Lincolnton is a city in Lincoln County,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

, United States, within the

Charlotte metropolitan area The Charlotte metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as Metrolina, is a metropolitan area of the U.S. states of North and South Carolina, within and surrounding the city of Charlotte. The metropolitan area also includes the cities of Gasto ...

. The population was 10,486 at the 2010 census. Lincolnton is northwest of

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 ...

, on the South Fork of the

Catawba River The Catawba River originates in Western North Carolina and flows into South Carolina, where it later becomes known as the Wateree River. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains and drains into ...

. The city is the

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 ...

of Lincoln County, and is the only legally incorporated municipality wholly within the county.

History

Schenck Mill Lincolnton North Carolina 1813

This area was long occupied by varying cultures of

indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

. It was not settled extensively by European Americans until after the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

in the late 18th century. In June 1780 during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, the future site of Lincolnton was the site of the

Battle of Ramsour's Mill The Battle of Ramsour's Mill took place on June 20, 1780 in present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina, during the British campaign to gain control of the southern colonies in the American Revolutionary War. The number of fighters on each side of t ...

, a small engagement in which local

Loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...

were defeated by pro-independence forces. Some historians consider the battle significant because it disrupted Loyalist organizing in the region at a crucial time. After the Revolution, the legislature organized a new county by splitting this area from old Tryon County (named in the colonial era for a royally appointed governor). The 1780 battle site was chosen for the seat of Lincoln County. The new city and the county were named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

during the Revolutionary War. The

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

area was developed for industry, based on using the water power from its streams and rivers. With the advantage of the South Fork of the Catawba, Lincolnton was the site of the first

textile mill Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...

in North Carolina, constructed by Michael Schenck in 1813. It was the first cotton mill built south of the

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augu ...

. Cotton processing became a major industry in the area. St. Luke's Episcopal Church was founded in 1841. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

, Lincoln County had many residents who either joined or were conscripted to the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighti ...

. Among them was Major General

Stephen Dodson Ramseur Stephen Dodson Ramseur (May 31, 1837 – October 20, 1864) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War, at one point the youngest in the army. He impressed Lee by his actions at Malvern Hill and Chancellorsville, where his brigade led ...

, who was mortally wounded at the

Battle of Cedar Creek The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, was fought on October 19, 1864, during the American Civil War. The fighting took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Northern Virginia, near Cedar Creek, Middletown, and the Valley Pike. D ...

in Virginia in the final year of the war. His body was returned to Lincolnton for burial. Episcopal missionary bishop Henry C. Lay spent the final months of the Civil War in the town. Union forces occupied Lincoln County on Easter Monday, 1865, shortly before the close of the war. As county seat and a center of the textile industry, city residents prospered on the returns from cotton cultivation. The city has numerous properties, including churches, which have been listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

since the late 20th century. It has three recognized historic districts: Lincolnton Commercial Historic District, South Aspen Street Historic District, and West Main Street Historic District. These were centers of the earliest businesses and retail activities. There was much activity around the Lincoln County Courthouse on court days, when farmers typically came to town to trade and sell their goods. Residences, churches and other notable buildings marked the development of the city; they include the Caldwell-Cobb-Love House, Emanuel United Church of Christ, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Eureka Manufacturing Company Cotton Mill, First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church, Methodist Church Cemetery, Lincolnton Recreation Department Youth Center, Loretz House, Old White Church Cemetery, Pleasant Retreat Academy, Shadow Lawn, St. Luke's Church and Cemetery, and

Woodside Woodside may refer to: Places and buildings Australia * Woodside, South Australia, a town * Woodside, Victoria, a town Canada * Woodside National Historic Site, the boyhood home of William Lyon Mackenzie King *Woodside, Nova Scotia, a neighbo ...

. In 1986, Lincolnton expanded by annexing the town of Boger City.

Geography

Lincolnton is in central Lincoln County in the

region of North Carolina.

U.S. Route 321 U.S. Route 321 (US 321) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It runs for from Hardeeville, South Carolina to Lenoir City, Tennessee; with both serving as southern termini. It reaches its northernmost point at Elizabethton, Tennessee. Because o ...

, a four-lane freeway, passes through the east side of the city, leading north to

Hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mex ...

and south to Gastonia. North Carolina Highway 27 is Lincolnton's Main Street and leads southeast to Mount Holly and west to

Toluca Toluca , officially Toluca de Lerdo , is the state capital of the State of Mexico as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. With a population of 910,608 as of the 2020 census, Toluca is the fifth most populous city in Mexico. The city ...

is southeast of Lincolnton via US 321 and

Interstate 85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...

. According to the

United States 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 th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.93%, are water. The city is sited on the northeastern side of the South Fork of the

, which flows southeast to join the Catawba River at the

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

border. Clark Creek joins the South Fork in the northwestern part of the city.

Government and politics

Lincolnton is governed by a mayor and four-member city council, who hire a city manager to oversee day-to-day governance. City council members serve four-year terms and the mayor serves for two years. They are elected in partisan elections in odd years. Council members represent city wards in which they must reside, but are elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

. The mayor conducts city meetings, normally the first Thursday of each month, and votes only in case of a tie. Lincolnton government has traditionally been run solely by Democrats, but currently has a bipartisan government for the first time in its history. The city electorate narrowly backed Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

in the 2008 presidential election. The rest of Lincoln County has generally leaned Republican, and heavily favored Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...

in the 2008 election. Edward L. Hatley (D) was elected as mayor in 2015. Hatley previously served as a member of the Lincoln County Board of Education. Lincolnton's City Council Members are Tim Smith(R) of Ward 1, David M. Black (D) of Ward 2, Dr. Martin A. Eaddy (D) of Ward 3, and Roby Jetton (R) of Ward 4. Council Members Smith, Black and Dr. Eaddy have their terms expire in 2017. The term of Council Member Jetton expires in 2019. In 2018, Mary Frances White (D) became the first black elected official in Lincoln County's history.

Media

Lincolnton is home to one print newspaper and one radio station, plus a range of online news sites and blogs. Th
''Lincoln Times-News''
was formed in the early 1960s by a merger between two much older publications. Based in historic downtown Lincolnton, the family-owned newspaper prints Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and covers all of Lincoln County, for which it is the legal paper of record.

WLON WLON (1050 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format and serving the Lincolnton, North Carolina area, and owned and operated by Calvin Hastings, through licensee KTC Broadcasting, Inc. WLON AM is also the home of Lincol ...

radio went on the air in the late 1950s or early 1960s and provides coverage of Lincolnton High School football every Friday night, as well as

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...

NC State Wolfpack The NC State Wolfpack is the nickname of the athletic teams representing North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ( Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for college foot ...

, and UNC Tar Heels sports events. The onlin
''Lincoln Tribune''
was founded about six years ago with a print edition, but has since become an exclusively online publication. . Another news Web site
''The Carolina Scoop''
was founded in April 2008 and is no longer in existence. Two free-distribution weekly papers—''News@Norman'' and ''Denver Weekly''—operate only in the eastern portion of Lincoln County. An on-line web paper, Lincoln Herald, began publishing in August 2012 (www.lincolnherald.com).

Demographics

The city has grown since 1980 as part of the Charlotte metropolitan area expansion.

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 off ...

, there were 11,091 people, 4,668 households, and 2,652 families residing in the city.

2010 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 inc ...

of 2010, there were 10,683 people, 3,878 households, and 2,943 families residing in the city. 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 1,219.4 people per square mile (470.9/km²). There were 4,146 housing units at an average density of 507.4 per square mile (195.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.98%

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 ...

, 24.49%

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 ...

, 0.41% Asian, 0.33% Native American, 4.15% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 15.87% of the population. There were 3,878 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% 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 ...

living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,684, and the median income for a family was $39,949. Males had a median income of $29,615 versus $21,768 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 city was $16,667. About 14.4% of families and 17.3% 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 ...

, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

High schools * East Lincoln High School * Lincoln Charter school *

Lincolnton High School Lincolnton High School is a high school located in Lincolnton, North Carolina. Its school colors are black and gold. ACC Barnstorming Tour In 2011, Lincolnton High School hosted the ACC Barnstorming Tour, in which seniors from Duke, UNC, and N ...

North Lincoln High School North Lincoln High School is a public school in Lincolnton, North Carolina, United States. North Lincoln was completed in 2003, and the total student population is approximately 1,050. The school mascot is the Knight, and the school colors (as o ...

* West Lincoln High School Middle schools * East Lincoln Middle School * Lincoln Charter School * Lincolnton Middle School * North Lincoln Middle School * West Lincoln Middle School Elementary schools: * Lincoln Charter School * Battleground Elementary School * GE Massey Elementary School * S Ray Lowder Elementary School * Love Memorial Elementary School * Norris S. Childers Elementary School * Pumpkin Center Elementary School * Pumpkin Center Intermediate School Charter schools: * Lincoln Charter School Colleges: *

Gaston College Gaston College is a public community college in Dallas, North Carolina. Serving Gaston County and Lincoln County, Gaston College enrolls over 5,000 students each term in curriculum programs and about 16,000 students in continuing education pro ...

: Lincolnton Campus

Notable people

Lester Andrews William Lester Self Andrews is an American chemist who makes contributions to the ongoing development of quantum chemistry of metallic complexes. He is the Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at the University of Virginia. He won the Earle K. Plyler ...

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...

* Paul Bost, racecar driver *

Dennis Byrd Dennis DeWayne Byrd (October 5, 1966 – October 15, 2016) was an American football defensive end and defensive tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He attended college at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He ...

, member of

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vo ...

* Jim Cleamons, professional basketball player, assistant coach with nine NBA championships * Charles L. Coon, teacher, school administrator, child labor reformer, and advocate for African American education *

Drew Droege Andrew Gerhardt Droege (pronounced ) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and director best known for his online impressions of Chloë Sevigny. Early life and education Droege attended and graduated from Lincolnton High School in Lincolnto ...

, actor *

John Horace Forney John Horace Forney (August 12, 1829 – September 13, 1902) was a farmer, civil engineer, and major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Being promoted to the rank of major general on October 27, 1862, Forney part ...

, major general in Confederate States Army during American Civil War * Peter Forney, U.S. Representative from North Carolina and captain during Revolutionary War * William H. Forney, U.S. Representative from Alabama; grandson of Peter Forney, nephew of Daniel Munroe Forney, and brother of John Horace Forney *

Charles A. Gabriel Charles Alvin Gabriel (January 21, 1928 – September 4, 2003) was the 11th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief of staff, Gabriel served in a dual capacity. He was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff which, as a body, acts as ...

, 11th

Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force The chief of staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is a statutory office () held by a general in the United States Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to t ...

* William Alexander Graham, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, U.S. senator, member of Confederate Senate,

governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

and Whig candidate for vice president of the United States * Connie Guion, pioneering female physician *

James Pinckney Henderson James Pinckney Henderson (March 31, 1808 – June 4, 1858) was an American and Republic of Texas lawyer, politician, and soldier, and the first governor of the State of Texas. Early years He was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina, on March 31, ...

, first governor of Texas, U.S. senator, lawyer, politician and soldier * Robert Hoke, Confederate major general who won

Battle of Plymouth The Battle of Plymouth was a naval battle in the First Anglo-Dutch War. It took place on 16 August 1652 (26 August 1652 (Gregorian calendar)) and was a short battle, but had the unexpected outcome of a Dutch victory over England. General-at- ...

; businessman and railroad executive * William A. Hoke, associate justice and chief justice of

North Carolina Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists ...

* Rufus Zenas Johnston, recipient of Navy Cross and Congressional Medal of Honor * Charles A. Jonas, politician and U.S. Representative from North Carolina * Charles R. Jonas, U.S. Representative from North Carolina * Devon Lowery, retired pitcher for

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

Candace Newmaker Candace Elizabeth Newmaker (born Candace Tiara Elmore, November 19, 1989 – April 19, 2000) was a child who was killed during a 70-minute attachment therapy session performed by 4 unlicensed therapists, purported to treat reactive attachment ...

, killed during therapy session; her death received international coverage *

Barclay Radebaugh Barclay Radebaugh (born September 14, 1965) is an American college basketball coach. He is the head of the men's basketball team at Charleston Southern University. Radebaugh is a two-time Big South Conference Coach of the Year (2012, 2015). In 2 ...

, basketball coach at

Charleston Southern University Charleston Southern University (CSU) is a private Baptist university in North Charleston, South Carolina. It is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). History Charleston Southern University was cha ...

, Confederate major general mortally wounded at the

, Virginia in 1864 *

Hiram Rhodes Revels Hiram Rhodes Revels (September 27, 1827Different sources list his birth year as either 1827 or 1822. – January 16, 1901) was an American Republican politician, minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and a college administrator. ...

, first African-American U.S. senator * Dick Smith, baseball player * C. J. Wilson, professional football player * Ken Wood, baseball player

Film

Parts of the erotic thriller film '' Careful What You Wish For'' were filmed in downtown Lincolnton in May 2013. Lifetime movie ''My Stepson, My Lover'' (also known as ''Love, Murder and Deceit'') was partly filmed in Lincolnton onsite at the Alda Crowe mansion.

References

External links

*
Lincolnton–Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Cities in North Carolina Cities in Lincoln County, North Carolina County seats in North Carolina Populated places established in 1813 1813 establishments in the United States