U.S. Route 421 in North Carolina
U. S. Route 421 traverses 328 miles across North Carolina; the highway is nominally labeled "north" and "south" throughout North Carolina, though it follows a general northwest-southeast path. The segments from Buies Creek to Sanford and from Greensboro to Boone are due east-west, with compass west corresponding to the signed north direction. A majority of the highway is part of the North Carolina Strategic Highway Corridors system; because of this designation, the state has made numerous changes converting a rural two-lane highway into a major freeway/expressway with 4 or more lanes. Numerous former segments of the highway named "Old U. S. Route 421" are found along the entire route. US 421 starts at a parking/dock area on the Cape Fear side of Pleasure Island. Within one-quarter mile, US 421 passes through its unsigned junction with NC 211 and the approach to the Fort Fisher Ferry Terminal, where travelers can board to cross the Cape Fear River toward Southport. After the ferry terminal is the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, where the first and second battles of Fort Fisher took place.
The highway continues north, going through popular tourist destinations in New Hanover county: Kure Beach, Carolina Beach. US 421 enters Wilmington along the river side of the city. At Wooster Street, it goes west, overlapping with several other highways and funnels through Brunswick County before returning in northwestern New Hanover County. From about three miles north of the I-140 interchange, the road remains a four-lane divided highway for another ten miles. After its intersection with NC 210, it becomes a rural two-lane highway for much of its remainder until Dunn; the exception is in Clinton, where it follows Faircloth Freeway to bypass the city, running concurrent to US 701 for about four miles. There is one rest area located just north of Delway. US 421 meets I-95 in Dunn. From Wilmington to Dunn, the route parallels I-40 ten miles to US 421's east. After crossing downtown Dunn and Erwin to the east, US 421 becomes a four-lane divided highway again until reaching Lillington, with a short segment in Buies Creek containing a center lane and reduced speed limit as it crosses Campbell University.
Upon reaching the junction with US 401, NC 27, NC 210, all four routes collect onto a thoroughfare heading south over the Cape Fear River into downtown Lillington. US 421 splits off to the west, becoming a two-lane expressway until Sanford. Upon reaching Sanford, US 421 followed Horner Boulevard with NC 87 to cross downtown, but it is now rerouted onto the completed Sanford Bypass, the entirety of, freeway, it runs concurrent with NC 87 Bypass until the US 1/US 15/US 501/NC 87 interchange, from which it continues until the end of the bypass near Cumnock. For the rest of its route until Greensboro, US 421 remains entirely free-flowing, it is an expressway from Sanford to just south of Siler City, bypassing Goldston, Bear Creek, Siler City. From here to the Greensboro Urban Loop, US 421 becomes a freeway, bypassing Staley and Julian. All of these cities/places were connected by US 421's old alignment, now called some variant of Old US 421 for the majority of its route. Near Pleasant Garden, US 421 joins I-85 on the Greensboro Urban Loop, staying with the loop as I-85 leaves and I-73 joins it.
Another six miles US 421 leaves the Greensboro Urban Loop to join I-40 and continue westward towards Winston-Salem. Near Kernersville, US 421 remains with I-40 Business, a former alignment of I-40, going through downtown Winston-Salem. West of Winston-Salem, I-40 Business ends at an interchange with mainline I-40 and US 421 continues as a freeway towards Yadkinville and Wilkesboro; when the highway nears North Wilkesboro, the highway passes North Wilkesboro Speedway. As US 421 enters Wilkesboro city limits, it downgrades to an expressway with various stores and restaurants along it; as it leaves Wilkesboro, US 421 begins a gradual climb in elevation, until five miles from Deep Gap, where it climbs up the steep escarpment along the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Access to the Blue Ridge Parkway is located at Deep Gap; as US 421 approaches Boone, the expressway comes to an end just before an intersection with Old US 421. The road continues into Boone as four lane boulevard, becoming two lanes at the intersection with US 321.
US 321 north, US 421 north, NC 194 south all run concurrent through the downtown area via King Street. After leaving Boone, US 421 continues on as a two-lane road to the Tennessee state line, heading on to Mountain City. US 421 overlaps with two state scenic byways: the Cape Fear Historic Byway, in downtown Wilmington, the U. S. 421 Scenic Byway, between Deep Gap and Boone. Two of North Carolina's Bicycle Routes run concurrent for portions of US 421. North Carolina Bicycle Route 5 is concurrent from US 421's southern terminus at Fort Fisher to north of Snows Cut, through downtown Wilmington to Blueberry Road near Montague, North Carolina, a short portion near Coats. A small part of North Carolina Bicycle Route 3 is concurrent with US 421 in downtown Wilmington. 1931 - US 421 appears on highway maps starting from Winston-Salem to Boone at Ki
Interstate 40 in North Carolina
Interstate 40 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Barstow, California to Wilmington, North Carolina. In North Carolina, I-40 enters the state along the Pigeon River Gorge, from Tennessee. Crossing the entire state, it connects the cities of Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Raleigh before ending along U. S. Highway 117/North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington; the landscapes traversed by I-40 include the Blue Ridge Mountains, foothills of western North Carolina, suburban communities, the urban core of several Piedmont cities, along with eastern North Carolina farmland. At a total of 423.55 miles, it is the longest interstate highway in North Carolina. There are five auxiliary Interstates in the state related to I-40, as well as one business loop which runs through Winston-Salem; the route is labeled east-west for the entire route, however the eastern portion follows a much more north-south alignment. The freeway bears several names in addition to the I-40 designation.
Throughout the state the freeway is known as the Blue Star Memorial Highway a name shared with multiple interstates across the state. From the Guilford-Alamance county line to one mile east of NC 54, in Graham, I-40/I-85 is known as the Sam Hunt Freeway. From Orange County to Raleigh I-40 is known as the Harriet Morehead Berry Freeway, the John Motley Morehead, III Freeway, the Tom Bradshaw Freeway. I-40 is the James Harrington Freeway from US 70 to I-95. In Duplin County a section of I-40 is known as the Henry L. Stevens, Jr. Highway. From the Pender County-New Hanover County line to the eastern terminus of I-40, the freeway is known as the Michael Jordan Highway. Interstate 40 was an original Interstate Highway planned in the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. In North Carolina the original highway was to run from the Tennessee state line to Greensboro where the freeway would end at Interstate 85. In 1958, the first section of completed interstate highway in the state was I-40 along the East–West Expressway in Winston-Salem.
I-40 received two extension approvals. After 34 years since it first opened, the last section completed was the Winston-Salem Bypass in 1992; the highest point is at 2,786 feet, located at Swannanoa Gap, the lowest point is at 15 feet, located at the Pender–New Hanover county line. I-40 travels through several diverse regions in North Carolina, including the Great Smoky and Black mountains of Western North Carolina, the rural Foothills, the urban Piedmont, the farmlands of Eastern North Carolina. All of I-40 is listed in the National Highway System, a network of roads important to the country's economy and mobility. I-40 is designated as a Blue Star Memorial Highway throughout the state. I-40 enters North Carolina along the north banks of the Pigeon River, at the foot of Snowbird Mountain. Winding in parallel with the river, I-40 goes through twin tunnels; when the tunnels opened in 1968 they were the first Interstate tunnels east of Mississippi River. I-40 proceeds through the Pigeon River Gorge for the next 16 miles.
Just south of exit 7, I-40 uses another tunnel, for eastbound traffic only, through Hurricane Mountain. The westbound lanes use a rock cut through Hurricane Mountain. A short distance after the tunnel is the North Carolina Welcome Center. Afterwards is Waterville Lake, where there are a few at-grade intersections in this location, used as service access for Walters Dam and the Harmon Den Wildlife Management Area. I-40 continues toward Asheville. Interstate 40 merges with US 74. I-40 and US 74 encounter the Interstate 26, Interstate 240 interchange, sometimes called Malfunction Junction, in the southwestern part of the city; the interchange is the current western terminus of Interstate 240 and the historic terminus of Interstate 26. Interstate 40 goes along the south side of Asheville, north of the Biltmore Estate towards Hickory. I-240 and I-40 have another interchange. Shortly after it leaves the Asheville area, I-40 encounters a steep grade, Old Fort Mountain, with winding roads that poses a hazard to truck traffic.
There are several runaway truck ramps on this part of the highway. This stretch is about six miles long. Interstate 40 goes south of Black Mountain and Marion, north of Conover; when I-40 enters Hickory it has a clover interchange with US 321. Interstate 40 heads south of Hickory and crosses Catawba River. I-40 enters Statesville north of the city, it has major interchanges with US 64 and US 21 before utilizing a clover interchange with Interstate 77. I-40 heads northeast towards Winston-Salem passing Clemmons; when Interstate 40 enters Winston-Salem it has another major interchange this time with US 421 and Interstate 40 Business. I-40 Business/US 421 head north to go through downtown Winston-Salem while I-40 goes just south of the city. Interstate 40 has another clover interchange with I-285/US 52/NC 8. Interstate 74 exit off to the south while I-40 heads back northeast to meet up with US 421 and Interstate 40 Business. US 421 runs a concurrency with I-40 into Greensboro. Interstate 40 enters the Greensboro area at the I-73/US 421/I-840 interchange.
This interchange is the east end of the US 421 concurrency with I-40 and is the planned western terminus of Interstate 840. From there Interstate 40 heads through southwestern Greensboro. Interstate 40 passes Wendover Place and Four Seasons Town Centre before having another large interchange with US 220. 1 mile after the interchange with US 220 US 29/US 70 all merge in
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is a principal agency of the U. S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy; the Census Bureau is part of the U. S. Department of Commerce and its director is appointed by the President of the United States; the Census Bureau's primary mission is conducting the U. S. Census every ten years, which allocates the seats of the U. S. House of Representatives to the states based on their population; the Bureau's various censuses and surveys help allocate over $400 billion in federal funds every year and it helps states, local communities, businesses make informed decisions. The information provided by the census informs decisions on where to build and maintain schools, transportation infrastructure, police and fire departments. In addition to the decennial census, the Census Bureau continually conducts dozens of other censuses and surveys, including the American Community Survey, the U. S. Economic Census, the Current Population Survey.
Furthermore and foreign trade indicators released by the federal government contain data produced by the Census Bureau. Article One of the United States Constitution directs the population be enumerated at least once every ten years and the resulting counts used to set the number of members from each state in the House of Representatives and, by extension, in the Electoral College; the Census Bureau now conducts a full population count every 10 years in years ending with a zero and uses the term "decennial" to describe the operation. Between censuses, the Census Bureau makes population projections. In addition, Census data directly affects how more than $400 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, education and more; the Census Bureau is mandated with fulfilling these obligations: the collecting of statistics about the nation, its people, economy. The Census Bureau's legal authority is codified in Title 13 of the United States Code.
The Census Bureau conducts surveys on behalf of various federal government and local government agencies on topics such as employment, health, consumer expenditures, housing. Within the bureau, these are known as "demographic surveys" and are conducted perpetually between and during decennial population counts; the Census Bureau conducts economic surveys of manufacturing, retail and other establishments and of domestic governments. Between 1790 and 1840, the census was taken by marshals of the judicial districts; the Census Act of 1840 established a central office. Several acts followed that revised and authorized new censuses at the 10-year intervals. In 1902, the temporary Census Office was moved under the Department of Interior, in 1903 it was renamed the Census Bureau under the new Department of Commerce and Labor; the department was intended to consolidate overlapping statistical agencies, but Census Bureau officials were hindered by their subordinate role in the department. An act in 1920 changed the date and authorized manufacturing censuses every two years and agriculture censuses every 10 years.
In 1929, a bill was passed mandating the House of Representatives be reapportioned based on the results of the 1930 Census. In 1954, various acts were codified into Title 13 of the US Code. By law, the Census Bureau must count everyone and submit state population totals to the U. S. President by December 31 of any year ending in a zero. States within the Union receive the results in the spring of the following year; the United States Census Bureau defines four statistical regions, with nine divisions. The Census Bureau regions are "widely used...for data collection and analysis". The Census Bureau definition is pervasive. Regional divisions used by the United States Census Bureau: Region 1: Northeast Division 1: New England Division 2: Mid-Atlantic Region 2: Midwest Division 3: East North Central Division 4: West North Central Region 3: South Division 5: South Atlantic Division 6: East South Central Division 7: West South Central Region 4: West Division 8: Mountain Division 9: Pacific Many federal, state and tribal governments use census data to: Decide the location of new housing and public facilities, Examine the demographic characteristics of communities and the US, Plan transportation systems and roadways, Determine quotas and creation of police and fire precincts, Create localized areas for elections, utilities, etc.
Gathers population information every 10 years The United States Census Bureau is committed to confidentiality, guarantees non-disclosure of any addresses or personal information related to individuals or establishments. Title 13 of the U. S. Code establishes penalties for the disclosure of this information. All Census employees must sign an affidavit of non-disclosure prior to employment; the Bureau cannot share responses, addresses or personal information with anyone including United States or foreign government
U.S. Route 311
U. S. Route 311 is a United States highway that runs for 102.3 mi from Randleman, North Carolina to near Danville, Virginia. Along the route, it connects the cities of High Point, Winston-Salem and Eden; the route is nominally north-south, though it has a pronounced "C" shape, running northwest from its southern terminus to downtown Winston-Salem turning northeast to head towards Danville. U. S. Route 220 goes from Randleman to Danville, but follows a more direct north-south routing. Along the freeway portion bypassing High Point, it is known as the East Belt. U. S. 311 is co-signed along much of its route with other highways. Shortly after its southern terminus, it joins the I-74 freeway switches to I-40 before joining US 52/NC 8 again before becoming its own route again just north of downtown Winston-Salem. Starting in the vicinity of Madison, US 311 follows a number of different North Carolina state highways in short succession along with US 220 before crossing the Virginia line. In Virginia, the route terminates shortly after crossing the border at the western end of the Danville Expressway.
In May 2018, North Carolina applied for, received, permission from AASHTO to remove US 311 from the southernmost 37 miles of the route. US 311 begins at the I-73/US 220 interchange in Randleman. Heading northwest along a 2-lane road for 2.3 miles, it connects with Interstate 74, with US 311 north following I-74 west, near the community of Sopia. Along with Interstate 74, forms a northeastern bypass of Archdale and High Point known locally as the East Belt; the first freeway interchange is Cedar Square Road, followed by interchanges with I-85 and Interstate 85 Business/US 29/US 70. Exits 71A through 65 provide access to various city streets of High Point, with exit 67 providing access to NC 67, directing traffic headed for I-40 east. Exit 63 is for NC 66. There are several exits for local rural roads before entering Winston-Salem, where I-74 temporarily terminates at I-40 and US 311 north follows I-40 west for a short 3 miles stretch. There is one interchange along this stretch, exit 195 with NC 109.
At exit 193, I-285 goes south and US 311 joins US 52/NC 8 north. Along the US52/NC 8 freeway there are two exits for local Winston-Salem streets before US 311 leaves the freeway at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive finally onto New Walkertown Road. Heading northeast along a two-lane road, US 311 goes through the eastern portion of Winston-Salem, it intersects NC 66 for a second time at the edge of Walkertown turns to follow Harley Drive and turns again to follow Main Street through town. Leaving Walkertown, the road takes the local name of Walnut Cove Road. At the southern edge of the town of Walnut Cove NC 65 joins for a short 0.7 miles concurrency. At the northern boundary of Walnut Cove, NC 89 has its terminus at US 311, the highway turns northeast. North Carolina Highway 772 terminates at US 311 near Pine Hall and entering the town of Madison, US 311 takes a westerly route. West of Madison, it joins with Future Interstate 73/US 220 to Mayodan leaving the freeway, it joins with NC 135 towards Eden.
Three other NC routes join with 311 in Eden in short succession: NC 770, NC 87 and NC 14 the 4 joined routes cross the Dan River along Van Buren Street in Eden. US 311 leaves Van Buren Street on a grade-separated interchange onto Meadow Road near the Eden Mall, heading northeast into a rural area before crossing into Virginia. After the passing through the small communities of Berry Hill and Buford, it turns due west joining US 58 Business before the northern terminus of US 311 occurs at US 58, west of Danville at the western end of the Danville Expressway. US 311 feature a few memorialized stretches of freeway. Jerome C. Davis Highway – official North Carolina name of US 311 from Banner Whitehead Road to Cedar Square Road, in Randolph County. J. J. Webster Highway – official North Carolina name of US 311/NC 135 from Mayodan to Eden. Established as an original U. S. Route in 1927, it traversed from West End, through Asheboro, High Point, Winston-Salem and Stoneville, before entering Virginia and continuing to Roanoke, where it reached its parent route, U.
S. 11. The alignment followed part of what was NC 70 and all of NC 77, both of which were decommissioned in 1934. In 1933, US 311 was extended south through Pinehurst and Laurinburg, to Rowland, overlapping NC 241. A year US 220 was established and replaced US 311 south of Asheboro and north of Madison, severing the connection with its parent route. Sections further south were replaced by NC 2 and US 501. In 1966, US 311 was truncated in Randleman. By 1952, US 311 was rerouted west of downtown Winston-Salem, following Waughtown Road, Stadium Drive, Claremont Avenue and 7th Street, to New Walkertown Road. In the mid-1980s, US 311 was moved onto new freeway through southeast Forsyth County. In 1996, the route through Winston-Salem changed again, going west on Interstate 40 north along US 52/NC 8 to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive east onto New Walkertown Road. In 1997, the first section of the East Belt was opened in High Point, rerouting US 311 onto the new freeway to Eastchester Drive back into downtown High Point with concurrency with North Carolina Highway 68.
The old alignment along North Main Street became US 311 Business. On November 20, 2004, the second section of the "East Belt" was opened, rerouting US 311 to I-85 Bus./US 29/US 70. On November 22, 2010, the third and final section of the "East Belt" was completed, linking Interstate 85.
1930 United States Census
The Fifteenth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau one month from April 1, 1930, determined the resident population of the United States to be 122,775,046, an increase of 13.7 percent over the 106,021,537 persons enumerated during the 1920 Census. The 1930 Census collected the following information: address name relationship to head of family home owned or rented if owned, value of home if rented, monthly rent whether owned a radio set whether on a farm sex race age marital status and, if married, age at first marriage school attendance literacy birthplace of person, their parents if foreign born: language spoken at home before coming to the U. S. year of immigration whether naturalized ability to speak English occupation and class of worker whether at work previous day veteran status if Indian: whether of full or mixed blood tribal affiliationFull documentation for the 1930 census, including census forms and enumerator instructions, is available from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.
The original census enumeration sheets were microfilmed by the Census Bureau in 1949. The microfilmed census is located on 2,667 rolls of microfilm, available from the National Archives and Records Administration. Several organizations host images of the microfilmed census online, digital indices. Microdata from the 1930 census are available through the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. Aggregate data for small areas, together with electronic boundary files, can be downloaded from the National Historical Geographic Information System. 1930 Census Questions Hosted at CensusFinder.com 1931 U. S Census Report Contains 1930 Census results Historic US Census data 1930Census.com: 1930 United States Census for Genealogy & Family History Research 1930 Interactive US Census Find stories and more attached to names on the 1930 US census
Yadkin County, North Carolina
Yadkin County is located in the U. S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 38,406, its county seat is Yadkinville. Yadkin County is included in the Winston-Salem, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, included in the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, NC Combined Statistical Area; the county was formed in 1850 from the part of Surry County south of the Yadkin River, for which it was named. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 338 square miles, of which 335 square miles is land and 2.7 square miles is water. Yadkin County is located in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina; the Piedmont consists of rolling farmlands broken by hills or valleys formed by streams. The extreme western section of the county contains the Brushy Mountains, a eroded spur of the much higher Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. Yadkin County marks the eastern end of the Brushy Mountains range; the highest point in the county is Star Peak near Jonesville, at 1,590 feet above sea level.
The Yadkin River forms the county's eastern borders. The county takes its name from the river. Surry County – north Forsyth County – east Davie County – south-southeast Iredell County – south-southwest Wilkes County – west As of the census of 2000, there were 36,348 people, 14,505 households, 10,588 families residing in the county; the population density was 108 people per square mile. There were 15,821 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile; the racial makeup of the county was 92.54% White, 3.43% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.91% from other races, 0.77% from two or more races. 6.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 14,505 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.00% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.50% had someone living alone, 65 years of age or older.
The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.92. In the county, the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $36,660, the median income for a family was $43,758. Males had a median income of $29,589 versus $22,599 for females; the per capita income for the county was $18,576. About 7.10% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.90% of those under age 18 and 17.40% of those age 65 or over. Boonville East Bend Jonesville Yadkinville These towns were incorporated at one time: Arlington, merged with Jonesville in 2001. Hamptonville, chartered in 1818. Huntsville, incorporated in 1792. Shore, incorporated from 1903–1911. Smithtown, incorporated in 1924.
Little Yadkin, annexed by Forsyth County in 1911 and 1927 to become part of Lewisville Township Owing to its Quaker past and consequent historical Unionist sympathies, Yadkin County became and has always remained solidly Republican. The county has voted for the Republican Presidential nominee in every election since that party first contested North Carolina in the 1868 election, being alongside Stokes County and Surry County one of only three North Carolina counties to remain loyal to William Howard Taft in 1912, one of seven to vote for Alf Landon in 1936. Before the Republican Party contested the South, Yadkin County never voted Democratic: it voted for Constitutional Union candidate John Bell in 1860, for Know-Nothing candidate Millard Fillmore in 1856, for the Whig Party in its first election of 1852. Yadkin County is a member of the regional Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments, it is governed by a five-member board of commissioners. In the North Carolina Senate, Yadkin County is located in the 31st Senate District represented by Republican Joyce Krawiec.
In the North Carolina House of Representatives, Yadkin County is in the 73rd District represented by Republican Lee Zachary. Yadkin County has three high schools, Forbush and the Yadkin Early College; the Yadkin Early College is a five-year program where High School and College courses are offered on the Yadkin campus of Surry Community College. Students get the opportunity to earn their High School diploma and an associate degree in Nursing, Criminal Justice, or a transfer degree to a four-year university; the High Schools are fed by eight elementary schools. The eight elementary schools are Boonville, East Bend, Fall Creek, Jonesville, West Yadkin and Yadkinville; the school system operates Yadkin Success Academy, an alternative learning center on Old U. S. 421 in Yadkinville. Yadkin County opened two new Middle Schools in 2009. Starmount Middle School opened in August and serves seventh and eighth grade students from Jonesville and West Yadkin Elementary Schools. Forbush Middle opened in November and serves East Bend, Forbush Elementary, Fall Creek and Yadkinville Schools.
Both campuses are adjacent to the High Schools. Surry Community College offers courses through its Yadkin Campus at 4649 U. S. Highway 601 North near Yadkinville. I-77 US 21 US 421 US 601 NC 67Two major four-lane highways serve
Yadkin Valley AVA
The Yadkin Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes land in eight counties of northwestern North Carolina. The AVA encompasses an area of 1,400,000 acres in the Yadkin River valley; the Yadkin Valley AVA includes all of Wilkes and Yadkin counties, parts of Davie, Forsyth and Stokes counties. Yadkin Valley is home to more than three dozen wineries. For decades, the area was a key tobacco-growing region. However, as tobacco farming and cigarette manufacturing in the area declined, some entrepreneurs, including tobacco farmers, have turned to winemaking; the native grapes of this region of the southeastern United States include Vitis cordifolia, Vitis labrusca, Vitis aestivalis, Vitis cinerea, Vitis rotundifolia. Early attempts to grow the European wine grape, Vitis vinifera, in the southeastern United States, including 18th century efforts by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello, had mixed success, but in the past two to three decades, viticultural research has helped these grapes to survive the climate and pests of the region.
Additionally, Surry Community College, located in Dobson, North Carolina, has served as a valuable community resource for this growing industry by offering certificate and degree programs in viticulture and enology. In 2005, Davidson County Community College formed a partnership with Surry Community College for the delivery of the viticulture and enology program/certifications in Davidson and Davie counties. In 2003, in an effort led by Charlie and Ed Shelton of Shelton Vineyards, the United States' Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Explosives approved the new appellation for the region with the name Yadkin Valley AVA, allowing winemakers to bottle wines with a label indicating that the wine came from the Yadkin Valley. In 2005, there were 400 acres of vineyards in the region. By 2005, the number of wine producers had increased to 23. By 2013, there were 38 wineries operating in the Yadkin Valley; the Yadkin Valley area is in the piedmont and foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of the most recognizable landmarks in the AVA is Pilot Mountain.
The hardiness zone is 7a and 7b, with 6b in some higher areas. Southern Living Magazine published a feature story about the Yadkin Valley region in November 2007; the Yadkin Valley Wine Festival is held the third Saturday in May at the Municipal Park in Elkin. The Yadkin Valley Grape Festival is held the third Saturday in October in Yadkinville. The'Shine to Wine Festival is held in North Carolina the first Saturday in May. Prior to 2005, these wineries participated in the North Carolina Wine Festival; the Budbreak Wine and Craft Beer Festival is held the 1st Saturday in May in downtown Mount Airy, North Carolina. Shelton Vineyards Yadkin Valley Wine Festival Childress Vineyards JOLO Winery & Vineyards Laurel Gray Vineyards North Carolina Grape Council Map of all of the Yadkin Valley Wineries Surry Community College Department of Viticulure & Enology Yadkin Valley Wine Festival Homepage Yadkin Valley Wine Trail - lists wineries, lodging, ancillary visitor information Yadkin Valley Wine Country
Forsyth County, North Carolina
