Warren County, North Carolina

Infobox U.S. County
county = Warren County
state = North Carolina




map size = 250
founded = 1779
seat = Warrenton | area_total_sq_mi =444
area_water_sq_mi =15
area percentage = 3.40%
census yr = 2000
pop = 19972
density_sq_mi =47
web = www.warrencountync.com
|

Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 19,972. Its county seat is WarrentonGR|6.

History

The county was formed in 1779 from the northern half of Bute County. It was named for Joseph Warren of Massachusetts, a physician and general in the American Revolutionary War who was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

In 1881, parts of Warren County, Franklin County, and Granville County were combined to form Vance County.

Warren County was the home of Soul City, a planned "new town," which has not lived up to initial expectations.

Warren County was also the site of the Warren County PCB Landfill site beginning in 1982 and was involved in a long environmental justice struggle to remove dangerous pollutants from affecting the health of the citizens. The site was not safe until 2004.

Famous natives/residents

For what is today a small, relatively impoverished county, Warren has brought forth a remarkable number of notable politicians. North Carolina Governors James Turner, William Miller and Thomas Bragg all were born in or lived in Warren County. Nathaniel Macon, a Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. senator, was from Warren, as were Senator Matt Ransom, Senator Benjamin Hawkins, Congressman John H. Kerr and Congresswoman Eva Clayton. Confederate General Braxton Bragg and his brother, Confederate Attorney General Thomas Bragg, were from Warrenton. Reynolds Price (1933 - ), professor emeritus of English at Duke University and considered one the South's best contemporary authors and essayists, grew up in the village of Macon.

Law and government

Warren County is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners. County commissioners are elected to staggered four-year terms and represent one of five equal-sized districts.

Due in large part to its high African American population, the county favors Democrats over Republicans. In the 2004 election, the county's voters favored Democrat John F. Kerry over Republican George W. Bush by 65% to 35%. [ [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/NC/P/00/county.003.html CNN.com Election 2004 ] ] In the 2004 governor's race, Warren County supported Democrat Mike Easley by 74% to 25% over Republican Patrick J. Ballantine. [http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/NCSBE/Elec/elec_results.asp]

Warren County is represented in the North Carolina House of Representatives by Rep. Michael H. Wray (D-Gaston) and in the North Carolina Senate by Sen. Doug Berger (D-Youngsville). It also forms part of 1^st congressional district, a seat held by U.S. Rep. G. K. Butterfield (D).

Warren County is a member of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 444 square miles (1,149 km²), of which, 429 square miles (1,110 km²) of it is land and 15 square miles (39 km²) of it (3.40%) is water.

Adjacent counties

*Brunswick County, Virginia - north-northeast
*Northampton County, North Carolina - northeast
*Halifax County, North Carolina - east
*Franklin County, North Carolina - south
*Vance County, North Carolina - west
*Mecklenburg County, Virginia - north-northwest

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 19,972 people, 7,708 households, and 5,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile (18/km²). There were 10,548 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 38.90% White, 54.49% Black or African American, 4.79% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. 1.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,708 households out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.20% were married couples living together, 17.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 17.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,351, and the median income for a family was $33,602. Males had a median income of $26,928 versus $20,787 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,716. About 15.70% of families and 19.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.90% of those under age 18 and 20.80% of those age 65 or over.

Warren County is heavily populated by descendants of a long existing tri-racial isolate deeply rooted in the area.fact|date=August 2008

Cities and towns

*Macon
*Norlina
*Warrenton

ee also

*Haliwa-Saponi tribe

References

External links

* [http://www.warrencountync.com Warren County government official website]
* [http://www.vancnews.com/warrenton/ "The Warren Record"]
* [http://www.warren-chamber.org/index.asp Chamber of Commerce of Warren County]