Carteret County, North Carolina

Carteret County (/ˌkɑːr.təˈrɛt/ KAR-tuh-REHT or /ˌkɑːr.tɜːrˈɛt/ KAR-tur-ET)[1][2] is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,686.[3] Its county seat is Beaufort.[4] The county was created in 1722 as Carteret Precinct and gained county status in 1739.[5] It was named for Sir George Carteret, one of the 17th century English Lords Proprietor, or for his descendant and heir John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville.

Carteret County
County
Carteret County Courthouse
Carteret County Courthouse
Flag of Carteret County
Flag
Official seal of Carteret County
Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Carteret County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°44′N 76°46′W
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1722
Named forSir George Carteret
SeatBeaufort
Largest communityMorehead City
Government
 • County ManagerTommy Burns
Area
 • Total1,330.41 sq mi (3,445.7 km2)
 • Land507.60 sq mi (1,314.7 km2)
 • Water822.81 sq mi (2,131.1 km2)  61.85%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total67,686
 • Estimate 
(2022)
69,380
 • Density133.35/sq mi (51.49/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.carteretcountync.gov

Carteret County comprises the Morehead City, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the New Bern-Morehead City, NC Combined Statistical Area. Most of the county is part of the Crystal Coast.

History

The first male of English parents born in the current area of North Carolina was John Fulford. He was born in 1629 in what is now Carteret County. He settled in this area and died in 1729. An article dated Sept. 18, 1893, in The New Bern Daily Journal, identified Fulford's grave in a cemetery outside the county seat of Beaufort, in an area called the Straits. It was described as "bricked up with English brick." In 1971 a survey by the Carteret County Historical Society found such a grave in the Fulford Cemetery off Piper Lane in Gloucester. The unmarked, bricked-up grave matching this description survives today.[6]

One of the more prominent families from Carteret County was the Dennis family. William Dennis Sr. (b.1720 - d.1800) was an extremely colorful landowner, Revolutionary War officer, and defender of the county. In 1747, he assisted with the successful defense of the county during the War of Jenkins' Ear (fighting against Spanish pirates). During the Revolutionary War he served as a 2nd Major in the Carteret County Regiment of the North Carolina militia. In 1782, he fought alongside Lieutenant Colonel John Easton to drive the British from Carteret County. Dennis once owned the Hammock House, which became well known as the house owned by the pirate Blackbeard. His son, William Dennis Junior was a captain in the 8th North Carolina Regiment (1777-1778), was present at Valley Forge and also fought in the Carteret County Regiment (1781-1782). In the 1790 U.S. census, Dennis was one of the largest land owners in the county. Branches of the Dennis family include the Bells, Watsons and Pelletiers, many of whom continued to live in the area for many years. In a typical pattern of following the availability of new lands in the Deep South, some branches of this family later migrated to Mississippi and Texas in the 19th century.[7][8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,330.41 square miles (3,445.7 km2), of which 507.60 square miles (1,314.7 km2) is land and 822.81 square miles (2,131.1 km2) (61.85%) is water.[9] It is the third-largest county in North Carolina by total area.

National protected areas/sites

State and local protected areas/sites

Outstanding water sources and protected areas:[13][14][15]

  • Back Bay Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area
  • Back Sound Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area
  • Back Sound Outstanding Resource Water
  • Bardens Inlet Crab Spawning Sanctuary
  • Bear Island Area Outstanding Resource Water (part)
  • Bogue Sound Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area
  • Bogue Sound Outstanding Resource Water
  • Core Sound, Neuse River Basin Outstanding Resource Water
  • Core Sound, White Oak River Basin Outstanding Resource Water
  • Drum Inlet Crab Spawning Sanctuary
  • Neuse-Southeast Pamlico Sound Area Outstanding Resource Water (part)
  • Newport River Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area
  • North Bay Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area
  • North River Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area
  • Ocracoke Inlet Crab Spawning Sanctuary (part)
  • Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve Dedicated Nature Preserve
  • The Straits Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area
  • White Oak River Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area (part)

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Major infrastructure

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
17903,734—
18004,39917.8%
18104,8239.6%
18205,60916.3%
18306,59717.6%
18406,591−0.1%
18506,9395.3%
18608,18618.0%
18709,01010.1%
18809,7848.6%
189010,82510.6%
190011,8119.1%
191013,77616.6%
192015,38411.7%
193016,9009.9%
194018,2848.2%
195023,05926.1%
196030,94034.2%
197031,6032.1%
198041,09230.0%
199052,55627.9%
200059,38313.0%
201066,46911.9%
202067,6861.8%
2022 (est.)69,380[3]2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[29]
1790–1960[30] 1900–1990[31]
1990–2000[32] 2010[33] 2020[3]

2020 census
Carteret County racial composition[34]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 57,538 85.01%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 3,208 4.74%
Native American 252 0.37%
Asian 584 0.86%
Pacific Islander 63 0.09%
Other/Mixed 2,922 4.32%
Hispanic or Latino 3,119 4.61%

As of the 2020 census, there were 67,686 people, 28,962 households, and 18,292 families residing in the county.

2000 census

At the 2000 census,[35] there were 59,383 people, 25,204 households, and 17,365 families residing in the county. The population density was 114 people per square mile (44 people/km2). There were 40,947 housing units at an average density of 79 units per square mile (31 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.28% White, 6.99% Black or African American, 0.54% Asian, 0.43% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. 1.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 25,204 households, out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.70% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 28.40% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94 males.

The median income for a household in Carteret County in 2009 was $49,711, and the median income for a family was $45,499. Males had a median income of $31,365 versus $22,126 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,260. About 8.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Carteret County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments. It includes 16 of North Carolina's townships.

Carteret County operates under the Council-Manager form of Government in North Carolina. The County Manager is Tommy Burns.

A voting machine malfunction in the county resulted in the loss of 4,438 ballots cast during early voting for the November 2, 2004 general election.[36] Since the number of lost ballots exceeded the lead held (by Steve Troxler over Britt Cobb) in the statewide race for agriculture commissioner, the State Board of Elections decided to hold a special election on January 11, 2005, open only to the 18,500 voters in the county who either failed to vote or whose votes were lost.[37][38] Both candidates filed legal challenges contesting the format of the new election.[39] On February 4, 2005, Cobb conceded the race.[40]

United States presidential election results for Carteret County, North Carolina[41]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 30,028 70.33% 12,093 28.32% 574 1.34%
2016 26,569 70.32% 9,939 26.31% 1,273 3.37%
2012 24,775 69.76% 10,301 29.00% 441 1.24%
2008 23,131 66.86% 11,130 32.17% 336 0.97%
2004 17,716 69.27% 7,732 30.23% 127 0.50%
2000 17,381 65.69% 8,839 33.40% 241 0.91%
1996 11,721 56.15% 7,566 36.24% 1,589 7.61%
1992 10,334 47.36% 8,028 36.79% 3,457 15.84%
1988 11,076 61.55% 6,859 38.12% 59 0.33%
1984 11,637 66.28% 5,882 33.50% 38 0.22%
1980 7,733 52.37% 6,485 43.92% 549 3.72%
1976 5,786 44.72% 7,080 54.72% 73 0.56%
1972 8,463 74.14% 2,805 24.57% 147 1.29%
1968 4,593 40.23% 3,762 32.95% 3,061 26.81%
1964 4,289 40.77% 6,231 59.23% 0 0.00%
1960 4,493 46.05% 5,264 53.95% 0 0.00%
1956 3,804 49.54% 3,875 50.46% 0 0.00%
1952 2,967 40.94% 4,280 59.06% 0 0.00%
1948 1,520 29.46% 3,491 67.66% 149 2.89%
1944 1,566 30.98% 3,489 69.02% 0 0.00%
1940 1,789 31.47% 3,896 68.53% 0 0.00%
1936 1,889 33.32% 3,780 66.68% 0 0.00%
1932 1,765 33.46% 3,455 65.50% 55 1.04%
1928 3,133 60.51% 2,045 39.49% 0 0.00%
1924 1,854 44.89% 2,261 54.75% 15 0.36%
1920 2,315 52.79% 2,070 47.21% 0 0.00%
1916 1,246 51.68% 1,165 48.32% 0 0.00%
1912 218 11.43% 1,153 60.43% 537 28.14%

Education

Primary and secondary education

The county is served by the Carteret County Public Schools. Carteret County Public Schools has 16 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. Those 16 schools are separated into three high schools, four middle schools, and nine elementary schools.[42]

In addition the county is home to a public charter school and three private schools:

  • Tiller School is a grade K-5 public charter school in Beaufort[43]
  • Saint Egbert School is a grade K-5 Catholic school in Morehead City[44]
  • Grace Christian School is a grade K-8 school in Newport[45]
  • Gramercy Christian School is a grade K-12 school in Newport[46]

Higher learning

Media

The Carteret County News-Times is a community newspaper based in Morehead City that serves Carteret County and nearby areas.[47] Its predecessors were The Beaufort News, a newspaper founded in 1912, and the Twin City Daily Times, a newspaper founded in 1936.[48] The Phillips family purchased and merged the two newspapers together to form Carteret County News-Times.[49] The Carteret County News-Times's earliest printing was on May 18, 1948.[47] Beginning in 1981, the newspaper has published three editions a week: Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.[47] According to the 2010 book North Carolina's Central Coast and New Bern, the newspaper is "a good source of information for vacationers who want to know the schedules of tours, festivals, kids' programs, seminars, exhibits and events of all types within the county and the surrounding area".[50]

Military

Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue is located in the western section of Carteret County along Bogue Sound. It comprises an 875 acres (3.54 km2) landing field located on Bogue Sound that serves as the Marine Corps’ only East Coast site for Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP).[51]

Marine Corps Outlying Field Atlantic is a training field in Atlantic. The USMC manages the Navy's Dumpling Creek Transmission Station in Merrimon. BT-11 Piney Island in Davis[52] and Cat Island in Bogue Sound are former Marine Corps bombing ranges.[53]

The Marine Corps also has a facility in Beaufort, at the southern tip of Radio Island[54] (between the NC State Port in Morehead City, and the marine science laboratories on Pivers Island in Beaufort). It is military property, but is only manned during military port operations.

The US Navy has a Port Control Office and the US Army has a Reserve Center, both in the eastern part of Morehead City. The NC National Guard has an Armory in Morehead City.

The US Coast Guard operates a Sector Office at Fort Macon, as well as a USCG Station at Emerald Isle and Morehead City.

Communities
Map of Carteret County with municipal and township labels

Towns

Townships
  • Atlantic
  • Beaufort
  • Cedar Island
  • Davis
  • Harkers Island
  • Harlowe
  • Marshallberg
  • Merrimon
  • Morehead
  • Newport
  • Portsmouth
  • Sea Level
  • Smyrna
  • Stacy
  • Straits
  • White Oak

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. "NC Pronunciation Guide". WRAL. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  2. Talk Like a Tarheel Archived 2013-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, from the North Carolina Collection website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  3. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Carteret County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. "North Carolina: Individual County Chronologies". North Carolina Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  6. North Carolina, Division of Archives and History, The Correspondence of William Tryon and Other Selected Papers, Volume II, 1768-1818, p. 549
  7. Lewis, J.D. "Captain William Dennis, Jr". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  8. Lewis, J.D. "Carteret County Regiment". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  9. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  10. "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  11. "NC Game lands – Croatan National Forest and Game Land". www.ncfishandgame.com. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  12. "Rachel Carson Reserve". deq.nc.gov. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  13. "List of Tier 3 Waters for the PGP (Outstanding National Resource Waters)" (PDF). EPA. September 8, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  14. "ArcGIS Web Application". ncdenr.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  15. "Maps for Current Rules". deq.nc.gov. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  16. "Home". southrivernc.com. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  17. "Barry Bay Fishing near Harkers Island, North Carolina | HookandBullet.com". www.hookandbullet.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  18. Advertising, Balefire Marketing +. "Cedar Island Bay - Full Hookup, Back In RV Site". Cedar Island Ranch. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  19. Nickens, T. Edward (March 30, 2021). "Safe Passage for Dreams". Our State. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  20. Sharp, Michael (September 15, 2020). "Jarrett Bay Near Davis And Williston NC | Discussions And Information". Carteret County NC Project. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  21. "Long Bay". FishingWorks. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  22. Sharp, Michael (September 22, 2020). "Nelson Bay And Down East NC Discussions". Carteret County NC Project. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  23. Sharp, Michael (July 28, 2019). "Taylor's Creek Near The Rachel Carson Reserve | Tourism". Carteret County NC Project. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  24. Sharp, Michael (October 18, 2020). "Thorofare Bay NC Discussions In Carteret County". Carteret County NC Project. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  25. "Descriptive Boundaries for Costal-Joint-Inland Waters". deq.nc.gov. June 1, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  26. "Fishing reports, best baits and forecast for fishing in West Thorofare Bay". Fishbrain. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  27. "Carteret County Speedway". Carteret County Speedway. 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  28. Isl, Mailing Address: 131 Charles St Harkers; Us, NC 28531 Phone: 252 728-2250 Contact. "List of Authorized Ferry Services - Cape Lookout National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  29. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  30. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  31. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  32. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  33. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  34. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  35. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  36. "More than 4,500 North Carolina votes lost because of mistake in voting machine capacity". USA Today. November 5, 2004. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
  37. "E-voting Woes Force New Election in N.C. County". Computerworld. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
  38. "New Ag Commissioner Election To Be Held In Carteret County". WRAL-TV. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
  39. "Lawyers For Both State Ag Candidates Head To Court Over Special Election". WRAL-TV. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
  40. "Cobb Concedes Ag Commissioner Race To Troxler". WRAL-TV. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
  41. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  42. "Carteret County Public Schools". NC School Report Cards. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  43. "Home". www.tillerschool.org. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  44. "St. Egbert Catholic School". www.stegbert.org. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  45. "Explore Grace Christian School". Niche. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  46. "Home". Gramercy Christian School. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  47. Starkey, Jackie (June 15, 2019). "News-Times moves print production to Greenville". Carteret County News-Times. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  48. "The ESC Quarterly, Volumes 14-17". The ESC Quarterly. Employment Security Commission of North Carolina. 1959. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  49. Smith, J.J. (June 18, 2019). "Support local journalism or find yourself in a news desert". The Carteret County News-Times. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  50. Bridges, Neva Dail; Weigand, Janice (2010). North Carolina's Central Coast and New Bern (19 ed.). Wilmington, North Carolina: Globe Pequot Press. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-7627-5991-0. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  51. Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue
  52. Jimenez, Lance Cpl. Jason (July 9, 2015). "PINEY ISLAND REPLENISHES LIVE-FIRE TARGETS". MCAS CHERRY POINT NEWS.
  53. Anne V. Stokes, Travis Fulk, Brenda Swann, Bryan Harrell, Debra J. Wells, Bruce J. Larson, & Carmen Lombardo (October 2008). "Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point - Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan - FY 2008 – 2013" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on November 7, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  54. "Morehead City". Archived from the original on November 13, 2001.
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