Monroe, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Union County Courthouse in Monroe | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: "Where Heartland Meets High Tech" | |
 Location of Monroe, North Carolina | |
| Coordinates:34°59′20″N80°32′59″W / 34.98889°N 80.54972°W /34.98889; -80.54972 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Union |
| Named after | James Monroe |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Robert Burns |
| Area | |
• Total | 31.54 sq mi (81.68 km2) |
| • Land | 30.92 sq mi (80.08 km2) |
| • Water | 0.62 sq mi (1.60 km2) |
| Elevation | 591 ft (180 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 34,562 |
| • Density | 1,117.9/sq mi (431.61/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 28110-28112 |
| Area code | 704980 |
| FIPS code | 37-43920[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404284[3] |
| Website | www |
Monroe is a city in and the county seat ofUnion County, North Carolina, United States.[5] The population increased from 32,797 in2010 to 34,551 in2020, and the28th most populous city inNorth Carolina.[6] It is within the rapidly growingCharlottemetropolitan area. Monroe has acouncil-manager form of government.
Monroe was founded as a planned settlement. In 1843, the first Board of County Commissioners, appointed by theGeneral Assembly, selected an area in the center of the county as the county seat, and Monroe was incorporated that year. It was named forJames Monroe, the country's fifth president. It became a trading center for the agricultural areas of thePiedmont region, which cultivated tobacco.
Racial segregation established by a white-dominated state legislature after the end of theReconstruction era persisted for nearly a century into the 1960s. FollowingWorld War II, many local blacks and veterans, including Marine veteranRobert F. Williams, began to push to regain their constitutional rights after having served the United States military during the war. Williams and the burgeoning NAACP chapter would be met with fierce resistance during their push to integrate local public facilities. During a 1957 effort to integrate a local swimming pool, the city had an estimated population of 12,000; the press reported an estimated 7,500 members of theKu Klux Klan gathering in the city, many of whom arrived from across the South Carolina border just 14 miles away.[7]
Williams was elected as president of the local chapter of theNAACP in 1951. He began to work to integrate public facilities, starting with the library and the city's swimming pool, which both excluded blacks. He noted that not only did blacks pay taxes as citizens that supported operations of such facilities, but they had been built with federal funds during theGreat Depression of the 1930s.[7]
In 1958 Williams hiredConrad Lynn, a civil rights attorney from New York City, to aid in defending two African-American boys, aged nine and seven. They had been convicted of "molestation" and sentenced to areformatory until age 21 for kissing a white girl their age on the cheek. This became known as theKissing Case. The former First Lady,Eleanor Roosevelt, talked to the North Carolina governor (Luther H. Hodges) to urge restraint, and the case became internationally embarrassing for the United States. After three months, the governor pardoned the boys.
During thecivil rights movement years of the 1960s, there was rising inKu Klux Klan white violence against the minority black community of Monroe. Williams began to advocate black armed self-defense. Groups known as theDeacons for Defense, were founded by other civil rights leaders in Louisiana and Mississippi.
The NAACP and the black community in Monroe provided a base for some of theFreedom Riders in 1961, who were trying to integrate interstate bus travel through southern states. They had illegally imposed segregation in such buses in the South, although interstate travel was protected under the federal constitution's provisions regulating interstate commerce. Mobs attacked pickets marching for the Freedom Riders at the county courthouse. That year, Williams was accused of kidnapping an elderly white couple, when he sheltered them in his house during an explosive situation of high racial tensions.[citation needed]
Williams and his wife fled the United States to avoid prosecution for kidnapping. They went into exile for years inCuba and in the People's Republic of China. In 1969 they finally returned to the United States, after Congress had passed important civil rights legislation in 1964 and 1965. The trial of Williams was scheduled in 1975, but North Carolina finally reviewed its case and dropped the charges against him.[citation needed]
The Jesse Helms family was prominent among the white community during these years. Jesse Helms Sr. served as Police and Fire Chief of Monroe for many years.Jesse Helms, Jr. was born and grew up in the town, where whites were Democrats in his youth. He became a politician and was elected to five terms (1973–2003) as aU.S. Senator from North Carolina, switching to the Republican Party as it attracted conservative whites. He mustered support in the South, and played a key role in helpingRonald Reagan to be elected as President of the United States. Through that period, he was also a prominent (and often controversial) national leader of theReligious Right wing of the Republican Party. TheJesse Helms Center is in neighboringWingate, North Carolina.
Monroe was home to the Starlite Speedway in the 1960s to 1970s. On May 13, 1966, the 1/2-mile dirt track hostedNASCAR's 'Independent 250'.Darel Dieringer won the race.
Since 1984,Ludwig Drums andtimpani have been manufactured in Monroe.
As part of the developingCharlotte metropolitan area, in the 21st century, Monroe has attracted new Hispanic residents. North Carolina has encouraged immigration to increase its labor pool.
TheMalcolm K. Lee House,Monroe City Hall,Monroe Downtown Historic District,Monroe Residential Historic District,Piedmont Buggy Factory,John C. Sikes House,Union County Courthouse,United States Post Office, andWaxhaw-Weddington Roads Historic District are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[8]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.9 square miles (64 km2), of which 24.6 square miles (64 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (1.13%) is water.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 204 | — | |
| 1860 | 239 | 17.2% | |
| 1870 | 1,144 | 378.7% | |
| 1880 | 1,564 | 36.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,866 | 19.3% | |
| 1900 | 2,427 | 30.1% | |
| 1910 | 4,082 | 68.2% | |
| 1920 | 4,084 | 0.0% | |
| 1930 | 6,100 | 49.4% | |
| 1940 | 6,475 | 6.1% | |
| 1950 | 10,140 | 56.6% | |
| 1960 | 10,882 | 7.3% | |
| 1970 | 11,282 | 3.7% | |
| 1980 | 12,639 | 12.0% | |
| 1990 | 16,127 | 27.6% | |
| 2000 | 26,228 | 62.6% | |
| 2010 | 32,797 | 25.0% | |
| 2020 | 34,551 | 5.3% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 34,888 | [6] | 1.0% |
| [9][10] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 14,118 | 40.85% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 7,787 | 22.53% |
| Native American | 97 | 0.28% |
| Asian | 390 | 1.13% |
| Pacific Islander | 15 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,216 | 3.52% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 10,939 | 31.65% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 34,562 people, 11,482 households, and 8,657 families residing in the city.
As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 32,797 people, 9,029 households, and 6,392 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,067.5 inhabitants per square mile (412.2/km2). There were 9,621 housing units at an average density of 391.6 per square mile (151.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 60.12%White, 27.78%African American, 0.44%Native American, 0.65%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 9.37% fromother races, and 1.60% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 21.39% of the population.
There were 9,029 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,457, and the median income for a family was $44,953. Males had a median income of $30,265 versus $22,889 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,970. About 11.7% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Twominor league baseball teams in theWestern Carolinas League were based in Monroe. TheMonroe Indians played in the city in 1969,[12] while theMonroe Pirates played there in 1971.[13]
The local newspaper isThe Enquirer-Journal, which is published three days a week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday).[14]
The local radio stations areWIXE 1190 AM radio andWDZD 99.1 FM.[15][16]
U.S. Route 74 runs east-west through Monroe;U.S. Route 601 runs north-south through the city. TheMonroe Expressway bypasses the city.
Charlotte–Monroe Executive Airport (EQY) is located 5 mi (8.0 km) northwest of Monroe.Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the nearest airport with commercial flights is 37 mi (60 km) northwest of Monroe.
TheSeaboard Air Line Railroad ran multiple passenger trains a day on theRaleigh-Athens-Atlanta route through Monroe, including theSilver Comet (New York-Birmingham). The SAL also operatedCharlotte (SAL station)-Hamlet-Wilmington passenger trains, also making stops in Monroe.[17] This Charlotte-Wilmington service ended in 1958.[18][19] The last train was theSilver Comet, ending service in October 1969. Trains used to stop at theSeaboard Air Line Railroad depot.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Monroe, North Carolina travel guide from Wikivoyage
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Municipalities and communities ofUnion County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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| City |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| CDP | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
