Alamance County, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Alamance County is a county located in the U.S. state
of North Carolina
. It coincides with the Burlington, North Carolina
, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Formed in 1849 from Orange County
to the east, Alamance County has been the site of significant historical events
, textiles, manufacturing
, and agriculture
in North Carolina.
As of the 2010 census, the population of the county and MSA was 151,131. Its county seat
is Graham
.
of Native American
in the 18th century - the Sissipahaw who lived in the area bound by modern Saxapahaw, the area known as the Hawfields, and Haw River
. European settlers entered the region in the late 17th century chiefly following Native American trading paths, and set up their farms what they called the "Haw Old Fields", fertile ground previously tilled by the Sissipahaw. The paths later became the basis of the railroad and interstate highway routes.
Alamance County was named after Great Alamance Creek
, site of the Battle of Alamance
(May 16, 1771). This pre-Revelutionary War
battle in which militia under the command of Governor William Tryon
crushed the Regulator movement. The Great Alamance Creek, and in turn the Little Alamance Creek, according to legend, were named after a local Native American word to describe the blue mud
that was found at the bottom of the creeks. Other legends say that the name came from another local Native American word meaning "noisy river" or for the Alamanni
region of Rhineland
, Germany
, where many of the early settlers would have come from.
During the American Revolution
, several small battles and skirmishes occurred in the area that would one day become Alamance County, several of them during the lead-up to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, including Pyle's Massacre
, the Battle of Lindley's Mill
and the Battle of Clapp's Mill.
In the 1780s, the Occaneechi
Native Americans returned to North Carolina from Virginia
, this time settling in what is now Alamance County rather than their first location near Hillsborough
. In 2002, the modern Occaneechi tribe bought 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) of their ancestral land in Alamance County and began a Homeland Preservation Project which includes a village reconstructed as it would have been in 1701 and a 1930s farming village.
During the early 19th century, the textile industry grew heavily in the area, and as such, the need for better transportation grew. By the 1840s several mills were set up along the Haw River
and near Great Alamance Creek
and other major tributaries of the Haw. Between 1832 and 1880, there were at least 14 major mills powered by these rivers and streams. Mills were built by the Trollinger, Holt, Newlin, Swepson, and Rosenthal families, among others. One of the mills, built in 1832 by Ben Trollinger, is still in operation. It is owned by Copland Industries and sits in the unincorporated community of Carolina
and is the oldest continuously-operating mill in the state of North Carolina.
One of the notable textiles produced in the area were the "Alamance Plaids" or "Glencoe Plaids" used in everything from clothing to tablecloths. The Alamance Plaids manufactured by textile pioneer Edwin M. Holt were the first colored cotton goods produced on power looms in the South, and paved the way for the region's textile boom. (Holt's home is now the Alamance County Historical Society.) But by the late 20th century, most of the plants and mills had now gone out of business, including the mills operated by Burlington Industries
, a company that was based in Burlington
.
By the 1840s, the textile industry was booming, and the railroad was being built through the area as a convenient link between Raleigh
and Greensboro
. The county was formed January 29, 1849 from Orange County
.
concerning issues of slavery, money, agriculture, and representation. In February of that year, a peace conference was held in Washington, DC. North Carolina sent five delegates to this conference, including Chief Justice Thomas Ruffin
of the town of Haw River
. Justice Ruffin was opposed to secession, but was voted down. Later on, President Buchanan said that if Ruffin had persisted, the war might have been averted. In March, 1861, Alamance County residents voted overwhelmingly against North Carolina's secession from the Union, 1,114 to 254. Two delegates were sent to the State Secession Convention, Thomas Ruffin and Giles Mebane, were both in favor of remaining with the Union, as were most of the delegates who were sent to the convention. At the time of the convention, around 30% of Alamance County's population were slaves (total population of c. 12,000 people including c. 3,500 slaves and c. 500 free blacks).
Overall, North Carolina was reluctant to join other Southern states in secession from the United States. It opposed secession during the Peace Conference of 1861
, and refused to secede from the Union when Abraham Lincoln
was sworn in as President. Repeated efforts by secessionists failed to convince the state legislature to secede from the Union failed. Commencement of hostilities
in Fort Sumter, South Carolina on April 12, 1861, however, changed public opinion towards secession. When Lincoln called up troops, Governor John Ellis
replied, "I can be no party to this wicked violation of the laws of the country and to this war upon the liberties of a free people. You can get no troops from North Carolina." After a special legislative session, North Carolina's legislature unanimously voted in favor of secession on May 20, 1861.
Alamance County joined the rest of North Carolina as the state split off from the Union and joined the Confederate States. Although no battles took place in the county itself, Alamance County did send its share of soldiers to the front lines. In July 1861, for the first time in American history, soldiers were sent in to combat by rail. The 6th North Carolina was loaded on to railroad cars at Company Shops and transferred to the battlefront at Manassas, Virginia
(First Battle of Manassas).
Although the citizens of Alamance County were not directly affected throughout much of the war, in April 1865, the citizens witnessed firsthand their sons and fathers marching through the county, just days before the war ended with the surrender at Bennett Place
near Durham
. At Company Shops General Joseph E. Johnston
stopped to say farewell to his soldiers for the last time. By the end of the war, 236 individuals from Alamance County had been killed in the course of the war, more than any other war since the county's founding.
, was lynched by the "White Brotherhood," the Ku Klux Klan
. He was president of the Alamance County Union League of America (an anti Ku Klux Klan group), helped to establish the Republican party in North Carolina and advocated establishing a school for African Americans. His offense was that Gov. Holden had appointed him a Justice of the Peace, and he had accepted the appointment. Outlaw’s body was found hanging thirty yards from the courthouse, a note pinned to his chest read: “Beware! You guilty parties – both white and black.” Outlaw was the central figure in the political cooperation between blacks and whites in the county.
Governor Holden declared Caswell County in a state of insurrection (July 8) and sent troops to Caswell and Alamance counties under the command of Union veteran George W. Kirk, beginning the so-called Kirk-Holden War
. Kirk’s troops ultimately arrested 82 men.
The Grand Jury of Alamance County indicted sixty-three Klansmen for felonies and eighteen for the murder of Wyatt Outlaw. Soon after the indictments were brought, Democrats within the legislature passed a bill to repeal the law under which the indictments had been secured. The sixty-three felony charges were dropped. The Conservatives then used a national program of “Amnesty and Pardon” to proclaim amnesty for all who committed crimes on behalf of a secret society. This was extended to the Klansmen of Alamance County. There would be no justice in the case of Wyatt Outlaw.
Support for the cause of Reconstruction led to the impeachment
and removal of Governor William Holden
by the North Carolina Legislature in 1871.
production. Several dairies including Melville Dairy in Burlington were headquartered in the county. With increasing real estate prices and a slump in milk prices, most dairy farms have been sold and many of them developed for real estate purposes.
Fairchild built airplanes at a plant on the eastern side of Burlington. Among the planes built at the plant were the AT-21 gunner used to train bomber pilots. Near the Fairchild plant was the Western Electric
Burlington works. The plant built radar equipment and guidance systems for missiles on top of many other electronics for the government. The guidance system for the Titan
missile was built there. The plant was closed in 1992 and sat abandoned until 2005, when it was purchased by a local businessman for manufacturing.
, Governor and U. S. Senator Kerr Scott
, Governor Robert W. (Bob) Scott
(Kerr Scott's son), and U. S. Senator B. Everett Jordan
.
. The county is led by the Alamance County Board of Commissioners and the County Manager, who is appointed by the Board of Commissioners. County residents also elect 2 other county government offices: the Sheriff
and Register of Deeds.
.
David I. Smith and D. J. Walker held dual roles as county manager and county attorney during their terms of service as county manager.
Hugh Webster was appointed to serve out the remaining 2 years of David Barber's term, when Barber was elected as Clerk of Court.
, several private elementary and secondary schools, Alamance Community College
, and Elon University
.
, the county has a total area of 435 square miles (1,126.6 km²), of which 430 square miles (1,113.7 km²) is land and 5 square miles (12.9 km²) (1.10%) is water.
The county is in the Piedmont
physiographical region. The county has a general rolling terrain with the Cane Creek Mountains
rising to over 970 ft (295.7 m). in the south central part of the county just north of Snow Camp
. Bass Mountain one of the prominent hills in the range is home to a world renowned Bluegrass music
festival every year. There are also isolated monadnock
s in the northern part of the county that rise to near or over 900 ft (274.3 m). above sea level.
The largest river that flows through Alamance County is the Haw River
, which eventually feeds into Jordan Lake
in Chatham County
, eventually leading to the Cape Fear River
. The county is also home to numerous creeks, streams, and ponds, including the Great Alamance Creek
, where a portion of the Battle of Alamance
was fought. There are 3 large municipal reservoirs: Lake Cammack, Lake Mackintosh, and Graham-Mebane Lake (formerly Quaker Lake).
Going east-west in the county:
Outdoor Drama which has plays from late spring to early fall in the evenings.
, located 6 miles (9.7 km) south of the intersection of Interstate 85/40 and NC Highway 49. Cedarock Park is home to the Cedarock Historic Farm
, an Old Mill Dam
, and two Disc Golf
Courses.
Great Bend Park at Glencoe, located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the intersection of US Highway 70, and NC Highways 87, 62, and 100 in Downtown Burlington. Great Bend Park contains parts of the Haw River Land and Paddle Trails
and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
, along with picnicking, fishing, and other opportunities. The park was built around the site of the Glencoe Mills
, an area that is currently under renovation with an old mill that has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
are a rookie league
baseball
farm team
based in Burlington. They were previously known as the Burlington Indians, but changed affiliations in 2006 from Cleveland to Kansas City. This version of the team has been active since 1985, but Burlington did host a minor league baseball team for many years under the Burlington Indians and Burlington Bees.
Phoenix
play in the town of Elon. The Phoenix compete in the NCAA
's Division I (Championship Subdivision in football) Southern Conference
. Intercollegiate sports include baseball
, basketball
, cross-country
, football
, golf
, soccer
, and tennis
for men, and basketball, cross-country, golf, indoor track
, outdoor track, soccer, softball
, tennis, and volleyball
for women.
Up until 1999, the mascot of Elon was the Fightin' Christians. The moniker is said to have been coined by a sportswriter covering a contest in the 1930s between Elon and nearby Guilford College
, a Quaker school. Prior to the 1930s, Elon was known simply as the Christians. The nickname was chosen due to Elon's proximity to the Wake Forest
Demon Deacons, and the Duke
Blue Devils. However, many did not feel that the nickname was universal enough for a team making the transition to Division I athletics, so a new mascot was adopted, the Phoenix
. The choice came from the 1923 fire that destroyed almost the entire campus. Soon after the fire, the university trustees began planning to make Elon "rise from the ashes". The Phoenix was a mythical creature that rose from the ashes of its predecessors. The Christian symbolism is not lost with the Phoenix, however, which can be seen as a symbol of the Resurrection
.
The current county-wide tax rate for Alamance County residents is 57.5 cents
per $100 valuation. This does not include tax rates imposed by municipalities or fire districts.
of 2000, there were 130,800 people, 51,584 households, and 35,541 families residing in the county. The population density
was 304 people per square mile (117/km²). There were 55,463 housing units at an average density of 129 per square mile (50/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.61% White
, 18.76% Black
or African American
, 0.35% Native American
, 0.90% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 3.19% from other races
, and 1.16% from two or more races. 6.75% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 51,584 households out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples
living together, 12.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.80% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,168, and the median income for a family was $46,479. Males had a median income of $31,906 versus $23,367 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,391. About 7.60% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.30% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.
, which are both numbered, named, and contain the following municipalities:
s that existed in the 18th and 19th centuries that no longer exist. Additionally, five other post offices no longer exist. These towns and their post offices were either abandoned as organized settlements, or were absorbed into the larger communities that now make up Alamance County.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It coincides with the Burlington, North Carolina
Burlington, North Carolina
Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the city is located. The population was 49,963 at the 2010...
, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Formed in 1849 from Orange County
Orange County, North Carolina
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough...
to the east, Alamance County has been the site of significant historical events
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, textiles, manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
, and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
in North Carolina.
As of the 2010 census, the population of the county and MSA was 151,131. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Graham
Graham, North Carolina
Graham is a city in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current population estimate is 14,533...
.
History
Before being formed as a county, the region had at least one known small Southeastern tribeSoutheastern tribes
Southeastern Woodlands peoples or Southeastern cultures are an ethnographic classification for Indigenous peoples that have traditionally inhabited the Southeastern United States and the northeastern border of Mexico, that share common cultural traits....
of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in the 18th century - the Sissipahaw who lived in the area bound by modern Saxapahaw, the area known as the Hawfields, and Haw River
Haw River
The Haw River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 110 mi long, that is entirely contained in north central North Carolina in the United States...
. European settlers entered the region in the late 17th century chiefly following Native American trading paths, and set up their farms what they called the "Haw Old Fields", fertile ground previously tilled by the Sissipahaw. The paths later became the basis of the railroad and interstate highway routes.
Alamance County was named after Great Alamance Creek
Great Alamance Creek
Great Alamance Creek is an 11-mile long creek that is a tributary of the Haw River. The creek's headwaters are in Guilford County, but it flows primarily through Alamance County, North Carolina. It is a major source of water for the cities of Burlington and Greensboro through the Lake Mackintosh...
, site of the Battle of Alamance
Battle of Alamance
The Battle of Alamance was the final battle of the War of the Regulation, a rebellion in colonial North Carolina over issues of taxation and local control. In the past, historians considered the battle to be the opening salvo of the American Revolution and locals agreed with this assessment...
(May 16, 1771). This pre-Revelutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
battle in which militia under the command of Governor William Tryon
William Tryon
William Tryon was a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as governor of the Province of North Carolina and the Province of New York .-Early life and career:...
crushed the Regulator movement. The Great Alamance Creek, and in turn the Little Alamance Creek, according to legend, were named after a local Native American word to describe the blue mud
Mud
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt, and clay. Ancient mud deposits harden over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone . When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries the resultant layers are termed bay muds...
that was found at the bottom of the creeks. Other legends say that the name came from another local Native American word meaning "noisy river" or for the Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
region of Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where many of the early settlers would have come from.
During the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, several small battles and skirmishes occurred in the area that would one day become Alamance County, several of them during the lead-up to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, including Pyle's Massacre
Pyle's Massacre
Pyle's Massacre, also known as Pyle's Hacking Match or the Battle of Haw River, was fought during the American Revolutionary War in Orange County, North Carolina , on February 24, 1781, between Patriot and Loyalist North Carolina militia troops...
, the Battle of Lindley's Mill
Battle of Lindley's Mill
The Battle of Lindley's Mill took place in Alamance County, North Carolina, on September 13, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War....
and the Battle of Clapp's Mill.
In the 1780s, the Occaneechi
Occaneechi
The Occaneechi are Native Americans who lived primarily on a large, long Occoneechee Island and east of the confluence of the Dan and Roanoke Rivers, near current day Clarksville, Virginia in the 17th century...
Native Americans returned to North Carolina from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, this time settling in what is now Alamance County rather than their first location near Hillsborough
Hillsborough, North Carolina
Hillsborough is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,653 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Orange County....
. In 2002, the modern Occaneechi tribe bought 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) of their ancestral land in Alamance County and began a Homeland Preservation Project which includes a village reconstructed as it would have been in 1701 and a 1930s farming village.
During the early 19th century, the textile industry grew heavily in the area, and as such, the need for better transportation grew. By the 1840s several mills were set up along the Haw River
Haw River
The Haw River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 110 mi long, that is entirely contained in north central North Carolina in the United States...
and near Great Alamance Creek
Great Alamance Creek
Great Alamance Creek is an 11-mile long creek that is a tributary of the Haw River. The creek's headwaters are in Guilford County, but it flows primarily through Alamance County, North Carolina. It is a major source of water for the cities of Burlington and Greensboro through the Lake Mackintosh...
and other major tributaries of the Haw. Between 1832 and 1880, there were at least 14 major mills powered by these rivers and streams. Mills were built by the Trollinger, Holt, Newlin, Swepson, and Rosenthal families, among others. One of the mills, built in 1832 by Ben Trollinger, is still in operation. It is owned by Copland Industries and sits in the unincorporated community of Carolina
Carolina, Alamance County, North Carolina
Carolina is an unincorporated community located on the Haw River in Alamance County, North Carolina. It is located 4/5 mile east-southeast of Glencoe. It lies at an elevation of 591 feet ....
and is the oldest continuously-operating mill in the state of North Carolina.
One of the notable textiles produced in the area were the "Alamance Plaids" or "Glencoe Plaids" used in everything from clothing to tablecloths. The Alamance Plaids manufactured by textile pioneer Edwin M. Holt were the first colored cotton goods produced on power looms in the South, and paved the way for the region's textile boom. (Holt's home is now the Alamance County Historical Society.) But by the late 20th century, most of the plants and mills had now gone out of business, including the mills operated by Burlington Industries
Burlington Industries
Burlington Industries is a diversified U. S. fabric maker based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1923, the company has operations in the United States, Mexico, and India and a global manufacturing and product development network based in Hong Kong. The company entered Chapter 11...
, a company that was based in Burlington
Burlington, North Carolina
Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the city is located. The population was 49,963 at the 2010...
.
By the 1840s, the textile industry was booming, and the railroad was being built through the area as a convenient link between Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
and Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
. The county was formed January 29, 1849 from Orange County
Orange County, North Carolina
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough...
.
American Civil War
In 1861, the United States began to fragment due to growing questions of states' rightsStates' rights
States' rights in U.S. politics refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government. It is often considered a loaded term because of its use in opposition to federally mandated racial desegregation...
concerning issues of slavery, money, agriculture, and representation. In February of that year, a peace conference was held in Washington, DC. North Carolina sent five delegates to this conference, including Chief Justice Thomas Ruffin
Thomas Ruffin
Thomas Ruffin was an American jurist and Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1829 to 1852 and again from 1858 to 1859. He was Chief Justice of that Court from 1833 to 1852.-Biography:...
of the town of Haw River
Haw River, North Carolina
Haw River is a town in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current population estimate is 2,012.-Geography:Haw River is located at ....
. Justice Ruffin was opposed to secession, but was voted down. Later on, President Buchanan said that if Ruffin had persisted, the war might have been averted. In March, 1861, Alamance County residents voted overwhelmingly against North Carolina's secession from the Union, 1,114 to 254. Two delegates were sent to the State Secession Convention, Thomas Ruffin and Giles Mebane, were both in favor of remaining with the Union, as were most of the delegates who were sent to the convention. At the time of the convention, around 30% of Alamance County's population were slaves (total population of c. 12,000 people including c. 3,500 slaves and c. 500 free blacks).
Overall, North Carolina was reluctant to join other Southern states in secession from the United States. It opposed secession during the Peace Conference of 1861
Peace conference of 1861
The Peace Conference of 1861 was a meeting of more than 100 of the leading politicians of the antebellum United States held in Washington, D.C., in February 1861 that was meant to prevent what ultimately became the Civil War. The success of President Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party in the...
, and refused to secede from the Union when Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
was sworn in as President. Repeated efforts by secessionists failed to convince the state legislature to secede from the Union failed. Commencement of hostilities
Battle of Fort Sumter
The Battle of Fort Sumter was the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter, near Charleston, South Carolina, that started the American Civil War. Following declarations of secession by seven Southern states, South Carolina demanded that the U.S. Army abandon its facilities in Charleston Harbor. On...
in Fort Sumter, South Carolina on April 12, 1861, however, changed public opinion towards secession. When Lincoln called up troops, Governor John Ellis
John Willis Ellis
John Willis Ellis was the 35th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1859 to 1861.Ellis attended the University of North Carolina, studied law under Richmond Mumford Pearson, practiced law, and was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly from Rowan County. He served as a state...
replied, "I can be no party to this wicked violation of the laws of the country and to this war upon the liberties of a free people. You can get no troops from North Carolina." After a special legislative session, North Carolina's legislature unanimously voted in favor of secession on May 20, 1861.
Alamance County joined the rest of North Carolina as the state split off from the Union and joined the Confederate States. Although no battles took place in the county itself, Alamance County did send its share of soldiers to the front lines. In July 1861, for the first time in American history, soldiers were sent in to combat by rail. The 6th North Carolina was loaded on to railroad cars at Company Shops and transferred to the battlefront at Manassas, Virginia
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
(First Battle of Manassas).
Although the citizens of Alamance County were not directly affected throughout much of the war, in April 1865, the citizens witnessed firsthand their sons and fathers marching through the county, just days before the war ended with the surrender at Bennett Place
Bennett Place
Bennett Place, sometimes known as Bennett Farm, in Durham, North Carolina was the site of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers ending the American Civil War, on April 26, 1865.-History:...
near Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
. At Company Shops General Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
stopped to say farewell to his soldiers for the last time. By the end of the war, 236 individuals from Alamance County had been killed in the course of the war, more than any other war since the county's founding.
Aftermath of the American Civil War
Some of the most significant effects of the Civil War were seen after the war. Alamance County briefly became a center of national attention when, in 1870, Wyatt Outlaw, Town Commissioner in GrahamGraham, North Carolina
Graham is a city in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current population estimate is 14,533...
, was lynched by the "White Brotherhood," the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. He was president of the Alamance County Union League of America (an anti Ku Klux Klan group), helped to establish the Republican party in North Carolina and advocated establishing a school for African Americans. His offense was that Gov. Holden had appointed him a Justice of the Peace, and he had accepted the appointment. Outlaw’s body was found hanging thirty yards from the courthouse, a note pinned to his chest read: “Beware! You guilty parties – both white and black.” Outlaw was the central figure in the political cooperation between blacks and whites in the county.
Governor Holden declared Caswell County in a state of insurrection (July 8) and sent troops to Caswell and Alamance counties under the command of Union veteran George W. Kirk, beginning the so-called Kirk-Holden War
Kirk-Holden war
The Kirk-Holden War was a struggle against the Ku Klux Klan in the state of North Carolina in 1870. The Klan was preventing recently freed slaves from exercising their right to vote by intimidating them. Governor William W...
. Kirk’s troops ultimately arrested 82 men.
The Grand Jury of Alamance County indicted sixty-three Klansmen for felonies and eighteen for the murder of Wyatt Outlaw. Soon after the indictments were brought, Democrats within the legislature passed a bill to repeal the law under which the indictments had been secured. The sixty-three felony charges were dropped. The Conservatives then used a national program of “Amnesty and Pardon” to proclaim amnesty for all who committed crimes on behalf of a secret society. This was extended to the Klansmen of Alamance County. There would be no justice in the case of Wyatt Outlaw.
Support for the cause of Reconstruction led to the impeachment
Impeachment in the United States
Impeachment in the United States is an expressed power of the legislature that allows for formal charges against a civil officer of government for crimes committed in office...
and removal of Governor William Holden
William Woods Holden
William Woods Holden was the 38th and 40th Governor of North Carolina in 1865 and from 1868 to 1871. He was the leader of the state's Republican Party during Reconstruction. Holden was the second governor in American history to be impeached, and the first to be removed from office...
by the North Carolina Legislature in 1871.
Dairy industry
The county was once the state leader in dairyDairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
production. Several dairies including Melville Dairy in Burlington were headquartered in the county. With increasing real estate prices and a slump in milk prices, most dairy farms have been sold and many of them developed for real estate purposes.
Airplanes and radars
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Fairchild built airplanes at a plant on the eastern side of Burlington. Among the planes built at the plant were the AT-21 gunner used to train bomber pilots. Near the Fairchild plant was the Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
Burlington works. The plant built radar equipment and guidance systems for missiles on top of many other electronics for the government. The guidance system for the Titan
Titan (rocket family)
Titan was a family of U.S. expendable rockets used between 1959 and 2005. A total of 368 rockets of this family were launched, including all the Project Gemini manned flights of the mid-1960s...
missile was built there. The plant was closed in 1992 and sat abandoned until 2005, when it was purchased by a local businessman for manufacturing.
Politics
Alamance County has provided North Carolina with three of its governors and two U. S. Senators: Governor Thomas HoltThomas Michael Holt
Col. Thomas Michael Holt was a prominent North Carolina industrialist who served as the 47th Governor of North Carolina from 1891 to 1893...
, Governor and U. S. Senator Kerr Scott
W. Kerr Scott
William Kerr Scott was a Democratic Party politician from North Carolina. He was the 62nd Governor of North Carolina from 1949 until 1953 and a United States Senator from 1954 until 1958.-Biography:...
, Governor Robert W. (Bob) Scott
Robert W. Scott
Robert Walter "Bob" Scott was the 67th Governor of the state of North Carolina from 1969 to 1973. He was born in Haw River, North Carolina.The son of North Carolina Governor W...
(Kerr Scott's son), and U. S. Senator B. Everett Jordan
B. Everett Jordan
Benjamin Everett Jordan was a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of North Carolina from 1958 until 1973. He lived most of his life in Alamance County, North Carolina....
.
Law and government
Alamance County is a member of the regional Piedmont Triad Council of GovernmentsPiedmont Triad Council of Governments
The Piedmont Triad Council of Governments is one of the 17 regional North Carolina Councils of Governments established by the North Carolina General Assembly for the purpose of regional planning and administration...
. The county is led by the Alamance County Board of Commissioners and the County Manager, who is appointed by the Board of Commissioners. County residents also elect 2 other county government offices: the Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
and Register of Deeds.
County commissioners
- Linda Massey, Chairman (current term ends in 2012)
- William H. Lashley (current term ends in 2014)
- Tom Manning (current term ends in 2012)
- Eddie Boswell (current term ends in 2012)
- Tim D. Sutton (current term ends in 2014)
County manager
Alamance County adopted the council-manager form of government in the 1970s, where the day-to-day management of county business is done by an individual hired by the commissioners board. Since the establishment of the office, the following persons have served as county managers of Alamance County:Current Manager
Craig F. Honeycutt began serving as county manager in April 2009. He came to Alamance County from the City of Laurinburg, North CarolinaLaurinburg, North Carolina
Laurinburg is a mid-sized city in Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Scotland County. Located in southern North Carolina near the South Carolina state border, Laurinburg is southwest of Fayetteville and is home to St. Andrews Presbyterian College...
.
Past Managers
- David I. Smith (July 2005 - December 2008)
- David S. Cheek (July 1998 - June 2005)
- Robert C. Smith
- Hal Larry Scott
- D. J. Walker
David I. Smith and D. J. Walker held dual roles as county manager and county attorney during their terms of service as county manager.
Register of deeds
Hugh Webster (appointed, current term ends in 2012)Hugh Webster was appointed to serve out the remaining 2 years of David Barber's term, when Barber was elected as Clerk of Court.
Education
Alamance County is home to a local public education systemAlamance-Burlington School System
The Alamance-Burlington School System is a school district covering Alamance County and the city of Burlington. It was created in 1996 by merging the respective systems of the county and city....
, several private elementary and secondary schools, Alamance Community College
Alamance Community College
Alamance Community College is a community college located in Graham, NC, serving the area of Alamance County, NC. It was established in 1958 as part of a statewide system known as industrial education centers.- History :...
, and Elon University
Elon University
Elon University is a private liberal arts university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Formerly known as Elon College, it became Elon University on June 1, 2001. The campus is a botanical garden and features oak trees, brick sidewalks, fountains, and lakes...
.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 435 square miles (1,126.6 km²), of which 430 square miles (1,113.7 km²) is land and 5 square miles (12.9 km²) (1.10%) is water.
The county is in the Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
physiographical region. The county has a general rolling terrain with the Cane Creek Mountains
Cane Creek Mountains
Cane Creek Mountains is a small mountain range that lies south of Burlington, North Carolina. The range covers an area including Alamance County, Guilford County, Randolph County, and Chatham County in North Carolina.-Formation:...
rising to over 970 ft (295.7 m). in the south central part of the county just north of Snow Camp
Snow Camp
Snow Camp is an unincorporated community in southern Alamance County, North Carolina noted for it rich history and as the site of the Snow Camp Outdoor Theater...
. Bass Mountain one of the prominent hills in the range is home to a world renowned Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
festival every year. There are also isolated monadnock
Monadnock
A monadnock or inselberg is an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain...
s in the northern part of the county that rise to near or over 900 ft (274.3 m). above sea level.
The largest river that flows through Alamance County is the Haw River
Haw River
The Haw River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 110 mi long, that is entirely contained in north central North Carolina in the United States...
, which eventually feeds into Jordan Lake
Jordan Lake
B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir located west of Raleigh and south of Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States of America. The northernmost end of the lake actually reaches into southwestern Durham County...
in Chatham County
Chatham County, North Carolina
Chatham County is a county located in the Piedmont area of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 49,329. Its county seat is Pittsboro.-History:...
, eventually leading to the Cape Fear River
Cape Fear River
The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The overall water quality of the river is continuously measured and monitored by and conducted by the , , and the...
. The county is also home to numerous creeks, streams, and ponds, including the Great Alamance Creek
Great Alamance Creek
Great Alamance Creek is an 11-mile long creek that is a tributary of the Haw River. The creek's headwaters are in Guilford County, but it flows primarily through Alamance County, North Carolina. It is a major source of water for the cities of Burlington and Greensboro through the Lake Mackintosh...
, where a portion of the Battle of Alamance
Battle of Alamance
The Battle of Alamance was the final battle of the War of the Regulation, a rebellion in colonial North Carolina over issues of taxation and local control. In the past, historians considered the battle to be the opening salvo of the American Revolution and locals agreed with this assessment...
was fought. There are 3 large municipal reservoirs: Lake Cammack, Lake Mackintosh, and Graham-Mebane Lake (formerly Quaker Lake).
Interstates and U.S. highways
Interstate 85Interstate 85Interstate 85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond...
/ Interstate 40Interstate 40Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
(Concurrent), also known as the Sam Hunt Freeway, named after a former North Carolina Secretary of Transportation. Interstates 85/40 run east-to-west through the central part of the county.
U.S. Highway 70. Highway 70 nearly parallels 85/40 a few miles north of the interstates as it passes through the downtown sections of Burlington, Haw River, and Mebane.
N.C. state highways
N.C. Highway 49North Carolina State Highway 49NC 49 is a state highway in the North Carolina Highway System that traverses much of the Piedmont region of North Carolina.-Route description:The highway runs from near Lake Wylie, south of Charlotte, to Virgilina on the Virginia state line....
runs southwest to northeast from the Liberty area, through Burlington, Graham, and Haw River, to the Pleasant Grove Community area before turning northeast and continuing into Orange County.
N.C. Highway 54North Carolina State Highway 54NC 54 is a North Carolina state highway and a semi-urban traffic artery connecting Raleigh to its western suburbs, and extending outward to Burlington.-Route description:...
runs from its northern hub at the intersection of Highway 54 U.S. Highway 70 in Burlington southeast to the Orange County line in the southeast part of the county.
N.C. Highway 62 runs southwest to northeast from the Kimesville Community area, through Burlington, to the Pleasant Grove Community area. It then turns North and heads to Caswell County.
N.C. Highway 87North Carolina State Highway 87North Carolina Highway 87 is a mostly rural highway traversing the eastern half of the U.S. state of North Carolina. N.C. 87 begins in the Atlantic coastal town of Southport and ends at the Virginia state line five miles north of Eden in Rockingham County. At in length, N.C...
runs from southeast to northwest through the county, from the Eli Whitney Community area through Graham, Burlington, and a small part of Elon, before turning northeast and heading through the Altamahaw-Ossipee area, finally moving into Caswell County.
N.C. Highway 100 forms a loop through downtown Burlington, starting at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Chapel Hill Road before moving north, then northwest, before going through Elon and moving on to Gibsonville and Guilford County.
N.C. Highway 119North Carolina Highway 119North Carolina Highway 119 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It runs from NC 54 in Swepsonville north via Mebane, Hightowers, and Semora to the Virginia state line, where it continues as State Route 119.-Future:...
runs roughly north from its southern hub at an intersection with N.C. Highway 54, moving through Mebane and heading north into Caswell County.
Adjacent counties
- Caswell County, North CarolinaCaswell County, North Carolina-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,501 people, 8,670 households, and 6,398 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 9,601 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
- north - Orange County, North CarolinaOrange County, North CarolinaOrange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough...
- east - Rockingham County, North CarolinaRockingham County, North CarolinaRockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 93,643. Its county seat is Wentworth.- History :The county was formed in 1785 from Guilford County...
- northwest - Chatham County, North CarolinaChatham County, North CarolinaChatham County is a county located in the Piedmont area of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 49,329. Its county seat is Pittsboro.-History:...
- south - Randolph County, North CarolinaRandolph County, North Carolina-Notable people:*Naomi Wise, murder victim*Richard Petty - Nascar driver.*Lee Petty - Nascar pioneer. Richard Petty's father.*Kyle Petty - Nascar driver. Son of Richard Petty*Adam Petty - Nascar driver. Kyle Petty's son...
- southwest - Guilford County, North CarolinaGuilford County, North CarolinaGuilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In 2010, the Census Bureau estimated the county's population to be 491,230. Its seat is Greensboro. Since 1938, an additional county court has been located in High Point, North Carolina, making Guilford one of only a handful...
- west
The arts
Paramount Theater serves as a center of dramatic presentations in the community. To the south there is the Snow CampSnow Camp
Snow Camp is an unincorporated community in southern Alamance County, North Carolina noted for it rich history and as the site of the Snow Camp Outdoor Theater...
Outdoor Drama which has plays from late spring to early fall in the evenings.
Parks
Alamance County, Burlington, Graham, Elon, Haw River, Swepsonville, and Mebane all have other small parks that are not listed here. Major parks include:Alamance County
Cedarock ParkCedarock park
Cedarock Park is a nature preserve, historic farm, and passive-use park located near Bellemont in Alamance County, North Carolina.-Geographic setting:...
, located 6 miles (9.7 km) south of the intersection of Interstate 85/40 and NC Highway 49. Cedarock Park is home to the Cedarock Historic Farm
Cedarock Park Historic District
The Cedarock Historical Farm, located at Cedarock Park in Alamance County, North Carolina, provides an example of life on a farm in North Carolina during the 19th Century. Populated with farm animals, antique and replica farm equipment, and a farmhouse, the Historical Farm provides a fun,...
, an Old Mill Dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
, and two Disc Golf
Disc golf
Disc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Of the more than 3000...
Courses.
Great Bend Park at Glencoe, located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the intersection of US Highway 70, and NC Highways 87, 62, and 100 in Downtown Burlington. Great Bend Park contains parts of the Haw River Land and Paddle Trails
Haw River Trail
The Haw River Trail is a long multi-use trail being built through the North Carolina Piedmont. The trail follows the path of the Haw River from Haw River State Park on the Rockingham/Guilford County line to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area.- Land trail :...
and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
Mountains-to-Sea Trail
The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a long-distance trail, for hiking and backpacking, that runs across North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail's western endpoint is at Clingman's Dome, where it connects to the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National...
, along with picnicking, fishing, and other opportunities. The park was built around the site of the Glencoe Mills
Glencoe, North Carolina
Glencoe is an unincorporated settlement in Alamance County, North Carolina on North Carolina Highway 62, north-northeast of downtown Burlington....
, an area that is currently under renovation with an old mill that has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
City of Burlington
- City Park, located in Burlington off U.S. Highway 70 (Church Street), and is home to a Dentzel CarouselCarouselA carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
built between 1906 and 1910 and several trainTrainA train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
-based rides, signifying Burlington's place in history as the Company Shops Train Depot. - Indian Valley Golf Course, an 18-hole operated by the City of Burlington
- Lake Mackintosh Marina, located off Huffman Mill Rd.
Professional
The Burlington RoyalsBurlington Royals
The Burlington Royals are a minor league baseball team in Burlington, North Carolina, USA. They are a Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since September 1, 2006. For the previous 21 years, the team had been affiliated with the Cleveland...
are a rookie league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
farm team
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
based in Burlington. They were previously known as the Burlington Indians, but changed affiliations in 2006 from Cleveland to Kansas City. This version of the team has been active since 1985, but Burlington did host a minor league baseball team for many years under the Burlington Indians and Burlington Bees.
Collegiate
The Elon UniversityElon University
Elon University is a private liberal arts university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Formerly known as Elon College, it became Elon University on June 1, 2001. The campus is a botanical garden and features oak trees, brick sidewalks, fountains, and lakes...
Phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
play in the town of Elon. The Phoenix compete in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's Division I (Championship Subdivision in football) Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
. Intercollegiate sports include baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
for men, and basketball, cross-country, golf, indoor track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, outdoor track, soccer, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, tennis, and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
for women.
Up until 1999, the mascot of Elon was the Fightin' Christians. The moniker is said to have been coined by a sportswriter covering a contest in the 1930s between Elon and nearby Guilford College
Guilford College
Guilford College, founded in 1837 by members of the Religious Society of Friends , is an independent college whose stated mission is to: provide a transformative, practical and excellent liberal arts education that produces critical thinkers in an inclusive, diverse environment, guided by Quaker...
, a Quaker school. Prior to the 1930s, Elon was known simply as the Christians. The nickname was chosen due to Elon's proximity to the Wake Forest
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
Demon Deacons, and the Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
Blue Devils. However, many did not feel that the nickname was universal enough for a team making the transition to Division I athletics, so a new mascot was adopted, the Phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
. The choice came from the 1923 fire that destroyed almost the entire campus. Soon after the fire, the university trustees began planning to make Elon "rise from the ashes". The Phoenix was a mythical creature that rose from the ashes of its predecessors. The Christian symbolism is not lost with the Phoenix, however, which can be seen as a symbol of the Resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
.
Economy
Today, Alamance County is often described as a "bedroom" community, with many residents living in the county and working elsewhere due to low tax rates, although the county is still a major player in the textile and manufacturing industries.The current county-wide tax rate for Alamance County residents is 57.5 cents
Cent (currency)
In many national currencies, the cent is a monetary unit that equals 1⁄100 of the basic monetary unit. Etymologically, the word cent derives from the Latin word "centum" meaning hundred. Cent also refers to a coin which is worth one cent....
per $100 valuation. This does not include tax rates imposed by municipalities or fire districts.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 130,800 people, 51,584 households, and 35,541 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 304 people per square mile (117/km²). There were 55,463 housing units at an average density of 129 per square mile (50/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.61% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 18.76% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.35% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.90% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 3.19% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.16% from two or more races. 6.75% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 51,584 households out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.80% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,168, and the median income for a family was $46,479. Males had a median income of $31,906 versus $23,367 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $19,391. About 7.60% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.30% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated cities and towns
Alamance County's Incorporated Cities and Towns are home to over 93,850 people.- AlamanceAlamance, North CarolinaAlamance is a village in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 310 at the 2000 census. The current estimated population is 357.-History:...
-the smallest town in Alamance County, population 357 - BurlingtonBurlington, North CarolinaBurlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the city is located. The population was 49,963 at the 2010...
- the largest city in Alamance County, population 50,857. - ElonElon, North CarolinaElon is a town in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current population estimate is 7,060. The town of Elon is home to Elon University. The town was called "Elon College" until the college known as Elon...
- formerly called "Elon College", population 7,060. - GibsonvilleGibsonville, North CarolinaGibsonville is a town in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Greensboro-High Point, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- A town shared with Guilford County, population 4,738 - GrahamGraham, North CarolinaGraham is a city in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current population estimate is 14,533...
- the County Seat, population 14,533 - Green LevelGreen Level, North CarolinaGreen Level is a town in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- incorporated in 1990, population 2,149 - Haw RiverHaw River, North CarolinaHaw River is a town in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current population estimate is 2,012.-Geography:Haw River is located at ....
- town named for the river on which it was builtHaw RiverThe Haw River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 110 mi long, that is entirely contained in north central North Carolina in the United States...
, population 2,012 - MebaneMebane, North CarolinaMebane is a city located mostly in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States, with a part of it in Orange County, North Carolina. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current population estimate is 10,624. According to the , the town was named for...
- a city shared with Orange County, population 10,624 - OssipeeOssipee, North CarolinaOssipee is an incorporated town in northwestern Alamance County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Ossipee is one of the newer municipalities in the state, as it was incorporated officially on December 9, 2002. It was part of the Altamahaw-Ossipee census-designated place until its incorporation....
- a small town in Northwestern Alamance County, population 467 - SwepsonvilleSwepsonville, North CarolinaSwepsonville is a town in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- a mill town located on the banks of the Haw River, population 1,053
Townships
The county is divided into thirteen townshipsTownship (United States)
A township in the United States is a small geographic area. Townships range in size from 6 to 54 square miles , with being the norm.The term is used in three ways....
, which are both numbered, named, and contain the following municipalities:
- 1 (Patterson): Contains no incorporated areas
- 2 (Coble): Alamance, NC
- 3 (Boone Station): Elon, NC, parts of Burlington, NC, parts of Gibsonville, NC
- 4 (Morton): Ossipee, NCAltamahaw-Ossipee, North CarolinaAltamahaw-Ossipee is a former census-designated place in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 996 at the 2000 census. The town of Ossipee incorporated in 2002...
- 5 (Faucette): Contains no incorporated areas
- 6 (Graham): Graham, NC, parts of Burlington, NC
- 7 (Albright): Swepsonville, NC
- 8 (Newlin): Contains no incorporated areas
- 9 (Thompson): Contains no incorporated areas
- 10 (Melville): Mebane, NC
- 11 (Pleasant Grove): Contains no incorporated areas
- 12 (Burlington): Burlington, NC
- 13 (Haw River): Haw River, NC, Green Level, NC
Unincorporated communities
Over 54,000 people do not live in an incorporated community in Alamance County.- AltamahawAltamahaw-Ossipee, North CarolinaAltamahaw-Ossipee is a former census-designated place in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 996 at the 2000 census. The town of Ossipee incorporated in 2002...
- Sister community to Ossipee - BellemontBellemont, North CarolinaBellemont is an unincorporated community in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States.Bellemont is located on North Carolina Highway 49, east of Alamance, and 4.3 miles south-southeast of downtown Burlington. The community is located at the junction with Bellemont Alamance/Mt. Hermon Road....
- Eli WhitneyEli Whitney, North CarolinaEli Whitney is an unincorporated community in southeastern Alamance County, North Carolina, USA. It is at the intersection of North Carolina Highway 87, and Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road. To the south is Mandale, North Carolina, and to the west is Snow Camp, North Carolina...
- GlencoeGlencoe, North CarolinaGlencoe is an unincorporated settlement in Alamance County, North Carolina on North Carolina Highway 62, north-northeast of downtown Burlington....
- Home to the a historic textile mill town and Textile Heritage Museum - Glen RavenGlen Raven, North CarolinaGlen Raven is a census-designated place in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- HawfieldsHawfields, North CarolinaHawfields is an unincorporated community in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States.Hawfields was first populated by Ulster Irish and Western African immigrants as early as the 17th century but a firm establishment was not achieved until 1740-1750 and was originally called "Haw Old Fields"...
- Mt. Hermon
- Pleasant GrovePleasant Grove, Alamance County, North CarolinaPleasant Grove is an unincorporated community in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States.Pleasant Grove is located at the intersection of North Carolina Highway 49 and North Carolina Highway 62 in the northeastern part of Alamance County...
- SaxapahawSaxapahaw, North CarolinaSaxapahaw is a census-designated place in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Snow Camp - Site of a winter camp used by General Cornwallis and home to the Snow Camp Drama
- WoodlawnWoodlawn, North CarolinaWoodlawn is a census-designated place in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Ghost Towns
According to a 1975 study of the history of post offices in North Carolina history by Treasure Index, Alamance County has 27 ghost townGhost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
s that existed in the 18th and 19th centuries that no longer exist. Additionally, five other post offices no longer exist. These towns and their post offices were either abandoned as organized settlements, or were absorbed into the larger communities that now make up Alamance County.
- Albright - site located approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) south of exit 153 on Interstate 40Interstate 40Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
- Carney - Near the site of Cedarock ParkCedarock Park Historic DistrictThe Cedarock Historical Farm, located at Cedarock Park in Alamance County, North Carolina, provides an example of life on a farm in North Carolina during the 19th Century. Populated with farm animals, antique and replica farm equipment, and a farmhouse, the Historical Farm provides a fun,...
- Cane Creek
- Cedarcliff - located between Swepsonville and Saxapahaw, NC
- Clover Orchard - approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Snow Camp, NC
- Curtis (Curtis Mills) - located approximately 1/2 mile southeast of the current village of Alamance, NC
- Glenddale - site approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Pleasant GrovePleasant Grove, Alamance County, North CarolinaPleasant Grove is an unincorporated community in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States.Pleasant Grove is located at the intersection of North Carolina Highway 49 and North Carolina Highway 62 in the northeastern part of Alamance County...
near the Alamance-Caswell Line - Hartshorn - about 1½ miles south southeast of the Alamance Battleground Historic Site
- Holmans Mills - site approsimately 1 miles (1.6 km) east of Snow Camp
- Iola - about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Altamahaw, NC nearly due north of Glencoe, NC
- Lacey - Located about 1 miles (1.6 km) east of Eli Whitney
- Leota - approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Eli WhitneyEli Whitney, North CarolinaEli Whitney is an unincorporated community in southeastern Alamance County, North Carolina, USA. It is at the intersection of North Carolina Highway 87, and Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road. To the south is Mandale, North Carolina, and to the west is Snow Camp, North Carolina...
- Loy - Located at the northern base of Bass MountainCane Creek MountainsCane Creek Mountains is a small mountain range that lies south of Burlington, North Carolina. The range covers an area including Alamance County, Guilford County, Randolph County, and Chatham County in North Carolina.-Formation:...
- Manndale
- Maywood - approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Altamahaw
- McCray (McRay) - located about 2 miles (3.2 km) east-northeast of Glencoe, NC
- Melville - Located approsimately 2 miles (3.2 km) west-southwest of the intersection of Interstate 40 and NC Highway 119
- Morton's Store - approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Altamahaw
- Nicholson - Located near the Intersection of NC Highway 87 and Bellemont-Mount Hermon Road.
- Oakdale - Located in the southwest of the county, near the intersection of NC Highway 49 and Greensboro-Chapel Hill Rd.
- Oneida
- Osceola
- Pleasant Grove - Located in the far northeast part of the county, 2 miles (3.2 km) east-northeast of the current community of Pleasant Grove
- Pleasant Lodge - Located 1 miles (1.6 km) to the west of the site of Oakdale, near the Alamance-Guilford Line
- Rock Creek - located 4 miles (6.4 km) due south of Alamance, NC
- Shallow Ford - Located 1 miles (1.6 km) east of Ossipee, NC
- Shady Grove
- Stainback - Located about 2 miles (3.2 km) east-northeast of Green Level, NC
- Sutpin - on the same latitude as Snow Camp, approximately halfway between Snow Camp and Eli Whitney
- Sylvester
- Union Ridge - near the east bank of Lake Cammack, about 3 miles (4.8 km) from the Alamance-Caswell Line
- Vincent - Located 2 miles (3.2 km) north-northeast of Pleasant Grove, NC
Notable people
- Jacob BrentJacob BrentJacob 'Jazzy' Brent is an American stage actor who is most famous for his role as the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees in the video production of CATS. He graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1991. Jacob also worked with the ALICE workshop, a musical based on Alice in Wonderland as...
, born in Graham, starred as "Mr. Mistoffelees" in the BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and movie version of Andrew Lloyd Webber'sAndrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
CatsCats (musical)Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
. - Billy Bryan, Center for the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, from 1977–1988 grew up in Burlington. - Several generations of Alex HaleyAlex HaleyAlexander Murray Palmer Haley was an African-American writer. He is best known as the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family and the coauthor of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.-Early life:...
's family may have lived in Alamance County, as noted in his 1976 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots: The Saga of an American FamilyRoots: The Saga of an American FamilyRoots: The Saga of an American Family is a novel written by Alex Haley and first published in 1976. It tells the story of Kunta Kinte, an 18th-century African, captured as an adolescent and sold into slavery in the United States, and follows his life and the lives of his descendants in the U.S....
- coming from AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, to Caswell County to Alamance County and moving to TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
after the Emancipation ProclamationEmancipation ProclamationThe Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
http://www.ulsterflash.iofm.net/scotchirishnotes.htmhttp://www.rootsweb.com/~ncacgs/cross_rd_history.html. - Governor Thomas HoltThomas Michael HoltCol. Thomas Michael Holt was a prominent North Carolina industrialist who served as the 47th Governor of North Carolina from 1891 to 1893...
, Governor of North Carolina from 1891–1893. - John "John Boy" Isley born and raised in Graham, is "John Boy" of the John Boy and Billy Show broadcast on radio stations around the nation.
- Charley JonesCharley JonesCharles Wesley Jones was an American left fielder in the National Association and Major League Baseball who hit 56 home runs and batted .298 during his twelve-year career...
, born in Alamance County, major league baseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - U. S. Senator B. Everett JordanB. Everett JordanBenjamin Everett Jordan was a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of North Carolina from 1958 until 1973. He lived most of his life in Alamance County, North Carolina....
, U. S. Senator (Class 2) from 1958–1973 - Don KernodleDon KernodleCharles Donald Kernodle, Jr. better known as Don Kernodle was an American professional wrestler with the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions.-Professional wrestling career:...
, born in Burlington, 5 time NWA champion and tag team partner of Sgt Slaughter appeared in Paradise AlleyParadise AlleyParadise Alley is a 1978 film about three brothers in Hell's Kitchen, New York City in the 1940s who become involved in professional wrestling. It was written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, and was given the green light by Universal Pictures after Stallone's success with 1976's Rocky...
with Sylvester StalloneSylvester StalloneMichael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed... - Jack McKeonJack McKeonJohn Aloysius McKeon , nicknamed Trader Jack, is a former Major League Baseball manager. In 2003, he won a World Series with the Florida Marlins...
, Manager of the 2003 World Series2003 World SeriesThe 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
champion Florida MarlinsFlorida MarlinsThe Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, has lived in Alamance County. - Blanche Taylor MooreBlanche Taylor MooreBlanche Kiser Taylor Moore is a convicted murderer and probable serial killer from Alamance County, North Carolina. She was convicted of killing her boyfriend by slipping arsenic into his food, and is suspected of killing three other people and nearly killing another in the same manner.-Early...
, a convicted murderer, whose life story was portrayed in the television movie "Black Widow: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story", starring Elizabeth MontgomeryElizabeth MontgomeryElizabeth Victoria Montgomery was an American film and television actress whose career spanned five decades. She is perhaps best remembered for her roles as Samantha Stephens in Bewitched, as Ellen Harrod in A Case of Rape and as Lizzie Borden in The Legend of Lizzie Borden.-Early life:Born in Los...
. - Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott PhippsMeg Scott PhippsMeg Scott Phipps was the Commissioner of Agriculture for the state of North Carolina from 2001 to 2003.-Early life:She is the daughter of former North Carolina governor Bob Scott and former First Lady Jessie Rae Scott, as well as the granddaughter of former U.S. Senator and North Carolina Governor...
, North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner (2001–2003) - Tequan RichmondTequan RichmondTequan Richmond , pronounced , also known as T-Rich, is an American teen actor and performer, best known for his role as Drew on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris. He also had a small role as Ray Charles, Jr...
, born in Burlington, stars as Drew Rock in Everybody Hates ChrisEverybody Hates ChrisEverybody Hates Chris is an African American television period sitcom inspired by the teenage experiences of comedian Chris Rock , while growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York . The show is set from 1982 to 1987; however, Rock himself was a teenager during years...
, and played a young Ray Charles in the movie RayRay (film)Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to... - Governor Robert W. (Bob) ScottRobert W. ScottRobert Walter "Bob" Scott was the 67th Governor of the state of North Carolina from 1969 to 1973. He was born in Haw River, North Carolina.The son of North Carolina Governor W...
(Kerr Scott's son), Governor of North Carolina from 1969–1973 - Governor and U. S. Senator Kerr ScottW. Kerr ScottWilliam Kerr Scott was a Democratic Party politician from North Carolina. He was the 62nd Governor of North Carolina from 1949 until 1953 and a United States Senator from 1954 until 1958.-Biography:...
, Governor of North Carolina from 1949–1953, U. S. Senator (Class 2) from 1954–1958 - Adam Daniel Chandler, 2006 Rhodes Scholar
- Brandon TateBrandon Tate-2009 season:Tate was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On July 16, he was signed to a four-year contract with a $755,000 signing bonus. He began the 2009 season on the non-football injury list, still recovering from his knee injury from the prior season. He was...
, born in Burlington, is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League.