Alamance County, North Carolina

Alamance County is a place in North Carolina. It was formed in 1849 from a nearby area called Orange County. The main town, or county seat, is Graham. As of the 2020 census, about 171,415 people lived there.

The county is part of the Burlington, NC area, which is also grouped with larger cities like Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. Together, these places had around 1.7 million people in 2023.

Alamance County has been important for farming and making textiles, like clothes and other fabrics. It has also seen many big events throughout its history.

History

Before it became a county, the area was home to the Sissipahaw Native Americans in the 1700s. They lived near modern Saxapahaw and the Haw River. European settlers arrived in the late 1600s and farmed the fertile land called the “Haw Old Fields.”

Alamance County was named after Great Alamance Creek, where a battle took place in 1771. The creek’s name may have come from a local Native American word for blue mud or “noisy river.” During the American Revolution, several small battles happened in the area.

In the early 1800s, the textile industry grew, leading to the building of many mills along rivers. By the 1840s, efforts began to create a new county from Orange County. The new county was approved in 1849 and officially established on April 24 of that year.

Civil War

In 1861, residents of Alamance County voted against leaving the Union, but North Carolina later joined the Confederacy. Though no major battles occurred there, many men from the county served in the war. After the war ended, some difficult times followed for the county.

Dairy industry

Alamance County was once a leader in dairy farming in the state. However, many dairy farms were sold as real estate prices rose and milk prices fell.

World War II and the Cold War

During World War II, a factory in Burlington made airplanes, including training planes for pilots. After the war, the same factory produced radar and guidance systems for missiles until it closed in 1992.

21st century

The county’s population has grown a lot, especially in the city of Mebane. New businesses and shopping areas have appeared near major highways. The county has also seen some political demonstrations and legal issues related to policing.

Geography

Alamance County is in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. It has rolling hills, with some areas over 970 feet (300 meters) tall, especially near the Cane Creek Mountains close to Snow Camp. The county has the Haw River, which flows into Jordan Lake and joins the Cape Fear River. There are also smaller streams and ponds, such as Great Alamance Creek. The county has protected areas like the Alamance Battleground State Historic Site and Cedarock Park.

Important roads in the county include I-40 and I-85, which go east-to-west. Other major highways like US 70, NC 49, NC 54, NC 62, NC 87, NC 100, and NC 119 connect different parts of the county. The area also has airports such as the Burlington–Alamance Regional Airport.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 census reported 171,415 people living in Alamance County. The average age was 39.3 years. About 21.8% of the residents were younger than 18, and 17.4% were 65 or older.

Most people in the county were White (61.7%), with 19.8% being Black or African American. Smaller groups included American Indian and Alaska Native (0.8%), Asian (1.7%), and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (0.1%). About 14.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Most people lived in towns and cities (73.6%), while 26.4% lived in rural areas. Many households had children under 18, and many were led by married couples. There were many homes for rent and for sale in the county.

2010 census

The 2010 census counted 151,131 people in Alamance County. The average age was 38.7 years. About 26.7% were younger than 19, and 14.5% were 65 or older.

Most people were White (71.1%), with 18.8% being Black or African American. Smaller groups included Native American (0.7%), Asian (1.2%), and Pacific Islander (0.02%). About 11% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Many households had children under 18, and many were led by married couples. The average household had about 2.5 people, and the average family had about 3 people. Many families lived below the poverty line, especially children under 18.

Government and politics

Alamance County often supports Republican ideas, but not as much as some nearby places. The last time a Democratic president won the county was in 1976.

In recent elections, some Democratic candidates have done well here. The county is part of a group called the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments. It is led by a Board of Commissioners and a County Manager chosen by the board. People in the county also vote for a Sheriff and a Register of Deeds.

The county has been home to three governors and two U.S. senators of North Carolina. The county uses a system where a County Manager handles daily work, chosen by the board. Heidi York has been the current manager since July 2022.

Arts and recreation

The arts

The Paramount Theater is a place to watch plays and shows. Nearby, the Snow Camp Outdoor Drama has plays each evening from late spring to early fall. Alamance County has the Haw River Ballroom, a big place for music and art events in Saxapahaw.

Parks

Alamance County, Burlington, Graham, Elon, Haw River, Swepsonville, and Mebane all have small parks. Some bigger parks are:

• Cedarock Park, located 6 miles south of where Interstate 85/40 meets NC Highway 49. The park has the Cedarock Historic Farm, an old mill dam, and three disc golf courses.
• Great Bend Park at Glencoe, located 4 miles north of where US Highway 70 meets NC Highways 87, 62, and 100 in downtown Burlington. Great Bend Park has parts of the Haw River Land and Paddle Trails and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a Textile Heritage Museum, and places for picnics and fishing. The park was built around the site of the Glencoe Mills, which is being renovated and has an old mill listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sports

Professional

The Burlington Sock Puppets play in the Appalachian League, a summer league for college players. Their home games are at Burlington Athletic Stadium in Fairchild Park. The team has been around since 1985, and Burlington has had minor league baseball teams for many years.

Collegiate

The Elon University Phoenix team plays in Elon town. The Phoenix compete in Division I of the NCAA, in the Colonial Athletic Association. They play baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, and tennis for men, and basketball, cross-country, golf, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball for women.

Economy

Alamance County is often called a "bedroom" community. This means many people live there but work in other places. The county has low tax rates. It is also an important place for making textiles and other goods.

The biggest employers in Alamance County are listed below.

Education

Alamance County has many places for children to learn. Kids can go to the Alamance-Burlington School System for school, and there are also private schools they can choose. Older students can go to Alamance Community College and Elon University to study after high school.

Communities

Cities

• Burlington (largest community)
• Graham (county seat)
• Mebane (mostly)

Towns

• Elon
• Gibsonville (small part)
• Green Level
• Haw River
• Ossipee
• Swepsonville

Village

• Alamance

Townships

The county is divided into thirteen townships, which have numbers and names.

• 1 (Patterson)
• 2 (Coble)
• 3 (Boone Station)
• 4 (Morton)
• 5 (Faucette)
• 6 (Graham)
• 7 (Albright)
• 8 (Newlin)
• 9 (Thompson)
• 10 (Melville)
• 11 (Pleasant Grove)
• 12 (Burlington)
• 13 (Haw River)

Census-designated places

• Altamahaw
• Glen Raven
• Saxapahaw
• Woodlawn

Unincorporated communities

• Bellemont
• Carolina
• Dogwood Acres
• Eli Whitney
• Glencoe
• Hawfields
• Kimesville (also in Guilford County)
• Mandale
• Mount Hermon
• Pleasant Grove
• Snow Camp

Ghost towns

Alamance County once had many towns that are no longer there. These places were either left behind or joined into bigger towns.

• Albright, near exit 153 on Interstate 40
• Carney, near Cedarock Park
• Cane Creek
• Cedarcliff, between Swepsonville and Saxapahaw
• Clover Orchard, near Snow Camp
• Curtis (Curtis Mills), near the village of Alamance
• Glenddale, near the Alamance-Caswell county line
• Hartshorn, south-southeast of the Alamance Battleground Historic Site
• Holmans Mills, east of Snow Camp
• Iola, east of Altamahaw
• Lacey, east of Eli Whitney
• Leota, south of Eli Whitney
• Loy, at the base of Bass Mountain
• Manndale
• Maywood, northeast of Altamahaw
• McCray (McRay), east-northeast of Glencoe
• Melville, west-southwest of Interstate 40 and NC Highway 119
• Morton's Store, north of Altamahaw
• Nicholson, near NC Highway 87
• Oakdale, southwest of the county
• Oneida
• Osceola
• Pleasant Grove, northeast of the county
• Pleasant Lodge, west of Oakdale
• Rock Creek, south of Alamance
• Shallow Ford, east of Ossipee
• Shady Grove
• Stainback, east-northeast of Green Level
• Sutpin, between Snow Camp and Eli Whitney
• Sylvester
• Union Ridge, near Lake Cammack
• Vincent, north-northeast of Pleasant Grove

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Alamance County.

† = county seat

Notable people

• Jacob Brent, born in Graham, performed as "Mr. Mistoffelees" in the Broadway and movie version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats
• Billy Bryan, Center for the Denver Broncos, grew up in Burlington.
• Several generations of Alex Haley's family may have lived in Alamance County.
• Thomas Michael Holt, governor of North Carolina from 1891 to 1893
• John "John Boy" Isley, born and raised in Graham, from the John Boy and Billy Show
• Charley Jones, born in Alamance County, Major League Baseball player
• B. Everett Jordan, U. S. senator from 1958 to 1973
• Don Kernodle, born in Burlington, NWA champion
• Jack McKeon, manager of the 2003 World Series champion Florida Marlins
• Meg Scott Phipps, North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner (2001–2003)
• Tequan Richmond, born in Burlington, stars as Drew Rock in Everybody Hates Chris
• Jeanne Robertson, humorist and speaker
• Robert W. "Bob" Scott, governor of North Carolina from 1969 to 1973
• W. Kerr Scott, Governor of North Carolina from 1949 to 1953, U. S. senator from 1954 to 1958
• Brandon Tate, born in Burlington, American football player for the Cincinnati Bengals
• Will Richardson, American football player for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Alamance County has been home to many interesting people. Some became famous in sports, like Billy Bryan who played for the Denver Broncos. Others made their mark in entertainment, such as Jacob Brent, who performed on Broadway. The county has also seen leaders like several governors of North Carolina.