Williamston, North Carolina
Williamston is a town of 5,112 people in Martin County, North Carolina, founded in 1779.
Why visit Williamston
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 23 places to eat and 5 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Asa Biggs House and Site, Liberty Hall, Kekukee Park and Moratoc Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 33°F.
Weather in Williamston
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Williamston
Williamston is a town in and the county seat of Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,248 at the 2020 census. It is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately 28 miles (45 km) to the southwest.
From the Wikipedia article Williamston, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks8
Asa Biggs House and Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Liberty Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic plantation home located near Windsor, Bertie County, North Carolina, USA
Martin County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Courthouse in North Carolina, United States
Williamston Colored School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic Rosenwald School building located at Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina
Williamston Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
Williamston Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
National historic district located at Williamston, North Carolina
Sunny Side Inn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes23
Shaw's Barbecue House
Restaurant · Barbecue, Regional
202 West Boulevard, Williamston
Mo-Sa 06:00-19:00
La Esperanza Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.5 mi
4002 West Main Street, Williamston
Los amigos Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.6 mi
303 East Boulevard, Williamston
Peking Restaurant
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.6 mi
319 East Boulevard, Williamston
Shamrock Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.4 mi
101 West Boulevard, Williamston
Sunny Side Oyster Bar
Bar and pub
1100 Washington Street, Williamston
Bojangles'
Fast food · Chicken · 0.7 mi
401 East Boulevard, Williamston
Su-Th 05:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 05:30-23:00
11 more on the map.
Where to stay5
Quality Inn
Motel and hotel · 0.4 mi
102 East Boulevard, Williamston
Ross Motel
Motel and hotel · 1.0 mi
1700 US Highway 17, Williamston
Williamston Inn
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
317 East Boulevard, Williamston
History
Williamston was founded in 1779 and named after William Williams, a local military commander during the American Revolution.
Williamston was a focus of activity in the Civil Rights Movement. Beginning in June 1963, civil rights activists led by Golden Frinks protested at City Hall for 29 consecutive days. The Ku Klux Klan was very active in this part of the state during this time, including a well-documented rally in Williamston on October 5, 1963, attended by mostly local residents but with several carloads of attendees traveling over 150 miles to attend.
On August 3, 2023, Martin General Hospital in Williamston announced that Quorum Health, operator of the hospital, was filing for bankruptcy and closing the hospital. Martin General faced challenges as a result of a declining population and the preference of residents for other hospitals. Former hospital employees organized a protest, seeking the attention of an elected official, hoping to get the decision reversed. On August 14–15, Governor Roy Cooper visited Williamston to discuss the lack of medical care in rural parts of the state. He cited the recent hospital closure to explain why he supported expanding Medicaid across rural areas of North Carolina. On October 5, four clinics in Williamston also closed, further adding to the current healthcare crisis in the town.
From the History section of Williamston, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship6
Skewarkey Primitive Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Church of the Advent
Church · Episcopal · 0.8 mi
112 West Church Street, Williamston
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Map of Williamston
68 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 33°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 55°F | 35°F | 3.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Mar | 62°F | 42°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 50°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 78°F | 59°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 67°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 71°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 70°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 64°F | 6.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 52°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 42°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 55°F | 36°F | 3.6 in | 0.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Williamston 1 E (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Martin County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Als Airport (NR40) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Robersonville 11 mi west, about 17 min by car
- Plymouth 18 mi east, about 29 min by car
- Bethel 18 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Washington 19 mi south, about 31 min by car
- River Road 24 mi south, about 38 min by car
- Cypress Landing 24 mi south, about 39 min by car
- Greenville 25 mi southwest, about 40 min by car
- Princeville 26 mi west, about 42 min by car
- Tarboro 28 mi west, about 45 min by car
- Winterville 29 mi southwest, about 47 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Washington Street downtown Williamston, NC, Camb.g2g, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Williamston, North Carolina - Fire, Rescue, EMS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Public domain
- Williamston, NC - Asa Biggs House, self, CC BY 3.0
- Williamston, NC - Williamston Colored School, self, CC BY 3.0
- Williamston, NC - Frank Earl Wynne House, self, CC BY 3.0
- Williamston, NC - old Martin County Courthouse 2, self, CC BY 3.0
- Williamston, NC - US Post Office, self, CC BY 3.0
- Skewarkey Primitive Baptist Church - 5, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sunny Side Inn, side view, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 3.0
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