Wayne County, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wayne County
U.S. county
Wayne County Courthouse in Goldsboro
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1779
Named for	Anthony Wayne
Seat	Goldsboro
Largest community	Goldsboro
Area
• Total	557.72 sq mi (1,444.5 km2)
• Land	553.92 sq mi (1,434.6 km2)
• Water	3.80 sq mi (9.8 km2)  0.68%
Population  (2020)
• Total	117,333
• Estimate  (2023)	118,686
• Density	211.74/sq mi (81.75/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	3rd, 13th

Wayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 117,333. Its county seat is Goldsboro, and it is home to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

Wayne County comprises the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Prior to 1730, Native Americans were the only known occupants of the territory now known as Wayne County. Settlers trickled into the territory, occupying land along the Neuse River. There was no general migration here until after 1750; as populations built up in the coastal areas, some settlers moved west for land.

Wayne County was established during the American Revolutionary War on November 2, 1779, from the western part of Dobbs County. It was named for "Mad Anthony" Wayne, a general in the war. The act establishing the county provided that the first court should be held at the home of Josiah Sasser, at which time the justices were to decide on a place for all subsequent courts until a courthouse could be erected. By 1782 the commissioners were named. In 1787 an act was passed establishing Waynesborough on the west side of the Neuse River, on the land of Andrew Bass. The courthouse was built there. j

In 1855, parts of Wayne County, Edgecombe County, Johnston County, and Nash County were combined to form Wilson County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 557.72 square miles (1,444.5 km²), of which 553.92 square miles (1,434.6 km²) is land and 3.80 square miles (9.8 km²) (0.68%) is water.

Wayne County's surface is level to gently rolling uplands with broad bottoms along the rivers and some creeks. Elevations are predominantly 120 to 145 feet above sea level. The largest waterway, the Neuse River, bisects the lower central portion of the county and cuts a deep channel 20 to 40 feet deep as it flows in an eastward direction. Unusual river bluffs occur in the vicinity of Seven Springs. In addition to the Neuse River, the county is drained by the Little River, the Northeast Cape Fear River and numerous creeks.

Wayne County is underlain by unconsolidated beds of sand, clay and gravel. For the most part, these beds were deposited in seawater as the sea advanced and retreated during the geologic development of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. To a much lesser extent, streams deposited layers of sediment which mixed with that deposited on the sea floor.

The climate in Wayne County is characterized by warm summers and moderate winters. The average temperature is about 62 degrees. Annual precipitation is about 50 inches of rainfall per year, with the major portion occurring in the late spring and summer.

State and local protected areas/sites

• Charles B. Aycock Birthplace
• Goldsborough Bridge Battlefield
• Cliffs of the Neuse State Park

Major water bodies

• Bear Creek
• Little River
• Neuse River
• Northeast Cape Fear River
• Quaker Neck Lake
• Water Branch

Adjacent counties

• Wilson County – north
• Greene County – east-northeast
• Lenoir County – east-southeast
• Duplin County – south
• Sampson County – southwest
• Johnston County – west

Major highways

• 
  I-42 / Future I-42
• 
  I-795 / Future I-795
• US 13
• US 70
• US 117
• 
  US 117 Alt.
• NC 50
• NC 55
• NC 111
• NC 222
• NC 403
• NC 581

Major infrastructure

• Goldsboro Union Station
• Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 117,333 people, 48,482 households, and 30,990 families residing in the county.

Economy

Wayne County's local industries are involved in a range of operations from simple assembly to complex manufacturing processes resulting in products ranging from bread and poultry feed to automobile parts and electric transformers. Substantial technological improvements in recent years involving modernization of plant facilities and the addition of sophisticated manufacturing equipment have resulted in enhanced profitability and productivity for many of the local manufacturing firms.

The combination of a mild climate, a freeze-free growing season of about 225 days and a wide range of soil types contribute to a highly productive agricultural area. Total gross farm sales in Wayne County in 2006 was approximately US$329,082,138. Field crops, including the primary crops of tobacco, corn, cotton, soybeans, and wheat accounted for nearly 12% of the farm income or US$38,583,389.

Income from livestock and poultry production was US$236,287,547 in 2006 and derived primarily from swine operations. Swine production has increased rapidly, making it the single largest source of farm income. In 2006 farm income from swine production was US$75,409,690 or 23% of all farm income. Wayne County ranks 7th in the nation for production of swine.

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is home to the 4th Fighter Wing and 916th Air Refueling Wing. The annual civilian and military payroll is over $282 millionUSD. In fiscal year 2006 the economic impact at the base totaled over $460 millionUSD.

Education

Wayne County is home to three colleges: Wayne Community College, University of Mount Olive (formerly known as Mount Olive College), and the Goldsboro campus of the North Carolina Wesleyan University.

Public schools are administered by the Wayne County Public Schools system. The public schools include nine high schools and college preparation schools, nine middle schools, fourteen elementary schools and one special education school. The county is also home to one charter public school and six private schools.

High schools

• Charles B. Aycock High School
• Eastern Wayne High School
• Goldsboro High School
• Rosewood High School
• Southern Wayne High School
• Wayne School of Engineering
• Wayne School of Technical Arts

Media

• The Goldsboro News-Argus
• Mount Olive Tribune

Hospitals

• Wayne UNC Health Care, a medical facility located in Goldsboro, is the county's second-largest employer.
• Cherry Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in Goldsboro; it was founded in 1880 as a facility to treat mentally ill African Americans when all public facilities were segregated. A museum depicting its history is part of the hospital campus.
• O'Berry Neuro-Medical Center is a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services hospital providing rehabilitative services to individuals with Down Syndrome and people with developmental disabilities.

Communities

Map of Wayne County with municipal and township labels

City

• Goldsboro (county seat and largest community)

Towns

• Eureka
• Fremont
• Mount Olive
• Seven Springs
• Pikeville

Villages

• Walnut Creek

Census-designated places

• Brogden
• Dudley
• Elroy
• Mar-Mac
• New Hope

Other unincorporated communities

• Faro
• Grantham
• Hopewell
• Nahunta
• Rosewood

Townships

Notable people

Jerry Narron

• Charles Brantley Aycock, politician
• Bob Boyd, golfer
• Moira Crone, author
• Ava Gardner, actress
• Anne Jeffreys, actress
• Carl Kasell, radio personality
• Martin Lancaster, former President of the North Carolina Community College System
• Manny Lawson, NFL linebacker
• Jerry Narron, MLB player, coach, and manager
• Tony Schiffman, jeweler
• John R. Smith, politician
• Michale Spicer, NFL defensive end
• Greg Warren, NFL long snapper
• James B. Whitfield, lawyer
• Cadmus M. Wilcox, Confederate general

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Wayne (Carolina del Norte) para niños