Caswell County, North Carolina
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Caswell County is a
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 ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
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 ...
. It is located in the
Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, and H ...
region of the state. At the 2020 census, the population was 22,736. Its
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
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
. Partially bordering the state of
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, the county was formed from
Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...
in 1777 and named for
Richard Caswell Richard Caswell (August 3, 1729November 10, 1789) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the first and fifth governor of the state of North Carolina from 1776 to 1780 and from 1785 to 1787. He also served as a senior officer of mil ...
, the first
governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...
. Other Caswell County communities include Blanch, Casville, Leasburg,
Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
, Pelham, Prospect Hill,
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
, and Semora. The
Dan River The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It rises in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it flows back int ...
flows through a portion of the county.
Hyco Lake Hyco Lake is a reservoir in Person and Caswell counties, North Carolina. It is the area's main destination for fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, and recreation and is the larger of Person County's two lakes, the other being Mayo Lake ...
is a popular recreational area and key water source.


History


Early history

The area was first inhabited by Native Americans over 10,000 years ago. Indigenous residents were of
Siouan Siouan or Siouan–Catawban is a language family of North America that is located primarily in the Great Plains, Ohio and Mississippi valleys and southeastern North America with a few other languages in the east. Name Authors who call the entire ...
groups, including the
Occaneechi The Occaneechi (also Occoneechee and Akenatzy) are Native Americans who lived in the 17th century primarily on the large, long Occoneechee Island and east of the confluence of the Dan and Roanoke rivers, near current-day Clarksville, Virginia. ...
. Abundant evidence of indigenous activity has been found in many parts of Caswell County. In 1663 and 1665,
Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of ...
gave all of what is now North Carolina and
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
(named for him) to eight of his noblemen, the
Lords Proprietors A lord proprietor is a person granted a royal charter for the establishment and government of an English colony in the 17th century. The plural of the term is "lords proprietors" or "lords proprietary". Origin In the beginning of the European ...
. Caswell County was originally part of the
land grant A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...
belonging to
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (18 February 16099 December 1674), was an English statesman, lawyer, diplomat and historian who served as chief advisor to Charles I during the First English Civil War, and Lord Chancellor to Charles II from ...
.
Colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...
records show land grants in northern
Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...
(later Caswell County) as early as 1748. There were Scotch-Irish,
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
, and
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
settlements along the
Dan River The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It rises in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it flows back int ...
and Hogans and Country Line creeks by 1751. The first recorded settlement occurred between 1750 and 1755 when eight to ten families migrated from Orange County and
Culpeper, Virginia Culpeper (formerly Culpeper Courthouse, earlier Fairfax) is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 20,062 at the 2020 census, up from 16,379 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper Coun ...
. The primary reason for resettlement was economic. They were searching for fertile land, which the low land of the Dan River and several creeks provided. After the initial settlements, the area experienced rapid
population growth Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
. The free
settlers A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer. Settle ...
who lived in the county before 1800 were mostly of English, Scotch-Irish,
French Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Bez ...
, and German descent. Scotch-Irish and German families traversed the
Great Wagon Road Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...
, which was the main route for settlement in the region, and had come by way of
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. English and Huguenot migrants came from settled areas of
eastern North Carolina Eastern North Carolina (sometimes abbreviated as ENC) is the region encompassing the eastern tier of North Carolina. It is known geographically as the state's Coastal Plain region. Primary subregions of Eastern North Carolina include the Sandhil ...
, following the Great Trading Path. English colonists also came from Virginia using the selfsame network roads and trails.
Enslaved Africans The Atlantic slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, or Euro-American slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people, mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and i ...
were brought to the area by slaveholders and slave-trading agents involved in speculation. The settlers first consisted mainly of
yeoman Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in mid-14th-century England. The 14th century also witn ...
farmers and planters. Middle-class settlers arrived afterward in the 18th century and were called the "new families." Scotch-Irish and
English culture The culture of England is defined by the cultural norms of England and the English people. Owing to England's influential position within the United Kingdom it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate English culture from the culture of the ...
predominated in the area socially, spiritually, educationally, and economically."Caswell is Home of Flue-Cured Tobacco," ''
The News & Observer ''The News & Observer'' is an American regional daily newspaper that serves the greater Triangle area based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The paper is the largest in circulation in the state (second is the '' Charlotte Observer''). The paper has be ...
'' (Raleigh, NC), May 18, 1940, p11
Yeoman farmers accounted for more than half the settler population. Few if any were slaveholders at this time. The yeomanry owned small family farms and lived in log homes. They farmed for
subsistence A subsistence economy is an economy directed to basic subsistence (the provision of food, clothing, shelter) rather than to the market. Henceforth, "subsistence" is understood as supporting oneself at a minimum level. Often, the subsistence econo ...
, with surpluses going toward debt settlement or bartering for goods. Relying on the skilled and unskilled labor of family members, neighbors, and others, they linked farms to early
grist mills A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...
and
sawmills A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
. Middle-class families comprised less than a fifth of the settler population and were chiefly involved in business entrepreneurship, craftsmanship, small-scale commercial farming, export, and trade. They actively promoted business and settlement in and around towns such as Leasburg,
Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
, and numerous villages to further local economic development and their own upward
social mobility Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, households or other categories of people within or between social strata in a society. It is a change in social status relative to one's current social location within a given society ...
. As the area grew more populated and prosperous, a significant number of middle-class residents transitioned to the upper-middle class. The planter class constituted the
upper class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper class is gen ...
and were the smallest segment of the settler population. Most came from prosperous families and were well versed in the literature of
the Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment or the Enlightenment; german: Aufklärung, "Enlightenment"; it, L'Illuminismo, "Enlightenment"; pl, Oświecenie, "Enlightenment"; pt, Iluminismo, "Enlightenment"; es, La Ilustración, "Enlightenment" was an intel ...
. Due to their
social position Social position is the position of an individual in a given society and culture. A given position (for example, the occupation of ''priest'') may belong to many individuals. Definition Stanley Wasserman and Katherine Faust Stanley cautioned th ...
, they deeply impacted the county economically, culturally, and politically. The area's other planters, in contrast, were less prominent and wealthy than the gentry in their midst. They were common or smaller planters with less land and lived more ordinary lives. Several had
indentured servants Indentured servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. The contract, called an "indenture", may be entered "voluntarily" for purported eventual compensation or debt repayment, ...
or bound apprentices of mixed
race Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to: * Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species * Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
. No matter their class distinction, planters were the most socioeconomically advantaged inhabitants. They traded
commodities In economics, a commodity is an economic good, usually a resource, that has full or substantial fungibility: that is, the market treats instances of the good as equivalent or nearly so with no regard to who produced them. The price of a comm ...
with other settlers and were involved in land speculation and the
domestic slave trade The domestic slave trade, also known as the Second Middle Passage and the interregional slave trade, was the term for the domestic trade of enslaved people within the United States that reallocated slaves across states during the Antebellum perio ...
. They founded mills, sold livestock, and grew profitable crops such as wheat, corn, and
oats The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human con ...
on farms or
plantations A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
. Until the early 1800s, tobacco was harvested mainly as a secondary crop by the settlers depending on changing market demand, pricing, soil exhaustion, and other variables. As the wealth of the county's planters increased, so did the number of enslaved laborers who were field hands, domestic servants, and artisans. Regardless of labor variation, masters had no compunction breaking up marriages and separating enslaved families at will. The
slave codes The slave codes were laws relating to slavery and enslaved people, specifically regarding the Atlantic slave trade and chattel slavery in the Americas. Most slave codes were concerned with the rights and duties of free people in regards to ensla ...
emboldened and normalized their conduct. Field hands were almost always given the bare minimum of food and clothing. To supplement their owner-supplied diet, they trapped wild animals, fished, and raised vegetable gardens. By 1800, enslaved African Americans comprised nearly one-third (32%) of Caswell County's population. As they grew in number, substantially so after 1790, they powered more and more of the area's agricultural and economic development. From dawn until dusk, they labored in the fields and then slept in meager dirt-floor dwellings. Children and the elderly were not exempted from these long workdays. When not forced to produce crops and tend livestock, enslaved workers were required to perform a host of other grueling tasks that maximized
labor productivity Workforce productivity is the amount of goods and services that a group of workers produce in a given amount of time. It is one of several types of productivity that economists measure. Workforce productivity, often referred to as labor product ...
. During their limited leisure hours, they engaged in their personal lives, interests, and activities, including efforts to preserve their culture. Many also planned and carried out acts of defiance and resistance. During the colonial period from approximately 1761 until 1772, it was common for local planters to receive credit loans from British-owned mercantile companies in the
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
for the purpose of funding the expansion of agricultural production. The monies went toward purchases of additional land and enslaved labor. Such companies also supplied enslaved workers and consumer items to area planters and managed tobacco exports sent to Virginia warehouses. Their merchants offered good tobacco prices initially but eventually reduced them greatly, causing many planters to fall into substantial debt, which could not be repaid without selling land or enslaved people. Due to the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, most of these debts were never repaid. After the war, the demand for tobacco rose when new markets were found without such middlemen. Not long after they arrived, the settlers to the area had been progressive in building homes, businesses, and churches. Prominent planters promoted a culture of education that later saw the creation of private academies in the early 1800s. The older families were generally more politically and fiscally conservative than the newcomers. They usually voted against funds for postwar
internal improvements Internal improvements is the term used historically in the United States for public works from the end of the American Revolution through much of the 19th century, mainly for the creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, canal ...
and were not supportive of expenditures that raised the county debt due to an aversion to raising taxes and expanding the role of government. Before the Revolutionary War, the biggest threats to public safety and social stability in the region were the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
and the
Regulator Movement The Regulator Movement, also known as the Regulator Insurrection, War of Regulation, and War of the Regulation, was an uprising in Province of North Carolina, Provincial North Carolina from 1766 to 1771 in which citizens took up arms against colo ...
in present Orange County. While the movement increased class tensions within communities, the settlers came together in support of the
American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
. Prior to the Revolution, the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
was the most common religious affiliation in the area. Pennsylvania missionary Hugh McAden founded Red House Presbyterian Church possibly as early as 1755. Country Line
Primitive Baptist Primitive Baptists – also known as Hard Shell Baptists, Foot Washing Baptists or Old School Baptists – are conservative Baptists adhering to a degree of Calvinist beliefs who coalesced out of the controversy among Baptists in the early 19th c ...
Church was established in 1772. Lea's Chapel, a
Methodist Episcopal The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...
church, was organized in 1779.


Creation

Caswell County was formed from a portion of Orange County, effective June 1, 1777. It was created so that governance could be more localized and efficient. The county was named for
Richard Caswell Richard Caswell (August 3, 1729November 10, 1789) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the first and fifth governor of the state of North Carolina from 1776 to 1780 and from 1785 to 1787. He also served as a senior officer of mil ...
who was the first
governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...
after the
Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...
in 1776, a delegate at the First and Second
Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
es, and a senior officer of
militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
in the Southern theater of the Revolutionary War. The legislative act creating Caswell ordered its first court to be held at the homestead of Thomas Douglas and appointed commissioners to find a permanent location to build a county courthouse and prison. During the prelude to the
Battle of Guilford Courthouse The Battle of Guilford Court House was on March 15, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War, at a site that is now in Greensboro, the seat of Guilford County, North Carolina. A 2,100-man British force under the command of Lieutenant General ...
in 1781,
Lord Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805), styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as the Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army general and official. In the United S ...
pursued General
Nathanael Greene Nathanael Greene (June 19, 1786, sometimes misspelled Nathaniel) was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He emerged from the war with a reputation as General George Washington's most talented and dependabl ...
through Caswell County. Greene's retreat, called the "Race to the
Dan Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa **Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoi ...
," was a calculated ploy. His objective was to extend Cornwallis far beyond his supply base in
Camden, South Carolina Camden is the largest city and county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina. The population was 7,764 in the 2020 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Camden is the oldest inland city in South Caro ...
so that his fighting power would be significantly diminished. Cornwallis and his troops marched through Camp Springs and Leasburg, which was the first
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 ...
. They continued on to the Red House Church area of Semora. It is unknown how many locally enslaved people fled to the British for safe haven before the
Battle of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender at Yorktown, or the German battle (from the presence of Germans in all three armies), beginning on September 28, 1781, and ending on October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virgi ...
in 1781. By the war's end in 1783, Caswell County had made significant contributions in personnel and
materiel Materiel (; ) refers to supplies, equipment, and weapons in military supply-chain management, and typically supplies and equipment in a commercial supply chain context. In a military context, the term ''materiel'' refers either to the specifi ...
to the war effort. Little fighting took place locally. County residents renowned for their Revolutionary War service include Lieutenant Colonel Henry "Hal" Dixon, John Herndon Graves, Dr. Lancelot Johnston, and Starling Gunn. By that point no county courthouse had been built, so the General Assembly passed another act authorizing the county to erect public buildings. A courthouse was subsequently established at Leasburg, which was officially incorporated in 1788. After the war, a small number of free Black families moved to the area. Most of the men had served in the
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
or
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
. Usually skilled in a trade, they farmed in a manner similar to yeoman farmers but did not have equal rights. In 1786, a special state census ranked Caswell County as the second-largest county with a population of 9,839. Halifax County had only 489 more inhabitants. Approximately six years later in 1792, the eastern half of the county became
Person County Person County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 39,097 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The county seat is Roxboro, North Carolina, Roxboro. Person County is inc ...
. After the division, the seat of Caswell County's government was moved to a more central location. The community hosting the new county seat was originally called Caswell Court House. In 1833, the name was changed to
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
.


Industrialization and growth


Early 19th century to World War II

In the early 1800s, Caswell County's wealthy landowners were moving away from diversified farming and accelerating toward tobacco as a single cash crop. This agricultural conversion considerably affected the growth of the enslaved population, which rose 54 percent from 1800 to 1810. In 1810, the village of Caswell Court House (late
Yanceyville
had one store and a hattery, two
taverns A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that ...
, and approximately fifteen homes. silversmiths, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, coachmakers, and other tradesmen soon began opening businesses. Attorneys, doctors, preachers, and a number of politicians were also drawn to the growing village and county seat. Around 1830, the "Boom Era" began, which lasted until the American Civil War. During this period, the county saw the creation of new flour and lumber mills and experienced the furniture output of
Thomas Day Thomas Day may refer to: Sports * Tom Day (rugby union) (1907–1980), Welsh rugby union player * Tom Day (American football) (1935–2000), American football player * Tom Day (footballer) (born 1997), English footballer Others * Thomas Day (wri ...
, a free Black businessman in
Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
. A cotton factory, foundry, and silk company were also in operation. In Yanceyville, roads were improved and given names by 1841. The town became wealthy enough by 1852 to charter an independent bank, the Bank of Yanceyville, whose market capitalization ranked among the highest in the state. In 1839, on Abisha Slade's farm in Purley, an enslaved man named Stephen discovered the bright leaf tobacco flue-curing process. Slade perfected the curing method in 1856. The following year his farm harvested of bright leaf tobacco on 100 acres of land and the crop was sold in
Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...
at an exorbitant price. Slade taught the flue-curing technique to many farmers in the area and elsewhere. Bright leaf tobacco became popular with smokers and North Carolina growers gained a dominant position in the tobacco industry as a result. The tobacco economy, and the industries supported by it, enriched many locals. The lifestyle of many yeoman farmers changed into that of planters. The newly wealthy built impressive homes and sent their children to private academies. However, the majority of Caswell County's inhabitants did not benefit. In 1850, enslaved African Americans accounted for 52 percent of the county's population. By 1856, tobacco overshadowed all other forms of enterprise in Caswell County. Tobacco warehouses and manufacturing & processing plants dotted the skyline, with the largest centers located in Yanceyville and Milton. The growth of the industry and increase in raw tobacco production created an expanding need for labor. The number of enslaved people grew to 9,355 in 1860, from a total of 4,299 in 1810 and 2,788 in 1800. There were 26 free Black inhabitants residing in Caswell County in 1800, 90 in 1810, and 282 in 1860. The
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 ...
population declined from a peak of 8,399 in 1850 to 6,578 in 1860. This was due to the western migration of small-scale farmers who were unable to compete with the larger tobacco planters. In 1858, at the tail end of the opulent Boom Era, construction began on
Caswell County Courthouse Caswell County Courthouse is a historic county courthouse located in Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina. It was built between 1858 and 1861, and is a rectangular two-story, stuccoed brick building, five bays wide and seven deep. It si ...
. Built using enslaved labor, it was completed in 1861 during the onset of the Civil War. After the war, the county continued its economic dependence on tobacco and was averse to agricultural diversification. The
Second Industrial Revolution The Second Industrial Revolution, also known as the Technological Revolution, was a phase of rapid scientific discovery, standardization, mass production and industrialization from the late 19th century into the early 20th century. The Firs ...
in varying degrees passed it by. Other than a few tobacco mills, there was an absence of industry and no railroad. The population significantly diminished until 1910 when the population began to increase again. By then, Yanceyville and Semora had phone service. The county's population kept growing through the 1920s. To provide better public facilities, the Caswell County Board of Education initiated school improvement projects. During this time in 1926, ''The Caswell Messenger'' began publication. In 1937, the Yanceyville
Rotary Club Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, profe ...
was founded and members successfully pioneered economic and community development projects. Roosevelt's
New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...
programs during the Depression years, improved farming techniques starting in the 1940s, and the economic impact of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
also contributed significantly to revitalizing the area.


Post–World War II to early 21st century

After World War II, as Caswell County and the world returned to civilian life, it became evident that new efforts were needed to overcome old economic barriers. In the 1950s and 1960s, county leaders saw the world in a new way due to their military service, realizing the need for proactivity in securing a better future for residents. They understood the county’s future depended on the development of water resources sufficient for industrial expansion as well as the need to improve infrastructure such as roads, provide new and various county-wide services, increase cultural resources, and operate local government in a business-like fashion. The history of Caswell County in the second half of the 20th century is characterized by much progress in these areas, but critical needs remained. The heritage of the county’s earlier Boom Era of bright leaf tobacco and
Greek Revival architecture The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...
represented both an opportunity and a hindrance. By 1950, Caswell County reached a peak of 20,870 inhabitants, which was not surpassed until the 2000 census. The economic upswing of the 1950s saw new businesses entering the area. This included the opening of a meatpacking operation in 1956 in the county's southwest corner. Between the mid-1950s and mid-1980s, the county also attracted textile mills to Yanceyville. Such growth enabled the local government to broaden its tax base and see increases in
public revenue Government revenue or national revenue is money received by a government from taxes and non-tax sources to enable it to undertake public expenditure. Government revenue as well as government spending are components of the government budget and ...
. As the county entered the 21st century, it faced the aftermath of a crisis in the tobacco industry, the urgent need for economic development in light of the
Information Age The Information Age (also known as the Computer Age, Digital Age, Silicon Age, or New Media Age) is a historical period that began in the mid-20th century. It is characterized by a rapid shift from traditional industries, as established during ...
, and a national trend toward
heritage tourism Cultural heritage tourism (or just heritage tourism) is a branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is occurring. The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States defines heritage t ...
as a means of economic growth. Caswell County's economy continued to develop, diversify, and experience growth away from tobacco production. Business and entrepreneurial activity increased due to the area's location, commercial properties, land primed for development, relatively low property tax rate, and other factors.


Civil War period

In May 1861, North Carolina with some reluctance joined
the Confederacy The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized Secession in the United States, breakaway republic in the ...
, which by then was at war with the Union. Caswell County provided troops, clothing, food, and tobacco in support of the war effort. Companies A, C, and D of the North Carolina Thirteenth Regiment consisted almost entirely of county enlistments. The area's soldiers fought in every major Civil War battle and there were many casualties. In Caswell County in January 1862, a significant number of African Americans fled slavery. Seven patrol squads comprising 34 individuals were dispatched to
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
in search of them. It is unknown if any were able to find safe haven behind Union lines. In the spring of 1862, salt used for meat preservation was rationed, which was a statewide measure. As the war raged on, the county's inhabitants faced food shortages. Daily necessities were in short supply.
Speculators In finance, speculation is the purchase of an asset (a commodity, goods, or real estate) with the hope that it will become more valuable shortly. (It can also refer to short sales in which the speculator hopes for a decline in value.) Many s ...
benefitted while most remained in need. The minutes of the Caswell County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions from January 1863 to July 1866 were either lost or destroyed. Consequently, it is difficult for researchers to ascertain what was occurring in the county's court system during this period. At the 1860 U.S. census, 58.7 percent of Caswell County's population was enslaved. Due to the
Emancipation Proclamation The Emancipation Proclamation, officially Proclamation 95, was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the Civil War. The Proclamation changed the legal sta ...
in January 1863, enslaved African Americans in Confederate territory were recognized as free individuals by the executive branch of the
U.S. federal government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the Federation#Federal governments, national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 ...
. They gained military protection upon crossing into Union-controlled areas or through the advance of federal troops. Many African Americans likely either fled or attempted to flee the area between 1863 and the war's end. Most remained confined behind Confederate lines until Union forces occupied much of the state during the
Carolinas campaign The campaign of the Carolinas (January 1 – April 26, 1865), also known as the Carolinas campaign, was the final campaign conducted by the United States Army (Union Army) against the Confederate States Army in the Western Theater. On January 1 ...
in 1865.


Reconstruction era

After the Civil War during
Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology *Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *'' Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...
, the pattern of daily life in Caswell County dramatically changed. The previous plantation way of life had disappeared. Small farmers fell into deeper poverty. Abandoned land and eroded soil permeated the landscape. The area faced a decreased standard of living and insufficient public revenue for services that governments ordinarily provided. Many whites in the county resented the war's outcome as did others in the North Carolina
Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
area. Regional newspapers actively fomented their bitterness. When Congressional Reconstruction was established in 1867, a large segment of residents characterized it as an effort by
Radical Republicans The Radical Republicans (later also known as " Stalwarts") were a faction within the Republican Party, originating from the party's founding in 1854, some 6 years before the Civil War, until the Compromise of 1877, which effectively ended Reco ...
to force Black
suffrage Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in representative democracy, public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally i ...
upon them. A significant number began flocking to the Conservative Party, which was a coalition of the prewar
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
and old-line Whigs. African Americans in the area had experienced immense jubilation when informed of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Their freedom was then safeguarded by Union troops, the
Freedmen's Bureau The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, usually referred to as simply the Freedmen's Bureau, was an agency of early Reconstruction, assisting freedmen in the South. It was established on March 3, 1865, and operated briefly as a ...
, and the protection of the Thirteenth Amendment. However, in 1866 restrictive state laws called "Black Codes" were passed in North Carolina by former Confederate legislators who had returned to power as Conservatives. Enacted to regain control over African Americans, these laws were nullified by congressional civil rights legislation later in 1866. In 1868 and 1869, the Republican-controlled General Assembly ratified the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth In music, a fifteenth or double octave, abbreviated ''15ma'', is the interval between one musical note and another with one-quarter the wavelength or quadruple the frequency. It has also been referred to as the bisdiapason. The fourth harmonic, ...
Amendments respectively. Ensuring the right to vote regardless of race,
color Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...
, or previous condition of servitude, the Fifteenth Amendment became a part of the
U.S. Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the natio ...
in February 1870. In that year's U.S. census, African Americans represented approximately 59 percent of Caswell County's population. Over a span of five years from 1865 to 1870, they had gained constitutional protection from slavery and voting rights. They could seek employment, use public accommodations, acquire land, and participate in the political process. In January 1868, thirteen African American delegates representing 19 majority-Black counties attended the state's constitutional convention in
Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
. They were North Carolina's first Black Caucus. Their members included a Republican legislator from Caswell County named Wilson Carey. At the convention, he spoke out against Conservative proposals to attract white immigrants to North Carolina. Carey felt the focus should instead be on African American North Carolinians who had built up the state. The 1868 constitutional convention passed resolutions that included the abolition of slavery, the adoption of universal male suffrage, the removal of property and religious qualifications for voting and office holding, and the establishment of a uniform public school system. Because the convention gave North Carolina a new constitution in 1868 that protected the rights of African Americans, the state was readmitted to the Union that same year on
July 4 Events Pre-1600 * 362 BC – Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans. * 414 – Emperor Theodosius II, age 13, yields power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and proclaim ...
upon ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. Enfranchising African Americans with the right to vote in elections was anathema to county and statewide Conservative Party members. This was not only due to their
white supremacy White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White su ...
but also because it threatened their power. Their animosity toward white and Black Republicans had begun to skyrocket when Republican gubernatorial candidate
William W. Holden William Woods Holden (November 24, 1818 – March 1, 1892) was an American politician who served as the 38th and 40th governor of North Carolina. He was appointed by President Andrew Johnson in 1865 for a brief term and then elected in 1868. He ...
endorsed universal male suffrage at the party's state convention in March 1867. The suffrage resolution's passage and Holden's victory in 1868 substantially added to the continuing friction. This growing tension helped make Caswell County and the region a hotbed of
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
activity that same year. African Americans and their supporters in the area were subsequently subjected to a heinous campaign of violence, intimidation, and murder to prevent them from voting. As Klan violence in Caswell County escalated in 1870, the Republican state senator of the area, John W. Stephens, became increasingly fearful of attack. On May 21, he went to the courthouse in Yanceyville to convince the former Democratic county sheriff, Frank A. Wiley, to seek re-election as a Republican with his support and thus achieve a political reconciliation in the county. Wiley had secretly agreed to work with the Klan and lured Stephens into a trap, whereby he was choked with a rope and stabbed to death by Klansmen in a vacant courthouse room. The current sheriff, Jessie C. Griffith, himself a Klansman and prominent Conservative, made little effort to investigate the assassination. Holden was disgusted by the murder of Stephens. Conferring with his advisers, he decided to raise a militia to combat the Klan in Caswell and nearby
Alamance County Alamance County (), from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved September 18, 2012. is a county in North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 171,415. Its county seat ...
. On July 8, he declared Caswell County to be in a state of insurrection. About 350 militiamen, led by Colonel
George Washington Kirk __NOTOC__ George Washington Kirk was a soldier who served in American Civil War. Born and raised in Tennessee, he married Maria Louisa Jones in 1860. At the start of the war he served in the Confederate States Army, but his views were Unionist an ...
, arrived on July 18 and established headquarters in Yanceyville. The militia arrested 19 men in the county as well as several dozen more in Alamance County, and Klan activities in both counties promptly ceased. The prisoners were initially denied ''
habeas corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...
'' before being turned over to local courts, which did not convict any of the accused. On November 10, Holden declared that there was no longer a state of insurrection in Alamance and Caswell counties. In December 1870, the state legislature, which was comprised of a Conservative majority that had come into power on the heels of the political backlash they had spearheaded against Holden over the incident, impeached him on eight charges. He was convicted on six of them and removed from office in March 1871. Holden's departure severely weakened the Republican Party in the state. The Conservative Party proceeded to institute white supremacy in state government in 1876. They dropped the name "Conservative" that same year to become the Democratic Party of North Carolina. When federal troops left the next year, ending Reconstruction, the stage was set for the passage of
Jim Crow laws The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States. Other areas of the United States were affected by formal and informal policies of segregation as well, but many states outside the Sout ...
.


Civil rights movement

By the end of the 1960s, Caswell County's public schools were beginning to fully integrate. A decade and a half earlier in 1954, the
U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
ruled in
Brown v. Board of Education ''Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka'', 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segrega ...
that
racial segregation Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into race (human classification), racial or other Ethnicity, ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crimes against hum ...
in public schools was unconstitutional. In a later decision by the Court in May 1955 known as ''Brown II'', school districts were given the ambiguous order to desegregate "with all deliberate speed." Like many school boards in the South at the time, the Caswell County Board of Education interpreted the Court's ambiguity in a manner that served to delay, obstruct, and slow the process of racially integrating its schools. The Board of Education's resistance to integration had already been emboldened by North Carolina's passage of the Pupil Assignment Act in April 1955. The legislation gave county school boards full school placement authority. Driven by the act's power, the Pearshall Plan's passage, and the prevailing anti-integration sentiment of the white community, the school district kept assigning children to schools in a segregated manner. In response to these developments, fifteen local African American parents presented a petition to the school district in August 1956 calling for the abolition of segregation, which the board refused to consider. Undeterred, the parents organized protests that included the
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
. A
federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
lawsuit was subsequently filed in December 1956 asking for the immediate desegregation of Caswell County and North Carolina schools. In August 1957, 43 local students, many of whom were plaintiffs via their parents in the federal court case, applied for admission to public schools that were closer to their homes than the segregated ones they had been assigned. The school board denied their applications and continued to reject them through 1962. Nevertheless, the federal lawsuit kept moving forward. In December 1961,
U.S. District Court The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...
Judge Edwin M. Stanley ruled that two brothers, Charlie and Fred Saunders, could promptly attend Archibald Murphey Elementary School, a now-closed formerly all-white school near
Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
. When the new semester began in January, however, they did not present themselves for enrollment. The
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
had sent a threatening letter to the Saunders family previously."Caswell Negroes' Appeal Step Taken," ''The Charlotte Observer'' (Charlotte, NC), January 31, 1962, p12-A According to an affidavit submitted by the children's father C.H. Saunders Sr., the KKK's threats caused him to miss a school board reassignment hearing ordered by the judge in August 1961 prior to his final judgment. Saunders also conveyed that he would be agreeable to transferring schools if his children's protection at Murphey Elementary could be assured. A year after the Saunders decision, Stanley ruled that the school district had been improperly administering the Pupil Assignment Act. In December 1962, he told the school boards of Caswell County and the city of
Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county * Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
to allow every schoolchild complete freedom of choice regarding school placement. On January 22, 1963, sixteen African American schoolchildren enrolled in four of the county's previously all-white schools. On their first day of school, a group of white men harassed and threatened one of the parents, Jasper Brown, who was a local
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
leader and farmer. He was pursued and menaced by the men as he drove home. After a rear-end collision, the other vehicle's driver emerged with a firearm. Fearing for his life, Brown shot and wounded two of the men in an exchange of fire before turning himself in to police. Due to the circumstances, Attorney General
Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...
was soon informed of the incident. Several months later, Brown was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon and served 90 days in jail. While awaiting trial, white men bombed his yard. His four children and the 12 others who integrated the county's schools were physically threatened and emotionally abused throughout the semester. Despite requests from the NAACP and concerned families, no police protection was provided. Furthermore, the Board of Education refused to arrange school bus transportation. By late 1967, only 57 African American children out of a Black student population of approximately 3,000 were attending integrated public schools in Caswell County. While there had been some faculty integration, the less than two percent enrollment rate in essence preserved segregation. The school district's integration plan had not fostered sufficient desegregation."Caswell Answers Questions on School Desegregation," ''
The Danville Register The ''Danville Register & Bee'' is a daily newspaper serving Danville, Virginia, United States, published seven days a week. It is owned by Lee Enterprises Lee Enterprises, Inc. is a publicly traded American media company. It publishes 77 dai ...
'' (Danville, VA), December 21, 1966, p1
The Board of Education's "
freedom of choice Freedom of choice describes an individual's opportunity and autonomy to perform an action selected from at least two available options, unconstrained by external parties. In politics In the abortion debate, for example, the term "freedom of ch ...
" plan put the onus of integration on individual African American students and parents, who had to opt to cross the color line themselves. If they did so, they faced
social stigma Social stigma is the disapproval of, or discrimination against, an individual or group based on perceived characteristics that serve to distinguish them from other members of a society. Social stigmas are commonly related to culture, gender, rac ...
, severe discrimination, and other hardships. Consequently, many families, though supportive of integration efforts, chose to keep their children safe in valued Black schools such as Caswell County High School. The school district's low integration rate resulted in the
U.S. Office of Education The Office of Education, at times known as the Department of Education and the Bureau of Education, was a small unit in the Federal Government of the United States within the U.S. Department of the Interior from 1867 to 1972. It is now separated ...
citing the county in 1966 as one of seven in the state that were not in compliance with its civil rights
Title IV Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) covers the administration of the United States federal student financial aid programs. American colleges and universities are generally classified with regard to their inclusion under Title IV, ...
guidelines. The bureau began taking steps to cut off federal funding. The school district was not in full compliance with federal integration standards until 1969."Judge Rules Caswell in Compliance," ''The News & Observer'' (Raleigh, NC), April 11, 1969, p3 In that year, the Caswell County Board of Education implemented a plan for complete desegregation after Judge Stanley ordered the school district in August 1968 to integrate starting in the 1969–1970 school year. When school integration and consolidation subsequently occurred,
Bartlett Yancey High School Bartlett Yancey High School (BYHS) is a public high school located in Yanceyville, North Carolina, serving students in the ninth through twelfth grade. It is in the Caswell County Schools school district. History The high school is named after ...
in
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
became the only public high school in the county after Caswell County High School's closure in 1969. The closed high school building's educational use was promptly reconfigured. The new integrated school was named N.L. Dillard Junior High School in honor of the former high school's principal. Integrated elementary schools were established based on
zoning Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...
.


Political leaders

Caswell County has produced many political leaders throughout its history. Some include
Donna Edwards Donna Fern Edwards (born June 28, 1958) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2008 to 2017. The district included most of Prince George's County, as well as part of Anne Arundel County. She is a member of the ...
, Archibald Debow Murphey,
Romulus Mitchell Saunders Romulus Mitchell Saunders (March 3, 1791 – April 21, 1867) was an American politician from North Carolina. Early life and education Saunders was born near Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina, the son of William and Hannah Mitchell Saunders ...
, and Bartlett Yancey, Jr. Legislators from the county had considerable influence on state politics during the first half of the 19th century. Bartlett Yancey, Jr., was speaker of the
North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...
from 1817 to 1827. Romulus Mitchell Saunders was concurrently speaker of the
North Carolina House of Commons The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...
from 1819 to 1820. Archibald D. Murphey has been called the "Father of Education" in North Carolina. Serving as a state senator, he proposed a publicly financed system of education in 1817. Murphey also made proposals regarding
internal improvements Internal improvements is the term used historically in the United States for public works from the end of the American Revolution through much of the 19th century, mainly for the creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, canal ...
and constitutional reform. Donna Edwards is a former U.S. congresswoman. Before entering
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
, she was the executive director of the
National Network to End Domestic Violence The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1990, based in the District of Columbia. It is a network of state and territorial domestic violence coalitions, representing over 2,000 me ...
, which provides advocacy and legal support to
battered women Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner v ...
. She worked to pass the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. In 2015, Edwards and other members of Congress introduced the Restoring Education and Learning Act (REAL Act) to reinstate
Pell Grant A Pell Grant is a subsidy the U.S. federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students with financial need, who have not earned their first bachelor's degree, or who are enrolled ...
s to prisoners.


Depiction in the arts

Writers including
Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family.'' ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and a ...
and artists such as
Maud Gatewood Maud Florance Gatewood (January 8, 1934 – November 8, 2004) was an American artist from Yanceyville, North Carolina. She is regarded as one of the finest painters in North Carolina history by art historians, museum directors, curators, and co ...
have commented on Caswell County's history in their work. The county was briefly referenced in Haley's 1977 television miniseries
Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
. It was cited as the location of champion cock fighter Tom Moore's (
Chuck Connors Kevin Joseph Aloysius "Chuck" Connors (April 10, 1921 – November 10, 1992) was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. He is one of only 13 athletes in the history of American professional sports to have p ...
) plantation. When Gatewood designed the county seal in 1974, she added two large tobacco leaves as a symbol of the crop's long prominence in the area.


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 (0.8%) is water. It is bordered by Person, Orange, Alamance, and Rockingham counties, and the state of Virginia. The
Dan River The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It rises in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it flows back int ...
flows through a part of the county.
Hyco Lake Hyco Lake is a reservoir in Person and Caswell counties, North Carolina. It is the area's main destination for fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, and recreation and is the larger of Person County's two lakes, the other being Mayo Lake ...
is an important water source and popular recreational site. For a comprehensive overview of Caswell County's geography see ''When the Past Refused to Die: A History of Caswell County North Carolina 1777–1977'', by
William S. Powell William Stevens Powell (April 28, 1919 – April 10, 2015) was an American historian, writer, academic, and teacher. He authored over 600 articles and books about the history of North Carolina and was the editor of the six volume ''Dictionary of ...
(1977) at 1–22.


State and local protected area

* Caswell Game Land


Major water bodies

*
Country Line Creek A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state (polity), state, nation, or other polity, political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, so ...
*
Dan River The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It rises in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it flows back int ...
* S.R. Farmer Lake * Hogans Creek *
Hyco Creek Hyco Creek is a long 3rd order tributary to the Hyco River in Person County, North Carolina. Hyco Creek joins the Hyco River within Hyco Lake. Hyco Creek forms the Hyco River along with South Hyco Creek. Variant names According to the Geograp ...
*
Hyco Lake Hyco Lake is a reservoir in Person and Caswell counties, North Carolina. It is the area's main destination for fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, and recreation and is the larger of Person County's two lakes, the other being Mayo Lake ...
*
Lynch Creek (Hyco Creek tributary) Lynch Creek is a long 2nd order tributary to Hyco Creek in Caswell County, North Carolina. Course Lynch Creek rises about 1.5 miles northwest of Carr, North Carolina in Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, C ...
* Moon Creek * North Fork Rattlesnake Creek *
South Hyco Creek South Hyco Creek is a long 4th order tributary to the Hyco River in Person County, North Carolina. South Hyco Creek joins the Hyco River within Hyco Lake. South Hyco Creek forms the Hyco River along with Hyco Creek. Variant names According to ...
* Sugartree Creek (South Hyco Creek tributary) * Wildwood Lake


Adjacent counties

*
Person County Person County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 39,097 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The county seat is Roxboro, North Carolina, Roxboro. Person County is inc ...
– east *
Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...
– southeast *
Alamance County Alamance County (), from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved September 18, 2012. is a county in North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 171,415. Its county seat ...
– south * Rockingham County – west *
Pittsylvania County, Virginia Pittsylvania County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 60,501. Chatham is the county seat. Pittsylvania County is included in the Danville, VA Micropolitan Statistical Ar ...
– north *
Halifax County, Virginia Halifax County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,022. Its county seat is Halifax. History Occupied by varying cultures of indigenous peoples for thousands of years, in histo ...
– north *
Danville, Virginia Danville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, located in the Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River. It was a center of tobacco production and was an area of Confederate activity ...
(
independent city An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province). Historical precursors In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor states ...
) – north


Infrastructure


Utilities

* Caswell County's electric system is maintained by
Duke Energy Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Overview Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy owns 58,200 megawatts of base-load and peak generation in ...
and Piedmont Electric Cooperative. * Telephone network:
CenturyLink Lumen Technologies, Inc. (formerly CenturyLink) is an American telecommunications company headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana, that offers communications, network services, security, cloud solutions, voice, and managed services. The company is ...
* Wireless networks:
AT&T Mobility AT&T Mobility LLC, also known as AT&T Wireless and marketed as simply AT&T, is an American telecommunications company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T Inc. and provides wireless services in the United States. AT&T Mobility is the thi ...
, U.S. Cellular, and
Verizon Wireless Verizon is an American wireless network operator that previously operated as a separate division of Verizon Communications under the name Verizon Wireless. In a 2019 reorganization, Verizon moved the wireless products and services into the divi ...
* Broadband internet: CenturyLink and
Comcast Comcast Corporation (formerly known as American Cable Systems and Comcast Holdings),Before the AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corpora ...
* Cable television: Comcast


Transportation


Major highways

* ( concurrency with US 29) * * * * * * * * * * * *
Interstate 40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
and
Interstate 85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...
are the closest
interstate highways The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
to the county, located 14 miles (22.5 km) south in
Graham Graham and Graeme may refer to: People * Graham (given name), an English-language given name * Graham (surname), an English-language surname * Graeme (surname), an English-language surname * Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer * Clan ...
. When I-785 is completed, it will run through Caswell County near Pelham.


Airports

* Yanceyville Municipal Airport *
Danville Regional Airport Danville Regional Airport is three miles east of Danville, in southern Virginia. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a regional general aviation facility. The ...
, located north of Yanceyville * Person County Airport, located southeast of Yanceyville * Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport, located southwest of Yanceyville *
Piedmont Triad International Airport Piedmont Triad International Airport (commonly referred to locally as "PTI") is an airport located in unincorporated Guilford County, North Carolina, west of Greensboro, serving the Piedmont Triad region of Greensboro, High Point and Winston- ...
, located southwest of Yanceyville *
Raleigh-Durham International Airport The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill, home to th ...
, located southeast of Yanceyville


Railroad

Danville Amtrak station, located north of Yanceyville


Public transit

* Caswell County Area Transportation System (CATS)


Other

* Caswell Correctional Center, a medium custody facility of the
North Carolina Department of Public Safety The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) is an umbrella agency that carries out many of the state's law enforcement, emergency response and homeland security functions. The department was created in 1977 as the Department of Crime Co ...
* Dan River Prison Work Farm, a minimum custody facility of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 22,736 people and an estimated 8,993 households and 6,186 families residing in the county. In 2020, the estimated median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were an estimated 101.9 males.


2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 23,719 people and an estimated 8,788 households and 6,345 families residing in Caswell County. In 2010, the estimated median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females, there were an estimated 103.7 males.


2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 23,501 people and an estimated 8,670 households and 6,398 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile (21/km2). There were 9,601 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 61.07%
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 ...
, 36.52%
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 ...
, 1.77%
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 ...
, 0.19% Native American, 0.15%
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 ...
, 0.03%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 1.17% 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 0.86% from two or more races. Out of the 8,670 households, 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 14.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 23.20% of all households consisted of individuals living alone and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.01. The age distribution of the county's population consisted of 23.20% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,018 and the median income for a family was $41,905. Males had a median income of $28,968 versus $22,339 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,470. About 10.90% of families and 14.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.30% of those under age 18 and 21.10% of those age 65 and over.


Government and politics

Seated in
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
, Caswell County's government consists of 28 departments, an elected board of commissioners, a clerk to the board, and an appointed county manager. The county has additional central administration,
Cooperative Extension The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) was an extension agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), part of the executive branch of the federal government. The 1994 Department Reorganization Act, ...
, E-911, and Juvenile Crime Prevention Council staff. Caswell County is a member of the Piedmont Triad Regional Council.


Elected officials

In January 2022, Caswell County's elected officials were: *Tony Durden, Jr. ( D), Caswell County Sheriff *John Satterfield (D), Caswell County Clerk of Courts *Ginny S. Mitchell (D), Caswell County
Register of Deeds Recorder of deeds or deeds registry is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over ...
Caswell County Board of Commissioners: *Jeremiah Jefferies (D) *Nathaniel Hall (D) *William E. Carter (D) *Rick McVey ( R), (Chairman) *David Owen (R), (Vice Chair) *Steve Oestreicher (R) *John D. Dickerson (R) North Carolina General Assembly representatives: *Senate: Graig R. Meyer (D- 23rd) *House: Renee Price (D- 50th) U.S. House of Representatives: *
Valerie Foushee Valerie Jean Foushee (née Paige; born May 7, 1956) is an American politician who is a representative-elect to the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently serving as a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate. Elected to the North ...
(D- 4th) *
Kathy Manning Kathy Ellen Manning (born December 3, 1956) is an American lawyer and politician from North Carolina. She is the U.S. representative from North Carolina's 6th congressional district. The district is in the heart of the Piedmont Triad and includes ...
(D- 6th)


Economy

The economy of Caswell County is rooted in agriculture, which continues to develop and experience growth away from tobacco. The area's location, commercial properties, land primed for development, and relatively low property tax rate have contributed to an increase in business activity and entrepreneurship. Caswell County's agricultural sector produces
hemp Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest growing plants o ...
, tobacco, soybeans, corn, wheat,
oats The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human con ...
, barley, hay, alfalfa, beef cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry farming, poultry. The county also produces minerals such as soapstone, graphite, mica, corundum, microcline, and beryl. Manufactured goods include textiles, clothing, and electronics. NC Cooperative Extension in
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
connects local agribusinesses and farmers with crucial research-based information and technology. The Caswell County Local Foods Council manages the Caswell Farmers' Market in Yanceyville and initiates community-driven projects. The county is home to two industrial parks: Pelham Industrial Park in Pelham and Caswell County Industrial Park in Yanceyville. CoSquare, a coworking space that offers several business possibilities for entrepreneurs, is located in Yanceyville Historic District, Yanceyville's downtown historic district. The largest industries in Yanceyville are accommodation and food services, health care and social assistance, and manufacturing. Caswell County benefits from its proximity to the greater
Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, and H ...
area,
Danville, Virginia Danville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States, located in the Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River. It was a center of tobacco production and was an area of Confederate activity ...
, and the Research Triangle. Residents have access to a host of goods, services, attractions, and employment in the region. The county receives economic activity in kind from these neighboring areas.


Education


Higher education

*Piedmont Community College , Piedmont Community College's satellite campus in Caswell County is located in Yanceyville.


Primary and secondary education

The Caswell County public school system has six schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. The school district operates one High school in the United States, high school, one Secondary education in the United States#Middle school / Junior high school, middle school, and four Elementary schools in the United States, elementary schools: *
Bartlett Yancey High School Bartlett Yancey High School (BYHS) is a public high school located in Yanceyville, North Carolina, serving students in the ninth through twelfth grade. It is in the Caswell County Schools school district. History The high school is named after ...
*N.L. Dillard Middle School *North Elementary School *Oakwood Elementary School *South Elementary School *Stoney Creek Elementary School


Healthcare

Health care providers in Caswell County include: *Caswell Family Medical Center *Sovah Family Medicine-Yanceyville *Brian Center Health & Rehabilitation *Caswell House


Parks and recreation

Caswell County's outdoor recreational areas include: *Conservators Center, Burlington, Animal Park at the Conservators Center (in Anderson township) *The
Dan River The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It rises in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it flows back int ...
(in
Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
) *
Hyco Lake Hyco Lake is a reservoir in Person and Caswell counties, North Carolina. It is the area's main destination for fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, and recreation and is the larger of Person County's two lakes, the other being Mayo Lake ...
(near Semora) *Person Caswell Recreation Park (near Semora) *Maud Gatewood, Maud F. Gatewood Municipal Park (in
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
) *S.R. Farmer Lake (in Yanceyville township) *Cherokee Scout Reservation's Boy Scouts of America camp (near S.R. Farmer Lake) *Yanceyville Park/Memorial Park (in Yanceyville) *Caswell Community Arboretum (in Yanceyville) *Caswell County Parks & Recreation Center (in Yanceyville) *Caswell Pines Golf Club (in Yanceyville township) *Caswell Game Land (near Yanceyville) *Country Line Creek (in Caswell Game Land) *
Hyco Creek Hyco Creek is a long 3rd order tributary to the Hyco River in Person County, North Carolina. Hyco Creek joins the Hyco River within Hyco Lake. Hyco Creek forms the Hyco River along with South Hyco Creek. Variant names According to the Geograp ...
(in Caswell Game Land) Indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, as well as sports programs and activities, are offered by the Caswell County Department of Parks & Recreation. The Caswell Senior Center, which is located in Yanceyville, has recreation and fitness facilities built in 2009.


Arts and culture

Caswell County hosts two major festivals a year: the "Bright Leaf Hoedown" and the "Spring Fling." The Bright Leaf Hoedown is a one-day outdoor festival held in late September in downtown
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
. It features local food vendors, live entertainment, crafts, and non-profit organizations, usually drawing more than 5,000 guests. The Spring Fling is a two-day event and is held on a weekend in late April or early May on the grounds of the
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
Volunteer Fire Department. The Caswell County Historical Association hosts its annual Heritage Festival in Yanceyville every May. The festival celebrates county history through tours, living history reenactments, games, vendors, and live music. Downtown Yanceyville Historic District, Yanceyville's historic district features Caswell County Courthouse, an antebellum courthouse designed by William Percival and several other examples of antebellum architecture. The Yanceyville Historic District, Bartlett Yancey House, John Johnston House (Yanceyville, North Carolina), John Johnston House, William Henry and Sarah Holderness House, Melrose/Williamson House, Graves House, and Poteat House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Warren House and Warren's Store in Prospect Hill, North Carolina, Prospect Hill and the Garland-Buford House and James Malone House near Leasburg are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in addition to Wildwood (Semora, North Carolina), Wildwood near Semora and Woodside (Milton, North Carolina), Woodside near
Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
. Caswell County's cultural attractions also include: * Caswell Council for the Arts (in Yanceyville) * Caswell County Civic Center (in Yanceyville) * Caswell County Veterans Memorial (in Yanceyville) * Caswell Farmers' Market (in Yanceyville) * Caswell Horticulture Club * Gunn Memorial Public Library (in Yanceyville) * Historic Caswell County Jail (in Yanceyville) *Milton Historic District (Milton, North Carolina), Milton Historic District * Milton Renaissance Foundation Museum & Visitors Center * Milton Studio Art Gallery * Piedmont Triad Visitor Center (in Pelham) * Old Poteat School/Poteat One-Room School (in Yanceyville) * Red House Presbyterian Church (in Semora) * Richmond-Miles History Museum (in Yanceyville) * Shangri-La Miniature Stone Village (in Prospect Hill) *
Thomas Day Thomas Day may refer to: Sports * Tom Day (rugby union) (1907–1980), Welsh rugby union player * Tom Day (American football) (1935–2000), American football player * Tom Day (footballer) (born 1997), English footballer Others * Thomas Day (wri ...
House and Union Tavern (in Milton) * Town of Yanceyville Public Safety Memorial * Yanceyville Museum of Art * Yanceyville Pavilion * Yanceyville's municipal water tower * Yoder's Country Market (in Yanceyville) The Caswell County Civic Center in Yanceyville has a full-size professionally equipped stage, a 912-seat auditorium, and meeting and banquet facilities for up to 500. The Civic Center also has accessories for concerts, theatre, and social functions as well as a lobby art gallery. Gunn Memorial Public Library in Yanceyville conducts summer reading programs for children of all ages.


Communities


Towns

*
Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
*
Yanceyville Yanceyville is a town in and the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Piedmont Triad region of the state, the town had a population of 1,937 at the 2020 census. The settlement was founded in 1792 and was l ...
(county seat and largest town)


Unincorporated communities

* Blanch * Casville * Cherry Grove, Caswell County, North Carolina, Cherry Grove * Leasburg * Pelham * Prospect Hill, North Carolina, Prospect Hill *
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
* Purley * Semora


Townships

The following township (United States), townships are in Caswell County: * Anderson * Dan River * Hightowers * Leasburg * Locust Hill * Milton * Pelham * Stoney Creek * Yanceyville


Notable people


Academia

* A. Oveta Fuller (born 1955), associate professor of microbiology at University of Michigan Medical School * Henry Lee Graves (1813–1881), president of Baylor University * William Louis Poteat (1856–1938), professor of biology and president of Wake Forest University, public intellectual, early advocate of Darwinian evolution * Henry Roland Totten (1892–1974), botanist


Art, literature, and music

* Max Drake (born 1952), musician *
Maud Gatewood Maud Florance Gatewood (January 8, 1934 – November 8, 2004) was an American artist from Yanceyville, North Carolina. She is regarded as one of the finest painters in North Carolina history by art historians, museum directors, curators, and co ...
(1934–2004), artist * Mel Melton, musician * Ida Isabella Poteat (1858–1940), artist and instructor * Moses Roper (1815–1891), African American abolitionist, author, and orator * Ray Scott (singer), Ray Scott (born 1969), country music artist * Carolina Slim (1923–1953), Piedmont blues guitarist and singer * Hazel Smith (1934–2018), country music journalist, publicist, singer-songwriter, television and radio show host, and cookbook author * The Badgett Sisters, Folk music, folk and Gospel music, gospel group comprised of sisters Celester, Connie, and Cleonia Badgett


Athletes

* Mic'hael Brooks (born 1991), former NFL player who attended high school in Yanceyville * John Oliver Gunn Jr., John Gunn (1939–2010), race car driver * Lee Pulliam (born 1988), stock car racing driver and team owner * Neal Watlington (1922–2019), MLB player for the Philadelphia Athletics * Carl Willis (born 1960), former MLB player and current pitching coach for the Cleveland Guardians


Business

*
Thomas Day Thomas Day may refer to: Sports * Tom Day (rugby union) (1907–1980), Welsh rugby union player * Tom Day (American football) (1935–2000), American football player * Tom Day (footballer) (born 1997), English footballer Others * Thomas Day (wri ...
(1801–1861), free Negro, free Black furniture craftsman and cabinetmaker * Edmund Richardson (1818–1886), entrepreneur who produced and marketed cotton * Samuel Simeon Fels (1860–1950), businessman and philanthropist


Government and law

* Bedford Brown (1795–1870), U.S. senator *
Richard Caswell Richard Caswell (August 3, 1729November 10, 1789) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the first and fifth governor of the state of North Carolina from 1776 to 1780 and from 1785 to 1787. He also served as a senior officer of mil ...
(1729–1789), first and fifth
governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...
* Archibald Dixon (1802–1876), U.S. senator *
Donna Edwards Donna Fern Edwards (born June 28, 1958) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2008 to 2017. The district included most of Prince George's County, as well as part of Anne Arundel County. She is a member of the ...
(born 1958), former U.S. representative * Calvin Graves (1804–1877), house member of the North Carolina General Assembly and member of the
North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...
* John Kerr Hendrick (1849–1921), U.S. representative * John Kerr (Virginia Congressman), John Kerr (1782–1842), member of the U.S. House of Representatives * John Kerr Jr. (congress), John Kerr Jr. (1811–1879), congressional representative and jurist * John H. Kerr (1873–1958), jurist and politician * Benjamin J. Lea (1833–1894), lawyer and politician who served as a justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court * Jacob E. Long (1880–1955), 15th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 1925 to 1929 serving under Governor Angus Wilton McLean, Angus W. McLean * Giles Mebane (1809–1899), speaker of the North Carolina Senate during most of the American Civil War, Civil War * Anderson Mitchell (1800–1876), U.S. representative * Archibald Debow Murphey (1777–1832), attorney, jurist, and politician who was known as the "Father of Education" in North Carolina *
Romulus Mitchell Saunders Romulus Mitchell Saunders (March 3, 1791 – April 21, 1867) was an American politician from North Carolina. Early life and education Saunders was born near Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina, the son of William and Hannah Mitchell Saunders ...
(1791–1867), U.S. representative * John W. Stephens (1834–1870), North Carolina state senator, agent for the
Freedmen's Bureau The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, usually referred to as simply the Freedmen's Bureau, was an agency of early Reconstruction, assisting freedmen in the South. It was established on March 3, 1865, and operated briefly as a ...
* Jacob Thompson (1810–1885), U.S. Secretary of the Interior * Hugh Webster (politician), Hugh Webster (1943–2022), register of deeds for
Alamance County Alamance County (), from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved September 18, 2012. is a county in North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 171,415. Its county seat ...
and North Carolina state senator * Marmaduke Williams (1774–1850), Democratic-Republican U.S. congressman * George “Royal George” Williamson (1788–1856), member of the North Carolina Senate * Bartlett Yancey, Jr. (1785–1828), Democrat-Republican U.S. congressman


Miscellaneous

* Oscar Penn Fitzgerald (1829–1911), Methodist clergyman, journalist, and educator * Henrietta Phelps Jeffries (1857–1926), African American midwife and a founding member of the Macedonia AME Church in
Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
* Peter U. Murphey (1810–1876), naval officer and captain of the during the Civil War


See also

* List of counties in North Carolina * National Register of Historic Places listings in Caswell County, North Carolina * Virginia International Raceway, a nearby multi-purpose road course offering auto and motorcycle racing * List of future Interstate Highways


References


Works cited

* * * * * * * *Walker, E.V. (1993). Caswell County Training School, 1933–1969: Relationships between Community and School. ''Harvard Educational Review, 63,'' 161–183. *


External links


Caswell County Government Website

Caswell County History Website

Caswell County Photograph Collection
{{authority control Caswell County, North Carolina, 1777 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1777 Piedmont Triad