| Salvo, North Carolina | |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Named For: | Artillery discharge following the American Civil War |
| Mapsize: | 270px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | North Carolina |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Dare |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 2.51 |
| Area Land Km2: | 2.51 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 0.97 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 0.97 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 303 |
| Population Density Km2: | 120.78 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 312.69 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation Ft: | 3 |
| Coordinates: | 35.5489°N -75.4689°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 27972 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 37-58940 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 2628655 |
Salvo is a census-designated place located in Dare County, North Carolina, United States, on Hatteras Island, part of North Carolina's Outer Banks. As of the 2010 census, Salvo had a population of 229.[2] Originally (with Rodanthe and Waves) part of the settlement of Chicamacomico, Salvo was originally known as "Clarks" or "Clarksville."
The name "Salvo" allegedly stems from the American Civil War, during which a passing Union vessel spotted the settlement, which was not marked on their maps. The commanding officer ordered an attack, and a sailor marked the site on his map with the word "Salvo." The name was formally given to the town when it received a post office in 1901. The Salvo post office, ZIP code 27972, one of the smallest postal facilities in the United States, was damaged by an arsonist in 1992. A new post office was constructed later in the decade for all of Chicamacomico. Hurricane Irene in August 2011 damaged much of the Outer Banks area including Salvo.
The residents of Salvo are governed by the Dare County Board of Commissioners. Salvo is part of District 4, along with Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Hatteras, Rodanthe and Waves.
On June 24, 2014, a Virginia vacationer became buried alive in beach sand when trying to dig a tunnel, and then died.[3]
Salvo Post Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
| Number | Percentage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 274 | 90.43% | |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4 | 1.32% | |
| Native American | 2 | 0.66% | |
| Asian | 1 | 0.33% | |
| Other/Mixed | 14 | 4.62% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8 | 2.64% |
According to the Trewartha climate classification system, Salvo, North Carolina has a humid subtropical climate with hot and humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation (Cfak). Cfak climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature > 32.0 °F (> 0.0 °C), at least eight months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (≥ 10.0 °C), at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ 71.6 °F (≥ 22.0 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Salvo, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values ≥ 100 °F (≥ 38 °C). Salvo is prone to hurricane strikes, particularly during the Atlantic hurricane season which extends from June 1 through November 30, sharply peaking from late August through September. During the winter months, episodes of cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < 10 °F (< -12 °C). The plant hardiness zone in Salvo is 8b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 17.2 °F (-8.2 °C).[4] The average seasonal (Dec-Mar) snowfall total is < 2 inches (< 5 cm), and the average annual peak in nor'easter activity is in February.
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Salvo, North Carolina would have a dominant vegetation type of Live oak/Sea Oats Uniola paniculata (90) with a dominant vegetation form of Coastal Prairie (20).[5]
Residents are zoned to Dare County Schools. Zoned schools are Cape Hatteras Elementary School and Cape Hatteras Secondary School.[6]