county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the U.S. state of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is Swan Quarter. The county was created in 1705 as Wickham Precinct. It was renamed Hyde Precinct in 1712 and gained county status in 1739.
History
The county was formed December 3, 1705, as Wickham Precinct, one of three precincts within Bath County. The name "Wickham" was derived from the manor of " Temple Wycombe" in
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, the family home of
John Archdale
John Archdale (5 March 1642 – 4 July 1717) served as British colonial Governor of North Carolina and Governor of South Carolina in 1695 and 1696. He may have also been appointed to serve circa 1683-1686. Archdale was appointed to the position b ...
, Governor of North and South Carolina from 1695 to 1696. In 1712 it was renamed Hyde Precinct, for Edward Hyde, Governor of North Carolina from 1711 to 1712. In 1739 Bath County was abolished, and Hyde Precinct became Hyde County.
Various boundary changes have since taken place. In 1745
Lake Mattamuskeet
Lake Mattamuskeet is the largest natural lake in North Carolina. It is a shallow coastal lake, averaging 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) feet in depth, and stretches long and wide. Lake Mattamuskeet lies on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula.
Lake ...
and its adjoining territory were transferred from Currituck County to Hyde County. In 1819 the portion of Hyde County west of the
Pungo River
The Pungo River is a river in eastern North Carolina, United States. It originally began in the Great Dismal Swamp in Washington County, North Carolina; the upper part of the river has since been supplanted by the Pungo River Canal, dug in the 19 ...
was annexed by Beaufort County. Four years later, the area of Currituck County south of
New Inlet
New Inlet was an inlet along the Outer Banks of North Carolina joining Pamlico Sound with the Atlantic Ocean. It had not existed since 1945 before Hurricane Irene temporarily re-opened the inlet in 2011.
History
New Inlet first opened around 1738 ...
was transferred to Hyde County. This is now included Hatteras Island. In 1845
Ocracoke Island
Ocracoke , from the North Carolina Collection website at the
was transferred from Carteret County to Hyde County. In 1870 Hyde County was reduced to its present dimensions, when its northeastern part was combined with parts of Currituck County and Tyrrell County to form Dare County. Since its creation, the boundaries of Hyde County have changed more than those of any other county in North Carolina.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (57%) is water. It is the second-largest county in North Carolina by total area. Hyde County's in-land is part of the
Inner Banks
The Inner Banks is a neologism made up by developers and tourism promoters to describe the inland coastal region of eastern North Carolina. Without historical precedent, the term "Inner Banks" is an early 21st-century construct that is part of a ...
. Ocracoke Island is part of the
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...
.
National protected areas
*
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located in eastern North Carolina along the Atlantic Coast. It was established on March 14, 1984, to preserve and protect a unique wetland habitat type—the pocosin—a ...
(part)
*
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a United States national seashore which preserves the portion of the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island, stretching over , and is managed by the National Park Service. Included wi ...
(part)
*
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
The Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge is a federally protected wildlife refuge located within Hyde County, North Carolina, United States. North Carolina's largest natural lake, Lake Mattamuskeet, is located entirely within the National Wildli ...
*
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula in Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties, North Carolina. Its headquarters is located in Columbia.
Pocosin Lakes NWR was e ...
(part)
*
Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge
The Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge is located in Hyde County, North Carolina near the village of Swan Quarter. The area is a federally protected land and home to many species of wildlife and waterfowl. The refuge is administered from the ne ...
State and locale protected areas
*
Dare Game Land
Dare may refer to:
Places
* Dare, East Timor, a city
* Darè, Italy, a commune
* Dare County, North Carolina, United States
* Dare, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community
Name
* Dare (name), a list of people and fictional ...
Hatteras Inlet Crab Spawning Sanctuary
Hatteras may refer to:
* ''The Adventures of Captain Hatteras'', the novel by Jules Verne
* Hatteras Networks, a North Carolina-based telecommunications equipment provider
* Hatteras Indians, the Roanoke-Hatteras Indian tribe
Places:
* Hatter ...
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, then following th ...
*
Lake Mattamuskeet
Lake Mattamuskeet is the largest natural lake in North Carolina. It is a shallow coastal lake, averaging 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) feet in depth, and stretches long and wide. Lake Mattamuskeet lies on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula.
Lake ...
*
Pamlico River
The Pamlico , from the North Carolina Collection's website at the
*
Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound ( ) is a lagoon in North Carolina which is the largest lagoon along the North American East Coast, extending long and 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) wide. It is part of a large, interconnected network of lagoon estuaries that in ...
Pungo River
The Pungo River is a river in eastern North Carolina, United States. It originally began in the Great Dismal Swamp in Washington County, North Carolina; the upper part of the river has since been supplanted by the Pungo River Canal, dug in the 19 ...
*
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 4,589 people, 1,947 households, and 1,378 families residing in the county.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 5,826 people, 2,185 households, and 1,433 families residing in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 10 people per square mile (4/km2). There were 3,302 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 62.65%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 35.07%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.84% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.77% from two or more races. 2.25% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 2,185 households, out of which 26.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.70% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 30.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 112.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,444, and the median income for a family was $35,558. Males had a median income of $25,216 versus $20,482 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $13,164. About 10.30% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 19.50% of those under age 18 and 23.00% of those age 65 or over.
Law and government
Hyde County is a member of the
Albemarle Commission Albemarle may refer to:
People
* Albemarle (given name)
* Duke of Albemarle, includes a list of the dukes
* Earl of Albemarle, includes a list of the earls
Places United States
* Albemarle, North Carolina, a city
* Albemarle Sound, an estuary on ...
regional council of governments.
Hyde County is served by six volunteer fire departments: Engelhard, Fairfield, Ocracoke, Scranton, Ponzer, and Swan Quarter.
Politics
Hyde County is located within
North Carolina's 3rd congressional district
North Carolina's 3rd congressional district is located on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina. It covers the Outer Banks and the counties adjacent to the Pamlico Sound.
The district is currently represented by Greg Murphy following a speci ...
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
winning 1,241 votes,
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
winning 1,212 votes, and other candidates winning 16 votes.
Earl Pugh is chairman of the Hyde County Commissioners.
Education
Hyde County is home to the smallest public school system in North Carolina. The
Hyde County Schools
Hyde County Schools is a public school district in Hyde County, North Carolina. Headquartered in Swan Squarter, currently operates two K-12 schools.
History
David S. Cecelski, author of ''Along Freedom Road: Hyde County, North Carolina, and th ...
comprises two schools.
*
Mattamuskeet School
Lake Mattamuskeet is the largest natural lake in North Carolina. It is a shallow coastal lake, averaging 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) feet in depth, and stretches long and wide. Lake Mattamuskeet lies on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula.
Lake ...
, K-12 serves the mainland
*
Ocracoke School Ocracoke may refer to:
* Ocracoke, North Carolina
* Ocracoke Island Light, a lighthouse on Ocracoke island
* Ocracoke Inlet
Ocracoke Inlet ()WKHC
WKHC is a contemporary Christian radio station at 97.1 FM licensed to Hatteras, North Carolina serving the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The station is owned by EMF Broadcasting.
History
WKHC started in 1989 as soft adult contemporary "The Wi ...
97.1 FM and
WCMS-FM
WCMS-FM (94.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a New Country format. Licensed to Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, the station serves the Elizabeth City-Nags Head area. WCMS has used the name "Water Country" since it signed on in 1999. ...
94.5. These stations are licensed to Hatteras, NC but maintain transmitter facilities outside of Engelhard.
Ocracoke Island is home to
WOVV
WOVV (90.1 FM) is a community radio station licensed to Ocracoke, North Carolina, United States. The station, owned by the Ocracoke Community Radio, Inc., airs a variety format of music, news, and local public affairs programming. In addition to ...
90.1 FM, a low power non-commercial station.
WHYC
WHYC (88.5 FM) is a Public Radio East Classical radio station licensed to serve the community of Swan Quarter, North Carolina. The station is licensed to the Hyde County Board of Education with station programming originating from Public Radio E ...
88.5 FM is located on the campus of Mattamuskeet School in Swan Quarter. WHYC is one of only two high school operated stations in North Carolina.
Communities
Hyde County has no incorporated municipalities.
Census-designated places
*
Engelhard
Engelhard Corporation was an American ''Fortune'' 500 company headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, United States. It is credited with developing the first production catalytic converter. In 2006, the German chemical manufacturer BASF bough ...
Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region
United States
* Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County
* Ge ...
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
* Currituck
* Fairfield
* Lake Landing
* Ocracoke
* Swan Quarter
A sixth township, Mattamuskeet, is now "unorganized territory" occupied by the federally controlled
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
The Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge is a federally protected wildlife refuge located within Hyde County, North Carolina, United States. North Carolina's largest natural lake, Lake Mattamuskeet, is located entirely within the National Wildli ...
.
See also
*
List of counties in North Carolina
__NOTOC__
The U.S. state of North Carolina is divided into 100 counties. North Carolina ranks 28th in size by area, but has the seventh-highest number of counties in the country.
Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, King Charles ...
Blackbeard
Edward Teach (alternatively spelled Edward Thatch, – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English Piracy, pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's Thirteen Colonies, North American colon ...
was killed after a battle on his ship the
Queen Anne's Revenge
''Queen Anne's Revenge'' was an early-18th-century ship, most famously used as a flagship by Edward Teach, better known by his nickname Blackbeard. Although the date and place of the ship's construction are uncertain, it was originally believed ...
near Ocracoke.
*
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...