| McDowell County, North Carolina | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of North Carolina |
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 North Carolina's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1842 |
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| Seat | Marion |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
446 sq mi (1,155 km²) 5 sq mi (13 km²), 1.06% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
42,151 96/sq mi (37/km²) |
| Website: www.mcdowellgov.com | |
 McDowell County Courthouse in Marion
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McDowell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2008 estimate, the population was 50,151. Its county seat is Marion[1].
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History
Cherokee and Catawba Indians were the first known inhabitants of what is now McDowell County.
In 1566, the Spanish explorer Juan "The Revolver" Pardo came to Western North Carolina traveling through the area that is now McDowell county. His purpose was to acquire territory for Spain, but he had also hoped to find precious metals and a wife. Juan Pardo and his men built a log blockhouse at the headwaters of the Catawba River. Apparently intimidated by the formidable range of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the home of the Cherokee Nation, Juan Pardo left the area the following year.
In the early 1700s, Scottish-Irish pioneers settled the area now known as Old Fort. This settlement had become the westernmost outpost of Colonial civilization at the time. These early pioneers established a close community protected by a series of forts which remained active until the early 1800s. Thus, Old Fort.
In 1793, Colonel John Carson built a plantation house near Buck Creek in the Pleasant Gardens community, which still stands today as the Historic Carson House. He also operated gold mines in the southern part of the county. Colonel Carson was a significant historical figure in the American Revolutionary War.
During the Carolina Gold Rush period of the early 1800s, the south county area was known for its gold production. The banks of the Muddy Creek and mines at Vein Mountain were productive areas. Many mines and thriving gold rush towns such as Brackettown no longer exist, although scattered ruins and cemeteries mark many locations of the gold rush period.
McDowell County is rich in American Civil War History. The movie Last of the Mohicans was filmed along the shores of the picturesque Lake James.
McDowell county was first formed in 1842 from parts of Burke County and Rutherford County. It was named for Joseph McDowell, a Revolutionary War leader and hero of the Battle of King's Mountain, and a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1797 to 1799.
In 1861, parts of McDowell County, Burke County, Caldwell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County were combined to form Mitchell County.
Law and government
McDowell County is a member of the Isothermal Planning and Development Commission regional council of governments.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 446 square miles (1,156 km²), of which, 442 square miles (1,144 km²) of it is land and 5 square miles (12 km²) of it (1.06%) is water.
Numerous small creeks and streams flow through the county. The Catawba River crosses the county and empties into Lake James. Almost half of the county is located inside the Pisgah National Forest. Linville Caverns is located in the far northern part of the county.
The Blue Ridge Parkway follows the northwestern boundary of the county. McDowell County lies within the Piedmont (United States) and Foothills (North Carolina) regions of Western North Carolina.
Townships
The county is divided into eleven townships: Crooked Creek, Dysartsville, Glenwood, Marion, Montford Cove, Nebo, Ashford-North Cove, Pleasant Gardens, Woodlawn-Sevier, Sugar Hill, and Old Fort.
Adjacent counties
- Mitchell County, North Carolina - north
- Avery County, North Carolina - north-northeast
- Burke County, North Carolina - east
- Rutherford County, North Carolina - south
- Buncombe County, North Carolina - west
- Yancey County, North Carolina - northwest
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Yancey County | Mitchell County | Avery County | |
| Buncombe County |  |
Burke County | ||
 McDowell County, North Carolina  |
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| Rutherford County |
National protected areas
- Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
- Pisgah National Forest (part)
Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 42,151 people, 16,604 households, and 11,954 families residing in the county. The population density was 95 people per square mile (37/km²). There were 18,377 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.18% White, 4.16% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.61% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 2.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 16,604 households out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.30% 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 2.90.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.80% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,396, and the median income for a family was $37,789. Males had a median income of $26,609 versus $21,640 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,109. About 9.00% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.10% of those under age 18 and 15.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
Unincorporated places
- West Marion
- Little Switzerland
- Nebo
- Glenwood
- Pleasant Gardens
- North Cove
Education
The following is a list of schools located in McDowell County:
- Marion Elementary School
- West Marion Elementary School
- Old Fort Elementary School
- Pleasant Gardens Elementary School
- Eastfield Elementary School
- Glenwood Elementary School
- North Cove Elementary School
- West McDowell Junior High School
- East McDowell Junior High School
- McDowell High School (Marion, North Carolina)
- McDowell Early College High School (Marion, North Carolina)
- Phoenix Academy
- New Manna Christian School
- Marion Christian Academy
- McDowell Technical Community College
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
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