Bladen County, North Carolina

Bladen County (/ˈbleɪdən/)[1] is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 35,190.[2] Its county seat is Elizabethtown.[3] The county was created in 1734 as Bladen Precinct and gained county status in 1739.[4]

Bladen County
U.S. county
Bladen County Courthouse, Elizabethtown
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°37′N 78°34′W
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1739
Named forMartin Bladen
SeatElizabethtown
Largest townElizabethtown
Area
 • Total887 sq mi (2,300 km2)
 • Land874 sq mi (2,260 km2)
 • Water13 sq mi (30 km2)  1.4%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
33,190
 • Density40/sq mi (20/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts7th, 9th
Websitewww.bladeninfo.org

History

Bladen County was formed in 1734 as Bladen Precinct of Bath County, from New Hanover Precinct.[5] It was named for Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade.[6] With the abolition of Bath County in 1739, all of its constituent precincts became counties.

Bladen's original residents included the Waccamaw people.[7][5]

Bladen County began as a vast territory, with indefinite northern and western boundaries. Reductions in its extent began in 1750, when its western part became Anson County. In 1752 the northern part of Bladen County was combined with parts of Granville County and Johnston County to form Orange County. In 1754 the northern part of what was left of Bladen County became Cumberland County. In 1764 the southern part of what remained of Bladen County was combined with part of New Hanover County to form Brunswick County. In 1787 the western part of the now much smaller county became Robeson County. Finally, in 1808 the southern part of Bladen County was combined with part of Brunswick County to form Columbus County. Bladen County is considered the "mother county" of North Carolina because of the 100 counties in North Carolina, 55 of them at one point belonged to Bladen County. It is also the fourth largest county in North Carolina.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 887 square miles (2,300 km2), of which 874 square miles (2,260 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (1.4%) is water.[8] It is the fourth-largest county in North Carolina by land area.

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
17905,100—
18007,02837.8%
18105,671−19.3%
18207,27628.3%
18307,8117.4%
18408,0222.7%
18509,76721.8%
186011,99522.8%
187012,8317.0%
188016,15825.9%
189016,7633.7%
190017,6775.5%
191018,0061.9%
192019,7619.7%
193022,38913.3%
194027,15621.3%
195029,7039.4%
196028,881−2.8%
197026,477−8.3%
198030,49115.2%
199028,663−6.0%
200032,27812.6%
201035,1909.0%
Est. 201833,190[9]−5.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2013[2]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 32,278 people, 12,897 households, and 8,937 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 15,316 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 57.22% White, 37.91% Black or African American, 2.04% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.97% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 3.71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

By 2005 55.8% of the population of Bladen County was non-Hispanic whites. 36.8% of the population was African-American. 5.0% of the population of was Latino. 2.3% of the population was Native American.

There were 12,897 households out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.90% were married couples living together, 15.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,877, and the median income for a family was $33,974. Males had a median income of $27,799 versus $21,973 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,735. About 16.60% of families and 21.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.70% of those under age 18 and 24.20% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Bladen County is a member of the regional Lumber River Council of Governments.

Following the 2018 United States Midterm Elections, an investigation was opened into accusations of an absentee ballot fraud scheme directed by McCrae Dowless in Bladen County, within North Carolina's 9th Congressional District. Accusations were based around the Republican Primary election, in which Mark Harris defeated incumbent Robert Pittenger, and around the general election, in which Harris initially appeared to defeat Democrat Dan McCready. As of December 2018, the investigation is currently ongoing.[15][16] Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, Democrat, said it was possible over 1,000 ballots had been destroyed.[17] According to District Attorney Jon David, Republican, the county has a "troubled history of political groups exploiting the use of absentee ballots."[18]

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 53.8% 8,550 44.4% 7,058 1.8% 289
2012 48.6% 7,748 50.5% 8,062 0.9% 147
2008 48.7% 7,532 50.7% 7,853 0.6% 95
2004 50.1% 6,174 49.6% 6,109 0.2% 30
2000 45.6% 4,977 54.0% 5,889 0.4% 42
1996 37.2% 3,335 55.3% 4,952 7.5% 673
1992 31.6% 3,214 56.0% 5,700 12.4% 1,263
1988 42.8% 3,770 57.1% 5,031 0.2% 13
1984 48.1% 4,701 51.8% 5,064 0.1% 14
1980 30.7% 2,745 68.3% 6,104 1.0% 92
1976 20.4% 1,546 79.2% 6,009 0.5% 34
1972 64.7% 4,205 33.9% 2,201 1.4% 91
1968 20.8% 1,746 32.8% 2,754 46.4% 3,897
1964 32.5% 2,169 67.6% 4,516
1960 29.9% 1,854 70.1% 4,353
1956 27.4% 1,542 72.6% 4,078
1952 32.8% 1,710 67.2% 3,506
1948 12.8% 500 72.3% 2,831 14.9% 583
1944 22.3% 731 77.7% 2,542
1940 15.7% 543 84.3% 2,925
1936 14.1% 551 85.9% 3,360
1932 23.1% 808 75.9% 2,651 1.0% 36
1928 55.2% 1,911 44.8% 1,552
1924 33.3% 786 65.7% 1,551 1.0% 23
1920 35.4% 1,064 64.6% 1,939
1916 34.1% 651 66.0% 1,261
1912 2.0% 33 67.7% 1,140 30.3% 511

Communities
Map of Bladen County, North Carolina, with municipal and township labels
Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church, Elizabethtown

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Townships
  • Abbottsburg
  • Bethel
  • Bladenboro
  • Brown Marsh
  • Carvers Creek
  • Central
  • Clarkton
  • Colly
  • Cypress Creek
  • Elizabethtown
  • East Arcadia
  • Frenches Creek
  • Hollow
  • Lake Creek
  • Tarheel
  • Turnbull
  • White Oak
  • Dublin
  • Whites Creek

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Bladen County.[20]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 † Elizabethtown Town 3,583
2 Bladenboro Town 1,750
3 Clarkton Town 837
4 White Lake Town 802
5 Kelly CDP 544
6 East Arcadia Town 487
t-7 Dublin Town 338
t-7 White Oak CDP 338
8 Butters CDP 294
9 Tar Heel Town 117

Other notable information

Bladen County is also the home of the oldest documented Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) at 1622 years old.[21]

Smithfield Foods, which is an anchor employer for Bladen County and two nearby counties, employed about 5,000 people in 2018.[22] Their plant on April 18th 2020 in Tar Heel reported a case of COVID-19 during the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.[23]

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See also

References
  1. Talk Like A Tarheel Archived 2013-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "North Carolina: Individual County Chronologies". North Carolina Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  5. Jason, Bordeaux (2010). "Bladen County in the 1700s". NCpedia. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
  6. Proffitt, Martie (Apr 17, 1983). "Local history offers tasty tidbits". Star-News. pp. 1C. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  7. Martin, Jonathan (2016). "Bladen County (1734)". North Carolina History Project. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
  8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  9. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  12. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  15. Morrill, Jim (November 29, 2018). "'Tangled web' in Bladen County has questions swirling about votes in the 9th District". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  16. Gardner, Amy; Ross, Kirk (November 29, 2018). "Certification in limbo in N.C. House race as fraud investigation continues". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  17. Casiano, Louis (6 December 2018). "Over 1,000 ballots may have been destroyed in NC congressional race, DA says". Fox News. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  18. Henderson, Bruce; Doran, Will (December 7, 2018). "In 2 NC counties with 'rough politics,' election fraud claims are nothing new". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  20. "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  21. "Oldest Taxodium disticum". Eastern OLDLIST. Rocky Mountain Tree-Ring Research, Inc. & Eastern Kentucky University. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  22. Tracy, Kailey (July 12, 2018). "Trump's trade war with China could affect local jobs". WECT, Channel 6. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
  23. Wooten, Alan (April 18, 2020). "Coronavirus: Smithfield Foods worker at Tar Heel plant tests positive; a second Bladen resident also infected". The Bladen Journal.

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