Tyrrell County, North Carolina

Tyrrell County (/ˈtɛərɪl/ TAIR-il)[2][3] is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,245,[4] making it the least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Columbia.[5] The county was created in 1729 as Tyrrell Precinct and gained county status in 1739.[6] Tyrrell County is included in the Kill Devil Hills, NC, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC Combined Statistical Area.

Tyrrell County
County
Tyrrell County Courthouse in Columbia
Tyrrell County Courthouse in Columbia
Flag of Tyrrell County
Flag
Official seal of Tyrrell County
Seal
Motto(s): 
"Nature's buffer zone, sprawled between the urban mainland and the popular stretch of North Carolina's Outer Banks."
Map of North Carolina highlighting Tyrrell 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: 35°52′N 76°10′W
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1729
Named forSir John Tyrrell[1]
SeatColumbia
Largest communityColumbia
Area
 • Total597.18 sq mi (1,546.7 km2)
 • Land390.78 sq mi (1,012.1 km2)
 • Water206.40 sq mi (534.6 km2)  34.56%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,245
 • Estimate 
(2022)
3,365
 • Density8.61/sq mi (3.32/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitetyrrellcounty.org

History

The county was formed in 1729 as Tyrrell Precinct of Albemarle County, from parts of Bertie Precinct, Chowan Precinct, Currituck Precinct, and Pasquotank Precinct. It was named for Sir John Tyrrell, one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina.

With the abolition of Albemarle County in 1739, all of its constituent precincts became counties. In 1774, the western part of Tyrrell County was combined with part of Halifax County to form Martin County. In 1799, the western third of what remained of Tyrrell County became Washington County. In 1870, the half of Tyrrell County east of the Alligator River was combined with parts of Currituck County and Hyde County to form Dare County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 597.18 square miles (1,546.7 km2), of which 390.78 square miles (1,012.1 km2) is land and 206.40 square miles (534.6 km2) (34.56%) is water.[7] Tyrrell County, due to its proximity to the Outer Banks, has been designated as part of the Inner Banks.[8]

Wildlife in the county includes bears, red wolves, and pitcher plants.[9]

National protected area

State and local protected areas
  • Alligator River Game Land[10]
  • Alligator River Area Outstanding Resource Water (part)
  • Buckridge Coastal Reserve Dedicated Nature Preserve
  • Buckridge Game Land[10]
  • Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Coastal Reserve
  • Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Reserve (part)
  • J. Morgan Futch Game Land[11]
  • Lantern Acres Game Land (part)[10]
  • New Lake Game Land[10]
  • Palmetto-Peartree Preserve[11]
  • Pettigrew State Park (part)
  • Texas Plantation Game Land[10]

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
17904,826—
18003,395−29.7%
18103,364−0.9%
18204,31928.4%
18304,7329.6%
18404,657−1.6%
18505,13310.2%
18604,944−3.7%
18704,173−15.6%
18804,5458.9%
18904,225−7.0%
19004,98017.9%
19105,2194.8%
19204,849−7.1%
19305,1646.5%
19405,5567.6%
19505,048−9.1%
19604,520−10.5%
19703,806−15.8%
19803,9754.4%
19903,856−3.0%
20004,1497.6%
20104,4076.2%
20203,245−26.4%
2022 (est.)3,365[4]3.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790–1960[14] 1900–1990[15]
1990–2000[16] 2010[17] 2020[4]

2020 census
Tyrrell County racial composition[18]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 1,879 57.9%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 934 28.78%
Native American 5 0.15%
Asian 43 1.33%
Other/Mixed 112 3.45%
Hispanic or Latino 272 8.38%

As of the 2020 census, there were 3,245 people in Tyrrell, making it North Carolina's least-populous county.[19]

Demographic change

Tyrrell County's population peaked in 1940 with 5,556 residents. The population subsequently declined to about 4,000 residents, where it remained for several decades before shrinking further due to outmigration fueled by diminished job opportunities.[9] Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Tyrrell's population dropped by 26 percent, the largest population drop by percentage in the state.[19]

Government and politics

Tyrrell County is governed by a five-member Board of County Commissioners. The elections for County Commissioners are partisan and at large.[20] To save money, some of Tyrrell's government services are consolidated with other neighboring rural counties such as Hyde and Washington.[9]

Tyrrell County is a member of the Albemarle Commission, a regional economic development organization which serves several counties in eastern North Carolina.[21]

In 2022, Tyrell County is represented by Ed Goodwin in the 1st district in the North Carolina House of Representatives and Bobby Hanig in the 1st district in the North Carolina Senate.

United States presidential election results for Tyrrell County, North Carolina[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 1,044 57.46% 758 41.72% 15 0.83%
2016 975 56.07% 720 41.40% 44 2.53%
2012 930 52.16% 837 46.94% 16 0.90%
2008 960 50.26% 933 48.85% 17 0.89%
2004 855 53.77% 731 45.97% 4 0.25%
2000 706 45.08% 849 54.21% 11 0.70%
1996 488 32.25% 908 60.01% 117 7.73%
1992 553 33.03% 928 55.44% 193 11.53%
1988 637 44.70% 785 55.09% 3 0.21%
1984 774 48.89% 807 50.98% 2 0.13%
1980 466 34.01% 887 64.74% 17 1.24%
1976 403 30.88% 900 68.97% 2 0.15%
1972 676 59.30% 459 40.26% 5 0.44%
1968 291 22.61% 581 45.14% 415 32.25%
1964 374 27.30% 996 72.70% 0 0.00%
1960 349 27.37% 926 72.63% 0 0.00%
1956 420 40.58% 615 59.42% 0 0.00%
1952 385 29.59% 916 70.41% 0 0.00%
1948 336 30.19% 732 65.77% 45 4.04%
1944 281 31.50% 611 68.50% 0 0.00%
1940 415 26.69% 1,140 73.31% 0 0.00%
1936 304 22.47% 1,049 77.53% 0 0.00%
1932 258 22.69% 873 76.78% 6 0.53%
1928 505 51.53% 475 48.47% 0 0.00%
1924 442 40.89% 638 59.02% 1 0.09%
1920 532 42.56% 718 57.44% 0 0.00%
1916 392 48.51% 416 51.49% 0 0.00%
1912 224 35.84% 297 47.52% 104 16.64%

In the 2020 elections in Hyde County, Republicans took more votes than Democrats in federal and statewide contests.[23]

Economy

Tyrrell County's economy is heavily reliant on agriculture—with its largest crop being potatoes[9] — as well as forestry and fishing.[24] The county also hosts a small tourism industry centered around hunting, fishing, and bird watching.[9][24] It suffers from high poverty and food insecurity rates.[24]

Communities
Map of Tyrrell County with municipal and township labels

Town
  • Columbia (county seat and largest community)

Townships
  • Alligator
  • Columbia
  • Gum Neck
  • Scuppernong
  • South Fork

Unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. Powell, William S. (January 1, 2006). "Tyrrell County". NCpedia. University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  2. "NC Pronunciation Guide". WRAL. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  3. 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.
  4. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Tyrrell County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  5. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. "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 25, 2015.
  7. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  8. "Series: The New Waterfront". News and Observer. July 31, 2006. Archived from the original on July 1, 2006.
  9. Campbell, Colin (October 31, 2021). "Tiny Tyrrell County wants to grow". Business North Carolina. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  10. "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  11. Kozak, Catherine (April 28, 2019). "Increased Flooding Plagues Tyrrell County". Coastal Review. North Carolina Coastal Federation. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  12. Fuss, J. David (October 11, 2001). "Restoration And Management Plan For The Emily And Richardson Preyer Buckridge Coastal Reserve, Tyrrell County, North Carolina". www.deq.nc.gov. p. 4. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  13. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  15. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  16. "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 20, 2015.
  17. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  18. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  19. Tester, Brandon (August 12, 2021). "2020 Census: Beaufort County's population decreased by 6.5%". Washington Daily News. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  20. "About Us". tyrrellcounty.org. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  21. "Report: COG Director Had Conflict of Interest". Coastal Review. North Carolina Coastal Federation. February 1, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  23. McClees, Ray (November 10, 2020). "Republicans led Tyrrell vote results". Washington Daily News. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  24. Igelman, Jack (September 15, 2021). "Changing climate poses burden as people count on fishing". Carolina Public Press. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
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