capuchins, who then built the friary.

In 1919, the friars moved to the current site on the Iffley Road—first naming it Grosseteste House after the first head of the original Greyfriars—and on completion of the present building in 1930, the name of Greyfriars was adopted once more. The status of permanent private hall was conferred upon Greyfriars by the university in 1957 and surrendered in 2008.

In 2007, Greyfriars celebrated 50 years of its PPH status, with considerable flourish, and an unusually high number of first-class undergraduate grades marked the year.

Closure of the hall
In October 2007, the order announced its intention to withdraw from its ministry as a permanent private hall of the university, for financial and personnel reasons. Given the age of the building and the reduced number of friars, the cost of maintenance, rehabilitation, and staffing would be unsustainable for the province, and negatively impact other ministries elsewhere. Arrangements were made to transfer all students and prospective applicants so interested to Regent's Park College. The decision aroused considerable controversy; substantial proposals by the fellows for the continuation of Greyfriars were considered by the Governing Body. The university eventually indicated that the friars' licence to run Greyfriars as a PPH would not be transferred to any other body, and the hall closed in June 2008, despite a last-minute attempt to save the hall by the Holy See.

It may seem strange that the Greyfriars students did not migrate to St. Benet's Hall (the Benedictine PPH) or Blackfriars (the Dominican PPH). However, Greyfriars had some years earlier admitted female students, and at that time neither of these other Catholic PPHs had done so. Regent's Park welcomed the Greyfriars students warmly, and the migration is commemorated by a plaque at Regent's Park. The latter announced in 2018 that it would be seeking donations to fund a Greyfriars Scholarship at Regent's Park.

The Capuchin Order has stated that it will continue to exist at Greyfriars in Oxford and the premises will continue to operate as a friary; the order will maintain responsibility for the parish.

At the time of Greyfriars' closure, the Visitor was Mauro Jöhri, Minister General, the Warden was Mark Elvins, and the fellows included Aidan Nichols, John Paul II Lecturer in Roman Catholic Theology. The immediate previous Warden was Nicholas Richardson (2004-2007). Honorary Fellows included Thomas G. Weinandy (Warden 1993–2004), and Vincent Nichols, RC Archbishop of Birmingham. Among earlier Wardens who were members of the Capuchin order, the highly respected musical scholar Peter Peacock (an Oxford D.Mus. who then became Professor of Music at Loyola University New Orleans) and then Cassian Reel served for long periods with distinction.

Friary and tuition
Greyfriars occupied an uncommon position in Oxford, in that its University Hall and Franciscan friary were part of the same institution and coexisted on the same site—however, the friars were not usually members of the academic hall (though this was not without exception), nor were the students actually affiliated to the friary—the two groups did, however, mingle, most notably at mealtimes. (A similar system continues to operate with great success at Blackfriars, Oxford.) Furthermore, no religious restrictions were placed on applicants; and, while the hall had a tradition of noted theology academics, a wide range of disciplines were studied by students—the most common being English, history, theology, geography and law. Although the hall employed tutors specialising in certain areas of some of these subjects, students generally went to other colleges for the majority of their tutorials. The college most closely linked with Greyfriars was Balliol College, owing to a long-standing tradition of sporting links, but Greyfriars students were tutored at a wide number of the university's colleges at some point or another.

Student life
While Greyfriars was small in terms of grounds and numbers, it had a close-knit community and a lively academic life. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, undergraduate numbers tended to be around the 30 mark, with an average of between nine and eleven students per year in addition to a handful of visiting and postgraduate students. From around 2003, numbers increased, and the student population of the hall when it closed numbered closer to 50.

The hall annually held a popular summer garden party, and a "bop" that was dubbed 'The Monastery of Sound' in tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of the friars. Greyfriars was also influential in the Oxford Law Society, the Conservative Association, the Dramatic Society, and the Indie Music Society, as well as rowing, hockey, rugby, tennis and table tennis. Its increasing prominence was very much disproportionate to student numbers, which was testament to their eagerness to get involved in university life.

As with all Oxford colleges, Greyfriars' student community was a JCR, run by an annually elected committee usually consisting of a president, secretary, treasurer and various other officers as necessary.

Notable former members of the First Foundation

 * Hamo of Faversham (d. 1244)
 * Alexander of Hales, Doctor Irrefragabilis (c. 1170–1245)
 * Adam Marsh, MA (d. 1258)
 * Robert Grosseteste (c. 1175–1253)
 * Roger Bacon, DD, Doctor Mirabilis (c. 1214–1292)
 * John of Peckham, DD, (c. 1225/30–1292)
 * Thomas Docking (died 1270)
 * John Duns Scotus, BD, DD, Doctor Subtilis (c. 1264–1309)
 * William of Occam, DD, Doctor Invincibilis (c. 1300–1394)
 * Antipope Alexander V (c. 1339 – May 3, 1410)

Among the early Wardens was:
 * Richard Roderham, medieval churchman (1433–1440)

Burials

 * Beatrice of Falkenburg, Queen of Germany
 * Sir John Golafre

Greyfriars Society
The Greyfriars Society was established in 1999 and is the official alumni organisation of Greyfriars. The main objectives of the society are to maintain and build relationships with the Hall's alumni and were also to raise money to enable Greyfriars to provide the best possible education for the growing student body. The first Patron was the late Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Cardinal-Archbishop emeritus of Westminster, and the President is David Alton.

title: Greyfriars, Oxford


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Salem Municipality

Salem Municipality (Salems kommun) is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. The name traces its origins from Slæm in the 13th century, but was changed to Salem in the 17th century, inspired by the Biblical name of Jerusalem. Its seat is located in Salem.

History
Like the rest of the areas around Lake Mälaren, Salem has a significant amount of ancient remains, as far back as the Stone Age. The church of Salem traces its foundation to the 12th century.

Just like its eastern municipal neighbour Botkyrka, Salem traces its history back to the legendary Saint Botvid, who lived in the area sometime between 1050-1120. In the medieval tradition, a spring would always be found in connection to the death of a saint. According to legend, when the remains of Saint Botvid were transported to the church in today's Botkyrka, the casket was temporarily put down near the shore of Lake Bornsjön, where a spring poured up. It continues to provide clear water to this day.

Today
Salem was united with the municipality of Botkyrka during the Swedish municipal reform between 1971-1974. However, in 1983, after energetic protests, they were split apart, and Salem became the 14th smallest municipality by area in the country.

Salem is served by one station, Rönninge, on the commuter train line between Södertälje and Märsta via Stockholm. There are also a good network of bus lines.

The number of people in Salem is about 30% less during day time due to that it has the biggest percentage of people in Stockholm county that work outside own municipal.

2022 population by district
This is a demographic table based on Salem Municipality's electoral districts in the 2022 Swedish general election sourced from SVT's election platform, in turn taken from SCB official statistics.

Residents include everyone registered as living in the district, regardless of age or citizenship status. Valid voters indicate Swedish citizens above the age of 18 who therefore can vote in general elections. Left vote and right vote indicate the result between the two major blocs in said district in the 2022 general election. Employment indicates the share of people between the ages of 20 and 64 who are working taxpayers. Foreign background is defined as residents either born abroad or with two parents born outside of Sweden. Median income is the received monthly income through either employment, capital gains or social grants for the median adult above 20, also including pensioners in Swedish kronor. The section about college graduates indicates any degree accumulated after high school.

In total there were 17,219 residents, including 11,967 Swedish citizens of voting age. 44.3% voted for the left coalition and 54.2% for the right coalition. Indicators are in percentage points except population totals and income.

Residents with a foreign background
In 2017 the number of people with a foreign background (persons born outside of Sweden or with two parents born outside of Sweden) was 4 643, or 27.86% of the population (16 665 in 2017). In 2002 the number of residents with a foreign background was (per the same definition) 2 468, or 17.79% of the population (13 875 in 2002). In 2017 there were 16 665 residents in Salem, of which 3 270 people (19.62%) were born in a country other than Sweden. Divided by country in the table below - the Nordic countries as well as the 12 most common countries of birth outside of Sweden for Swedish residents have been included, with other countries of birth bundled together by continent by Statistics Sweden.

title: Salem Municipality