Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Elizabeth City, North Carolina
settlement_type = City
nickname = Harbor of Hospitality, E.C.
website = [http://www.ci.elizabeth-city.nc.us/ www.ci.elizabeth-city.nc.us]


imagesize =
image_caption =


image_



mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location in Pasquotank and Camden counties in the state of North Carolina


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = Counties
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_name1 = North Carolina
subdivision_name2 = Pasquotank, Camden
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Steve Atkinson (R)
established_date =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 24.8
area_land_km2 = 15.913
area_water_km2 = 1.6
population_as_of = 2008
population_total = 20685
population_metro = 63270
population_density_km2 = 842.6
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_ft = 3
latd = 36 |latm = 17 |lats = 44 |latNS = N
longd = 76 |longm = 13 |longs = 30 |longEW = W
area_total_sq_mi = 9.6
area_land_sq_mi = 8.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.6
elevation_m = 4
postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 27906, 27907, 27909
area_code = 252
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 37-20580GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1025307GR|3
footnotes =

Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank and Camden counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 17,188 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pasquotank CountyGR|6 and the principal city of the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Elizabeth City was founded as the town of Redding in 1793 on land acquired from Adam and Elizabeth Tooley. In 1794 the town was renamed Elizabeth, and in 1801 Elizabeth City. The name change has been variously attributed to honor either Queen Elizabeth I of England, who 200 years earlier spearheaded the colonization of the Carolina and Virginia coasts, or Elizabeth "Betsy" Tooley. Elizabeth City is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region, and is nicknamed the "Harbor of Hospitality"_TM.

Geography

Elizabeth City is located at coor dms|36|17|44|N|76|13|30|W|city (36.295585, -76.224954).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.6 square miles (24.8 km²), of which, 8.9 square miles (23.2 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (6.49%) is water.

The city is located alongside the Pasquotank River, which connects to the Albemarle Sound and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway. Directly across the river lies Camden County. The city's semi-coastal geography has played an important role in its history -- Elizabeth City once hosted thriving oyster and timber industries. Elizabeth City is also the largest city in north-eastern North Carolina

Notable features

Elizabeth City is home to Elizabeth City State University, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System. The university encompasses a moderate area within city limits and houses more than 2,900 students.

-The Virginia Dare Arcade, many antebellum style homes, The Museum of the Albemarle

Greater Elizabeth City (Pasquotank County) has 6 National Register Historic Districts and 6 resources that are listed individually on the National Register.

Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, the largest United States Coast Guard Air Station on the East Coast, is located directly south of Elizabeth City's city limits. Recently incorporated into the United States Department of Homeland Security, the base provides a host of local jobs and maintains an influx of Coast Guard employees from all around the country.

The USCG Air Station and the ATTC in Elizabeth City, NC was also featured in numerous scenes of the 2006 Disney movie "The Guardian", although the base was made to look like Kodiak, Alaska in keeping with the films script.

Elizabeth City is also home to one of the United States' few airship factories [http://www.tcomlp.com/facilities.html] . Many of the nation's commercial blimps are made and serviced here. The current airship station evolved from what was previously a US Navy airstation.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2008, there were 20,188 people, 6,877 households, and 4,689 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,923.2 people per square mile (742.3/km²). There were 7,463 housing units at an average density of 835.1/sq mi (322.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 40.24% White, 56.60% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.

There were 6,577 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 15.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,193, and the median income for a family was $28,037. Males had a median income of $27,434 versus $20,836 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,333. About 25.1% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.5% of those under age 18 and 23.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

* Central Elementary School
* J.C. Sawyer Elementary School
* Northside Elementary School
* Pasquotank Elementary School
* P.W. Moore Elementary School
* Sheep-Harney Elementary School
* Weeksville Elementary School
* Elizabeth City Middle School
* River Road Middle School
* Northeastern High School
* Pasquotank County High School
* College of the Albemarle

University

* Elizabeth City State University

A historically black university (HBCU), ECSU enrolls nearly 3,000 students in 37 baccalaureate programs and three masters degree programs. ECSU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. Dr. Willie J. Gilchrist, Chancellor.

Transportation

Highways

(mainline)

*Closest Interstate: .

Air

*Local:Elizabeth City Municipal Airport (ECG)
*International:Norfolk International Airport (ORF) - 60 min away in Norfolk, Virginia.

Rail

*Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad - former Norfolk Southern secondary line extending 82 miles from Norfolk to Edenton, North Carolina.

Famous Bits

*Nine-ball legend Luther Lassiter was born in Elizabeth City, and developed much of his skill at pool in the City Billiards pool hall there during the Great Depression.
*Robert Frost had traveled into and was stranded in the nearby Dismal Swamp, but was saved by some passersby, who brought him to stay in Elizabeth City for a few weeks.
*A woman named Nell Cropsey is renowned as the subject of Elizabeth City's relatively well-known murder mystery. The story of her unresolved disappearance has been chronicled by Bland Simpson, an author and historian who is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The annual "Ghost Walk" in Elizabeth City commemorates the legend, alongside other local tales, with re-enactments performed by local raconteurs.
*The Wright brothers sometimes used Elizabeth City as a stopover to the Outer Banks to gather supplies and catch a boat. They stayed in the old Southern Hotel, which is no longer operational as a hotel.
*In 2006, filming for a scene of the Kevin Costner & Ashton Kutcher movie The Guardian (2006 film) took place at the USCG base. Many of the employees at the base were used as extras.
*Judge John Warren Davis was born in Elizabeth City

References

External links

* [http://www.ecsu.edu/ Elizabeth City State University]
* [http://www.cityofec.com/ Official Elizabeth City, NC Web Site]
* [http://207.4.214.118/default.htm/ Pasquotank County Web site]
* [http://www.discoverec.org/ Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau]
* [http://www.elizabethcitychamber.org/ Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.discoverec.com/ Albemarle Economic Development Commission]
* [http://www.historicelizabethcity.org/ Designated Historic Districts in Elizabeth City]
* [http://www.albemarlehealth.org/ Albemarle Hospital]
* [http://www.tcomlp.com/tcom-home.html TCom Manufacturing]
* [http://harborofhospitality.blogspot.com/ Elizabeth City Area CVB's Blog]
* [http://www.visitcurrituck.com Visit Currituck County, NC]