Snow Hill is a town in Greene County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,481 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Greene County and is part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area. Snow Hill hosts numerous tennis tournaments during the year. Snow Hill is home to the Green Ridge Racquet Club. Many junior players and adults travel to Snow Hill in order to play in the USTA (United States Tennis Association) Sanctioned tournaments.

History

In its early history, Snow Hill was near the location of the final major battle of the Tuscarora War at Fort Neoheroka in 1713. There are several theories for the derivation of the town's name. One theory is that the town derived its name from the Contentnea Creek on whose banks Native Americans camped and called them "snowy white," which was translated into "snowy hills." It snows rarely, however, so the snowy white is more likely a reference to the white sands along the creek. Another theory was described by McLoud in the Goldsboro newspaper as being "loblolly pine is in water," and the most recent translation from the Tuscarora language offered was "as fish go by."

Originally a community in central Greene County, the town of Snow Hill was chartered in 1828. The town almost became the capital of North Carolina and was originally a major trading depot on Contentnea Creek. At the time, Contentnea Creek was a main Wilson-to-New Bern trading artery. Contentnea Creek connects with the Neuse River at Kinston.

It is believed Snow Hill is the smallest town in the United States to ever field a professional baseball team. From 1937-40, the Snow Hill Billies played in the Class D Coastal Plain League and won the league pennant in 1937. Future New York Yankees Aaron Robinson and Al Gettel began their careers with the Billies, as did Walter Rabb, who would serve as head baseball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for nearly thirty years.

In April 2011, a tornado struck the town and caused massive damage.

The Greene County Courthouse, Neoheroka Fort Site, Snow Hill Colored High School, Snow Hill Historic District, and St. Barnabas Episcopal Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Snow Hill is located south of the center of Greene County on a low bluff on the south side of Contentnea Creek. U.S. Route 13 passes through the north side of town, leading northeast to Greenville and southwest to Goldsboro. U.S. Route 258 passes through the center of town, leading north to Farmville and south to Kinston.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Snow Hill has a total area of , all land.

2020 census

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"

|+Snow Hill racial composition

!scope="col"| Race

!scope="col"| Number

!scope="col"| Percentage

|-

!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)

| 584

| 39.43%

|-

!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)

| 679

| 45.85%

|-

!scope="row"| Native American

| 4

| 0.27%

|-

!scope="row"| Asian

| 16

| 1.08%

|-

!scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 45

| 3.04%

|-

!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 153

| 10.33%

|}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,481 people, 760 households, and 480 families residing in the town.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 1,595 people living in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 52.6% Black, 36.3% White, 0.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% from some other race and 1.1% from two or more races. 8.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

As of the census Higher education is provided through nearby East Carolina University or community colleges located in Goldsboro, Greenville and Kinston.

Transportation

The closest airport to Snow Hill is Pitt-Greenville Airport with service to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, although most residents use Raleigh-Durham International Airport for domestic and international travel.

Highways that run through the city include US 13, US 258, NC 903, NC 58 and NC 91. The closest Interstate Highway is I-795, located to the west in Fremont.

Notable people

  • Don Davis, current member of the United States House of Representatives representing North Carolina's 1st congressional district and former member of the North Carolina Senate and Mayor of Snow Hill
  • Ray E. Eubanks, US Army paratrooper and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
  • Cliff Godwin, former American baseball player and current head coach at East Carolina University
  • Petey Pablo, rapper
  • Rapsody, female rapper
  • Mule Shirley, Major League Baseball first baseman

References

;Notes

  • Town of Snow Hill official website
  • Contentnea Development Partnership - Non Profit Economic Development Company Serving Snow Hill and Greene County NC