Roxboro

History

Roxboro is named after a town in Scotland, Roxburgh. Although spelled differently, they are pronounced the same. Prior to the official adoption of the name Roxboro, the community was known as "Mocassin Gap". The city of Roxboro was incorporated on January 9, 1855, and remains the only municipality in Person County. The Holloway-Jones-Day House, House on Wagstaff Farm, James A. and Laura Thompson Long House, Merritt-Winstead House, Person County Courthouse, Roxboro Commercial Historic District, Roxboro Cotton Mill, and Roxboro Male Academy and Methodist Parsonage are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Governor William W. and Musette Satterfield Kitchin House is the main building of the Person County Museum of History. On July 7, 1920, Red Roach was lynched in downtown Roxboro. On August 15, 1941, a mob of 500 attempted to lynch Cy Winstead, a 22-year-old Black man, who was accused of raping a white woman and was being held at the Person County court house. The mob was held off with tear gas by local authorities led by Sheriff M. T. Clayton until Winstead could be safely transferred to the state prison in Raleigh. No injuries were reported. Ten men were indicted for the attempted lynching on October 16, 1941, on inciting to riot and "unlawful assembly for unlawful purpose". To local shock, five of the men were found guilty. A jury acquitted them of the more serious charge of inciting to riot, but found them guilty of unlawful assembly. They received prison terms ranging from 12 to 18 months. Winstead himself later pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit rape and was sentenced to two and a half years to five years in prison.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 0.16% is water. Roxboro has a moderate subtropical climate, with mild weather in the spring, fall, and winter. However, summers can be hot and humid. Winter temperatures generally range from highs in the low 50s°F (10-13 °C) to lows in the upper 20s-mid 30s°F (-2 to 2 °C), though degree weather is not uncommon. The record low was -9 °F in January 1985. Spring and fall days are usually in the low to mid 70s°F (low 20s°C), with nights in the 50s°F (10-14 °C). Summer days are often in the upper 80s and low 90s °F (30-35 °C,) with very high humidity. The record high was 104 °F in July 1966. The rainiest months are July and September. Roxboro receives an average of of snow per winter. Freezing rain and sleet occur most winters, and occasionally the area experiences a major, damaging ice storm. Roxboro is often dubbed the "Snow Capital of the Triangle" because it often receives the most snow during snowstorms in central North Carolina due to its high elevation.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,867
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  2,739
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,661
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,409
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,374
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,211
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  2,050
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,781

Largest nearby schools

• Person High
  High · Roxboro · 1,079 students · 18.6:1 ratio
• Roxboro Community School
  High · Roxboro · 688 students · 14.6:1 ratio
• Helena Elementary
  Elementary · Timberlake · 523 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• Southern Middle
  Middle · Roxboro · 514 students · 15.6:1 ratio
• Northern Middle
  Middle · Roxboro · 462 students · 17.1:1 ratio
• South Elementary
  Elementary · Roxboro · 430 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• Stories Creek Elementary
  Elementary · Roxboro · 365 students · 13:1 ratio
• Bethel Hill Charter
  Elementary · Roxboro · 356 students · 13.7:1 ratio