Shelby, North Carolina

Shelby, North Carolina
City

Location of Shelby, North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°17′18″N 81°32′16″W / 35.28833°N 81.53778°W / 35.28833; -81.53778Coordinates: 35°17′18″N 81°32′16″W / 35.28833°N 81.53778°W / 35.28833; -81.53778
Country United States
State North Carolina
County Cleveland
Area
 • Total 21.1 sq mi (54.7 km2)
 • Land 21.1 sq mi (54.6 km2)
 • Water 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation 869 ft (265 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 20,323
 • Density 960/sq mi (370/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 28150-28152
Area code 704, 980
FIPS code 37-61200 [1]
GNIS feature ID 0994631 [2]
Website cityofshelby.com

Shelby is a city in and the county seat of Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States.[3] It lies near the western edge of the Charlotte combined statistical area. The population was 20,323 at the 2010 census.[4]

History

The Banker's House, Joshua Beam House, Central Shelby Historic District, Cleveland County Courthouse, East Marion-Belvedere Park Historic District, James Heyward Hull House, Masonic Temple Building, Dr. Victor McBrayer House, George Sperling House and Outbuildings, Joseph Suttle House, Webbley, and West Warren Street Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

In 1916, Thomas Dixon, Jr., the author of The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan, planned to erect a statue of his uncle Leroy McAfee on the courthouse square.[6][7] The project was initially met with enthusiasm,[6] until it was announced that Dixon wanted McAfee to wear a Ku Klux Klan mask in the statue.[7]

The city gained some international attention when it became the site of the arrest of the suspected Charleston church shooting's perpetrator, Dylann Roof, in June 2015.[8]

Geography

Shelby is located in south-central Cleveland County. U.S. 74, a four-lane highway, runs through the city south of the center, and leads east 21 miles (34 km) to Gastonia and west 27 miles (43 km) to Rutherfordton.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.1 square miles (54.7 km2), of which 21.1 square miles (54.6 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.17%, is water.[4]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880990—
18901,39440.8%
19001,87434.4%
19103,12766.9%
19203,60915.4%
193010,789198.9%
194014,03730.1%
195015,50810.5%
196017,69814.1%
197016,328−7.7%
198015,310−6.2%
199014,669−4.2%
200019,47732.8%
201020,3234.3%
Est. 201520,189[9]−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 19,477 people, 7,927 households, and 5,144 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,073.8 people per square mile (414.6/km²). There were 8,853 housing units at an average density of 488.1/sq mi (188.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 56.88% White, 40.97% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.

There were 7,927 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,345, and the median income for a family was $38,603. Males had a median income of $30,038 versus $21,362 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,708. About 14.3% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Shelby is served by US Highway 74 and its business route. US 74 Business travels through uptown Shelby along Marion St. and Warren St., giving travelers access to Shelby's growing central business district. Currently, a controlled-access highway (signed as US 74) is under construction from Mooresboro to Kings Mountain, which will bypass Shelby to the north.[11] Upon completion of the project, Charlotte and Asheville will be connected by virtually uninterrupted freeway via Interstate 85, US Highway 74, and Interstate 26.

Shelby is also served by four North Carolina State Highways.

Annual events

The Cleveland County Fair in 2010

Attractions

The Don Gibson Theater in Uptown Shelby is named for country musician and Shelby native Don Gibson (see notable people section below). The theater occupies a former movie theater that has been converted to a venue for live music performances[15]

The City of Shelby Parks and Recreation Department has something for all to enjoy and has for over 60 years. City Park spans 150 acres with beautifully kept ball fields, playgrounds, picnic areas, an aquatics center, a nine-hole golf course, miles of paved walking trails, horseshoe pits, and a sitting garden. There is also a Community Center with a 1,500 seat gymnasium with a stage. In addition City Park is home to the Historic Herchell Spillman Carousel and Gift Shop and restored Rotary Miniature Train. Over 800,000 people visit Shelby City Park annually.[16]

The Earl Scruggs Center: Music and Stories from the American South opened on Jan 11, 2014. This high tech museum honors banjo innovator and legend Earl Scruggs.

Newgrass Brewing Company opened on August 8th, 2015. This brewery features hop-forward and Belgian-style beers that are complimented by an in-house kitchen that specializes in southern takes on high-end pub food. It is also a music venue and is dedicated to the progressive bluegrass movement kicked off by Earl Scruggs and his progenitors known as "Newgrass."[17]

The film adaptation of Blood Done Sign My Name was filmed in Shelby,[18] as well as the reaping scene in the film adaptation of The Hunger Games.[19]

A fictionalized version of the city is the setting of HBO comedy show Eastbound & Down. Filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, it bears little geographic or cultural resemblance to the real place. Actor and writer Danny McBride chose the location as an inspiration because of its size, attitude, and name.[20]

In the 10th episode of the TV show Make It or Break It, Shelby is mentioned as being the location of Lauren Tanner's mother.

On the 41st episode of the TV show Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, the host travels to the annual Livermush festival in Shelby.[21]

On November 11, 2007, the Oxygen Network's "Captured" aired a profile of The Brenda Sue Brown Murder mystery that took place in Shelby, North Carolina in 1966.[22]

Notable people

References

  1. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Shelby city, North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
  5. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  6. 1 2 "Cleveland Cullings". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, North Carolina. September 22, 1916. p. 7. Retrieved September 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. (registration required (help)). The announcement that Thomas Dixon will erect a monument on the Shelby court square to the memory of Col. Leroy McAfee is hailed with delight.
  7. 1 2 "Cleveland County Is Resenting Dixon's Plan". The Charlotte Observer. October 29, 1916. Retrieved September 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. (registration required (help)). Whether or no Thomas Dixon suspected that such a project would meet with spirited opposition all over his home county and as a piece of news, become circulated widely by newspapers of the South, is another matter but if Mr Dixon wants to stir up things and keep his name before the public to better advertise his productive "The Fall of a Nation", he could not have selected anything more timely. Mr Dixon proposed to erect this monument to Colonel McAfee in Shelby, the county seat of Cleveland County, where "Tommy" was "brought up" and to include a Ku Klux masque.
  8. ↑ Glenza, Jessica (June 18, 2015). "Dylann Roof: the cold stare of a killer with a history of drug abuse and racism". The Guardian. Retrieved September 28, 2016. Roof fled the church in his Hyundai sedan – with Confederate flag license plates – and was captured in Shelby, North Carolina, more than 240 miles away.
  9. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ webmaster. "NCDOT: US 74 Bypass (Shelby Bypass)". www.ncdot.gov. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  12. ↑ "American Legion World Series". The American Legion World Series. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  13. ↑ "Parks and Recreation: Festival Information". City of Shelby, NC. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  14. ↑ url=http://www.shelbyhamfest.org
  15. ↑ http://www.dongibsontheater.com/
  16. ↑ http://www.cityofshelby.com/govt/dept_parks_rec/index.php
  17. ↑ http://www.newgrassbrewing.com
  18. ↑ "Tyson's 'Blood' to be filmed in N.C.". Raleigh News & Observer. February 13, 2008.
  19. ↑ Buckworth, Kathy (14 March 2012). "The Hunger Games Take Over North Carolina". Huffington Post. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  20. ↑ Cawthon, Graham (February 28, 2009). "How HBO's "Eastbound & Down" came to Shelby". The Star. Retrieved 14 July 2009.
  21. ↑ Allen, David (May 7, 2009). "Livermush (and Shelby) featured on Travel Channel". The Shelby Star. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  22. ↑ http://www.shelbystar.com/news/cases-28870-years-case.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  23. ↑ "Bill Champion's career statistics". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  24. ↑ "About Kay Hagan". United States Senate. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  25. ↑ "Tom Wright's career statistics". retrosheet.org. Retrieved 8 September 2008.
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