Wilkesboro was founded in 1800 and quickly designated as the county seat.
The town is built atop a low, broad ridge which runs for over a mile along the south bank of the Yadkin River.
For many decades a popular historic spot in Wilkesboro was the "Tory Oak", a large oak tree from which Colonel Benjamin Cleveland, a well-known Wilkes County patriot during the American Revolutionary War, hanged Loyalist militia leaders who supported the British king and opposed American independence from Britain. The oak was located behind the old Wilkes County courthouse.
During the Civil War, many of Wilkesboro's residents remained loyal to the Union and opposed the Confederacy. In March 1865, General George Stoneman, a Union cavalry leader, led a raid through the town.
Shortly after the war ended, Tom Dula (Dooley), a Confederate veteran, was tried and hanged for the murder of his fiancée, Laura Foster. Many people were convinced that one of Dula's jealous ex-girlfriends murdered Foster, and that Dula was innocent of the crime. Dula's story was turned into a top-selling ballad in 1958 by The Kingston Trio, titled "Tom Dooley". The story was subsequently turned into a 1959 movie starring Michael Landon as Dula. Each summer, the Wilkes Playmakers present a popular play based on the story.
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,687 people, 1,386 households, and 808 families residing in the town.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 3,413 people living in Wilkesboro. The population density was 622.5 inhabitants per square mile (240.3/km2). The racial makeup of Wilkesboro was 81.5% White, 8.9% African American, 3.0% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 4.0% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races.[8]
The population of Wilkesboro was spread out, with 21.7% being under the age of 20, 6.1% from 20-24, 21.9% from 25-44, 25.6% from 45-64, and 24.5% being 65 and over. The median age was 45.2 years old, more specifically 40.8 for males and 49.5 for females.[8]
Wilkesboro's largest industry is the Tyson Foods poultry processing plant; it is one of the largest poultry plants east of the Mississippi River.[10]
Local communication companies Wilkes Communications and Carolina West Wireless are based in Wilkesboro.[11]
Education
Wilkesboro is served by the Wilkes County Schools system. Most of Wilkesboro's high school students attend Wilkes Central High School; it is located in the adjacent community of Moravian Falls. Wilkes Early College, based at Wilkes Community College, and one charter school, Bridges Charter School in State Road, North Carolina, offer other high-school options to Wilkesboro's students.[12] Middle school students in Wilkesboro attend Central Wilkes Middle School, located in Moravian Falls, while the elementary schools that serve the town are Wilkesboro Elementary, Moravian Falls Elementary, and CC Wright Elementary.
WTA, Wilkes Transportation Authority, is a local shuttle service based in Wilkesboro that utilizes vans and buses to serve Wilkes County. Fares range from $2-$24, but are typically around $4.[13] A scheduled shuttle service runs roughly every hour, and an unscheduled service allows riders to request a van pick-up in any part of the county.
Intercity bus
Daily bus service is available on Greyhound. Sunway buses are advertised as Greyhound Express buses. The bus stop is in front of the former Federal Building at 207 West Main Street. Bus service goes to Boone, NC and Greensboro, NC, known as the Mountaineer East/West line, with prices as low as $4. Passengers can connect to Greyhound services throughout the East Coast via the J. Douglas Galyon Depot, where the line ends.[14]
Like most of Wilkes County, Wilkesboro has long been a bastion of the Republican Party.
Wilkesboro's largest religious group is the Southern Baptists, but the town does contain substantial numbers of Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Episcopalians. The first two churches to be established in Wilkes County were built in Wilkesboro; they were missionary churches for the Episcopal and Presbyterian denominations. The nearby town of North Wilkesboro contains Wilkes County's only Roman Catholic church: a parish church named for Saint John Baptist de la Salle, and part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.
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Attractions
Wilkesboro is a small town Main Street community[clarification needed] and has recently[when?] revitalized its historic downtown to include the Carolina West Wireless Community Commons, Wilkes Communications Pavilion, Heritage Square, and Splash Pad.
Cub Creek Park is adjacent to the downtown area and contains many amenities, including baseball; walking and mountain biking trails; trout fishing; dog park; basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts; and picnic shelters.
Wilkesboro is also the home of the annual MerleFest, Carolina in the Fall, and Brushy Mountain Peach & Heritage festivals.
