Early history Torhunta was a large
Native American farming community in present-day northern. The Native Americans left North Carolina and returned to their home in
New York where they became members of the
Iroquois Nation. After the Native Americans left the area, there was an influx of settlers who came into the rich
Neuse River lands and began to clear plantations. Many of these settlers were of the
Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers. Samuel Pike moved to the area and settled on the south side of Nahunta Swamp which had been granted by King
George II of Great Britain in 1763. This grant of land included between 2,500 and . In 1785, Pike deeded most of this land to his only son Nathan. It was this Nathan Pike for whom the township, the
Post Office, and later the town was named. Nathan Pike owned and operated a large tavern, shop, trading post and hotel. It was then known as Pike’s Junction. In 1856, the first post office opened. During the period of 1793 to 1835 Pike sold around of his land to other families who came here to settle.
Civil War During
General Sherman’s Carolinas campaign in 1865, Pikeville suffered the same fate of many southern towns.
Union soldiers destroyed the hotel and tavern Nathan Pike had built, and many buildings and homes were damaged or destroyed. Some of General Sherman’s forces camped in areas east of Pikeville during this time.
Turn of the century The first school in the area was located at a crossroads named Mount Carmel in 1865. In 1908, the Pikeville grade school was made Pikeville High School. It was composed of the schools of Mount Carmel, Sherrad’s Cross Roads, Pleasant Grove, Oak Dale, Possum Trot, Taylor’s Oak Grove, Smith’s Patetown as well as Pikeville grade School. In 1960,
Charles B. Aycock High School was opened in Pikeville in honor of the state governor who was an advocate for quality education. ==Demographics==