Shelby, North Carolina
Shelby | ||
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Old Cleveland County Courthouse, 2009 |
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Location in North Carolina | ||
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Basic data | ||
State : | United States | |
State : | North Carolina | |
County : | Cleveland County | |
Coordinates : | 35 ° 17 ′ N , 81 ° 32 ′ W | |
Time zone : | Eastern ( UTC − 5 / −4 ) | |
Residents : | 20,276 (as of 2014) | |
Population density : | 371.4 inhabitants per km 2 | |
Area : | 54.7 km 2 (approx. 21 mi 2 ) of which 54.6 km 2 (approx. 21 mi 2 ) is land |
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Height : | 265 m | |
Postcodes : | 28150, 28151, 28152 | |
Area code : | +1 704 980 | |
FIPS : | 37-61200 | |
GNIS ID : | 0994631 | |
Website : | www.cityofshelby.com | |
Mayor : | O. Stanhope Anthony III | |
Masonic Temple Building |
Shelby is a city and county seat of Cleveland County in the US state of North Carolina with 20,276 inhabitants (2014).
geography
The nearest major city, Charlotte , is about 40 miles away to the east. Kings Mountain and Gastonia are respectively 20 and 30 kilometers to the east. The Kings Mountain National Military Park in neighboring South Carolina begins 20 kilometers to the southeast. In the west, Shelby is affected by the First Broad River , which then flows into the Broad River . The US Route 74 runs right through the town.
history
The region's indigenous people were various Indian tribes , most of whom belonged to the Cherokee people . The first European settlers, who came mainly from Germany, England and Ireland and previously lived in Pennsylvania , settled in the area in the 1750s. The town was named after Isaac Shelby , an officer and war hero from the Battle of Kings Mountain , which was fought nearby. In 1843 it was named a district town. After the end of the American Civil War , many residents were initially active in the county administration and agriculture.
With the industrialization of the region, many small and medium-sized businesses were founded and the residents were employed, among other things, as carpenters, wheelwright, silversmiths, farriers, gunsmiths, grocers, chemists, butchers and tailors. In the 1920s, the cultivation of cotton in plantations was added as a new line of business, which, however, only flourished for a short time.
Shelby's main activities in the present relate primarily to the areas of administration, jurisdiction, banking, tourism and general merchandising .
Many historically valuable buildings and places from the town's early days are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . These include: Banker's House , Joshua Beam House , Central Shelby Historic District , Cleveland County Courthouse , East Marion-Belvedere Park Historic District , James Heyward Hull House , Masonic Temple Building , Dr. Victor McBrayer House , George Sperling House and Outbuildings , Joseph Suttle House , Webbley, and West Warren Street Historic District .
Demographic data
In 2014 a population of 20,276 people was determined, which means an increase of 4.1% compared to the year 2000. The average age of the residents in 2014 was 40.1 years, above the average for North Carolina, which was 37.9 years.
Personalities
Musician
Several major country music artists were born in Shelby. The songwriter and country singer Don Gibson and the bluegrass musician and banjo virtuoso Earl Scruggs should be mentioned in particular . In their honor there are annually popular music festivals by locals and tourists.
politician
- Kay Hagan (1953-2019), politician (Democratic Party)
athlete
The former undisputed world boxing champion in the heavyweight Floyd Patterson was in the ten kilometers from Shelby remote village Waco born. In his honor, a parade was held in his home region through the streets of Shelby in 1959 after successfully defending his title. Born in Shelby:
- Bobby Bell (born 1940), American football player
- David Thompson (born 1954), basketball player
- Tim Wilkison (born 1959), tennis player
- Duane Ross (born 1972), athlete
Trivia
Some scenes from the science fiction film The Hunger Games were filmed in Shelby.
Individual evidence
Web links
- clevelandcountyfair - Cleveland Country Fair
- historicshelby - The Historic Shelby Foundation