New Hanover County, North Carolina

New Hanover County
County
New Hanover County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Motto:  "The model of good governance"
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°11′N77°52′W / 34.18°N 77.86°W / 34.18; -77.86
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1729
Named for	House of Hanover
Seat	Wilmington
Largest community	Wilmington
Area
• Total	328.86 sq mi (851.7 km2)
• Land	192.26 sq mi (498.0 km2)
• Water	136.60 sq mi (353.8 km2)  41.54%
Population  (2020)
• Total	225,702
• Estimate  (2023)	238,852
• Density	1,173.94/sq mi (453.26/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	7th
Website	www.nhcgov.com

New Hanover County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 225,702. ^[1] The county seat is Wilmington. ^[2] Though the second-smallest county in North Carolina by land area, ^[3] it is one of the most populous counties, as Wilmington is one of the largest communities in the state. The county was created in 1729 as New Hanover Precinct and gained county status in 1739. ^[4] New Hanover County is included in the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which also includes neighboring Pender and Brunswick counties.

History

Located in the Low Country or Tidewater of North Carolina, the county was formed in 1729 as New Hanover Precinct of Bath County, from Craven Precinct. It was named for the House of Hanover, a German royal family then ruling Great Britain. ^[5]

In 1734, parts of New Hanover Precinct became Bladen Precinct and Onslow Precinct. With the abolition of Bath County in 1739, all of its constituent precincts became counties.

In 1750, the northern part of New Hanover County became Duplin County. In 1764, another part of New Hanover County was combined with part of Bladen County to form Brunswick County. Finally, in 1875, the separation of northern New Hanover County to form Pender County reduced it to its present dimensions. The county was developed as plantations, largely for the cultivation of tobacco and other commodity crops by enslaved African Americans. ^[6]

By 1860, the county seat and county were majority-black in population, with most of those people enslaved. Some of the closing battles of the American Civil War took place in this county, including the Second Battle of Fort Fisher (the last major coastal stronghold of the Confederacy) and the Battle of Wilmington. White Democrats were resentful when freedmen were given the vote.

Following the Reconstruction era, white Democrats regained control of the state legislature and continued to impose white supremacy across the state through Jim Crow laws. Violence by whites against blacks increased in the late 19th century, with 22 lynching deaths of African Americans recorded before the mid-20th century. ^{[7] [8]}

Racial terrorism on a larger scale took place in the Wilmington Insurrection of 1898, when a group of white Democrats rejected a duly elected, biracial city government. After overthrowing the Fusionist government, the mayor and city council, they led mobs that rioted and attacked the city's black neighborhoods and residents. A total of 60 to 300 blacks are believed to have been killed in the rioting, leaders were driven out of the city, and the presses of a black-owned newspaper were destroyed, along with many houses and businesses. ^{[9] [10]}

The insurrection was planned by a group of nine conspirators, who included Hugh MacRae. He later donated land to New Hanover County for a park; it was named in his honor. A plaque was installed there explaining the donation and his life; it does not refer to his role in the 1898 coup d'état. ^[11] However, in July 2020, the name of the park was changed from "Hugh McRae Park" to "Long Leaf Park" due to his role in the insurrection. ^[12]

Soon after, the state passed a new constitution raising barriers to voter registration: this effectively disenfranchised most blacks and imposed Jim Crow laws, forcing blacks out of the political system and into legal second-class status. These civil rights injustices were largely maintained into the 1960s, three generations later. ^[13]

Geography

Interactive map of New Hanover County

Intersection of South College Road, South 17th Street, and Waltmoor Road from the air

The surf at Carolina Beach

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 328.86 square miles (851.7 km²), of which 192.26 square miles (498.0 km²) is land and 136.60 square miles (353.8 km²) (41.54%) is water. ^[14] It is the second-smallest county in North Carolina by land area (ahead of only Chowan County).

State and local protected areas/sites

• Airlie Gardens
• Battleship North Carolina
• Bluethenthal Wildflower Preserve
• Cape Fear Museum of History and Science
• Cape Fear River Wetlands Game Land (part) ^[15]
• Carolina Beach State Park
• Federal Point
• Fort Fisher State Historic Site
• Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
• Freeman Park ^[16]
• Masonboro Island Estuarine Reserve Dedicated Nature Preserve
• Masonboro Island Reserve
• Masonboro Sound Area Outstanding Resource Water
• New Hanover County Arboretum
• North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
• Pages Creek Park Preserve ^[17]
• The Rocks at Fort Fisher
• South of Onslow County Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area (part)
• Sutton Lake Game Land ^[15]
• Topsail Sound and Middle Sound Area Outstanding Resource Water
• Wilmington Historic District
• Zekes Island Estuarine Reserve Dedicated Nature Preserve (part)
• Zeke's Island Reserve (part)

Major water bodies

• Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic Ocean)
• Banks Channel
• Bradley Creek
• Brunswick River
• Cape Fear River
• Frying Pan Shoals
• Futch Creek
• Greenfield Lake
• Hewletts Creek
• Howe Creek
• Intracoastal Waterway
• Island Creek ^[18]
• Lake Sutton
• Leutze Lake
• Northeast Cape Fear River
• Onslow Bay
• Prince George Creek ^[19]
• Smith Creek
• Snow's Cut
• Whiskey Creek

Major islands

• Eagles Island ^[20]
• Pleasure Island
• Figure Eight Island
• Masonboro Island
• Wrightsville Beach
• Zeke’s Island

Adjacent counties

• Pender County – north
• Brunswick County – west

Major highways

• I-40
• I-140  / NC 140
• US 17
• 
  US 17 Bus.
• 
  US 17 Byp. (future Hampstead Bypass)
• US 74
• US 76
• US 117
• US 421
• 
  US 421 Truck
• NC 132
• NC 133
• NC 211
• NC 417 (temporary highway designation for US 17 Byp.)

Major infrastructure

• Amtrak Thruway (Forden Station)
• Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority
• Pilots Ridge, small private airport near Myrtle Grove
• Port of Wilmington
• Southport–Fort Fisher Ferry (to Brunswick County)
• Wilmington International Airport

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	6,837		—
1800	7,060		3.3%
1810	11,465		62.4%
1820	10,866		−5.2%
1830	10,959		0.9%
1840	13,312		21.5%
1850	17,668		32.7%
1860	21,715		22.9%
1870	27,978		28.8%
1880	21,376		−23.6%
1890	24,026		12.4%
1900	25,785		7.3%
1910	32,037		24.2%
1920	40,620		26.8%
1930	43,010		5.9%
1940	47,935		11.5%
1950	63,272		32.0%
1960	71,742		13.4%
1970	82,996		15.7%
1980	103,471		24.7%
1990	120,284		16.2%
2000	160,307		33.3%
2010	202,667		26.4%
2020	225,702		11.4%
2023 (est.)	238,852	[1]	5.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [21] 1790–1960 [22] 1900–1990 [23] 1990–2000 [24] 2010 [25] 2020 [1]

2020 census

New Hanover County racial composition ^[26]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	167,150	74.06%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	26,974	11.95%
Native American	678	0.3%
Asian	3,468	1.54%
Pacific Islander	148	0.07%
Other/Mixed	9,984	4.42%
Hispanic or Latino	17,300	7.66%

As of the 2020 census, there were 225,702 people, 100,189 households, and 56,160 families residing in the county.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, ^[27] there were 160,307 people, 68,183 households, and 41,591 families residing in the county. The population density was 806 people per square mile (311 people/km²). There were 79,616 housing units at an average density of 400 units per square mile (150 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.91% White, 16.97% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. 2.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.3% were of English, 13.0% United States or American, 10.6% German and 10.2% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 68,183 households, out of which 26.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.50% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.00% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size were 2.29 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.00% under the age of 18, 12.00% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,172, and the median income for a family was $50,861. Males had a median income of $35,801 versus $25,305 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,123. About 8.30% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

W. Allen Cobb Judicial Annex in Wilmington

New Hanover County Jail and Sheriff's Office in unincorporated Castle Hayne

New Hanover County is governed by a county commission. The commission comprises five members elected at-large in four-year staggered terms. The body elects its own chairman and vice-chairman. It sets policy for county administration within the confines of state law, adopts local ordinances, appoints advisory committees, and enacts an annual county budget. ^[28]

New Hanover County is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Republican David Rouzer, who is the representative for North Carolina's 7th congressional district. ^[29] From 2013 to 2017, a portion of northwestern and central New Hanover County was redistricted to North Carolina's 3rd congressional district, which was represented by Republican Walter B. Jones Jr. before his death. The county is also in the 7th and 8th districts of the North Carolina Senate, represented by Republicans Michael V. Lee and Bill Rabon, respectively; and the 18th, 19th, and 20th districts of the North Carolina House of Representatives, represented by two Republicans and one Democrat. ^[30]

New Hanover County is a member of the regional Cape Fear Council of Governments.

New Hanover County Sheriff's Office (NHCSO) serves as the county's primary law enforcement agency. NHCSO is responsible for patrolling the county (primarily outside the Wilmington city limits), staffing the juvenile and adult correctional facilities, and proving court security for the W. Allen Cobb Judicial Annex in Wilmington.

Politics

New Hanover County is politically competitive. ^{[31] [32]} It favored Republican presidential candidates every election between 1968 and 2016, except in 1976, with county favoring Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. The county has also favored Democratic U.S. Senate candidates in recent elections, though Republicans still tend to perform better in local contests. ^[31] In 2024, Kamala Harris became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the county yet lose the presidential election since 1956.

United States presidential election results for New Hanover County, North Carolina ^[33]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	67,949	48.98%	68,814	49.60%	1,971	1.42%
2020	63,331	48.04%	66,138	50.17%	2,361	1.79%
2016	55,344	49.46%	50,979	45.56%	5,582	4.99%
2012	53,385	51.52%	48,668	46.96%	1,575	1.52%
2008	50,544	50.21%	49,145	48.82%	976	0.97%
2004	45,351	55.82%	35,572	43.78%	324	0.40%
2000	36,503	55.04%	29,292	44.17%	524	0.79%
1996	27,889	50.92%	22,839	41.70%	4,041	7.38%
1992	24,338	46.67%	20,291	38.91%	7,525	14.43%
1988	23,807	60.56%	15,401	39.18%	105	0.27%
1984	23,771	65.21%	12,591	34.54%	90	0.25%
1980	17,243	53.48%	13,670	42.40%	1,331	4.13%
1976	13,687	48.06%	14,504	50.93%	286	1.00%
1972	19,060	74.41%	5,894	23.01%	661	2.58%
1968	10,020	37.03%	7,750	28.64%	9,291	34.33%
1964	12,140	49.10%	12,584	50.90%	0	0.00%
1960	9,775	42.58%	13,182	57.42%	0	0.00%
1956	9,470	48.03%	10,247	51.97%	0	0.00%
1952	9,330	47.46%	10,330	52.54%	0	0.00%
1948	3,162	28.25%	5,364	47.92%	2,667	23.83%
1944	2,829	23.01%	9,467	76.99%	0	0.00%
1940	1,635	15.97%	8,600	84.03%	0	0.00%
1936	1,306	15.04%	7,379	84.96%	0	0.00%
1932	1,430	18.81%	6,030	79.33%	141	1.86%
1928	4,248	60.62%	2,760	39.38%	0	0.00%
1924	1,190	18.80%	4,735	74.80%	405	6.40%
1920	712	14.79%	4,102	85.21%	0	0.00%
1916	492	17.28%	2,355	82.72%	0	0.00%
1912	140	6.17%	2,021	89.11%	107	4.72%
1908	511	21.58%	1,857	78.42%	0	0.00%
1904	91	6.77%	1,254	93.23%	0	0.00%
1900	60	2.60%	2,247	97.40%	0	0.00%
1896	3,183	58.17%	2,100	38.38%	189	3.45%
1892	1,500	38.01%	2,408	61.02%	38	0.96%
1888	2,856	60.43%	1,870	39.57%	0	0.00%
1884	2,894	62.38%	1,745	37.62%	0	0.00%
1880	2,200	55.88%	1,438	36.53%	299	7.59%

Education

See also: Wilmington, North Carolina § Education

The county is served by New Hanover County Schools.

Healthcare

New Hanover Regional Medical Center is a hospital in Wilmington. It was established in 1967 as a public hospital, and it was the first hospital in the city to admit patients of all races. ^[34] It was operated by New Hanover County. ^[35] In February 2021 Novant Health, a nonprofit private organization, acquired the hospital. ^[36]

Communities

Map of New Hanover County with municipal and township labels

City

• Wilmington (county seat and largest community)

Towns

• Carolina Beach
• Kure Beach
• Wrightsville Beach

Townships

• Cape Fear
• Federal Point
• Harnett
• Masonboro
• Wilmington

Census-designated places

• Bayshore
• Blue Clay Farms
• Castle Hayne
• Hightsville
• Kings Grant
• Kirkland
• Murraysville
• Myrtle Grove
• Northchase
• Ogden
• Porters Neck
• Sea Breeze
• Silver Lake
• Skippers Corner
• Wrightsboro

Unincorporated community

• Monkey Junction

Former communities

• Masonboro
• Seagate
• Wilmington Beach

Notable people

See also: Wilmington, North Carolina § Notable people

• Michael Jordan, NBA player
• Meadowlark Lemon, NBA player for the Harlem Globetrotters

See also

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in New Hanover County, North Carolina
• Films and television shows produced in Wilmington, North Carolina
• Federal Point Light, deactivated lighthouse that used to be located at Fort Fisher
• Frying Pan Shoals Light, old lighthouse south of Fort Fisher
• GenX, chemical compound found in the Cape Fear River, south of Fayetteville

References

1. "QuickFacts: New Hanover County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "North Carolina Land Area County Rank". USA.com. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
4. "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.
5. Proffitt, Martie (April 17, 1983). "Local history offers tasty tidbits". Star-News. pp. 8C. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
6. Lennon, Donald R.; SLNC Government and Heritage Library (2006). Powell, William S. (ed.). "Cape Fear River Settlements". NCpedia. University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
7. "Lynching in America/Supplement: Lynching by County, 3rd edition" Archived October 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine , 2017, Montgomery, Alabama: Equal Justice Initiative, p. 7
8. Johnson, Allen. "Allen Johnson: Lynching memorial a stark reminder of terrorism in America". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
9. "1898 Wilmington Coup". www.dncr.nc.gov. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
10. Zucchino, David (July 1, 2020). "The 1898 Wilmington Massacre Is an Essential Lesson in How State Violence Has Targeted Black Americans". Time. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
11. Still, Johanna F. (June 22, 2020). "County quietly removed at least three Hugh MacRae Park signs after they were vandalized". Port City Daily. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
12. Weller, Frances (July 14, 2020). "Hugh MacRae Park name change to take place immediately, signs removed". WECT. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
13. Medlin, Eric (2022). "Jim Crow". NCpedia. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
14. "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
15. "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
16. "Freeman Park". www.carolinabeach.org. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
17. "Pages Creek Park Preserve". www.nhcgov.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
18. Wood, Andy; Shew, Roger (March 30, 2023). "Island Creek Basin Ecosystems: An Imperiled Biodiversity Hotspot". newhanoversheriff.com. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
19. "Prince George Creek Near Wrightsboro, NC (USGS-02108622)". www.waterqualitydata.us. April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
20. Nunn, Scott (January 4, 2022). "Eagles Island is mostly undeveloped. That wasn't always the case". WHQR. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
21. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
22. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
23. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
24. "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 18, 2015.
25. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 27, 2013.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
26. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
27. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
28. "County Commissioners & Clerk : About Us". New Hanover County. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
29. "Directory of Representatives". house.gov. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
30. "New Hanover County Representation". North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
31. Still, Johanna; Cunningham, Eric (October 25, 2023). "Battle for the 'Burbs". The Assembly. Archived from the original on October 26, 2023.
32. Still, Johanna F. (November 6, 2020). "With polarization seemingly reaching all-time highs, New Hanover, N.C. still purple". Port City Daily. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
33. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
34. Rau, Jordan (January 28, 2021). "In the midst of the pandemic, a public hospital is gobbled up". Fortune Magazine . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
35. "Annual Financial Report New Hanover Regional Medical Center Wilmington, North Carolina (A Component Unit of New Hanover County, North Carolina) Years Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 With Report of Independent Auditor" (PDF). New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
36. Paavola, Alia (February 1, 2021). "Novant buys North Carolina health system". Beckers Hospital Review. Retrieved November 19, 2021.

Further reading

• "New Hanover County", Branson's North Carolina Business Directory...1867-68, Raleigh, NC: Branson & Jones, p. 79 – via hathitrust.org
• "New Hanover County", Branson's North Carolina Business Directory, 1896, Raleigh, NC: Levi Branson, p. 448 – via archive.org
• "New Hanover County", North Carolina Year Book and Business Directory, 1916, Raleigh, N.C.: News and Observer Publishing Company – via hathitrust.org

External links

• Geographic data related to New Hanover County, North Carolina at OpenStreetMap
• Official website
• NCGenWeb New Hanover County, genealogy resources for the county