Lincoln County, North Carolina

The county was formed in 1779 from the eastern part of Tryon County, which had been settled by Europeans in the mid-18th Century. It was named for Benjamin Lincoln, a general in the American Revolutionary War."{{Cite web|url=http://www.co.lincoln.nc.us/index.aspx?NID=416|title=County of Lincoln, NC - Official Website - History Corner|website=www.co.lincoln.nc.us|language=en|access-date=June 8, 2017}} During the American Revolution, the Battle of Ramsour's Mill occurred near a grist mill in Lincolnton.

In 1782 the southeastern part of Burke County was annexed to Lincoln County. In 1841, parts of Lincoln County and Rutherford County were combined to form Cleveland County. In 1842, the northern third of Lincoln County became Catawba County. In 1846, the southern half of what was left of Lincoln County became Gaston County.{{Cite web |title=Lincoln County {{!}} NCpedia |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/geography/lincoln |access-date=May 27, 2022 |website=www.ncpedia.org}}

{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q507757|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Lincoln County}}

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|304.87|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|295.85|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|9.02|sqmi}} (2.96%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2022 |title=2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_counties_37.txt |access-date=September 9, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

• Mountain Island Educational State Forest (part)
• Pee Wee's Mountain Bike Trail{{Cite web |title=Parks and Recreation {{!}} County of Lincoln, NC - Official Website |url=https://www.lincolncounty.org/129/Parks-and-Recreation |access-date=May 27, 2022 |website=www.lincolncounty.org}}
• Rock Springs Nature Preserve
• South Fork Rail Trail

• Anderson Creek{{Cite web |title=Lincoln County North Carolina Streams |url=https://northcarolina.hometownlocator.com/features/physical,class,stream,scfips,37109.cfm |access-date=May 27, 2022 |website=northcarolina.hometownlocator.com}}
• Ballard Creek
• Buffalo Creek
• Catawba River
• Crooked Creek
• Howard Creek
• Hoyle Creek
• Indian Creek
• Killian Creek
• Lake Norman
• Little Indian Creek
• South Fork Catawba River
• Tanyard Creek

• Catawba County – north
• Iredell County – northeast
• Mecklenburg County – southeast
• Gaston County – south
• Cleveland County – west
• Burke County – northwest

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• {{Jct|state=NC|US|321}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|321|dab1=Dallas–Hickory}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|10}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|16}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC-Bus|16|dab1=Lowesville–Denver}} (business route)
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|18}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|27}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC-Truck|27|dab1=Lincolnton}} (truck route)
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|73}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|150}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|155}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|182}}
• {{Jct|state=NC|NC|274}}

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• Lincoln County Airport{{Cite web |title=Airport (IPJ) {{!}} County of Lincoln, NC - Official Website |url=https://www.lincolncounty.org/93/Airport |access-date=May 27, 2022 |website=www.lincolncounty.org}}

{{US Census population

|1790= 9246

|1800= 12660

|1810= 16359

|1820= 18147

|1830= 22455

|1840= 25160

|1850= 7746

|1860= 8195

|1870= 9573

|1880= 11061

|1890= 12586

|1900= 15498

|1910= 17132

|1920= 17862

|1930= 22872

|1940= 24187

|1950= 27459

|1960= 28814

|1970= 32682

|1980= 42372

|1990= 50319

|2000= 63780

|2010= 78265

|2020= 86810

|estyear=2023

|estimate=95675

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 17, 2015}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 17, 2015}} 1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nc190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=January 17, 2015}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=January 17, 2015}} 2010{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37109.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 21, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607000335/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37109.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}} 2020{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/lincolncountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Lincoln County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}

}}

As of the 2020 census, there were 86,810 people, 34,418 households, and 24,445 families residing in the county.

At the 2010 census,{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}} there were 78,265 people, 30,343 households, and 22,221 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|261.76|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 33,641 housing units at an average density of {{convert|112.51|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 89.4% White, 5.5% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 6.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 30,343 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% 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 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,456, and the median income for a family was $48,298. Males had a median income of $41,441 versus $30,480 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,861. About 10.4% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, as well as 25.3% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Lincoln County is heavily Republican and the last Democratic presidential candidate to win it was Jimmy Carter in 1976, who won it by 58.37%.

{{PresHead|place=Lincoln County, North Carolina|whig=no|source1={{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 16, 2018}}

}}

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|40,183|14,842|557|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|2020|Republican|36,341|13,274|602|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|2016|Republican|28,806|9,897|1,320|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|2012|Republican|25,267|11,024|484|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|2008|Republican|23,631|11,713|454|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|2004|Republican|20,052|9,434|93|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|15,951|8,412|166|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1996|Republican|11,439|7,721|1,690|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1992|Republican|11,018|8,150|3,187|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1988|Republican|11,651|6,444|35|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|12,621|5,996|42|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|9,009|7,796|391|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|6,682|9,462|66|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|8,597|5,100|195|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|6,188|4,044|3,161|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|5,869|7,304|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|6,816|6,728|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1956|Republican|6,637|5,838|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|6,228|5,389|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1948|Republican|3,635|3,570|1,153|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|3,678|4,168|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|3,099|4,901|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|3,501|5,515|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,563|4,399|34|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,930|2,913|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|2,658|2,909|42|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|3,137|3,331|0|North Carolina}}

{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,369|1,521|9|North Carolina}}

{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|49|1,280|1,081|North Carolina}}

Every countywide office is held by a Republican, and the only Democratic official that holds office in the county is Lincolnton Mayor Ed Hatley, who has been the city's mayor since 2015.

In 2018, former Lincolnton city council member Mary Frances White became the first African American elected official in the county's history. {{cite news |url=https://www.lincolntimesnews.com/news/mary-frances-white-makes-history-as-city-s-first-elected/article_29844de0-f8b9-11e8-b34c-a3bf1a6176e1.html |title=Mary Frances White makes history as city's first elected African-American |date=December 5, 2018 |newspaper=Lincoln Times News |first=Jaclyn |last=Anthony |access-date=March 25, 2021 }} She served one term on the city council for ward one, and ran for re-election in 2022, but lost to Kevin Demeny by 334 votes.{{Cite web |title=Lincolnton City Council Election 2022|url=https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/08/2022&county_id=55&office=LOC&contest=9}}

Lincoln County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.{{cite web|url=https://centralina.org/what-is-ccog/our-region/|title=Centralina Council of Governments|access-date=August 10, 2019}}

Commissioners serve four-year terms.

The Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation is a subdivision of State Government and works to promote conservation of our natural resources in Lincoln County. Originally Lincoln County was part of the Lower Catawba District which also included Gaston and Mecklenburg counties. The Lower Catawba District was organized on April 25, 1940. Lincoln County became a single county district on January 9, 1964. The governing body of a soil and water conservation district shall consist of the three elective supervisors from the county or counties in the district, together with the appointive members appointed by the Soil and Water Conservation Commission pursuant to this section, and shall be known as the district board of supervisors. 

Members serve a four year term, no term limits and includes: 3 Elected and 2 Appointed by the State Commission. They meet every Tuesday of the month at 5:00pm.

This is the only elected office in the county that is non-partisan.

Lincoln County is in the 39th Superior Court District. It consists of both Lincoln and Cleveland County. {{Cite web |title=North Carolina Superior Court District Map|url=https://www.nccourts.gov/assets/documents/publications/Superior-Court-Districts-Map-1-1-2024.pdf}}

Judges are elected, and serve eight year terms.{{Cite web |title=North Carolina Superior Justices' Terms|url=https://www.ncsbe.gov/candidates/terms-office}}

District Court Judges are elected, and serve four year terms.{{Cite web |title=North Carolina District Court Terms|url=https://www.ncsbe.gov/candidates/terms-office}}

The District Attorney is elected, and serve four year terms.

These officials are elected and serve four year terms.

There are seven members, two of which become chair, and vice-chair of the board. There are five individual districts, and two at-large districts, but all seven board members are elected countywide with four-year terms.

On August 5, 2021, The North Carolina General Assembly ratified House Bill 244 / SL 2021-99 which went into effect in the beginning of 2022, changing the election method for the Lincoln County Board of Education from non-partisan to partisan.{{Cite|title=Lincoln County Board of Education Election Method Change, House Bill 244 / SL 2021-99|url=https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H244v4.pdf}}

Lincoln County is currently represented by the 97th House District, and 44th Senate District in the North Carolina General Assembly. {{Cite web |title=General Assembly Representation for Lincoln County|url=https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/CountyRepresentation/Lincoln}}

North Carolina's 97th House district is entirely limited to Lincoln County and has been since 2003. The district overlaps with the 44th state senate district.

Current representative Heather Rhyne has represented the district since 2024. She is

a former member and chairperson of the Lincoln County Board of Education. In 2024, She was selected by the Lincoln County GOP Executive Committee to fill out the remainder of former State House Rep. Jason Saine’s unexpired term. Saine who's served the single county house district since 2011 decided to resign on July 15, 2024, after the North Carolina General Assembly was unable to pass a budget update for the 2024 session despite the GOP having the supermajority at the time. {{Cite web |title=North Carolina legislators consider vetoes, constitution changes as work session winds down|url=https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/north-carolina-legislators-consider-vetoes-constitution-changes/275-e90c5f38-9d0b-4a24-8a72-974ddaac4737}}

In November 2024, Rhyne ran unopposed and easily won her first election in the district with 43,332 votes. {{Cite web |title= 2024 North Carolina House District 97 Election Results|url=https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/05/2024&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1277}}

North Carolina's 44th Senate district has covered all of Lincoln, and Cleveland counties, along with northwest Gaston county since 2019. The district overlaps with the 97th, 110th, and 111th state house districts.

Current representative Ted Alexander has represented the district since 2019.

Alexander previously served two terms as mayor of Shelby, North Carolina as well as chair of the Cleveland County Republican Party. {{Cite web|url=https://www.shelbystar.com/news/20181106/former-mayor-ted-alexander-wins-new-senate-seat|title=Former mayor Ted Alexander wins new Senate seat|access-date=2019-01-10|archive-date=2018-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110205857/http://www.shelbystar.com/news/20181106/former-mayor-ted-alexander-wins-new-senate-seat|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gastongazette.com/news/20190108/ted-alexander-sworn-in-as-state-senator|title=Ted Alexander sworn in as state senator|access-date=2019-01-10|archive-date=2019-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111121544/https://www.gastongazette.com/news/20190108/ted-alexander-sworn-in-as-state-senator|url-status=live}} He won his first election in November 2018 with 68.5% of the vote against Democratic opponent David Lattimore who received 31.15% of the vote. {{Cite web |title=2018 North Carolina Senate District 44 Election Results|url=https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/06/2018&county_id=0&office=NCS&contest=1167}}

Alexander won his most recent election in 2024 with 72.50% of the vote against Democratic opponent Henry Herzberg who received 27.50% of the vote.{{Cite web |title=North Carolina 2024 North Carolina Senate District 44 Election Results|url=https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/05/2024&county_id=0&office=NCS&contest=1346}}

All of Lincoln County is represented in congress by the 10th congressional district.

In February 2020, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department received media attention when surveillance video was released showing first a pair of Atrium Health security guards assaulting a sixteen-year-old boy brought to the hospital's emergency room. When another pair of sheriff's deputies arrived, video shows one of the deputies hitting the boy, now handcuffed, in the face twice as the boy spit blood pooling in his mouth after being tackled from behind by security guards. The deputy then aggressively approached the mother, yelling at her before being pulled to the ground by a second deputy, In an interview with WBTV, Lincoln County Sheriff Bill Beam defended his deputies saying they did nothing wrong, denying that the officer struck the boy or that the officer was physically restrained by two additional sheriff's deputies.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbtv.com/video/2020/02/14/full-interview-lincoln-county-sheriff-bill-beam-teen-assaulted-outside-er/|title=FULL INTERVIEW: Lincoln County Sheriff Bill Beam on teen assaulted outside ER|website=WBTV|language=en-US|access-date=February 14, 2020}} The boy was arrested and charged with felony assault on a police officer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbtv.com/2020/02/14/video-shows-teen-assaulted-by-atrium-security-lincoln-co-sheriffs-deputy-outside-er/|title=Video shows teen assaulted by Atrium security, Lincoln Co. sheriff’s deputy outside ER|last=Ochsner|first=Nick|website=WBTV|language=en-US|access-date=February 14, 2020}}

• Gaston College - Community College located in Dallas, North Carolina with a satellite campus in Lincolnton offering associate degree, Certificate, and Diploma programs.{{Cite web |last=College |first=Gaston |title=Associate Degree Programs {{!}} Community College |url=https://www.gaston.edu/ |access-date=May 27, 2022 |website=Gaston College |language=en}}

• East Lincoln High School
• Lincoln County School of Technology
• Lincolnton High School
• Newbold High School (1952-1968), a segregated school that served African Americans and became G. E. Massey Elementary School in 1968 after desegregation
• Oaklawn High School (segregated school serving African Americans), replaced by Newbold High School in 1952
• North Lincoln High School
• West Lincoln High School

• Asbury Academy
• East Lincoln
• Lincolnton
• North Lincoln
• West Lincoln

• Pumpkin Center Intermediate School

• Asbury
• Battleground
• Catawba Springs
• G. E. Massey
• Iron Station
• Love Memorial
• Norris S. Childers
• North Brook
• Pumpkin Center Primary
• Rock Springs
• S. Ray Lowder
• St. James
• Union

Charter schools

• Lincoln Charter School

File:Map of Lincoln County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG

• Lincolnton (county seat and largest community)

• Boger City (former town)
• Maiden (part)

• Crouse
• Denver
• Iron Station
• Lowesville
• Westport

• Flay
• Laboratory
• Laurel Hill
• Polkadot
• Reepsville
• Toluca (part)
• Vale

• Catawba Springs
• Howards Creek
• Ironton
• Lincolnton
• North Brook

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lincoln County, North Carolina
• Lincoln Theatre Guild

{{Reflist|30em}}

• Agosta, Carolyn Steele, "Two Weeks Every Summer, Stories from Camp Meeting", short stories inspired by Rock Spring Camp Meeting, Denver, NC, and Lincoln County, NC. https://www.carolynsteeleagosta.com
• {{cite journal |last=Nixon |date=1912 |first=Joseph R. |editor1-last=Hamilton |editor1-first=J. G. de Roulhac |editor1-link=J. G. de Roulhac Hamilton |editor2-last=Wagstaff |editor2-first=Henry McGilbert|title=The German Settlers in Lincoln County and Western North Carolina |url=https://archive.org/details/northcarolinacon00nashiala |journal=The James Sprunt Historical Publications |location=Chapel Hill, N. C. |publisher=University of North Carolina |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=28–62 |lccn=13033017 |oclc=6286659 |ol=7185018M |via=Internet Archive}}
• {{Cite book |author=W. J. Hoke Camp, Confederate Veterans |year=1905 |title=Roster of Confederate Soldiers in the War Between the States Furnished by Lincoln County, North Carolina, 1861–1865|url=https://archive.org/details/rosterofconfeder00unit |location=Lincolnton, N. C. |publisher=Journal Print |oclc=11769265 |ol=22892493M |via=Internet Archive}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{osmrelation|2528717}}
• {{official website|http://www.lincolncounty.org}}
• [http://www.ncgenweb.us/lincoln/ NCGenWeb Lincoln County], genealogy resources for the county

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Lincoln County, North Carolina

|North = Catawba County

|Northeast = Iredell County

|East =

|Southeast = Mecklenburg County

|South = Gaston County

|Southwest =

|West = Cleveland County

|Northwest = Burke County

}}

{{Lincoln County, North Carolina}}

{{Charlotte/Metrolina}}

{{North Carolina}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1779 establishments in North Carolina

Category:Populated places established in 1779