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{{Short description|County in North Carolina, United States}} {{Distinguish|Columbus, North Carolina}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox U.S. county | ex image = Columbus County, NC Courthouse.jpg | ex image cap = [[Columbus County Courthouse]] in Whiteville | county = Columbus County | state = North Carolina | seal = Columbus County Seal.png | founded = 1808 | named for = [[Christopher Columbus]] | seat wl = Whiteville | largest city wl = Whiteville | city type = community | area_total_sq_mi = 955.00 | area_land_sq_mi = 938.12 | area_water_sq_mi = 16.88 | area percentage = 1.77 | population_as_of = 2020 | population_total = 50623 | pop_est_as_of = 2023 | population_est = 50121 {{loss}} | population_density_sq_mi = 53.96 | coordinates = {{coord|34.26|-78.64|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}} | web = www.columbusco.org | district = 7th | time zone = Eastern | motto = "We are ready to grow with you." | flag = Columbus County flag.webp }} '''Columbus County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[North Carolina]]. Its [[county seat]] is [[Whiteville, North Carolina|Whiteville]].<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 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 50,623.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> ==History== ===Early history=== The area comprising Columbus County was originally inhabited by the [[Waccamaw]] people. Historically, the "eastern Siouans" had territories extending through the area of Columbus County prior to any European exploration or settlement in the 16th century. English colonial settlement in what was known as Carolina did not increase until the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Following epidemics of new [[infectious disease]]s, to which indigenous peoples were exposed in trading and other contact, the Waccamaw and other Native Americans often suffered disruption and fatalities when caught between larger tribes and colonists in the [[Tuscarora War|Tuscarora]] and [[Yamasee War|Yamasee]] wars. Afterward most of the [[Tuscarora people]] migrated north, joining other [[Iroquoian languages|Iroquoian-speaking]] peoples of the Five Nations of the [[Iroquois Confederacy]] in New York State by 1722. At that point the leaders declared their migration ended and the tribe officially relocated to that area. The Waccamaw Siouan ancestors retreated for safety to an area of Green Swamp near [[Lake Waccamaw]].<ref>William S. Powell, ''Encyclopedia of North Carolina'' (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2006), 1170.</ref> Throughout the 19th century, the Waccamaw Siouan were seldom mentioned in the historical record. If descendants intermarried with whites and/or African Americans, their children were assumed to lose their Indian status, although they were often reared in Indian culture. Since North Carolina was a slave society, whites classified anyone with visible African features as slaves and blacks first. ===Colonial settlement=== As America was colonized by the British, the area encompassing Columbus County was first organized part of the Bath Precinct of North Carolina, established by the British Crown in 1696. In 1729 a southern portion was split off by the General Assembly to create New Hanover County, and five years later Bladen was formed out of part of New Hanover. In 1764 Brunswick County was formed out of Bladen and New Hanover. Throughout this time the area was largely forested and had few white settlers, though the General Assembly established two roads through the area in 1764. [[William Bartram]], a botanist from Pennsylvania, journeyed to Lake Waccamaw to study the flora and fauna of the region in the 1730s, creating the first detailed written account of the area.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|p=12}} At least two skirmishes of the [[American Revolutionary War]] were fought on Columbus soil: one near [[Pireway]] and another at Brown Marsh.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|p=13}} ===Creation=== Columbus County was created by the General Assembly on December 15, 1808, to make it easier for local residents to conduct official business without having to travel to the seat of Brunswick County.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|p=13}} Columbus was formed from parts of [[Bladen County, North Carolina|Bladen]] and [[Brunswick County, North Carolina|Brunswick]] counties and named in honor of [[Christopher Columbus]].{{sfn|Corbitt|2000|p=71}} The county's borders were modified several times by legislative act between 1809 and 1821.{{sfn|Corbitt|2000|p=72}} In 1810, a community was platted on land owned by James B. White for the purpose of creating a county seat.{{sfn|Corbitt|2000|p=71}} It was originally known as White's Crossing before being incorporated as [[Whiteville, North Carolina|Whiteville]] in 1832.{{sfn|Powell|1976|p=532}} The first courthouse and jail, made of wood, were built there in 1809.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|p=13}} === Development=== [[File:Loading strawberries in Chadbourn, 1907.jpg|thumb|Farmers loading strawberries onto rail cars in Chadbourn {{circa|1907}}]] At the time of its creation, Columbus County was sparsely populated.{{sfn|Justesen|2012|pp=4–5}} A new brick courthouse and jail were erected in 1852.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|p=13}} The construction of a railroad along the Bladen-Columbus border in the 1860s spurred growth. The laying of the [[Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Railroad]] later in the decade connected Whiteville with Wilmington and supported the development of strong lumber and [[naval stores]] industries.{{sfn|Justesen|2012|pp=4–5}} The county also produced corn, wheat, cotton, and wool.{{sfn|Spruill|1990|p=1}} Most white men in the county fought during the [[American Civil War]], while most free blacks and mulattoes were exempted from service. The county was spared direct fighting, but the war demands stressed the local labor and food markets, and severe rains in 1863 diminished grain yields. Most residents resorted to trade via the barter system. After [[Battle of Wilmington|Wilmington fell]] to Union troops in February 1865, Union marauders sacked Whiteville.{{sfn|Justesen|2012|p=12}} After the war Columbus' economy grew more heavily reliant on corn and cotton production.{{sfn|Spruill|1990|p=1}} In 1877, part of Brunswick County was annexed to Columbus.{{sfn|Corbitt|2000|p=73}} In the post-Reconstruction period, after white Democrats regained dominance in politics, they emphasized white supremacy and classified all non-whites as black. For instance, Native Americans could not attend schools for white children. Toward the end of the century, the U.S. Census recorded common Waccamaw surnames among individuals in the small isolated communities of this area.<ref name="Powell, 1170">Powell, ''Encyclopedia of North Carolina'', 1170.</ref> Tobacco was introduced as a crop in Columbus in 1896, and that year a tobacco warehouse was established in Fair Bluff. It remained a marginal crop until 1914, and at the conclusion of [[World War I]] overtook cotton as the county's major cash crop.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|pp=14–15}} The county's first bank was opened in 1903.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|p=14}} Strawberries were introduced at Chadbourn in 1895, and by 1907 Chadbourn had become one of the leading strawberry producers in the world.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|p=16}} Another courthouse and jail were built in 1914.{{sfn|Rogers|1946|p=13}} ===Ku Klux Klan=== In 1950 Thomas Hamilton, a South Carolina leader of a white supremacist [[Ku Klux Klan]] chapter, began a recruiting campaign to expand his organization's reach into Columbus County, focusing on the towns of Chadbourn, Fair Bluff, Tabor City, and Whiteville.<ref name=carterklan>{{cite web| url = http://www.carter-klan.org/Hamilton.html| title = Thomas Lemuel Hamilton and the Ku Klux Klan| website = The Carter-Klan Documentary Project| publisher = [[Center for the Study of the American South]]| access-date = January 25, 2023}}</ref> In late July they paraded through Tabor City, passing out handbills which exhorted white men to join them in resisting "Jews, nigger, and integrationist quacks".{{sfn|Cunningham|2013|p=28}} [[W. Horace Carter]], the publisher of the ''[[Tabor City Tribune]]'', issued an editorial the following day denouncing the Klan as a violent group and urging local residents to ignore them, leading to a threatening note being placed on his car the following day.{{sfn|Cunningham|2013|p=29}} The county hosted many Klan sympathizers and a Klavern was organized later that year in Whiteville.<ref name=carterklan/> ''[[The News Reporter]]'' of Whiteville, led by editor Willard Cole, joined the ''Tabor City Tribune'' in reporting on Klan activities and denouncing the organization, leading to threats against Cole.{{sfn|Harris|2015|pp=220–221}} The following January the Klansmen began night raids on homes, abducting and flogging residents who they felt had violated traditional [[mores]].<ref name=carterklan/>{{sfn|Cunningham|2013|p=29}} Over the following months the Klan continued to conduct raids, heightening local tensions.{{sfn|Cunningham|2013|pp=29–30}} In early October 1951 Klansmen from Fair Bluff abducted a couple and transported them into South Carolina.<ref name=carterklan/> Abduction crossing state lines was [[Federal Kidnapping Act|a federal crime]], and as a result the U.S. [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) became involved.{{sfn|Cunningham|2013|p=30}} In February 1952 the FBI, state agents, and county sheriff's deputies initiated a crackdown and arrested 11 Klansmen responsible for the October abduction.<ref name=carterklan/> Law enforcement made additional arrests over subsequent months. Of the near 100 Klansmen arrested, 63 including Hamilton were convicted of various crimes.{{sfn|Cunningham|2013|p=30}} For their efforts against the Klan, in 1953 the ''Tabor City Tribune'' and ''The News Reporter'' won the [[Pulitzer Prize for Public Service]].{{sfn|Harris|2015|p=220}} ===Colcor=== {{Main|Colcor}} By the early 1980s, Columbus County had a reputation for intense political competition marked by accusations of fraud and impropriety.<ref name= whiteallen/><ref name= gilkeson>{{cite news| last = Gilkeson| first = Bill| title = FBI Probe: Corrupt Label Produces Ire In Residents Of Columbus| newspaper = Durham Morning Herald| pages = 1A–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117122699/columbus-reacts-to-colcor-2/ 2A]| date = August 15, 1982| url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117122648/columbus-reacts-to-colcor-1/}}</ref> The FBI had received several complaints from local police officers and residents about alleged [[protection racket]]s run by public officials and [[election fraud]]. In early 1980, a former FBI informant moved to the county and reported that he was being told to pay bribes to ensure the smooth operation of his business.<ref name= alston3>{{cite news| last1 = Alston| first1 = Chuck| last2 = Swofford| first2 = Stan| title = Early Recruits Blaze A Trail of Deceit|series=The Colcor Chronicles| newspaper = Greensboro Daily News| year = 1984| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=khFYyHUauRAC&pg=PA457}}</ref> Taking into account the previous complaints they had received, upon being informed, the FBI initiated an undercover investigation into corruption in Columbus County, codenamed "Colcor".<ref name= alston3/><ref name= mcadams>{{cite web| url = https://www.wect.com/2021/02/24/crimes-cape-fear-fbi-colcor-sting-uncovered-hotbed-corruption-southeastern-north-carolina/| title = Crimes of the Cape Fear: FBI 'Colcor' sting uncovered hotbed of corruption in Southeastern North Carolina| last = McAdams| first = Ann| date = February 24, 2021| website = WECT6 News| publisher = Gray Media Group| access-date = January 21, 2023}}</ref> FBI agents posed as corrupt businessmen with connections to the [[Detroit Partnership|Detroit Mafia]]. They set up an illegal gambling club in Lake Waccamaw to make connections with locals<ref name= mcadams/> and paid bribes to a local judge and the town's police chief to protect their operation.<ref name= alston3/> The agents also paid bribes to county commission chairman Ed Walton Williamson in exchange for political influence.<ref name= mcadams/> With Williamson's help, the agents devised a scheme to investigate election fraud by instigating a referendum in the town of [[Bolton, North Carolina|Bolton]] to legalize liquor-by-the-drink and supplying a local political leader with funds to [[vote buying|buy votes]] to achieve their desired outcome,<ref name= alston4>{{cite news| last1 = Alston| first1 = Chuck| last2 = Swofford| first2 = Stan| title = The FBI Snares A Patsy: Official Played Role Agents Wrote For Him|series=The Colcor Chronicles| newspaper = Greensboro Daily News| date = January 23, 1984| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=khFYyHUauRAC&pg=PA462}}</ref><ref name= alston2>{{cite news| last1 = Alston| first1 = Chuck| last2 = Swofford| first2 = Stan| title = FBI Springs Its Last Traps: Agents Fake Arrests To Keep Deception Alive|series=The Colcor Chronicles| newspaper = Greensboro Daily News| date = January 25, 1984| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=khFYyHUauRAC&pg=PA473}}</ref> the first time the FBI had ever tried to manipulate a public election.<ref name= mcadams/><ref name= alston2/> The town ultimately voted in favor of legalizing liquor-by-the-drink.<ref name= alston2/> The agents were also asked by State Representative G. Ronald Taylor to burn down a business competitor's property, though Taylor eventually enlisted other men to commit the arson.<ref name= mcadams/> The FBI publicly revealed the Colcor operation on July 29, 1982.<ref name= alston1/><ref name= alston2/> A total of 40 people were indicted for crimes observed during the course of the investigation. Of those indicted, 38 were convicted of crimes, with many reaching [[plea bargain]]s with prosecutors.<ref name= alston1>{{cite news| last1 = Alston| first1 = Chuck| last2 = Swofford| first2 = Stan| title = Cops As Crooks—Is Justice Served By Deceptions?| newspaper = Greensboro Daily News| date = January 26, 1984| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=khFYyHUauRAC&pg=PA479|series=The Colcor Chronicles}}</ref> The [[U.S. House of Representatives]] and the [[North Carolina State Board of Elections]] were critical of the FBI's involvement in the vote-buying sting surrounding the liquor referendum in Bolton, with the Board of Elections ultimately nullifying the referendum.{{sfn|Lawless|2012|loc=Chapter 14: Stings, Scams, Future Trends and Collateral Attacks : Operation "Colcor"}} ===Economic stagnation=== The manufacturing sector in Columbus County began a decline in the 1990s. Between 1999 and 2014, the county lost about 2,000 manufacturing jobs. The number of local farmers also declined.<ref>{{cite news| last = Voorheis| first = Mike| title = Once a place of hope, Chadbourn in poverty's grip after jobs lost| newspaper = StarNews Online| date = November 2, 2014| url = https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2014/11/02/once-a-place-of-hope-chadbourn-in-povertys-grip-after-jobs-lost/30971164007/| access-date = January 12, 2023}}</ref> The county was heavily impacted by [[Hurricane Florence]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite news| last = Martin| first = Edward| title = Columbus County claws its way back from Florence's strike| newspaper = Business North Carolina| date = October 1, 2019| url = https://businessnc.com/columbus-county-claws-its-way-back-from-florences-strike/| access-date = January 16, 2023}}</ref> ==Geography== {{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q509813|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Columbus County}} Columbus County is located in southeastern North Carolina. It is bordered by [[Bladen County, North Carolina|Bladen County]], [[Pender County, North Carolina|Pender County]], [[Brunswick County, North Carolina|Brunswick County]], and [[Robeson County, North Carolina|Robeson County]] in North Carolina and [[Horry County, South Carolina|Horry County]] and [[Dillon County, South Carolina|Dillon County]] in [[South Carolina]]. According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total land area of {{convert|955.00|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|938.12|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|16.88|sqmi}} (1.77%) 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> It is the third-largest county in North Carolina by land area.<ref name= censusprofile/> Columbus is drained by the Lumber River and Waccamaw River.{{sfn|Spruill|1990|p=2}} There are several large lakes within the county, including Lake Tabor and Lake Waccamaw. One of the most significant geographic features is the [[Green Swamp (North Carolina)|Green Swamp]], a 15,907-acre area in the north-eastern portion of the county. Highway 211 passes alongside it. The swamp contains several unique and endangered species, such as the [[venus flytrap]]. The area contains the Brown Marsh Swamp, and has a remnant of the giant [[longleaf pine]] forest that once stretched across the Southeast from Virginia to Texas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green Swamp Preserve |url=https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/green-swamp-preserve/ |access-date=August 15, 2022 |website=The Nature Conservancy |language=en-US}}</ref> ===State and local protected areas=== * [[Columbus County Game Land]] (part)<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands">{{Cite web |title=NCWRC Game Lands |url=https://www.ncpaws.org/ncwrcmaps/gamelands |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=www.ncpaws.org}}</ref> * [[Green Swamp (North Carolina)|Green Swamp Preserve]] (part) * [[Honey Hill Hunting Preserve]] * [[Juniper Creek Game Land]] (part)<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands"/> * [[Lake Waccamaw State Park]] * [[Lumber River State Park]] (part) * [[North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences#North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville|North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville]] ===Major water bodies=== * [[Cape Fear River]] * [[Juniper Creek (North Carolina)|Juniper Creek]] * [[Lake Waccamaw]] * [[Lumber River]] * [[Waccamaw River]] * [[White Marsh (North Carolina)|White Marsh]] == Climate == Columbus County is located in the [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa'') zone, with mostly moderate temperatures year round. Winters are mild across Columbus, with the warmest winter temperatures found in the eastern and southeastern portions of the county due to the influence of the nearby [[Atlantic Ocean]]. The average high temperature in January is around 55 °F (13 °C). Summers are hot and humid, with the hottest summer temperatures found in the northern and western areas of Columbus County. The average high temperature in July is around 90 °F (32 °C).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Columbus County, NC Climate |url=https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/county/north_carolina/columbus |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=BestPlaces}}</ref> The [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] [[hardiness zone]] for Columbus County is Zone 8B.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map {{!}} USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map |url=https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=planthardiness.ars.usda.gov}}</ref> ==Demographics== ===2020 census=== As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 50,623 people residing in the county.<ref name= censusprofile/> The 2020 census showed a loss of 12.9% of the population from that of 2010. In proportions, the county was racially/ethnically 59.3 percent white, 28.6 percent black, 5.8 percent Hispanic, 3.4 percent American Indian, 0.3 percent Asian, 0.2 percent Pacific Islander, 3 percent two or more races, and 0.3 percent other. Compared to state averages, the county reported higher proportions of black and American Indian residents and lower proportions of white, Asian, and Hispanic residents.<ref name= schofield2/> Whiteville is the largest municipality.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/will-sheriffs-re-election-after-resigning-over-fire-black-people-remarks-spur-2022-11-21/| title = Will sheriff's re-election after resigning over 'fire black people' remarks spur legal action?| last = Kanu| first = Hassan| date = November 21, 2022| publisher = Reuters| access-date = January 28, 2023}}</ref> === Inclusion of inmate population === Unlike the 2010 census, the population of incarcerated persons were included in the 2020 census. In 2020, Columbus County had an inmate prison population of approximately 2,500.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 17, 2021 |title=Columbus leaders react to disappointing census results |url=https://nrcolumbus.com/columbus-leaders-react-to-disappointing-census-results/ |access-date=August 14, 2022 |website=The News Reporter}}</ref> ===Demographic change=== {| role="presentation" | |- | {{US Census population |1810= 3022 |1820= 3912 |1830= 4141 |1840= 3941 |1850= 5909 |1860= 8597 |1870= 8474 |1880= 14439 |1890= 17856 |1900= 21274 |1910= 28020 |1920= 30124 |1930= 37720 |1940= 45663 |1950= 50621 |1960= 48973 |1970= 46937 |1980= 51037 |1990= 49587 |2000= 54749 |2010= 58098 |2020= 50623 |estyear=2023 |estimate=50121 |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 13, 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 13, 2015|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</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 13, 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|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37047.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606235055/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37047.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/columbuscountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Columbus County, North Carolina|publisher= United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref> }} |} Between 2010 and 2020, Columbus County lost 7,475 residents, a population decline of 12.9 percent. The U.S. Census Bureau recorded declines in 12 of 14 reported communities.<ref name= schofield2>{{cite news| last = Schofield| first = Ivey| title = Columbus leaders react to disappointing census results| newspaper = The News Reporter| date = August 17, 2021| url = https://www.nrcolumbus.com/archives/columbus-leaders-react-to-disappointing-census-results/article_fb925f8a-a942-5bbb-a139-5c6eea020e06.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125133016/https://www.nrcolumbus.com/archives/columbus-leaders-react-to-disappointing-census-results/article_fb925f8a-a942-5bbb-a139-5c6eea020e06.html|archive-date = January 25, 2023}}</ref> Census experts anticipate a further population decline between 2020 and 2030.<ref name= schofield3>{{cite news| last = Schofield| first = Ivey| title = As developers move in, Columbus County debates preservation and progress| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = October 14, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/columbus-county-nc-development-growth/| access-date = January 27, 2023}}</ref> ==Government and politics== === Government === Columbus County is governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners.<ref name= nagem1>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = Shift to the GOP clouds local races in this rural NC county – especially for sheriff| newspaper = Border Belt Independent | date = November 3, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/columbus-county-nc-shift-to-gop/| access-date = November 7, 2022}}</ref> The county is represented in the North Carolina Senate in [[North Carolina's 8th Senate district|district 8]] and in the North Carolina House of Representatives in [[North Carolina's 46th House district|district 46]].<ref name= nagem2/> The county is a member of the regional [[Councils of governments in North Carolina|Cape Fear Council of Governments]], where it participates in area planning on a variety of issues.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://capefearcog.org/ |access-date=November 7, 2022 |website=Cape Fear Council of Governments |language=en-US}}</ref> ===Judicial system and law enforcement=== Columbus County lies within the bounds of North Carolina's 15th Prosecutorial District, the 13A [[North Carolina Superior Court|Superior Court]] District, and the 13th District Court District.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/columbus-county| title = Columbus County| publisher = North Carolina Judicial Branch| access-date = January 12, 2023}}</ref> The Columbus County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for the county as well as operating the Columbus County Detention Center.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CCSO |title=Columbus County Sheriff's Office - Dedicated To Serve |url=https://columbussheriff.com/ |access-date=November 7, 2022 |website=Columbus County Sheriff's Office |language=en-US}}</ref> There are two state prisons within Columbus County:<ref>{{cite web |title=North Carolina Division of Prisons |url=http://www.doc.state.nc.us/DOP/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304115828/http://www.doc.state.nc.us/DOP/index.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2018 |access-date=March 15, 2018 |website=doc.state.nc.us}}</ref> * [[Columbus Correctional Institution]] in [[Brunswick, North Carolina|Brunswick]] * [[Tabor City Correctional Institution]] in [[Tabor City, North Carolina|Tabor City]] === 2022 Columbus County Sheriff controversy === In November 2022, Sheriff Jody Greene was re-elected to office after resigning several weeks prior due to allegations of obstructing justice and racism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McAdams |first=Ann |title=Sheriff: "I'm sick of these Black bastards.... Every Black that I know, you need to fire him..." |url=https://www.wect.com/2022/09/28/sheriff-im-sick-these-black-bastards-every-black-that-i-know-you-need-fire-him/ |access-date=November 13, 2022 |website=www.wect.com |date=September 28, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Immediately after his re-election, District Attorney Jon David filed a new petition for Greene's removal from office, including a request to permanently disqualify him from elected office in Columbus County.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Solon |first=Zach |title=District Attorney plans to file new petition to remove Columbus County sheriff-elect |url=https://www.wect.com/2022/11/09/district-attorney-plans-file-new-petition-remove-columbus-county-sheriff-elect/ |access-date=November 13, 2022 |website=www.wect.com |date=November 9, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Greene would later resign from office for the second time in January 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |author=WECT Staff |title=Columbus County Sheriff resigns for the second time; District Attorney holds news conference on the announcement |url=https://www.wect.com/2023/01/04/columbus-county-sheriff-resign-second-time/ |access-date=January 14, 2023 |website=www.wect.com |date=January 4, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> As of January 2024, a federal investigation into the actions of Sheriff Jody Greene and the Columbus County Sheriff's Office was pending. === Politics === {| role="presentation" | |- | {{PresHead|place=Columbus County, North Carolina|whig=no|source1=<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 15, 2018}}</ref>}} <!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} --> {{PresRow|2024|Republican|17,592|8,648|162|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|16,832|9,446|168|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|14,272|9,063|397|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|12,941|11,050|252|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2008|Republican|12,994|11,076|212|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2004|Republican|10,773|10,343|75|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2000|Democratic|8,342|9,986|97|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1996|Democratic|6,017|9,019|1,244|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1992|Democratic|5,462|11,469|1,985|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1988|Democratic|6,659|9,172|51|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1984|Republican|9,150|8,728|26|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1980|Democratic|5,522|10,212|206|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,184|11,148|69|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|8,468|3,305|214|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1968|American Independent|3,881|4,243|6,693|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|4,471|9,004|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1960|Democratic|3,655|10,455|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1956|Democratic|2,300|7,805|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1952|Democratic|3,001|6,941|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,105|5,511|753|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,552|5,717|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1940|Democratic|934|5,900|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,214|6,359|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1932|Democratic|739|5,098|53|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,533|2,854|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,629|2,757|26|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,783|3,111|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,327|2,143|2|North Carolina}} {{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|155|1,668|892|North Carolina}} |} After the [[Reconstruction era]], Columbus County's politics fell under the domination of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. Through much of the 20th century, local primaries were the preeminent political contests, marked by intense intraparty competition. General elections often displayed low turnout.<ref name= whiteallen>{{cite news| last1 = White| first1 = Katherine| last2 = Allen| first2 = Ken| title = Politically, Columbus Is A County With A Past| newspaper = The Charlotte Observer| pages = 1A, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117137459/the-charlotte-observer/ 3A]| date = August 17, 1982| url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117137137/the-charlotte-observer/ }}</ref> Throughout much of the 2000s, the county electorate regularly supported [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] presidential candidates and Democratic local and state candidates. Following the election of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] as U.S. president in 2008, Republicans' performance in local races markedly improved.<ref name= nagem1/> As of 2022, the county hosts about 36,200 registered voters, comprising about 15,344 registered Democrats, 10,100 registered Republicans and 10,700 unaffiliated.<ref name= nagem2>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = Columbus County voters will go to the polls in May. Here are some primary races to watch| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = April 20, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/columbus-county-2022-primary-election-candidates/| access-date = July 21, 2022}}</ref> Despite Democrats' registration advantage, only one unopposed Democrat was elected to a county office in the 2022 local general elections.<ref name= schofield/> In 2024, Republican presidential candidate [[Donald Trump]] won the county with 67 percent of its vote.<ref>{{cite news| last = Rappaport| first = Ben| title = Rural southeastern NC gets more red, even as Democrats win key state races| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = November 6, 2024| url = https://borderbelt.org/rural-southeastern-nc-picks-republican-candidates/| access-date = November 10, 2024}}</ref> ==Economy== The economy of Columbus County centers on agriculture and manufacturing. Columbus farmers produce crops such as pecans and peanuts, along with soybeans, potatoes, and corn. Cattle, poultry, and catfish are other agricultural products in the county. Factories in the region produce textiles, tools, and plywood. Household products such as doors, furniture, and windows are also manufactured in Columbus.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Martin|first=Jonathan|url=http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/700/entry|title=Columbus County (1808)|website=North Carolina History Project|access-date=March 15, 2018|publisher=John Locke Foundation|language=en-US}}</ref> The county hosts two industrial parks and shares a third with Brunswick County.<ref>{{cite news| last = Schofield| first = Ivey| title = Workforce is key to capitalizing on agribusiness and population growth in Columbus| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = June 1, 2021| url = https://borderbelt.org/workforce-is-key-to-capitalizing-on-agribusiness-and-population-growth-in-columbus/| access-date = January 12, 2023}}</ref> [[International Paper]] is the largest employer.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.columbusedc.com/industry| title = Industry| publisher = Columbus County Economic Decision| access-date = January 26, 2023}}</ref> According to census figures, over 14,000 Columbus residents commute to other counties for work, while about 7,600 residents work within the county.<ref name= williams>{{cite news| last = Williams| first = Joseph| title = Most county residents work elsewhere, and those who do earn more, data shows| newspaper = The News Reporter| date = June 15, 2022| url = https://www.nrcolumbus.com/news/business/most-county-residents-work-elsewhere-and-those-who-do-earn-more-data-shows/article_f13d94a8-6d9d-5066-ae50-c9670cff715d.html| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230128085612/https://www.nrcolumbus.com/news/business/most-county-residents-work-elsewhere-and-those-who-do-earn-more-data-shows/article_f13d94a8-6d9d-5066-ae50-c9670cff715d.html|archive-date=January 28, 2023}}</ref> The [[North Carolina Department of Commerce]] classifies the county as economically distressed<ref>{{cite news| last = Schofield| first = Ivey| title = Major expansion planned for business park in southeastern North Carolina| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = January 23, 2023| url = https://borderbelt.org/international-logistics-park-nc-expansion/| access-date = January 23, 2023}}</ref> and it has regularly suffered from a higher unemployment rate than the state average.<ref name= williams/> == Transportation == Airplane facilities are provided by the [[Columbus County Municipal Airport]] in Whiteville.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.wwaytv3.com/cape-fear-airports-significantly-contribute-to-economy-ncdot-report-says/| title = Cape Fear airports significantly contribute to economy, NCDOT report says| last = Caldwell| first = Marion| date = January 9, 2023| website = WWAY-TV3| access-date = January 25, 2023}}</ref> The [[R.J. Corman Railroad Group]] operates a [[shortline railroad]] in the county.<ref>{{cite news| title = Railroad improvements coming to Columbus| newspaper = The News Reporter| date = May 16, 2022| url = https://www.nrcolumbus.com/news/business/railroad-improvements-coming-to-columbus/article_bb48e107-8e34-5aa5-a328-a86a321f4646.html| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230126054130/https://www.nrcolumbus.com/news/business/railroad-improvements-coming-to-columbus/article_bb48e107-8e34-5aa5-a328-a86a321f4646.html|archive-date= January 26, 2023}}</ref> ===Major highways=== {{div col|colwidth=18em}} * {{Jct|state=NC|I-Future|74}} * {{Jct|state=NC|US|74}} * {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|74|dab1=Chadbourn–Whiteville}} * {{Jct|state=NC|US|76}} * {{Jct|state=NC|US|701}} * {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|701|dab1=Clarkton}} (Clarkton) * {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|701|dab1=Tabor City}} (Tabor City) * {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|701|dab1=Whiteville}} (Whiteville) * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|11}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|87}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|130}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|131}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|211}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|214}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|242}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|410}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|904}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|905}} {{div col end}} ==Education== Columbus is one of the few counties in North Carolina that has two public school systems: [[Columbus County Schools|one for the county]], which mostly serves rural areas, and one for the city of Whiteville. Both are led by elected school boards.<ref name= schofield>{{cite news| last = Schofield| first = Ivey| title = Push to elect Black candidates to Columbus County school boards was rejected by voters| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = November 18, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/columbus-county-schools/| access-date = November 19, 2022}}</ref> The county government maintains a system of six libraries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ccplnc.weebly.com/all-branches.html|title=Branch Locations, Contact Information and Hours|website=Columbus County Public Library System|access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref> The county also hosts [[Southeastern Community College (North Carolina)|Southeastern Community College]].<ref>{{cite news| last = Schofield| first = Ivey| title = Rural NC community college graduates first class of psychiatric technicians| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = August 17, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/southeastern-community-college-psychiatric-technicians/| access-date = December 6, 2022}}</ref> According to the 2021 [[American Community Survey]], an estimated 14.1 percent of county residents have attained a bachelor's degree or higher level of education.<ref name= censusprofile>{{cite web| url = https://data.census.gov/profile/Columbus_County,_North_Carolina?g=0500000US37047| title = Columbus County, North Carolina| publisher = [[U.S. Census Bureau]]| access-date = January 25, 2023}}</ref> == Healthcare == Columbus County is served by a single hospital, Columbus Regional Healthcare System, based in Whiteville.<ref>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = How safe are the hospitals in North Carolina's Border Belt? New grades released| newspaper = Border Belt Independent | date = November 16, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/how-safe-are-the-hospitals-in-north-carolinas-border-belt-new-grades-released/| access-date = November 28, 2022}}</ref> According to the 2022 County Health Rankings produced by the [[University of Wisconsin]] Population Health Institute, Columbus County ranked 91st in health outcomes of North Carolina's 100 counties, an improvement over recent years, as it was ranked last from 2010 to 2015. Per the ranking, 26 percent of adults say they are in poor or fair health, the average [[life expectancy]] is 74 years, and 17 percent of people under the age of 65 lack [[health insurance]].<ref name=nagemhealth>{{cite news| last = Nagem| first = Sarah| title = The fight for better health (and health care) in rural North Carolina| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = May 9, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/fight-for-better-health-care-in-rural-nc/| access-date = November 28, 2022}}</ref> Columbus County has been heavily impacted by the [[opioid epidemic]]<ref>{{cite news| last = Schofield| first = Ivey| title = NC sheriff who made racist remarks has history of controversy. Can he outlast this one?| newspaper = Border Belt Independent| date = October 9, 2022| url = https://borderbelt.org/columbus-county-nc-sheriff-election/| access-date = January 27, 2023}}</ref> and led the state in opioid pills per person from 2006 to 2012 averaging 113.5 pills per person per year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nrcolumbus.com/columbus-led-state-in-opioid-pills-per-person-unsealed-data-reveals-virtual-road-map-to-the-opioid-epidemic/|title=Columbus led state in opioid pills per person; Unsealed data reveals 'virtual road map to the opioid epidemic'|date=July 30, 2019|website=The News Reporter|language=en-US|access-date=August 24, 2019}}</ref> ==Communities== [[File:Map of Columbus County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG|thumb|300px|Map of Columbus County with municipal and township labels]] ===Cities=== * [[Whiteville, North Carolina|Whiteville]] (named county seat in 1832 and the largest community)<ref name="ncagr.gov">{{cite web|url=http://www.ncagr.gov/vet/aws/penalties.htm|title=NCDA&CS Veterinary Division Animal Welfare Section Civil Penalties and Other Legal Issues|website=ncagr.gov|access-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref> ===Towns=== {{div col}} * [[Boardman, North Carolina|Boardman]] * [[Bolton, North Carolina|Bolton]] * [[Brunswick, North Carolina|Brunswick]] * [[Cerro Gordo, North Carolina|Cerro Gordo]] * [[Chadbourn, North Carolina|Chadbourn]] * [[Fair Bluff, North Carolina|Fair Bluff]] * [[Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina|Lake Waccamaw]] * [[Sandyfield, North Carolina|Sandyfield]] * [[Tabor City, North Carolina|Tabor City]] (Incorporated as a town 1904) {{div col end}} ===Townships=== {{div col}} * Bogue * Bolton * Bug Hill * Cerro Gordo * Chadbourn * Fair Bluff * Lees * Ransom * South Williams * Tatums * Waccamaw * Welch Creek * Western Prong * Williams * Whiteville {{div col end}} ===Census-designated places=== * [[Delco, North Carolina|Delco]] * [[Evergreen, Tatums Township, Columbus County, North Carolina|Evergreen]] * [[Hallsboro, North Carolina|Hallsboro]] * [[Riegelwood, North Carolina|Riegelwood]] ===Unincorporated communities=== * [[Acme, North Carolina|Acme]] * [[Cherry Grove, Columbus County, North Carolina|Cherry Grove]] * [[Evergreen, Ransom Township, Columbus County, North Carolina|Evergreen]] * [[Nakina, North Carolina|Nakina]] * [[Olyphic, North Carolina|Olyphic]] * [[Pireway, North Carolina|Pireway]] * [[Riverview, North Carolina|Riverview]] * [[Sellerstown, North Carolina|Sellerstown]] * Williamson's Crossroads ==See also== * [[List of counties in North Carolina]] * [[National Register of Historic Places listings in North Carolina#Columbus County|National Register of Historic Places listings in Columbus County, North Carolina]] * [[Waccamaw Siouan Indians]], state-recognized tribe that resides in the county ==References== {{reflist|30em}} ==Works cited== * {{cite book| last = Corbitt| first = David Leroy| title = The formation of the North Carolina counties, 1663-1943| publisher = North Carolina Division of Archives and History | edition = reprint| date = 2000| location = Raleigh| url = https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll9/id/289743| oclc= 46398241}} * {{cite book| last = Cunningham| first = David| author-link=David Cunningham (sociologist) | title = Klansville, U.S.A: The Rise and Fall of the Civil Rights-era Ku Klux Klan| publisher = Oxford University Press USA| edition = illustrated, reprint| date = 2013| url = https://archive.org/details/klansvilleusaris0000cunn| url-access=registration| isbn = 978-0-19-975202-7}} * {{cite book| last = Harris| first = Roy J. Jr.| title = Pulitzer's Gold: A Century of Public Service Journalism| publisher = Columbia University Press| edition = second| date = 2015| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RO3lCgAAQBAJ| isbn = 978-0-231-54056-8}} * {{cite book| last = Justesen| first = Benjamin R.| title = George Henry White: An Even Chance in the Race of Life| publisher = Louisiana State University Press| edition = reprint| date = 2012| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vc_zglApUMoC| isbn = 978-0-8071-4477-0}} * {{cite book| last = Lawless| first = Joseph S.| title = Prosecutorial Misconduct: Law, Procedure, Forms| publisher = Matthew Bender & Company| edition = fourth| date = 2012| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=H0yXQ8kq2gsC| isbn = 978-1-4224-2213-7}} * {{cite book| last = Powell| first = William S.| title = The North Carolina Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places| publisher = The University of North Carolina Press| date = 1976| location = Chapel Hill| isbn = 978-0-8078-1247-1}} * {{cite book| editor-last = Rogers| editor-first = James A.| title = Columbus County, North Carolina 1946| publisher = The News Reporter| date = 1946| location = Whiteville| url = https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/16931| oclc = 9068697}} * {{cite book| last = Spruill| first = Willie E.| title = Soil Survey of Columbus County, North Carolina| publisher = United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service| date = 1990| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NLnwyE_8eCIC&pg=PA28}} ==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{osmrelation|2528689}} * {{Official website|http://www.columbusco.org}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/19981111190203/http://www.whiteville.com/ The News Reporter] {{Geographic Location |Centre = Columbus County, North Carolina |North = [[Bladen County, North Carolina|Bladen County]] |Northeast = [[Pender County, North Carolina|Pender County]] |East = |Southeast = [[Brunswick County, North Carolina|Brunswick County]] |South = |Southwest = [[Horry County, South Carolina]] |West =[[Dillon County, South Carolina]] |Northwest = [[Robeson County, North Carolina|Robeson County]] }} {{Columbus County, North Carolina}} {{North Carolina}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Columbus County, North Carolina| ]] [[Category:1808 establishments in North Carolina]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1808]]
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