Ayden

In 1891, a farmer in the southern part of what is now Pitt County decided that a portion of his farm would make a great place to live if only it had a railroad depot. William Henry Harris was able to convince the Atlantic Coast Line of the same, and soon a 40-acre parcel of land was divided into residential lots surrounding a depot in “Harristown”, with Mr. Harris owning every other lot. Within the next several years, lots were sold and homes built. Businesses began to spring up to support the new residents, and on February 3, 1891, the Town was incorporated as “Ayden”, a name, as area storytellers claim, discovered by a local on a map of the world. Within a few years, the Carolina Christian College and the Free Will Baptist Seminary were established. By 1919, Ayden had full-time electricity supplied by the Ayden municipal power plant. In 1922, the Mutual Building and Loan Association of Ayden was organized to help families obtain mortgages to build homes in Ayden.
 
After experiencing tough times during the depression, and after the Second World War, the Town began the long period of prosperity that continues today. To accommodate this growth, commercial, cultural, religious, and other establishments have sprung up within and around Ayden. Medical clinics, recreation programs and parks, churches, restaurants, and other public and private facilities have developed and expanded.

Today, Ayden encompasses over 3 square miles and is home to over 5000 residents.  Ayden is part of the Greenville Metropolitan Area and is the third largest municipality in Pitt County, whose population is over 177,000.  The Town, located 6 miles south of Greenville and 16 miles north of Kinston, home to the NC Global Transpark, is continuing to prepare itself for new growth as Pitt County continues to develop as a major industrial and economic center for eastern North Carolina. While focusing on progressive planning and growth management for the future, Ayden, home of the annual Ayden Collard Festival, is continuing to strive to maintain the character and quality for which the Town has become known as a community of “small-town atmosphere with big city convenience.”