Shelby, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
City | |
 City hall | |
 Seal | |
 Location of Shelby, North Carolina | |
| Coordinates:35°17′25″N81°32′43″W / 35.29028°N 81.54528°W /35.29028; -81.54528 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Cleveland |
| Named after | Isaac Shelby |
| Area | |
• Total | 22.39 sq mi (57.98 km2) |
| • Land | 22.36 sq mi (57.90 km2) |
| • Water | 0.035 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 873 ft (266 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 21,918 |
• Estimate (2022)[3] | 21,855 |
| • Density | 980.5/sq mi (378.57/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 28150-28152 |
| Area code | 704,980 |
| FIPS code | 37-61200[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405454[2] |
| Website | cityofshelby.com |
Shelby is a city in and thecounty seat ofCleveland County, North Carolina.[5] It lies near the western edge of theCharlotte-Concord,NC-SCCombined Statistical Area. The population was 21,918 at the2020 census.
The area was originally inhabited byCatawba andCherokee peoples and was later settled around 1760. The city was chartered in 1843 and named after ColonelIsaac Shelby, a hero ofthe battle of Kings Mountain (1780) during theAmerican Revolution. Shelby was agricultural until the railways in the 1870s stimulated Shelby's development.
In 1916,Thomas Dixon, Jr., the author ofThe Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan, planned to erect a statue of his uncleLeroy McAfee on the courthouse square.[6][7] The project was initially met with enthusiasm,[6] until it was announced that Dixon wanted the statue to be wearing aKu Klux Klan mask.[7] A Confederate monument is located on the west side of the courthouse square, while foreign war monuments stand on the north and south sides.
Nevertheless, theKu Klux Klan did have a significant presence in Shelby in the 1870s and its crimes were the subject of depositions[8] and affidavits[9] collected by Captain Albion Howe (1841–1873) of the 4th Regiment Artillery.
Textiles later became its chief industry during the1920s, when production of cotton inCleveland County rose from 8,000 to 80,000 bales a year. Cotton production peaked in 1948 with Cleveland County producing 83,549 bales, making it North Carolina's premier cotton county. In the1930s, Shelby was known as "The Leading Shopping Center between Charlotte and Asheville". People from surrounding counties came to Shelby to shop, since there were numerous types of local and chain stores. By 1947, Shelby was a true thriving town with the mills paying among the highest wages in the South. In the1950s, droughts, insect infestations, and government acreage controls resulted in the decline of cotton as Cleveland County's primary crop.[10]
Shelby was home to a group of political leaders in the first half of the 20th century, that have become known as the "Shelby Dynasty." These political leaders wielded power through the local, State and Federal governments. The most notable of Shelby's political leadership were brothersJames L. Webb andEdwin Yates Webb and brothers-in-lawO. Max Gardner andClyde R. Hoey. As governors, NC representatives, and US congressman, the group impacted Shelby life and Shelby's reputation throughout the state.[11]
The architecture of Shelby is noteworthy in that despite being in a rural area, there are magnificent homes and buildings with unique character. Some buildings are county landmarks, such as theHistoric Campbell Building and others are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places: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, andWest Warren Street Historic District.[12]
Shelby's community of art, music, and government all take place in Uptown Shelby historic district. Uptown Shelby is home to a large square, local businesses, and a variety of restaurants surrounding The Courthouse Square. Re-branded as "uptown" in the 70s to bring town-people back off the highway and away from the mall, this area has been named a "Main Street" by theNational Trust for Historic Preservation.
The local pavilion hosts a twice-a-week Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, as well as local concerts. Monthly summer festivals like Shelby Alive and Seventh Inning Stretch, hosted by theAmerican Legion World Series, brings regional music acts to perform in the city.[13] With a low cost of living and a vibrant small town environment, Uptown Shelby has experienced a 10% growth in street level occupancy from 78% to 88%.[14] Uptown Shelby hosts opportunities for active living with groups that engage in cycling, running,crossfit, and yoga. Multiple restaurants and other local businesses are attracting day trippers and shoppers from across the region. Part of the city brand, live music is a part of community with theEarl Scruggs Center and theDon Gibson Theatre.
Other public attractions include walking trails like the thread trail and the Broad River Trail as well as public events. Reoccurring events include the FallLivermush festival, The Cleveland County fair which is the largest county agricultural fair in North Carolina, The 7th inning Stretch, The Art of Sound, Arts on the Square, and various fundraisers.[15]
Shelby is known throughout the state for its collaborative methods between private, non-profit, and public sector organizations with groups like Leadership Cleveland County.
In 2011, Shelby was named the permanent home of theAmerican Legion Baseball World Series after decades of rotating venues for the event.[16]
Shelby is located in south-central Cleveland County.U.S. Route 74, a four-lane highway, runs through the city south of the center, and leads east 21 miles (34 km) toGastonia and west 27 miles (43 km) toRutherfordton.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.1 square miles (54.7 km2), of which 21.1 square miles (54.6 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.17%, is water.[17]
According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Shelby has ahumid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Shelby was 107 °F (41.7 °C) on July 30, 1952, while the coldest temperature recorded was −11 °F (−23.9 °C) on January 31, 1966.[18]
| Climate data for Shelby, North Carolina, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27) | 82 (28) | 91 (33) | 93 (34) | 100 (38) | 105 (41) | 107 (42) | 105 (41) | 104 (40) | 98 (37) | 87 (31) | 80 (27) | 107 (42) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 69.8 (21.0) | 73.1 (22.8) | 80.4 (26.9) | 85.0 (29.4) | 89.4 (31.9) | 93.7 (34.3) | 96.1 (35.6) | 95.1 (35.1) | 92.1 (33.4) | 85.1 (29.5) | 77.1 (25.1) | 70.0 (21.1) | 97.2 (36.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 52.6 (11.4) | 56.5 (13.6) | 64.1 (17.8) | 73.1 (22.8) | 80.1 (26.7) | 87.1 (30.6) | 90.6 (32.6) | 88.9 (31.6) | 83.3 (28.5) | 73.9 (23.3) | 63.6 (17.6) | 55.1 (12.8) | 72.4 (22.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 39.8 (4.3) | 43.0 (6.1) | 50.1 (10.1) | 58.8 (14.9) | 67.1 (19.5) | 74.6 (23.7) | 78.3 (25.7) | 76.8 (24.9) | 70.7 (21.5) | 59.5 (15.3) | 49.1 (9.5) | 42.2 (5.7) | 59.2 (15.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 29.5 (−1.4) | 36.0 (2.2) | 44.5 (6.9) | 54.0 (12.2) | 62.1 (16.7) | 65.9 (18.8) | 64.8 (18.2) | 58.1 (14.5) | 45.1 (7.3) | 34.6 (1.4) | 29.4 (−1.4) | 45.9 (7.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 11.7 (−11.3) | 16.4 (−8.7) | 20.4 (−6.4) | 30.1 (−1.1) | 38.9 (3.8) | 51.3 (10.7) | 58.9 (14.9) | 57.1 (13.9) | 46.0 (7.8) | 30.8 (−0.7) | 21.5 (−5.8) | 16.8 (−8.4) | 9.7 (−12.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −11 (−24) | −9 (−23) | 5 (−15) | 20 (−7) | 29 (−2) | 37 (3) | 51 (11) | 48 (9) | 36 (2) | 19 (−7) | 11 (−12) | −2 (−19) | −11 (−24) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.31 (109) | 3.36 (85) | 4.68 (119) | 4.27 (108) | 4.30 (109) | 4.47 (114) | 4.41 (112) | 4.49 (114) | 3.98 (101) | 3.72 (94) | 3.98 (101) | 4.43 (113) | 50.40 (1,280) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.8 (4.6) | 0.6 (1.5) | 0.7 (1.8) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.8 (2.0) | 4.0 (10) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.9 | 8.7 | 10.2 | 9.1 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 11.8 | 11.2 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 9.7 | 115.8 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.0 |
| Source 1: NOAA[19] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[18] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 990 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,394 | 40.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,874 | 34.4% | |
| 1910 | 3,127 | 66.9% | |
| 1920 | 3,609 | 15.4% | |
| 1930 | 10,789 | 198.9% | |
| 1940 | 14,037 | 30.1% | |
| 1950 | 15,508 | 10.5% | |
| 1960 | 17,698 | 14.1% | |
| 1970 | 16,328 | −7.7% | |
| 1980 | 15,310 | −6.2% | |
| 1990 | 14,669 | −4.2% | |
| 2000 | 19,477 | 32.8% | |
| 2010 | 20,323 | 4.3% | |
| 2020 | 21,918 | 7.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[20] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 11,169 | 50.96% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 8,383 | 38.25% |
| Native American | 64 | 0.29% |
| Asian | 228 | 1.04% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 947 | 4.32% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1,122 | 5.12% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 21,918 people, 8,013 households, and 4,887 families residing in the city.
As of the2000 United States census, there were 19,477 people, 7,927 households, and 5,144 families residing in the city.[4] The population density was 1,073.8 inhabitants per square mile (414.6/km2). There were 8,853 housing units at an average density of 488.1 per square mile (188.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 56.88%White, 40.97%African American, 0.09%Native American, 0.56%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.72% fromother races, and 0.76% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.56% of the population.
There were 7,927 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,345, and the median income for a family was $38,603. Males had a median income of $30,038 versus $21,362 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,708. About 14.3% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
Shelby is served byUS Highway 74 and its business route. US 74 Business travels through uptown Shelby along Marion St. and Warren St., giving travelers access to Shelby's growing central business district. Currently, acontrolled-access highway (signed as US 74) is under construction fromMooresboro toKings Mountain, which will bypass Shelby to the north.[22] Upon completion of the project,Charlotte andAsheville will be connected by virtually uninterrupted freeway viaInterstate 85, US Highway 74, andInterstate 26.
Shelby is also served by fourNorth Carolina State Highways.
Shelby-Cleveland County Regional Airport serves the city and county. The airport is used mostly for general aviation and is owned by the city of Shelby. Commercial air service is provided within a 2-hour drive atCharlotte (CLT),Asheville (AVL),Concord (JQF) andGreenville/Spartanburg (GSP).
Cleveland County Schools is the school district for all of Cleveland County, including Shelby.[23]
Prior to January 2004,[24] the city was inShelby City Schools, a separate school district.[25]
Secondary and intermediate schools include:
Elementary schools include:
Springmore, Township Three, and Union elementary schools have Shelby postal addresses but are outside of the Shelby corporate limits.
Graham and Marion elementary schools closed in 2022, and the former Shelby Intermediate School was to be converted into an elementary school including the former Graham and Marion zones;[26] in other words, it became Elizabeth Elementary School. The building had been Elizabeth Elementary prior to being converted into an intermediate school. The conversion returned it to its former name.[27]
The 2004 film adaptation ofBlood Done Sign My Name was filmed in Shelby[28] – as well as the reaping scene in the 2012 film adaptation ofThe Hunger Games,[29] and the 1982slasher filmDeath Screams.[30]
A fictionalized version of the city is the setting ofHBO comedy showEastbound & Down. Filmed inWilmington, North Carolina, it bears little geographic or cultural resemblance to the real place. Actor and writerDanny McBride chose the location as an inspiration because of its size, attitude, and name.[31]
The TV showBizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern visited the 2009 Livermush festival in Shelby.[32]
On November 11, 2007, theOxygen Network's "Captured" aired a profile ofThe Brenda Sue Brown murder mystery that took place in Shelby in 1966.[33]
The announcement that Thomas Dixon will erect a monument on the Shelby court square to the memory of Col. Leroy McAfee is hailed with delight.
Whether or no Thomas Dixon suspected that such a project would meet with spirited opposition all over his home county and as a piece of news, become circulated widely by newspapers of the South, is another matter but if Mr Dixon wants to stir up things and keep his name before the public to better advertise his productive "The Fall of a Nation", he could not have selected anything more timely. Mr Dixon proposed to erect this monument to Colonel McAfee in Shelby, the county seat of Cleveland County, where "Tommy" was "brought up" and to include a Ku Klux masque.
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Municipalities and communities ofCleveland County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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| Other | |
