Editing Alamance County, North Carolina

{{Short description|County in North Carolina, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Alamance County
 | state                = North Carolina
 | seal                 = Alamance County Seal.jpg
 | founded year         = 1849
 | seat wl              = Graham
 | largest city wl      = Burlington
 | city type            = community
 | motto                = "{{lang|la|Pro Bono Publico}}" <small>([[Latin]])</small><br/>(For the Public Good)
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 434.24
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 423.45
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 10.79
 | area percentage      = 2.48
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 171415
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 179165 {{gain}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | coordinates          = {{coord|36.04|-79.40|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}}
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | web                  = www.alamance-nc.com
 | named for            = [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] word to describe the mud in [[Great Alamance Creek]]
 | flag                 = Flag of Alamance County, North Carolina.png
 | ex image             = Alamance County Courthouse, Graham, NC.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Alamance County Courthouse]]
 | district             = 9th }}

'''Alamance County''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=US English pronunciation of the name of Alamance County, North Carolina.ogg|'|ae|l|@|m|ae|n|s}})<ref name="North Carolina Collection">{{cite web| url = http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/ref/resources/tlth.html| title = Talk Like A Tarheel| access-date = September 18, 2012| archive-date = June 22, 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130622041633/http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/ref/resources/tlth.html| url-status = dead}}, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]]. Retrieved September 18, 2012.</ref> is a [[County (United States)|county]] in [[North Carolina]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 171,415.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> Its [[county seat]] is [[Graham, North Carolina|Graham]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> Formed in 1849 from [[Orange County, North Carolina|Orange County]] to the east, Alamance County has been the site of significant [[History|historical events]], [[textile manufacturing]], and [[agriculture]].

Alamance County comprises the [[Burlington, North Carolina|Burlington]], NC [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]], which is also included in the [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]]–[[Winston-Salem, North Carolina|Winston-Salem]]–[[High Point, North Carolina|High Point]], NC [[Piedmont Triad|Combined Statistical Area]], which had an estimated population of 1,736,099 in 2023.<ref name="PopEstCBSA">{{cite web |date=March 14, 2024 |title=Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html#v2023 |access-date=March 15, 2024 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division}}</ref>

==History==
Before being formed as a county, the region had at least one known small [[Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands|Southeastern tribe]] of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] in the 18th century, the [[Classification of indigenous peoples of the Americas#S|Sissipahaw]], who lived in the area bounded by modern [[Saxapahaw, North Carolina|Saxapahaw]], the area known as the Hawfields, and the [[Haw River]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/northcarolina/index.htm| title = John R. Swanton, "North Carolina Indian Tribes"| date = July 9, 2011}}, ''Indian Tribes of North America'', 1953, at Access Genealogy, accessed March 25, 2009</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/siouan/sissipahawhist.htm| title = "Sissipahaw Indian Tribe History"| date = July 9, 2011}}, John R. Swanton, ''Indian Tribes of North America'', 1953, at Access Genealogy, accessed March 25, 2009</ref> European settlers entered the region in the late 17th century chiefly following Native American trading paths, and set up their farms in what they called the "Haw Old Fields," fertile ground previously tilled by the Sissipahaw. The paths later became the basis of the railroad and interstate highway routes.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.tradingpath.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=28| title = "The Trading Path in Alamance County, a Beginning"}}, Alamance County Historical Association, Trading Path Association: Preserving our Common Past</ref>

Alamance County was named after [[Great Alamance Creek]], site of the [[Battle of Alamance]] (May 16, 1771), a [[American Revolution|pre-Revolutionary War]] battle in which militia under the command of Governor [[William Tryon]] crushed the [[War of the Regulation|Regulator movement]]. Great Alamance Creek, and in turn Little Alamance Creek, according to legend, were named after a local Native American word to describe the blue mud found at the bottom of the creeks. Other legends say the name came from another local Native American word meaning "noisy river," or for the [[Alamanni]] region of [[Rhineland]], [[Germany]], where many of the early settlers came from.<ref name="NC Counties">{{Cite web|title=North Carolina Counties - List of all and Alamance County |url=http://www.geocities.com/isleyfamilies/NCCcounties.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021182953/http://geocities.com/isleyfamilies/NCCcounties.html |archive-date=October 21, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During the [[American Revolution]], several small battles and skirmishes occurred in the area that became Alamance County, several of them during the lead-up to the [[Battle of Guilford Court House]], including [[Pyle's Massacre]], the [[Battle of Lindley's Mill]],<ref name="Battle of Lindley's Mill">{{cite web|url=http://www.hadleysociety.org/photo_gallery/signs_gallery/index602.html|title=Hadley Society Photo Gallery|work=hadleysociety.org|access-date=January 31, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929180342/http://www.hadleysociety.org/photo_gallery/signs_gallery/index602.html|archive-date=September 29, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the Battle of Clapp's Mill.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.revolutionarywar101.com/battles/810302-clapps-mills/|title=The Battle of Clapp's Mills|work=revolutionarywar101.com|date=November 19, 2017}}</ref>

In the 1780s, the [[Occaneechi]] Native Americans returned to North Carolina from [[Virginia]], this time settling in what is now Alamance County rather than their first location near [[Hillsborough, North Carolina|Hillsborough]].<ref name="southern neighbor">{{Cite news|title= Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation |publisher=Southern Neighbor |date = November 2009}}</ref> In 2002, the modern Occaneechi tribe bought {{convert|25|acre|m2}} of their ancestral land in Alamance County and began a Homeland Preservation Project that includes a village reconstructed as it would have been in 1701 and a 1930s farming village.<ref name="southern neighbor"/>

During the early 19th century, the [[textile]] industry grew heavily in the area, so the need for better transportation grew. By the 1840s, several mills were set up along the [[Haw River]] and near [[Great Alamance Creek]] and other major tributaries of the Haw. Between 1832 and 1880, at least 14 major mills were powered by these rivers and streams. Mills were built by the Trollinger, Holt, Newlin, Swepson, and Rosenthal families, among others. One of them, built in 1832 by Ben Trollinger, is still in operation. It is owned by Copland Industries, sits in the unincorporated community of [[Carolina, Alamance County, North Carolina|Carolina]] and is the oldest continuously operating mill in North Carolina.<ref name="Textile History">{{cite web|url=http://www.textilehistory.org/AlamanceCountyNC.html |title=Alamance County, NC |work=textilehistory.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216031225/http://www.textilehistory.org/AlamanceCountyNC.html |archive-date=February 16, 2012 }}</ref>

One notable textile produced in the area was the "Alamance plaids" or "Glencoe plaids" used in everything from clothing to [[tablecloth]]s.<ref name="Textile History"/> The Alamance Plaids manufactured by textile pioneer Edwin M. Holt were the first colored cotton goods produced on power looms in the South, and paved the way for the region's textile boom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncmarkers.com/Markers.aspx?sp=search&k=Markers&sv=G-82|title=Marker: G-82|work=ncmarkers.com|access-date=June 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711131343/http://www.ncmarkers.com/Markers.aspx?sp=search&k=Markers&sv=G-82|archive-date=July 11, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> (Holt's home is now the Alamance County Historical Society.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.alamancemuseum.org/portal/| title = Alamance County Historical Museum, Burlington, North Carolina| access-date = June 14, 2010| archive-date = April 15, 2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100415062407/http://www.alamancemuseum.org/portal/| url-status = dead}}</ref>) But by the late 20th century, most of the plants and mills had gone out of business, including the mills operated by [[Burlington Industries]], a company based in [[Burlington, North Carolina|Burlington]].

[[File:Alamance Cotton Mill Edwin M Holt photograph 1837.jpg|thumb|Alamance Cotton Factory, built by [[Thomas M. Holt|Edwin M. Holt]]. It was the first manufacturer of colored cotton fabrics in the South on power looms. Photograph taken in 1837]]
[[File:Official Bill Establishing Alamance County, NC.png|thumb|A bill establishing an Alamance County as presented and published to the North Carolina House of Commons, January 1, 1849.]]
By the 1840s, the textile industry was booming, and the railroad was being built through the area as a convenient link between [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]] and [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]]. Efforts to split a new county off from [[Orange County, North Carolina|Orange County]] began in 1842.  A bill to form the county from [[Orange County, North Carolina|Orange County]]. was filed by [[Giles Mebane]] on January 1, 1849, which passed the legislature later that month. An election was held on April 19, 1849 and the split was approved by the voters, with the new county being established officially on April 24 by Governor [[Charles Manly]].  <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kindredtrails.com/NC_Alamance.html|title=Alamance County North Carolina Genealogy - Family History Resources|work=kindredtrails.com|access-date=January 15, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329061143/http://kindredtrails.com/NC_Alamance.html|archive-date=March 29, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Whitaker |first=Walter E. |url=https://archive.org/details/centennialhistorwhit/page/92/mode/2up |title=Centennial history of Alamance County, 1849-1949 |last2=Cook |first2=Staley A. (Staley Albright) |last3=White |first3=A. Howard |last4=Alamance County Historical Association |date=1974 |publisher=Burlington, N.C. : Alamance County Historical Association |others=University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Library}}</ref>

===Civil War===
In March 1861, Alamance County residents voted overwhelmingly against North Carolina's secession from the Union, 1,114 to 254. Two delegates were sent to the [[North Carolina in the American Civil War|State Secession Convention]], Thomas Ruffin and [[Giles Mebane]], who both opposed secession, as did most of the delegates sent to the convention.<ref name="Secession Convention Delegates">{{cite web| url = http://members.aol.com/jweaver303/nc/convvote.htm| title = Reference at members.aol.com}}</ref> At the time of the convention, around 30% of Alamance County's population were slaves (total population around 12,000, including roughly 3,500 slaves and 500 free Black people).

North Carolina was reluctant to join other Southern states in secession until the [[Battle of Fort Sumter]] in April 1861. When Lincoln called up troops, [[John Willis Ellis|Governor John Ellis]] replied, "I can be no party to this wicked violation of the laws of the country and to this war upon the liberties of a free people. You can get no troops from North Carolina." After a special legislative session, North Carolina's legislature unanimously voted for secession on May 20, 1861.

No battles took place in Alamance County, but it sent its share of soldiers to the front lines. In July 1861, for the first time in American history, soldiers were sent in to combat by rail. The 6th North Carolina was loaded onto railroad cars at Company Shops and transferred to the battlefront at [[Manassas, Virginia]] ([[First Battle of Manassas]]).

Although the citizens of Alamance County were not directly affected throughout much of the war, in April 1865, they witnessed firsthand their sons and fathers marching through the county just days before the war ended with the surrender at [[Bennett Place]] near [[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]]. At Company Shops, General [[Joseph E. Johnston]] stopped to say farewell to his soldiers for the last time. By the end of the war, 236 people from Alamance County had been killed in the course of the war, more than any other war since the county's founding.<ref name="Civil War Totals">{{Cite web |url=http://www.alamance-nc.com/Alamance-NC/The+Community/War+Memorial/Civil+War/ |title=Civil War - Alamance-nc.com |access-date=August 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704124831/http://www.alamance-nc.com/Alamance-NC/The+Community/War+Memorial/Civil+War/ |archive-date=July 4, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Kirk–Holden War===
{{Main|Kirk–Holden war}}
Some of the Civil War's most significant effects were seen after it ended. Alamance County briefly became a center of national attention when in 1870 [[Wyatt Outlaw]], an [[African-American]] town commissioner in [[Graham, North Carolina|Graham]], was lynched by the [[Ku Klux Klan]]. He was president of the Alamance County Union League of America (a progressive reform branch of the Federal Government), helped to establish the Republican party in North Carolina, and advocated establishing a school for African Americans. His offense was that [[William Woods Holden|Governor William Holden]] had appointed him a [[justice of the peace]], and he had accepted the appointment. Outlaw's body was found hanging 30 yards from the courthouse, with a note pinned to his chest reading, "Beware! You guilty parties – both white and black." Outlaw was the central figure in political cooperation between blacks and whites in the county.

On July 8, 1870, Governor Holden declared [[Caswell County]] to be in a state of [[insurrection]] and sent North Carolina militiamen to Caswell and Alamance Counties, under the command of Union veteran George W. Kirk, beginning the so-called Kirk–Holden war. Kirk's troops ultimately arrested 82 men.

The Grand Jury of Alamance County indicted 63 klansmen for felonies and 18 for the murder of Wyatt Outlaw. Soon after the indictments were brought, Democrats in the legislature passed a bill to repeal the law under which the indictments had been secured. The 63 felony charges were dropped. The Democratic Party then used a national program of "Amnesty and Pardon" to proclaim amnesty for all who committed crimes on behalf of a secret society. This was extended to the klansmen of Alamance County. There would be no justice in the case of Wyatt Outlaw.

Holden's support for [[Reconstruction era|Reconstruction]] led to his [[Impeachment in the United States|impeachment]] and removal by the North Carolina Legislature in 1871.

===Dairy industry===
The county was once the state leader in [[dairy]] production. Several dairies including Melville Dairy in Burlington were headquartered in the county. With increasing real estate prices and a slump in milk prices, most dairy farms have been sold and many of them developed for real estate purposes.

===World War II and the Cold War===
During [[World War II]], [[Fairchild Aircraft]] built airplanes at a plant on the eastern side of Burlington. Among the planes built there was the AT-21 gunner, used to train bomber pilots. Near the Fairchild plant was the [[Western Electric]] Burlington works. During the [[Cold War]], the plant built radar equipment and guidance systems for missiles and many other electronics for the government, including the guidance system for the [[Titan (rocket family)|Titan]] missile. The plant closed in 1992 and sat abandoned until 2005, when it was purchased by a local businessman for manufacturing.

The [[USS Alamance|USS ''Alamance'']], a [[Tolland-class attack cargo ship|''Tolland''-class attack cargo ship]], was built during and served in and after World War II.

===21st century===
Alamance County's population has grown significantly, with the city of [[Mebane, North Carolina|Mebane]] tripling in size between 1990 and 2020. The county has seen significant business and industry growth, including the additions of the North Carolina Commerce Park and the North Carolina Industrial Center, as well as new retail opportunities near [[Interstate 85 in North Carolina|Interstates 85]] and [[Interstate 40 in North Carolina|40]] on the eastern (Tanger Outlets) and western (University Commons and Alamance Crossing) sides of the county.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Economic Development|url=https://www.cityofmebane.com/business/resources/economic_development|access-date=November 10, 2020|website=www.cityofmebane.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

Some growth has been attributed to illegal immigration, which has led to ongoing legal issues. In 2012, the Department of Justice found the Alamance County Sheriff's Office to use discriminatory policing,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-releases-investigative-findings-alamance-county-nc-sheriff-s-office|title=Justice Department Releases Investigative Findings on the Alamance County, N.C., Sheriff's Office|date=September 18, 2012}}</ref> however the case was dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge [[Thomas D. Schroeder]], finding that the government failed to demonstrate that the ACSO had engaged in discriminatory policing.<ref>{{Cite web|last=sarah.williamson@greensboro.com|first=Sarah Newell Williamson|title=U.S. District Court judge dismisses lawsuit against Alamance County sheriff|url=https://greensboro.com/news/u-s-district-court-judge-dismisses-lawsuit-against-alamance-county-sheriff/article_c06a1d4e-c214-5a9d-9fed-8776b28c00bd.html|access-date=November 10, 2020|website=Greensboro News and Record|language=en}}</ref>

Beginning in 2014, the county has been home to a number of political demonstrations.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 25, 2019|title=9 arrested while protesting Alamance County's contract with ICE, organizers say|url=https://myfox8.com/news/9-arrested-while-protesting-alamance-countys-contract-with-ice-organizers-says/|access-date=November 10, 2020|website=myfox8.com|language=en-US}}</ref>  In October 2020, during a demonstration prior to the [[2020 United States presidential election]], Alamance County sheriff's deputies and Graham police used pepper spray against crowd members.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.newsobserver.com/article246861942.html| title = Reference at www.newsobserver.com}}</ref> Law enforcement reported that pepper spray had been deployed to disperse the crowd following an assault on an officer who was trying to shut down a generator the march organizers had brought, in violation of a signed agreement.<ref>{{Cite web|last=WRAL|date=November 2, 2020|title=Alamance sheriff's office: Gas can, generator created danger during march to polls|url=https://www.wral.com/alamance-sheriff-explains-pepper-spray-response-to-disperse-crowd-during-weekend-march-to-polls/19367378/|access-date=November 10, 2020|website=WRAL.com|language=en}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q504397|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Alamance County}}
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|434.24|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|423.45|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|10.79|sqmi}} (2.48%) is water.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

The county is in the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] physiographical region. It has a general rolling terrain with the [[Cane Creek Mountains]] rising to over {{convert|970|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alamance County, North Carolina – Welcome to Alamance County, North Carolina! |url=https://www.alamance-nc.com/ |access-date=November 6, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref> in the south-central part of the county just north of [[Snow Camp, North Carolina|Snow Camp]]. [[Bass Mountain]], one of the prominent hills in the range, is home to a world-renowned [[bluegrass music]] festival every year. Also, isolated [[monadnock]]s are in the northern part of the county that rise to near or over {{convert|900|ft|m|abbr=on}} above sea level.

The largest river that flows through Alamance County is the [[Haw River, North Carolina|Haw]], which feeds into [[Jordan Lake]] in [[Chatham County, North Carolina|Chatham County]], eventually leading to the [[Cape Fear River]]. The county is also home to numerous creeks, streams, and ponds, including [[Great Alamance Creek]], where a portion of the [[Battle of Alamance]] was fought. The three large municipal reservoirs are: Lake Cammack, Lake Mackintosh, and Graham-Mebane Lake (formerly Quaker Lake). The southwest end of the county is drained by [[North Rocky River Prong]] and [[Greenbrier Creek (Rocky River tributary)|Greenbrier Creek]], two tributaries of the [[Rocky River (Deep River tributary)|Rocky River]] in the [[Deep River (North Carolina)|Deep River]] system.

===State and local protected areas/sites===
* [[Alamance Battleground|Alamance Battleground State Historic Site]]
* Bass Mountain Summit
* [[Burlington station (North Carolina)|Burlington Downtown Depot]]
* Cane Creek Mountains Natural Area
* [[Cedarock Park]]
* Graham Regional Park
* Lake Cammack Park & Marina
* Shallow Ford Natural Area
* [[Indian Valley Municipal Golf Course|The Valley Golf Course]]

===Major water bodies===
{{See also|Category:Rivers of Alamance County, North Carolina}}
* [[Great Alamance Creek]]
* [[Cane Creek (Haw River tributary, left bank)]]
* [[Cane Creek (Haw River tributary, right bank)]]
* [[Haw River]]
* Lake Cammack
* Lake Mackintosh
* [[Little Alamance Creek]]
* Poppaw Creek
* Quaker Creek Reservoir
* Sellers Manufacturing Company Lake
* Stagg Creek

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Caswell County, North Carolina|Caswell County]] – north
* [[Orange County, North Carolina|Orange County]] – east
* [[Chatham County, North Carolina|Chatham County]] – south-southeast
* [[Randolph County, North Carolina|Randolph County]] – southwest
* [[Guilford County, North Carolina|Guilford County]] – west
* [[Rockingham County, North Carolina|Rockingham County]] – northwest

===Major highways===
[[File:I40i85NC.jpg|300px|right|thumb|[[I-85|Interstates 85]] and [[I-40|40]] run concurrently as seen from Exit 141 in [[Burlington, NC|Burlington]], facing east. The Interstates run east to west through the central part of the county.]]
* {{Jct|state=NC|I|40|I|85}} (concurrent) also known as the Sam Hunt Freeway, named after a former North Carolina Secretary of Transportation. Interstates 85/40 run east-to-west through the central part of the county, extending to [[Hillsborough, North Carolina|Hillsborough]] and [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]], respectively.
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|70}} nearly parallels 85/40 a few miles north of the interstates as it passes through the downtown sections of Burlington, Haw River, and Mebane.
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|49}} runs southwest to northeast from the [[Liberty, NC|Liberty]] area (Randolph County), through Burlington, Graham, and Haw River, to the Pleasant Grove Community area, before turning northeast and continuing into [[Orange County, NC|Orange County]].
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|54}} runs from its northwestern end at its intersection with U.S. Highway 70 in Burlington southeast to the Orange County line in the southeast part of the county.
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|62}} runs southwest to northeast entering from [[Guilford County, NC|Guilford County]] into Kimesville, then through Burlington, to Pleasant Grove. It then turns north and heads to [[Caswell County, NC|Caswell County]].
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|87}} serves as the main north–south route through the county. It enters from the south at the Chatham County line into Eli Whitney, then through the major cities of Graham and Burlington, and a small part of Elon, before continuing north and heading through the Altamahaw-Ossipee area, finally moving into Caswell and Rockingham Counties.
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|100}} forms a loop through downtown Burlington, starting at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Chapel Hill Road before moving north, then northwest, then going through Elon and moving on to [[Gibsonville, NC|Gibsonville]] and [[Guilford County, NC|Guilford County]].
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|119}} runs roughly north from its southern terminus at an intersection with N.C. Highway 54, moving through Mebane and heading north into Caswell County.

===Major infrastructure===
* [[Burlington–Alamance Regional Airport]]
* [[Burlington station (North Carolina)|Burlington Station]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 11444
|1860= 11852
|1870= 11874
|1880= 14613
|1890= 18271
|1900= 25665
|1910= 28712
|1920= 32718
|1930= 42140
|1940= 57427
|1950= 71220
|1960= 85674
|1970= 96362
|1980= 99319
|1990= 108213
|2000= 130800
|2010= 151131
|2020= 171415
|estyear=2023
|estimate=179165
|estref=<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{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 11, 2015 }}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 11, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{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 11, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{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|access-date=January 11, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37001.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606234644/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37001.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011|access-date=October 17, 2013|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/alamancecountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Alamance County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref>
}}

The Latino population rapidly expanded between 1990 and 2005 due to immigration.<ref>{{cite news| last = Gill| first = Hannah| title = The land of plenty| newspaper = Business North Carolina| date = November 1, 2010| url = https://businessnc.com/the-land-of-plenty/| access-date = November 17, 2022}}</ref>

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Alamance County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37001&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 20, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 102,487
| 59.79%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 33,555
| 19.58%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 584
| 0.34%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 2,811
| 1.64%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 86
| 0.05%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 7,189
| 4.19%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 24,703
| 14.41%
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 171,415 people, 64,316 households, and 41,793 families residing in the county.

===2010 census===
At the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website|author=Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS)|work=census.gov}}</ref> there were 151,131 people, 59,960 households, and 39,848 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|347.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 66,055 housing units at an average density of {{convert|151.9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 71.1% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 18.8% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.7% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 1.2% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 6.1% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.1% from two or more races. 11% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 59,960 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 19, 7.2% from 20 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females there were 92.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,430, and the median income for a family was $54,605. Males had a median income of $31,906 versus $23,367 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $23,477. About 13.7% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 25% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Government and politics==
[[File:Alamance County Board of Commissioners meeting.jpg|thumb|Alamance County Board of Commissioners meeting in 2022]]
Lying between overwhelmingly liberal and Democratic [[Orange County, North Carolina|Orange County]] and [[Durham County, North Carolina|Durham County]] to the east, equally Democratic [[Guilford County, North Carolina|Guilford County]] to the west, and heavily conservative and Republican [[Randolph County, North Carolina|Randolph County]] to the southwest, Alamance leans Republican, though not as overwhelmingly as many other suburban counties in the Piedmont Triad. The last Democratic nominee for president to carry Alamance County was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Alamance County is a member of the regional [[Councils of governments in North Carolina|Piedmont Triad Council of Governments]]. The county is led by the Alamance County Board of Commissioners and the County Manager, who is appointed by the Board of Commissioners. County residents also elect two other county government offices: the [[Sheriff]] and [[Register of Deeds]].

Alamance County has provided North Carolina with three [[List of Governors of North Carolina|governors]] and two [[US Congressional Delegations from North Carolina#United States Senate|U.S. senators]]: Governor [[Thomas Michael Holt|Thomas Holt]], Governor and Senator [[W. Kerr Scott|Kerr Scott]], Governor [[Robert W. Scott|Robert W. (Bob) Scott]] (Kerr Scott's son), and Senator [[B. Everett Jordan]].

{{PresHead|place=Alamance County, North Carolina|source=<ref>{{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 14, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|47,937|40,624|1,270|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|46,056|38,825|1,210|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|38,815|29,833|2,509|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|38,170|28,875|731|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|34,859|28,918|576|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|33,302|20,686|187|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|29,305|17,459|327|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|22,461|15,814|3,586|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|20,637|15,521|6,543|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|24,131|12,642|78|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|26,063|11,230|77|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|18,077|15,042|947|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|12,680|17,371|180|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|22,046|6,833|670|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|12,310|8,241|13,139|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|15,177|15,397|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|14,818|13,599|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|12,123|11,029|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|11,388|13,402|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|5,124|8,287|1,969|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|4,976|9,184|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|3,382|11,429|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|3,847|11,025|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|4,478|8,240|164|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|6,810|4,260|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|3,217|4,859|93|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|4,619|5,255|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|2,278|2,476|5|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|150|2,132|1,647|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|2,184|2,113|34|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|1,770|1,907|2|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|2,256|1,923|38|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|2,314|2,302|50|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|1,301|1,691|458|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|1,544|1,716|148|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|1,259|1,607|18|North Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|1,247|1,463|34|North Carolina}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Elected officials of Alamance County as of 2023
!Official
!Position
!Term ends
|-
!colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |County Commissioners
|-
|John P. Paisley
|Chair
|2024
|-
|Steve Carter
|Vice-chair
|2026
|-
||William "Bill" Lashley
|Commissioner
|2024
|-
|Pamela T. Thompson
|Commissioner
|2024
|-
|Craig Turner
|Commissioner
|2026
|-
!colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |Other County-Wide Offices
|-
|Terry Johnson
|Sheriff
|2026
|-
|David Barber
|Register of Deeds
|2024
|}

===County manager===
Alamance County adopted the [[council-manager]] form of government in the 1970s, where the day-to-day management of county business is done by an individual hired by the commissioners' board. Since the establishment of the office, the following persons have served as county managers:

====Current manager====
Heidi York (July 2022–present)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.greensboro.com/news/alamance-county-commissioners-hire-hagood-as-new-county-manager/article_443c1de9-b5cd-54dd-b077-286460813db2.html|title=Alamance County commissioners hire Hagood as new county manager|last=Times-News|first=Burlington|website=Greensboro News and Record|language=en|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref>

====Past managers====
* Bryan Hagood (March 2017–March 2022)
* Craig Honeycutt (April 2009–March 2017)
* David I. Smith (August 2005–December 2008)
* David S. Cheek (July 1998–June 2005)
* Robert C. Smith
* Hal Larry Scott
* D.J. Walker

D.J. Walker and David Smith held dual roles as county manager and county attorney during their terms.

==Arts and recreation==
===The arts===
The Paramount Theater serves as a center of dramatic presentations in the community. To the south there is the [[Snow Camp, North Carolina|Snow Camp]] Outdoor Drama which has plays from late spring to early fall in the evenings. Alamance County is also home to the Haw River Ballroom, a large music and arts venue in [[Saxapahaw]].

===Parks===
[[File:CedarockWaterfall.JPG|thumb|left|Old Dam at [[Cedarock Park]]]]

Alamance County, Burlington, Graham, Elon, Haw River, Swepsonville, and Mebane all have small parks that are not listed here. Major parks include:
* [[Cedarock Park]], located {{convert|6|mi|0}} south of the intersection of Interstate 85/40 and NC Highway 49. The park is home to the [[Cedarock Park Historic District|Cedarock Historic Farm]], an old mill [[dam]], and three [[disc golf]] courses.
* Great Bend Park at Glencoe, located {{convert|4|mi|0}} north of the intersection of US Highway 70, and NC Highways 87, 62, and 100 in downtown Burlington. Great Bend Park contains parts of the [[Haw River Trail|Haw River Land and Paddle Trails]] and the [[Mountains-to-Sea Trail]], the Textile Heritage Museum, along with picnicking, fishing, and other opportunities. The park was built around the site of the [[Glencoe, North Carolina|Glencoe Mills]], an area that is currently under renovation with an old mill that has been listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].

===Sports===

====Professional====
The [[Burlington Sock Puppets]], members of the [[Appalachian League]], a wood-bat collegiate summer league, play their home games at [[Burlington Athletic Stadium]] in Fairchild Park. They were previously known as the [[Burlington Royals]] from 2007 to 2020. The Royals were rebranded as the Sock Puppets following the contraction and reorganization of minor league baseball prior to the 2021 season. 2021 was the inaugural season for the revamped Appalachian League and the Sock Puppets. Prior to being known as the Royals, the team was also known as the [[Burlington Indians (Carolina League)|Burlington Indians]] from 1986 to 2006. This version of the team has been active since 1985, but Burlington hosted a minor league baseball team for many years under the Burlington Indians and Burlington Bees.

====Collegiate====
The [[Elon University]] [[Phoenix (mythology)|Phoenix]] play in the town of Elon. The Phoenix compete in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]'s Division I ([[Football Championship Subdivision|Championship Subdivision]] in football) [[Colonial Athletic Association]]. Intercollegiate sports include [[baseball]], [[basketball]], [[cross country running|cross-country]], [[American football|football]], [[golf]], [[football (soccer)|soccer]], and [[tennis]] for men, and basketball, cross-country, golf, indoor [[Track and field|track]], outdoor track, soccer, [[softball]], tennis, and [[volleyball]] for women.

==Economy==
Today, Alamance County is often described as a "bedroom" community, with many residents living in the county and working elsewhere due to low tax rates, although the county is still a major player in the textile and manufacturing industries. The current county-wide tax rate for Alamance County residents is 58.0 [[Cent (currency)|cents]] per $100 valuation. This does not include tax rates imposed by municipalities or fire districts.

The top employers in Alamance County are:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Company !! City !! Location type !! Employees
|-
| [[Alamance-Burlington School System]] || Burlington || HQ || 3,329
|-
| [[Labcorp|Laboratory Corp of America]]|| Burlington || HQ || 3,200
|-
| [[Alamance Regional Medical Center]] || Burlington || Branch || 2,240
|-
| [[Elon University]] || Elon || Main Campus || 1,403
|-
| [[Walmart]]|| Burlington || Branch || 1,000
|-
| [[Alamance County]] || Graham || HQ || 956
|-
| [[Burlington, North Carolina|City of Burlington]]|| Burlington || HQ || 806
|-
| [[Alamance Community College]] || Graham || HQ || 652
|-
| [[Honda|Honda Power Equipment Mfg]]|| Swepsonville || HQ || 600
|-
| [[GKN Automotive|GKN Driveline North America]]|| Mebane || Branch || 500
|-
| [[Glen Raven, Inc.]]|| Altamahaw || Branch || 500
|}

==Education==
Alamance County is served by the [[Alamance-Burlington School System]], several private elementary and secondary schools, [[Alamance Community College]], and [[Elon University]].

==Communities==
<imagemap>
File:Comté d'Alamance.png|right|400px|thumb|Clickable map of Alamance County

poly 223 253 335 258 359 272 333 299 306 302 297 365 283 373 120 370 111 343 185 312 135 316 185 311 [[Burlington, North Carolina|Burlington]]
poly 161 268 157 292 137 302 173 304 208 257 [[Elon, North Carolina|Elon]]
poly 151 248 150 288 108 305 97 257 [[Gibsonville, North Carolina|Gibsonville]]
poly 314 307 362 305 365 325 409 320 421 378 370 386 304 423 [[Graham, North Carolina|Graham]]
poly 542 217 522 223 515 273 460 311 452 336 474 350 542 345 559 309 576 268 [[Mebane, North Carolina|Mebane]]
poly 412 223 383 234 401 249 428 247 428 233 [[Green Level, North Carolina|Grenn Level]]
poly 399 254 391 272 355 295 367 304 407 315 425 286 [[Haw River, North Carolina|Haw River]]
poly 169 136 152 140 152 157 185 171 [[Ossipee, North Carolina|Ossipee]]
poly 393 386 378 408 392 426 436 411 436 399 [[Swepsonville, North Carolina|Swepsonville]]

desc bottom-left
</imagemap>

===Cities===
* [[Burlington, North Carolina|Burlington]] (largest community)
* [[Graham, North Carolina|Graham]] (county seat)
* [[Mebane, North Carolina|Mebane]] (mostly)

===Towns===
* [[Elon, North Carolina|Elon]]
* [[Gibsonville, North Carolina|Gibsonville]] (small part)
* [[Green Level, North Carolina|Green Level]]
* [[Haw River, North Carolina|Haw River]]
* [[Ossipee, North Carolina|Ossipee]]
* [[Swepsonville, North Carolina|Swepsonville]]

===Village===
* [[Alamance, North Carolina|Alamance]]

===Townships===
The county is divided into thirteen [[township (United States)|townships]], which are both numbered and named.
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
* 1 (Patterson)
* 2 (Coble)
* 3 (Boone Station)
* 4 (Morton)
* 5 (Faucette)
* 6 (Graham)
* 7 (Albright)
* 8 (Newlin)
* 9 (Thompson)
* 10 (Melville)
* 11 (Pleasant Grove)
* 12 (Burlington)
* 13 (Haw River)
{{Div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
* [[Altamahaw, North Carolina|Altamahaw]]
* [[Glen Raven, North Carolina|Glen Raven]]
* [[Saxapahaw, North Carolina|Saxapahaw]]
* [[Woodlawn, North Carolina|Woodlawn]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Bellemont, North Carolina|Bellemont]]
* [[Carolina, Alamance County, North Carolina|Carolina]]
* Dogwood Acres
* [[Eli Whitney, North Carolina|Eli Whitney]]
* [[Glencoe, North Carolina|Glencoe]]
* [[Hawfields, North Carolina|Hawfields]]
* Kimesville (also in Guilford County)
* [[Mandale, North Carolina|Mandale]]
* [[Mount Hermon, Alamance County, North Carolina|Mount Hermon]]
* [[Pleasant Grove, Alamance County, North Carolina|Pleasant Grove]]
* [[Snow Camp, North Carolina|Snow Camp]]
{{Div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
According to a 1975 study of the history of post offices in North Carolina by Treasure Index, Alamance County has 27 [[ghost town]]s that existed in the 18th and 19th centuries. Additionally, five other post offices no longer exist. These towns and their post offices were either abandoned as organized settlements or absorbed into the larger communities that now make up Alamance County.<ref>Burlington Times-News, December 11, 1975</ref>
* Albright, site located approximately {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} south of exit 153 on [[Interstate 40]]
* Carney, Near the site of [[Cedarock Park Historic District|Cedarock Park]]
* Cane Creek
* Cedarcliff, between [[Swepsonville, NC|Swepsonville]] and [[Saxapahaw, North Carolina|Saxapahaw]]
* Clover Orchard, approximately {{convert|2|mi|km}} northeast of [[Snow Camp, North Carolina|Snow Camp]]
* Curtis (Curtis Mills), approximately {{convert|1/2|mi|km}} southeast of the village of [[Alamance, North Carolina|Alamance]]
* Glenddale, approximately {{convert|3|mi|km}} north of [[Pleasant Grove, Alamance County, North Carolina|Pleasant Grove]] near the Alamance-[[Caswell County, North Carolina|Caswell]] county line
* Hartshorn, about {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km}} south-southeast of the Alamance Battleground Historic Site
* Holmans Mills, approximately {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} east of Snow Camp
* Iola, about {{convert|3|mi|km}} east of Altamahaw, nearly due north of Glencoe
* Lacey, about {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} east of Eli Whitney
* Leota, approximately {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} south of [[Eli Whitney, North Carolina|Eli Whitney]]
* Loy, at the northern base of [[Cane Creek Mountains|Bass Mountain]]
* Manndale
* Maywood, approximately {{convert|3|mi|km}} northeast of Altamahaw
* McCray (McRay), about {{convert|2|mi|km}} east-northeast of [[Glencoe, North Carolina|Glencoe]]
* Melville, approximately {{convert|2|mi|km}} west-southwest of the intersection of Interstate 40 and [[NC Highway 119]]
* Morton's Store, approximately {{convert|2|mi|km}} north of [[Altamahaw, North Carolina|Altamahaw]]
* Nicholson, near the intersection of [[North Carolina Highway 87|NC Highway 87]] and Bellemont-Mount Hermon Road
* Oakdale, in the southwest of the county, near the intersection of [[NC Highway 49]] and Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road
* Oneida
* Osceola
* Pleasant Grove, in the far northeast part of the county, {{convert|2|mi|km}} east-northeast of the current Pleasant Grove
* Pleasant Lodge, {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} to the west of the site of Oakdale, near the Alamance-[[Guilford County, North Carolina|Guilford]] county line
* Rock Creek, {{convert|4|mi|km}} due south of Alamance
* Shallow Ford, {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} east of [[Ossipee, North Carolina|Ossipee]]
* Shady Grove
* Stainback, about {{convert|2|mi|km}} east-northeast of [[Green Level, North Carolina|Green Level]]
* Sutpin, on the same latitude as Snow Camp, approximately halfway between Snow Camp and Eli Whitney
* Sylvester
* Union Ridge, near the east bank of Lake Cammack, about {{convert|3|mi|km}} from the Alamance-Caswell county line
* Vincent, {{convert|2|mi|km}} north-northeast of Pleasant Grove

===Population ranking===
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Alamance County.<ref name="PopEstCities">{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711040810/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |archive-date=July 11, 2022 |access-date=May 18, 2023 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division}}</ref>

'''†''' = ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Rank
! Name
! Type
! Population<br/>(2020 census)
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 1
|'''[[Burlington, North Carolina|Burlington]]'''
| City
| 57,303
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 2
|'''[[Mebane, North Carolina|Mebane]]'''
| City
| 17,797
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 3
|'''†''' '''[[Graham, North Carolina|Graham]]'''
| City
| 17,157
|- style="background-color:#F0F8FF;"
| 4
|'''[[Elon, North Carolina|Elon]]'''
| Town
| 11,336
|- style="background-color:#F0F8FF;"
| 5
|'''[[Gibsonville, North Carolina|Gibsonville]]'''
| Town
| 8,920
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 6
|'''[[Glen Raven, North Carolina|Glen Raven]]'''
| CDP
| 3,239
|- style="background-color:#F0F8FF;"
| 7
|'''[[Green Level, North Carolina|Green Level]]'''
| Town
| 3,152
|- style="background-color:#F0F8FF;"
| 8
|'''[[Swepsonville, North Carolina|Swepsonville]]'''
| Town
| 2,445
|- style="background-color:#F0F8FF;"
| 9
|'''[[Haw River, North Carolina|Haw River]]'''
| Town
| 2,252
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 10
|'''[[Saxapahaw, North Carolina|Saxapahaw]]'''
| CDP
| 1,671
|- style="background-color:#E6E6FA;"
| 11
|'''[[Alamance, North Carolina|Alamance]]'''
| Village
| 988
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 12
|'''[[Woodlawn, North Carolina|Woodlawn]]'''
| CDP
| 912
|- style="background-color:#F0F8FF;"
| 13
|'''[[Ossipee, North Carolina|Ossipee]]'''
| Town
| 536
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 14
|'''[[Altamahaw, North Carolina|Altamahaw]]'''
| CDP
| 334
|}

==Notable people==
[[File:B. Everett Jordan.jpg|thumb|right|150px|U. S. Senator [[B. Everett Jordan]]]]
[[File:Governor Thomas Michael Holt North Carolina.jpeg|thumb|right|150px|Governor Thomas M. Holt]]
* [[Jacob Brent]], born in Graham, starred as "Mr. Mistoffelees" in the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] and movie version of [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]]'s ''[[Cats (musical)|Cats]]''
* [[Billy Bryan]], Center for the [[Denver Broncos]], from 1977 to 1988 grew up in Burlington.
* Several generations of [[Alex Haley]]'s family may have lived in Alamance County, as noted in his 1976 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel ''[[Roots: The Saga of an American Family]].'' Coming from [[Africa]] to [[Virginia]], to [[Caswell County, North Carolina|Caswell County]], to Alamance County, and moving to [[Tennessee]] after the [[Emancipation Proclamation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulsterflash.iofm.net/scotchirishnotes.htm |title=Friends of Ulster- USA - Scotch-Irish and German Settlers in Virginia and the Carolinas |access-date=August 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007055919/http://www.ulsterflash.iofm.net/scotchirishnotes.htm |archive-date=October 7, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncacgs/cross_rd_history.html|title=Cross Roads History|work=rootsweb.com}}</ref>
* [[Thomas Michael Holt]], [[governor of North Carolina]] from 1891 to 1893
* [[John "John Boy" Isley]], born and raised in Graham, "John Boy" of the [[John Boy and Billy Show]]
* [[Charley Jones]], born in Alamance County, [[Major League Baseball]] player<ref name="The Baseball Encyclopedia">{{Cite book|editor= Reichler, Joseph L.|title= The Baseball Encyclopedia|orig-year= 1969|edition= 4th|year= 1979|publisher= Macmillan Publishing|location= New York|isbn= 0-02-578970-8|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/baseballencyclop00reic}}</ref>
* [[B. Everett Jordan]], U. S. senator (Class 2) from 1958 to 1973
* [[Don Kernodle]], born in Burlington, five-time NWA champion and tag team partner of Sgt Slaughter; appeared in ''[[Paradise Alley]]'' with [[Sylvester Stallone]]
* [[Jack McKeon]], manager of the [[2003 World Series]] champion [[Florida Marlins]]
* [[Blanche Taylor Moore]], convicted [[murderer]], whose life story was portrayed in the television movie "Black Widow: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story," starring [[Elizabeth Montgomery]]
* [[Meg Scott Phipps]], North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner (2001–2003)
* [[Tequan Richmond]], born in Burlington, stars as Drew Rock in ''[[Everybody Hates Chris]]'', and played a young Ray Charles in the movie ''[[Ray (film)|Ray]]''
* [[Jeanne Robertson]], humorist and professional speaker
* [[Robert W. Scott|Robert W. "Bob" Scott]], governor of North Carolina from 1969 to 1973
* [[W. Kerr Scott]], Governor of North Carolina from 1949 to 1953, U. S. senator (Class 2) from 1954 to 1958
* [[Brandon Tate]], born in Burlington, American football wide receiver for the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] of the [[National Football League]]
* [[Will Richardson (American football)|Will Richardson]], American football Offensive Linemen for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League

==See also==
* [[List of counties in North Carolina]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Alamance County, North Carolina]]
* [[List of ghost towns in North Carolina]]
* [[Haw River Valley AVA]], wine region partially located in the county
* [[Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation]], state-recognized tribe that resides in the county

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Beatty, Bess. ''Alamance: The Holt Family and Industrialization in a North Carolina County, 1837–1900'' (LSU Press, 1999).
* Bissett, Jim, “The Dilemma over Moderates: School Desegregation in Alamance County, North Carolina,” ''Journal of Southern History,'' 81 (Nov. 2015), 887–930.
* Gant, Margaret Elizabeth. "The Episcopal Church in Burlington, 1879-1979: one hundred years of history." (2014). [http://divinityarchive.com/bitstream/handle/11258/11552/theepiscopalchur00gant.pdf?sequence=1 online]
* Pierpont, Andrew Warren. ''Development of the textile industry in Alamance County, North Carolina'' (1953).
* Troxler, Carole Watterson.  ''Shuttle and Plow: A History of Alamance County, North Carolina'' (1999).
* Whitaker, Walter E. ''Centennial History of Alamance County 1849–1949'' (Burlington Chamber of Commerce, 1949).

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{osmrelation|2528669}}
* {{Official website|http://www.alamance-nc.com}}
* [http://www.alamancelibraries.org Alamance County Public Libraries]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Alamance County, North Carolina
|North     = [[Caswell County, North Carolina|Caswell County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Orange County, North Carolina|Orange County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Chatham County, North Carolina|Chatham County]]
|Southwest = [[Randolph County, North Carolina|Randolph County]]
|West      = [[Guilford County, North Carolina|Guilford County]]
|Northwest = [[Rockingham County, North Carolina|Rockingham County]]
}}
{{Alamance County, North Carolina}}
{{North_Carolina}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Alamance County, North Carolina| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1849]]
[[Category:1849 establishments in North Carolina]]