Bladen County, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bladen County
|
||
---|---|---|
Bladen County Courthouse, Elizabethtown
|
||
|
||
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
|
||
North Carolina's location within the U.S. |
||
Country | United States | |
State | North Carolina | |
Founded | 1739 | |
Named for | Martin Bladen | |
Seat | Elizabethtown | |
Largest town | Elizabethtown | |
Area | ||
• Total | 887 sq mi (2,300 km2) | |
• Land | 874 sq mi (2,260 km2) | |
• Water | 13 sq mi (30 km2) 1.4% | |
Population | ||
• Estimate
(2021)
|
29,525 | |
• Density | 33.8/sq mi (13.1/km2) | |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
Congressional district | 7th |
Bladen County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 29,606. Its county seat is Elizabethtown. The county was created in 1734 as Bladen Precinct and gained county status in 1739.
Contents
History
Bladen County was formed in 1734 as Bladen Precinct of Bath County, from New Hanover Precinct. It was named for Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade. With the abolition of Bath County in 1739, all of its constituent precincts became counties.
Originally, Bladen was a vast territory with indefinite northern and western boundaries. Reductions in its extent began in 1750, when its western part became Anson County. In 1752 the northern part of Bladen County was combined with parts of Granville County and Johnston County to form Orange County. In 1754 the northern part of what was left of Bladen County became Cumberland County. In 1764 the southern part of what remained of Bladen County was combined with part of New Hanover County to form Brunswick County. In 1787 the western part of the now much smaller county became Robeson County. Finally, in 1808 the southern part of Bladen County was combined with part of Brunswick County to form Columbus County. Bladen County is considered the "mother county" of North Carolina because of the 100 counties in North Carolina, 55 of them at one point belonged to Bladen County. It is also the fourth largest county in North Carolina.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 887 square miles (2,300 km2), of which 874 square miles (2,260 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (1.4%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in North Carolina by land area.
Adjacent counties
- Cumberland County - north
- Sampson County - northeast
- Pender County - southeast
- Columbus County - south
- Robeson County - west
Major highways
- US 701
- NC 11
- NC 20
- NC 41
- NC 53
- NC 87
- NC 131
- NC 210
- NC 211
- NC 242
- NC 410
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1790 | 5,100 | — | |
1800 | 7,028 | 37.8% | |
1810 | 5,671 | −19.3% | |
1820 | 7,276 | 28.3% | |
1830 | 7,811 | 7.4% | |
1840 | 8,022 | 2.7% | |
1850 | 9,767 | 21.8% | |
1860 | 11,995 | 22.8% | |
1870 | 12,831 | 7.0% | |
1880 | 16,158 | 25.9% | |
1890 | 16,763 | 3.7% | |
1900 | 17,677 | 5.5% | |
1910 | 18,006 | 1.9% | |
1920 | 19,761 | 9.7% | |
1930 | 22,389 | 13.3% | |
1940 | 27,156 | 21.3% | |
1950 | 29,703 | 9.4% | |
1960 | 28,881 | −2.8% | |
1970 | 26,477 | −8.3% | |
1980 | 30,491 | 15.2% | |
1990 | 28,663 | −6.0% | |
2000 | 32,278 | 12.6% | |
2010 | 35,190 | 9.0% | |
2020 | 29,606 | −15.9% | |
2021 (est.) | 29,525 | −16.1% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White | 15,830 | 53.47% |
Black or African American | 9,505 | 32.1% |
Native American | 701 | 2.37% |
Asian | 47 | 0.16% |
Pacific Islander | 8 | 0.03% |
Other/Mixed | 969 | 3.27% |
Hispanic or Latino | 2,546 | 8.6% |
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 29,606 people, 13,636 households, and 8,691 families residing in the county.
Communities
Towns
- Bladenboro
- Clarkton
- Dublin
- East Arcadia
- Elizabethtown (county seat)
- Tar Heel
- White Lake
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Abbottsburg
- Ammon
- Ammon Ford
- Colly Township
- Council
- Rosindale
Townships
- Abbottsburg
- Bethel
- Bladenboro
- Brown Marsh
- Carvers Creek
- Central
- Clarkton
- Colly
- Cypress Creek
- Elizabethtown
- East Arcadia
- Frenches Creek
- Hollow
- Lake Creek
- Tarheel
- Turnbull
- White Oak
- Dublin
- Whites Creek
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Bladen County.
† county seat
Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | † Elizabethtown | Town | 3,583 |
2 | Bladenboro | Town | 1,750 |
3 | Clarkton | Town | 837 |
4 | White Lake | Town | 802 |
5 | Kelly | CDP | 544 |
6 | East Arcadia | Town | 487 |
t-7 | Dublin | Town | 338 |
t-7 | White Oak | CDP | 338 |
8 | Butters | CDP | 294 |
9 | Tar Heel | Town | 117 |
Other notable information
Bladen County is also the home of the oldest documented Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) at 1622 years old.
Economy
Agriculture constitutes a major part of Bladen County's economy. Smithfield Foods employs over 5,000 workers at its pork processing facility north of the town of Tar Heel, the largest such plant in the world. The county is the largest producer of blueberries in the state. Area farmers also grow soybeans, peanuts, corn, wheat, and cotton.
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Bladen para niños