Burke County, North Carolina

Infobox U.S. County
county = Burke County
state = North Carolina




map size = 250
founded = 1777
seat = Morganton | area_total_sq_mi =515
area_water_sq_mi =8
area percentage = 1.59%
census yr = 2000
pop = 89148
density_km2 =68
web = www.co.burke.nc.us
|

Burke County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 89,148. Its county seat is MorgantonGR|6. The symbol of Burke County is Table Rock.

The first European settlement in the interior of North Carolina and what became the United States was made by Spanish in 1567, when they built Fort San Juan at the large Native American settlement of Joara near present-day Morganton. They renamed the settlement Cuenca. [ [http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~arch/fs2004/background.html David Moore, Robin Beck, and Christopher Rodning, "In Search of Fort San Juan: Sixteenth Century Spanish and Native Interaction in the North Carolina Piedmont"] , Warren Wilson College Archaeology Home Page, 2004, accessed 26 Jun 2008] In 1568 the natives killed the Spanish and burned the fort. The Spanish never returned to this area, and it was centuries before the next Europeans tried to settle there.

Burke County is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Native American peoples of the Mississippian culture inhabited the county long before Europeans arrived. The largest Mound Builder settlement was at Joara, a 12 acre site and regional chiefdom near present-day Morganton. It was the center of the largest Native American settlement in North Carolina, dating from about 1000 A.D. and expanding into the next centuries. [ [http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~arch/fs2004/background.html David Moore, Robin Beck, and Christopher Rodning, "In Search of Fort San Juan: Sixteenth Century Spanish and Native Interaction in the North Carolina Piedmont"] , Warren Wilson College Archaeology Home Page, 2004, accessed 26 Jun 2008]

In 1567 a Spanish expedition arrived and built Fort San Juan there, claiming the area for the colony of Spanish Florida. They had been sent by the governor at Santa Elena, Parris Island in South Carolina. Capt. Juan Pardo, leader of the expedition, left about 30 soldiers at the fort while doing additional exploration. In the spring of 1568 the natives killed the soldiers and burned the fort. Introduction of European diseases and takeover by larger tribes led to Native American abandonment of the area. It was centuries before the next Europeans, English, Scots-Irish and Germans, attempted to settle here again. [ [http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~arch/fs2004/background.html David Moore, Robin Beck, and Christopher Rodning, "In Search of Fort San Juan: Sixteenth Century Spanish and Native Interaction in the North Carolina Piedmont"] , Warren Wilson College Archaeology Home Page, 2004, accessed 26 Jun 2008]

The county was formed in 1777 from Rowan County. It was named for Thomas Burke, a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1781 and Governor of North Carolina from 1781 to 1782. The western Piedmont was settled by many Scots-Irish and German immigrants in the mid- to later 18th century. They were generally yeoman farmers and fiercely independent. Few families were slaveholders in this area.

Gradually the county was divided to form other jurisdictions. In 1791 parts of Burke County and Rutherford County were combined to form Buncombe County. In 1833 parts of Burke County and Buncombe County were combined to form Yancey County. In 1841 parts of Burke County and Wilkes County were combined to form Caldwell County. In 1842 additional parts of Burke County and Rutherford County were combined to form McDowell County. Finally, in 1861 parts of Burke County, Caldwell County, McDowell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County were combined to form Mitchell County.

It was also the site of the final strategy meeting that led the 1,000 Appalachian frontiersmen to bring battle in the American Revolution to British commander Ferguson at Kings Mountain rather than wait for him to come to them. They crossed over the mountains and thus were called the "Over Mountain Men".Fact|date=April 2008

Law and government

Burke County is a member of the regional Western Piedmont Council of Governments.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 515 square miles (1,334 km²), of which, 507 square miles (1,312 km²) of it is land and 8 square miles (21 km²) of it (1.59%) is water. The county contains portions of two lakes: Lake James along its western border with McDowell County and Lake Rhodhiss along its northeastern border with Caldwell County.

Townships

The county is divided into thirteen townships: Drexel, Icard, Jonas Ridge, Linville, Lovelady, Lower Creek, Lower Fork, Morganton, Quaker Meadows, Silver Creek, Smoky Creek, Upper Creek, Upper Fork and Valdese.

Adjacent counties

*Caldwell County, North Carolina - north
*Catawba County, North Carolina - east
*Cleveland County, North Carolina - south-southeast
*Rutherford County, North Carolina - south-southwest
*McDowell County, North Carolina - west
*Avery County, North Carolina - northwest

National protected areas

* Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
* Pisgah National Forest (part)

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 89,148 people, 34,528 households, and 24,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile (68/km²). There were 37,427 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile (29/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.01% White, 6.71% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 3.48% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 2.17% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 3.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 34,528 households out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 29.60% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,629, and the median income for a family was $42,114. Males had a median income of $27,591 versus $21,993 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,397. About 8.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

*Connelly Springs
*Drexel
*Glen Alpine
*Hildebran
*Morganton
*Rhodhiss
*Rutherford College
*Valdese

Partially in other counties

*Hickory
*Long View

Census designated places

*Icard
*Salem

Notable residents

*Colonel Samuel Ervin, (1810-1900), Morganton politician
*Sam Ervin, (1896-1985), U.S. Senator from 1954 to 1975; famed Chairman of the Senate Watergate Committee in 1973.
*William Waightstill Avery, (1816-1864), member of the Congress of the Confederate States from North Carolina cite book | title = Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896 | publisher = Marquis Who's Who | location = Chicago | date = 1963]
*Terrance McFarland, (1963-), linebacker for Notre Dame football
*Etta Baker, (1913-2006), Piedmont Blues guitarist and singer
*Joe Cheves, retired golf pro

Popular culture

Many scenes from the 1992 film "Last of the Mohicans" were filmed in Burke County. A full-scale fort was built next to the Linville boat access on Lake James for the filming. The fort was later destroyed and the land replanted with trees. Many of the extras who played settlers, British soldiers, and Native Americans were locals from Burke and surrounding counties.

References

*reflist

External links

* [http://www.co.burke.nc.us Burke County government official website]