Hamlet, North Carolina
| Hamlet, North Carolina | |
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| — City — | |
 Hamlet, North Carolina
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| Coordinates: 34°53′17″N 79°42′22″W / 34.88806°N 79.70611°WCoordinates: 34°53′17″N 79°42′22″W / 34.88806°N 79.70611°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Richmond |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.14 sq mi (13.3 km2) |
| • Land | 5.05 sq mi (13.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 299 ft (91 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 6,018 |
| • Density | 1,192.4/sq mi (460.4/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 28345 |
| Area code(s) | 910 |
| FIPS code | 37-29160[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1020599[2] |
Hamlet is a town in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,018 at the 2000 census.
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[edit] Geography
Hamlet is located at 34°53′17″N 79°42′22″W / 34.88806°N 79.70611°W (34.887936, -79.706201).[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.14 square miles (13.3 km2), of which, 5.05 sq mi (13.1 km2) of it is land and 0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2) of it (1.75%) is water.[4]
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 6,018 people, 2,453 households, and 1,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,192.4 inhabitants per square mile (460.4 /km2).[4] There were 2,738 housing units at an average density of 542.5 /sq mi (209.5 /km2).[4] The racial makeup of the city was 61.85% White, 34.51% African American, 1.61% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.48% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.
There were 2,453 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,013, and the median income for a family was $36,234. Males had a median income of $28,958 versus $23,397 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,764. About 18.4% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.9% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
Hamlet is home to a Fairview Heights Elementary School (K-5), Monroe Avenue Elementary School (K-5), Hamlet Middle School (6-8), and Richmond Community College.
[edit] Hamlet chicken plant fire of 1991
On September 3, 1991, a grease fire broke out at the Imperial Foods chicken processing plant in the city, killing 25 people. A monument now stands where the plant was.[1] Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon wrote a song about this called "Hamlet Chicken Plant Disaster".
[edit] Additional information
Hamlet is at the junction of two major CSX rail lines, one running north towards Washington D.C., and New York and south towards Florida, and the other running east towards Wilmington, North Carolina, and west towards Atlanta and Birmingham, Alabama. The recently reopened Hamlet Passenger Station, served by Amtrak, sits downtown at the junction of the lines. Hamlet yard resides to the north of downtown. This is the former Seaboard Air Line yard built in 1954, replacing an older yard closer to downtown. On display at the depot is former Seaboard Air line 1114, an EMD SDP-35, one of only 35 ever built, and has been repainted into her original SAL scheme and numbered her original number 1114 on The Seaboard.
The National Railroad Museum and Hall of Fame is also located in Hamlet.
Hamlet was the largest city in Richmond County at one time, but it has been usurped by neighboring Rockingham.
The Annual Seaboard Festival, honoring the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, is a major local event.
In the 1960s, North Carolina license plates proclaimed Hamlet as "The Hub of The Seaboard."
The Seaboard Air Line merged with ACL on July 1,1967 and became Seaboard Coast Line and in 1983, Seaboard System, then in 1986 became CSX which is what it remains today. Recently the diesel shop has been reopened and track, that were removed in the 1980s, was put back to accommodate the growing diesel repair shop, which first opened in 1954.
[edit] Notable people
- Tom Wicker, former Washington bureau chief and columnist for the New York Times.
- Frederick C. Branch, the first African-American Marine officer.
- William Daniel James, MD, born in Laurinburg, NC, founder of the Hamlet Hospital, which, at the time of its founding, was the only hospital for a 100 mile radius. Surgeon and nationally recognized specialist in X-ray and radium cancer treatment. Member NC board of medical examiners.
- Lillian Duer James, RN, born in New York, wife of William Daniel James and founder of a nursing school at the Hamlet Hospital, one of the first nursing schools in North Carolina. Member of NC state board of Nursing.
- William Duer James, MD, son of William Daniel and Lillian D. James, born in Hamlet 29 October 1916. Chief of Staff, Hamlet Hospital, 3 times NC state senator. Member Medical Care Commission, of NC.
- Wayne Goodwin, a former legislator, was the first Hamlet native elected to Statewide office. He became North Carolina's Insurance Commissioner as a result of the 2008 election.
- Louis Breeden, former American football player, defensive back with the Cincinnati Bengals
- Perry Williams, former American football player, cornerback with the New York Giants
- Dannell Ellerbe, American football player, linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens.
- John Coltrane, American jazz saxophonist and composer.
- Mike Quick, former American football player, wide receiver with the Philadelphia Eagles.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ a b c "North Carolina -- Place GCT-PH1. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000". American Fact Finder. US Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US37&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-format=ST-7. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
[edit] External links
- City Of Hamlet Information about the town of Hamlet.
- HUB OF THE CSX STREAM Railroad internet stream dedicated to broadcasting CSX radio traffic in and around Hamlet, NC over the internet.
- Our Hamlet* History and pictures of Hamlet, NC
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