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Craven County, North Carolina
New Bern City Hall
New Bern City Hall
Seal of Craven County, North Carolina
Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Craven County
Location in the state of North Carolina
Map of the U.S
North Carolina's location in the U.S.
Founded 1739
Named for William, Earl of Craven
Seat New Bern
Largest city New Bern
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

774 sq mi (2,005 km²)
709 sq mi (1,836 km²)
65 sq mi (168 km²), 8.4%
PopulationEst.
 - (2020)
 - Density

100,720
146/sq mi (56/km²)
Congressional district 3rd
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.cravencounty.com

Craven County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 100,720.[1] Its county seat is New Bern.[2] The county was created in 1705 as Archdale Precinct from the now-extinct Bath County. It was renamed Craven Precinct in 1712 and gained county status in 1739.[3][4] It is named for William, Earl of Craven, who lived from 1606 to 1697. Craven County is part of the New Bern, NC, Metropolitan Statistical Area.


Colonial history[]

On August 4, 1661, George Durant purchased land from Cisketando, king of the Yeopim Indian tribe. On March 13, 1662, a second purchase was made from Kilcocanen, another Yeopim. By 1662 Durant was living in Virginia on a tract of land along the Perquimans River which flows into Albemarle Sound, which became part of the Carolina colony in 1665.[5]

Craven County was established in 1712, as a precinct of Bath County and was named after William, Lord Craven, one of the Lords Proprietors. That year Christopher Gale became the first chief justice of North Carolina.[6][7] During the initial years of colonization, the population of Craven County was sparse and grew slowly. By 1740, however, the town of New Bern began growing rapidly and became the seat for the Governorship.[8] John Carter served as the first sheriff of Craven County, but died in 1740 in the line of duty, when ambushed by an outlaw he was trying to apprehend. In 1746 an act was passed establishing New Bern as the capital of the province and, although the act was later repealed, the General Court met at New Bern in Craven County after 1747.[6]

In 1749 James Davis, the colony's first printer, arrived at New Bern and became the official printer for the North Carolina Assembly.[9] In 1751, Davis established and began printing the North-Carolina Gazette, North Carolina's first newspaper.[10] In 1754 he was elected Sheriff of Craven County.[11]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 774 square miles (2,000 km2), of which 709 square miles (1,840 km2) is land and 65 square miles (170 km2) (8.4%) is water.[12]

National protected area[]

  • Croatan National Forest (part)

Adjacent counties[]

Major highways[]

  • US 17 US 17
  • US 70 US 70
  • NC 41 NC 41
  • NC 43 NC 43
  • NC 55 NC 55
  • NC 101 NC 101
  • NC 118 NC 118
  • NC 306 NC 306

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1790 10,474
1800 10,245 −2.2%
1810 12,676 23.7%
1820 13,394 5.7%
1830 13,734 2.5%
1840 13,438 −2.2%
1850 14,709 9.5%
1860 16,268 10.6%
1870 20,516 26.1%
1880 19,729 −3.8%
1890 20,533 4.1%
1900 24,160 17.7%
1910 25,594 5.9%
1920 29,048 13.5%
1930 30,665 5.6%
1940 31,298 2.1%
1950 48,823 56.0%
1960 58,773 20.4%
1970 62,554 6.4%
1980 71,043 13.6%
1990 81,613 14.9%
2000 91,436 12.0%
2010 103,505 13.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census[]

Craven County racial composition[17]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 64,933 64.47%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 19,903 19.76%
Native American 318 0.32%
Asian 3,059 3.04%
Pacific Islander 150 0.15%
Other/Mixed 5,162 5.13%
Hispanic or Latino 7,195 7.14%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 100,720 people, 42,221 households, and 28,502 families residing in the county.

2000 census[]

As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 91,436 people, 34,582 households, and 25,071 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile (50/km2). There were 38,150 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile (21/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 69.94% White, 25.12% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.78% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. 4.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 34,582 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 12.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 12.80% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 101.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,966, and the median income for a family was $42,574. Males had a median income of $28,163 versus $21,412 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,423. About 9.90% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities[]

Map of Craven County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

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

Cities[]

Towns[]

  • Bridgeton
  • Cove City
  • Dover
  • River Bend
  • Trent Woods
  • Vanceboro

Census-designated places[]

  • Brices Creek
  • Cherry Branch
  • Fairfield Harbour
  • James City
  • Neuse Forest

Other unincorporated communities[]

  • Adams Creek
  • Ernul
  • Fort Barnwell
  • Harlowe

Politics, law and government[]

Craven is a typical “Solid South” county in its presidential voting patterns. It was solidly Democratic until the 1960s: in five elections from 1932 to 1948 the Republican Party did not reach fifteen percent of the vote, and only in 1928 when a large anti-Catholic vote was cast against Al Smith did the GOP reach twenty percent between at least 1900 and 1948. The national Democratic party's support for the Civil Rights Movement caused its white electorate to defect to George Wallace’s American Independent campaign in 1968. Since that time, Craven has become a strongly Republican county. The last Democrat to carry Craven County was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

United States presidential election results for Craven County, North Carolina[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 31,032 58.48% 21,148 39.85% 885 1.67%
2016 27,731 59.00% 17,630 37.51% 1,640 3.49%
2012 26,928 58.32% 18,763 40.64% 479 1.04%
2008 24,901 55.83% 19,352 43.39% 345 0.77%
2004 23,575 62.44% 14,019 37.13% 162 0.43%
2000 19,494 60.95% 12,213 38.18% 278 0.87%
1996 13,264 52.65% 10,317 40.96% 1,610 6.39%
1992 11,575 45.77% 9,998 39.54% 3,714 14.69%
1988 12,057 62.10% 7,313 37.66% 47 0.24%
1984 12,893 64.04% 7,186 35.69% 55 0.27%
1980 8,554 50.97% 7,781 46.36% 448 2.67%
1976 5,881 43.42% 7,553 55.77% 109 0.80%
1972 9,372 78.74% 2,384 20.03% 147 1.23%
1968 2,991 21.77% 4,240 30.86% 6,509 47.37%
1964 4,691 38.73% 7,422 61.27% 0 0.00%
1960 3,680 33.95% 7,158 66.05% 0 0.00%
1956 2,956 31.88% 6,317 68.12% 0 0.00%
1952 2,822 31.66% 6,092 68.34% 0 0.00%
1948 745 11.87% 5,039 80.26% 494 7.87%
1944 826 14.50% 4,872 85.50% 0 0.00%
1940 626 11.30% 4,916 88.70% 0 0.00%
1936 453 7.56% 5,543 92.44% 0 0.00%
1932 466 9.59% 4,375 90.02% 19 0.39%
1928 2,237 47.28% 2,494 52.72% 0 0.00%
1924 325 9.82% 2,942 88.86% 44 1.33%
1920 731 17.64% 3,413 82.36% 0 0.00%
1916 542 23.34% 1,780 76.66% 0 0.00%
1912 79 3.78% 1,819 87.12% 190 9.10%
1908 449 24.30% 1,399 75.70% 0 0.00%
1904 268 14.70% 1,555 85.30% 0 0.00%
1900 1,502 42.55% 2,028 57.45% 0 0.00%
1896 2,921 60.50% 1,810 37.49% 97 2.01%
1892 1,648 50.49% 1,305 39.98% 311 9.53%
1888 2,618 65.73% 1,359 34.12% 6 0.15%
1884 2,539 65.62% 1,330 34.38% 0 0.00%
1880 2,809 69.00% 1,180 28.99% 82 2.01%



Craven County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments.

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Craven County, North Carolina

Sources[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37049.html. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "North Carolina: Individual County Chronologies". North Carolina Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2009. http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/NC_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm. 
  4. ^ "Craven County". State Library of North Carolina. January 1, 2006. http://ncpedia.org/geography/craven. 
  5. ^ Connor, 1919, Vol. I, pp. 26-27
  6. ^ a b The historical records of North Carolina, Vol. I, p. 58
  7. ^ The historical records of North Carolina, Vol. II, p. 2
  8. ^ dill, 1946, p. 47
  9. ^ Wroth, 1938, p. 48
  10. ^ Thomas, 1874, Vol. I, p. 338; Vol. II, p. 166
  11. ^ Powell, 2000, pp. 34-35
  12. ^ "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. 
  13. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  15. ^ 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. 
  16. ^ "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. 
  17. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37049&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  18. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  19. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

Further reading[]

  • Browning, Judkin. Shifting Loyalties: The Union Occupation of Eastern North Carolina (Univ of North Carolina Press, 2011). focus on Craven County
  • Kinsey, Marissa N. "Beyond the Vale: Visualizing Slavery in Craven County, North Carolina." (2017). online
  • Farmer, Vina Hutchinson. New Bern (Arcadia Publishing, 2007).
  • Todd, Vincent H., ed (1920). Christoph von Graffenried's Account of the Founding of New Bern. Publications of the North Carolina Historical Commission. Raleigh: Edwards & Broughton Printing Co.. OCLC 1107613. https://archive.org/details/christophvongraf00graf. 
  • Watson, Alan D. A History of New Bern and Craven County (Tryon Palace Commission, 1987).

External links[]

Coordinates: 35°6′33″N 77°4′9″W / 35.10917, -77.06917

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Craven 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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