Place Information
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Seagrove is a town in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 246 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a railroad official. The center of population of North Carolina is located in Seagrove [1]. Seagrove is notable for its many potteries, and it is sometimes referred to as the "pottery capital of North Carolina", or even of the world. In this usage, the name Seagrove not only refers to the town proper, but includes several other communities that are part of the pottery tradition. Over 100 potteries are located in Seagrove and the neighboring towns of Star, Whynot, Erect, Westmoore, and Robbins. Seagrove is also home to the North Carolina Pottery Center, which was established on November 7, 1998 and has since received visitors from all 50 states and at least 20 foreign countries.
History
Seagrove was named for Edwin G. Seagroves, a railroad official who was responsible for routing a railroad through the area. According to local sources, after a unanimous decision to name the railroad station after Seagroves, the town name resulted from a sign painter running out of space and simply dropping the 's' from the end of the name. The railroad served Seagrove until December 31, 1951. The old train depot later became a pottery museum. Plank RoadIn 1849, construction began of Plank Road, which was 129 miles (208 km) long and made of planks 8 feet (2.4 m) wide, eight feet (2.4 m) long, 9 to 16 inches (230 to 410 mm) wide, and 3 inches (76 mm) thick. The road carried horseback riders, wagons, and stagecoaches. A toll was charged of one cent per mile (1.6 km) for a wagon and four horses. Toll revenues later declined after construction of the railroad, and by 1862 much of Plank Road was abandoned. Seagrove SchoolA school funded by members of the community was established on April 3, 1911. The school moved to a new site in 1918 and again in 1926. The school burned on March 24, 1934, and was subsequently rebuilt. Seagrove accepted students from elementary to high school until the fall of 1970, when the high school students began attending the new Southwestern Randolph High School. In the fall of 1990, Seagrove students in the 6th through 8th grades began attending Southwestern Randolph Middle School. Today, the school is known as Seagrove Elementary School and houses students only from Kindergarten until the 5th grade. PotterySeagrove's pottery tradition dates back to the 1700s, before the American Revolution. Many of the first Seagrove potters were English and German immigrants, and they primarily produced functional, glazed earthenware. Due to the high quality of the local clay, the Plank Road passing through the town, and, later, the railroad, Seagrove became known for its pottery. The popularity of Seagrove pottery was severely reduced due to the Industrial Revolution and the advent of modern food preparation. For a time whisky jugs were a successful source of income, but the beverage was outlawed and potteries continued their decline in the early 1900s. The potteries struggled until around 1920, when they became popular with Northern tourists visiting nearby Pinehurst. The new tourist industry marked a general change from utilitarian pottery to more decorative ware. After another decline from the 1950s through 1970s a renewed interest in traditional pottery was beginning to sweep the area, and in 1982 a group of concerned individuals founded the North Carolina Museum of Traditional Pottery and organized the Seagrove Pottery Festival, an annual event held each year the weekend before Thanksgiving. The Cole, Potts, King, Auman, Owen, McNeill, Teague, Luck and Albright families are eighth- and ninth-generation potters in Seagrove who continue this tradition. Pinto BeansWhile known for pottery Seagrove also has a tradition in food products and was home for many years to Luck's Incorporated. Founded as Mountainview Cannery in the 1950s by Ivey B. Luck, Alfred Spencer & H. Clay Presnell. Spencer & Presnell later sold out to Luck and the establishment became known as Luck's. Luck's specialized in pinto beans and other canned vegetables and food products and employed many Seagrove families. Bought out by American Home Products and then later by Conagra Products the Luck's plant closed in 2002. Seagrove will forever be remembered as the capital of pottery & pinto beans. Research Tips
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