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Gaston County, North Carolina

Gaston County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 227,943.[1] The county seat is Gastonia.[2] Dallas served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911.

Gaston County
Motto: 
"Local Strengths. Global Success."
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°18′N 81°11′W / 35.3°N 81.18°W / 35.3; -81.18
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1846
Named forWilliam Gaston
SeatGastonia
Largest communityGastonia
Area
 • Total363.68 sq mi (941.9 km2)
 • Land355.75 sq mi (921.4 km2)
 • Water7.93 sq mi (20.5 km2)  2.18%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total227,943
 • Estimate 
(2022)
234,215
 • Density640.74/sq mi (247.39/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts10th, 14th
Websitewww.gastongov.com

Gaston County is included in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the fifth largest county in the metropolitan area, as of the 2020 census.[3] It is located in the southern Piedmont region.

Of North Carolina's 100 counties, Gaston County ranks 74th in size, consisting of approximately 364.5 square miles (944 km2), and is tenth in population.[4] The county has fifteen incorporated towns.[5] In addition to fifteen incorporated towns and cities, there are several unincorporated communities such as Hardin, Lucia, Crowders Mountain, Sunnyside, Alexis, Tryon, and North Belmont.[6]

History Edit

The earliest European settlers of Gaston County were principally Scots Irish, Pennsylvania Dutch, and English. In the 1750s, Dutch settler James Kuykendall with Robert Leeper, and others constructed a Fort at the Point at the junction of the Catawba and South Fork Rivers.[7][8] The fort was built because of ongoing hostilities with the Cherokee, but it was apparently never attacked. Tensions between the settlers and the Native American inhabitants (primarily of the Catawba tribe) were eased considerably when the boundary dispute between North Carolina and South Carolina was settled in 1772, after which most of the Catawba settled on a reservation near Fort Mill, South Carolina.[9]

Most early farms in the area were small, cultivated primarily by white yeoman farmers of English ancestry. North Carolina's colonial policy restricted the size of land grants, and in Gaston County they tended to be about 400 acres (1.6 km2) each. One of the earliest grants in the area was given to Captain Samuel Cobrin, commander of a local militia company, on September 29, 1750.[10]

Gaston County was founded in 1846, partitioned from Lincoln County.[11] It is named for William Gaston, a U.S. Representative from North Carolina and member of the state supreme court.[12]

Between 1845 and 1848, Gaston County experienced an industrial boom. During this three-year period, the first three cotton mills in the county were established. Some sources claim that the first one was established by Thomas R. Tate on Mountain Island, near the present site of Duke Energy's Mountain Island Dam and Hydroelectric Station. Other sources say that the first mill was established by the Linebergers and others on the South Fork River near McAdenville. Most sources agree that among the first three mills in operation in the county was the Stowesville Mill, founded by Jasper Stowe and associates in the South Point Community south of Belmont. Gaston County still leads all other counties in the country both in the number of spindles in operation and in the number of bales of cotton consumed.[9]

The county seat moved from Dallas to Gastonia in 1911.[11]

Geography Edit

 
Interactive map of Gaston County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 363.68 square miles (941.9 km2), of which 355.75 square miles (921.4 km2) is land and 7.93 square miles (20.5 km2) (2.18%) is water.[13] It belongs to the southern Piedmont physiographic province.[14]

Most of Gaston County is in the drainage basin of the Catawba River, except for small areas along the western edge of the county which are in the basin of the Broad River. Both the Catawba and Broad Rivers are in the greater Santee River basin. The Catawba forms the eastern border of the county and much of the central part of the county is in the drainage basin of its right tributary, the South Fork Catawba River.[15] The county is located in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina, which consists of gently rolling terrain frequently broken by hills, river and creek valleys, and low, isolated mountain ridges. The highest point in Gaston County is King's Pinnacle, a rocky monadnock which sharply rises over 800 feet (240 m) above the city of Gastonia. King's Pinnacle rises 1,690 feet (520 m) above sea level, and is part of Crowders Mountain State Park.[16]

State and local protected areas/sites Edit

Major water bodies Edit

Adjacent counties Edit

Demographics Edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18508,073
18609,30715.3%
187012,60235.4%
188014,25413.1%
189017,76424.6%
190027,90357.1%
191037,06332.8%
192051,24238.3%
193078,09352.4%
194087,53112.1%
1950110,83626.6%
1960127,07414.7%
1970148,41516.8%
1980162,5689.5%
1990175,0937.7%
2000190,3658.7%
2010206,0868.3%
2020227,94310.6%
2022 (est.)234,215[1]2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[18]
1790–1960[19] 1900–1990[20]
1990–2000[21] 2010[22] 2020[1]

2020 census Edit

Gaston County racial composition[23]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 153,653 67.41%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 39,762 17.44%
Native American 753 0.33%
Asian 3,509 1.54%
Pacific Islander 59 0.03%
Other/Mixed 10,139 4.45%
Hispanic or Latino 20,068 8.8%

As of the 2020 census, there were 227,943 people, 85,705 households, and 55,868 families residing in the county.

2004 census estimate Edit

At the 2004 census estimate,[24] there were 194,459 people, 73,936 households, and 53,307 families residing in the county. The population density was 534 people per square mile (206 people/km2). There were 78,842 housing units at an average density of 221 units per square mile (85 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 83% White, 13.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 1% from two or more races. 3.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 92,094 males and 98,271 females in Gaston County. Of these 39,492 are under 15, 23,082 are aged 16–24, 59,096 are aged 25–44, 44,710 are aged between 45–64 and 23,985 are 65 and over. The median age is 36.89 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,482, and the median income for a family was $46,271. Males had a median income of $33,542 versus $23,876 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,225. About 8.30% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 11.10% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government Edit

Gaston County is governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners. Two members are elected from Gaston Township and one each from the other five townships of Gaston County. They are elected on a partisan basis to four-year staggered terms. Those that file for a particular seat must live in the township. However, the vote is countywide or "at-large."[25]

The offices of Sheriff, District Attorney, Clerk of Superior Court, and Register of Deeds are also elected offices, elected on a countywide, partisan basis. Gaston County currently is divided into forty-six (46) voting precincts.[26]

The county is administered by a full-time professional County Manager. Gaston County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.[27]

County officers Edit

Board of Commissioners Edit

Office[28] Holder Party Term expires
County Commissioner (chairman) Chad Brown Republican 2026
County Commissioner (Vice Chair) Bob Hovis Republican 2024
County Commissioner Allen Fraley Republican 2024
County Commissioner Kim Johnson Republican 2024
County Commissioner Tom Keigher Republican 2026
County Commissioner Cathy Cloninger Republican 2026
County Commissioner Ronnie Worley Republican 2024

Soil & Water Conservation District Board Members Edit

Holder[28] Term expires
Esther Scott (chairperson) 2022
David Freeman 2024
Roger Hurst 2024
Danon Lawson 2022
Vacant 2022

Superior court judges Edit

Office[28] Holder Party Term expires
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge David Phillips Democratic 2026
Superior Court Judge Justin Davis Republican 2030

District court judges Edit

Office[28] Holder Party Term expires
Chief District Court Judge John K. Greenlee Republican 2024
District Court Judge Craig Collins Republican 2022
District Court Judge Angela G. Hoyle Republican 2024
District Court Judge James A. Jackson Republican 2024
District Court Judge Michael K. Lands Republican 2022
District Court Judge Donald Rice Republican 2024
District Court Judge Pennie Thrower Republican 2024

Other offices Edit

Office[28] Holder Party Term expires
Sheriff Chad Hawkins Republican 2026
Register of Deeds Susan Lockridge Republican 2024
District Attorney Travis G. Page Republican 2026
Clerk of Superior Court K. Roxann Rankin Republican 2022

North Carolina General Assembly Edit

North Carolina Senate Edit

District[28] Representative Party Term expires
43 Kathy Harrington Republican 2023
44 Ted Alexander Republican 2023

North Carolina House of Representatives Edit

District Representative[28] Party Term expires
108 John A. Torbett Republican 2023
109 Donnie Loftis Republican 2023
110 Kelly Hastings Republican 2023

Federal offices Edit

Senate Edit

Senator[28] Party Term expires
Ted Budd Republican 2029
Thom Tillis Republican 2027

House of Representatives Edit

District[28] Representative Party Term expires
10th Patrick McHenry Republican 2025
14th Jeff Jackson Democratic 2025

Courts of law Edit

North Carolina has a unified statewide and state-operated court system, called the General Court of Justice. It consists of three divisions: appellate courts, superior courts, and district courts. In Gaston County, there is also a small claims Court.

Small claims court handles civil cases where a plaintiff requests assignment to a magistrate and the amount in controversy is $5,000 or less. There is no jury and usually no lawyers. A person who loses in small claims court may appeal for a trial by jury before a judge in district court. Magistrates are appointed for two-year terms by the senior resident superior court judge upon nomination of the clerk of superior court.[29]

Politics Edit

In recent years, voters in most of the county have favored Republicans, though Democrats retain some electoral strength in the city of Gastonia.[31]

Transportation and infrastructure Edit

Major highways Edit

Rail service Edit

Gaston County is served by Amtrak, with a stop in Gastonia. Freight rail service is provided by the Norfolk Southern Railway, CSX and Patriot Rail.

The Norfork Southern main line passes from west to east across the county, passing through Kings Mountain, Bessemer City, Gastonia, Ranlo, Lowell, Cramerton and Belmont. From Gastonia, a branch line leads south to Crowders.[32]

CSX rail lines pass through the northwestern and northeastern corners of Gaston County. In the northwest, a line between Lincolnton and Shelby passes through Cherryville. In the northeast, a line between Lincolnton and Charlotte passes through Stanley and Mount Holly.[33]

Progressive Rail operates state-owned trackage between Gastonia and Mount Holly with a spur extending to Belmont.[34]

Airports Edit

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is a major, full-service airport with passenger flights. It is across the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County in Charlotte.

The city of Gastonia owns and operates Gastonia Municipal Airport, which is a general aviation airport with a single runway, Runway 3/21, an asphalt runway that is 3,779 feet in length.[35]

Economy Edit

Piedmont Lithium is a mining company currently in the process of proving economic mineral recovery of lithium in Gaston County. After five years of surface prospecting, the company began drilling many sample cores in 2021 across 2,300 acres (930 ha) of land it owns or has mineral rights to the county proving economic viability of mining lithium for the boom in battery demand to support electric vehicle and other uses.[36]

Education Edit

Public education in Gaston County is administered by the Gaston County Schools public school system. The system is governed by the nine-member Gaston County Board of Education which sets policy and establishes guidelines for school operations. Board members are elected on a nonpartisan, county wide basis, with seven representatives chosen from the six townships and two members selected at-large.[37] Gaston County Schools has 54 public schools, including 9 high schools, 11 middle schools, 32 elementary schools, one alternative school (middle and high school age), and one separate school (Webb Street School in Gastonia) serving students ages 3 to 22 with moderate to severe disabilities.

Gaston County has four charter schools: Community Public Charter School (K-7) in Stanley, Ridgeview Charter School (K–4) in Gastonia, Piedmont Community Charter School (K–12) in Gastonia, and Mountain Island Charter School (K–12) in Mount Holly.[38]

There are two colleges in Gaston County. Gaston College is a community college located in Dallas offering associate degree, Certificate, and Diploma programs. Belmont Abbey College is a Roman Catholic Liberal Arts College located in Belmont.

The Gaston County Public Library has 10 branches spread throughout the county.

Natural heritage Edit

Gaston County's most significant natural heritage sites are distributed across the county. They range from Crowders Mountain in the southwest corner to sites east of Stanley and at the mouth of the South Fork Catawba River.

Gaston County has twelve natural heritage sites listed as being of state or regional significance. Six of these are listed because of the presence of the bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla). This magnificent plant has the largest simple leaf of any species in the temperate world, and one of the largest flowers. Of the 34 known sites containing bigleaf magnolias in North Carolina, 29 are in Gaston County.[39]

Two sites are important because they provide habitat for the bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii). The bog turtle is the single most significant rare animal species surviving in Gaston County.[40]

Crowders Mountain State Park is the largest natural heritage site in the county. It covers over 3,000 acres (12 km2) of topographically, botanically, and zoologically diverse land. Six natural plant communities are found in the park, and the area supports a diversity of wildlife species. Some animals documented in the park have not been documented elsewhere in the county. A second natural heritage site, Pinnacle Road, has recently been incorporated into the park. This site is most significant for the occurrence of dwarf juniper (Juniperus communis) along its ridgeline.[41]

The Stagecoach Road site is the largest and best preserved granitic outcrop in the county. Its thin soils are dominated by hickory species and it is also home to several smaller species such as Talinum teretifolium (fame flower), Diamorpha smallii (Small's sedum), and Hypericum gentianoides (pineweed) that are found only in this type of habitat. A farm site contains an old growth forest dominated by beech, yellow poplar, oaks, and maples - some trees with diameters of nearly 3 feet (0.91 m).[42]

Another 25 sites are listed as being of local significance. Two of these are home to extremely rare plants. Catawba Cove, near the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, supports a stand of Schweinitz's sunflower (Helianthus schweinizii), a federally endangered species. The Armstrong Ford site near Belmont is the only place in western North Carolina (and one of only two sites in the state) where magnolia vine (Schisandra glabra) has been found.[43]

Points of interest Edit

The Hoyle Historic Homestead, with notable German-American construction features, is the oldest extant structure in Gaston County. Located on the Dallas-Stanley Highway above the South Fork Catawba River, it was built around 1760 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden covers 110 acres (0.45 km2) in the South Point area of Gaston County, on South New Hope Road.

The Gaston County Museum is located in the town of Dallas, North Carolina.[44]

The Schiele Museum of Natural History is a science museum and planetarium located in Gastonia that features both permanent and touring exhibits.[45]

Crowder's Mountain State Park is noted for its resident raptors and sheer vertical cliffs which drop 150 feet (46 m). From Crowders Mountain, the highest point in Gaston County, views stretch for more than 20 miles (32 km).

The U.S. National Whitewater Center is a recreation and training facility. Set among 1,300 acres (5.3 km2) of wooded land along the Catawba River, the multiuse facility has a climbing center, mountain-biking trails and running trails.

Christmas Town USA - McAdenville, North Carolina - Each December, hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights turn this small mill town into a spectacular holiday display. Visitors stroll down Main Street surrounded by the sights and sounds of Christmas.

Spencer Mountain, which is located in central Gaston County, is the site of the old WBTV television transmitter. It was from this site that the first commercial television signal in North Carolina was broadcast, when WBTV signed on the air in 1949. The tower remains on the mountain today, but is no longer in use as WBTV's primary transmitter. It is used by NWS for its NOAA Weather Radio transmission signal.

Communities Edit

 
Map of Gaston County with municipal and township labels

Cities Edit

Towns Edit

Townships Edit

Unincorporated communities Edit

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Gaston County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  2. ^ . National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area". censusreporter.org. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  4. ^ "North Carolina Counties by Population". www.northcarolina-demographics.com. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  5. ^ "About Gaston County". from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  6. ^ "About Gaston County". www.gastongov.com. from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  7. ^ Piper Peters Aheron. Images of America: Gastonia and Gaston County North Carolina. Arcadia Publishing, 2001 (ISBN 0738506737)
  8. ^ Minnie Stowe Pruit. History of Gaston County. The Observer Printing House, Inc, 1939 (ISBN 028245554X, 9780282455545)
  9. ^ a b County Profile - . Archived from the original on February 29, 2008. Retrieved July 5, 2008.. Gaston County government official website. Retrieved on 2008-07-02.
  10. ^ Robert F. Cope and Hanley Wade Wellman, The County of Gaston: Two Centuries of a North Carolina Region (Gaston County Historical Society, 1961), 13, cited in Peter Hoyle House National Register Application[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ a b "Gaston County | NCpedia".
  12. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 135.
  13. ^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  14. ^ "Our State Geography in a Snap: The Piedmont Region | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  15. ^ Gaston County Watersheds September 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Piedmont North Carolina Trip Reports (GCounty High Pointers Assn., 2010), cited in [1] June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "GO Gaston! Trail offers reasons to take it slow". Gaston Gazette. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  18. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  19. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  20. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. from the original on March 3, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  21. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  22. ^ . United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  23. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  24. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  25. ^ . County of Gaston. Archived from the original on March 18, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  26. ^ . Board of Elections. County of Gaston. Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  27. ^ "About Centralina COG". CCOG. from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Public Officials Directory 2023". Gaston County Board of Elections.
  29. ^ "Welcome to Gaston County - District 27A". Nccourts.org. from the original on August 8, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  30. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Uselectionatlas.org. from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  31. ^ McCorkle & Salzberg 2022, pp. 15, 37.
  32. ^ "System Maps, Directories & Schedules". Norfolk Southern. from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  33. ^ "CSX.com - CSX System Map". www.csx.com. from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  34. ^ Barrett, Michael. "P&N Railway between Gastonia and Mount Holly under new management". Gaston Gazette. from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  35. ^ (PDF). WayBack Machine. October 9, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  36. ^ Patterson, Scott; Ramkumar, Amrith (March 9, 2021). "America's Battery-Powered Car Hopes Ride on Lithium. One Producer Paves the Way". Wall Street Journal. from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  37. ^ . Gaston County Schools. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  38. ^ . Office of Charter Schools. NC Dept. of Public Instruction. Archived from the original on October 26, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  39. ^ May, Alan (December 2000). Natural heritage inventory of Gaston County, N.C. Raleigh, N.C.: N.C. Natural Heritage Program, Division of Parks and Recreation, Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources. pp. Whole Book.
  40. ^ "Catawba Lands Conservancy to Protect More of a Region's Rare Habitat". Catawba Lands Conservancy. April 19, 2018. from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  41. ^ "Ecology | NC State Parks". www.ncparks.gov. from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  42. ^ . Ces.ncsu.edu. Archived from the original (DOC) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  43. ^ (PDF). WayBack Machine. May 25, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2006. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  44. ^ "Home". Gaston County Museum. from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  45. ^ "Home". Schiele Museum. from the original on August 22, 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2022.

Works cited Edit

  • McCorkle, Mac; Salzberg, Rachel (January 2022), The Democrats’ Countrypolitan Problem in North Carolina: Progressive Challenge and Opportunity, Duke University Polis: Center for Politics

External links Edit

  •   Geographic data related to Gaston County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap
  • Official website
  • Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Gaston County Schools official website
  • NCGenWeb Gaston County, genealogy resources for the county

35°17′36″N 81°10′38″W / 35.293344°N 81.177256°W / 35.293344; -81.177256

gaston, county, north, carolina, confused, with, gaston, north, carolina, gaston, county, county, state, north, carolina, 2020, census, population, county, seat, gastonia, dallas, served, original, county, seat, from, 1846, until, 1911, gaston, countycountygas. Not to be confused with Gaston North Carolina Gaston County is a county in the U S state of North Carolina As of the 2020 census the population was 227 943 1 The county seat is Gastonia 2 Dallas served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911 Gaston CountyCountyGaston County CourthouseFlagSealLogoMotto Local Strengths Global Success Location within the U S state of North CarolinaNorth Carolina s location within the U S Coordinates 35 18 N 81 11 W 35 3 N 81 18 W 35 3 81 18Country United StatesState North CarolinaFounded1846Named forWilliam GastonSeatGastoniaLargest communityGastoniaArea Total363 68 sq mi 941 9 km2 Land355 75 sq mi 921 4 km2 Water7 93 sq mi 20 5 km2 2 18 Population 2020 Total227 943 Estimate 2022 234 215 Density640 74 sq mi 247 39 km2 Time zoneUTC 5 Eastern Summer DST UTC 4 EDT Congressional districts10th 14thWebsitewww wbr gastongov wbr comGaston County is included in the Charlotte Concord Gastonia NC SC Metropolitan Statistical Area It is the fifth largest county in the metropolitan area as of the 2020 census 3 It is located in the southern Piedmont region Of North Carolina s 100 counties Gaston County ranks 74th in size consisting of approximately 364 5 square miles 944 km2 and is tenth in population 4 The county has fifteen incorporated towns 5 In addition to fifteen incorporated towns and cities there are several unincorporated communities such as Hardin Lucia Crowders Mountain Sunnyside Alexis Tryon and North Belmont 6 Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2 1 State and local protected areas sites 2 2 Major water bodies 2 3 Adjacent counties 3 Demographics 3 1 2020 census 3 2 2004 census estimate 4 Law and government 4 1 County officers 4 1 1 Board of Commissioners 4 1 2 Soil amp Water Conservation District Board Members 4 1 3 Superior court judges 4 1 4 District court judges 4 1 5 Other offices 4 2 North Carolina General Assembly 4 2 1 North Carolina Senate 4 2 2 North Carolina House of Representatives 4 3 Federal offices 4 3 1 Senate 4 3 2 House of Representatives 4 4 Courts of law 4 5 Politics 5 Transportation and infrastructure 5 1 Major highways 5 2 Rail service 5 3 Airports 6 Economy 7 Education 8 Natural heritage 9 Points of interest 10 Communities 10 1 Cities 10 2 Towns 10 3 Townships 10 4 Unincorporated communities 11 See also 12 References 13 Works cited 14 External linksHistory EditThe earliest European settlers of Gaston County were principally Scots Irish Pennsylvania Dutch and English In the 1750s Dutch settler James Kuykendall with Robert Leeper and others constructed a Fort at the Point at the junction of the Catawba and South Fork Rivers 7 8 The fort was built because of ongoing hostilities with the Cherokee but it was apparently never attacked Tensions between the settlers and the Native American inhabitants primarily of the Catawba tribe were eased considerably when the boundary dispute between North Carolina and South Carolina was settled in 1772 after which most of the Catawba settled on a reservation near Fort Mill South Carolina 9 Most early farms in the area were small cultivated primarily by white yeoman farmers of English ancestry North Carolina s colonial policy restricted the size of land grants and in Gaston County they tended to be about 400 acres 1 6 km2 each One of the earliest grants in the area was given to Captain Samuel Cobrin commander of a local militia company on September 29 1750 10 Gaston County was founded in 1846 partitioned from Lincoln County 11 It is named for William Gaston a U S Representative from North Carolina and member of the state supreme court 12 Between 1845 and 1848 Gaston County experienced an industrial boom During this three year period the first three cotton mills in the county were established Some sources claim that the first one was established by Thomas R Tate on Mountain Island near the present site of Duke Energy s Mountain Island Dam and Hydroelectric Station Other sources say that the first mill was established by the Linebergers and others on the South Fork River near McAdenville Most sources agree that among the first three mills in operation in the county was the Stowesville Mill founded by Jasper Stowe and associates in the South Point Community south of Belmont Gaston County still leads all other counties in the country both in the number of spindles in operation and in the number of bales of cotton consumed 9 The county seat moved from Dallas to Gastonia in 1911 11 Geography Edit nbsp Interactive map of Gaston County According to the U S Census Bureau the county has a total area of 363 68 square miles 941 9 km2 of which 355 75 square miles 921 4 km2 is land and 7 93 square miles 20 5 km2 2 18 is water 13 It belongs to the southern Piedmont physiographic province 14 Most of Gaston County is in the drainage basin of the Catawba River except for small areas along the western edge of the county which are in the basin of the Broad River Both the Catawba and Broad Rivers are in the greater Santee River basin The Catawba forms the eastern border of the county and much of the central part of the county is in the drainage basin of its right tributary the South Fork Catawba River 15 The county is located in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina which consists of gently rolling terrain frequently broken by hills river and creek valleys and low isolated mountain ridges The highest point in Gaston County is King s Pinnacle a rocky monadnock which sharply rises over 800 feet 240 m above the city of Gastonia King s Pinnacle rises 1 690 feet 520 m above sea level and is part of Crowders Mountain State Park 16 State and local protected areas sites Edit Crowders Mountain State Park Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Mountain Island Educational State Forest part Seven Oaks Preserve Trail 17 Major water bodies Edit Beaverdam Creek Catawba Creek Catawba River Crowders Creek Dutchmans Creek Little Beaverdam Creek Mountain Island Lake Rankin Lake South Crowders Creek South Fork Catawba River South Stanly Creek Stanly CreekAdjacent counties Edit Lincoln County north Mecklenburg County east York County South Carolina south Cleveland County westDemographics EditHistorical population CensusPop Note 18508 073 18609 30715 3 187012 60235 4 188014 25413 1 189017 76424 6 190027 90357 1 191037 06332 8 192051 24238 3 193078 09352 4 194087 53112 1 1950110 83626 6 1960127 07414 7 1970148 41516 8 1980162 5689 5 1990175 0937 7 2000190 3658 7 2010206 0868 3 2020227 94310 6 2022 est 234 215 1 2 8 U S Decennial Census 18 1790 1960 19 1900 1990 20 1990 2000 21 2010 22 2020 1 2020 census Edit Gaston County racial composition 23 Race Number PercentageWhite non Hispanic 153 653 67 41 Black or African American non Hispanic 39 762 17 44 Native American 753 0 33 Asian 3 509 1 54 Pacific Islander 59 0 03 Other Mixed 10 139 4 45 Hispanic or Latino 20 068 8 8 As of the 2020 census there were 227 943 people 85 705 households and 55 868 families residing in the county 2004 census estimate Edit At the 2004 census estimate 24 there were 194 459 people 73 936 households and 53 307 families residing in the county The population density was 534 people per square mile 206 people km2 There were 78 842 housing units at an average density of 221 units per square mile 85 units km2 The racial makeup of the county was 83 White 13 9 Black or African American 0 3 Native American 1 Asian 0 Pacific Islander 0 3 from other races and 1 from two or more races 3 00 of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race There are 92 094 males and 98 271 females in Gaston County Of these 39 492 are under 15 23 082 are aged 16 24 59 096 are aged 25 44 44 710 are aged between 45 64 and 23 985 are 65 and over The median age is 36 89 years The median income for a household in the county was 39 482 and the median income for a family was 46 271 Males had a median income of 33 542 versus 23 876 for females The per capita income for the county was 19 225 About 8 30 of families and 10 90 of the population were below the poverty line including 14 50 of those under age 18 and 11 10 of those age 65 or over Law and government EditGaston County is governed by a seven member Board of Commissioners Two members are elected from Gaston Township and one each from the other five townships of Gaston County They are elected on a partisan basis to four year staggered terms Those that file for a particular seat must live in the township However the vote is countywide or at large 25 The offices of Sheriff District Attorney Clerk of Superior Court and Register of Deeds are also elected offices elected on a countywide partisan basis Gaston County currently is divided into forty six 46 voting precincts 26 The county is administered by a full time professional County Manager Gaston County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments 27 County officers Edit Board of Commissioners Edit Office 28 Holder Party Term expiresCounty Commissioner chairman Chad Brown Republican 2026County Commissioner Vice Chair Bob Hovis Republican 2024County Commissioner Allen Fraley Republican 2024County Commissioner Kim Johnson Republican 2024County Commissioner Tom Keigher Republican 2026County Commissioner Cathy Cloninger Republican 2026County Commissioner Ronnie Worley Republican 2024Soil amp Water Conservation District Board Members Edit Holder 28 Term expiresEsther Scott chairperson 2022David Freeman 2024Roger Hurst 2024Danon Lawson 2022Vacant 2022Superior court judges Edit Office 28 Holder Party Term expiresSenior Resident Superior Court Judge David Phillips Democratic 2026Superior Court Judge Justin Davis Republican 2030District court judges Edit Office 28 Holder Party Term expiresChief District Court Judge John K Greenlee Republican 2024District Court Judge Craig Collins Republican 2022District Court Judge Angela G Hoyle Republican 2024District Court Judge James A Jackson Republican 2024District Court Judge Michael K Lands Republican 2022District Court Judge Donald Rice Republican 2024District Court Judge Pennie Thrower Republican 2024Other offices Edit Office 28 Holder Party Term expiresSheriff Chad Hawkins Republican 2026Register of Deeds Susan Lockridge Republican 2024District Attorney Travis G Page Republican 2026Clerk of Superior Court K Roxann Rankin Republican 2022North Carolina General Assembly Edit North Carolina Senate Edit District 28 Representative Party Term expires43 Kathy Harrington Republican 202344 Ted Alexander Republican 2023North Carolina House of Representatives Edit District Representative 28 Party Term expires108 John A Torbett Republican 2023109 Donnie Loftis Republican 2023110 Kelly Hastings Republican 2023Federal offices Edit Senate Edit Senator 28 Party Term expiresTed Budd Republican 2029Thom Tillis Republican 2027House of Representatives Edit District 28 Representative Party Term expires10th Patrick McHenry Republican 202514th Jeff Jackson Democratic 2025Courts of law Edit North Carolina has a unified statewide and state operated court system called the General Court of Justice It consists of three divisions appellate courts superior courts and district courts In Gaston County there is also a small claims Court Small claims court handles civil cases where a plaintiff requests assignment to a magistrate and the amount in controversy is 5 000 or less There is no jury and usually no lawyers A person who loses in small claims court may appeal for a trial by jury before a judge in district court Magistrates are appointed for two year terms by the senior resident superior court judge upon nomination of the clerk of superior court 29 Politics Edit Historical presidential election returnsUnited States presidential election results for Gaston County North Carolina 30 Year Republican Democratic Third partyNo No No 2020 73 033 63 23 40 959 35 46 1 506 1 30 2016 61 798 64 09 31 177 32 33 3 456 3 58 2012 56 138 62 04 33 171 36 66 1 174 1 30 2008 52 507 62 21 31 384 37 18 511 0 61 2004 43 252 67 84 20 254 31 77 249 0 39 2000 39 453 66 67 19 281 32 58 445 0 75 1996 33 149 58 42 19 458 34 29 4 132 7 28 1992 34 714 56 51 19 121 31 12 7 600 12 37 1988 34 775 70 32 14 582 29 49 94 0 19 1984 39 167 73 36 14 142 26 49 83 0 16 1980 25 139 55 61 19 016 42 07 1 049 2 32 1976 19 727 46 13 22 878 53 50 159 0 37 1972 27 956 75 76 8 462 22 93 483 1 31 1968 18 741 43 77 10 100 23 59 13 973 32 64 1964 17 129 45 89 20 197 54 11 0 0 00 1960 21 250 51 39 20 104 48 61 0 0 00 1956 18 159 53 68 15 671 46 32 0 0 00 1952 19 157 51 86 17 781 48 14 0 0 00 1948 6 180 32 58 8 966 47 27 3 822 20 15 1944 6 023 30 47 13 744 69 53 0 0 00 1940 4 294 19 92 17 262 80 08 0 0 00 1936 4 772 21 37 17 555 78 63 0 0 00 1932 5 164 28 36 12 890 70 78 157 0 86 1928 9 702 59 14 6 702 40 86 0 0 00 1924 3 566 34 95 6 554 64 24 82 0 80 1920 5 803 44 81 7 148 55 19 0 0 00 1916 2 542 45 62 3 019 54 18 11 0 20 1912 244 6 22 2 333 59 45 1 347 34 33 1908 1 970 44 69 2 398 54 40 40 0 91 1904 896 31 12 1 958 68 01 25 0 87 1900 1 626 44 98 1 931 53 42 58 1 60 1896 1 625 43 60 2 069 55 51 33 0 89 1892 1 173 36 58 1 616 50 39 418 13 03 1888 1 260 42 90 1 589 54 10 88 3 00 1884 978 41 46 1 356 57 48 25 1 06 1880 1 139 50 69 1 107 49 27 1 0 04 In recent years voters in most of the county have favored Republicans though Democrats retain some electoral strength in the city of Gastonia 31 Transportation and infrastructure EditMajor highways Edit nbsp I 85 nbsp US 29 nbsp US 74 nbsp nbsp US 74 Bus nbsp US 321 nbsp nbsp US 321 Bus nbsp NC 7 nbsp NC 16 nbsp nbsp NC 16 Bus Business route nbsp NC 27 nbsp NC 150 nbsp NC 161 nbsp NC 216 nbsp NC 273 nbsp NC 274 nbsp NC 275 nbsp NC 279 Rail service Edit Gaston County is served by Amtrak with a stop in Gastonia Freight rail service is provided by the Norfolk Southern Railway CSX and Patriot Rail The Norfork Southern main line passes from west to east across the county passing through Kings Mountain Bessemer City Gastonia Ranlo Lowell Cramerton and Belmont From Gastonia a branch line leads south to Crowders 32 CSX rail lines pass through the northwestern and northeastern corners of Gaston County In the northwest a line between Lincolnton and Shelby passes through Cherryville In the northeast a line between Lincolnton and Charlotte passes through Stanley and Mount Holly 33 Progressive Rail operates state owned trackage between Gastonia and Mount Holly with a spur extending to Belmont 34 Airports Edit Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a major full service airport with passenger flights It is across the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County in Charlotte The city of Gastonia owns and operates Gastonia Municipal Airport which is a general aviation airport with a single runway Runway 3 21 an asphalt runway that is 3 779 feet in length 35 Economy EditPiedmont Lithium is a mining company currently in the process of proving economic mineral recovery of lithium in Gaston County After five years of surface prospecting the company began drilling many sample cores in 2021 across 2 300 acres 930 ha of land it owns or has mineral rights to the county proving economic viability of mining lithium for the boom in battery demand to support electric vehicle and other uses 36 Education EditPublic education in Gaston County is administered by the Gaston County Schools public school system The system is governed by the nine member Gaston County Board of Education which sets policy and establishes guidelines for school operations Board members are elected on a nonpartisan county wide basis with seven representatives chosen from the six townships and two members selected at large 37 Gaston County Schools has 54 public schools including 9 high schools 11 middle schools 32 elementary schools one alternative school middle and high school age and one separate school Webb Street School in Gastonia serving students ages 3 to 22 with moderate to severe disabilities Gaston County has four charter schools Community Public Charter School K 7 in Stanley Ridgeview Charter School K 4 in Gastonia Piedmont Community Charter School K 12 in Gastonia and Mountain Island Charter School K 12 in Mount Holly 38 There are two colleges in Gaston County Gaston College is a community college located in Dallas offering associate degree Certificate and Diploma programs Belmont Abbey College is a Roman Catholic Liberal Arts College located in Belmont The Gaston County Public Library has 10 branches spread throughout the county Natural heritage EditGaston County s most significant natural heritage sites are distributed across the county They range from Crowders Mountain in the southwest corner to sites east of Stanley and at the mouth of the South Fork Catawba River Gaston County has twelve natural heritage sites listed as being of state or regional significance Six of these are listed because of the presence of the bigleaf magnolia Magnolia macrophylla This magnificent plant has the largest simple leaf of any species in the temperate world and one of the largest flowers Of the 34 known sites containing bigleaf magnolias in North Carolina 29 are in Gaston County 39 Two sites are important because they provide habitat for the bog turtle Glyptemys muhlenbergii The bog turtle is the single most significant rare animal species surviving in Gaston County 40 Crowders Mountain State Park is the largest natural heritage site in the county It covers over 3 000 acres 12 km2 of topographically botanically and zoologically diverse land Six natural plant communities are found in the park and the area supports a diversity of wildlife species Some animals documented in the park have not been documented elsewhere in the county A second natural heritage site Pinnacle Road has recently been incorporated into the park This site is most significant for the occurrence of dwarf juniper Juniperus communis along its ridgeline 41 The Stagecoach Road site is the largest and best preserved granitic outcrop in the county Its thin soils are dominated by hickory species and it is also home to several smaller species such as Talinum teretifolium fame flower Diamorpha smallii Small s sedum and Hypericum gentianoides pineweed that are found only in this type of habitat A farm site contains an old growth forest dominated by beech yellow poplar oaks and maples some trees with diameters of nearly 3 feet 0 91 m 42 Another 25 sites are listed as being of local significance Two of these are home to extremely rare plants Catawba Cove near the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden supports a stand of Schweinitz s sunflower Helianthus schweinizii a federally endangered species The Armstrong Ford site near Belmont is the only place in western North Carolina and one of only two sites in the state where magnolia vine Schisandra glabra has been found 43 Points of interest EditThe Hoyle Historic Homestead with notable German American construction features is the oldest extant structure in Gaston County Located on the Dallas Stanley Highway above the South Fork Catawba River it was built around 1760 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden covers 110 acres 0 45 km2 in the South Point area of Gaston County on South New Hope Road The Gaston County Museum is located in the town of Dallas North Carolina 44 The Schiele Museum of Natural History is a science museum and planetarium located in Gastonia that features both permanent and touring exhibits 45 Crowder s Mountain State Park is noted for its resident raptors and sheer vertical cliffs which drop 150 feet 46 m From Crowders Mountain the highest point in Gaston County views stretch for more than 20 miles 32 km The U S National Whitewater Center is a recreation and training facility Set among 1 300 acres 5 3 km2 of wooded land along the Catawba River the multiuse facility has a climbing center mountain biking trails and running trails Christmas Town USA McAdenville North Carolina Each December hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights turn this small mill town into a spectacular holiday display Visitors stroll down Main Street surrounded by the sights and sounds of Christmas Spencer Mountain which is located in central Gaston County is the site of the old WBTV television transmitter It was from this site that the first commercial television signal in North Carolina was broadcast when WBTV signed on the air in 1949 The tower remains on the mountain today but is no longer in use as WBTV s primary transmitter It is used by NWS for its NOAA Weather Radio transmission signal Communities Edit nbsp Map of Gaston County with municipal and township labelsCities Edit Belmont Bessemer City Cherryville Gastonia county seat and largest community Kings Mountain mostly in Cleveland County Lowell Mount HollyTowns Edit Cramerton Dallas Dellview inactive High Shoals McAdenville Ranlo Spencer Mountain Stanley Townships Edit Cherryville Crowders Mountain Dallas Gastonia Riverbend South PointUnincorporated communities Edit Alexis Ashebrook Park Boogertown Brown Town Crowders Hardins Lucia Mountain Island South Gastonia Springdale TryonSee also EditList of counties in North Carolina National Register of Historic Places listings in Gaston County North CarolinaReferences Edit a b c U S Census Bureau QuickFacts Gaston County North Carolina United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on October 22 2020 Retrieved May 31 2022 Find a County National Association of Counties Archived from the original on May 31 2011 Retrieved June 7 2011 Charlotte Concord Gastonia NC SC Metro Area censusreporter org Retrieved June 22 2022 North Carolina Counties by Population www northcarolina demographics com Retrieved August 9 2022 About Gaston County Archived from the original on September 15 2019 Retrieved September 5 2019 About Gaston County www gastongov com Archived from the original on September 15 2019 Retrieved September 6 2019 Piper Peters Aheron Images of America Gastonia and Gaston County North Carolina Arcadia Publishing 2001 ISBN 0738506737 Minnie Stowe Pruit History of Gaston County The Observer Printing House Inc 1939 ISBN 028245554X 9780282455545 a b County Profile Gaston County Profile Archived from the original on February 29 2008 Retrieved July 5 2008 Gaston County government official website Retrieved on 2008 07 02 Robert F Cope and Hanley Wade Wellman The County of Gaston Two Centuries of a North Carolina Region Gaston County Historical Society 1961 13 cited in Peter Hoyle House National Register Application permanent dead link a b Gaston County NCpedia Gannett Henry 1905 The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States Govt Print Off pp 135 2020 County Gazetteer Files North Carolina United States Census Bureau August 23 2022 Retrieved September 9 2023 Our State Geography in a Snap The Piedmont Region NCpedia www ncpedia org Archived from the original on June 1 2022 Retrieved June 1 2022 Gaston County Watersheds Archived September 11 2008 at the Wayback Machine Piedmont North Carolina Trip Reports GCounty High Pointers Assn 2010 cited in 1 Archived June 6 2011 at the Wayback Machine GO Gaston Trail offers reasons to take it slow Gaston Gazette Retrieved April 19 2023 U S Decennial Census United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on April 26 2015 Retrieved January 17 2015 Historical Census Browser University of Virginia Library Archived from the original on August 11 2012 Retrieved January 17 2015 Forstall Richard L ed March 27 1995 Population of Counties by Decennial Census 1900 to 1990 United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on March 3 2015 Retrieved January 17 2015 Census 2000 PHC T 4 Ranking Tables for Counties 1990 and 2000 PDF United States Census Bureau April 2 2001 Archived PDF from the original on December 18 2014 Retrieved January 17 2015 State amp County QuickFacts United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on July 17 2011 Retrieved October 19 2013 Explore Census Data data census gov Archived from the original on December 20 2021 Retrieved December 20 2021 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on July 9 2021 Retrieved January 31 2008 Elected Officials Board of Commissioners County of Gaston Archived from the original on March 18 2013 Retrieved February 21 2012 Polling Places Board of Elections County of Gaston Archived from the original on March 30 2012 Retrieved February 21 2012 About Centralina COG CCOG Archived from the original on January 26 2018 Retrieved January 25 2018 a b c d e f g h i Public Officials Directory 2023 Gaston County Board of Elections Welcome to Gaston County District 27A Nccourts org Archived from the original on August 8 2008 Retrieved July 29 2017 Leip David Dave Leip s Atlas of U S Presidential Elections Uselectionatlas org Archived from the original on March 23 2018 Retrieved July 29 2017 McCorkle amp Salzberg 2022 pp 15 37 System Maps Directories amp Schedules Norfolk Southern Archived from the original on November 25 2020 Retrieved November 25 2020 CSX com CSX System Map www csx com Archived from the original on September 11 2021 Retrieved November 25 2020 Barrett Michael P amp N Railway between Gastonia and Mount Holly under new management Gaston Gazette Archived from the original on June 23 2022 Retrieved April 11 2022 Airport Master Record Gastonia Municipal Airport Federal Aviation Administration PDF WayBack Machine October 9 2012 Archived from the original PDF on October 9 2012 Retrieved March 15 2018 Patterson Scott Ramkumar Amrith March 9 2021 America s Battery Powered Car Hopes Ride on Lithium One Producer Paves the Way Wall Street Journal Archived from the original on March 12 2021 Retrieved March 13 2021 About the Board Gaston County Schools Archived from the original on May 31 2012 Retrieved February 21 2012 Gaston County Office of Charter Schools NC Dept of Public Instruction Archived from the original on October 26 2008 Retrieved February 21 2012 May Alan December 2000 Natural heritage inventory of Gaston County N C Raleigh N C N C Natural Heritage Program Division of Parks and Recreation Dept of Environment and Natural Resources pp Whole Book Catawba Lands Conservancy to Protect More of a Region s Rare Habitat Catawba Lands Conservancy April 19 2018 Archived from the original on March 7 2021 Retrieved June 1 2022 Ecology NC State Parks www ncparks gov Archived from the original on May 16 2022 Retrieved June 1 2022 Gaston County 2003 Environmental Report Card Ces ncsu edu Archived from the original DOC on March 3 2016 Retrieved July 29 2017 The Natural Heritage of Gaston County PDF WayBack Machine May 25 2006 Archived from the original PDF on May 25 2006 Retrieved March 15 2018 Home Gaston County Museum Archived from the original on December 31 2013 Retrieved February 18 2022 Home Schiele Museum Archived from the original on August 22 2009 Retrieved February 18 2022 Works cited EditMcCorkle Mac Salzberg Rachel January 2022 The Democrats Countrypolitan Problem in North Carolina Progressive Challenge and Opportunity Duke University Polis Center for PoliticsExternal links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gaston County North Carolina nbsp Geographic data related to Gaston County North Carolina at OpenStreetMap Official website Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce Gaston County Schools official website NCGenWeb Gaston County genealogy resources for the county 35 17 36 N 81 10 38 W 35 293344 N 81 177256 W 35 293344 81 177256 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gaston County North Carolina amp oldid 1181760018, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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