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Randolph County, North Carolina
Randolph County Courthouse 2013-09-21 18-10-00
Randolph County Courthouse and Confederate statue
Seal of Randolph County, North Carolina
Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Randolph County
Location in the state of North Carolina
Map of the U.S
North Carolina's location in the U.S.
Founded 1779
Named for Peyton Randolph
Seat Asheboro
Largest city Asheboro
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

789 sq mi (2,044 km²)
783 sq mi (2,028 km²)
6.8 sq mi (18 km²), 0.9%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

144,171
181/sq mi (70/km²)
Congressional district 6th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.RandolphCountyNC.gov
File:New Randolph County Courthouse.jpg

The new Randolph County Courthouse opened in 2002

Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 144,171.[1] Its county seat is Asheboro.[2]

Randolph County is included in the Greensboro-High Point, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, NC Combined Statistical Area.

In 2010, the center of population of North Carolina was located in Randolph County, near the town of Seagrove.[3]

History[]

Some of the first European settlers in this area of the Piedmont and what would become the county were English Quakers, who settled along the Haw, Deep, and Eno rivers[4] The county was formed in 1779 from Guilford County. It was named for Peyton Randolph, first president of the Continental Congress.

County formation[]

The Legislature of 1779, then sitting at Halifax, passed an act providing for the formation of a new county from parts of Guilford and Rowan, to be called Randolph. Notice having been given, the citizens met accordingly on Monday, 8 March 1779. Proclamation being made, the act of Assembly was read, wherein, William Cole, John Collin, Joseph Hinds, George Cortner, John Arnold, William Millikan, John Hinds, Jacob Shepherd, Richardson Owen, Windsor Pearce, William Bell, William Merrill, John Lowe, Enoch Davis, and James Hunter were nominated as Justices for holding the courts in said county. The oath of allegiance and the oath of office was administered by William Cole, Esq., whereupon they took their seats. They organized and held the first court in Randolph county by electing William Bell, Sheriff; William Millikan, Register of Deeds; and Absalom Tatum, Clerk.[5]

Randolph County was the original location the school that developed as Duke University.

The county is home to one of the last remaining covered bridges in the state. The Pisgah Covered Bridge, in Union Township in the southwestern part of the county, was destroyed by a flood in 2003, but has been rebuilt.[6][7]

In 1911, a new county called Piedmont County was proposed, with High Point as its county seat, to be created from Guilford, Davidson, and Randolph counties. Many people appeared at the Guilford County courthouse to oppose the plan, vowing to go to the state legislature to protest. The state legislature voted down the plan in February 1911.[8][9]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 789 square miles (2,040 km2), of which 783 square miles (2,030 km2) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km2) (0.9%) is covered by water.[10]

Randolph County is located in the center of North Carolina, and the city of Asheboro (in the county) is the center point of North Carolina. Randolph County is located in the Piedmont section of central North Carolina, generally a region of gently rolling hills and woodlands. The central and western parts of the county contain the Uwharrie Mountains and the Caraway Mountains. These two ranges are the remnants of a much-higher range of ancient peaks. Today, they rarely top 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, yet due to the relative low terrain around them, they still rise 200–500 feet (61–150 m) above their base.

The highest point in Randolph County is Shepherd Mountain, a peak in the Caraways. The North Carolina Zoo is located atop Purgatory Mountain, one of the peaks of the Uwharries.

Adjacent counties[]

Major highways[]

  • I-73 I-73
  • I-74 I-74
  • I-85 I-85
  • Business Loop 85 I-85 Bus.
  • US 29 US 29
  • US 64 US 64
  • US 70 US 70
  • US 220 US 220
  • US 311 US 311
  • US 421 US 421
  • NC 22 NC 22
  • NC 42 NC 42
  • NC 47 NC 47
  • NC 49 NC 49
  • NC 62 NC 62
  • NC 109 NC 109
  • NC 134 NC 134
  • NC 159 NC 159
  • NC 705 NC 705

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1790 7,318
1800 9,234 26.2%
1810 10,112 9.5%
1820 11,331 12.1%
1830 12,406 9.5%
1840 12,875 3.8%
1850 15,832 23.0%
1860 16,793 6.1%
1870 17,551 4.5%
1880 20,836 18.7%
1890 25,195 20.9%
1900 28,232 12.1%
1910 29,491 4.5%
1920 30,856 4.6%
1930 36,259 17.5%
1940 44,554 22.9%
1950 50,804 14.0%
1960 61,497 21.0%
1970 76,358 24.2%
1980 91,728 20.1%
1990 106,546 16.2%
2000 130,454 22.4%
2010 141,752 8.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census[]

Randolph County racial composition[15]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 108,354 75.16%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 8,592 5.96%
Native American 666 0.46%
Asian 2,158 1.5%
Pacific Islander 10 0.01%
Other/Mixed 5,340 3.7%
Hispanic or Latino 19,051 13.21%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 144,171 people, 56,117 households, and 37,795 families residing in the county.

2000 census[]

As of the census[16] of 2000, 130,454 people, 50,659 households, and 37,335 families resided in the county. The population density was 166 people per square mile (64/km2). The 54,422 housing units averaged 69 per square mile (27/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.20% White, 5.63% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.01% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. About 6.63% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As with much of North Carolina, the Latino population of Randolph County continued to grow into the 21st century. In 2005, figures placed the Latino population as 9.3% of the county's total.

In 2000, of the 50,659 households, 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.30% were not families. About 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was distributed as 25.00% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,348, and for a family was $44,369. Males had a median income of $30,575 versus $22,503 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,236. About 6.80% of families and 9.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 11.50% of those age 65 or over.


Communities[]

Map of Randolph County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

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

Cities[]

Towns[]

  • Franklinville
  • Liberty
  • Ramseur
  • Seagrove
  • Staley

Townships[]

  • Asheboro
  • Archdale
  • Back Creek
  • Brower
  • Cedar Grove
  • Coleridge
  • Columbia
  • Concord
  • Farmer
  • Franklinville
  • Grant
  • Level Cross
  • Liberty
  • New Hope
  • New Market
  • Pleasant Grove
  • Providence
  • Randleman
  • Richland
  • Tabernacle
  • Trinity
  • Union

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Cedar Grove
  • Climax
  • Coleridge
  • Erect
  • Farmer
  • Level Cross
  • Pisgah
  • Sophia
  • Ulah
  • Whynot


Politics, law and government[]

Randolph County is a member of the regional Piedmont Triad Council of Governments.

The county was one of the earliest in North Carolina and the South to turn Republican, and is often considered one of the most Republican-dominated counties in the state. It has supported the Republican presidential candidate in all but three elections since 1916. No Democratic presidential nominee has carried the county since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940, and Jimmy Carter is the last Democrat to even tally 40 percent of the county's vote. In 1964, it was one of only 13 counties in the state to vote for Barry Goldwater, and the easternmost county in the state to do so. Republican dominance at the local level is so absolute that in some cases, Republican candidates and incumbents run unopposed.

United States presidential election results for Randolph County, North Carolina[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 56,894 77.60% 15,618 21.30% 804 1.10%
2016 49,430 76.55% 13,194 20.43% 1,951 3.02%
2012 45,160 74.38% 14,773 24.33% 782 1.29%
2008 40,998 70.51% 16,414 28.23% 735 1.26%
2004 37,771 74.19% 12,966 25.47% 173 0.34%
2000 30,959 72.51% 11,366 26.62% 371 0.87%
1996 23,030 61.36% 10,783 28.73% 3,722 9.92%
1992 20,697 53.20% 11,274 28.98% 6,931 17.82%
1988 23,881 73.32% 8,641 26.53% 49 0.15%
1984 25,759 77.36% 7,511 22.56% 29 0.09%
1980 19,881 64.72% 10,107 32.90% 729 2.37%
1976 14,337 52.72% 12,714 46.75% 146 0.54%
1972 18,724 76.02% 5,346 21.71% 559 2.27%
1968 13,450 52.35% 5,351 20.83% 6,892 26.82%
1964 13,739 56.36% 10,638 43.64% 0 0.00%
1960 15,772 61.70% 9,789 38.30% 0 0.00%
1956 13,174 61.05% 8,404 38.95% 0 0.00%
1952 12,429 58.07% 8,975 41.93% 0 0.00%
1948 8,372 53.39% 6,567 41.88% 743 4.74%
1944 8,768 54.65% 7,277 45.35% 0 0.00%
1940 7,056 45.49% 8,455 54.51% 0 0.00%
1936 6,927 46.13% 8,090 53.87% 0 0.00%
1932 6,072 45.00% 7,345 54.44% 75 0.56%
1928 7,414 63.90% 4,188 36.10% 0 0.00%
1924 6,336 53.89% 5,397 45.90% 24 0.20%
1920 6,297 55.20% 5,110 44.80% 0 0.00%
1916 3,031 52.43% 2,747 47.52% 3 0.05%
1912 370 7.63% 2,665 54.95% 1,815 37.42%
1908 2,676 51.98% 2,472 48.02% 0 0.00%
1904 1,808 43.43% 2,334 56.07% 21 0.50%
1900 2,487 52.04% 2,264 47.37% 28 0.59%
1896 2,743 51.47% 2,482 46.58% 104 1.95%
1892 1,883 39.09% 2,077 43.12% 857 17.79%
1888 2,339 49.53% 2,121 44.92% 262 5.55%
1884 1,890 46.90% 1,968 48.83% 172 4.27%
1880 1,811 47.46% 2,005 52.54% 0 0.00%



Education[]

  • Randolph County School System serves most of the county. Asheboro City Schools serves Asheboro.
  • Fayetteville Street Christian School, located in Asheboro, is the largest private school in Randolph County.[18]

Notable people[]

  • Sam Ard - NASCAR driver; 1983 and 1984 Busch Series champion
  • Adam Petty - NASCAR driver. Son of Kyle Petty. Killed in New Hampshire.
  • Braxton Craven - educator and second president of Trinity College, which later moved to Durham and became Duke University.
  • Gideon Morris - trans-Appalachian pioneer and founder of Morristown, Tennessee
  • Heaven Fitch - wrestler
  • Heidi N. Closet - African-American drag queen & contestant of RuPaul's Drag Race, season 12.
  • Jerry Bledsoe - author
  • Jonathan Worth - North Carolina Governor
  • Kyle Petty - NASCAR driver. Son of Richard Petty
  • Lee Petty - NASCAR pioneer. Father of Richard Petty
  • Rufus Hussey - The Beanshooter Man who appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.[19]
  • Richard Petty - NASCAR driver. Son of Lee Petty.
  • Naomi Wise - murder victim

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Randolph County, North Carolina
  • Back Creek (Caraway Creek tributary)

References[]

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37151.html. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "Centers of Population by State: 2010". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/geo/reference/docs/cenpop2010/CenPop2010_Mean_ST.txt. 
  4. ^ Bishir, Catherine (2005). North Carolina Architecture. UNC Press. pp. 38. ISBN 9780807856246. https://books.google.com/books?id=NccTgQkmPIEC. 
  5. ^ Reminiscences of Randolph County, author: J.A. Blair (1890)
  6. ^ Mark Brumley and Cynthia Jeffries, "Rain Washes Away Historical Bridge," Greensboro News & Record, August 11, 2003.
  7. ^ "You don't have to go far for local history," Greensboro News & Record, June 19, 2010.
  8. ^ Jack Scism, "Remember When?", Greensboro News & Record, January 23, 2011.
  9. ^ Jack Scism, "Remember When?", Greensboro News & Record, February 6, 2011.
  10. ^ "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. 
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  13. ^ 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. 
  14. ^ "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. 
  15. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37151&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. ^ "Fayetteville Street Christian School". http://www.fscspatriots.org/. 
  19. ^ "Rufus Hussey... The Beanshooter Man". http://www.asheboro.com/users/teallen/rufus1.htm. 

External links[]

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Coordinates: 35°43′N 79°49′W / 35.71, -79.81


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