Greenville, North Carolina

Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina. In January 2008, Greenville was named one of the nation's "100 Best Communities for Young People" by the America's Promise Alliance. In March 2008, Greenville was ranked in the top ten of the nation's "Best Places For Business And Careers" by Forbes Magazine. In 2010 Greenville was ranked twenty-fourth in mid-city business growth and development by Forbes Magazine. In 2004, Greenville was named Sportstown USA for the state of North Carolina by Sports Illustrated and the National Parks & Recreation Association. The city is also known as "BMX Pro Town USA", as it is home for many top professional BMX riders. The city's official population as of the 2010 United States census is 84,554 residents. The Greenville Metro Area includes 183,000 people. It is the home of East Carolina University and Pitt County Memorial Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in North Carolina and employs over 6,000 people.

Founding
Greenville was founded in 1771 as "Martinsborough," after the Royal Governor Josiah Martin. In 1774 the town was moved to its present location on the south bank of the Tar River, three miles (5 km) west of its original site. In 1786, the name was changed to Greenesville in honor of General Nathanael Greene, the American Revolutionary War hero, and later shortened to Greenville.

19th century
During Greenville's early years, the Tar River was a navigable waterway; and by the 1860s there were several established riverboat lines transporting passengers and goods. Cotton was the leading agricultural crop, and Greenville became a major cotton export center. Before the turn of the century, however, tobacco surpassed cotton and became the leading money crop. Greenville became one of the state's leading tobacco marketing and warehouse centers.

20th century
For over a century, Greenville was recognized only for being an important tobacco market and the home of a small state-supported college, charted by the Legislature in March 1907 and named East Carolina Teacher's Training College, a co-ed institution. By the mid 1960s, East Carolina College had become the third largest state-supported college, and enrollment approached 8,000 students — twice the 1960 enrollment figure. In 1967, it became East Carolina University. ECU Medical School admitted its first four-year class in 1977. At the turn of the century, enrollment at ECU topped the 18,000 mark, and now exceeds 27,500 students.

Greenville's current economic development began in 1968 when Burroughs Wellcome, a major pharmaceutical research and manufacturing firm, chose Greenville as its home. The site is now owned by DSM Pharmaceuticals, which employs approximately 1,400 people. The city and Pitt County have also become home to many other major industries and businesses including Harper Brush, NACCO Materials Handling Group, Grady-White Boats, and ASMO. Greenville is also home to The HammockSource, the worlds largest hammock manufacturer.



Hurricane Floyd
In September 1999, Hurricane Floyd made landfall in eastern North Carolina, dropping nearly 17 in of rain during the hours of its passage. Many residents weren’t aware of the flooding until the water came into their homes. Most localized flooding happened overnight, and the Tar River suffered the worst flooding, exceeding 500-year flood levels along its lower stretches.

Damages in Pitt County alone were estimated at $1.6 billion (1999 USD, $1.87 billion 2006 USD). Some residents in Greenville had to swim six feet underwater to reach the front doors of their homes and apartments. Due to the heavy flooding in downtown Greenville, the East Carolina Pirates were forced to relocate their football game against #9 Miami to N.C. State's Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh where they beat the Hurricanes 27-23.

Geography
Greenville is located at °N, °W (35.601613, -77.372366).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.3 square miles (68.0 km²), of which, 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it (2.59%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2007, there are 182,473 residents in the Greenville MSA, 130,204 households, and 110,997 residents residing within five miles (8 km) of the city limit. The population density was 2,364.6 people per square mile (912.8/km²). There are 130,204 housing units at an average density of 1,100.4 per square mile (424.8/km²). The racial composition of the city is: 60.20% White, 32.14% African American, 5.06% Hispanic or Latino American, 1.82% Asian American, 0.80% Native American, 0.04% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 1.01% some other race, and 1.29% two or more races.

There were 25,204 households out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.4% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city the age distribution of the population shows 18.8% under the age of 18, 28.7% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,648, and the median income for a family was $44,491. Males had a median income of $31,847 versus $26,324 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,476. About 15.6% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The city's industry historically was centered around the sale and processing of tobacco, but today the major industries are health care, education and manufacturing. The largest employer is Pitt County Memorial Hospital, with East Carolina coming in second. The education industry employs approximately 8,600 people. The health care industry is second with approximately 7,000.

Religion
As with most of North Carolina, Greenville is predominately Protestant Christian, with large concentrations of Baptists, Methodists, and various other evangelical groups. Presbyterians, and Disciples of Christ also constitute a significant portion of the population.

Anglicanism has grown in the region as well, with the Episcopal Church becoming more prominent.

The Roman Catholic community in Greenville has seen steady growth over the years with the migration of Hispanic workers to the area along with significant numbers of people from the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States who work for East Carolina University, the Pitt County Memorial Hospital, and other employers. St. Peter's Catholic Church in Greenville supports a day school for grades K-8. Pope John Paul II Catholic High School supports grades 9 - 12.

Over the years, Greenville's Jewish community has seen continued growth. Congregation Bayt Shalom, a congregation affiliated with both Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism, has around 80 member families and is led by the first African-American female rabbi in the United States, Alysa Stanton.

The growth and diverse nature of the city's population has also resulted in the addition of an Islamic Mosque and Hindu Temple within the last decade.

Education
All Greenville schools fall under the Pitt County Schools (PCS) administration. PCS formed in 1985 when Pitt County Schools and Greenville City Schools merged. The 12 member Board of Education oversee all Greenville and Pitt County schools. There are currently 12 elementary schools, four middle schools, two high schools and the Health Sciences Academy. There are also nine private schools.

Elementary schools

 * Belvoir Elementary School (K-5)
 * Chicod School (K-8)
 * Eastern Elementary School (K-5)
 * Elmhurst Elementary School (K-5)
 * Falkland Elementary School (K-5)
 * Northwest Elementary School (K-5)
 * Pactolus Elementary School (K-8)
 * Sadie Saulter Elementary School (K-5)
 * South Greenville Elementary School (K-5)
 * Wahl-Coates Elementary School (K-5)
 * Wintergreen Primary School (K-2)
 * Wintergreen Intermediate School (3-5)

Middle schools

 * AG Cox Middle School (6-8)
 * C.M. Eppes Middle School (6-8)
 * E.B. Aycock Middle School (6-8)
 * Hope Middle School (6-8)
 * Wellcome Middle School (6-8)

High schools

 * D. H. Conley High School (9-12)
 * Junius H. Rose High School (9-12)
 * South Central High School (9-12)

Higher learning

 * East Carolina University
 * Shaw University (satellite campus)
 * Pitt Community College (satellite campus)
 * Miller Motte College

Private schools

 * Calvary Christian Academy (K-12)
 * Christ Covenant School (PK-8)
 * Community Christian Academy (K-6)
 * Greenville Christian Academy (K-12)
 * St. Peter's Catholic School (PK-8)
 * Pope John Paul II Catholic High School (9-12)
 * The Oakwood School (PK-12)
 * Trinity Christian School (K-12)
 * Victoria Christian Academy Christian Academy (K-12)

Health care
The health care community in Greenville is one of the largest in the state of North Carolina. Pitt County Memorial Hospital is one of four academic medical centers in North Carolina and serves as the teaching hospital for The Brody School of Medicine. The hospital hosts over 1700 licensed medical providers and serves over 1.2 million residents of the region. Many medical offices and clinics along with the hospital and university teaching facilities lie on Greenville's west side, comprising what is locally known as the Medical District. The East Carolina Heart Institute is open and has added 250 jobs at the hospital along with a state-of-the-art six floor facility.

Culture
Greenville is home to a wide range of cultural events on and off the East Carolina University campus. East Carolina University offers musical concerts, theatrical and dance productions, travel films, and lectures. The Greenville Museum contains local art, as well as rotating exhibitions. Annually over 3,000 children participate in programs offered by the Museum and over 12,000 people visit the museum.

Theater is beginning to emerge in Greenville as well. Local groups such as the Greenville Theater Project and the Magnolia Arts Center offer outlets for both performers and audiences alike. Smiles and Frowns Playhouse produces children's theatre. Additionally, student groups such as SWASH Improv offer entertainment at the university and local establishments.

Restaurants and nightclubs offer live entertainment on the weekends and Uptown Greenville has a district that includes numerous venue options. The downtown area is known for its large annual Halloween street party and live music bars. Considering the size of the city, Greenville has a large number of bars and nightclubs located downtown, due in large part to the location of ECU's campus a few blocks away.

Shopping
Greenville is the regional shopping destination for the Inner Banks area since many big-box retailers and specialty shops are located in the city. Greenville Mall (formally Colonial Mall Greenville and The Plaza) is the city's enclosed center, featuring over 60 shops anchored by Belk and JC Penneyand Carolina Alehouse and Mellow Mushroom are in the Mall's out parcel spaces. Other large centers include University Commons, Lynncroft and Arlington Village. Greenville Grande, Carmike Cinemas, a mix of cafes, restaurants, shops, and a fourteen screen movie theater recently opened. A new development called 11 Galleria, on the site of the former Carolina East Mall, will feature a number of big-box retailers, including Sears, Kohl's, and the Fresh Market and Cheddars Casual Grill. This new shopping center will contain 400000 sqft. of retail space.



Sports
ECU's sports teams, nicknamed the Pirates, compete in NCAA Division I-A as a full-member of the 12 team Conference USA. Facilities include the 50,000 seat Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for football, the 8,000-seat Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum for men's and women's basketball, and the Clark-LeClair Stadium, with a seating capacity of 3,000 (max capacity of 6,000+ when including outfield "Jungle" areas) for baseball. In 2010 a state of the art, Lady Pirates softball stadium with a seating capacity of 1,500 has been completed, neighboring a new ECU track and field facility and soccer stadium plus an Olympic sports coach's offices and team rooms facility are in varying stages of completion all along Charles Boulevard, the main entry way for all Pirate sports.

Greenville has a strong tradition in Little League Baseball. Greenville Little Leagues was founded in 1951 and has two leagues; North State and Tar Heel. In 1998, a team from Greenville represented the South Region in the Little League World Series. They made it to the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual champion, Toms River, New Jersey.

Along with Little League success, Pitt-Greenville softball teams have won multiple world series titles. Since 2006, Greenville has sent Babe Ruth baseball teams to Southeast Regional competition each year in two different age groups, with two teams reaching the Babe Ruth World Series; the '06 15 yr. old team, and the '08 13 yr. old team. The 2006 team became the first Greenville Babe Ruth team to reach the World Series in 30 years, along with becoming the first Babe Ruth team to ever win a World Series game, defeating Clifton Park, New York 12-0.

Greenville is also home to one of the six gyms of Cheer Extreme All Stars.

Greenville is home to two major running groups, GoRun (Greenville Organization of Runners) and Greenville Running group.

Transportation
Several major U.S. and state highways converge in the area to provide easy access to the interstate highway system. Major highways that run through the area include US 264(Martin Luther King Jr. Highway), NC 11(Memorial Drive), US 13, NC 33, NC 43, and NC 903. Greenville is North Carolina's largest city without a major interstate; however, Interstate 95 is located 29 mi to the west of the city. Greenville is currently widening lanes on Memorial, and the intersection of Fire Tower. Greenville's busiest roads are along Memorial, Greenville Boulevard, Arlington, and Fire Tower. Greenville is the most congested city in Eastern NC. Greenville is expected to complete the southwest bypass in 2018. It stems from the 264 intersection on Statonsburg Rd. It has currently been stalled due to funding cost.

Greenville is also served by railroads. CSX Transportation moves the northern and southern parts of Greenville, Norfolk Southern Railway serves the eastern and western parts of Greenville.

Air service is available through Pitt-Greenville Airport with scheduled flights daily to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport via USAirways. The airport and local officials are in discussion with United Airlines and its regional partner, Colgan Air, to provide 2 daily flights between PGV and Washington Dulles.

The City of Greenville operates a mass transit bus system called Greenville Area Transit or GREAT.

Greenville is in the process of building a system of greenways for bicycle and pedestrian transportation. The first section of the South Tar River Greenway opened in late 2009. Other sections have been in use for many years, and more are planned.

Newspapers and publications
The Daily Reflector serves as the main daily newspaper and is Greenville's oldest business. Other notable newspapers that serve the city include G-Vegas Magazine, The Greenville Times, The East Carolinian, Her Magazine, The Minority Voice and Viva Greenville.

Radio stations licensed in Greenville

 * 1070 AM: - WNCT Beach, Boogie & Blues
 * 1250 AM: - WGHB local sports talk
 * 1570 AM: - WECU Gospel
 * 1340 AM: - WOOW gospel
 * 91.3 FM: - WZMB East Carolina University
 * 103.7 FM: - WTIB talk radio
 * 107.9 FM: - WNCT oldies

Television stations licensed in Greenville

 * WNCT-TV - Greenville (CBS affiliate/The CW on DT2)
 * WYDO-TV - Greenville (Fox affiliate)
 * WUNK-TV - Greenville (PBS affiliate, part of the UNC-TV Network)
 * WEPX-TV - Greenville (Ion Network affiliate)

Other television stations serving Greenville

 * WITN-TV - Washington (NBC affiliate/My Network TV & Weather on DT2)
 * WCTI-TV - New Bern (ABC affiliate/This TV & Other Programs on DT2)
 * GPAT-TV - Greenville (Suddenlink Cable Channel 23 - cable TV Public-access television channel

Voice of America/IBB
Greenville is one of the major transmitter sites for Voice of America shortwave broadcasts under the auspices of the U.S. government's International Broadcasting Bureau. Both transmitters and a large antenna 'farm' are located just outside Greenville. The Greenville Transmitting Station provides shortwave broadcasts for U.S. government-funded, non-military, international broadcasting and serves as a standby, alternate gateway for the Satellite Interconnect System to use to uplink programming, should the Washington, D.C., SIS gateway become unavailable. The station is also a backup facility for uplinking programming to the Atlantic Ocean Region satellite and serves as the primary return link of that satellite. For the VOA, the main target areas for the station's shortwave broadcasts are Latin America, Cuba, the Caribbean, and Africa. Three complexes, one for management, distribution, and monitoring, and the other two for actual transmitting, form an approximate nineteen mile (30 km) equilateral triangle around Greenville. At one time, these formed the largest international broadcasting site in the world.

Notable people that are from or reside in Greenville

 * Monte Barrett - heavyweight boxer
 * Andre Brown - New York Giants running back
 * Derek Cox - Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback
 * Alge Crumpler - New England Patriots tight end
 * Bernard Edwards - Chic bass player and producer
 * Josh Harrington - BMX rider
 * Wilbur Hardee - Founder of Hardee's
 * Mike Laird - BMX rider
 * Will MacKenzie - PGA Tour golfer
 * Daniel Dhers - BMX rider
 * Parmalee- Rock band
 * Dave Mirra - BMX rider
 * Lee Norris - film and television actor
 * Ryan Nyquist - BMX rider
 * Petey Pablo - Rapper
 * Bronswell Patrick - MLB player for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants
 * Jessamine Shumate - artist, painter, cartographer
 * Tom Smith-jazz musician, Fulbright dignitary
 * Supastition - Rapper
 * Lawrence Tyson - World War I general and U.S. Senator