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Alleghany County, North Carolina
Alleghany County Courthouse Sparta NC
Alleghany County Courthouse
Flag of Alleghany County, North Carolina
Flag
Seal of Alleghany County, North Carolina
Seal
Logo of Alleghany County, North Carolina
Logo
Motto: "Authentically Alleghany"
Map of North Carolina highlighting Alleghany County
Location in the state of North Carolina
Map of the U.S
North Carolina's location in the U.S.
Founded 1859
Named for Allegheny Mountains
Seat Sparta
Largest town Sparta
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

237 sq mi (614 km²)
235 sq mi (609 km²)
1.5 sq mi (4 km²), 0.6
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

10,888
47/sq mi (18/km²)
Congressional district 5th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.alleghanycounty-nc.gov

Alleghany County ( /ælɪˈɡn/[1]) is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,888.[2] Its county seat is Sparta.[3]

History[]

The county was formed in 1859 from the eastern part of Ashe County and was named for the Allegheny Mountains.[4] Numerous boundary adjustments have been made since it was established, but none of these have resulted in new counties.[5]

Geography[]

Script error: No such module "Mapframe". According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 235 square miles (610 km2), of which 235 square miles (610 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.6%) is water.[6] It is the fourth-smallest county in North Carolina by total area with just over 235 square miles, ranking 97 out of 100 total counties in the state.[7]

Alleghany County is located in northwestern North Carolina, and its northern border is with the State of Virginia. The county is located entirely within the Appalachian Mountains region of western North Carolina. Most of the county is located atop a rolling plateau that ranges from 2,500 feet (760 m) to 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level. The southern border of the county drops abruptly nearly 1,500 feet (460 m) to the Foothills region of North Carolina. The plateau is crossed by numerous hills and mountains. The highest point in the county is Peach Bottom Mountain - Catherine Knob at 4,175 feet (1,273 m) above sea level.[8] The major rivers of Alleghany County are the New River, and the Little River; the latter flows through the town of Sparta, the county seat.

Isolated by mountainous terrain from the remainder of North Carolina to the east, Alleghany County was described in the 19th and early 20th centuries as one of the Lost Provinces of North Carolina.[9]

Due to its elevation, Alleghany County enjoys slightly cooler summers than the lowland areas to the east and south, with temperatures seldom rising over 90 °F (32 °C). In the winter, however, temperatures can frequently be colder than would be expected in a southern state. Daytime highs can fall into the teens or lower, and snowfall can be extremely heavy at times. According to USClimateData.com, the average temperature is 52.85 °F (11.58 °C).

National protected area[]

  • Blue Ridge Parkway (part)

State and local protected areas[]

  • Bullhead Mountain State Natural Area
  • Cumberland Knob Recreation Area (part)
  • Doughton Recreation Area (part)
  • New River State Park (park)
  • Raven Knob Scout Reservation (part)
  • Stone Mountain State Park (part)
  • Thurmond Chatham Wildlife Management Area (part)

Major water bodies[]

  • Brush Creek
  • Elk Creek
  • Laurel Creek
  • Little River
  • New River (Kanawha River tributary)
  • Pine Swamp Creek
  • Prather Creek
  • Rock Creek
  • South Fork New River

Adjacent counties[]

Major highways[]

  • US 21 US 21
  • Truck plate
    US 21 US 21 Truck
  • US 221 US 221
  • NC 18 NC 18
  • NC 88 NC 88
  • NC 93 NC 93
  • NC 113 NC 113

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1860 3,590
1870 3,691 2.8%
1880 5,486 48.6%
1890 6,523 18.9%
1900 7,759 18.9%
1910 7,745 −0.2%
1920 7,403 −4.4%
1930 7,186 −2.9%
1940 8,341 16.1%
1950 8,155 −2.2%
1960 7,734 −5.2%
1970 8,134 5.2%
1980 9,587 17.9%
1990 9,590 0%
2000 10,677 11.3%
2010 11,155 4.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[14]

2020 census[]

Alleghany County racial composition[15]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 9,186 84.37%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 103 0.95%
Native American 35 0.32%
Asian 15 0.14%
Pacific Islander 6 0.06%
Other/Mixed 255 2.34%
Hispanic or Latino 1,288 11.83%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,888 people, 4,920 households, and 3,390 families residing in the county.

2000 census[]

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 10,677 people, 4,593 households, and 3,169 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 people per square mile (18/km2). There were 6,412 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (11/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.69% White, 1.23% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 4.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,593 households, out of which 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.40% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 27.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,244, and the median income for a family was $38,473. Males had a median income of $25,462 versus $18,851 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,691. About 11.30% of families and 17.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.80% of those under age 18 and 25.00% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics[]

Alleghany County is a member of the regional High Country Council of Governments.

United States presidential election results for Alleghany County, North Carolina[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 4,527 74.51% 1,486 24.46% 63 1.04%
2016 3,814 71.76% 1,306 24.57% 195 3.67%
2012 3,390 66.90% 1,583 31.24% 94 1.86%
2008 3,124 59.36% 2,021 38.40% 118 2.24%
2004 2,883 59.73% 1,922 39.82% 22 0.46%
2000 2,531 58.68% 1,715 39.76% 67 1.55%
1996 1,936 45.71% 1,801 42.53% 498 11.76%
1992 1,853 39.18% 2,271 48.01% 606 12.81%
1988 2,174 50.98% 2,087 48.94% 3 0.07%
1984 2,589 56.08% 2,013 43.60% 15 0.32%
1980 1,995 46.29% 2,198 51.00% 117 2.71%
1976 1,532 37.40% 2,550 62.26% 14 0.34%
1972 2,158 61.29% 1,304 37.03% 59 1.68%
1968 1,695 45.80% 1,102 29.78% 904 24.43%
1964 1,573 39.91% 2,368 60.09% 0 0.00%
1960 1,978 48.26% 2,121 51.74% 0 0.00%
1956 1,699 50.43% 1,670 49.57% 0 0.00%
1952 1,789 49.72% 1,809 50.28% 0 0.00%
1948 1,374 42.39% 1,667 51.43% 200 6.17%
1944 1,495 45.23% 1,810 54.77% 0 0.00%
1940 1,217 38.40% 1,952 61.60% 0 0.00%
1936 1,498 38.98% 2,345 61.02% 0 0.00%
1932 810 29.18% 1,951 70.28% 15 0.54%
1928 1,368 49.17% 1,414 50.83% 0 0.00%
1924 1,234 42.80% 1,643 56.99% 6 0.21%
1920 1,201 46.02% 1,409 53.98% 0 0.00%
1916 641 44.61% 796 55.39% 0 0.00%
1912 208 18.64% 652 58.42% 256 22.94%
1908 575 47.60% 633 52.40% 0 0.00%
1904 543 43.72% 699 56.28% 0 0.00%
1900 662 48.29% 709 51.71% 0 0.00%
1896 605 45.05% 737 54.88% 1 0.07%
1892 358 31.00% 797 69.00% 0 0.00%
1888 407 37.07% 687 62.57% 4 0.36%
1884 355 36.26% 624 63.74% 0 0.00%
1880 259 32.05% 549 67.95% 0 0.00%



Communities[]

Map of Alleghany County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

Map of Alleghany County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

Town[]

  • Sparta (county seat and largest town)

Townships[]

  • Cherry Lane
  • Cranberry
  • Gap Civil
  • Glade Creek
  • Piney Creek
  • Prathers Creek
  • Whitehead

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Cherry Lane
  • Ennice
  • Glade Valley
  • Laurel Springs
  • Piney Creek
  • Roaring Gap
  • Scottville
  • Twin Oaks

Population ranking[]

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2022 estimate of Alleghany County.[18]

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2022 estimate)
only incorporated community Sparta Town 1,790

Notable people[]

  • Robert L. Doughton (1863–1954), United States Congressman from Alleghany County from 1911 to 1953. From 1933 to 1947 he was the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He used his influence as Chairman to create the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs along the county's eastern and southern borders. Doughton Park, the largest and most popular park on the Parkway, is named in his honor. He also played a major role in the passage of the Social Security Act.
  • Rufus A. Doughton (1857–1946), older brother of Robert Doughton. He served as the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, and was Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 1893 to 1897.
  • Del Reeves (1932–2007), country music entertainer on the United Artists record label. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1966 and his record "Girl on the Billboard" sold over a million copies.
  • Zach Galifianakis (born 1969), stand-up comedian and actor, lives on a farm near Sparta and splits his time between the farm and his work in New York City.
  • Bertie Dickens (1902-1994), old-time banjo player who lived most of her life in Ennice, North Carolina. She received the North Carolina Heritage Award in 1992.

See also[]

  • List of counties in North Carolina
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Alleghany County, North Carolina
  • List of Highway Historical Markers in Alleghany County, North Carolina
  • North Carolina State Parks
  • National Park Service

References[]

  1. ^ Talk Like A Tarheel Archived 2013-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, from the North Carolina Collection website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  2. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Alleghany County, North Carolina" (in en). https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/alleghanycountynorthcarolina. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ "Alleghany County | NCpedia". https://www.ncpedia.org/geography/alleghany. 
  5. ^ "History of Alleghany County, NC". http://www.moonzstuff.com/articles/aboutalleghany.html. 
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_37.txt. 
  7. ^ "NACo – Find a county". National Association of Counties. http://www.uscounties.org/cffiles_web/counties/state.cfm?statecode=nc&#PAGETOP. 
  8. ^ "NC DEQ: NC Geological Survey" (in en). http://www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/county/alleghany_county.html. 
  9. ^ Tabler, Dave (August 30, 2016). "The Lost Provinces". http://www.appalachianhistory.net/2016/08/lost-provinces.html. 
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  12. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nc190090.txt. 
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  14. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37005.html. 
  15. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37005&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  18. ^ "Alleghany County NC - Cities, Towns, Neighborhoods, & Subdivisions". https://northcarolina.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,005,c,alleghany.cfm. 

External links[]

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Coordinates: 36°29′N 81°08′W / 36.49, -81.13

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Alleghany County, North Carolina. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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