North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement
, which continues to have a major presence in the community. The town is also known as one of the birthplaces of the sport of stock-car racing, and the North Wilkesboro Speedway
was the first NASCAR
-sanctioned track. North Wilkesboro's major industries include furniture and textile production, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. Due to the town's proximity to the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains
and the numerous tourist venues there, North Wilkesboro has been nicknamed the "Key to the Blue Ridge".
opposite Wilkesboro
, the county seat. The Town of North Wilkesboro quickly developed around the railroad tracks. North Wilkesboro was the home of the Carolina Mirror Company, which for many years was the largest mirror factory in the United States. Although this is no longer the case, the town remains a major producer of mirrors through Gardner Glass Products Inc. Lowe's Foods, one of the Southeast's largest supermarket chains, was started in North Wilkesboro in 1954. Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse
, the nation's second-largest chain of home-improvement stores, was started in North Wilkesboro in 1946. The Town does continue to host large corporate offices including Gardner Glass Products Inc., Window World, and ECMD. In addition, two local businessmen recently won prestigious awards for entrepreneurship. Julius "Jay" Howell was recognized as the Small Business Administration's 2010 N.C. Minority Small Business Champion of the Year. Jason Carlton, founder of the GoNC Network, which includes GoWilkes.com, GoAshe.com, and GoSurry.com, has been recognized by Business Leader Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Entrepreneurs” in North Carolina for his significant business innovation, leadership, industry, and community involvement. The Town of North Wilkesboro is focused on their mission of improving the lives of its citizens through economic development by establishing the Wilkes Industrial Park, which is North Carolina's second largest certified industrial park with a developable area of 552 acres. The Wilkes Industrial Park has water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, and has the potential to access the Yadkin Valley Railroad to the south.
Thanks to an $800,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Wilkes Industrial Park will have a new access road on the southwest side, which is scheduled to be completed by early 2012. In addition, the main transportation corridor serving the site (NC-268) will be widened from 2 lanes to 4 lanes by 2015. This project will be completed by the NCDOT
While one of NASCAR's original speedways shares the name of North Wilkesboro with the town it is important to note that the speedway is not located inside of the town's limits. The North Wilkesboro Speedway
predates the founding of NASCAR
; the speedway held its first race on May 18, 1947 and from there it grew in popularity. On October 16, 1949 the Speedway held the 8th and final race of the 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Division; when the race was over Robert "Red" Byron had become the first NASCAR-sanctioned champion. The North Wilkesboro Speedway held NASCAR races for 50 years; on September 29, 1996 Jeff Gordon
would win the final race to be held at the speedway. In 1995, following the death of long-time owner and track founder Enoch Staley, the speedway was purchased by two new owners, Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith
. Soon after their purchase, both men announced that they were closing the speedway and moving its two NASCAR race dates to their new tracks in Texas and New Hampshire. The decision met with strong criticism from race fans. Since 1996 several unsuccessful attempts have been made to purchase and reopen the speedway to racing; most recently a group known as "Save the Speedway" has been working to provide historic markers and collect memorabilia from the speedway's rich racing history. In 2010 the speedway reopened and already has races booked.
Recently, Wilkes Regional Medical Center was honored with the Four Star Inpatient service award by Professional Research Consultants, Inc.
Wilkes Regional Medical Center was established to care for the sick and injured. Its mission is to strive to provide comprehensive, high quality and cost effective health care to the citizens of Wilkes County and surrounding areas. Wilkes Regional Medical Center recently expanded their services by establishing an Urgent Care Center in West Park Medical Center and plans to expand the Emergency Room beginning in 2011.
Wilkes Regional Medical Center is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The seal of accreditation is accepted nationwide as the highest standards of medical care in personnel, equipment, and organization. Since the Joint Commission considers accreditation maintenance as an ongoing education activity for review, inspection and updating you have the added assurance that Wilkes Regional Medical Center will consistently give you the most modern medical care available. Physician specialties at Wilkes Regional Medical Center include:
and The Record of Wilkes. Founded in 1906, the Journal-Patriot is Wilkes County's largest and oldest newspaper; it is published three times per week. The Record of Wilkes is published once per week; it usually focuses on the local arts scene in Wilkes.
Wilkes County's two largest radio stations are broadcast from North Wilkesboro. WKBC-FM
(97.3 FM), broadcasts Adult Contemporary (hot AC) music as well as the football games of nearby Appalachian State University
. In 2006 it was rated the best radio station in the Charlotte
listening area by the music critics of Charlotte's Creative Loafing
magazine. The station can be heard as far away as Rock Hill, South Carolina
and Johnson City, Tennessee
. WKBC (AM) (800 AM) broadcasts American Country music
.
North Wilkesboro is also home to GoWilkes.com, a well-recognized internet media source that allows residents to discuss current events and local happenings in real time. GoWilkes.com was voted the 2004 Small Business of the Year by the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
with more than 20 rock bands performing. This is one of the few rock concerts that include a separate competition for amateur bands and professional bands. Bands play in the concert by invitation only. Previous shows included a performance from Waylon Reavis
, now the lead singer of Mushroomhead
. The concert has steadily grown in popularity since its inception, and draws thousands of music fans each year. The concert is held on the last Saturday in September.
Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro is also the founder of the annual 'Shine to Wine Festival. Over the past 20 years, numerous local farmers have moved into the winemaking industry and the wine festival gives local wineries and vineyards a chance to display and publicize their wines. The festival also traces the historical development of Wilkes County liquor from moonshine
to wine. The 'Shine to Wine festival is held on the first Saturday in May. Other downtown North Wilkesboro festivals include the Downtown Concert Series and Light Up Downtown.
North Wilkesboro is the home of the annual Brushy Mountain Apple Festival
, which is held to celebrate the apple harvest from the nearby Brushy Mountains
. Crowds of over 160,000 people usually attend the festival, and it is one of the largest single-day arts and crafts fairs in the Southern United States. The festival features music, dancing, artwork, crafts, and food traditional to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The streets of downtown North Wilkesboro, NC are filled with over 425 arts and crafts, 100 food concessions, and 4 different music stages consisting of Blue Grass, Country, Folk, Gospel, and Appalachian Heritage. Cloggers, folk dancers, rope skippers, and square dancers provide additional entertainment venues for festival goers. Appalachian Heritage crafts such as woodcarving, chair making, soap making, pottery throwing, and quilting are highlighted. Local apple growers set up throughout the festival selling their apples, apple cider, and dried apples.
Light Up Downtown is an annual downtown event focused on the beginning of the Christmas season and the inaugural first day of decorative lights in downtown North Wilkesboro. Santa always makes an appearance to listen to all the children's Christmas wishes. Free pictures are always available to take with Santa. Hayrides are also available to ride around the downtown and enjoy the Christmas lights and decorations. In addition, many food, craft, and merchandise vendors are lined down Main Street. Downtown retailers are always open late to kickoff the Christmas shopping.
President Barack Obama
announced that he may visit North Wilkesboro on October 17, 2011, as part of a tour of North Carolina and Virginia. He visited West Wilkes High School and received a very enthusiastic crowd according to WXII12 NEWS .
, a local Civil War veteran who was tried and hanged in 1868 for the murder of his fiancée, Laura Foster. The murder trial received national publicity at the time, and the belief of many that one of Dooley's jealous ex-girlfriends murdered Foster and that Dooley was innocent made his story into a folk legend. The play usually attracts sold-out audiences during its summer run.
The Wilkes Art Gallery was founded in 1962 in the parlor of art patron Annie Winkler's home and in 2004 moved into the renovated North Wilkesboro Post Office building located in the heart of downtown North Wilkesboro. The Gallery's 10000 square feet (929 m²) facility includes over 3500 square feet (325.2 m²) of exhibition space, an education center with a complete ceramics studio, painting and drawing studios, two multi-purpose classrooms, and a Gallery Gift Shop. The Gallery provides quality educational experiences through exhibits, classes and workshops for all ages. The Gallery also sponsors several "Gallery Crawls" per year, which bring both citizens and tourists downtown to enjoy good wine, good friends, and great art. Recently, a group of local students painted a cultural mural on the back of the Gallery. Below, is a picture of the recent Mural Project in the back of the Gallery.
North Wilkesboro recently welcomed the Yadkin River Greenway which was created through the cooperative efforts of citizen volunteers, landowners, and the governments of Wilkes County, North Wilkesboro, Wilkesboro, and the State of North Carolina. The effort began in 1994, and the first phase of the greenway was opened on May 18, 2002. The Yadkin River Greenway Council, a non-profit community organization, provided coordination and leadership. The Greenway is a natural area between urban communities where wildlife, vegetation, and streams are preserved and enjoyed. The Greenway contains biking, jogging, and walking trails which follow the Yadkin River
and Reddies River
for several miles between the towns of North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro
. The Yadkin River Greenway offers over 1.7 miles (2.7 km) of paved trails to form over 5.1 miles (8.2 km) of current trails with more extensions to come in the near future. One of the most popular spots on the Greenway is a 156 feet (47.5 m)-long bridge which spans the Reddies River at its mouth, where it joins the Yadkin River.
Wilkes County Schools (WCS) meets the educational needs of 10,169 students, with over 1,500 employees including 20 technology support staff. WCS has thirteen elementary schools, four middle schools, four high schools, and an early college high school. WCS is committed to excellence in teaching and to the belief that all students can learn. WCS has provided the school infrastructure necessary for 21st Century technology. Accomplishments include:
is one of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina's community college system and is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties and surrounding areas. Wilkes Community College provides programs, resources, and services which create quality educational and economic development, and cultural opportunities. Wilkes Community College (WCC) enhances the quality of life through:
Wilkes Community College is also the venue for MerleFest
, which is an annual Americana music festival on the WCC campus. The festival, which is held the last weekend in April, is hosted by guitar player Doc Watson and is named in memory and honor of his son, Eddy Merle Watson, who died in a farming accident in 1985. The festival, founded in 1988, now attracts crowds exceeding 85,000 in number, making it the largest folk music festival in the United States. The music is spread across 15 different stages and four days, which promises non-stop excitement for festival goers. MerleFest offers a generation and genre crossing mix of traditional and contemporary roots music, which the organization calls "traditional-plus." It brings together the very best of bluegrass
, contemporary acoustic, blues
, folk
, old-time music, Cajun
, jazz
, and singer-songwriter music.
at the mouth of the Reddies River
. North Wilkesboro has long been known as the "Key to the Blue Ridge" and is adjacent to the Brushy Mountains
, Stone Mountain State Park
, and the Blue Ridge Parkway
. Located a few miles away, the W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir offers its visitors a pristine wilderness to go mountain biking, boating, swimming, camping, picnicing, hunting, and fishing around its 55 miles (88.5 km) shoreline. The Town of North Wilkesboro is located in the heart of Wilkes County, North Carolina in the northwestern corner of the state. Wilkes County is bordered by eight (8) counties. These include the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell, Iredell, Surry, Watauga, and Yadkin; thus making the town conveniently juxtaposed to eight county seats and economic hubs; all within a 45-minute drive from town. The town corporate limits cover approximately 7.5 square miles (~ 4,800 acres) of contiguous property with approximately 300 acres in satellite territories. The Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) encompasses roughly 16 square miles (41.4 km²) or 10,240 acres. The town is bordered to the south by the Yadkin River and the Town of Wilkesboro. Running through the eastern portion of the town is the Reddies River which flows from North to South and unites with the Yadkin.
The town serves as the junction point for NC State Highways 18 and 268 and is within one mile (1.6 km) to the north of US Highway 421. US 421 passes by the town and allows transportation to the nearby cities of Winston-Salem (to the east) and Boone
(to the west), the home of Appalachian State University
. The town is also served by NC Highway 115 and is close in proximity to NC Highway 16.
degrees Fahrenheit with a corresponding minimum annual temperature average of 42.8 degrees. Average annual rainfall (50.0 inches) for the town falls just short of the typical average of the Southern Appalachian region (60.0+ inches). As winter clouds approach from the west and migrate across the Blue Ridge, an orographic effect ensues which releases an amount of snow in the Western high country, leaving little for central and eastern Wilkes County as the systems passes over. The result is more of a wintry mix of sleet and frozen rain, hence the 9.9 inches of average total snowfall, but the lack of any snow depth.
of 2000, there were 4,116 people, 1,639 households, and 942 families residing in the town. The population density
was 803.9 people per square mile (310.4/km²). There were 1,837 housing units at an average density of 358.8 per square mile (138.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 74.47% White, 17.90% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.49% Pacific Islander, 4.25% from other races
, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 11.27% of the population.
There were 1,639 households out of which 45.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples
living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 2000 U.S. Census listed the county's population at 65,632; the 2010 U.S. Census listed the population at 69,340...
, 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...
. The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
, which continues to have a major presence in the community. The town is also known as one of the birthplaces of the sport of stock-car racing, and the North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
was the first NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
-sanctioned track. North Wilkesboro's major industries include furniture and textile production, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. Due to the town's proximity to the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
and the numerous tourist venues there, North Wilkesboro has been nicknamed the "Key to the Blue Ridge".
History
North Wilkesboro was founded in 1891 when the Norfolk and Southern Railroad built a railroad line into Wilkes County. The line ended on the northern bank of the Yadkin RiverYadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
opposite Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro may refer to several places in the United States:* North Wilkesboro, North Carolina* Wilkesboro, North Carolina* Wilkesboro, Oregon...
, the county seat. The Town of North Wilkesboro quickly developed around the railroad tracks. North Wilkesboro was the home of the Carolina Mirror Company, which for many years was the largest mirror factory in the United States. Although this is no longer the case, the town remains a major producer of mirrors through Gardner Glass Products Inc. Lowe's Foods, one of the Southeast's largest supermarket chains, was started in North Wilkesboro in 1954. Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
, the nation's second-largest chain of home-improvement stores, was started in North Wilkesboro in 1946. The Town does continue to host large corporate offices including Gardner Glass Products Inc., Window World, and ECMD. In addition, two local businessmen recently won prestigious awards for entrepreneurship. Julius "Jay" Howell was recognized as the Small Business Administration's 2010 N.C. Minority Small Business Champion of the Year. Jason Carlton, founder of the GoNC Network, which includes GoWilkes.com, GoAshe.com, and GoSurry.com, has been recognized by Business Leader Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Entrepreneurs” in North Carolina for his significant business innovation, leadership, industry, and community involvement. The Town of North Wilkesboro is focused on their mission of improving the lives of its citizens through economic development by establishing the Wilkes Industrial Park, which is North Carolina's second largest certified industrial park with a developable area of 552 acres. The Wilkes Industrial Park has water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, and has the potential to access the Yadkin Valley Railroad to the south.
Thanks to an $800,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Wilkes Industrial Park will have a new access road on the southwest side, which is scheduled to be completed by early 2012. In addition, the main transportation corridor serving the site (NC-268) will be widened from 2 lanes to 4 lanes by 2015. This project will be completed by the NCDOT
While one of NASCAR's original speedways shares the name of North Wilkesboro with the town it is important to note that the speedway is not located inside of the town's limits. The North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
predates the founding of NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
; the speedway held its first race on May 18, 1947 and from there it grew in popularity. On October 16, 1949 the Speedway held the 8th and final race of the 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Division; when the race was over Robert "Red" Byron had become the first NASCAR-sanctioned champion. The North Wilkesboro Speedway held NASCAR races for 50 years; on September 29, 1996 Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
would win the final race to be held at the speedway. In 1995, following the death of long-time owner and track founder Enoch Staley, the speedway was purchased by two new owners, Bob Bahre and Bruton Smith
Bruton Smith
Ollen Bruton Smith is a promoter and owner/CEO of NASCAR track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc. He was ranked #207 on the Forbes 400 list with an estimated worth of $1.5 billion in 2005, and fell to #278 in 2006. He is divorced with four children...
. Soon after their purchase, both men announced that they were closing the speedway and moving its two NASCAR race dates to their new tracks in Texas and New Hampshire. The decision met with strong criticism from race fans. Since 1996 several unsuccessful attempts have been made to purchase and reopen the speedway to racing; most recently a group known as "Save the Speedway" has been working to provide historic markers and collect memorabilia from the speedway's rich racing history. In 2010 the speedway reopened and already has races booked.
Affordable healthcare
Wilkes Regional Medical Center, founded in 1951 as Wilkes General Hospital, is located in North Wilkesboro. It is the largest hospital in northwestern North Carolina and is currently the town's largest employer. West Park, formerly a large shopping center built in the 1970s, has recently been transformed into a large medical park with numerous offices for physicians, medical specialists, pharmacies, physical therapists, and other medical and health-related fields.Recently, Wilkes Regional Medical Center was honored with the Four Star Inpatient service award by Professional Research Consultants, Inc.
Wilkes Regional Medical Center was established to care for the sick and injured. Its mission is to strive to provide comprehensive, high quality and cost effective health care to the citizens of Wilkes County and surrounding areas. Wilkes Regional Medical Center recently expanded their services by establishing an Urgent Care Center in West Park Medical Center and plans to expand the Emergency Room beginning in 2011.
Wilkes Regional Medical Center is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The seal of accreditation is accepted nationwide as the highest standards of medical care in personnel, equipment, and organization. Since the Joint Commission considers accreditation maintenance as an ongoing education activity for review, inspection and updating you have the added assurance that Wilkes Regional Medical Center will consistently give you the most modern medical care available. Physician specialties at Wilkes Regional Medical Center include:
| Anesthesiology | Cardiology | Emergency Medicine | ENT | Family Practice |
| Gastroenterology | Internal Medicine | Medical Imaging | Nephrology | Neurology |
| OB/GYN | Ophthalmology | Pathology | Pediatrics | Psychiatry |
| General Surgery | Orthopedic Surgery | Vascular Surgery | Urology | ** |
Media
North Wilkesboro is the home of both media sources for Wilkes County: the Wilkes Journal-PatriotWilkes Journal-Patriot
The Wilkes Journal-Patriot is a newspaper based in North Wilkesboro, Wilkes County, North Carolina and published three times each week . The paper claims a circulation of 15,000 paid subscribers....
and The Record of Wilkes. Founded in 1906, the Journal-Patriot is Wilkes County's largest and oldest newspaper; it is published three times per week. The Record of Wilkes is published once per week; it usually focuses on the local arts scene in Wilkes.
Wilkes County's two largest radio stations are broadcast from North Wilkesboro. WKBC-FM
WKBC-FM
WKBC-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. Most of its programming comes from Dial Global's Hot AC...
(97.3 FM), broadcasts Adult Contemporary (hot AC) music as well as the football games of nearby Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
. In 2006 it was rated the best radio station in the 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',...
listening area by the music critics of Charlotte's Creative Loafing
Creative Loafing
CL Inc. is the Tampa, Florida-based publisher of three city newsweeklies and their associated websites. Each of the papers focuses on local news, politics, arts and entertainment, and restaurants...
magazine. The station can be heard as far away as Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill is the largest city in York County, South Carolina and the fourth-largest city in the state. It is also the third-largest city of the Charlotte metropolitan area, behind Charlotte and Concord, North Carolina. The population was 71,459 as of . Rock Hill has undergone rapid growth between...
and Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
. WKBC (AM) (800 AM) broadcasts American Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
.
North Wilkesboro is also home to GoWilkes.com, a well-recognized internet media source that allows residents to discuss current events and local happenings in real time. GoWilkes.com was voted the 2004 Small Business of the Year by the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
Local events
The downtown business district of North Wilkesboro became a recognized Main Street Town in 2000. The Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro, a non-profit group that has worked to revitalize the downtown business district, led the effort to have the town recognized as a Main Street Town; the group also sponsors other events to attract people to the downtown area. For example, Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro is the founder of the annual Battle of the Bands, an all-day rock concertRock concert
The term rock concert refers to a musical performance in the style of any one of many genres inspired by "rock and roll" music. While a variety of vocal and instrumental styles can constitute a rock concert, this phenomenon is typically characterized by bands playing at least one electric guitar,...
with more than 20 rock bands performing. This is one of the few rock concerts that include a separate competition for amateur bands and professional bands. Bands play in the concert by invitation only. Previous shows included a performance from Waylon Reavis
Waylon Reavis
Waylon Reavis is the vocalist for American alternative metal and industrial metal band Mushroomhead as well as the Cleveland based band Tenafly Viper and former singer of 3 Quarters Dead.-Biography:...
, now the lead singer of Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead is an American industrial metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in Cleveland Warehouse District, the band's music can be described as a synthesis of alternative music, heavy metal, and electro-industrial...
. The concert has steadily grown in popularity since its inception, and draws thousands of music fans each year. The concert is held on the last Saturday in September.
Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro is also the founder of the annual 'Shine to Wine Festival. Over the past 20 years, numerous local farmers have moved into the winemaking industry and the wine festival gives local wineries and vineyards a chance to display and publicize their wines. The festival also traces the historical development of Wilkes County liquor from moonshine
Moonshine
Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
to wine. The 'Shine to Wine festival is held on the first Saturday in May. Other downtown North Wilkesboro festivals include the Downtown Concert Series and Light Up Downtown.
North Wilkesboro is the home of the annual Brushy Mountain Apple Festival
Brushy Mountain Apple Festival
The is a one-day arts and crafts fair held annually in downtown North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The fair is held during the first Saturday in October. Over 160,000 people visit the fair each year, and it is one of the largest single-day arts and crafts fairs in the Southeastern United States....
, which is held to celebrate the apple harvest from the nearby Brushy Mountains
Brushy Mountains (North Carolina)
The Brushy Mountains are a mountain range located in northwestern North Carolina. They are an isolated "spur" of the much larger Blue Ridge Mountains, separated from them by the Yadkin River valley...
. Crowds of over 160,000 people usually attend the festival, and it is one of the largest single-day arts and crafts fairs in the Southern United States. The festival features music, dancing, artwork, crafts, and food traditional to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The streets of downtown North Wilkesboro, NC are filled with over 425 arts and crafts, 100 food concessions, and 4 different music stages consisting of Blue Grass, Country, Folk, Gospel, and Appalachian Heritage. Cloggers, folk dancers, rope skippers, and square dancers provide additional entertainment venues for festival goers. Appalachian Heritage crafts such as woodcarving, chair making, soap making, pottery throwing, and quilting are highlighted. Local apple growers set up throughout the festival selling their apples, apple cider, and dried apples.
Light Up Downtown is an annual downtown event focused on the beginning of the Christmas season and the inaugural first day of decorative lights in downtown North Wilkesboro. Santa always makes an appearance to listen to all the children's Christmas wishes. Free pictures are always available to take with Santa. Hayrides are also available to ride around the downtown and enjoy the Christmas lights and decorations. In addition, many food, craft, and merchandise vendors are lined down Main Street. Downtown retailers are always open late to kickoff the Christmas shopping.
President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
announced that he may visit North Wilkesboro on October 17, 2011, as part of a tour of North Carolina and Virginia. He visited West Wilkes High School and received a very enthusiastic crowd according to WXII12 NEWS .
Attractions
The Wilkes Playmakers, an active local theater group, are based in North Wilkesboro; each summer they stage a popular play based on the life and death of Tom DooleyTom Dula
Thomas C. Dula was a former Confederate soldier, who was tried, convicted, and hanged for the murder of his fiancée, Laura Foster. The trial and hanging received national publicity from newspapers such as The New York Times, thus turning Dula's story into a folk legend...
, a local Civil War veteran who was tried and hanged in 1868 for the murder of his fiancée, Laura Foster. The murder trial received national publicity at the time, and the belief of many that one of Dooley's jealous ex-girlfriends murdered Foster and that Dooley was innocent made his story into a folk legend. The play usually attracts sold-out audiences during its summer run.
The Wilkes Art Gallery was founded in 1962 in the parlor of art patron Annie Winkler's home and in 2004 moved into the renovated North Wilkesboro Post Office building located in the heart of downtown North Wilkesboro. The Gallery's 10000 square feet (929 m²) facility includes over 3500 square feet (325.2 m²) of exhibition space, an education center with a complete ceramics studio, painting and drawing studios, two multi-purpose classrooms, and a Gallery Gift Shop. The Gallery provides quality educational experiences through exhibits, classes and workshops for all ages. The Gallery also sponsors several "Gallery Crawls" per year, which bring both citizens and tourists downtown to enjoy good wine, good friends, and great art. Recently, a group of local students painted a cultural mural on the back of the Gallery. Below, is a picture of the recent Mural Project in the back of the Gallery.
North Wilkesboro recently welcomed the Yadkin River Greenway which was created through the cooperative efforts of citizen volunteers, landowners, and the governments of Wilkes County, North Wilkesboro, Wilkesboro, and the State of North Carolina. The effort began in 1994, and the first phase of the greenway was opened on May 18, 2002. The Yadkin River Greenway Council, a non-profit community organization, provided coordination and leadership. The Greenway is a natural area between urban communities where wildlife, vegetation, and streams are preserved and enjoyed. The Greenway contains biking, jogging, and walking trails which follow the Yadkin River
Yadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
and Reddies River
Reddies River
The Reddies River is a tributary of the Yadkin River in northwestern North Carolina in the United States. Via the Yadkin it is part of the watershed of the Pee Dee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
for several miles between the towns of North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro may refer to several places in the United States:* North Wilkesboro, North Carolina* Wilkesboro, North Carolina* Wilkesboro, Oregon...
. The Yadkin River Greenway offers over 1.7 miles (2.7 km) of paved trails to form over 5.1 miles (8.2 km) of current trails with more extensions to come in the near future. One of the most popular spots on the Greenway is a 156 feet (47.5 m)-long bridge which spans the Reddies River at its mouth, where it joins the Yadkin River.
Wilkes County School System
US News & World Report named Wilkes Central High School and West Wilkes High School in their 2010 list of "America's Best High Schools." Wilkes Central High School was awarded a Silver and West High a Bronze.Wilkes County Schools (WCS) meets the educational needs of 10,169 students, with over 1,500 employees including 20 technology support staff. WCS has thirteen elementary schools, four middle schools, four high schools, and an early college high school. WCS is committed to excellence in teaching and to the belief that all students can learn. WCS has provided the school infrastructure necessary for 21st Century technology. Accomplishments include:
- All classrooms have high speed internet access and wireless connectivity;
- Currently all 4th and 5th graders are provided Personal handheld computing devices;
- Currently 600 classrooms are identified as Smart Classrooms (SMART Board, laptop for teacher, and data projector);
- Students in 6th and 7th grades issued mini-laptops;
- Students in high school are issued laptops;
- WCS Combined SAT Scores were higher than the state average for the last three years.
- WCS offers a hybrid 162-day calendar-with school days 45 minutes longer than normal - in which students actually spend more hours in class than they did with a traditional 180-day calendar.
Wilkes Community College
Wilkes Community CollegeWilkes Community College
Wilkes Community College , a member of the North Carolina Community College system, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties and beyond. The college is located in the city of Wilkesboro, North Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge...
is one of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina's community college system and is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties and surrounding areas. Wilkes Community College provides programs, resources, and services which create quality educational and economic development, and cultural opportunities. Wilkes Community College (WCC) enhances the quality of life through:
- quality education and workforce development, including basic skills, occupational, technical and pre-baccalaureate programs;
- economic development services to business and industry, both public and private; and
- community development through a variety of services, cultural activities, and recreational opportunities.
Wilkes Community College is also the venue for MerleFest
MerleFest
MerleFest is an annual "traditional plus" music festival held in Wilkesboro, North Carolina on the campus of Wilkes Community College . The festival, which is held the last weekend in April, is hosted by Grammy Award winner Doc Watson and is named in memory and honor of his son, Eddy Merle Watson,...
, which is an annual Americana music festival on the WCC campus. The festival, which is held the last weekend in April, is hosted by guitar player Doc Watson and is named in memory and honor of his son, Eddy Merle Watson, who died in a farming accident in 1985. The festival, founded in 1988, now attracts crowds exceeding 85,000 in number, making it the largest folk music festival in the United States. The music is spread across 15 different stages and four days, which promises non-stop excitement for festival goers. MerleFest offers a generation and genre crossing mix of traditional and contemporary roots music, which the organization calls "traditional-plus." It brings together the very best of bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, contemporary acoustic, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, old-time music, Cajun
Cajun music
Cajun music, an emblematic music of Louisiana, is rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada. Cajun music is often mentioned in tandem with the Creole-based, Cajun-influenced zydeco form, both of Acadiana origin...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and singer-songwriter music.
Notable people
- Daniel BooneDaniel BooneDaniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, the famed explorer and pioneer, lived for several years in the area where North Wilkesboro is located before moving west to Kentucky. - William and John SwoffordJohn SwoffordJohn Swofford is currently the Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference He was born on December 6, 1948 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. While at Wilkes Central High School, he played as quarterback for the Wilkes Central Eagles football team...
are from North Wilkesboro. A former quarterback for the North Carolina Tar Heels footballNorth Carolina Tar Heels footballThe North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
team, John would become the University of North CarolinaUniversity of North CarolinaChartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
's athletic director and since 1997 has been commissioner of the Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast ConferenceThe Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
. His older brother William was a singer who scored two Billboard Top 10 hits in 1969 with "Good Morning StarshineGood Morning Starshine"Good Morning Starshine" is a pop song from the musical Hair. It was a #3 hit in the United States in June of 1969 for the singer Oliver.-History:...
" and "JeanJean (song)"Jean" is the title of a popular song from 1969 . It was written by the American poet and composer Rod McKuen, who also recorded a version of the song....
" under his middle name, Oliver. William died in 2000. - Larry Stone, the sports announcer of the Tennessee TitansTennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
franchise, started his broadcasting career in North Wilkesboro. - Robert ByrdRobert ByrdRobert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
, the senior U.S. Senator from West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
from 1959–2010, was born in North Wilkesboro. He was the longest-serving Senator in American history. - James B. GordonJames B. GordonJames Byron Gordon was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was killed in action at the Battle of Meadow Bridge.-Early life:...
, a generalGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
of cavalryCavalryCavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, lived in what is now the town limits of North Wilkesboro.
Geography
North Wilkesboro is located along the Yadkin RiverYadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
at the mouth of the Reddies River
Reddies River
The Reddies River is a tributary of the Yadkin River in northwestern North Carolina in the United States. Via the Yadkin it is part of the watershed of the Pee Dee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
. North Wilkesboro has long been known as the "Key to the Blue Ridge" and is adjacent to the Brushy Mountains
Brushy Mountains (North Carolina)
The Brushy Mountains are a mountain range located in northwestern North Carolina. They are an isolated "spur" of the much larger Blue Ridge Mountains, separated from them by the Yadkin River valley...
, Stone Mountain State Park
Stone Mountain State Park
Stone Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Alleghany and Wilkes Counties, North Carolina in the United States.-Size and location:Located in Wilkes and Alleghany counties of North Carolina, it covers 13,747 acres ....
, and the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
. Located a few miles away, the W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir offers its visitors a pristine wilderness to go mountain biking, boating, swimming, camping, picnicing, hunting, and fishing around its 55 miles (88.5 km) shoreline. The Town of North Wilkesboro is located in the heart of Wilkes County, North Carolina in the northwestern corner of the state. Wilkes County is bordered by eight (8) counties. These include the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell, Iredell, Surry, Watauga, and Yadkin; thus making the town conveniently juxtaposed to eight county seats and economic hubs; all within a 45-minute drive from town. The town corporate limits cover approximately 7.5 square miles (~ 4,800 acres) of contiguous property with approximately 300 acres in satellite territories. The Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) encompasses roughly 16 square miles (41.4 km²) or 10,240 acres. The town is bordered to the south by the Yadkin River and the Town of Wilkesboro. Running through the eastern portion of the town is the Reddies River which flows from North to South and unites with the Yadkin.
Transportation
 US 421 |
 NC 268 |
 NC 115 |
 NC 16 |
 NC 18 |
The town serves as the junction point for NC State Highways 18 and 268 and is within one mile (1.6 km) to the north of US Highway 421. US 421 passes by the town and allows transportation to the nearby cities of Winston-Salem (to the east) and Boone
Boone
- Places :In the United States:* Boone, Colorado* Boone, Iowa* Boone, North Carolina* Boone Grove, Indiana* Boone Township, Minnesota* Boones Mill, Virginia* Boonesboro, Missouri* Boonesborough, Kentucky* Booneville...
(to the west), the home of Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
. The town is also served by NC Highway 115 and is close in proximity to NC Highway 16.
Climate
North Wilkesboro rests in the foothills to the east of the Blue Ridge escarpment; which encompass the western edge of Wilkes County. The town’s position in relation to the abutting mountain system accounts for the mild, yet wet winters and summers. The average annual maximum temperature is 68.9degrees Fahrenheit with a corresponding minimum annual temperature average of 42.8 degrees. Average annual rainfall (50.0 inches) for the town falls just short of the typical average of the Southern Appalachian region (60.0+ inches). As winter clouds approach from the west and migrate across the Blue Ridge, an orographic effect ensues which releases an amount of snow in the Western high country, leaving little for central and eastern Wilkes County as the systems passes over. The result is more of a wintry mix of sleet and frozen rain, hence the 9.9 inches of average total snowfall, but the lack of any snow depth.
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 4,116 people, 1,639 households, and 942 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 803.9 people per square mile (310.4/km²). There were 1,837 housing units at an average density of 358.8 per square mile (138.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 74.47% White, 17.90% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.49% Pacific Islander, 4.25% 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 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 11.27% of the population.
There were 1,639 households out of which 45.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% 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, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.
External links
- Town of North Wilkesboro, NC
- Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro
- Yadkin River Greenway
- Wilkes Art Gallery
- GoWilkes
- North Wilkesboro Fire Department Website
- Wilkes Smart Start
- Wilkes County NC Lawn Mower Racing - Photos of lawn mowers racing at the North Wilkesboro Rotary Club Fairgrounds