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is an All-America City Award-winning city in Edgecombe and Nash counties in the coastal plains of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Although it was not formally incorporated until February 28, 1867, the North Carolina community that became the city of Rocky Mount dates from the beginning of the 19th century, and the first post office in the area opened in 1816. In 1996, the town of Battleboro merged with the city of Rocky Mount. As of 2007, the city's population was 56,844.
Rocky Mount is the principal city of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 143,026, as of 2000, and which encompasses all of both Edgecombe and Nash counties. Rocky Mount is also a part of a Combined Statistical Area which consist of both Rocky Mount and Wilson Metropolitan Areas. The Rocky Mount-Wilson CSA population is currently over 200,000 residents. The city is about 45 minutes away from the state capital, Raleigh.
In 2009 the city is scheduled to annex portions of Nash and Edgecombe counties. This annexation will make the city larger and add about 2,200 people to its current population, which stands at about 60,000. The annexation, if approved, will boost Rocky Mount's population to over 62,000 residents and will bring more business to the city.
Rocky Mount has a growing arts community. The city operates an Arts Center, a Children's Museum & Science Center, and a Community Theater at the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.8 square miles (92.7 km²), of which, 35.6 square miles (92.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.59%) is water.
Rocky Mount is situated uniquely, in that the city straddles the county line, with part of it in Nash County and part of it in Edgecombe County. The CSX Railroad tracks also separate the city at the county line, meaning that going to the other side of town always means crossing the tracks.