Town of Grifton
Economic need
Grifton is hurting. The population, now at 2,000, has dropped 20 percent since Hurricane Floyd came through in 1999. The storm flooded Contentnea Creek, which bisects the town, and destroyed scores of homes along its banks. The decline of the textile industry has dealt a further blow. Pitt and neighboring Lenoir County have lost nearly 2,500 jobs, mostly in textiles, since 2003. Grifton's poverty rate is currently 17.5 percent.
In contrast to Grifton, Pitt County is prospering. The county population has increased 38 percent over the past two decades. Most of the growth has been spurred by Greenville and East Carolina University.
History
For all the destruction it wrought, the Contentnea Creek holds importance for Grifton's past and its future. A tributary of the Neuse River, it provides year round recreation and is especially popular among fishermen. Their big catch inspired the Shad Festival, which Grifton has hosted annually since 1971.
After Floyd, to prevent future destruction and possible loss of life, Grifton declared the area along Contentnea Creek unsuitable for residential use. The remaining homes were moved out of the floodplain. In their place, the town has created a creekside park for recreational use. The park ties in with the Contentnea Creek trails system, which in turn is part of the Pitt County canoe/kayak paddle trails system. Altogether the trails offer nearly 20 miles of swamp forest paddling.
Vision/Goals/Expectations
Through STEP, Grifton plans to focus on three economic stimuli. The first, with Contentnea Creek as a launching point, is ecotourism. It will seek ways to bring more canoes, kayakers, birdwatchers, hunters, fishermen, and hikers to the area. Farm tours and bed-and-breakfast establishments may be on the horizon as well. The second focus is industrial/commercial development along N.C. 11. It seeks to discourage strip development with a well-designed business area. Finally, it will focus on downtown revitalization. It hopes to draw tenants into empty buildings by improving the appearance of downtown and developing a small business incubator.
Contact
Shawn Condon, Administrator
P.O. Box 579
Grifton, NC 28530-0579
Phone: 252-524-5168
Fax: 252-524-5826
E-mail: grifton4u@earthlink.net
