Gaston County, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Gaston County is a county
located just west of Charlotte
(Mecklenburg County
) in the southern Piedmont
in the U.S. state
of North Carolina
. It is the third largest county, by population, in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area
, officially designated the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of 2010, the population was 206,086. It is the fourth-largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area behind Mecklenburg County, York County, SC
and Union County, NC
.
The county seat
of Gaston County is Gastonia
. Dallas
served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911.
Of North Carolina's one hundred counties, Gaston County ranks 74th in size, consisting of approximately 364.5 square miles (944.1 km²), and is seventh in population. The county has fifteen incorporated towns.
, the county has a total area of 364 square miles (942.8 km²), of which 356 square miles (922 km²) is land and 7 square miles (18.1 km²) (2.02%) is water. It belongs to the southern Piedmont
physiographic province
.
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. 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 (243.8 m) above the city of Gastonia
. King's Pinnacle rises 1690 feet (515.1 m) above sea level, and is part of Crowders Mountain State Park
.
Gaston County has fourteen incorporated towns: Belmont
, Bessemer City
, Cherryville
, Cramerton
, Dallas
, Dellview
(smallest incorporated town in the U.S. with a population of 23), Gastonia
, High Shoals
, Lowell
, McAdenville
, Mount Holly
, Ranlo
, Spencer Mountain
, and Stanley
. Inincorporated areas of the county are divided among six townships
(used on an administrative basis only): Cherryville, Dallas, Riverbend, Crowders Mountain, Gastonia, and South Point.
, and English
. In the 1750s, Dutch settler James Kuykendall and others constructed the Fort at the Point at the junction of the Catawba and South Fork Rivers. 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
.
Most early farms were small, cultivated primarily by White yeoman
farmers of English ancestry. North Carolina's colonial
policy restricted the size of land grant
s, 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.
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 authorities say 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.
of 2004, 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/km²). There were 78,842 housing units at an average density of 221 per square mile (85/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 races there are very mixed: 157,965 are White, 26,405 are Black or African-American, 525 are American Indian and Alaska native, 1,814 are Asian, 50 are native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 5,719 are Hispanic or Latino, 1,958 are some other race and 1,648 are two or more races.
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.
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.
The county is administered by a full-time professional County Manager. Gaston County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments
.
In the North Carolina General Assembly
, areas of Gaston County are within the 41st and 43rd districts of the North Carolina State Senate and districts 108, 109, and 110 of the North Carolina House of Representatives
. At the federal government level, most of Gaston County is within North Carolina's 9th congressional district
. Some western parts of the county, including Cherryville, King's Mountain, and southwestern Gastonia, are within North Carolina's 10th congressional district
.
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.
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. 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 one charter school
: Piedmont Community Charter School in Gastonia, for grades K through 12.
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
.
, 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
, Gastonia, and Belmont
. From Gastonia, a branch line leads north to Dallas
and High Shoals
and south to Crowders
.
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
.
Patriot Rail operates state-owned trackage between Gastonia and Mount Holly with a spur extending to Belmont.
in Mecklenburg County
in Charlotte
.
The city of Gastonia
owns and operates Gastonia Municipal Airport
, which is a general aviation airport which covers 280 acres (1.1 km²) and has one runway.
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.
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.
Crowders Mountain State Park
is the largest natural heritage site in the county. It covers over 3000 acres (12.1 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.
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 foot (0.9144 m).
Another 25 other 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.
, 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 acre (0.4451546 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
.
The Schiele Museum of Natural History is a noteworthy science museum and planetarium located in Gastonia that features both permanent and touring exhibits.
Crowder's Mountain State Park is noted for its resident raptors and sheer vertical cliffs which drop 150 feet (45.7 m). From Crowders Mountain, the highest point in Gaston County, views stretch for more than 20 miles (32.2 km).
The U.S. National Whitewater Center
is a world-class recreation and training facility. Set among 300 acres (1.2 km²) wooded along the scenic 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.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located just west of Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
(Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...
) in the southern 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...
in the U.S. state
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 is the third largest county, by population, in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area
Charlotte metropolitan area
The Charlotte metropolitan area is a metropolitan area/region of North and South Carolina within and surrounding the city of Charlotte...
, officially designated the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of 2010, the population was 206,086. It is the fourth-largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area behind Mecklenburg County, York County, SC
York County, South Carolina
York County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...
and Union County, NC
Union County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 123,677 people, 43,390 households, and 34,278 families residing in the county. The population density was 194 people per square mile . There were 45,695 housing units at an average density of 72 per square mile...
.
The 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....
of Gaston County is Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
. Dallas
Dallas, North Carolina
Dallas is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 3,402 at the 2000 census. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-Geography:...
served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911.
Of North Carolina's one hundred counties, Gaston County ranks 74th in size, consisting of approximately 364.5 square miles (944.1 km²), and is seventh in population. The county has fifteen incorporated towns.
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 364 square miles (942.8 km²), of which 356 square miles (922 km²) is land and 7 square miles (18.1 km²) (2.02%) is water. It belongs to the southern 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...
physiographic province
Physiographic province
A physiographic province is a geographic region with a specific geomorphology and often specific subsurface rock type or structural elements.A continent may be subdivided into various physiographic provinces, each having a specific character, relief, and environment which contributes to its...
.
Most of Gaston County is in the drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Catawba River
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
, except for small areas along the western edge of the county which are in the basin of the Broad River
Broad River (Carolinas)
The Broad River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 150 miles long, in western North Carolina and northern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean...
. Both the Catawba and Broad Rivers are in the greater Santee River
Santee River
The Santee River is a river in South Carolina in the United States, long. The Santee and its tributaries provide the principal drainage and navigation for the central coastal plain of South Carolina, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean approximately from its farthest headwater on the Catawba 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. 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
King's Pinnacle
King's Pinnacle is one of the two main peaks located within Crowder's Mountain State Park. The other peak is Crowder's Mountain. The park is located in the western Piedmont of North Carolina between the cities of Kings Mountain and Gastonia....
, a rocky 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...
which sharply rises over 800 feet (243.8 m) above the city of Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
. King's Pinnacle rises 1690 feet (515.1 m) above sea level, and is part of Crowders Mountain State Park
Crowders Mountain State Park
Crowders Mountain State Park is a 5126 acre North Carolina state park in Gaston County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Kings Mountain, North Carolina and on the outskirts of Gastonia, North Carolina, it includes the peaks of Crowder's Mountain and King's Pinnacle. Crowders...
.
Gaston County has fourteen incorporated towns: Belmont
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
, Bessemer City
Bessemer City, North Carolina
Bessemer City is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,592 at the 2010 census. The city is approximately 6 miles northwest of Gastonia and 25 miles west of Charlotte...
, Cherryville
Cherryville, North Carolina
Cherryville is a small city in northwestern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,361 at the 2000 census. The New Year's Shooters preserve the area's German heritage by honoring the custom of beginning each year with a chant and the shooting of muskets...
, Cramerton
Cramerton, North Carolina
Cramerton is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is also considered to be a suburb of Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 2,976 at the 2000 census...
, Dallas
Dallas, North Carolina
Dallas is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 3,402 at the 2000 census. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-Geography:...
, Dellview
Dellview, North Carolina
Dellview is an inactive incorporated town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 13 , it was the smallest municipality in the state, and arguably the smallest incorporated town in the United States. Its population is currently 11, and was at one point as low as...
(smallest incorporated town in the U.S. with a population of 23), Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
, High Shoals
High Shoals, North Carolina
High Shoals is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 729 at the 2000 census.-History:High Shoals was the location of the High Shoals Iron Works, founded by Swiss-born John Fulenwider in about 1795. Fulenwider developed one of the earliest methods of making pig...
, Lowell
Lowell, North Carolina
Lowell is a small city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 2,662 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lowell is located at ....
, McAdenville
McAdenville, North Carolina
McAdenville, also known as Christmastown USA, is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is considered to be a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 619 at the 2000 census....
, Mount Holly
Mount Holly, North Carolina
Mount Holly is a small suburban city in northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The city is situated on the western bank of the Catawba River in the Southern Piedmont area of North Carolina, north of Interstate 85, south of North Carolina State Highway 16, and west of Charlotte....
, Ranlo
Ranlo, North Carolina
Ranlo is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,198.-Geography:Ranlo is located at ....
, Spencer Mountain
Spencer Mountain, North Carolina
Spencer Mountain is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 51 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spencer Mountain is located at at the foothills of a mountainous ridge....
, and Stanley
Stanley, North Carolina
Stanley is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,053 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stanley is located at ....
. Inincorporated areas of the county are divided among six townships
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
(used on an administrative basis only): Cherryville, Dallas, Riverbend, Crowders Mountain, Gastonia, and South Point.
History
The earliest European settlers of Gaston County were principally Scots Irish, Pennsylvania DutchPennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
, and English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
. In the 1750s, Dutch settler James Kuykendall and others constructed the Fort at the Point at the junction of the Catawba and South Fork Rivers. The fort was built because of ongoing hostilities with the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, but it was apparently never attacked. Tensions between the settlers and the 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...
inhabitants (primarily of the Catawba tribe
Catawba (tribe)
The Catawba are a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans, known as the Catawba Indian Nation. They live in the Southeast United States, along the border between North and South Carolina near the city of Rock Hill...
) were eased considerably when the boundary dispute between North Carolina and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
was settled in 1772, after which most of the Catawba settled on a reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
near Fort Mill, South Carolina
Fort Mill, South Carolina
Fort Mill is a fast-growing suburban town in both York and Lancaster counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina, and a suburb of the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Rock Hill...
.
Most early farms were small, cultivated primarily by White yeoman
Yeoman
Yeoman refers chiefly to a free man owning his own farm, especially from the Elizabethan era to the 17th century. Work requiring a great deal of effort or labor, such as would be done by a yeoman farmer, came to be described as "yeoman's work"...
farmers of English ancestry. North Carolina's colonial
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
policy restricted the size of land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
s, 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
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
company, on September 29, 1750.
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 authorities say that the first one was established by Thomas R. Tate on Mountain Island
Mountain Island, North Carolina
Mountain Island is an unincorporated area in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is approximately north of Mount Holly.Mountain Island is named for a small island in Mountain Island Lake, on the border of Gaston and Mecklenburg counties...
, 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
McAdenville, North Carolina
McAdenville, also known as Christmastown USA, is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is considered to be a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 619 at the 2000 census....
. 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
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
. 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.
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 2004, there were 194,459 people, 73,936 households, and 53,307 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 534 people per square mile (206/km²). There were 78,842 housing units at an average density of 221 per square mile (85/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 83% 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...
, 13.9% 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...
, 0.3% 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...
, 1% 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% 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...
, 0.3% 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% from two or more races. 3.00% 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 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 races there are very mixed: 157,965 are White, 26,405 are Black or African-American, 525 are American Indian and Alaska native, 1,814 are Asian, 50 are native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 5,719 are Hispanic or Latino, 1,958 are some other race and 1,648 are two or more races.
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
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 $19,225. 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
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."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.
The county is administered by a full-time professional County Manager. Gaston County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments
Centralina Council of Governments
The Centralina 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. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, it serves Iredell, Rowan, Lincoln, Gaston,...
.
In the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
, areas of Gaston County are within the 41st and 43rd districts of the North Carolina State Senate and districts 108, 109, and 110 of the North Carolina House of Representatives
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
. At the federal government level, most of Gaston County is within North Carolina's 9th congressional district
North Carolina's 9th congressional district
The 9th Congressional District of North Carolina is a Congressional district in south-central North Carolina. Currently, the district includes more than half of Mecklenburg County, two-thirds of Union County and almost all of Gaston County....
. Some western parts of the county, including Cherryville, King's Mountain, and southwestern Gastonia, are within North Carolina's 10th congressional district
North Carolina's 10th congressional district
The 10th Congressional District of North Carolina is a Congressional district in central and western North Carolina. It currently includes all of Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln and Mitchell counties, along with parts of Gaston, Iredell and Rutherford counties.The district is...
.
Courts of Law
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.
Education
Public education in Gaston County is administered by the Gaston County SchoolsGaston County Schools
Gaston County Schools is a public school district located in Gaston County, North Carolina. With 32,437 students enrolled in 54 schools as of the 2008/09 academic year, it is the seventh largest public school district in North Carolina.-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. 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 one charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
: Piedmont Community Charter School in Gastonia, for grades K through 12.
There are two colleges in Gaston County. Gaston College
Gaston College
Gaston College is a community college located in Dallas, North Carolina.Serving Gaston County and Lincoln County, Gaston College enrolls over 5,000 students each term in curriculum programs and about 16,000 students in continuing education programs...
is a community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
located in Dallas
Dallas, North Carolina
Dallas is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 3,402 at the 2000 census. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-Geography:...
offering Associate Degree, Certificate, and Diploma programs. Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College is a private liberal-arts Catholic college located in Belmont, North Carolina, USA west of Uptown Charlotte. It was founded in 1876 by the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey...
is a Roman Catholic Liberal Arts College located in Belmont
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
.
Major 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...
U.S. Route 29U.S. Route 29U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
U.S. Route 74U.S. Route 74U.S. Route 74 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Cleveland, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.-Tennessee:Established in 1987, US-74 western terminus is exit 20 on I-75 in Cleveland...
U.S. Route 321U.S. Route 321U.S. Route 321 is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It runs for 526 miles from South Carolina to Tennessee. The northern terminus of U.S. 321 is between Lenoir City and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, at Interstate 40 exit 364, which is about 4 miles west of Interstate 40's junction with Interstate 75...-
North Carolina Highway 16 -
North Carolina Highway 27 -
North Carolina Highway 150 -
North Carolina Highway 274
Rail Service
Gaston County is served by AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, with a stop in Gastonia. Freight rail service is provided by the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
, CSX and Patriot Rail
Patriot Rail Corporation
Patriot Rail Corporation is a holding company for a number of shortline railroads across the United States, including one contract operation in North Carolina. The company was started in 2006 by RailAmerica co-founder Gary Marino and is headquartered at Boca Raton, Florida...
.
The Norfork Southern main line passes from west to east across the county, passing through Kings Mountain
Kings Mountain, North Carolina
Kings Mountain is a small suburban city of Gastonia and Charlotte in Cleveland and Gaston counties, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,693 at the 2000 census....
, Gastonia, and Belmont
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
. From Gastonia, a branch line leads north to Dallas
Dallas, North Carolina
Dallas is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 3,402 at the 2000 census. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-Geography:...
and High Shoals
High Shoals, North Carolina
High Shoals is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 729 at the 2000 census.-History:High Shoals was the location of the High Shoals Iron Works, founded by Swiss-born John Fulenwider in about 1795. Fulenwider developed one of the earliest methods of making pig...
and south to Crowders
Crowders, North Carolina
Crowders is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is located approximately south of downtown Gastonia on U.S. Route 321 and north of the South Carolina state line....
.
CSX rail lines pass through the northwestern and northeastern corners of Gaston County. In the northwest, a line between Lincolnton
Lincolnton, North Carolina
Lincolnton is a city in Lincoln County, North Carolina, United States, within the Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 10,683 at the 2010 census. Lincolnton is located northwest of Charlotte, on the South Fork of the Catawba River, and near the junction of State Highway 27 and U.S. Route...
and Shelby
Shelby, North Carolina
Shelby is a city in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 19,477 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cleveland County.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
passes through Cherryville
Cherryville, North Carolina
Cherryville is a small city in northwestern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,361 at the 2000 census. The New Year's Shooters preserve the area's German heritage by honoring the custom of beginning each year with a chant and the shooting of muskets...
. In the northeast, a line between Lincolnton
Lincolnton, North Carolina
Lincolnton is a city in Lincoln County, North Carolina, United States, within the Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 10,683 at the 2010 census. Lincolnton is located northwest of Charlotte, on the South Fork of the Catawba River, and near the junction of State Highway 27 and U.S. Route...
and Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
passes through Stanley
Stanley, North Carolina
Stanley is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,053 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stanley is located at ....
and Mount Holly
Mount Holly, North Carolina
Mount Holly is a small suburban city in northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The city is situated on the western bank of the Catawba River in the Southern Piedmont area of North Carolina, north of Interstate 85, south of North Carolina State Highway 16, and west of Charlotte....
.
Patriot Rail operates state-owned trackage between Gastonia and Mount Holly with a spur extending to Belmont.
Airports
Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is a major, full-service airport with passenger flights. It is across the Catawba RiverCatawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...
in Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
.
The city of Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
owns and operates Gastonia Municipal Airport
Gastonia Municipal Airport
Gastonia Municipal Airport is a public airport located four miles south of the central business district of Gastonia, a city in Gaston County, North Carolina, USA. This general aviation airport covers and has one runway.- External links :...
, which is a general aviation airport which covers 280 acres (1.1 km²) and has one runway.
Adjacent counties
- Lincoln County, North CarolinaLincoln County, North Carolina-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 71,498 people, 24,041 households, and 18,174 families residing in the county. The population density was 214 people per square mile . There were 25,717 housing units at an average density of 86 per square mile...
- north - Mecklenburg County, North CarolinaMecklenburg County, North Carolina-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...
- east - York County, South CarolinaYork County, South CarolinaYork County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...
- south - Cleveland County, North CarolinaCleveland County, North Carolina-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile . There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile...
- west
Communities
- BelmontBelmont, North CarolinaBelmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
- Bessemer CityBessemer City, North CarolinaBessemer City is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,592 at the 2010 census. The city is approximately 6 miles northwest of Gastonia and 25 miles west of Charlotte...
- CherryvilleCherryville, North CarolinaCherryville is a small city in northwestern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,361 at the 2000 census. The New Year's Shooters preserve the area's German heritage by honoring the custom of beginning each year with a chant and the shooting of muskets...
- CramertonCramerton, North CarolinaCramerton is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is also considered to be a suburb of Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 2,976 at the 2000 census...
- DallasDallas, North CarolinaDallas is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 3,402 at the 2000 census. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-Geography:...
- DellviewDellview, North CarolinaDellview is an inactive incorporated town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 13 , it was the smallest municipality in the state, and arguably the smallest incorporated town in the United States. Its population is currently 11, and was at one point as low as...
(inactive; smallest municipality in state) - GastoniaGastonia, North CarolinaGastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
- High ShoalsHigh Shoals, North CarolinaHigh Shoals is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 729 at the 2000 census.-History:High Shoals was the location of the High Shoals Iron Works, founded by Swiss-born John Fulenwider in about 1795. Fulenwider developed one of the earliest methods of making pig...
- Kings MountainKings Mountain, North CarolinaKings Mountain is a small suburban city of Gastonia and Charlotte in Cleveland and Gaston counties, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,693 at the 2000 census....
(part also in Cleveland County) - LowellLowell, North CarolinaLowell is a small city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 2,662 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lowell is located at ....
- McAdenvilleMcAdenville, North CarolinaMcAdenville, also known as Christmastown USA, is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is considered to be a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 619 at the 2000 census....
- Mount HollyMount Holly, North CarolinaMount Holly is a small suburban city in northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The city is situated on the western bank of the Catawba River in the Southern Piedmont area of North Carolina, north of Interstate 85, south of North Carolina State Highway 16, and west of Charlotte....
- RanloRanlo, North CarolinaRanlo is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,198.-Geography:Ranlo is located at ....
- Spencer MountainSpencer Mountain, North CarolinaSpencer Mountain is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 51 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spencer Mountain is located at at the foothills of a mountainous ridge....
- StanleyStanley, North CarolinaStanley is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,053 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stanley is located at ....
Unincorporated communities
- AlexisAlexis, North CarolinaAlexis is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is approximately 3 mi north of Stanley.Alexis had been incorporated in 1899. Alexis was formerly named Alex's Cross Roads for an individual named Alexander who owned land in the area.Alexis, North...
- Ashebrook ParkAshebrook Park, North CarolinaAshebrook Park is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is approximately northwest of Dallas, North Carolina....
- Brown TownBrown Town, North CarolinaBrown Town is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is located on the eastern edge of the town of Belmont along the Catawba River.Fire protection in Brown Town is provided by Community Volunteer Fire Department....
- CrowdersCrowders, North CarolinaCrowders is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is located approximately south of downtown Gastonia on U.S. Route 321 and north of the South Carolina state line....
- HardinsHardins, North CarolinaHardins is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is located approximately south of the town of High Shoals....
- LuciaLucia, North CarolinaLucia is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is located approximately east of the town of Stanley....
- Mountain IslandMountain Island, North CarolinaMountain Island is an unincorporated area in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is approximately north of Mount Holly.Mountain Island is named for a small island in Mountain Island Lake, on the border of Gaston and Mecklenburg counties...
- South GastoniaSouth Gastonia, North CarolinaSouth Gastonia is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is also considered to be a suburb of both cities of Charlotte and Gastonia...
(CDPCensus-designated placeA census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
) - SpringdaleSpringdale, North CarolinaSpringdale is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is bordered on the west and south by the City of Gastonia, on the east by the town of Ranlo, and on the north by the unincorporated community of Monterey Park....
- TryonTryon, Gaston County, North CarolinaTryon is an unincorporated community in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is in Cherryville Township, located approximately southeast of the city of Cherryville on North Carolina Highway 274...
- near site of former Tryon CountyTryon County, North CarolinaTryon County is a former county which was located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was formed in 1768 from the part of Mecklenburg County west of the Catawba River, although the legislative act that created it did not become effective until April 10, 1769. Due to inaccurate and delayed...
courthouse
Townships
- CherryvilleCherryville Township, Gaston County, North CarolinaCherryville Township is a township in northwestern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It includes the incorporated City of Cherryville, the inactive incorporated town of Dellview, the unincorporated area of Tryon, and a portion of the town of High Shoals...
- Crowders MountainCrowders Mountain Township, Gaston County, North CarolinaCrowders Mountain Township is a township in southwestern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States....
- DallasDallas Township, Gaston County, North CarolinaDallas Township is a township in north-central Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It includes the incorporated towns of Dallas, High Shoals , and Stanley . It also includes small portions of the City of Gastonia and a small outlying portion of the town of Ranlo...
- GastoniaGastonia Township, Gaston County, North CarolinaGastonia Township is a township in south-central Gaston County, North Carolina, United States....
- RiverbendRiverbend Township, Gaston County, North CarolinaRiverbend Township is a township in northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States....
- South PointSouth Point Township, Gaston County, North CarolinaSouth Point Township is a township in southeastern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is represented on the Gaston County Board of Commissioners by Mickey Price of Belmont, who serves as Board Chairman....
Natural heritage
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
Bigleaf magnolia
Magnolia macrophylla, the bigleaf magnolia, is a deciduous magnolia native to the southeastern United States and eastern Mexico. This species boasts the largest simple leaf and single flower of any native plant in North America.-Classification:...
(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.
Two sites are important because they provide habitat for the Bog Turtle
Bog turtle
The bog turtle is a semiaquatic turtle endemic to the eastern United States. It was first scientifically described in 1801 after an 18th century survey of Pennsylvania. It is the smallest North American turtle, measuring about long when fully grown...
(Glyptemys muhlenbergii). The Bog Turtle is the single most significant rare animal species surviving in Gaston County.
Crowders Mountain State Park
Crowders Mountain State Park
Crowders Mountain State Park is a 5126 acre North Carolina state park in Gaston County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Kings Mountain, North Carolina and on the outskirts of Gastonia, North Carolina, it includes the peaks of Crowder's Mountain and King's Pinnacle. Crowders...
is the largest natural heritage site in the county. It covers over 3000 acres (12.1 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
Juniperus communis
Juniperus communis, the Common Juniper, is a species in the genus Juniperus, in the family Cupressaceae. It has the largest range of any woody plant, throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia.-...
) along its ridgeline.
The Stagecoach Road site is the largest and best preserved granitic
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
outcrop in the county. Its thin soils are dominated by hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
species and it is also home to several smaller species such as Talinum
Talinum
Talinum is a genus of herbaceous succulent plants in the family Talinaceae whose common names include fameflower and flameflower. Several species bear edible leaves, and Talinum fruticosum is widely grown in tropical regions as a leaf vegetable...
teretifolium (Fame flower), Diamorpha smallii (Small’s sedum), and Hypericum
Hypericum
Hypericum is a genus of about 400 species of flowering plants in the family Hypericaceae ....
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 foot (0.9144 m).
Another 25 other 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
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
is the only place in western North Carolina (and one of only two sites in the state) where Magnolia vine (Schisandra
Schisandra
Schisandra is a genus of shrub commonly grown in gardens. It is a hardy deciduous climber which thrives in virtually any soil; its preferred position is on a sheltered shady wall. It may be propagated by taking cuttings of half-matured shoots in August. Species include S. chinensis, S....
glabra) has been found.
Points of interest
The Peter Hoyle HousePeter Hoyle House
The Peter Hoyle House is a mid- to late-18th century two-story house in Gaston County, North Carolina, with notable German-American construction features, the main block of which reflects two, and possibly three, phases, but the exact construction dates have not been determined...
, 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
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...
.
The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located on of rolling meadows, woodlands and lakefront property in Belmont, North Carolina. Founded by Daniel J...
covers 110 acre (0.4451546 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
Dallas, North Carolina
Dallas is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 3,402 at the 2000 census. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-Geography:...
.
The Schiele Museum of Natural History is a noteworthy science museum and planetarium located in Gastonia that features both permanent and touring exhibits.
Crowder's Mountain State Park is noted for its resident raptors and sheer vertical cliffs which drop 150 feet (45.7 m). From Crowders Mountain, the highest point in Gaston County, views stretch for more than 20 miles (32.2 km).
The U.S. National Whitewater Center
U.S. National Whitewater Center
The U.S. National Whitewater Center is a non-profit outdoor recreation and athletic training facility for whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking and hiking which opened to the public on November 4th, 2006....
is a world-class recreation and training facility. Set among 300 acres (1.2 km²) wooded along the scenic Catawba River, the multiuse facility has a climbing center, mountain-biking trails and running trails.
Christmas Town, USA - McAdenville, North Carolina
McAdenville, North Carolina
McAdenville, also known as Christmastown USA, is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is considered to be a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 619 at the 2000 census....
- 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
Spencer Mountain, North Carolina
Spencer Mountain is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 51 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spencer Mountain is located at at the foothills of a mountainous ridge....
, which is located in central Gaston County, is the site of the old WBTV
WBTV
WBTV, channel 3 , is the CBS affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is one of two flagship stations of Raycom Media. WBTV's studios are located off Morehead Street just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County, North Carolina...
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
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards is a network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from a nearby National Weather Service office. It is operated by the NWS, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the United States Department of...
transmission signal.