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Jonesville, North Carolina
Location of Jonesville, North Carolina
Location of Jonesville, North Carolina
Country United States
State North Carolina
County Yadkin
Area
 • Total 2.90 sq mi (7.51 km2)
 • Land 2.88 sq mi (7.47 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation
945 ft (288 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 2,285
 • Estimate 
(2019)
2,215
 • Density 767.76/sq mi (296.46/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
28642
Area code(s) 336
FIPS code 37-34840
GNIS feature ID 0987771

Jonesville, originally called Allen's Settlement, is the oldest town in Yadkin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,285 at the 2010 census. The town grew by nearly 800 residents in 2001 when it merged with neighboring Arlington. Recognized as the Heart of the Yadkin Valley, Jonesville is a gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Yadkin Valley Heritage/Cultural Corridor and to local wineries in the Swan Creek AVA and the larger Yadkin Valley AVA, as well as offering access to the Yadkin river.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), of which, 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (1.05%) is water.

Nearby Town, cities

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 220
1910 621
1920 787 26.7%
1930 1,306 65.9%
1940 1,733 32.7%
1950 1,768 2.0%
1960 1,895 7.2%
1970 1,659 −12.5%
1980 1,752 5.6%
1990 1,549 −11.6%
2000 1,464 −5.5%
2010 2,285 56.1%
2019 (est.) 2,215 −3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Jonesville racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 1,688 73.14%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 199 8.62%
Native American 5 0.22%
Asian 22 0.95%
Other/Mixed 146 6.33%
Hispanic or Latino 248 10.75%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,308 people, 1,068 households, and 676 families residing in the town.

Transportation

Highways

Interstate 77 runs through the east of town. The town is accessible via two interstate exits: North Carolina Highway 67/Winston Road and Business U.S. Route 21 in the Arlington area. N.C. 67 is a heavily used artery, linking Jonesville with Winston-Salem.

Until recently, two bridges linked the commercial districts of Jonesville and Elkin, the Hugh G. Chatham Bridge and the newer Gwen McNeill Bridge, less than a mile upstream on Business U.S. 21. The Chatham Bridge, built in 1931 and regarded by many in the area as a community symbol with its tall steel beams, was closed in November 2005 after it failed a state inspection. The North Carolina Department of Transportation does not plan to reopen or replace the bridge. Neither city would take the risk of insuring the bridge so it could be saved as a historic landmark.

Airports

Swan Creek Airport, which is privately owned, is southwest of town and is the home of the Carolina Sky Diving School. Elkin Municipal Airport is located in nearby Elkin. Commercial flights are available through Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro and Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

History

Early history

Jonesville is Yadkin County's oldest town and was at one time the largest town west of Raleigh, according to An Illustrated History of Yadkin County 1950-1980, by William E. Rutledge Jr.. Initially called Allen's Settlement, after the owner of an early iron ore forge, the settlement was established behind a towering, protective bluff above the south bank of the Yadkin River. It soon became a commercial hub for the region, featuring a trading post, a tannery, medical personnel, a school, grist and lumber mills, a cotton mill and a garrison overlooking the Yadkin Valley that served as an outpost for local militia during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Although a contemporary designation aligns the overmountain trail-head in an adjoining Surry County community, Allen's Settlement—formerly located in Surry County—is now recognized as part of the OverMountain Trail. Based on family journals and oral history, the Settlement and historic Mineral Springs Park are identified as a mustering site for patriots who marched to defeat the British at Kings Mountain.

Allen's Settlement was incorporated as Martinsborough in 1811, but the name was later changed to Jonesville in honor of Hardy Jones (1747–1819). Jones fought in the American Revolution and was instrumental in bringing the Academy to Jonesville. A marker to him is on the lawn of Jonesville United Methodist Church.

In addition to the timber and iron ore markets, the town also grew around the Jonesville Male and Female Academy, according to Rutledge. The academy was affiliated with the North Carolina Conference of the Methodist Church. The Rev. William L. Van Eaton, who was born in Davie County, was principal of the school at its peak in 1859. In its history, the Academy attracted numerous scholars of the era, including Bishop Francis Asbury and Brantley York, subsequent founder of Trinity-Union Institute which was later named Duke University.

On April 1, 1865, troops commanded by Union Brigadier General George Stoneman and Colonel Alvan C. Gillem devastated the town and academy in their search for Confederate soldiers and supplies. In the academy, they broke chandeliers and destroyed school equipment. This marked the end of the school.

Gillem's troops, known as "home Yankees," also ransacked businesses and chased away teachers and military-aged men. Union troops had been told the town was a haven for Confederate spies and military supplies. They failed to find evidence of an Underground Railroad for escaping slaves and deserting soldiers, assumed to be located in private homes and the iron ore caves in Jonesville. The Town never fully recovered.

One of the last pieces of early town history, a house once occupied by Van Eaton that dated back to the 1830s, was torn down in 1996. At the time, it was believed to be the oldest house in town.

On December 21, 1912, two elderly women and a young girl were killed and nearly 100 people were injured after the floor of the Jonesville High School auditorium collapsed during a Christmas concert (Winston-Salem Journal article, Dec. 24, 1912). As the floor of the second-floor auditorium gave way in the center, the audience of at least 300 people dropped to the first floor. Killed were: Nancy Swaim, Mrs. William Smith and Lexie Luffman, a 12-year-old girl. Sam Ray extinguished a fire in a stove in the auditorium as the floor began to collapse, saving many lives (Winston-Salem Journal).

Recent history

The town experienced unprecedented growth after Interstate 77 opened in 1974. The intersection of Interstate 77 and N.C. 67 (Winston Road) on the east side of town is a popular stop for travelers. It is one of the most developed along the interstate between Statesville and Mount Airy.

In 1980, Jonesville was named a "Governor's Community of Excellence" by Governor Jim Hunt for its economic development work.

In 2009 The town built a multimillion-dollar town hall.

Area events

  • Jonesville Jubilee is held annually on the first Saturday in May at Lila Swaim Memorial Park and in the Mineral Springs Park. The event celebrates the town's history, heritage and the Veterans' Memorial. A 5K Brushy Mountain Run is held in conjunction with the Jubilee.
  • A Memorial Day program is held on the last Sunday in May to enable residents to participate in other regional programs on Monday.
  • Veterans Day is celebrated on November 10 and features activities to honor veterans, in conjunction with commemorations at the Veterans' Memorial in Mineral Springs Park.
  • A Labor Day Flea Market & Festival, benefiting the Historical Society, is held on Saturday, August 31.
  • A Christmas Craft and Gift Show is held on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving to feature area artists and artisans.
  • The Elkin-Jonesville Christmas Parade has kicked off the holiday season in the area since 1961. The parade route runs through the business districts of both towns and is usually held on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Notable people

  • Dickie Hemric – former NBA player for the Boston Celtics (1955–1957), played collegiately at Wake Forest (1951–1955). Hemric was the all-time leading scorer in Atlantic Coast Conference history, until JJ Redick broke his record in 2006. Named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team in 2003.
  • Carlos King – former running back for N.C. State, drafted as a fourth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998. King holds the career rushing record for Starmount High School at 5,321 yards.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jonesville (Carolina del Norte) para niños

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