Union County, North Carolina

Union County, North Carolina
Old Union County Courthouse
Seal
Location in the state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location in the U.S.
Founded	1842
Seat	Monroe
Largest town	Monroe
Area
• Total	640 sq mi (1,658 km2)
• Land	632 sq mi (1,637 km2)
• Water	8.0 sq mi (21 km2), 1.3%
Population
• (2010)	201,292
Congressional districts	8th, 9th
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website	.us.nc.union.cowww

Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 201,292.^[1] Its county seat is Monroe.^[2]

Union County is included in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county was formed in 1842 from parts of Anson County and Mecklenburg County. Its name was a compromise between Whigs, who wanted to name the new county for Henry Clay, and Democrats, who wanted to name it for Andrew Jackson. The Helms, Starnes, McRorie, and Belk families took a major part in the Monroe and Charlotte, North Carolina. Most of these families came from Goose Creek Township.

Monroe, the county seat of Union County, also became a focal point during the Civil Rights Movement. In 1958, local NAACP Chapter President Robert F. Williams defended a nine-year-old African-American boy who had been kissed by a white girl in an incident known as the Kissing Case. A second African-American boy, aged seven, was also convicted and sentenced to live in a juvenile reformatory until he was 21 for simply witnessing the act. In 1961, Williams was accused of kidnapping an elderly white couple, when he sheltered them in his house during a very explosive situation of high racial tensions. Williams fled and went into exile in Cuba and in the People's Republic of China before returning to the United States.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 640 square miles (1,700 km²), of which 632 square miles (1,640 km²) is land and 8.0 square miles (21 km²) (1.3%) is water.^[3]

Adjacent counties

• Cabarrus County - north
• Stanly County - northeast
• Anson County - east
• Chesterfield County, South Carolina - southeast
• Lancaster County, South Carolina - southwest
• Mecklenburg County - northwest

Major highways

Demographics

As of the census^[9] of 2010, there were 201,292 people, 67,864 households, and 54,019 families residing in the county. The population density was 194 people per square mile (75/km²). There were 45,695 housing units at an average density of 314 per square mile (28/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.0% White, 11.7% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.3% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. 10.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 67,864 households out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.60% were married couples living together, and 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present.6.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.3.

In the county the population was spread out with 32.90% under the age of 20, 4.7% from 20 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.2 years. The population was 49.4% male.

Law and government

Union County is a member of the regional Centralina Council of Governments.

Education

• South Piedmont Community College
• Central Academy of Technology and Arts
• Cuthbertson High School
• Forest Hills High School
• Marvin Ridge High School
• Monroe High School
• Parkwood High School
• Piedmont High School
• Porter Ridge High School
• Sun Valley High School
• Arborbrook Christian Academy
• Tabernacle Christian School
• Union County Early College
• Weddington High School
• Wingate University
• Shiloh Elementary

Events

Entering Union County on North Carolina Highway 200

• Brooklandwood in the Union County town of Mineral Springs is the site of the Queens Cup Steeplechase, one of steeplechase horse racing's major annual events. The program consists of several races, and is held the last Saturday of April. The schedule of events also features a Jack Russell Terrier judging contest. Over 10,000 people descend on Mineral Springs from all parts of the country to take part in this day-long event of races and other activities.

• The Union County town of Marshville is the site of the Boll Weevil Festival, an annual street fair and carnival that takes place every fall.

Communities

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

City

• Monroe (county seat)

Towns

Villages

• Lake Park
• Marvin
• Wesley Chapel

Census-designated place

• JAARS

Unincorporated communities

• Brief
• Jackson
• New Salem
• Olive Branch
• Roughedge

Ghost towns

• Gibraltar

Townships

See also

• Brandon Oaks, North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Union County, North Carolina

References

External links

• Union County government official website
• Union County Partnership for Progress - Economic Development Agency

Charlotte Metropolitan Area   Counties Alexander¶ Anson¶ Cabarrus Catawba¶ Chester Chesterfield¶ Cleveland‡ Gaston Iredell Lancaster Lincoln Mecklenburg Rowan Stanly‡ Union York   Major city Charlotte   Municipalities and CDPs in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area 50k–100k Concord Gastonia Huntersville Rock Hill 20k–50k Cornelius Hickory¶ Indian Trail Kannapolis Matthews Mint Hill Monroe Mooresville Salisbury Shelby‡ Statesville 5k–20k Albemarle‡ Belmont Bessemer City Cheraw¶ Cherryville Chester Conover¶ Davidson Fort Mill Harrisburg Kings Mountain Lake Norman of Catawba¶ Lancaster Lincolnton Mount Holly Newton Pageland¶ Pineville South Gastonia St. Stephens¶ Unionville Wadesboro¶ Waxhaw Weddington Wesley Chapel York Footnotes Bold = principal metro cities ‡ = places and counties part of CSA ¶ = sometimes included in metropolitan North Carolina