Milton

History

Founded in 1796, Milton is notable for being the home of Thomas Day, a free Black businessman who was a renowned cabinetmaker. Day's creations are celebrated today as a major contribution to American decorative arts. Day had a workshop and residence in the historic Union Tavern building that is in the process of being restored through an ongoing restoration campaign. A fire severely damaged the building in 1989. Woodside, a historic plantation home, is located southeast of the town along Highway 57. It was the home of Caleb Hazard and Mary Dodson Richmond during the mid-19th century. General Stephen Dodson Ramseur, a distinguished Civil War hero, was a nephew of Caleb Hazard and Mary Dodson Richmond, and stayed with them while recuperating from injuries received in the Battle of Malvern Hill. While there, he fell in love with their daughter, Ellen, and they were married in the parlor. Before the Civil War, Milton was notably prosperous as a trade center for products, including tobacco and corn, brought up the Dan River on flatboats. A significant number of the county's wealthy residents made the town their home. In 1846, the town declined to allow the Richmond and Danville Railroad to run through it, citing noise and other concerns. Milton is the northernmost point of the Colonial Heritage Byway.

Geography

Milton is located in northeastern Caswell County just to the east of the Dan River. The town is bordered to the north by the state line, with Halifax County, Virginia, to the north. North Carolina Highways 57 and 62 intersect in the center of town. NC 57 leads southeast to Roxboro, while NC 62 leads southwest to Yanceyville, the Caswell County seat. NC 62 turns northwest in Milton, crosses the Dan River, and becomes Virginia State Route 62, which leads northwest to U.S. Route 58. By this route it is from Milton to Danville, Virginia. According to the United States Census Bureau, Milton has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  2,276
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,231
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,173
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,999
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,776
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  1,659
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,601
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,486

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2019-03-26
  8 km E of Archdale, North Carolina