Randolph County, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Randolph County
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Randolph County Courthouse and Confederate statue
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Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
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North Carolina's location within the U.S. |
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Country | United States | |
State | North Carolina | |
Founded | 1779 | |
Named for | Peyton Randolph | |
Seat | Asheboro | |
Largest city | Asheboro | |
Area | ||
• Total | 789 sq mi (2,040 km2) | |
• Land | 783 sq mi (2,030 km2) | |
• Water | 6.8 sq mi (18 km2) 0.9%% | |
Population | ||
• Estimate
(2021)
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145,172 | |
• Density | 185.4/sq mi (71.6/km2) | |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
Congressional district | 9th |
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 144,171. Its county seat is Asheboro.
Randolph County is included in the Greensboro-High Point, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, NC Combined Statistical Area.
In 2010, the center of population of North Carolina was located in Randolph County, near the town of Seagrove.
Contents
History
Some of the first settlers of what would become the county were English Quakers, who settled along the Haw, Deep, and Eno Rivers. The county was formed in 1779 from Guilford County. It was named for Peyton Randolph, first president of the Continental Congress.
County formation
The Legislature of 1779, then sitting at Halifax, passed an act providing for the formation of a new county out of Guilford and Rowan, to be called Randolph. Notice having been given, the citizens met accordingly on Monday, the 8th day of March, 1779. Proclamation being made, the act of Assembly was read, wherein, William Cole, John Collin, Joseph Hinds, George Cortner, John Arnold, William Millikan, John Hinds, Jacob Shepherd, Richardson Owen, Windsor Pearce, William Bell, William Merrill, John Lowe, Enoch Davis, and James Hunter were nominated Justices for holding the courts in said county. The oath of allegiance and the oath of office was administered by William Cole, Esq., whereupon they took their seats and organized and held the first court in Randolph county by electing William Bell, Sheriff, William Millikan, Register of Deeds, and Absalom Tatum', Clerk.
Randolph County was the original location of what became Duke University.
The county is home to one of the last remaining covered bridges in the state. The Pisgah Covered Bridge, in Union Township, in the southwestern part of the county, was destroyed by a flood in 2003, but has been completely restored and is still standing.
In 1911, a new county called Piedmont County was proposed, with High Point as its county seat, to be created from Guilford, Davidson, and Randolph Counties. Many people appeared at the Guilford County courthouse to oppose the plan, vowing to go to the state legislature to protest. The state legislature voted down the plan in February 1911.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 789 square miles (2,040 km2), of which 783 square miles (2,030 km2) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km2) (0.9%) is covered by water.
Randolph County is located in the center of North Carolina, and the city of Asheboro (in the county) is the center point of North Carolina. Randolph County is located in the Piedmont section of central North Carolina, a region of gently rolling hills and woodlands. However, the central and western parts of the county contain the Uwharrie Mountains and the Caraway Mountains. These two ranges are the remnants of a much-higher range of ancient peaks. Today, they rarely top 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, yet due to the relative low terrain around them, they still rise 200–500 feet (61–152 m) above their base. The highest point in Randolph County is Shepherd Mountain, a peak in the Caraways. The North Carolina Zoo is located atop Purgatory Mountain, one of the peaks of the Uwharries.
Adjacent counties
- Guilford County - north
- Alamance County - northeast
- Chatham County - east
- Moore County - southeast
- Montgomery County - southwest
- Davidson County - west
Major highways
- I-73
- I-74
- I-85
- I-85 Bus.
- US 29
- US 64
- US 70
- US 220
- US 311
- US 421
- NC 22
- NC 42
- NC 47
- NC 49
- NC 62
- NC 109
- NC 134
- NC 159
- NC 705
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1790 | 7,318 | — | |
1800 | 9,234 | 26.2% | |
1810 | 10,112 | 9.5% | |
1820 | 11,331 | 12.1% | |
1830 | 12,406 | 9.5% | |
1840 | 12,875 | 3.8% | |
1850 | 15,832 | 23.0% | |
1860 | 16,793 | 6.1% | |
1870 | 17,551 | 4.5% | |
1880 | 20,836 | 18.7% | |
1890 | 25,195 | 20.9% | |
1900 | 28,232 | 12.1% | |
1910 | 29,491 | 4.5% | |
1920 | 30,856 | 4.6% | |
1930 | 36,259 | 17.5% | |
1940 | 44,554 | 22.9% | |
1950 | 50,804 | 14.0% | |
1960 | 61,497 | 21.0% | |
1970 | 76,358 | 24.2% | |
1980 | 91,728 | 20.1% | |
1990 | 106,546 | 16.2% | |
2000 | 130,454 | 22.4% | |
2010 | 141,752 | 8.7% | |
2020 | 144,171 | 1.7% | |
2021 (est.) | 145,172 | 2.4% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019 |
2020 census
Race | Number | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic) | 108,354 | 75.16% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 8,592 | 5.96% |
Native American | 666 | 0.46% |
Asian | 2,158 | 1.5% |
Pacific Islander | 10 | 0.01% |
Other/Mixed | 5,340 | 3.7% |
Hispanic or Latino | 19,051 | 13.21% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 144,171 people, 56,117 households, and 37,795 families residing in the county.
Communities
Cities
- Archdale (part)
- Asheboro (county seat)
- High Point (part)
- Randleman
- Thomasville (part)
- Trinity
Towns
Townships
- Asheboro
- Archdale
- Back Creek
- Brower
- Cedar Grove
- Coleridge
- Columbia
- Concord
- Farmer
- Franklinville
- Grant
- Level Cross
- Liberty
- New Hope
- New Market
- Pleasant Grove
- Providence
- Randleman
- Richland
- Tabernacle
- Trinity
- Union
Unincorporated communities
Education
- Randolph County School System serves most of the county. Asheboro City Schools serves Asheboro.
- Fayetteville Street Christian School, located in Asheboro, is the largest private school in Randolph County.
Notable people
- Sam Ard - NASCAR driver; 1983 and 1984 Busch Series champion
- Adam Petty - NASCAR driver. Son of Kyle Petty.
- Braxton Craven - educator and second president of Trinity College, which later moved to Durham and became Duke University.
- Gideon Morris - trans-Appalachian pioneer and founder of Morristown, Tennessee
- Heaven Fitch - wrestler
- Heidi N. Closet - African-American drag queen & contestant of RuPaul's Drag Race, season 12.
- Jerry Bledsoe - author
- Jonathan Worth - North Carolina Governor
- Kyle Petty - NASCAR driver. Son of Richard Petty
- Lee Petty - NASCAR pioneer. Father of Richard Petty
- Rufus Hussey - The Beanshooter Man who appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
- Richard Petty - NASCAR driver. Son of Lee Petty.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Randolph (Carolina del Norte) para niños