Butner, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Butner Town Hall | |
 Seal | |
 Location of Butner, North Carolina | |
| Coordinates:36°07′43″N78°45′00″W / 36.12861°N 78.75000°W /36.12861; -78.75000 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Granville |
| Founded | 1942 |
| Incorporated | November 1, 2007[1] |
| Named after | Henry W. Butner[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 14.05 sq mi (36.39 km2) |
| • Land | 14.03 sq mi (36.33 km2) |
| • Water | 0.023 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 361 ft (110 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,397 |
| • Density | 598.7/sq mi (231.15/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 27509 |
| Area code | 919 |
| FIPS code | 37-09360[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2424932[4] |
| Website | butnernc |
Butner is a town inGranville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,397 as of the2020 census.[6] Butner was managed by the state of North Carolina from 1947 through 2007.
The area eventually comprising the town of Butner was originally land along theOccaneechi Path, a Native American trade route. Following the arrival of European settlers, it became a rural community populated by farmers. In August 1941, the U.S. federal government beginning planning for the development of a military facility in the area, motivated partly by its proximity to a rail line. Following the United States' entry intoWorld War II that December, planning hastened and in January 1942 the government ordered locals to vacate their land. The government ultimately evicted between 400 and 500 families and razed most of their homes and agricultural buildings to make way for aU.S. Army camp. Construction commenced in March andCamp Butner officially opened in August 1942.[7] It was named for Major GeneralHenry W. Butner (1875–1937), a North Carolina native.[8][9] Thousands of soldiers were trained at the camp for service overseas. By April 1946, activity at the facility had declined significantly and it was officially closed in January 1947.[7]
Following the camp's closure, its land was divided up among the U.S.War Assets Administration, theNorth Carolina National Guard, the state of North Carolina, and the dispossessed farmers who had once lived in the area.[10] The state converted its former infirmary into a psychiatry hospital. A civilian community subsequently developed around the hospital's new workforce. Some former camp facilities were retained by the residents for their own use such as its recreation center and churches, others were repurposed as homes, and some were demolished so their materials could be used in new construction.[7] The state government assumed responsibility for governance in the town and provided police and firefighting services.[10] Overall authority rested with State Board of Mental Health while most mundane administrative decisions were executed by the hospital's business manager. In the early 1970s, control of the town passed to theNorth Carolina Department of Human Resources.[11]
In 2003, a seven-member elective Butner Advisory Council was created to advise the North Carolina Secretary of Health and Human Services on governance of the town.[10][12] Following legislation passed by theNorth Carolina General Assembly, Butner became an incorporated community effective November 1, 2007 and the advisory council was turned into a town council.[13][10] The town assumed responsibility for local police and firefighting services from the state in 2013.[14]
Butner is located in southwestern Granville County.Interstate 85 passes through the town, southeast of the town center, with access from Exits 186, 189, and 191. I-85 leads northeast 16 miles (26 km) toOxford, the Granville County seat, and southwest 13 miles (21 km) toDurham. Butner is bordered to the east by the city ofCreedmoor.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 13.9 square miles (36.1 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2), or 0.18%, is water.[15] The town's layout is heavily influenced by the original development of Camp Butner.[7] Central Avenue serves as the community's main street,[16] and many other streets in the town are named with numbers and letters.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3,538 | — | |
| 1980 | 4,240 | 19.8% | |
| 1990 | 4,679 | 10.4% | |
| 2000 | 5,792 | 23.8% | |
| 2010 | 7,591 | 31.1% | |
| 2020 | 8,397 | 10.6% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 8,566 | [17] | 2.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[18] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 3,421 | 40.74% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,663 | 31.71% |
| Native American | 27 | 0.32% |
| Asian | 46 | 0.55% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 324 | 3.86% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1,914 | 22.79% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 8,397 people, 2,865 households, and 2,022 families residing in the town.
As of thecensus of 2010, there were 7,591 people in 2,767 households. The population density was 1,150.2 inhabitants per square mile (444.1/km2). There were 2,999 housing units at an average density of 454.4 per square mile (175.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 59.5%White, 30.1%African American, 0.7%Native American, 0.8%Asian, 6.5% fromother races, and 2.3% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 14.7% of the population.
There were 2,767 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them. The average household size was 2.74. In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 13.8% from 25 to 34, 23.3% from 35 to 49, 18.8% from 50 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males.
The median income[20] for a household in the town was $45,437, and the mean income for a household was $51,466. The median and mean incomes for families were $53,186 and $55,847, respectively. Theper capita income for the town was $17,654. About 4.1% of families and 13.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
The area surrounding Butner includes:
Municipalities and communities ofGranville County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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Greater Raleigh Metropolitan Region (Raleigh–Cary, MSA; part of theResearch Triangle) | ||
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