Mount Gilead is a town in Montgomery County, in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,171 at the 2020 census.
2020 census
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Mount Gilead racial composition
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)
| 570
| 48.68%
|-
!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
| 506
| 43.21%
|-
!scope="row"| Native American
| 13
| 1.11%
|-
!scope="row"| Asian
| 25
| 2.13%
|-
!scope="row"| Other/Mixed
| 40
| 3.42%
|-
!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino
| 17
| 1.45%
|}
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,171 people, 476 households, and 273 families residing in the town.
2000 census
As of the census A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (J.D., 1962), Chambers served as editor-in-chief of the school's Law Review. He next earned a master of law degree from New York's Columbia University in 1964.
- Oscar Haywood (1868–1943) was a Baptist preacher and segregationist politician. The Haywood plantation house where he lived is in Mount Gilead, and he is buried in Sharon Cemetery in the town.
Sites of interest
The Mount Gilead Museum is located in a restored Victorian house near the downtown area. The house belonged to the McAulay family, who played an important role in Mount Gilead business, church, social, and civic life. The museum houses many documents, photographs, and historic artifacts that tell the story of Mount Gilead's past.
Downtown Mount Gilead is also a host for a moon tree at the Mount Gilead Community Garden. The Moon Tree was planted on June 3, 2024, by Mary Poplin and her daughter as part of a special community ceremony. This historic tree, a loblolly pine, is one of a select few grown from seeds that orbited the moon aboard NASA's Artemis I mission in 2022.
Arts
The Piedmont Center of the Arts and Ford Place Restaurant, Pub & Special Events Center were developed with funding from the North Carolina Rural Center. The arts facility houses a wood-turner who gives lessons, the office of the Mount Gilead Arts Guild, a retail co-op store, and a clock repair shop. The restaurant is based in an adapted Ford dealership. Customers see much of the town's history preserved on the walls and under glass on the tables.
Mount Gilead has a number of visual and performing artists who routinely show their work at the arts complex.
The Mount Gilead Community Concerts Association (MGCCA) is a non-profit organization presenting a program of diverse performing arts to the local area. Incorporated in 2001, the organization presents an annual Concert Series featuring visiting musicians. When possible, these artists present a program for local school students. MGCCA is governed by a volunteer board of directors and supported through the contributions of local individuals and companies.
The Mount Gilead Community Choir has produced annual concerts since its founding in 1995. This group of volunteer singers traditionally presents a Christmas concert on the first Sunday in December. The choir is supported in part by the Mount Gilead Community Concerts Association (MGCCA), and more information can be found of the organization's website.
Community Radio WMTG-LP (88.1 FM) is a non-commercial, low-power station that serves the town by airing announcements of local interest. The station programs a mix of oldies and adult contemporary music and broadcasts 24 hours a day. WMTG is a service of the Mount Gilead Community Concerts Association (MGCCA).