Madison County, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Madison County
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Madison County Courthouse in Marshall
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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 |
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| State |  North Carolina |
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| Founded | 1851 | ||
| Named for | James Madison | ||
| Seat | Marshall | ||
| Largest municipality | Mars Hill | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 451.49 sq mi (1,169.4 km2) | ||
| • Land | 449.62 sq mi (1,164.5 km2) | ||
| • Water | 1.87 sq mi (4.8 km2) 0.41% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 21,193 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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22,071  |
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| • Density | 46.9401/sq mi (18.1237/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 11th | ||
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,193. Its county seat is Marshall. Madison County is part of the Asheville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
The county was formed in 1851 from parts of Buncombe County and Yancey County. It was named for James Madison, fourth president of the United States (1809–1817).
The community of Long Ridge, outside of Mars Hill, is a traditionally African American community, and boasts one of the last remaining Rosenwald Schools in Western North Carolina.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 451.49 square miles (1,169.4 km2), of which 449.62 square miles (1,164.5 km2) is land and 1.87 square miles (4.8 km2) (0.41%) is water.
Madison County is located deep in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, and much of the county's terrain is rugged, heavily forested, and sparsely populated. The county's northern border is with the State of Tennessee. Madison County's largest river is the French Broad River, which flows north-northwest through the county, first past the county seat of Marshall, then past the resort town of Hot Springs.
National Protected area
- Pisgah National Forest (part)
State and local protected areas
- Harmon Den Wildlife Management Area (part)
- Pisgah National Forest Game Land (part)
- Sandy Mush Game Land (part)
Major water bodies
- Big Laurel Creek
- French Broad River
- Gabriel Creek
- Ivy Creek
- Little Creek
- Little Laurel Creek
- Simmons Creek
- Whiteoak Creek
Adjacent counties
- Greene County, Tennessee – north
- Unicoi County, Tennessee – northeast
- Yancey County – east
- Buncombe County – south
- Haywood County – southwest
- Cocke County, Tennessee – northwest
Major highways
I-26
US 19
US 23
US 23A
US 25
US 25 Bus.
US 70
US 70 Bus.
NC 63
NC 208
NC 209
NC 212
NC 213
NC 251
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 5,908 | — | |
| 1870 | 8,192 | 38.7% | |
| 1880 | 12,810 | 56.4% | |
| 1890 | 17,805 | 39.0% | |
| 1900 | 20,644 | 15.9% | |
| 1910 | 20,132 | −2.5% | |
| 1920 | 20,083 | −0.2% | |
| 1930 | 20,306 | 1.1% | |
| 1940 | 22,522 | 10.9% | |
| 1950 | 20,522 | −8.9% | |
| 1960 | 17,217 | −16.1% | |
| 1970 | 16,003 | −7.1% | |
| 1980 | 16,827 | 5.1% | |
| 1990 | 16,953 | 0.7% | |
| 2000 | 19,635 | 15.8% | |
| 2010 | 20,764 | 5.7% | |
| 2020 | 21,193 | 2.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 22,071 | 6.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 19,233 | 90.75% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 197 | 0.93% |
| Native American | 56 | 0.26% |
| Asian | 84 | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.0% |
| Other/Mixed | 874 | 4.12% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 748 | 3.53% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 21,193 people, 8,403 households, and 5,456 families residing in the county.
Education
Madison County's public educational system consists of one early college high school, one traditional high school (Madison High School, located in the county seat of Marshall), one middle school (Madison Middle School), and three elementary schools (Brush Creek Elementary, Hot Springs Elementary, and Mars Hill Elementary). Brush Creek Elementary was built as a merger of Marshall Elementary and Walnut Elementary after the latter burned down in 1998.
The county is also home to Mars Hill University, a private, coed, four-year liberal-arts university. Founded in 1856, Mars Hill is the oldest college or university in western North Carolina. The university offers 34 majors and seven degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Social Work, and Master of Education.
Culture
Madison County was historically a center for old-time folk music. Among others, the folk song Rain and Snow likely originated there, in the late 19th century.
Communities
Towns
- Hot Springs
- Mars Hill (largest municipality)
- Marshall (county seat)
Townships
The county is divided into twelve townships that are both numbered and named:
- Township 1, North Marshall
- Township 1, South Marshall
- Township 2, Laurel
- Township 3 Mars Hill
- Township 4, Beech Glenn
- Township 5, Walnut
- Township 6, Hot Springs
- Township 7, Ebbs Chapel
- Township 8, Spring Creek
- Township 9, Sandy Mush
- Township 10, Grapevine
- Township 11, Revere Rice Cove
Formerly there were sixteen townships, which were both numbered and named:
- 1 (Marshall)
- 2 (Shelton Laurel)
- 3 (Bull Creek)
- 4 (Middle Fork of Ivy)
- 5 (West Fork of Ivy)
- 6 (Sandy Mush)
- 7 (Little Pine Creek)
- 8 (Spring Creek)
- 9 (Hot Springs)
- 10 (Big Laurel)
- 11 (Upper Laurel)
- 12 (Big Pine Creek)
- 13 (Meadow Fork of Spring Creek)
- 14 (Grapevine)
- 15 (Mars Hill)
- 16 (Foster Creek)
Unincorporated communities
Notable people
- Claude DeBruhl, North Carolina House of Representatives
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Madison (Carolina del Norte) para niños
