Editing Grifton, North Carolina

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Grifton, North Carolina
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = "The 'Shad' Capital of North Carolina"
|motto                    = "Come Home To...The Family Town!"

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Grifton, North Carolina.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Commercial buildings along Queen Street
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = Seal of Grifton, North Carolina.png

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = NCMap-doton-Grifton.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Location of Grifton, North Carolina
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[North Carolina]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in North Carolina|Counties]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Lenoir County, North Carolina|Lenoir]], [[Pitt County, North Carolina|Pitt]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Billy Ray Jackson
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022|archive-date=January 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119173812/https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|url-status=live}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 6.95
|area_land_km2            = 6.95
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.68
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.68
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2448
|population_density_km2   = 352.36
|population_density_sq_mi = 912.75

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 20
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|22|22|N|77|26|33|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 28530
|area_code                = [[Area code 252|252]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 37-28200<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/ |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website |archive-date=December 27, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2406620<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2406620}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.grifton.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''Grifton''' is a [[town]] in [[Lenoir County, North Carolina|Lenoir]] and [[Pitt County, North Carolina|Pitt]] counties, [[North Carolina]], United States. The population was 2,448 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3728200&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P1| title=Total Population: 2010 Census DEC Summary File 1 (P1), Grifton town, North Carolina| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| website=data.census.gov| access-date=June 26, 2020| archive-date=June 28, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628212116/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3728200&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P1| url-status=live}}</ref> The Pitt County portion of the town is a part of the [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville]] Metropolitan Statistical Area located in North Carolina's [[Inner Banks]] region. 

==History==
Settlement in the area dates back to 1756, when the locale was known as Peter's Ferry. By 1764, it was known as Blount's Ford. In the 1800s according to local knowledge, the Contentnea Creek bridge was set ablaze during the Civil War, prompting Mr. Coward to construct a replacement bridge in 1867. However, this bridge had a short lifespan, leading Franklin Bell, a nearby blacksmith and chair-maker, to operate a ferry across the creek. As a result, the location earned the name Bell's Ferry, which persisted even after the county erected a fresh bridge over the creek in 1869. It was incorporated under that name in 1883. The name was formally changed to Grifton six years later to honor local merchant C.&nbsp;M.&nbsp;A. Griffin. Soon thereafter, it became styled as Grifton.<ref>{{cite book| last = Powell| first = William S.| title = The North Carolina Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places| publisher = The University of North Carolina Press| date = 1976| location = Chapel Hill| isbn = 9780807812471|page=205}}</ref>

==Geography==
Grifton is located on the southern edge of Pitt County mostly on the northeastern side of [[Contentnea Creek]], which forms the county line. A small portion of the town is on the southwestern side of the creek in Lenoir County. [[North Carolina Highway 11]] passes just west of the town, leading north {{convert|13|mi}} to Greenville, the Pitt [[county seat]], and southwest {{convert|7|mi}} to [[Kinston, North Carolina|Kinston]], the Lenoir county seat.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|7.07|sqkm|order=flip}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer 2019">{{cite web| url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_cousubs_37.txt| title=U.S. Gazetteer Files: 2019: Places: North Carolina| website=U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division| access-date=June 26, 2020| archive-date=October 17, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017010124/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_cousubs_37.txt| url-status=live}}</ref> Contentnea Creek is a southeastward-flowing tributary of the [[Neuse River]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 121
|1900= 229
|1910= 291
|1920= 375
|1930= 403
|1940= 456
|1950= 510
|1960= 1816
|1970= 1860
|1980= 2179
|1990= 2393
|2000= 2073
|2010= 2617
|2020= 2448
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=July 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701194652/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Grifton racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3728200&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 24, 2021|website=data.census.gov|archive-date=December 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224150812/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3728200&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|url-status=live}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 1,107
| 45.22%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 978
| 39.95%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 6
| 0.25%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 7
| 0.29%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 2
| 0.08%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 86
| 3.51%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 262
| 10.7%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 2,448 people, 1,103 households, and 762 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of [[2000 United States census|2000]], there were 2,073 people, 812 households, and 583 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,209.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,092 housing units at an average density of {{convert|637.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 63.24% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 33.19% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.19% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.05% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.24% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.32% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.77% from two or more races. 4.73% of the population were [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

==Education==
{{unsourced|section|date=July 2023}}
Grifton is served by Grifton School with grades Pre-K through 8. It is administered by the [[Pitt County, North Carolina|Pitt County]] Public School system. High school students attend nearby [[Ayden-Grifton High School]], which is located between [[Ayden, North Carolina|Ayden]] and Grifton. Just south of Grifton is the private K-12 school [[Arendell Parrott Academy]].

Higher education is provided through [[Pitt Community College]] in [[Winterville, North Carolina|Winterville]] and [[Lenoir Community College]] in Kinston. [[East Carolina University]] is located north of Grifton in [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville]].

==Constructions==
The [[WITN]] tower is a guyed TV mast with a height of {{convert|1985|ft|m}} located in the town.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

==Local events==
===Shad Festival===
In 1971, citizens in the town of Grifton established the annual Grifton Shad Festival as a way to increase interest in the town and to provide family-oriented fun for all ages working together.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://griftonshadfestival.com/|title=Grifton Shad Festival – Shad Capital of North Carolina|access-date=March 23, 2023|archive-date=March 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321102751/https://griftonshadfestival.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Shad]] Festival was suggested by then North Carolina extension agent Ed Comer. Most events are free and outdoors. There are now 40 events, ranging from parade and pony rides to art show, clogging, Hispanic dances, lying contest, historical museum and athletic competitions, including the Shad Toss (throwing real fish).

The annual celebration includes:
*Hickory Shad fishing contest starting January 1
*SHAD-O (Grifton's version of Bingo)
*The "Miss Grifton" pageant, a competition for high-school aged girls
*Carnival rides and games
*Craft show
*Food prepared by local churches and civic organizations
*Saturday night street dance featuring local bands

===John Lawson Legacy Days===
John Lawson Legacy Days is an annual event held at the Grifton Historical Museum and Indian Village, focusing on reenactors, historic interpreters, and historical technology demonstrations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://johnlawsonlegacydays.org/Home_Page.html|url-status=dead|title=Archived copy|access-date=October 31, 2016|archive-date=November 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101041604/http://johnlawsonlegacydays.org/Home_Page.html}}</ref> The event was first held in 2010 and is named after [[John Lawson (explorer)|John Lawson]], an English explorer, naturalist and surveyor who traveled through the Carolinas in 1701 and published a book about his travels in 1709. Lawson was killed by a group of [[Tuscarora people|Tuscarora]] near Grifton in 1711.

===Back-N-Time Book Club ===
Back-N-Time Book Club is a book club organized by the Grifton Historical Museum in combination with North Carolina Literacy to introduce children and adults to reading.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|www.grifton.com}}

{{Lenoir County, North Carolina}}
{{Pitt County, North Carolina}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Pitt County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Towns in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Towns in Lenoir County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area]]