Cramerton, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Cramerton is a town in Gaston County
, North Carolina
, United States
and is also considered to be a suburb of Charlotte
and Gastonia
. The population was 2,976 at the 2000 census. A well-known feature is the Cramer Mountain gated development featuring luxurious homes and an 18-hole golf course at Cramer Mountain Country Club.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), of which, 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (7.25%) is water.
Cramerton is bisected by the South Fork Catawba River, which makes a sharp S-curve around the center of town. Just southwest of downtown, Duharts Creek flows into the South Fork Catawba. Duharts Creek is formed by the confluence of Armstrong Branch and New Hope Branch on the western edge of town.
. In 1910, textile engineer and Thomasville, North Carolina
native, Stuart Warren Cramer became owner and president of the mill and property. He turned the mill and the surrounding community into a model mill village. In 1922 Mr. Cramer changed the name of the mill to Cramerton Mills, and the name of the town to Cramerton. In 1923, Cramer built the Mayflower Weave Mill.
Cramer is credited with designing and equipping "about one-third of the new cotton mills in the South" between 1895 and 1915, and simultaneously acquiring extensive holdings in textile mills. Among Cramer's numerous industrial engineering patents was one for the "Cramer System of Air Conditioning," which included the automatic regulation of temperature and humidity. These early innovations in air conditioning
resulted more from the need to remove lint from the air (a persistent problem in the textile mills) than to cool the factory atmosphere. The term "air conditioning" is attributed to Cramer.
In 1946 the mills and homes were sold to Burlington Industries
who in turn sold the homes to residents. The Town of Cramerton incorporated in 1967 and began providing municipal services.
of 2000, there were 2,976 people, 1,169 households, and 859 families residing in the town. The population density
was 830.5 people per square mile (321.0/km²). There were 1,229 housing units at an average density of 343.0 per square mile (132.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.12% White, 2.35% African American, 0.50% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.20% from other races
, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population.
There were 1,169 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $47,610, and the median income for a family was $56,071. Males had a median income of $37,679 versus $27,330 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $25,503. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
Cramerton operates its own police department. Based on a contract signed in 2006 by both the McAdenville
and Cramerton Town Councils, officers of the Cramerton Police Department also handle patrol duties within the McAdenville Town Limits between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM daily. Cramerton police also assist McAdenville officers with felony criminal investigations.
Cramerton is in South Point Township.
has long been central to Cramerton's economy, but globalization
has caused many of the local plants to close. Burlington Industries
, which had operated the former Cramerton Mills, went bankrupt in 2001. Employers like Eagle Mountain Finishers and Lakewood Dyed Yarns (both subsidiaries of Joan Fabrics Corp.) were closed in 2006 and 2007. Textile companies Brookline Inc. and Wagner Knitting, Inc. have also been affected by the economic downturn. Syncot Fibers and Plastics, Inc. operates a facility in Cramerton specializing in the recycling of nylon.
/U.S. Route 74
(Wilkinson Blvd.). North Carolina Highway 279 (New Hope Road) forms Cramerton's southwest border.
Freight rail service is provided by the Norfolk Southern Railway
. While Amtrak's passenger train also follows the Norfolk Southern main line, the nearest station is in Gastonia.
Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS)'s Gastonia Express (Route 85X) offers Monday-Friday express bus service to/from uptown Charlotte, via the Abbey Plaza Shopping Center Station in Belmont, about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Cramerton.
The nearest airport is Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
, about 9.5 miles (15.3 km) east of Cramerton.
public school system. Currently, the only public school in Cramerton is Cramerton Middle School
, grades 6 to 8; however, Stuart Cramer High School is set to open in the Fall of 2013 with grades 9 and 10, expanding to grades 9 to 12 by Fall of 2015.
Elementary school-age children in Cramerton attend either New Hope Elementary School (south of Cramerton in unincorporated South Point Township), J.B. Page Elementary School (pre-K to grade 1) or Belmont Central Elementary School (grades 2-5) in Belmont
, McAdenville Elementary School in McAdenville
, or Gardner Park Elementary School in Gastonia
.
Besides Cramerton Middle School, middle school-age children in parts of Cramerton attend Holbrook Middle School in Lowell
or Belmont Middle School in Belmont.
Current high School age students attend South Point High School
in Belmont, except for those in a small part of Cramerton which is in the attendance district for Forestview High School
in southwestern unincorporated South Point Township. Effective with the Fall of 2013, all students in the Cramerton town limits will attend the new Stuart Cramer High School.
Private schools in Cramerton include Cramerton Christian Academy, with programs for Pre-K through Grade 12. It is operated by Cramerton Freewill Baptist Church.
Gaston County, North Carolina
Gaston County is a county located just west of Charlotte in the southern Piedmont in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third largest county, by population, in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area, officially designated the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and is also considered to be a suburb of Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
and Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
. The population was 2,976 at the 2000 census. A well-known feature is the Cramer Mountain gated development featuring luxurious homes and an 18-hole golf course at Cramer Mountain Country Club.
Geography
Cramerton is located at 35°14′12"N 81°4′26"W (35.236723, -81.073939) at an elevation of 620 feet (189 m). Two topographic high points, Berry Mountain, elevation 922 feet (281 m), and Cramer Mountain, approximate elevation 850 feet (259 m), are located in the southwestern part of town.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), of which, 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (7.25%) is water.
Cramerton is bisected by the South Fork Catawba River, which makes a sharp S-curve around the center of town. Just southwest of downtown, Duharts Creek flows into the South Fork Catawba. Duharts Creek is formed by the confluence of Armstrong Branch and New Hope Branch on the western edge of town.
History
Originally named Maysworth, the town was founded in 1906 when J.H. Mays built a spinning mill along the banks of the South Fork of the Catawba River, just east of Gastonia, North CarolinaGastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
. In 1910, textile engineer and Thomasville, North Carolina
Thomasville, North Carolina
Thomasville is a city in Davidson County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 21,354 at the 2010 census. The city is notable for its furniture industry as are its neighbors of High Point and Lexington. This Piedmont Triad community was established in 1852 and hosts the state's...
native, Stuart Warren Cramer became owner and president of the mill and property. He turned the mill and the surrounding community into a model mill village. In 1922 Mr. Cramer changed the name of the mill to Cramerton Mills, and the name of the town to Cramerton. In 1923, Cramer built the Mayflower Weave Mill.
Cramer is credited with designing and equipping "about one-third of the new cotton mills in the South" between 1895 and 1915, and simultaneously acquiring extensive holdings in textile mills. Among Cramer's numerous industrial engineering patents was one for the "Cramer System of Air Conditioning," which included the automatic regulation of temperature and humidity. These early innovations in air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
resulted more from the need to remove lint from the air (a persistent problem in the textile mills) than to cool the factory atmosphere. The term "air conditioning" is attributed to Cramer.
In 1946 the mills and homes were sold to Burlington Industries
Burlington Industries
Burlington Industries is a diversified U. S. fabric maker based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1923, the company has operations in the United States, Mexico, and India and a global manufacturing and product development network based in Hong Kong. The company entered Chapter 11...
who in turn sold the homes to residents. The Town of Cramerton incorporated in 1967 and began providing municipal services.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,976 people, 1,169 households, and 859 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 830.5 people per square mile (321.0/km²). There were 1,229 housing units at an average density of 343.0 per square mile (132.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.12% White, 2.35% African American, 0.50% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.20% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population.
There were 1,169 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $47,610, and the median income for a family was $56,071. Males had a median income of $37,679 versus $27,330 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $25,503. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Cramerton operates under the council-manager form of government with a mayor and a five-member town board and a town manager. Fire protection within the town limits is currently under dispute as the Town ended its contract with Cramerton Volunteer Fire Department effective August 1, 2011.Cramerton operates its own police department. Based on a contract signed in 2006 by both the McAdenville
McAdenville, North Carolina
McAdenville, also known as Christmastown USA, is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is considered to be a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 619 at the 2000 census....
and Cramerton Town Councils, officers of the Cramerton Police Department also handle patrol duties within the McAdenville Town Limits between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM daily. Cramerton police also assist McAdenville officers with felony criminal investigations.
Cramerton is in South Point Township.
Business and Industry
The textile industryTextile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
has long been central to Cramerton's economy, but globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
has caused many of the local plants to close. Burlington Industries
Burlington Industries
Burlington Industries is a diversified U. S. fabric maker based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1923, the company has operations in the United States, Mexico, and India and a global manufacturing and product development network based in Hong Kong. The company entered Chapter 11...
, which had operated the former Cramerton Mills, went bankrupt in 2001. Employers like Eagle Mountain Finishers and Lakewood Dyed Yarns (both subsidiaries of Joan Fabrics Corp.) were closed in 2006 and 2007. Textile companies Brookline Inc. and Wagner Knitting, Inc. have also been affected by the economic downturn. Syncot Fibers and Plastics, Inc. operates a facility in Cramerton specializing in the recycling of nylon.
Transportation
The primary east-west highway passing through Cramerton is U.S. Route 29U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
/U.S. Route 74
U.S. Route 74
U.S. Route 74 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Cleveland, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.-Tennessee:Established in 1987, US-74 western terminus is exit 20 on I-75 in Cleveland...
(Wilkinson Blvd.). North Carolina Highway 279 (New Hope Road) forms Cramerton's southwest border.
Freight rail service is provided by the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
. While Amtrak's passenger train also follows the Norfolk Southern main line, the nearest station is in Gastonia.
Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS)'s Gastonia Express (Route 85X) offers Monday-Friday express bus service to/from uptown Charlotte, via the Abbey Plaza Shopping Center Station in Belmont, about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Cramerton.
The nearest airport is Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...
, about 9.5 miles (15.3 km) east of Cramerton.
Education
Public education in Cramerton is administered by the Gaston County SchoolsGaston County Schools
Gaston County Schools is a public school district located in Gaston County, North Carolina. With 32,437 students enrolled in 54 schools as of the 2008/09 academic year, it is the seventh largest public school district in North Carolina.-Schools:...
public school system. Currently, the only public school in Cramerton is Cramerton Middle School
Cramerton Middle School
Cramerton Middle School is a public middle school in the Gaston County Schools school district located in Cramerton, North Carolina, United States. The principal of Cramerton Middle School is Cristi Bostic. Assistant principals are Paul Outlaw and Jennifer Reep.Cramerton is recognized as a North...
, grades 6 to 8; however, Stuart Cramer High School is set to open in the Fall of 2013 with grades 9 and 10, expanding to grades 9 to 12 by Fall of 2015.
Elementary school-age children in Cramerton attend either New Hope Elementary School (south of Cramerton in unincorporated South Point Township), J.B. Page Elementary School (pre-K to grade 1) or Belmont Central Elementary School (grades 2-5) in Belmont
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
, McAdenville Elementary School in McAdenville
McAdenville, North Carolina
McAdenville, also known as Christmastown USA, is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is considered to be a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 619 at the 2000 census....
, or Gardner Park Elementary School in Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
.
Besides Cramerton Middle School, middle school-age children in parts of Cramerton attend Holbrook Middle School in Lowell
Lowell, North Carolina
Lowell is a small city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 2,662 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lowell is located at ....
or Belmont Middle School in Belmont.
Current high School age students attend South Point High School
South Point High School (North Carolina)
South Point High School is a public high school in the Gaston County Schools public school district located in Belmont, North Carolina.-Administration:...
in Belmont, except for those in a small part of Cramerton which is in the attendance district for Forestview High School
Forestview High School
Forestview High School is a public high school in the Gaston County Schools school district located in Gastonia, North Carolina. Audrey Devine serves as the principal of Forestview...
in southwestern unincorporated South Point Township. Effective with the Fall of 2013, all students in the Cramerton town limits will attend the new Stuart Cramer High School.
Private schools in Cramerton include Cramerton Christian Academy, with programs for Pre-K through Grade 12. It is operated by Cramerton Freewill Baptist Church.
Points of interest
Mayworth School at 236 Eighth Ave. in Cramerton is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Notable people
- Rube MeltonRube MeltonReuben Franklin Melton was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched from 1941-1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies....
(born February 27, 1917 in Cramerton, died September 11, 1971) was a pitcher in Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He pitched from 1941-1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.