sophia, NC
3 Things to know about Sophia:
New Market Inn
There was once a place called New Market Inn in the Sophia area (along US-311).It was owned by a man named Joseph Newlin from about 1840, who ran a store and tin shop.
After the Civil War, the inn closed and the building was converted into a barn, with its lower floor used as a granary and storage.
Elections used to be held in the building. Eventually, it was torn down around the 1950s.
Sophia is an unincorporated community in central Randolph County. That means it’s not a formally incorporated town or city.
One of Sophia’s more modern claims to fame is the furniture manufacturer Braxton Culler, which moved to Sophia in 2002 and now occupies over 415,000 square feet of manufacturing space. They do a lot of the production (upholstery, finishing, etc.) on-site, which keeps that craft tradition alive locally.
