HISTORY
Founded in 1828, the Town of Snow Hill is the Greene County NC governmental seat. Snow Hill was originally a major trading depot on Contentnea Creek. At the time, Contentnea Creek was a main Wilson to New Bern trading artery. Contentnea Creek connects with the Neuse River at Kinston.
Snow Hill was near the location of the final major battle of the Tuscarora War at Fort Neoheroka in 1713. Legend has the town deriving its name from Contentnea Creek on whose banks Native Americans camped, calling them "snowy white," which was translated into "snowy hills." Since it rarely snows, the "snowy white" is more likely a reference to the white sands along Contentnea Creek.
Snow Hill is the smallest town in the United States to ever field a professional baseball team. From 1937-40, the Snow Hill Billies played in the Class D Coastal Plain League and won the league pennant in 1937. Future New York Yankees Aaron Robinson and Al Gettel began their careers with the Billies, as did Walter Rabb, who would serve as head baseball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for nearly 30 years.
The Greene County Courthouse, Neoheroka Fort Site, Snow Hill Colored High School, Snow Hill Historic District, and St. Bananas Episcopal Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
OVERVIEW
The Town of Snow Hill was chartered in 1828 and serves as the County Seat of Greene County. The beautiful town is home to 1,614 residents.
The Town of Snow Hill operates under the mayor/council form of government as authorized by the NC General Statutes. The mayor and five-member board of commissioners serve as the Town Council. Each office holder is elected at-large to four-year terms. The mayor represents the town. Commissioners are responsible for passing ordinances, adopting the budget, appointing members to volunteer boards, hiring department heads, and appointing the town clerk/revenue collector, town attorney, and finance officer.
The commissioners appoint a town Manager to oversee day-to-day operations by employees or through contract arrangements for water, sewer, law enforcement, streets, recreation, solid waste collection and recycling, land use planning, animal control, nuisance codes, cemetery, and fire protection.
Volunteer boards include the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Recreation Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Snow Hill Tomorrow Committee, Tree Board, Neighborhood Affairs Committee, and Snow Hill Development Commission
Headquarters for the Town of Snow Hill municipal government is the G. Melvin Oliver Town Hall, which is currently located at 908 SE Second Street. The public works and utilities facilities are located at 102 Daniels Street.