About the Town of Norlina

It is only natural that Norlina would use the symbol of a locomotive on its town seal as the very existence of its community was the result of the Raleigh & Gaston and Seaboard & Roanoke Railroads.

In 1837, Norlina was called the Ridgeway Junction and the expanding railroad found it necessary to stop in this area for refueling and goods.

In the 1860’s, Norlina became known as the “Woodyard” and in the 1870’s, the railroads merged to form the Seaboard & Raleigh Railroad. This area now known throughout the South as the “Junction” grew from a small crossroads supplying roadside meals to a thriving community.

In 1900, the Seaboard Air Line Railway was established through a series of mergers and acquisitions. The Seaboard Railway quickly grew from 1,110 miles to over 4,680 miles. During this period, the Junction exploded with growth and the Rail & Train Depot was established and a historic hotel and restaurant was built to supply the traveling public with a clean bed and bath. This historic hotel is now known as the Landmark. No one really knows how the name “Norlina” came about. It was either the influence of the railroad to shorten the name North Carolina or a decision of the local citizens.

In 1913, a group of local citizens made the town one square mile with the Depot used as the direct center of these boundaries. A petition was sent to the North Carolina General Assembly for charter and the town of Norlina was incorporated.

Norlina is the largest town in Warren County with a population of 1,108.