Hyde County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the U.S. state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,589, making it the second-least populous county in North Carolina. 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 ...

is Swan Quarter. The county was created in 1705 as Wickham Precinct. It was renamed Hyde Precinct in 1712 and gained county status in 1739.

History

The county was formed December 3, 1705, as Wickham Precinct, one of three precincts within Bath County. The name "Wickham" was derived from the manor of " Temple Wycombe" in

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-e ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

, the family home of John Archdale, Governor of North and South Carolina from 1695 to 1696. In 1712 it was renamed Hyde Precinct, for Edward Hyde, Governor of North Carolina from 1711 to 1712. In 1739 Bath County was abolished, and Hyde Precinct became Hyde County. Various boundary changes have since taken place. In 1745 Lake Mattamuskeet and its adjoining territory were transferred from Currituck County to Hyde County. In 1819 the portion of Hyde County west of the Pungo River was annexed by Beaufort County. Four years later, the area of Currituck County south of New Inlet was transferred to Hyde County. This is now included Hatteras Island. In 1845 Ocracoke Island was transferred from

Carteret County Carteret County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,686. Its county seat is Beaufort. The county was created in 1722 as Carteret Precinct and gained county status in 1739. It was named fo ...

to Hyde County. In 1870 Hyde County was reduced to its present dimensions, when its northeastern part was combined with parts of Currituck County and

Tyrrell County Tyrrell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,245, making it the least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Columbia. The county was created in 1729 as ...

to form Dare County. Since its creation, the boundaries of Hyde County have changed more than those of any other county in North Carolina.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (57%) is water. It is the second-largest county in North Carolina by total area. Hyde County's in-land is part of the Inner Banks. Ocracoke Island is part of the Outer Banks.

National protected areas

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located in eastern North Carolina along the Atlantic Coast. It was established on March 14, 1984, to preserve and protect a unique wetland habitat type—the pocosin� ...

(part) * Cape Hatteras National Seashore (part) * Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge * Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (part) * Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge

State and locale protected areas

* Dare Game Land (part) * Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Reserve (part) * Gull Rock Game Land * Hatteras Inlet Crab Spawning Sanctuary (part) * New Lake Game Land (part)

Major water bodies

* Alligator Lake * Alligator River *

Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, then following t ...

* Lake Mattamuskeet * Pamlico River * Pamlico Sound * Pungo Lake * Pungo River *

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

Adjacent counties

- north * Dare County - northeast *

- southwest * Pamlico County - south * Beaufort County - west * Washington County - northwest

Major highways

* * * * *

Major infrastructure

* Cedar Island - Ocracoke Ferry (To Carteret County) * Hatteras - Ocracoke Ferry (To Dare County) * Swan Quarter - Ocracoke Ferry Hyde County is one of the most rural counties in North Carolina, owing this to its low population, absence of four-lane highways, and even the absence of stoplights in the county.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, there were 4,589 people, 1,947 households, and 1,378 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 5,826 people, 2,185 households, and 1,433 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 10 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 3,302 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 62.65%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 35.07%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

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 ...

, 0.31% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.84% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 2.25% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 2,185 households, out of which 26.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.70% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 30.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.94. In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 112.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $28,444, and the median income for a family was $35,558. Males had a median income of $25,216 versus $20,482 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $13,164. About 10.30% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 19.50% of those under age 18 and 23.00% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Hyde County is a member of the Albemarle Commission regional council of governments. Hyde County is served by six volunteer fire departments: Engelhard, Fairfield, Ocracoke, Scranton, Ponzer, and Swan Quarter.

Politics

Hyde County is located within

North Carolina's 3rd congressional district North Carolina's 3rd congressional district is located on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina. It covers the Outer Banks and the counties adjacent to the Pamlico Sound. The district is currently represented by Greg Murphy following a speci ...

. In the 2008 Presidential election, the county was narrowly divided, much like the rest of the

state of North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia an ...

, with

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

winning 1,241 votes,

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...

winning 1,212 votes, and other candidates winning 16 votes. Earl Pugh is chairman of the Hyde County Commissioners.

Education

Hyde County is home to the smallest public school system in North Carolina. The Hyde County Schools comprises two schools. * Mattamuskeet School, K-12 serves the mainland * Ocracoke School, K-12 serves Ocracoke Island The only private school in Hyde County is a small Mennonite school located in the northwest section of the county. This school serves the county's Mennonite population.

Media

Hyde County is home to two full power radio stations,

WKHC WKHC is a contemporary Christian radio station at 97.1 FM licensed to Hatteras, North Carolina serving the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The station is owned by EMF Broadcasting. History WKHC started in 1989 as soft adult contemporary "The Win ...

97.1 FM and

WCMS-FM WCMS-FM (94.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a New Country format. Licensed to Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, the station serves the Elizabeth City-Nags Head area. WCMS has used the name "Water Country" since it signed on in 1999. ...

94.5. These stations are licensed to Hatteras, NC but maintain transmitter facilities outside of Engelhard. Ocracoke Island is home to WOVV 90.1 FM, a low power non-commercial station.

WHYC WHYC (88.5 FM) is a Public Radio East Classical radio station licensed to serve the community of Swan Quarter, North Carolina. The station is licensed to the Hyde County Board of Education with station programming originating from Public Radio E ...

88.5 FM is located on the campus of Mattamuskeet School in Swan Quarter. WHYC is one of only two high school operated stations in North Carolina.

Communities

Hyde County has no incorporated municipalities.

Census-designated places

* Engelhard * Fairfield * Ocracoke (largest community) * Swan Quarter (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to: Places Australia * Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region United States * Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County * G ...

* Last Chance *

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

* Scranton * Ponzer *

Sladesville Sladesville is an unincorporated community in Hyde County, North Carolina. It was incorporated as a town January 27, 1849. There was a Sladesville Ginning Company and a Sladesville Transportation Company. There was a community school for white stu ...

Townships

* Currituck * Fairfield * Lake Landing * Ocracoke * Swan Quarter A sixth township, Mattamuskeet, is now "unorganized territory" occupied by the federally controlled Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge.

References

{{Coord, 35.41, -76.15, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:UScensus1990 1739 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1739