| Wendell, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Motto: Small Town Feel- Capital City Connection | |
| Location of Wendell, North Carolina | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Wake |
| Incorporated | 1903 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | J. Harold Broadwell |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.2 sq mi (13.5 km2) |
| • Land | 5.2 sq mi (13.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 318 ft (97 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 5,845 |
| • Density | 1,121.4/sq mi (433/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 27591 |
| Area code(s) | 919 |
| FIPS code | 37-71860[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1023154[2] |
| Website | http://townofwendell.com/ |
Wendell is a town in Wake County, North Carolina United States. It is a satellite town of Raleigh, the state capital. The population was 5,845 at the 2010 census.[3]
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Wendell was settled in the 1850s, when farmers in Granville County were victims of a blight that came to be known as the Granville County Wilt. Their tobacco crops failed, and they chose to move to a new location with more fertile land for their crops.
As settlement increased, a small village took form. The villagers asked the local schoolteacher, M.A. Griffin, to choose a name. Griffin suggested they call it Wendell, in honor of his favorite poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes. However, the townspeople pronounce each syllable with equal emphasis, not as the poet's middle name is said.
The first post office was built in 1891, and has been restored by the Wendell Historical Society. The oldest institution in Wendell is Hephzibah Baptist Church, founded in 1809. The first newspaper was the Wendell Clarion, founded in 1911, which was succeeded by the Gold Leaf Farmer and currently the Eastern Wake News. Wendell was incorporated in 1903.[4]
Wendell has four buildings and one district that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Dr. Thomas H. Avera House, Harmony Plantation, Riley Hill School, Sunnyside, and the Wendell Commercial Historic District.
Wendell is located at (35.782124, -78.368195)[5].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.5 km2), all of it land.[6]
Wendell is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where the North American Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This area is known as the "fall line" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. Its central Piedmont location situates Wendell about three hours by car west of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Wendell enjoys a moderate subtropical climate, with moderate temperatures in the spring, fall, and winter. Summers are typically hot with high humidity. Winter highs generally range in the low 50s°F (10 to 13 °C) with lows in the low-to-mid 30s°F (-2 to 2 °C), although an occasional 60 °F (15 °C) or warmer winter day is not uncommon. Spring and fall days usually reach the low-to-mid 70s°F (low 20s°C), with lows at night in the lower 50s°F (10 to 14 °C). Summer daytime highs often reach the upper 80s to low 90s°F (29 to 35 °C). The rainiest months are July and August.
Wendell's current mayor is James Harold Broadwell II. He conducts Town Board of Commissioners meetings and only has a vote in the event of a tie. Administration of the town is conducted by the Town Manager and Town Clerk. The Board of Commissioners includes William Connolly (Mayor Pro-tem), Sid Baynes, Carol Hinnant, C.B. Scarboro, and Ronald Thompson.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 4,247 people, 1,675 households, and 1,118 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,164.4 people per square mile (836.6/km²). There were 1,785 housing units at an average density of 909.7 per square mile (351.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 70.43% White, 24.06% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.2% Japanese, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.30% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.91% of the population.
There were 1,675 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $39,750, and the median income for a family was $47,077. Males had a median income of $35,668 versus $26,994 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,772. About 8.6% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.5% of those under age 18 and 25.7% of those age 65 or over.
The town is served by six public schools which are administered by the Wake County Public School System. They include Lake Myra Elementary, Carver Elementary School, Wendell Elementary School, Archer Lodge Middle School, Wendell Middle School and East Wake High School.
The town is home to one institution of higher learning, Southeastern Free Will Baptist College.
The town is served by three recreational parks and facilities. They include Wendell Park, Wendell Community Center, and J. Ashley Wall Town Square.[7]
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