Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, United States

🇺🇸 Roanoke Rapids is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also an anchor city of the Rocky Mount-Wilson-Roanoke Rapids CSA.

The town is located at the eastern edge 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.

The most prominent example of fall line settlement was the establishment of the cities along the eastern coast of the United States where the Appalachian Rise and the coastal plains meet.

The seven-mile-long (11 km) Roanoke Rapids Canal trail starts at the Roanoke dam and ends roughly a mile after passing the historic aqueduct. The trail is fairly narrow, which limits access to walkers, runners, and bikers.

Industry The city was first settled as a mill town, being home to multiple textile mills. Crystal Lee Sutton (Jenkins), was a worker and union organiser for the J.P. Stevens & Co. mill in Roanoke Rapids, upon whose union activities the movie Norma Rae was based. All the textile mills are now closed and nearly 3,000 employees eventually lost their jobs. Roanoke Rapids is now home to a KapStone Paper and Packaging paper manufacturing facility.

Attractions Roanoke Rapids is known for its many historical sites. The original Roanoke Rapids High School building or Senior building as it is sometimes referred, opened in 1921 and is still in use. The building embodies many elements of Elizabethan Gothic and Tudor Revival architecture in its castle-like facade. It was built by industrialist Samuel Paterson and designed by renowned architect Hobart Upjohn in a modified H-design. Hobart Upjohn was the grandson of Richard Upjohn, architect of Christ Episcopal Church in Raleigh, North Carolina and Trinity Church, in New York, NY among other notable buildings. The high school is the dominant building in the city's central core and is flanked by another castle-like structure which formerly housed a National Guard Armory. In addition to Roanoke Rapids High School, the Roanoke Canal and Roanoke Rapids Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Roanoke Canal Museum and Trail is one of the city's oldest historical sites. The 1823 canal lock building has been adapted as a museum to show the significance of the canal system to American westward expansion. It offers an in-depth look at the influential people who pushed for the Roanoke River to become a source of trade and navigation, as well as the commodities that were shipped and traded on the Roanoke River. The trail, over seven miles long, is adjacent to the museum and largely parallel to the Roanoke River. It is commonly used by runners, bikers, photographers, and wildlife admirers. It is used as the course for the annual Roanoke Canal Half Marathon, and the Roanoke Canal Mountain Biking Club is located nearby.

Roanoke Rapids had planned Carolina Crossroads, an entertainment district founded by a group of local business developers. Attractions were to include the Randy Parton Theater as an anchor for the development, an outdoor amphitheatre, a campground, an aquarium, hotels, restaurants, outlet shopping, travel centre, several other dinner theatres, and water park. The association between the city and Randy Parton, brother of Dolly Parton, ended in December 2006. The city renamed the theatre as the Roanoke Rapids Theater. A Black Widow Billiards Center was also announced by the pool player, Jeanette Lee. Carolina Crossroads and the theater in particular became a controversial matter because of the city's financial exposure. After nearly a decade of failed attempts to lease or sell the theatre, the city sold the theater on July 23, 2018.