Enfield, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enfield, North Carolina
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Buildings along Railroad Street
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Location of Enfield, North Carolina
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Halifax |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.30 sq mi (3.37 km2) |
| • Land | 1.30 sq mi (3.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 105 ft (32 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,865 |
| • Density | 1,433.51/sq mi (553.52/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
27823
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| Area code(s) | 252 |
| FIPS code | 37-21360 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2406450 |
| Website | www.enfieldnc.org |
Enfield is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States, and was founded in 1740. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 1,864, which reflected a decrease of almost 27% from the population of 2,538 in 2010. It is the oldest town in Halifax County, North Carolina, and was once the world’s largest raw peanut market. Enfield is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
One of the most significant historic events in this small rural town was the Enfield Riots, which helped spark American Independence. The Crown governed the area, and Robert Earl Granville, heir of John Lord Carteret, possessed land rights in the district. The riots were set off by a controversy over corrupt agents, land grants, titles, and the collection of quitrents (which often ended up in Granville’s pocket). A group of Colonists – many of them land owners and office holders from Halifax, Edgecombe and Granville counties - went to Edenton on the night of January 25, 1759, and kidnapped Francis Corbin and a co-agent, Joshua Bodley. Corbin and Bodley were brought to Enfield, where they were thrown in jail for four days and forced to open all land records for public inspection. Corbin returned illegal fees he had collected, but he filed a lawsuit against his abductors after his release.
The suit was eventually dropped, but the Colonial Assembly jailed some of the men who had kidnapped Corbin and Bodley. A group of citizens in Enfield expressed outrage against British tyranny and on May 14, 1759, broke into jail and freed the men. It is thought that the actions of these rioters probably encouraged Willie Jones and the other radical leaders of North Carolina to push for independence from England through the Halifax Resolves of April 12, 1776.
National Register of Historic Places
Bell-Sherrod House, Bellamy's Mill, Samuel Warren Branch House, The Cellar, Enfield Graded School, Gray Hall, Myrtle Lawn, James H. Parker House, Shell Castle, Strawberry Hill, and Whitaker's Chapel are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
Enfield is located at 36°10′47″N 77°40′08″W / 36.179843°N 77.668777°W (36.179843, -77.668777).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), all of it land.
Industries providing employment: Manufacturing (28.0%), Educational, health and social services (19.3%), Retail trade (10.2%), Arts,entertainment,recreation,accommodation and food services (10.0%).
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 504 | — | |
| 1890 | 568 | 12.7% | |
| 1900 | 361 | −36.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,167 | 223.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,648 | 41.2% | |
| 1930 | 2,234 | 35.6% | |
| 1940 | 2,208 | −1.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,361 | 6.9% | |
| 1960 | 2,978 | 26.1% | |
| 1970 | 3,272 | 9.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,995 | −8.5% | |
| 1990 | 3,082 | 2.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,347 | −23.8% | |
| 2010 | 2,532 | 7.9% | |
| 2020 | 1,865 | −26.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 201 | 10.73% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,584 | 84.93% |
| Native American | 11 | 0.59% |
| Asian | 1 | 0.05% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 55 | 2.95% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12 | 0.64% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,865 people, 1,069 households, and 625 families residing in the town.
Notable people
- John T. Alsop, former mayor of Jacksonville, Florida.
- Ruth Bellamy (1906-1969), writer, born in Enfield.
- John Branch Jr. was an American politician who served as U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Navy, the 19th Governor of the state of North Carolina, and was the sixth and last territorial governor of Florida.
- George Eastman had a second home in Enfield. Eastman’s most regular vacations were his triannual trips down to Oak Lodge, his rustic hunting retreat in Enfield, North Carolina.
See also
In Spanish: Enfield (Carolina del Norte) para niños
