in the U.S. state of
. The population was 17,126 at the 2000 census. In 2007 the U.S. Census estimated the town's population at 22,309. Kernersville is located at the heart of the
. Although Kernersville has traditionally been considered a suburb of Winston-Salem, the arrival of new industries has given the city a booming population and a character all its own. Much of the rural farmland surrounding the town has been sold and turned into large middle-to-upper-class housing developments, and numerous large shopping centers have been built in the town over the past few years. Flue-cured tobacco was the major crop grown in the area.
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,126 people, 7,286 households, and 4,663 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,415.7 people per square mile (546.5/km²). There were 7,950 housing units at an average density of 657.2/sq mi (253.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 84.11% White, 8.74% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.26% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.33% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.36% of the population.
There were 7,286 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,520, and the median income for a family was $52,266. Males had a median income of $36,777 versus $26,873 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,506. About 6.3% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
History, Current Events & Popularity
The site was first settled by an Irishman named Jacob Story in 1756. Around 1770 the site was purchased by William Dobson and was called Dobson's Crossroads. George Washington was served breakfast at Dobson's tavern on June 2, 1791. Joseph Kerner bought the property in 1871 and the town became known as Kerners Crossroads. Eventually the town became Kernersville.
In late 2005 President George W. Bush visited Kernersville's Deere-Hitachi plant to give a speech about the American economy.
In 2001 NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick opened his shop in Kernersville. Kevin and his wife, Delana, are residents of Kernersville. Delana and her dad, former Nationwide Series driver, John Linville are natives of Kernersville.
Improvements
Starting in July 2008, North Main Street was closed through downtown Kernersville. The improvements included widening the road and adding parking along the street. North Main Street was re-opened on October 2, 2008.
Starting in mid 2006, Century Park went under construction to rebuild the lake that had dried up years before. The lake would be restocked with fish, and renovated the park accessible from Century Blvd with bathrooms and picnic areas. The project was finished in the Spring 2008, and in May 2009 the public is allowed to fish from the lake.
Also, Century Blvd went under construction in the winter of 2008. The construction extended Century Place Blvd which allowed traffic from South Main St to Century Blvd. The construction was finished in January 2009.
The resident houses in the historical district on Salisbury St. was given an ordinance to renovate their homes to match the current renovations done to the roads leading into downtown along with the new bank and park added further downtown. The historical district includes the famous
Körner’s Folly built in 1878 and the Harmon House.
Education
Kernersville is served by five public elementary schools, three public middle schools, and two public high schools - Glenn Senior High School and
East Forsyth High School. These public schools are all a part of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system. Kernersville is also home to four private schools, most prominently the Brookside Montessori School and Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School; it is one of only three Catholic High Schools in North Carolina.
Oak Ridge Military Academy is located in nearby
Oak Ridge, North Carolina. Kernersville also contains a branch of the
Forsyth Technical Community College. Numerous private high schools and colleges are located within easy driving distance of Kernersville; among the colleges and universities located nearby are
Wake Forest University and
Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem,
Bennett College, the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro,
Greensboro College,
Guilford College,
Guilford Technical Community College and
North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, and
High Point University in High Point.
Attractions
Körner’s Folly was built in 1878 by Jule Körner. It is now a minor tourist attraction, as a result of its very unusual design and architecture. It also housed the first private Little Theatre in the US. The house was featured in the New York Times (March 10, 2006), and has been featured in Southern Living Magazine (May 2004) and in a televised Our State Magazine production. Click on the links to see a picture of Körner's Folly and one of its rooms. A model of the house was made into an ornament to represent North Carolina on the White House Christmas Tree in 2001.
Each year during the late spring, downtown is closed for a festival known as "Spring Folly". The event includes rides, county fair food, games, and booths to buy local items. The folly attracts mostly people of their mid to late teens and parents with small children. The festival usually takes place the second or third weekend in May; starting Friday night through mid-day Sunday
In 2001 NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick opened his shop in Kernersville. Kevin and his wife, Delana, are residents of Kernersville. Delana and her dad, former Nationwide Series driver, John Linville are natives of Kernersville.
Town of Kernersville website
Comments
Post a Comment