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Graham County, North Carolina

Coordinates: 35°21′N 83°50′W / 35.35°N 83.83°W / 35.35; -83.83
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Not to be confused with Graham, North Carolina.

Graham County
County
Graham County Courthouse in Robbinsville
Graham County Courthouse in Robbinsville
Official seal of Graham County
Seal
Motto: 
"With A Proud History That Runs As Deep As The Roots of Her Trees"
Map of North Carolina highlighting Graham 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°21′N 83°50′W / 35.35°N 83.83°W / 35.35; -83.83
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1872
Named forWilliam A. Graham
SeatRobbinsville
Largest communityRobbinsville
Area
 • Total301.65 sq mi (781.3 km2)
 • Land291.97 sq mi (756.2 km2)
 • Water9.68 sq mi (25.1 km2)  3.21%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total8,030
 • Estimate 
(2023)
8,052
 • Density27.50/sq mi (10.62/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district11th
Websitewww.grahamcounty.org

Graham County (locally /ˈɡreɪˌhæm/)[1] is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,030,[2] making it the third-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Robbinsville.[3]

History

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The county was formed January 30, 1872, from the northeastern part of Cherokee County. It was named for William A. Graham,[4] United States Senator from North Carolina (1840–1843) and Governor of North Carolina (1845–1849).

The first Graham County Courthouse was constructed in Robbinsville in 1874, but its floor collapsed two decades later while the building was packed during a murder trial. A replacement, built in 1895, was the last wooden courthouse built in North Carolina. The third and current building was completed in 1942.[5][6]

The first public library in Graham County opened in Robbinsville in 1939.[7] It joined the Nantahala Regional Library system in 1940.[8] The facility was torn down in 1952 and replaced with a newer building which opened on April 6, 1953.[7]

An F2 tornado struck Graham County during the 1974 Super Outbreak causing two deaths and 11 injuries. The community of Stecoah near Fontana Lake saw widespread damage.[9]

Geography

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Lake Santeetlah
Map
Interactive map of Graham County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 301.65 square miles (781.3 km2), of which 291.97 square miles (756.2 km2) is land and 9.68 square miles (25.1 km2) (3.21%) is water.[10] The terrain of the county is mountainous,[11] with elevations ranging from 1,177 to 5,560 feet (359 to 1,695 m). Two-thirds of the county is the Nantahala National Forest. The soil of the valleys is fertile.[11]

Fontana Lake, an impoundment of the Little Tennessee River, forms most of the northern border of the county, with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the other side of the lake. Fontana Lake is formed by Fontana Dam, the tallest dam in the eastern U.S. The remainder of the northern boundary of Graham County is almost completely formed by another impoundment of the Little Tennessee River, downstream from Fontana Dam, created by Cheoah Dam. Fontana Dam and Cheoah Dam are both operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Fontana Dam is the tallest dam in the Eastern United States

The Appalachian Trail winds through Graham County. Part of the trail is located on top of Fontana Dam. The Cheoah River is noted for its Class IV and Class V whitewater rapids. The river is used for whitewater rafting about 17 days per year, based on a water-release schedule from Santeetlah Dam. Seventy-five percent of Lake Santeetlah shoreline borders national forest.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, a rare example of an old growth cove hardwood forest, is located in northwestern Graham County. Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is part of the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness area.

The eastern terminus of the Cherohala Skyway is located in northwestern Graham County. The 43-mile (69 km) Cherohala Skyway connects Graham County with Tellico Plains, Tennessee.

The Cherokee name for the area, Nantahala, is translated as "land of the noon-day sun" because 90% of the land is slopes of 30 degrees or greater, suggesting that in the valleys one sees the sun only in the middle of the day.[12]

As of 2024, Graham County has the third lowest amount of agricultural acreage in the state. The county has 2,256 acres of agricultural land and 70 farms.[13]

Cherokee reserve

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Portions of the Qualla Boundary are located in Graham County. These sections of the Qualla Boundary are non-contiguous from the primary part of the Qualla Boundary located in Swain, Jackson, Cherokee and Haywood counties. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who live in Graham County form the Snowbird Cherokee community.

National protected areas

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State and local protected area

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Major water bodies

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Adjacent counties

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Major highways

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18802,335—
18903,31341.9%
19004,34331.1%
19104,7499.3%
19204,8722.6%
19305,84119.9%
19406,4189.9%
19506,8867.3%
19606,432−6.6%
19706,5622.0%
19807,21710.0%
19907,196−0.3%
20007,99311.1%
20108,86110.9%
20208,030−9.4%
2023 (est.)8,052[2]0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17]
1990–2000[18] 2010[19] 2020[2]

As of 2024, Graham County has some of the lowest access to computing devices in North Carolina, ranking 98th out of the state's 100 counties.[13]

2020 census

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Graham County, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[20] Pop 2010[21] Pop 2020[22] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 7,303 7,942 6,885 91.37% 89.63% 85.74%
Black or African American alone (NH) 15 17 46 0.19% 0.19% 0.57%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 541 538 570 6.77% 6.07% 7.10%
Asian alone (NH) 13 29 20 0.16% 0.33% 0.25%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 2 4 0.01% 0.02% 0.05%
Other Race alone (NH) 0 0 4 0.00% 0.00% 0.05%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 60 139 282 0.75% 1.57% 3.51%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 60 194 219 0.75% 2.19% 2.73%
Total 7,993 8,861 8,030 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 census, there were 8,030 people, 3,393 households, and 2,178 families residing in the county.

2000 census

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At the 2000 census,[23] there were 7,993 people, 3,354 households, and 2,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10 people/km2). There were 5,084 housing units at an average density of 17 units per square mile (6.6 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.91% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 6.84% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 27.6% were of American, 15.1% Irish, 12.7% English, 10.6% German and 5.1% Scots-Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.7% spoke English and 1.3% Cherokee as their first language.

There were 3,354 households, out of which 27.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.00% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 27.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,645, and the median income for a family was $32,750. Males had a median income of $24,207 versus $18,668 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,237. About 14.40% of families and 19.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.30% of those under age 18 and 20.40% of those age 65 or over.

Law, government, and politics

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Government

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Graham County is governed by an elected five-member board of commissioners. The county is a member of the regional Southwestern Commission council of governments. In 2021, the county began allowing acholic beverage to be purchased within the county.[24] It was the last dry county (in which alcohol sales are generally forbidden with only a few exceptions) in North Carolina.[25]

United States presidential election results for Graham County, North Carolina[26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 3,710 79.53% 905 19.40% 50 1.07%
2016 3,283 78.77% 768 18.43% 117 2.81%
2012 2,750 69.67% 1,119 28.35% 78 1.98%
2008 2,824 67.71% 1,265 30.33% 82 1.97%
2004 2,693 67.54% 1,272 31.90% 22 0.55%
2000 2,304 68.55% 1,006 29.93% 51 1.52%
1996 1,801 54.76% 1,210 36.79% 278 8.45%
1992 1,919 49.51% 1,551 40.02% 406 10.47%
1988 2,091 61.16% 1,313 38.40% 15 0.44%
1984 2,514 62.63% 1,494 37.22% 6 0.15%
1980 1,961 54.25% 1,608 44.48% 46 1.27%
1976 1,621 47.34% 1,791 52.31% 12 0.35%
1972 1,699 61.05% 1,057 37.98% 27 0.97%
1968 1,570 52.44% 1,061 35.44% 363 12.12%
1964 1,398 44.59% 1,737 55.41% 0 0.00%
1960 1,721 56.32% 1,335 43.68% 0 0.00%
1956 1,762 54.25% 1,486 45.75% 0 0.00%
1952 1,380 46.46% 1,590 53.54% 0 0.00%
1948 1,115 41.07% 1,527 56.24% 73 2.69%
1944 1,356 41.79% 1,889 58.21% 0 0.00%
1940 1,089 43.68% 1,404 56.32% 0 0.00%
1936 1,325 47.36% 1,473 52.64% 0 0.00%
1932 1,183 46.25% 1,364 53.32% 11 0.43%
1928 1,260 56.68% 963 43.32% 0 0.00%
1924 907 51.56% 841 47.81% 11 0.63%
1920 915 58.69% 644 41.31% 0 0.00%
1916 460 49.15% 476 50.85% 0 0.00%
1912 261 29.00% 416 46.22% 223 24.78%

Public safety

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The Graham County Sheriff's Office protects the court and all county owned facilities, operates the jail, and provides patrol and detective services.[27] Graham County Emergency Medical Services provide full-time paramedic level care to all of Graham County, and to a small portion of northwest Swain County. As there are no hospitals in Graham County, all patients are transported out of county for emergency care.

Media

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The Graham Star newspaper has been published weekly in Robbinsville since 1955. It faced competition from the Graham Sentinel until the Sentinel closed in 2012.

Communities

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Map of Graham County with municipal and township labels

Towns

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Townships

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Other communities

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Many smaller communities in Graham County are named for bodies of water, notable landscape features, or early settlers. Other unincorporated communities in Graham County include:

  • Atoah
  • Bear Creek Junction
  • Cheoah
  • Dentons
  • Dry Creek
  • Hidetown
  • Jenkins Meadow
  • Junction
  • McGuires
  • Meadow Branch
  • Milltown
  • Rymers Ferry
  • Sawyers Creek
  • Stecoah
  • Sweetgum
  • Tapoco (named for the Tallassee Power Company[29])
  • Tulula (just south of Robbinsville; may have been named for a mythological Cherokee Indian)
  • Tuskegee
  • Yellow Creek
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rick Aschmann (May 2, 2018). "North American English Dialects, Based on Pronunciation Patterns". Aschmann.net. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "QuickFacts: Graham County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 140.
  5. ^ "Graham County". www.grahamcounty.net.
  6. ^ "The Town of Robbinsville". www.grahamcounty.net.
  7. ^ a b "Graham County". www.grahamcounty.net. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  8. ^ "History of the Nantahala Regional Library". Nantahala Regional Library. Murphy, NC. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  9. ^ Danville Register, Danville, Virginia. April 5, 1974, page 1.
  10. ^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Graham. I. An extreme W. county of North Carolina" . The American Cyclopædia.
  12. ^ Historical Marker in Robbinsville, the county seat
  13. ^ a b Foster, Randy (October 15, 2024). "County facing challenges to local economy". Cherokee Scout. pp. 1A, 8A. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  14. ^ "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  15. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  16. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  17. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  18. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  19. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  20. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Graham County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
  21. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Graham County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
  22. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Graham County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  24. ^ "Last dry county in North Carolina will soon sell alcohol". WUNC. November 4, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  25. ^ "Legal Sales by County: North Carolina ABC Commission". Ncabc.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  26. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  27. ^ "Sheriff – Graham County North Carolina".
  28. ^ "USPS.com - ZIP Code Lookup". Tools.usps.com. March 28, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  29. ^ "Graham County". www.grahamcounty.net. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
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