Roanoke Rapids
| Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
| City | |
 Location of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina |
|
| Coordinates: 36°27′16″N 77°39′17″W / 36.45444°N 77.65472°WCoordinates: 36°27′16″N 77°39′17″W / 36.45444°N 77.65472°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Halifax |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Emory G. Doughtie |
| • Mayor Pro Tem | Carl Ferebee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.9 sq mi (20.4 km2) |
| • Land | 7.8 sq mi (20.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 154 ft (47 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 15,754 |
| • Estimate (2016) | 15,171 |
| • Density | 2,000/sq mi (770/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 27870 |
| Area code(s) | 252 |
| FIPS code | 37-56900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1022310 |
| Website | www.roanokerapidsnc.com |
Roanoke Rapids (/ˈroʊəˌnoʊk/) is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 15,754 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also a part of the Golden East metro area.
Roanoke Rapids is located at 36°27′16″N 77°39′17″W / 36.45444°N 77.65472°W (36.454528, -77.654822).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20 km2), of which, 7.8 square miles (20 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.51%) is water.
The town is located at the beginning of the North Carolina Piedmont, on the Roanoke River at the fall line, which marks the area where an upland region (continental bedrock) and a coastal plain (coastal alluvia) meet. The fall line is typically prominent where a river crosses it, for there will usually be rapids or waterfalls. Because of these features, river boats typically could not travel any further inland. Because settlements needed a port and a ready supply of water power, they often developed where the river crosses the fall line. The Roanoke River and its falls inspired the development of Roanoke Rapids; businessmen such as Sam Patterson and other textile manufacturers used the river to power their mills.
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