Johnston County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the U.S. state of

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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 215,999. Its

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 ...

is Smithfield. Johnston County is included in the

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

, which is also included in the Raleigh- Durham-

Chapel Hill Chapel Hill or Chapelhill may refer to: Places Antarctica * Chapel Hill (Antarctica) Australia *Chapel Hill, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane *Chapel Hill, South Australia, in the Mount Barker council area Canada *Chapel Hill, Ottawa, a neighbou ...

, NC

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and ...

, which has a population of 1,998,808 as of U.S. Census 2012 Population Estimates.

History

The county was formed in 1746 from Craven County. It was named for Gabriel Johnston, Governor of North Carolina from 1734 to 1752. In 1752 parts of Johnston County,

Bladen County Bladen County ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

...

, and Granville County were combined to form Orange County. In 1758 the eastern part of Johnston County became Dobbs County. In 1770 parts of Johnston County,

Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom *Cumberland, historic county *Cumberla ...

, and Orange County were combined to form Wake County. Finally, in 1855 parts of Johnston County, Edgecombe County, Nash County, and Wayne County were combined to form Wilson County. Most early growers in Johnston County were subsistence farmers. A few grew tobacco as a

cash crop A cash crop or profit crop is an agricultural crop which is grown to sell for profit. It is typically purchased by parties separate from a farm. The term is used to differentiate marketed crops from staple crop (or "subsistence crop") in subsist ...

or reared pigs and cattle, which were sold in Virginia. Smithfield was the westernmost freight port on the Neuse River, and in 1770 the colonial government erected a tobacco warehouse there to store the crop before it was shipped out. Eli Whitney's

cotton gin A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); a ...

was introduced in the county in about 1804, leading cotton to become the area's leading cash crop. Production for sale at markets remained low before the 1850s due to poor transportation links with other parts of the state. In 1856 the North Carolina Railroad was completed, connecting Johnston County with major urban areas. As result, farming for sale increased, lumber and turpentine industries developed, and the towns of Princeton, Pine Level, Selma, and Clayton were eventually created. About 1,500 Johnstonian men fought in 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 ...

, of whom about a third died. Lingering political tensions and the emancipation of slaves created social and economic turmoil. The new state constitution of 1868 created the county's first townships, which were altered up until 1913. In 1886 the "Short-Cut" line of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad was laid through Johnston, eventually giving rise to the towns of Kenly, Micro, Four Oaks, and Benson. The Panic of 1893 caused cotton prices to sharply decline, leading area farmers to switch to bright leaf tobacco as their primary cash crop. A new tobacco market was established in Smithfield in 1898, and the county's first bank was created. Within several years, cotton mills were erected in Smithfield, Clayton, and Selma. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, a brief surge in tobacco and cotton prices brought a boom to the local economy. As a result, the county embarked on a school-construction campaign and consolidated all public schools under a single county system. In the 1920s the state built the county's first two paved highways, and shortly thereafter many towns began paving their main streets. While local commerce enjoyed significant success during the decade, area farmers struggled due to drops in tobacco and cotton prices. The

Wall Street Crash of 1929 The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange coll ...

and ensuing

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

caused all banks in the county close. Following the passage of a state bond issue in 1949, most roads in the county and town streets were paved.

Geography

According to the

U.S. 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 the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.5%) is water.

State and local protected areas

* Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site * Clemmons Educational State Forest (part) *

Flower Hill Nature Preserve A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

(part) * Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center * Wild Bills Western Town- Shadowhawk

Major water bodies

* Black Creek *

Buckhorn Reservoir Buckhorn Reservoir is a reservoir in Wilson County, North Carolina, USA, created by the Buckhorn Dam. The reservoir is the primary water supply for the city of Wilson. The original Buckhorn Dam was built in 1974, upstream from the current dam. T ...

* Buffalo Creek * Holts Lake * Little Creek *

Little River (Neuse River tributary) The Little River is a tributary of the Neuse River, which originates in Moore's Pond, south of Youngsville in Franklin County. The river crosses through Wake, Johnston, and Wayne counties, joining the Neuse at Waynesborough State Park and Busco ...

* Middle Creek * Mingo Swamp (South River tributary) * Moccasin Creek * Neuse River * Sassarixa Swamp * Snipers Creek * Swift Creek

Adjacent counties

* Nash County - northeast * Wilson County - east * Wayne County - southeast *

Sampson County Sampson County is the largest county, by land area, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 59,036. Its county seat is Clinton. History Sampson County was established in April 1784 following the America ...

- south * Harnett County - southwest * Wake County - northwest

Major highways

* * (Concurrency with US 70) * * * (Concurrency with US 264) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Major infrastructure

* Johnston Regional Airport (JNX/KJNX) * Selma Union Depot

Demographics

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 215,999 people, 73,567 households, and 53,743 families residing in the county.

2000 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 2000, there were 121,965 people, 46,595 households, and 33,688 families residing in the county. 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 154 people per square mile (59/km²). There were 50,196 housing units at an average density of 63 per square mile (24/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.09%

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 ...

, 15.65%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

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% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 4.53% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 7.74% of the population were

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. There were 46,595 households, out of which 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% 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, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 23.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.02. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 34.20% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $40,872, and the median income for a family was $48,599. Males had a median income of $33,008 versus $25,582 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 county was $18,788. About 8.90% of families and 12.80% 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 16.00% of those under age 18 and 19.40% of those age 65 or over.

Law and Government

The county is governed by the Johnston County Board of Commissioners, a seven-member board of County Commissioners, elected to serve four-year terms. The commissioners enact policies such as establishment of the property tax rate, regulation of land use and zoning outside municipal jurisdictions, and adoption of the annual budget. Commissioners generally meet each month. Current (2019) members of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners are: * Ted G. Godwin, Chairman * Chad M. Stewart, Vice Chairman * Jeffrey P. Carver * Larry Wood * Tony Braswell * Patrick E. Harris * R.S. "Butch" Lawter, Jr. Rick Hester is the County Manager. Johnston County is a member of the regional Triangle J Council of Governments. Johnston County 911 is the first 911 Agency in North Carolina to hold "Tri Accreditation" from the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch in Fire, Police, and EMD Protocols.

Politics

For most of the time after the Civil War, Johnston County was a classic Solid South county, going Democratic in all but three elections from 1880 to 1964. However, from 1968 onward it has turned increasingly Republican, with the only breaks in this tradition being its support for third-party candidate George Wallace in 1968 and for Democrat

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

in 1976. Carter's unsuccessful bid for reelection in 1980 is the last time that a Democrat has managed even 40 percent of the county's vote.

Education

Higher education

Johnston County is home to

Johnston Community College Johnston Community College (JCC) is a public community college in Smithfield, North Carolina. It is located east of Raleigh, near the junction of I-95 and US 70. The main campus has 11 student buildings, an auditorium capable of seating 1,011 p ...

(JCC), a public, two-year, post-secondary college located in Smithfield. The college has off-campus centers throughout Johnston County.

Primary and secondary education

Public education in Johnston County is served by the

Johnston County School District The Johnston County School District serves Johnston County, North Carolina. Currently, Johnston County has 46 schools, which serve over 35,000 students, and experiences a 4% increase in enrollment yearly. Elementary schools *Benson Elementary Sch ...

, which has 46 schools and serves more than 35,400 students. In addition, one charter schools and five private schools are located in the county. In 2021, the county school board banned the teaching of critical race theory.

Libraries

The Johnston County Public Affiliated Library system operates six branches throughout the county. The library system keeps books, periodicals and audio books and has recently expanded the selection to include downloadable e-books. The Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library in Clayton left the Johnston County affiliated library system in 2015.

Culture

The

Bentonville Battlefield Bentonville Battlefield is a North Carolina state historic site at 5466 Harper House Road in Johnston County, North Carolina. It belongs to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and is the site of the 1865 Battle of Ben ...

State Historic Site is the largest

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

battlefield in North Carolina. The Battle of Bentonville was fought in 1865, and was the only Confederate offensive targeted to stop General Sherman's march through the South. The Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly has been collecting artifacts and showcasing the heritage of the Eastern North Carolina farmer for over 35 years. The site includes a museum and restored farmstead, blacksmith shop, and one-room school house. The Ava Gardner Museum, located in Smithfield, contains a collection of artifacts such as scripts, movie posters, costumes and personal belongings of actress Ava Gardner, who was born and raised in Johnston County. The museum holds an annual festival. The Johnston County Heritage Centers in Smithfield contains county artifacts and genealogical records. The Johnston County Arts Council promotes arts in the county and its schools. Smithfield is the location of an annual Ava Gardner Festival, which celebrates the life of the actress. The Meadow community is the location of Meadow Lights, an annual display of Christmas lights.

Media

Radio and Television

Johnston County is located in the Raleigh-Durham radio market, ranked by Nielsen as the 37th largest in the United States. Johnston County's first radio station, WMPM, 1270 AM, in Smithfield, signed on in 1950. The county is also home to WPYB, 1130 AM in Benson, WHPY, 1590 AM in Clayton, WTSB, 1090 AM in Selma, and WKJO, 102.3 FM in Smithfield. The county is also part of the larger, 23-county Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville Media marketDesignated Market Area—the nation's 24th-largest. WNGT-CD, (virtual channel 34.1) a Class A low-powered TV station licensed to both Smithfield and Selma. The station began frequency sharing with Raleigh's WRAL-TV in November 2020, greatly expanding its coverage. Goldsboro-licensed CBS affiliate WNCN, virtual channel 17/RF channel 8, originally known as WYED-TV, signed on from studios and a transmitter in Clayton in 1988 before moving to Raleigh studios in 1995.

Newspapers

* Clayton News-Star * Kenly News * Four Oaks-Benson News in Review * Princeton News Leader * The Selma News * Pine Level News * Johnstonian News * The Daily Record * The Smithfield Herald * The Cleveland Post * The Garner-Cleveland Record * The News & Observer

Communities

Towns

* Archer Lodge * Benson * Clayton (largest town) * Four Oaks * Kenly *

Micro Micro may refer to: Measurement * micro- (μ), a metric prefix denoting a factor of 10−6 Places * Micro, North Carolina, town in U.S. People * DJ Micro, (born Michael Marsicano) an American trance DJ and producer * Chii Tomiya (都宮ち ...

* Pine Level *

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nin ...

* Selma * Smithfield (county seat) * Wilson's Mills

Townships

* Banner * Bentonville * Beulah * Boon Hill * Brogden * Clayton * Cleveland * Elevation * Ingrams * Meadow * Micro * O'Neals * Pine Level * Pleasant Grove * Selma * Smithfield * Wilders * Wilson Mills

Unincorporated communities

* Allens Crossroads * Bagley * Blackmans Crossroads *

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

* Emit *

Flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

* Grabtown * Hocutts Crossroads *

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...

* McGee Crossroads * Peacocks Crossroads * Powhatan * Spilona * Stancils Chapel * West Smithfield * Willow Spring (part)

References

Works cited

External links

; Government * ; General information
Johnston County Heritage Center
with historical photos, online tours and exhibits, timelines, and facts
Johnston County Visitors Bureau
the official site for visitor information for Johnston County {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston County, North Carolina North Carolina counties Johnston County Johnston County, North Carolina Johnston County, North Carolina Johnston County