Ranlo, North Carolina

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Ranlo, North Carolina
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Ranlo, North Carolina


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name = flagicon|USA United States
subdivision_name1 = flagicon|North Carolina North Carolina
subdivision_name2 = Gaston
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Don Clemmer
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 3.6
area_land_km2 = 3.6
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 1.4
area_land_sq_mi = 1.4
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2198
population_density_km2 = 617.2
population_density_sq_mi = 1598.5

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 243
elevation_ft = 797
latd = 35 |latm = 17 |lats = 25 |latNS = N
longd = 81 |longm = 8 |longs = 1 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 28054
area_code = 704
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 37-55260GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0993035GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Ranlo is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,198.

Geography

Ranlo is located at coor dms|35|17|25|N|81|8|1|W|city (35.290393, -81.133731)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.5 km²), all of it land.

History

Ranlo was named for John Calvin Rankin and William Thomas Love, two prominent area industrialists - "Ranlo" was a contraction of RANkin and LOve. The community grew up around their textile mills which produced cotton goods. Rex Spinning Company was begun in 1915, Ranlo Manufacturing Company in 1916, and Priscilla Spinning Company in 1921. Nearby, the community of Smyre was developed around the A. M. Smyre Manufacturing Company, which was founded in 1917. In 1963, the two communities of Ranlo and Smyre were incorporated as Ranlo, in reaction to the concern over possible annexation into Gastonia [Robert A. Ragan. "Ranlo: Another town spun from textile mills", Gaston Gazette, September 23, 2001. Retrieved from [http://www.glrl.lib.nc.us/ragan.htm Gaston-Lincoln Regional Library System] on 2008-07-13.] . However, the part of the Smyre mill village south of the Norfolk Southern railroad was not included, and was eventually annexed by the City of Gastonia in June 1996 [ [http://www.cityofgastonia.com/dept/planning/_pdf%20files/SmyreVillagePlansm.pdf Smyre Village Plan] , City of Gastonia, May 16, 2000, retrieved on 2008-07-13] .

Row houses were erected in the 1920s and 1930s and still stand today. At the time they were owned by the mill and rented at very low rates to workers. They have long since been sold to individuals and the mills are 75-80% closed. Only one or two still operate and they are at low capacity. The town, however, has become a "bedroom community" and prides itself on its facilities and growth. New industry has started to move in and new neighborhoods are being built.

Ranlo is the current home of Brian and Brittney Boyle.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,198 people, 857 households, and 642 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,598.5 people per square mile (619.5/km²). There were 917 housing units at an average density of 666.9/sq mi (258.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.86% White, 6.10% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.

There were 857 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $35,160, and the median income for a family was $40,391. Males had a median income of $31,534 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,180. About 6.7% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links