Eden, North Carolina Explained

Official Name:Eden, North Carolina
Settlement Type:City
Nickname:Land of 2 Rivers
Motto:"Small Town, Big Outdoors"
Mapsize:250x200px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:North Carolina
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Rockingham
Government Type:City Council
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Neville Hall
Leader Title1:City Manager
Leader Name1:Jon Mendenhall
Established Title:incorporated
Established Date:September 12, 1967
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:37.24
Area Land Km2:36.83
Area Water Km2:0.41
Area Total Sq Mi:14.38
Area Land Sq Mi:14.22
Area Water Sq Mi:0.16
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:15421
Population Density Km2:418.72
Population Density Sq Mi:1084.46
Population Rank:70th in North Carolina
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Ft:633
Coordinates:36.5028°N -79.7414°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Postal Code:27288-27289
Area Code:336
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:37-20080[2]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2403539

Eden is a city in Rockingham County in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is part of the Greensboro-High Point Metropolitan Statistical Area of the Piedmont Triad region. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,405.[3] From the late nineteenth century through much of the 20th, the city was a center of textile mills and manufacturing. The city was incorporated in 1967 through the consolidation of three towns: Leaksville, Spray, and Draper.[4] [5]

History

By the mid-eighteenth century, the territory of present-day Eden was within a 70000acres estate owned by William Byrd II, a planter of Virginia and North Carolina. He originally called his estate "The Land of Eden".[6]

During the last years of his life, William Byrd II dreamed of bringing large numbers of Swiss Protestants to the "Land of Eden"; he eventually acquired more than 100000acres in Virginia. He envisioned an industrious, self-sufficient colony that would thrive on the abundance of the frontier. Byrd's dream was not to be realized. After years of negotiations, at least one boatload of Swiss did sail for "The Land of Eden" from Europe, but it was shipwrecked in a December gale off the coast of Virginia. None of the few survivors are believed to have reached Eden. Byrd died August 26, 1744. By that time, the "Land of Eden" began to be surrounded by small farms held by a wave of poor Scotch-Irish immigrants, whom Byrd had compared to the "Goths and Vandals."[7]

"Eden" was inherited by William Byrd III, who shared none of his father's dreams of colonization. Young Byrd married Elizabeth Hill Carter in 1748. He sought to dispose of Eden to gain cash to support his grand lifestyle. He was finally successful on November 8, 1755, when he sold 26000acres in North Carolina to Simon and Francis Farley, two merchant brothers from the island of Antigua. By this time, yeoman settlement in the area was increasing at a considerable pace. The Farley brothers attempted to create plantations on some of the richest acres, but more frequently, settlers squatted on the land and built homesteads. In 1762 James Parke Farley, son of Francis Farley, went to Williamsburg to attend the College of William and Mary. He married Elizabeth Hill Byrd, daughter of William Byrd III and Elizabeth Hill Carter.

Many later settlers migrating to the Dan River Area knew little of William Byrd. They were familiar with an old Indian village in the area near Town Creek and the Farley holdings. This location became the center of settlement, and the 26000acres came to be called the Sauratown tract. In 1775, James Parke Farley and his new bride moved from cosmopolitan Williamsburg, Virginia, to Sauratown.

In the century that Sauratown was in existence, many families settled in the "Land of Eden", and their descendants have stayed in the area, including the Brodnax, Dillard, Ruffin, Morehead, Henry, and Winston families. Many Scots also settled in the area, including the Galloway, Scales, Watt, Lenox, Campbell, and Moir families. Other notable residents of the county include General Lighthorse Harry Lee.

20th century to present

Following previous unsuccessful referendums, on September 12, 1967, residents of Leaksville, Draper, Spray, and the unincorporated Meadows Greens Sanitary District voted to consolidate their communities, 2,252 to 1,753 with 60 percent of eligible voters participating. Of these, 784 elected to call the new city Eden, a term surveyor William Byrd II had used to describe the region in the 1700s. The consolidation took immediate effect, and Eden became the largest city in Rockingham County.[8]

In the late 1990s and early 2000s the local economy suffered due to the closure of several textile mills- an expected byproduct of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Fieldcrest Cannon laid off hundreds of corporate staff in the 1990s, Pluma closed its plant in 1999, and Spray Cotton Mills closed its yarn mill in 2001, and Pillowtex folded in 2003. Some former workers moved to larger cities in search of jobs.[10] The decline of textiles left the Miller Brewing Company's facility the town's flagship industry, but it announced its closure in 2015. The loss of the brewery and the textile mills had a knock-off effect on local retail stores, many of which closed due to the loss of customers and competition from national chains such as Walmart.[11]

On the third weekend of September; Eden hosts the annual River Fest each year to celebrate Eden's history. The Boone Road Historic District, Bullard-Ray House, Cascade Plantation, Central Leaksville Historic District, Dempsey-Reynolds-Taylor House, First Baptist Church, Dr. Franklin King House-Idlewild, Leaksville Commercial Historic District, Leaksville-Spray Institute, Lower Sauratown Plantation, Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, Site 31RK1, Spray Industrial Historic District, St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Tanyard Shoal Sluice, Three Ledges Shoal Sluice, and Wide Mouth Shoal Sluice are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

The Smith and the Dan River have their confluence on the south side of Eden. The Dan River flows along Eden's southern border while the Smith River flows from the north bisecting the city on its route to meet the Dan River. Greensboro is 36miles to the south,[12] Reidsville is 15miles southeast via NC 14[13] High Point is 45miles south[14] and Danville, Virginia is 26miles northeast of the city.[15]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.2sqmi, of which, 15sqmi of it is land and 0.2sqmi of it (1.12%) is water.

Neighborhoods

List of neighborhoods in Eden include[16]

Major industry and economy

Eden has three downtown areas, concentrated in the former towns of Leaksville, Spray, and Draper.[17] [18] [19]

B. Frank Mebane, who had married into the prominent Morehead family, started the first of his six textile mills in the area in 1893. Marshall Field took over the company in 1912 and named it Fieldcrest. The company made textile products that included bedding: sheets and blankets. It employed more than 3000 people. After taking over Cannon Mills in 1986, the company became known as Fieldcrest Cannon; it later moved its headquarters and 110 employees to Kannapolis, North Carolina. Changes and restructuring were affecting the textile industry throughout the South, as companies moved manufacturing operations to areas with cheaper labor, including offshore.[20] [21] [22]

In 1997 Fieldcrest Cannon was sold to Pillowtex. Pillowtex closed its Eden plants in 2003, laying off the last 495 textile workers.[23] [24]

Miller Brewing Company ran a brewery in Eden into the early 21st century. In 2012 it still employed nearly seven hundred people, and produced nine million barrels annually.[25] Miller announced in 2015 that it was shutting down the brewery by September 2016.[26] In September 2020, it was announced Nestle Purina will move into the old MillerCoors facility and will open in 2022.[27]

In February 2017, it was announced that the European-based German grocery store Lidl had broken ground on a store in Eden. It was expected to open in early 2018.[28] As of April, 2019, the store had not opened.[29]

In 1980, the Eden Mall, an approximately 400,000 square feet shopping center, was constructed. The mall began to decline in the late 1990s when its Kmart store closed. More stores began to shut down, culminating in the departures of Peebles in 2008 and Belk in 2015. The mall's physical condition deteriorated over the following years. It was sold in 2013 and subsequently leased out to local businesses.[30] In the late 2010s, the mall gained media attention and became an example of a "Dead mall" due to lack of stores in the mall and had no anchors left, the mall closed to the public in early 2020s.

Demographics

2020 census

Race!scope="col"
NumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)9,40060.96%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)3,95225.63%
Native American620.4%
Asian1470.95%
Pacific Islander40.03%
Other/Mixed7004.54%
Hispanic or Latino1,1567.5%
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,421 people, 6,581 households, and 3,976 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,908 people, 6,644 households, and 4,371 families residing in the city. The population density was 1060.1/mi2. There were 7,368 housing units at an average density of 491/mi2. The racial composition of the city was: 75.43% White, 22.15% Black or African American, 2.34% Hispanic or Latino American, 0.31% Asian American, 0.21% Native American, 0.06% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 1.03% some other race, and 0.81% two or more races.

There were 6,644 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.0 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 79.4 men.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,670, and the median income for a family was $35,259. Males had a median income of $29,443 versus $21,797 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,275. About 13.9% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.

The city has three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.

Regional and national awards

Healthcare

See also: list of hospitals in North Carolina.

is a non-profit community hospital serves the surrounding cities within the Rockingham County area and the southern area of Virginia.[31] [32]

Government

The City of Eden operates under an Council/Manager form type of government. Elected officials include the mayor, elected at-large, and seven council members.[37] The Mayor and City Council serve for a term of Four years. The Mayor is the presiding officer and does not vote if the vote is tied. The Eden City Council meets on the third Tuesday of every month.[38]

On November 12, 2017, Neville Hall took the office of mayor.[39]

Current council members

Federal, state and county representation

For the 118th United States Congress, North Carolina's 6th congressional district is represented by Kathy Manning (D, Greensboro).[40] Eden is represented by one member in the North Carolina House of Representatives, Reece Pyrtle (R-65th), and one member in the North Carolina Senate, Phil Berger (R-26th).[41]

Sports

The Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets was a former Minor League Baseball team combined from three separate towns in North Carolina. The team played from 1934 through 1942 in the Bi-State League, winning the championship titles in 1935 and 1942 seasons. It was the Affiliate team for various current and former Major League Baseball teams such as, the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Guardians, and Brooklyn Dodgers.[42]

Parks and recreation

The city contains the following parks:[43]

Transportation

Eden is provided service by Piedmont Triad International Airport located in nearby Greensboro, North Carolina and Shiloh Airport located in Stoneville, North Carolina.[44] Highways serving Eden include US 311, NC 14, NC 87, NC 135, NC 700, and NC 770. The nearest Interstates to Eden are I-73, I-40, I-85, from closest to furthest. Closest major highway to the city is US 220 / Future I-73, which intersects NC 770 in Stoneville, and NC 135 in Madison.

Culture

Festivals and events

Each year in September Eden host its annual Fall Riverfest, which celebrates the city's art, history, and river heritage.[45] It is located in the "old" Leaksville shopping district on Washington Street, the oldest downtown street since 1917.[46] Others include: Charlie Poole Music festival, which features music legends such as, Mike Seeger and the Osbourne brothers.[47] The Eden chamber of commerce created the Eden Business Expo, as a venue for local businesses to present career opportunities, products, and services.[48]

Eden Museum

On September 19, 2009, the museum was officially opened.[49] In 2010, the exhibits were completed. The museum is an initiative of the Eden Preservation Society. The museum reflects on the city's history from the consolidation of Leaksville, Spray, and Draper, Triassic period, Saura Indians, William Byrd, Civil War, World Wars, the Korean War and much more.[50]

Smith River Greenway

The Smith River Greenway is a walking trail consisted with the Smith River that is 1.5 miles long extending along the Eden Family YMCA located on Kennedy street and Island ford landing filled with plenty of interesting plants and wildlife found in the trail. From a circumference view the Greenway can cross the smith river on meadow road. Local parking, picnic shelters, and restroom facilities are offered at the trailhead for visiting tourist. The city's next plan for the Greenway is to extend the trail towards the Spray dam.

On BoJack Horseman

Eden was featured in "The Amelia Earhart Story", the season 5 episode of the Netflix animated series BoJack Horseman. One of the show's characters, Princess Carolyn, is from Eden and returns to her hometown in seeking an adoption from a local girl.[51]

Education

Rockingham County Schools serves the City of Eden. The Rockingham County School System was established in 1993.[52]

Elementary schools

Middle and high schools

Colleges and universities

Media

Radio Stations

Local newspapers

Television stations

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. September 20, 2022.
  2. Web site: U.S. Census website . . 2008-01-31 .
  3. Web site: City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021 . Census.gov . US Census Bureau . 9 July 2022.
  4. Web site: Eden Has Big-City Benefits, Small-Town Feel/Small Towns Merged To Form Eden, Rockingham County's Biggest City. Brown. Leslie. July 22, 2000. Greensboro News & Record. October 15, 2023.
  5. Web site: How a French Artist Turned a Stay in North Carolina Into Conceptual Art. Loos. Ted. November 25, 2016. The New York Times. October 15, 2023.
  6. Web site: Land of Eden. ncpedia.org. October 4, 2017.
  7. News: A Tale of Three Cities: An Architectural History of Home. Booth. Jim. Blog: New Southern Gentleman. May 14, 2017.
  8. News: Tri-Cities Vote Consolidation; New Municipality Is Named Eden. The Danville Register. 1-B. September 13, 1967. 27548.
  9. Web site: 5 years after Dan River coal ash spill, Duke Energy close to finishing state-mandated cleanup at site. Fernandez. Jennifer. February 1, 2019. greensboro.com. Greensboro News & Record. October 5, 2020.
  10. News: Chapman. Dan. Battered mill town braces for onslaught. The Charlotte Observer. 1D, 4D. December 26, 2004.
  11. News: Martin. Edward. Eden's tough transition as MillerCoors departs. Business North Carolina. October 4, 2017. January 3, 2023.
  12. Web site: Distance between Greensboro NC, & Eden NC. distance-cities.com. June 16, 2021.
  13. Web site: Distance between Eden, NC & Reidsville, NC. www.distance-cities.com. June 16, 2021.
  14. Web site: Distance between High Point, NC & Eden, NC. www.distance-cities.com. June 16, 2021.
  15. Web site: Distance between Eden, NC & Danville, VA. www.distance-cities.com. June 16, 2021.
  16. Web site: Eden, NC - 27288 - Real Estate Market Data. Neighborhood Scout. August 27, 2023.
  17. News: Brown. Jennifer Atkins. Rockingham's diverse economy boosts growth. News & Record. Rockingham Now. May 15, 2022. January 4, 2023.
  18. Web site: City of Eden In Plans to Revitalize Downtown Area. March 30, 2015. WFMYnews2.com. August 27, 2023.
  19. Web site: Historic hotel in Eden is key to downtown rebirth. Ewing. Charles. March 12, 2021. Fox8 WGHP. August 28, 2023.
  20. Web site: Fieldcrest Cannon Closing Eden Plant. Reynolds. Jane. October 4, 1996. Greensboro News & Record. August 27, 2023.
  21. Web site: Business People; Fieldcrest Cannon Picks A Quarter-Century Man. Ross. Philip. December 8, 1987. The New York Times. August 27, 2023.
  22. Web site: Eden Loses Fieldcrest Corporate Core. Cochran. John. December 13, 1992. Greensboro News & Record. August 27, 2023.
  23. News: Fieldcrest Mills architectural plans 1911-1979. North Carolina State University. June 24, 2016.
  24. News: Eden changes its tune for the better. Catanoso. Justin. Triad Business Journal. October 24, 2005. June 24, 2016.
  25. Web site: Locations. Miller Brewing Company. September 23, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121013211952/http://www.millercoors.com/Who-We-Are/Locations.aspx. October 13, 2012.
  26. Web site: MillerCoors to close Rockingham County plant. September 14, 2015.
  27. Web site: Nestlé Purina PetCare will create 300 jobs in Rockingham County. September 30, 2020. WGHP Fox 8. September 7, 2021.
  28. News: German grocer Lidl breaks ground in Eden. Hunt. Gerri. February 8, 2017. News&Record. February 17, 2017. Www.greensboro.com.
  29. https://www.lidl.com/stores Grocery Store Locator
  30. News: Davis. Jonelle. For some local malls, it's either reinvent or become irrevelant [sic]. News & Record. October 6, 2013. January 3, 2020.
  31. Web site: About us: UNC Rockingham Health Care. www.uncrockingham.org. July 30, 2019.
  32. News: Eden hospital changes name to UNC Health Rockingham. Craver. Richard. Winston-Salem Journal. August 5, 2022. A6.
  33. News: UNC Rockingham Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center – Eden, NC. www.uncrockingham.org. September 24, 2019.
  34. Web site: UNC Rockingham Wound Healing Center – Eden, NC. uncrockingham.org. August 27, 2023.
  35. Web site: Cone Health HeartCare At Eden: A Department of the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital. Cone Health. August 27, 2023.
  36. Web site: UNC Rockingham Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy, A Service of UNC Rockingham Hospital. uncrockingham.org. October 16, 2023.
  37. Web site: City Government. Www.edennc.us. November 9, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160731202518/http://www.edennc.us/citygovernment.cfm. July 31, 2016. dead.
  38. Web site: City Council City of Eden, NC . 2023-05-29 . www.edennc.us . en.
  39. Web site: Eden elects new mayor, incumbents return to council. Melrose. Justyn. November 12, 2017. greensboro.com. Greensboro News & Record. November 14, 2020.
  40. Web site: About Congresswoman Kathy Manning. manning.house.gov. October 15, 2023.
  41. Web site: Rockingham County Representation. North Carolina General Assembly. October 16, 2023.
  42. Web site: Woodpeckers: 63 days and counting – Carolina League history. February 1, 2019. The Fayetteville Observer. August 28, 2023.
  43. Web site: Parks & Recreation. edennc.us. August 7, 2022.
  44. News: About PTI. flyfrompti.com. August 7, 2022.
  45. News: Pottery Festival. November 25, 2016. Www.edennc.us.
  46. News: Riverfest. November 26, 2016. Www.edennc.us.
  47. News: Chalie Poole Music Festival. November 26, 2016. Www.edennc.us. https://web.archive.org/web/20161126130455/http://www.edennc.us/354/Charlie-Poole-Music-Festival. November 26, 2016. dead.
  48. News: Eden Business Expo. November 25, 2016. Www.edennc.us.
  49. Web site: Eden Museum gears up for grand opening. Payne. Latala. September 13, 2009. newsadvance.com. October 15, 2023.
  50. Web site: Telling the Story of Eden. Fernandez. Jennifer. August 19, 2009. Greensboro News & Record. October 15, 2023.
  51. Web site: Princess Carolyn, a Deconstructed Mary Sue. Marshall-Harris. Sharonda. April 30, 2020. medium.com. October 15, 2023.
  52. Web site: Rockingham County Schools Homepage. rock.k12.nc.us. August 27, 2023.
  53. News: Central Elementary. January 13, 2017. Www.rock.k12.nc.us.
  54. News: Douglass Elementary. January 17, 2017. Www.rock.k12.nc.us.
  55. News: Draper Elementary. January 13, 2017. Www.rock.k12.nc.us.
  56. News: Leaksville Spray Elementary. January 13, 2017. Www.rock.k12.nc.us.
  57. Web site: About Holmes Middle. Holmesmiddleschool.org. September 12, 2021.
  58. Web site: Our School – Morehead High School. Moreheadhigh.org. September 12, 2021.
  59. Web site: RCC History. rockinghamcc.edu. May 4, 2024.
  60. Web site: What We Do – Edens Own Journal. edensown.com. August 4, 2022.
  61. Web site: WFMY News 2 Homepage. WFMY News 2. August 4, 2022.
  62. Web site: Fox8 WGHP. WGHP Fox 8. August 27, 2023.
  63. Web site: The Official website of WXII 12 News. wxii12.com. August 27, 2023.
  64. Web site: Andre Chase Biography. WWE. May 4, 2024.
  65. Web site: Lancelot Bravado: Profile & Match Listing - Internet Wrestling Database (IWD). www.profightdb.com. 8 April 2018.
  66. Web site: Here's a look at all the candidates running for local, state and federal offices. Margaret Moffett. margaret.moffett@greensboro.com. greensboro.com. 8 April 2018.
  67. Web site: Tik Tok Sensation Tabitha Brown Remembers her Triad Roots. May 24, 2020. Spectrum News. August 7, 2020.
  68. Web site: Former NBC 10 Weatherman Herb Clarke Dies. Johnson. Danielle. January 8, 2012. nbcphiladelphia.com. NBC 10 Philadelphia. January 10, 2021.
  69. Web site: Eden native part of Academy Award-nominated movie West Side Story. Brown Atkins. Jennifer. March 13, 2022. Greensboro News & Record. August 27, 2023.
  70. Web site: Ann Fish: Morehead and NFL alum recall 'Panther stadium was electric'. Fish. Ann. April 24, 2016. greensboro.com. Greensboro News & Record. April 26, 2016.
  71. Web site: Photographer Carol Highsmith's work for Library of Congress is her calling. Kane. Dawn. August 5, 2017. Greensboro News & Record. August 30, 2023.
  72. A King Among Kings. Brooks. Senita. November 5, 2021. Sports Illustrated. October 15, 2023.
  73. Web site: Charlie Poole (1892-1931). North Carolina History Project. October 16, 2023.
  74. https://uncwsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/takayo-siddle/43 Takayo Siddle - Men's Basketball Coach - UNC Wilmington
  75. Web site: Dr. Ed Wilson, "Mr. Wake Forest". zsr.wfu.edu. October 16, 2015 . Wake Forest University. April 8, 2017.