Craven County, North Carolina

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"Craven County" redirects here. For the former county in South Carolina, see Craven County, South Carolina.

Craven County
U.S. county
New Bern City Hall
New Bern City Hall
Official seal of Craven County
Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Craven County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°06′33″N 77°04′09″W / 35.109166666667°N 77.069166666667°W / 35.109166666667; -77.069166666667
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1739
Named forWilliam, Earl of Craven
SeatNew Bern
Largest cityNew Bern
Area
 • Total774 sq mi (2,000 km2)
 • Land709 sq mi (1,840 km2)
 • Water65 sq mi (170 km2)  8.4%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
102,139
 • Density146/sq mi (56/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.cravencounty.com

Craven County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 103,505.[1] Its county seat is New Bern.[2] The county was created in 1705 as Archdale Precinct from the now-extinct Bath County. It was renamed Craven Precinct in 1712 and gained county status in 1739.[3][4] It is named for William, Earl of Craven, who lived from 1606 to 1697. Craven County is part of the New Bern, NC, Metropolitan Statistical Area.


Colonial history[edit]

On August 4, 1661, George Durant purchased land from Cisketando, king of the Yeopim Indian tribe. On March 13, 1662, a second purchase was made from Kilcocanen, another Yeopim. By 1662 Durant was living in Virginia on a tract of land along the Perquimans River which flows into Albemarle Sound, which became part of the Carolina colony in 1665.[5]

Craven County was established in 1712, as a precinct of Bath County and was named after William, Lord Craven, one of the Lords Proprietors. That year Christopher Gale became the first chief justice of North Carolina.[6][7] During the initial years of colonization, the population of Craven County was sparse and grew slowly. By 1740, however, the town of New Bern began growing rapidly and became the seat for the Governorship.[8] John Carter served as the first sheriff of Craven County, but died in 1740 in the line of duty, when ambushed by an outlaw he was trying to apprehend. In 1746 an act was passed establishing New Bern as the capital of the province and, although the act was later repealed, the General Court met at New Bern in Craven County after 1747.[6]

In 1749 James Davis, the colony's first printer, arrived at New Bern and became the official printer for the North Carolina Assembly.[9] In 1751, Davis established and began printing the North-Carolina Gazette, North Carolina's first newspaper.[10] In 1754 he was elected Sheriff of Craven County.[11]

Geography[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 774 square miles (2,000 km2), of which 709 square miles (1,840 km2) is land and 65 square miles (170 km2) (8.4%) is water.[12]

National protected area[edit]

Adjacent counties[edit]

Major highways[edit]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
179010,474—
180010,245−2.2%
181012,67623.7%
182013,3945.7%
183013,7342.5%
184013,438−2.2%
185014,7099.5%
186016,26810.6%
187020,51626.1%
188019,729−3.8%
189020,5334.1%
190024,16017.7%
191025,5945.9%
192029,04813.5%
193030,6655.6%
194031,2982.1%
195048,82356.0%
196058,77320.4%
197062,5546.4%
198071,04313.6%
199081,61314.9%
200091,43612.0%
2010103,50513.2%
2019 (est.)102,139[13]−1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1790-1960[15] 1900-1990[16]
1990-2000[17] 2010-2013[1]

2020 census[edit]

Craven County racial composition[18]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 64,933 64.47%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 19,903 19.76%
Native American 318 0.32%
Asian 3,059 3.04%
Pacific Islander 150 0.15%
Other/Mixed 5,162 5.13%
Hispanic or Latino 7,195 7.14%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 100,720 people, 42,221 households, and 28,502 families residing in the county.

2000 census[edit]

As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 91,436 people, 34,582 households, and 25,071 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile (50/km2). There were 38,150 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile (21/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 69.94% White, 25.12% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.78% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. 4.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 34,582 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 12.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 12.80% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 101.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,966, and the median income for a family was $42,574. Males had a median income of $28,163 versus $21,412 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,423. About 9.90% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.


Communities[edit]

Map of Craven County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

Cities[edit]

Towns[edit]

Census-designated places[edit]

Other unincorporated communities[edit]

Politics, law and government[edit]

Craven is a typical “Solid South” county in its presidential voting patterns. It was solidly Democratic until the 1960s: in five elections from 1932 to 1948 the Republican Party did not reach fifteen percent of the vote, and only in 1928 when a large anti-Catholic vote was cast against Al Smith did the GOP reach twenty percent between at least 1900 and 1948. The national Democratic party's support for the Civil Rights Movement caused its white electorate to defect to George Wallace’s American Independent campaign in 1968. Since that time, Craven has become a strongly Republican county. The last Democrat to carry Craven County was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[20][21]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 58.5% 31,032 39.9% 21,148 1.7% 885
2016 59.0% 27,731 37.5% 17,630 3.5% 1,640
2012 58.3% 26,928 40.6% 18,763 1.0% 479
2008 55.8% 24,901 43.4% 19,352 0.8% 345
2004 62.4% 23,575 37.1% 14,019 0.4% 162
2000 61.0% 19,494 38.2% 12,213 0.9% 278
1996 52.7% 13,264 41.0% 10,317 6.4% 1,610
1992 45.8% 11,575 39.5% 9,998 14.7% 3,714
1988 62.1% 12,057 37.7% 7,313 0.2% 47
1984 64.0% 12,893 35.7% 7,186 0.3% 55
1980 51.0% 8,554 46.4% 7,781 2.7% 448
1976 43.4% 5,881 55.8% 7,553 0.8% 109
1972 78.7% 9,372 20.0% 2,384 1.2% 147
1968 21.8% 2,991 30.9% 4,240 47.4% 6,509
1964 38.7% 4,691 61.3% 7,422
1960 34.0% 3,680 66.1% 7,158
1956 31.9% 2,956 68.1% 6,317
1952 31.7% 2,822 68.3% 6,092
1948 11.9% 745 80.3% 5,039 7.9% 494
1944 14.5% 826 85.5% 4,872
1940 11.3% 626 88.7% 4,916
1936 7.6% 453 92.4% 5,543
1932 9.6% 466 90.0% 4,375 0.4% 19
1928 47.3% 2,237 52.7% 2,494
1924 9.8% 325 88.9% 2,942 1.3% 44
1920 17.6% 731 82.4% 3,413
1916 23.3% 542 76.7% 1,780
1912 3.8% 79 87.1% 1,819 9.1% 190
1908 24.3% 449 75.7% 1,399
1904 14.7% 268 85.3% 1,555
1900 42.5% 1,502 57.5% 2,028
1896 60.5% 2,921 37.5% 1,810 2.0% 97
1892 50.5% 1,648 40.0% 1,305 9.5% 311
1888 65.7% 2,618 34.1% 1,359 0.2% 6
1884 65.6% 2,539 34.4% 1,330
1880 69.0% 2,809 29.0% 1,180 2.0% 82

Craven County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments.

See also[edit]

Sources[edit]

  • Connor, Robert Digges Wimberly (1919). History of North Carolina. Vol. I. Chicago : New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
  • Crittenden, Charles christopher; Lacy, Dan, eds. (1938). The historical records of North Carolina : the county records. Vol. I. Raleigh : The North Carolina Historical Commission.
  • Crittenden, Charles christopher; Lacy, Dan, eds. (1938). The historical records of North Carolina : the county records. Vol. II. Raleigh : The North Carolina Historical Commission.
  • Dill, Alonzo Thomas, Jr. (January 1946). "Eighteenth Century New Bern". Dill, Eighteenth-Century New Bern. North Carolina Office of Archives and History. 23 (1): 47–48. JSTOR 23515401.
  • Powell, William S., ed. (2000). Dictionary of North Carolina biography. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-67013. - link to Davis biography
  • Thomas, Isaiah (1874). The history of printing in America, with a biography of printers. Vol. I. New York, B. Franklin.
  • —— (1874). The history of printing in America, with a biography of printers. Vol. II. New York, B. Franklin.
  • Wroth, Lawrence C. (1938). The Colonial Printer. Portland, Me., The Southworth-Anthoensen press.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "North Carolina: Individual County Chronologies". North Carolina Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  4. ^ "Craven County". NCpedia. State Library of North Carolina. January 1, 2006. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  5. ^ Connor, 1919, Vol. I, pp. 26-27
  6. ^ a b The historical records of North Carolina, Vol. I, p. 58
  7. ^ The historical records of North Carolina, Vol. II, p. 2
  8. ^ dill, 1946, p. 47
  9. ^ Wroth, 1938, p. 48
  10. ^ Thomas, 1874, Vol. I, p. 338; Vol. II, p. 166
  11. ^ Powell, 2000, pp. 34-35
  12. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  13. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  14. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  15. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  16. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  17. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  18. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  19. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  21. ^ "Our Campaigns - U.S. President". Retrieved January 22, 2021.

Further reading[edit]

  • Browning, Judkin. Shifting Loyalties: The Union Occupation of Eastern North Carolina (Univ of North Carolina Press, 2011). focus on Craven County
  • Kinsey, Marissa N. "Beyond the Vale: Visualizing Slavery in Craven County, North Carolina." (2017). online
  • Farmer, Vina Hutchinson. New Bern (Arcadia Publishing, 2007).
  • Todd, Vincent H., ed. (1920). Christoph von Graffenried's Account of the Founding of New Bern. Publications of the North Carolina Historical Commission. Raleigh: Edwards & Broughton Printing Co. LCCN 21027196. OCLC 1107613. OL 6640211M – via Internet Archive.
  • Watson, Alan D. A History of New Bern and Craven County (Tryon Palace Commission, 1987).

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 35°6′33″N 77°4′9″W / 35.10917°N 77.06917°W / 35.10917; -77.06917

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