Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank and Camden counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 17,188 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pasquotank County[3] and the principal city of the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Elizabeth City was founded as the town of Redding in 1793 on land acquired from Adam and Elizabeth Tooley. In 1794 the town was renamed Elizabeth, and in 1801 Elizabeth City. The name change has been variously attributed to honor either Queen Elizabeth I of England, who 200 years earlier spearheaded the colonization of the Carolina and Virginia coasts, or Elizabeth "Betsy" Tooley. Elizabeth City is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region, and is nicknamed the "Harbor of Hospitality".
Battle of Elizabeth City
During the Civil War on February 10, 1862 there was a small battle between the Confederate States of America and the United States of America near Elizabeth City on the Pasquotank River. It was nothing more then a skirmish and casualties were low. The battle ended in a Union victory and resulted in the capture of Elizabeth City by the Union. Retreating Confederates set fire to part of the town. The fire burned two city blocks before being put out by Union sailors. The Elizabeth City Courthouse was also burned but before it was all the public records were removed and hidden throughout the city until the war ended. Four companys of Confederate soldiers and one company of Union soldiers came from Pasquotank County and Elizabeth City.
Geography
Elizabeth City is located at 36°17′44″N 76°13′30″W / 36.29556°N 76.225°W / 36.29556; -76.225 (36.295585, -76.224954).[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.8 km²), of which, 8.9 square miles (23.2 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (6.49%) is water.
The city is located alongside the Pasquotank River, which connects to the Albemarle Sound and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway. Directly across the river lies Camden County. The city's semi-coastal geography has played an important role in its history -- Elizabeth City once hosted thriving oyster and timber industries. Elizabeth City is also the largest city in north-eastern North Carolina
Notable features
Elizabeth City is home to Elizabeth City State University, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System. The university encompasses a moderate area within city limits and houses more than 2,900 students.
-The Virginia Dare Arcade, many antebellum style homes, The Museum of the Albemarle
Greater Elizabeth City (Pasquotank County) has 6 National Register Historic Districts and 6 resources that are listed individually on the National Register.
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, the largest United States Coast Guard Air Station on the East Coast, is located directly south of Elizabeth City's city limits. Recently incorporated into the United States Department of Homeland Security, the base provides a host of local jobs and maintains an influx of Coast Guard employees from all around the country.
The USCG Air Station and the ATTC in Elizabeth City, NC was also featured in numerous scenes of the 2006 Disney movie "The Guardian", although the base was made to look like Kodiak, Alaska in keeping with the films script.
Elizabeth City is also home to one of the United States' few airship factories [1]. Many of the nation's commercial blimps are made and serviced here. The current airship station evolved from what was previously a US Navy airstation.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2008, there were 20,188 people, 6,877 households, and 4,689 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,923.2 people per square mile (742.3/km²). There were 7,463 housing units at an average density of 835.1/sq mi (322.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 40.24% White, 56.60% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.
There were 6,577 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 15.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,193, and the median income for a family was $28,037. Males had a median income of $27,434 versus $20,836 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,333. About 25.1% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.5% of those under age 18 and 23.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
All public education from Kindergarten to Twelfth Grade is overseen by the Pasquotank County Board of Education.
- Primary (Kindergarten - Grade 5)
- Central Elementary School
- J.C. Sawyer Elementary School
- Northside Elementary School
- Pasquotank Elementary School
- P.W. Moore Elementary School
- Sheep-Harney Elementary School
- Weeksville Elementary School
- Secondary
- Middle Schools (Grades 6 - 8)
- Elizabeth City Middle School(Former Elizabeth City High School)
- River Road Middle School
- High Schools (Grades 9-12)
- Tertiary
Transportation
Highways
US 17 Bypass
US 17 Business
US 17 (mainline)
US 158
North Carolina Highway 344
Air
Rail
Famous Bits
- Nine-ball legend Luther Lassiter was born in Elizabeth City, and developed much of his skill at pool in the City Billiards pool hall there during the Great Depression.
- Robert Frost had traveled into and was stranded in the nearby Dismal Swamp, but was saved by some passersby, who brought him to stay in Elizabeth City for a few weeks.
- A woman named Nell Cropsey is renowned as the subject of Elizabeth City's relatively well-known murder mystery. The story of her unresolved disappearance has been chronicled by Bland Simpson, an author and historian who is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The annual "Ghost Walk" in Elizabeth City commemorates the legend, alongside other local tales, with re-enactments performed by local raconteurs.
- The Wright brothers sometimes used Elizabeth City as a stopover to the Outer Banks to gather supplies and catch a boat. They stayed in the old Southern Hotel, which is no longer operational as a hotel.
- In 2006, filming for a scene of the Kevin Costner & Ashton Kutcher movie The Guardian (2006 film) took place at the USCG base. Many of the employees at the base were used as extras.
- Judge John Warren Davis was born in Elizabeth City
- Ricky Braddy, Jr., a contestant on Season 8 of American Idol is from Elizabeth City. He made it to the Top 36 but was eliminated during the first round of semi finals.
- On September 13, 2008 the band Lynyrd Skynyrd came to Elizabeth City and played a concert at the Coast Guard base.
- Confederate Lieutenant Gilbert Elliott builder of the Confederate ironclad CSS Albemarle was born in Elizabeth City.
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
External links
