Tarboro, North Carolina

Tarboro is a city located in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the town had a total population of 13,121. It is the county seat of Edgecombe County. Tarboro is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. It has many historical churches, some dating back to the early 18th century.

Historic Tarboro, North Carolina, was chartered in 1760. Nestled in a bend of the Tar River, it was an important river port, the head of navigation on the Tar. As early as the 1730s a small community formed due to this natural asset, and a warehouse, customs office and other commercial concerns together with a score of "plain and cheap" houses made a bustling village.

The locals were a scrappy bunch, and gave the early governors and their agents a hard time. Edgecombe County residents came down hard on the side of the American Revolution, many serving as officers in the Continental Army. One such was Thomas Blount (1759–1812), whose handsome plantation house "The Grove" has been restored and is open for tours on a daily basis. Blount was a very young officer, spent time in England as a prisoner of war, but returned to North Carolina to participate in one of the largest merchant/shipping companies in late 18th century America.

"The Grove" was also home to Col. Louis Dicken Wilson (1789–1847), who served in the North Carolina Senate and fought in the Mexican-American War, and Col. John Luther Bridgers (1821–1884), Commandant of Ft. Macon in the American Civil War.

Civil War General William Dorsey Pender is buried in Calvary Churchyard in Tarboro. Pender was considered one of the most promising young generals in Lee's army when he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. He is memorialized in the name of Pender County, North Carolina, founded in 1875. Pender is the posthumous author of The General to his Lady: The Civil War letters of William Dorsey Pender to Fanny Pender, published in 1965.

History
Created in 1760, Tarboro is the ninth oldest incorporated town in North Carolina. The town served the area as an important Colonial river port and thriving trade center until the Civil War.

Although it is generally agreed that the area around Tarboro was settled by 1733, Mosley's map of that year shows only Tuscarora Native Americans. By 1850, the area was widely known as "Tawboro,” a name attributed to "Taw,” the Native American word for "river of health.” Tarrburg, as the town was called on maps of 1770-75, was chartered November 30, 1760 as Tarborough by the General Assembly. In September of the same year, Joseph and Ester Howell deeded 150 acre of their property to the Reverend James Moir, Lawrence Toole (a merchant), Captains Aquilla Sugg and Elisha Battle, and Benjamin Hart, Esquire, for five shillings and one peppercorn. As commissioners, these men were to lay out a town with lots not exceeding 0.5 acre and streets not wider than 80 ft, with 12 lots and a 50 acre "common" set aside for public use. Lots were to be sold for two pounds, with the proceeds to be turned over to the Howells; however, full payment was not received for all of the 109 lots sold, and some were not sold for the 40 shillings price.

After Halifax County was divided out of Edgecombe County in 1758-1759, the original county seat of Enfield remained in Halifax County. Edgecombe County needed a new county seat. Tarboro was created in 1760 and officially became the county seat in 1764. For four years the county government met in Redman's Field. The North Carolina State Legislature met here once in 1787 and again in 1987. President George Washington is known to have slept in Tarboro during a visit on his 1791 Southern tour, and is noted to have said of our town that it was "as good a salute as could be given with one piece of artillery.”

According to the book, Edgecombe County: Twelve North Carolina Counties in 1810-1811, by Dr Jeremiah Battle, a descendant of Revolutionary War soldier Elisha Battle, the following is an 1810 account of the town on pages 82–83:

“Tarboro, the only town in the county, is handsomely situated on the south-west bank of Tar River, just above the mouth of Hendrick's Creek, in lat. 35 deg. 45 min. It is forty-eight miles west by north from Washington, thirty-six south of Halifax, eighty-three northwest of Newbern, and sixty-eight east of Raleigh. It was laid off into lots in the year 1760. The streets are seventy-two feet wide, and cross each other at right angles, leaving squares of 2 acre each. These squares being divided into lots of 0.5 acre, makes every lot front or face two streets.

“There are about fifty private houses in it; and generally from fifteen to twenty stores, a church, a jail, two warehouses, and a large Court House, which in the year 1785 was used for the sitting of the State Legislature. There are several good springs adjacent to the town, but for culinary purposes almost every person or family has a well; and some of these wells afford good water the greater part of the year. This place affords good encouragement to all industrious persons, particularly merchants of almost every description. Sixty or seventy merchants have had full employment here at one time. But such of them as have emigrated to this place have too soon found themselves in prosperous situations, and have betaken themselves to idleness and dissipation.

“Merchants generally do well here, and there has scarcely been an instance of failing in the place. There are a few well built private houses, some of which have lately been finished. The style of building is as it is in the county, generally plain and cheap. The jail and one of the store houses are of brick.

“Adjacent to the town is the county seat of General Thomas Blount, where he has lately built a very good house, the best that is in the county. This is a beautiful eminence overlooking the town. An extensive green surrounds the house, back of which is a tract of twenty or thirty acres of rich swamp land, well ditched and drained, and is in a high state of cultivation.”

Tarboro Historic District
Created by the National Park Service in 1977, the 45-block Historic District boasts over 300 structures from the residential dwellings to historic churches to original 19th century storefronts along Tarboro’s Main Street. The gateway to the Tarboro Historic District is the town’s Town Common, a 15 acre park canopied by tall oaks and accented war memorials. The Town Common originally surrounded the town and is the second oldest legislated town common in the country. Initially the location for common grazing of livestock, community gatherings and military drills, the Town Common is the only remaining original common on the east coast outside of Boston.

Within that Historic District is the Blount-Bridgers House, an 1808 Federal-style mansion that houses several important document collections and works by nationally recognized artist and Tarboro native Hobson Pittman. Opened as a museum in 1982, the Blount-Bridgers House also serves as the town’s art and civic center. A Historic District National Recreation Trail beginning at the Blount-Bridgers Houseguides visitors through the scenic older neighborhoods of the town. The district includes five 18th century homes with the oldest being the Archibald White house (ca. 1785) located on the corner of Church and Trade St. Over two dozen antebellum homes from 1800-1860 grace the district. The largest section is late 19th and early 20th century and includes Victorian, Second Empire, Neo-classical revival, and arts and crafts style homes. The town's charming and walkable downtown is recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation "Main Street Program.”.

Also within the Historic District, at the cross of North Church Street and Albemarle Avenue, is the Tarboro-Edgecombe Farmers' Market. Within the last ten years or so, not much has changed about the building. It is a show of the character of the people of Tarboro, and a great place for families and locals to visit, especially during the summertime. The market operates on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 am to 10 am, and Saturdays from 8 am to 11 am. There are also a variety of events, including the kickoff at the Tarboro Commons Festival, and upcoming events like the new Blueberry Day starting this year.

Location and transportation
Tarboro’s proximity to Interstate 95 and U.S. 64 allow for access to and from the East Coast’s major markets, many of which are within one day’s drive. It is approximately 72 mi from Raleigh, the state capital, 25 mi from Greenville, a primary eastern NC hub, 10–15 miles from Rocky Mount, NC and two hours from the Outer Banks. Tarboro is also convenient to area and regional airports, freight and passenger train service, interstate and intrastate highway systems, and the deep water ports of Morehead City and Wilmington, NC.

Major highways: U.S. 64: Four-laned from Tarboro to Raleigh. Soon to be four-laned from Tarboro to North Carolina's famed Outer Banks. U.S. 258: A major north-south link between the Norfolk area and Jacksonville, NC. I-95: Located just 20 mi west of Tarboro (accessed via four-laned U.S. 64), this major interstate provides access to Washington, D.C., New York, the Northeast and Florida. N.C. 44: Serves as a link to I-95 to the west of Tarboro and to the Norfolk area to the east.

Airports: Tarboro-Edgecombe Airport: This facility has a 4,500' paved and lighted runway with a 1,000' approach apron from both ends, accommodating a wide variety of small general aviation aircraft.

Pitt-Greenville Airport: Located approximately 24 mi from Tarboro, this airport has a 6,000' lighted precision approach runway, a 5,000' lighted non-precision crosswind runway and a 2,700' unlighted visual approach runway. PGV provides commuter service to Charlotte's Douglas International Airport through USAir Express with 11 daily flights. Jet service is available. All aircraft services are available, including charters.

Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport: Only 25 mi from Tarboro, this airport has one runway which is lighted and extends a length of 7,100'.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport: More commonly known as RDU, this major international airport serves the U.S and abroad. Located only 80 mi from Tarboro, RDU hosts numerous major carriers with daily departures. Additionally, numerous commuter carriers connect RDU to the northeast and other southern cities.

Rail: Tarboro has access to both freight and passenger rail service. Amtrak provides two north and two southbound trains per day at its Rocky Mount station, located only 15 mi from Tarboro. Service is to Washington, D.C., New York, Miami and Philadelphia. Additionally, Amtrak stops in Greensboro with service to Atlanta and New Orleans. Freight service is provided by CSX. Trains travel to destinations in eastern North Carolina and also to points west and south of town.

Geography
Tarboro is located at 35°54'10" North, 77°32'45" West (35.902850, -77.545959).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.8 square miles (25.3 km²), of which, 9.7 square miles (25.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.41% water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there are 11,427 people, 4,359 households, and 2,972 families residing in the town. The population density is 1,145.4 people per square mile (442.4/km²). There are 4,911 housing units at an average density of 505.0 per square mile (195.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 51.03% White, 46.64% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 3.56% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 5.26% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 4,359 households out of which 29.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% are married couples living together, 18.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% are non-families. 28.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.48 and the average family size is 3.02.

In the town the population is spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 78.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $34,400, and the median income for a family is $42,938. Males have a median income of $29,889 versus $22,718 for females. The per capita income for the town is $17,120. 15.3% of the population and 11.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 21.0% of those under the age of 18 and 13.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Population trends
The population of Tarboro has steadily grown over the past three decades even while the population of Edgecombe County has declined. The 2008 estimate was 10,383 based on the County’s negative growth trend, but should be corrected to accurately indicate Tarboro’s population stability and steady growth upon completion of the 2010 Census. A good indicator of the estimates' inaccuracy is the 4% growth between 1989–1990 and 5% growth between 1999-2000. Based on new construction and occupancy rates the Town feels that this trend will continue with an increase in population from the 2000 Census count upon completion of the 2010 Census.

Heritage Hospital
Heritage Hospital is a full-service, 117-bed acute care facility where residents of Tarboro, Edgecombe County and surrounding communities receive a wide range of health services close to home.

In 1998, Heritage joined University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina. More than 20 specialties are represented by Heritage's medical staff. In addition to acute care, services include rehabilitation, oncology and outpatient clinics.

Notable residents and natives

 * L.H. Fountain, former U.S. Representative
 * Brian Hargrove, television writer/producer.


 * Ben Jones, politician, actor famous for role as Cooter on The Dukes of Hazzard, born in Tarboro on August 30, 1941.
 * Kelvin Bryant, retired Washington Redskins running back
 * General Joseph K. Spiers
 * Trent Tucker, former NBA player for the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls.
 * Burgess Whitehead (b. June 29, 1910 - d. November 25, 1993), Major League Baseball player during the 1930s and 1940s. Played primarily second base for the St. Louis Cardinals (1933–1935), New York Giants (1936–1941), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1946).
 * General Hugh Shelton, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
 * Mike Caldwell, MLB player for the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Red, and Milwaukee Brewers.
 * George Henry White, first elected Black from 2nd Congressional District to the U.S. House of Representatives.
 * Joseph Blount Cheshire (1850–1932), Episcopal bishop of North Carolina from 1893 until 1932