Edgecombe County, North Carolina

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Edgecombe County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 55,606. Its county seat is Tarboro^[1].

• 1 History
• 2 Law and government
• 3 Geography
  • 3.1 Townships
  • 3.2 Adjacent counties
• 4 Demographics
• 5 Cities and towns
• 6 Notable residents
• 7 References
• 8 External links

History

The county was formed in 1741 from Bertie County. It was named for Richard Edgcumbe, a Member of Parliament from 1701 to 1742 and a lord of the treasury, who became 1st Baron Edgcumbe in 1742.

In 1746 part of Edgecombe County became Granville County; in 1758 another part became Halifax County; in 1777 yet another part became Nash County. In 1855 the formation of Wilson County from parts of Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County reduced Edgecombe to its present dimensions, aside from minor boundary adjustments.

Edgecombe County was historically home to the Tuscarora Indians.Today there are many descendents of the Tuscarora still living in certain areas of the county.

Law and government

Edgecombe County is a member of the regional Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 507 square miles (1,313.1 km²), of which 505 square miles (1,307.9 km²) is land and 2 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.31%) is water.

Townships

The county is divided into fourteen townships, which are both numbered and named: 1 (Tarboro), 2 (Lower Conetoe), 3 (Upper Conetoe), 4 (Deep Creek), 5 (Lower Fishing Creek), 6 (Upper Fishing Creek), 7 (Swift Creek), 8 (Sparta), 9 (Otter Creek), 10 (Lower Town Creek), 11 (Walnut Creek), 12 (Rocky Mount), 13 (Cokey), and 14 (Upper Town Creek).

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