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B+History
History · Asheboro

Asheboro dates to 1796, and 6 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 69% of U.S. towns · #81 of 290 in North Carolina. What drives it

Most of Asheboro was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1981. 6 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 75 buildings. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1910 on, and the census since 1850.

1796founded
6on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
12famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Asheboro began

When was Asheboro founded?

1796

Asheboro dates its founding to 1796 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 176 in 18502020 census: 27,156230 years

How historic is Asheboro?

B+

More historic than 69% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1794.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Asheboro’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Asheboro is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns, #81 of 290 in North Carolina. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Asheboro’s overall grade.
Founding era1796, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 19405.1% of homes (±1.4) · typical NC town 4.1% · U.S. 8.4%CNational Register6 listings, 90 historic buildings, 32.6 per 10,000 residents · typical NC town 12.5 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 69%
NewerOlder
North Carolina towns of 2,500+ (290)Ahead of 72%

North Carolina towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical North Carolina town has 12.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Asheboro’s 32.6 sits near the middle of its state (65% of North Carolina towns have fewer) while its 90 historic buildings outnumber those of 89% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1796.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. The pre-1940 share (±1.4 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Asheboro’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Asheboro, and 7 old place names are still on the map.A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.A historic districtThe Asheboro Downtown Historic District takes in 75 historic buildings.Landmarks on the Register6 places on the National Register.
★ What stands out · Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Asheboro’s post office has been open since 1923. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Randolph
1794–1907
Ashboro
1800–1923
Central Falls
1882–today
Asheboro
1923–today
North Asheboro
1930–1934
17901910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Cedar CreekCentral FallsHamlet LakesLaurel Wood HillsNorth AsheboroNorth ShoreRedding Hills
Gone or out of use
Hinshaw Airportairport
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Asheboro
OaklawnOld CityRandolph Memorial Park

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Start Asheboro’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Asheboro’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps -…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

6 listings protect 90 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
6
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
90
each building in a district counts
first listed
1979
Randolph County Courthouse
Randolph County CourthouseCentral School, built 1926Sunset TheaterAsheboro Hosiery Mills and Cranford Furniture Company Complex, built 1940Acme-McCrary Hosiery MillsAsheboro Downtown Historic District
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Neo-Classical Revival1
Scholastic Functionalism1
International Style1
Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival1
Heavy Timber Mill Construction1
Steel-framed, load-bearing brick wall mill construction1
Randolph County CourthouseNeo-Classical Revival
Central SchoolScholastic Functionalism · Built 1926
Sunset TheaterMission/Spanish Colonial Revival
Asheboro Hosiery Mills and Cranford Furniture Company ComplexHeavy Timber Mill Construction · Built 1940
Acme-McCrary Hosiery MillsBuilding
All 6 listings
Asheboro Downtown Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2022

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Asheboro came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Asheboro.

Read it all →

Asheboro was named after Samuel Ashe, the ninth governor of North Carolina (1795–1798), and became the county seat of Randolph County in 1796. It was a small village in the 1800s, with a population of less than 200 through the Civil War; its main function was housing the county courthouse, and the town was most active when court was in session. Asheboro's population only began to grow significantly following its connection to railroads: the High Point, Randleman, Asheboro and Southern Railroad first served the city in 1889, followed by the Montgomery Railroad in 1896.

ChaptersHistoric buildings

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Asheboro, 1794 to 1972

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1794Post officeThe Randolph post office opens
  3. 1796
    FoundingAsheboro is established
  4. 19th century
  5. 1800Post officeThe Ashboro post office opens
  6. 1880In the archive1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - North Carolina - Randolph County - Asheboro - ED …
  7. 1882Post officeThe Central Falls post office opens
  8. 20th century
  9. 1907Post officeThe Randolph post office closes
  10. 1923Post officeThe Ashboro post office closes
  11. 1926BuiltCentral School is built
  12. 1940BuiltAsheboro Hosiery Mills and Cranford Furniture Company Complex is built
  13. 1952Born hereLane Caudell is born here
  14. 1960Born hereMark Kemp is born here
  15. 1970Born hereLodi is born here
  16. 1972Born hereJoe Spinks is born here
By decade

Asheboro, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1880s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1880s2 items
1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - North Carolina - Randolph County - Asheboro - ED 76-1, ED 76-2, ED 76-3, ED 76-418801940 Census Enumeration District Maps - North Carolin…The Asheboro Courier, Volume IX, No. 261884The Asheboro Courier, Volume IX, No. 26Book
1890s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today49 recent
USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0009)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0008)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0007)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0006)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0005)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0004)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0003)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0002)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Commissioner Kenny Kidd (20260611-USDA-RD-NC-REK-0001)2026USDA RD Team Outdoor Meeting with NC Randolph Co Comm…WILSON KINDLEY FARM AND KINDLEY MINE;2021WILSON KINDLEY FARM AND KINDLEY MINE;Central School2020Central SchoolAsheboro municipal building2020Asheboro municipal buildingAsheboro Hosiery Mills2020Asheboro Hosiery MillsAcme-McCrary Hosiery Mills No. 22020Acme-McCrary Hosiery Mills No. 2City of Asheboro Central Business District Redevelopment Plan 2018-20232018City of Asheboro Central Business District Redevelopm…BookThe life-size "Elephant Group" sculpture on the entrance road to the North Carolina Zoological Park2017The life-size "Elephant Group" sculpture on the entra…A Confederate monument holds a prominent position before the Randolph County Courthouse2017A Confederate monument holds a prominent position bef…A Confederate monument holds a prominent position before the Randolph County Courthouse2017A Confederate monument holds a prominent position bef…A mural covers the entire side of a building2017A mural covers the entire side of a buildingThe old public library entrance to the municipal building2017The old public library entrance to the municipal buil…Elephants at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Elephants at the North Carolina Zoological ParkElephants at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Elephants at the North Carolina Zoological ParkChimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Chimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoological ParkLions at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Lions at the North Carolina Zoological ParkTurtle at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Turtle at the North Carolina Zoological ParkElephants at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Elephants at the North Carolina Zoological ParkElephants at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Elephants at the North Carolina Zoological ParkElephants at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Elephants at the North Carolina Zoological ParkElephants at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Elephants at the North Carolina Zoological ParkOld mills, slowly converting to residential apartments2017Old mills, slowly converting to residential apartmentsOld mills, slowly converting to residential apartments2017Old mills, slowly converting to residential apartmentsAn elephant gives itself a bath at the North Carolina Zoo2017An elephant gives itself a bath at the North Carolina…Hops Bar-B-Que joint2017Hops Bar-B-Que jointWell-fed alligator at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Well-fed alligator at the North Carolina Zoological P…Paddleboating on a lake at the North Carolina Zoo2017Paddleboating on a lake at the North Carolina ZooChimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Chimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoological ParkChimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Chimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoological ParkLions at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Lions at the North Carolina Zoological ParkOstrich at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Ostrich at the North Carolina Zoological ParkGiraffe at the North Carolina Zoological Park2017Giraffe at the North Carolina Zoological ParkThe Table, Asheboro, United States (Unsplash)2017The Table, Asheboro, United States (Unsplash)The Table, Asheboro, United States (Unsplash ute2XAFQU2I)2017The Table, Asheboro, United States (Unsplash ute2XAFQ…Plane Pulling up to Get Fuel in2017Plane Pulling up to Get Fuel inBelk - Randolph Mall Asheboro, NC October 20172017Belk - Randolph Mall Asheboro, NC October 2017Asheboro NC2017Asheboro NCTower maintenance2015Tower maintenanceRed, white and blue2015Red, white and blueLowes Foods2013Lowes FoodsInt40eRoad-Exit218A-US220s-Asheboro2013Int40eRoad-Exit218A-US220s-Asheboro
Every building

Asheboro, building by building, 1910–1922

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Asheboro fire insurance map, 1910, sheet 11910Sheet 1 of 3
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - North Carolina - Randolph County - Asheboro - ED 76-1, ED 76-2, ED 76-3, ED 76-4
Retake this view1940 Census Enumeration District Maps - North Carolina - Randolph County - Asheboro - ED 76-1, ED 76-2, ED 76-3, ED 76-4, 1880

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Asheboro’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Asheboro, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,000185019001950200027,156

Grew from 176 people in 1850 to 27,156 in 2020, more than tenfold.

17 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Asheboro’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

12 famous people were born in Asheboro

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
L
Lane CaudellAmerican actor and singer-songwriter · b. 1952
J
Joe SpinksAmerican basketball coach and basketball player · b. 1972
Mark KempAmerican journalist · b. 1960
LodiAmerican professional wrestler and novelist · b. 1970
Pat HurleyAmerican politician · b. 1939
P
Paul Martin NewbyAmerican politician · b. 1955
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Randleman2 historic placesA−

Questions about Asheboro’s history

What year was Asheboro founded?

In 1796, according to Wikidata. Asheboro’s post office opened in 1794, and the census of 1850 counted 176 people here.

How does Asheboro rank for history?

Asheboro is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns, #81 of 290 in North Carolina. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Asheboro?

6 listings: 5 buildings, among them the Randolph County Courthouse (listed 1979, the first), and 1 historic district, the Asheboro Downtown Historic District, with 75 contributing buildings. 90 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Asheboro?

5% of Asheboro’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.4 points), against a typical 4.1% for a North Carolina town; the median home was built in 1981.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (26), the Library of Congress (25), Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.