Town guide · Piedmont
Elon
An Alamance County town in the Burlington area that began as a railroad depot in 1881 and is home to Elon University.
36.1° N · -79.51° W · Alamance County
–Ray Arts IndexGrade · see the report card ↓The town
About Elon
Elon is a town in Alamance County, part of the Burlington metropolitan area, and home to Elon University. It started in 1881 as a depot on the North Carolina Railroad called Mill Point, planned as a shipping point for area cotton mills, though locals called it Boone’s Crossing. A post office came in 1888 as more people settled. In 1889 a school was founded here, and its founders named it Elon, which they understood to be the Hebrew word for oak, because oaks were plentiful. The town itself was called Elon College until the school became Elon University, and then it officially took the name Elon. The university’s Biobus serves students and the public, with routes around town and the surrounding area. Local public schools belong to the Alamance-Burlington School System. Source: Wikipedia
Events in Elon
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All Elon eventsNothing posted for the next few weeks yet.
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More towns in Piedmont
Ray Arts Foundation · North Carolina
Report Card
Ray Arts Index · 2026
- Town
- Elon
- County
- Alamance County
- Standing
- Not yet graded
| Subject | Weight | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Local government supportExtra weightArts budget, arts office, grants, parks & rec arts | 18% | – |
| Arts educationExtra weightSchool district arts programs, arts schools and camps | 12% | – |
| Arts placesVenues, museums and galleries | 18% | – |
| ActivityArts events each month | 13.5% | – |
| FestivalsActive arts festivals | 13.5% | – |
| Arts organizationsArts nonprofits and their budgets | 13.5% | – |
| Creative economyArts businesses and working artists | 7% | – |
| HeritageLong-running arts institutions and history groups | 4.5% | – |
Overall
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HonorsNone yet
Marking scaleA 80+ · B 65+ · C 50+ (national typical) · D 35+ · F below 35 · Inc. not yet measured
Teacher’s remarks
The Ray Arts Index gives extra weight to local government support and arts education, because public investment in the arts, and in teaching it, is how creative communities grow.
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