Yadkin County is located 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 ...

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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,214. 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 ...

Yadkinville Yadkinville is a town in Yadkin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,995 at the 2020 census. Located in the Piedmont Triad, it is the county seat and largest city of Yadkin County. History The area was chosen as the county s ...

. Yadkin County is included in the

Winston-Salem Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...

, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

, which is also included in the

Greensboro Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...

- High Point, NC

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

History

The county was formed in 1850 from the part of Surry County south of the

Yadkin River The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, po ...

, for which it was named.

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. Yadkin County is located in the

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

region of central North Carolina. The Piedmont consists of rolling farmlands frequently broken by hills or valleys formed by streams. The extreme western section of the county contains the Brushy Mountains, a deeply eroded spur of the much higher

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virgin ...

to the west. Yadkin County marks the eastern end of the Brushy Mountains range; none of the peaks rise more than 400–500 feet above the surrounding countryside. The highest point in the county is Star Peak near Jonesville, at 1,590 feet above sea level. The

forms the county's northern and eastern borders. The county takes its name from the river.

State and local protected areas

Historic Richmond Hill Nature Park History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

* Yadkinville Community Park

Major water bodies

* Beaverdam Creek * Deep Creek * Dobbins Creek * Forbush Creek * Harmon Creek * Little Forbush Creek * Logan Creek * Miller Creek * North Deep Creek * South Deep Creek *

South Yadkin River The South Yadkin River is a long river that flows through Alexander, Davie, Iredell, Rowan, and Wilkes counties of North Carolina. The mouth is located north of High Rock Lake, where the South Yadkin River meets the Yadkin River. Major citi ...

* Turner Creek *

Adjacent counties

* Surry County – north * Forsyth County – east * Davie County – south-southeast * Iredell County – south-southwest * Wilkes County – west

Major highways

* * (Concurrency with US 421) * * * * * Two major four-lane highways serve Yadkin County.

Interstate 77 Interstate 77 (I-77) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the ...

runs north to south in the western part of the county and

U.S. Highway 421 U.S. Route 421 (also U.S. Highway 421, US 421) is a diagonal northwest–southeast United States Numbered Highway in the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. The highway runs for from Fort Fisher, North Caro ...

runs east to west. The two highways intersect near Hamptonville. The county also is served by

U.S. Highway 21 U.S. Route 21 or U.S. Highway 21 (US 21) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway in the Southeastern United States that travels . The southern terminus is in Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina, south of the ...

, which runs mostly parallel with I-77, and U.S. Highway 601, which runs through

and Boonville.

North Carolina Highway 67 North Carolina Highway 67 (NC 67) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The highway travels through Yadkin and Forsyth Counties between its western terminus at U.S. Route 21 Business (US 21 Business) ...

is another popular artery that links the northern part of the county with Jonesville-Elkin and

Airports

Commercial flights are available through

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 Winsto ...

and

Charlotte Douglas International Airport Charlotte Douglas International Airport ( IATA: CLT, ICAO: KCLT, FAA LID: CLT), typically referred to as Charlotte Douglas, Douglas Airport, or simply CLT, is an international airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, located roughly six miles we ...

. Two private airports are located in the county, Swan Creek near Jonesville and Lone Hickory near Yadkinville. One additional airport is located in Boonville on Baptist Church Road. It recently housed NC Baptist Hospital's AirCare II during a transitional period.

Public transportation

Beginning in 2006, the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) began offering limited bus service between

Boone, North Carolina Boone is a town in and the county seat of Watauga County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Boone is the home of Appalachian State University and the headquarters for the disaster a ...

and

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...

as part of its US 421 Mountaineer Express. The buses make stops east and west in Yadkinville. Yadkin Valley Economic Development District Inc. (YVEDDI), a community action agency based in Boonville, operates a multi-county rural public transportation system.

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 of ...

, there were 37,214 people, 15,425 households, and 10,789 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the

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

of 2000, there were 36,348 people, 14,505 households, and 10,588 families residing in the county. The

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

was 108 people per square mile (42/km²). There were 15,821 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.54%

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 ...

, 3.43%

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

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 ...

, 0.16% Native American, 0.17%

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 ...

, 0.02%

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 ...

, 2.91% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.77% from two or more races. 6.48% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. There were 14,505 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were

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

living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.92. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $36,660, and the median income for a family was $43,758. Males had a median income of $29,589 versus $22,599 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 $18,576. About 7.10% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 10.90% of those under age 18 and 17.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Owing to its

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

past and consequent historical Unionist sympathies, Yadkin County became and has always remained solidly Republican. The county has voted for the Republican presidential nominee in every election since the party first contested North Carolina in the 1868 election. Alongside Stokes County and Surry County, it was one of only three North Carolina counties to remain loyal to

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

in 1912, and one of seven to vote for

Alf Landon Alfred Mossman Landon (September 9, 1887October 12, 1987) was an American oilman and politician who served as the 26th governor of Kansas from 1933 to 1937. A member of the Republican Party, he was the party's nominee in the 1936 presidential ...

in 1936. Even before the Republican Party contested the South, Yadkin County never voted Democratic: it would vote for Constitutional Union candidate John Bell in 1860, for

Know-Nothing The Know Nothing party was a nativist political party and movement in the United States in the mid-1850s. The party was officially known as the "Native American Party" prior to 1855 and thereafter, it was simply known as the "American Party". ...

candidate

Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853; he was the last to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House. A former member of the U.S. House of Represen ...

in 1856, and for the Whig Party in its first election of 1852. Yadkin County is a member of the regional Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments. It is governed by a five-member board of commissioners who are elected every two years. In the North Carolina Senate, Yadkin County is located in the 31st Senate district represented by Republican

Joyce Krawiec Joyce Krawiec (born June 14, 1945) is an American politician who has served in 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 Repre ...

. In the North Carolina House of Representatives, Yadkin County is in the 73rd District represented by Republican

Lee Zachary Walter Lee Zachary Jr. (born December 18, 1946) is a former Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He represented the 73rd district (including all of Yadkin County Yadkin County is located in the U.S. state of Nort ...

Education

Yadkin County has three high schools, Forbush, Starmount, and the Yadkin Early College. The Yadkin Early College is a five-year program where high school and college courses are offered on the Yadkin campus of Surry Community College. Students get the opportunity to earn their high school diploma and an associate degree in nursing, criminal justice, or a transfer degree to a four-year university. The high schools are fed by eight elementary schools, which teach kindergarten through sixth grades. The eight elementary schools are Boonville, Courtney, East Bend, Fall Creek, Forbush, Jonesville, West Yadkin and Yadkinville. The school system also operates Yadkin Success Academy, an alternative learning center on Old U.S. 421 in Yadkinville. Yadkin County opened two new middle schools in 2009. Starmount Middle School opened in August and serves seventh and eighth grade students from Jonesville, Boonville, and West Yadkin Elementary Schools. Forbush Middle opened in November and serves East Bend, Forbush Elementary, Fall Creek, Courtney, and Yadkinville Schools. Both campuses are adjacent to the high schools. Surry Community College offers courses through its Yadkin Campus at 4649 U.S. Highway 601 North near Yadkinville.

Media

Print

Yadkin County is covered by two community newspapers, ''

The Yadkin Ripple ''The Yadkin Ripple'' is a weekly newspaper based in Yadkinville, North Carolina. It was first published in East Bend, North Carolina, on October 18, 1892. ''The Ripple'', published on Thursdays, was purchased in June 2007 by Heartland Publication ...

'' and ''

The Tribune ''The Tribune'' or ''Tribune'' is the name of various newspapers: United States Daily California *''Oakland Tribune'' * ''The Tribune'' (San Luis Obispo) *'' San Gabriel Valley Tribune'' Indiana *''Kokomo Tribune'' *'' Peru Tribune'' * ''The Trib ...

'' of Elkin. The ''

Winston-Salem Journal The ''Winston-Salem Journal'' is an American, English language daily newspaper primarily serving Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, North Carolina. It also covers Northwestern North Carolina. The paper is owned by ...

'', a larger daily paper, also covers the county. Yadkin Valley Living, a bimonthly lifestyles publication, is based in East Bend.

Broadcast

WSGH, an AM Spanish contemporary station, broadcasts from eastern Yadkin County. Yadkin County is part of 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, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group of cities lies in the Piedmon ...

radio and

television market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also incl ...

but many broadcasts from the

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

market also can be received.

Yadkin Valley wine region

All of Yadkin County is included in the

Yadkin Valley AVA The Yadkin Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes land in seven counties of northwestern North Carolina. The AVA encompasses an area of approximately in the Yadkin River valley. The Yadkin Valley AVA includes all of Wilkes, ...

, an

American Viticultural Area An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of winery, wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know abo ...

recognized by the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

government as a unique

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years ago, ...

-growing region.

Wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

s made from grapes grown in this area may use the

appellation An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

"Yadkin Valley" on the label. Yadkin County is also home to the second North Carolina AVA, the Swan Creek Wine Region.

Communities

Towns

* Boonville * East Bend * Jonesville *

(county seat and largest town)

Townships

* Boonville * Deep Creek * East Bend * Forbush * North Buck Shoals * North Fall Creek Township, Yadkin County, North Carolina, North Fall Creek * North Knobs Township, Yadkin County, North Carolina, North Knobs * North Liberty Township, Yadkin County, North Carolina, North Liberty * South Buck Shoals Township, Yadkin County, North Carolina, South Buck Shoals * South Fall Creek Township, Yadkin County, North Carolina, South Fall Creek * South Knobs Township, Yadkin County, North Carolina, South Knobs * South Liberty Township, Yadkin County, North Carolina, South Liberty

Unincorporated communities

* Barney Hill, North Carolina, Barney Hill * Branon, North Carolina, Branon * Buck Shoals, North Carolina, Buck Shoals * Center, North Carolina, Center * Brooks Crossroads, North Carolina, Brooks' Crossroads * Courtney, North Carolina, Courtney * Enon, North Carolina, Enon * Flint Hill, Yadkin County, North Carolina, Flint Hill * Footville, North Carolina, Footville * Forbush, North Carolina, Forbush * Hamptonville * Huntsville, North Carolina, Huntsville * Lone Hickory, North Carolina, Lone Hickory * Longtown, North Carolina, Longtown * Marler, North Carolina, Marler * Richmond Hill, North Carolina, Richmond Hill * Swan Creek, North Carolina, Swan Creek * Union Hill, North Carolina, Union Hill * Windsor's Crossroads, North Carolina, Windsor's Crossroads * Wyo, North Carolina, Wyo

Former towns

These towns were incorporated at one time: * Arlington, North Carolina, Arlington, merged with Jonesville in 2001. * Hamptonville, chartered in 1818. * Huntsville, North Carolina, Huntsville, incorporated in 1792. * Shore, North Carolina, Shore, incorporated from 1903 to 1911. * Smithtown, North Carolina, Smithtown, incorporated in 1924.

Former township

* Little Yadkin (formerly the only part of Yadkin County east of the Yadkin River), annexed by Forsyth County in 1911 and 1927 to become part of Lewisville Township, Forsyth County, North Carolina, Lewisville Township

Notable people

* Leo Arnaud, French-born film composer * Thomas Lanier Clingman, U.S. senator and representative and Confederate brigadier general * Mo Cowan, William "Mo" Cowan, U.S. senator for Massachusetts in 2013 * Mamrie Hart, YouTube celebrity * Dickie Hemric, basketball star for Wake Forest University, Wake Forest and the Boston Celtics * Richmond Mumford Pearson, North Carolina Supreme Court chief justice, and his son, Richmond Pearson, a diplomat and U.S. representative * Richard Clauselle Puryear, U.S. congressman * Ernie Shore, a Major League Baseball, Major League baseball pitcher and former Forsyth County sheriff * Robert Glenn Junior Johnson, NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and champion team owner

References

External links

*
Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce, based in Elkin

Yadkin County Chamber of Commerce, based in Yadkinville

Yadkin County government official website

Yadkin County Schools

Yadkin Valley Wineries and Vineyards
{{authority control Yadkin County, North Carolina, Counties of Appalachia 1850 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1850