Asheboro, NC

Asheboro is the county seat of Randolph County and one of two North Carolina county seats to have been named for 18th-century North Carolina Governor Samuel Ashe (the other being Asheville). The city was officially established in 1793 to serve as a seat of government that was geographically accessible. Throughout much of the 19th century, the city suffered from slow growth; the arrival of several railroads in the 1890s, however, helped to spur the town into economic success and regional significance. Asheboro has a population of around 24,170.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Major industries in Asheboro include manufacturing, retail and wholesale, education, and health care. The unemployment rate is around 4.8 percent, and roughly 16 percent of the residents of Asheboro are considered to be living below poverty line.

Klaussner Furniture Industries is one of the largest employers in the state. The company began in Asheboro as Stuart Furniture and remains headquartered in the city today. Klaussner is now one of the top five furniture manufacturers in the United States and the largest private manufacturer in the country. The company employs more than 6,000 workers worldwide, more than half of which are in North Carolina.

Other major employers include:

• Energizer Battery Co.: Two major Energizer plants in Asheboro produce alkaline batteries, metal parts and packaging for worldwide production.
• Randolph Hospital: This medical center offers outpatient services, maternity care, inpatient hospitalization, education classes and screenings, emergency department visits, home health care and more to the Asheboro community. Randolph Hospital opened in 1932.
• Acme-McCrary Corp.: A hosiery manufacturer.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Asheboro accommodates about 9,550 houses with an occupancy ratio that is little more than 92 percent. Out of occupied houses, owners occupy about 5,000 houses and renters occupy about 4,000.

Downtown Asheboro, like many American downtowns's suffered from urban flight caused by the mega-mall trend of the 1980s. However, the region has made a comeback in the past decade and today has a renowned antique district and very few real estate vacancies. The revitalization effort was aided by project like Bicentennial Park's a block-long "green space" created from the old Asheboro bus station. Bicentennial Park is not just a public park's but also a concert and event venue with an outdoor stage. Downtown is also home to the historic Sunset Theatre, which opened in 1930 and still shows movies.

FOR VISITORS

• North Carolina Aviation Museum and Hall of Fame: Ever-changing exhibits, replete with air and ground vehicles dating from as far back as World War II, have helped to make the North Carolina Aviation Museum and Hall of Fame one of the Asheboro area's biggest tourist attractions. Among other things, the facility features two hangars filled with vintage military vehicles, uniforms and weaponry, an aviation archive featuring a comprehensive selection of historical documents as well as period newspapers, videos detailing important moments in the development of aviation technology and the Bob Moon Museum Store, which is known for offering what many consider to be the best selection of model aircrafts in the region.
• American Classic Motorcycle Museum: Harley-Davidsons of both the vintage and modern sorts make up the chief draw at this Asheboro favorite. The museum also handles the restoration and repair of Harleys built between 1936 and 1984, among other services of interest to hog enthusiasts.
• Birkhead Wilderness Area: Birkhead is made up of more than 5,000 acres located in the northern portion of the Uwharrie Mountains, which geologists believe to be the oldest mountain range in North America. The area has also proved to be significant in terms of human history, as archaeologists have discovered evidence of local habitation by Native Americans dating as far back as 10,000 B.C., while later artifacts dating from early colonial settlers are still being discovered here as well. Today, the Birkhead Wilderness Area includes a network of hiking trails and other recreational features.
• Pisgah Covered Bridge: The particularly quaint Pisgah Covered Bridge is one of only two remaining covered bridges in North Carolina. The area immediately surrounding the site features picnic areas and a short hiking trail, making it a perfect stopping point for travelers.
• Tot Hill Farm Golf Club: Designed by renowned golfing architect Mike Strantz, Tot Hill's resident 18-hole course has recently been ranked the seventh-most difficult course in the nation by Golf Digest.

SPORTS TEAMS

Each summer, the Asheboro Copperheads compete with other teams of the Coastal Plain League in classic, wooden bat baseball exhibitions. The increasingly popular team plays home games at the city's McCrary Park, which itself hosts birthday parties, picnics and other group outings on game days.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• North Carolina Zoo: Home to more than a thousand animals hailing from as far as Africa, the North Carolina Zoo is widely regarded as the best zoological center in the U.S. The zoo's North American animal exhibits in particular have often been cited as the nation's most comprehensive collection of the kind. As the nation's largest walk-through natural habitat zoo, the award-winning institution certainly merits repeat visits. Chief among the attractions to be enjoyed are the Watani Grasslands Reserve, home to a large number of elephants, rhinos and other large mammals from Africa. The North Carolina Zoo also plays host to dozens of special events and educational programs throughout the year, notably October's month-long "ZooFEST" celebration, which ends with a Halloween party.
• Caraway Speedway: Auto enthusiasts have plenty of reasons to visit Asheboro's Caraway Speedway, home to a half-mile, NASCAR-sanctioned track that serves as a venue for weekly races. Events feature late-model cars and super trucks, as well as nationally anticipated special events such as the Whelen Southern Modified series.
• Sunset Theatre: Downtown Asheboro's most recognizable local landmark opened in 1930 as the first full-time movie house in the city. The theater was closed from 1981 to 1983, after which point it served as a venue for a wide range of live events. After a series of ownership changes, Sunset Theatre is now operated by Asheboro Parks and Recreation, which uses it as a concert house.
• Randolph Arts Guild: The Randolph Arts Guild acts as the centerpiece of the county's creative life, offering a variety of services and educational programs for both established and aspiring area artists. Among other things, the organization operates Asheboro's W.H. Moring, Jr. Art Center, which features an ever-changing array of exhibits displaying the work of artists hailing from Randolph County and beyond. It also organizes a range of special art events throughout the year, including Youth Art Month, Summer Arts Camps, the North Carolina Potters Conference and even art-heavy rummage sales for bargain hunters.