Incorporated in 1903, Wendell was settled in the 1850s, when farmers in Granville County were victims of a blight that came to be known as the Granville County Wilt. Their tobacco crops failed, and they chose to move to a new location with more fertile land for their crops. As settlement increased, a small village took form. The villagers asked the local schoolteacher, M.A. Griffin, to choose a name. Griffin suggested they call it Wendell, in honor of his favorite poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes. However, the townspeople pronounce each syllable with equal emphasis, not as the poet's middle name is said. The Town seal was adopted on April 4, 1963. The first post office was built in 1891, and has been restored by the Wendell Historical Society. The oldest institution in Wendell is Hephzibah Baptist Church, founded in 1809. The first newspaper was the Wendell Clarion, founded in 1911, which was succeeded by the Gold Leaf Farmer and currently the Eastern Wake News. Wendell has four buildings and two districts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Dr. Thomas H. Avera House, Harmony Plantation, Riley Hill School, Sunnyside, Wendell Boulevard Historic District, and the Wendell Commercial Historic District.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, all of it land. Wendell is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This area is known as the "Fall Line" because it marks the elevation inland at which rapids and small waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. Its central Piedmont location situates Wendell approximately two and a half hours west of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Climate
Wendell enjoys a moderate subtropical climate, with moderate temperatures in the spring, fall, and winter. Summers are typically hot with high humidity. Winter highs generally range in the low 50s°F with lows in the low-to-mid 30s°F, although an occasional 60 °F or warmer winter day is not uncommon. Spring and fall days usually reach the low-to-mid 70s°F, with lows at night in the lower 50s°F. Summer daytime highs often reach the upper 80s to low 90s°F. The rainiest months are July and August.
Government
Wendell's current mayor is Virginia Gray. She conducts Town Board of Commissioners meetings and only has a vote in the event of a tie. The administration of the town is conducted by the town manager. The board of commissioners includes John Boyette, Joe DeLoach, Jason Joyner, Phil Tarnaski, and Jonathan M. Lutz.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 5,845 people and 2,430 housing units. The population density was 1123.2 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 58.1% White, 30.2% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.9% Japanese, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.20% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.5% of the population. As of the 2010 census, there were 2430 housing units, with 40% of units built before 1980. Of the 2010 population, 55% were married. 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 11.6% were persons 65 years or older, 29% were between the ages of 25-44, and 30% were between the ages of 0-19. The median age in 2010 was 35. The average household size was 2.12. The median family income for a household in the town was $47,908, The per capita income for the town was $26,556. About 17.3% of the population was below the poverty line.
