Editing Lee County, North Carolina

{{Short description|County in North Carolina, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Lee County
 | state                = North Carolina
 | ex image             = File:Lee County Courthouse - Sanford, NC 1.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Lee County Courthouse (North Carolina)|Lee County Courthouse]]
 | seal                 = Lee County seal.jpg
 | founded date         = April 1, 1908
 | named for            = [[Robert E. Lee]]
 | seat wl              = Sanford
 | largest city wl      = Sanford
 | city type            = community
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 259.20
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 255.06
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 4.14
 | area percentage      = 1.60
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 63285
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 67059 {{Increase}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = 281.2
 | coordinates          = {{coord|35.48|-79.17|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}}
 | district             = 13th
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | web                  = www.leecountync.gov
 | flag                 = Lee County Flag.gif
 | motto                = "Committed Today for a Better Tomorrow"
}}

'''Lee County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[North Carolina]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 63,285.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> The [[county seat]] is [[Sanford, North Carolina|Sanford]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

Lee County comprises the Sanford, NC [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]], which is a part of the [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]]-[[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]]-[[Cary, North Carolina|Cary]], NC [[Research Triangle|Combined Statistical Area]], which had an estimated population of 2,368,947 in 2023.<ref name="2023OMB">{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2023 |title=OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OMB-Bulletin-23-01.pdf |access-date=August 10, 2023 |website=[[United States Office of Management and Budget]]}}</ref><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==
The nature of Native American habitation of the land eventually comprising Lee County is not well known. People of European and African descent settled in the area in the 1740s and 1750s.<ref name= history/> In the 1850s, the state's first commercial coal mine opened in the community of [[Cumnock, North Carolina|Egypt]].<ref name= history/><ref name= vocci>{{cite web| url = https://www.ncpedia.org/geography/lee| title = Lee County| last = Vocci| first = Robert Blair| date = 2006| website = NCPedia| publisher = NC Government & Heritage Library| access-date = June 19, 2024}}</ref> During the American Civil War, the area supplied coal and iron to the forces of the [[Confederate States of America]].<ref name= vocci/><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.ncpedia.org/endor-furnace| title = Endor Furnace| last = Hill| first = Michael| date = 2006| website = NCPedia| publisher = NC Government & Heritage Library| access-date = June 19, 2024}}</ref>

In 1907, residents of the city of Sanford of [[Moore County, North Carolina|Moore County]] beginning pushing for the creation of a new county to ease the burden of their travel to Moore's seat of [[Carthage, North Carolina|Carthage]].<ref name= history>{{Cite web |title=Our History |url=https://leecountync.gov/community/our_history/index.php|access-date=June 18, 2024|publisher=Lee County Government |language=en-US}}</ref> The North Carolina General Assembly passed a law creating Lee County from portions of Moore and [[Chatham County, North Carolina|Chatham]] counties effective April 1, 1908 pending ratification in a plebiscite by the people living in the proposed county.<ref>{{cite news| last = McNeill| first = W. H.| title = Lee County| newspaper = The Carthage Blade| page = 2| date = March 7, 1907| url = https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn91068054/1907-03-07/ed-1/seq-2/}}</ref> The referendum was held on July 1, with voters approving the new county 875 to 40.<ref>{{cite news| title = Officially Born July the Fourth| newspaper = The News & Observer | page = 3| date = July 5, 1907| url = https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn85042104/1907-07-05/ed-1/seq-3/}}</ref> County officials were installed on February 17, 1908.<ref>{{cite news| title = Lee County In Working Order| newspaper = Daily Industrial News| page = 5 | date = February 18, 1908| url = https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn93065750/1908-02-18/ed-1/seq-5/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title = Lee County Begins Business At Last| newspaper = The Sanford Express| page = 3| date = February 21, 1908| url = https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn89071020/1908-02-21/ed-1/seq-3/}}</ref> The county courthouse was erected on a site between Sanford and Jonesboro and occupied by county officers in early March 1909.<ref>{{cite news| title = Local Briefs| newspaper = The Sanford Express| page = 3| date = March 5, 1909| url = https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn89071020/1909-03-05/ed-1/seq-3/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title = Lee Superior Court| newspaper = The Sanford Express| page = 4| date = March 5, 1909| url = https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn89071020/1909-03-05/ed-1/seq-4/}}</ref>

Lee County's population and economy steadily grew after its creation, fueled by the success of tobacco, furniture, quarrying, brickmaking, and textile industries. In 1947, the cities of Sanford and Jonesboro merged.<ref name= history/>

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q507838|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Lee County}}
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|259.20|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|255.06|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|4.14|sqmi}} (1.60%) 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>

===State and local protected areas===
* [[Lee Game Land]] (part)<ref>{{Cite web |title=NCWRC Game Lands |url=https://www.ncpaws.org/ncwrcmaps/gamelands |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=www.ncpaws.org}}</ref>
* [[White Pines Nature Preserve]] (part)

===Major water bodies===
{{See also|Category:Rivers of Lee County, North Carolina}}
* [[Big Governors Creek]]
* [[Cape Fear River]]
* [[Cypress Creek (North Carolina)|Cypress Creek]]
* [[Deep River (North Carolina)|Deep River]]
* [[Juniper Creek (Cape Fear River tributary)|Juniper Creek]]
* [[Lake Trace (North Carolina)|Lake Trace]]
* [[Lake Villanow (North Carolina)|Lake Villanow]]
* [[Lick Creek (North Carolina)|Lick Creek]]
* [[Little Buffalo Creek (Deep River tributary)|Little Buffalo Creek]]
* [[Little Governors Creek (North Carolina)|Little Governors Creek]]
* [[Little Pocket Creek (North Carolina)|Little Pocket Creek]]
* [[Pocket Creek (Deep River tributary)|Pocket Creek]]
* [[Roberts Creek (North Carolina)|Roberts Creek]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Chatham County, North Carolina|Chatham County]] – north
* [[Harnett County, North Carolina|Harnett County]] – southeast
* [[Moore County, North Carolina|Moore County]] – southwest

===Major highways===
* {{Jct|state=NC|I-Future|685}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|1}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|15}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|421}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|421|dab1=Sanford}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|501}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|42}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|78}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|87}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC-Byp|87|dab1=Sanford}}

===Major infrastructure===
* [[Raleigh Executive Jetport]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 11376
|1920= 13400
|1930= 16996
|1940= 18743
|1950= 23522
|1960= 26561
|1970= 30467
|1980= 36718
|1990= 41374
|2000= 49040
|2010= 57866
|2020= 63285
|estyear=2023
|estimate=67059
|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 17, 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 17, 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 17, 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 17, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title= US Census Bureau Qi=uickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/leecountynorthcarolina}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/leecountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Lee County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Lee County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US37105&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 22, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 36,055
| 56.97%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 10,701
| 16.91%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 231
| 0.37%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 643
| 1.02%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 43
| 0.07%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 2,490
| 3.93%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 13,122
| 20.73%
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 63,285 people, 21,894 households, and 15,223 families residing in the county.

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 49,040 people, 18,466 households, and 13,369 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|191|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 19,909 housing units at an average density of {{convert|77|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 70.03% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 20.46% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.42% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.67% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 7.33% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.06% from two or more races. 11.65% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. By 2005 14.2% of the County population was Latino. 20.2% of the population was African-American. 64.2% of the population was non-Hispanic whites.

In 2000 there were 18,466 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.05. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males. The median income for a household in the county was $38,900, and the median income for a family was $45,373. Males had a median income of $32,780 versus $23,660 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $19,147. About 9.80% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over.

==Government and politics==
Lee is a typical "Solid South" county in terms of voting patterns. From its first election in 1908 it voted Democratic by large margins until 1968, except in the 1928 election when anti-[[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]] Catholic [[Al Smith]] held the county by single digits. In 1968, Lee's Democratic streak was broken when its electorate chose the American Independent candidate [[George Wallace]]. After 1972, Lee has voted Republican in every election except for [[Jimmy Carter]]'s two elections in 1976 and 1980.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} As of 2022, 60.4 percent of the population is registered to vote.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://leecountync.gov/departments/elections/index.php| title = Lee County Elections | publisher = Lee County, North Carolina| access-date = June 26, 2024}}</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Lee 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 16, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|17,489|12,245|347|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|16,469|12,143|396|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|13,712|10,469|903|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|13,158|10,801|280|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|12,775|10,784|229|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|11,834|7,657|52|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|9,406|6,785|92|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|7,321|6,290|1,019|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|6,658|5,852|2,149|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|7,104|4,231|36|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|8,198|3,925|28|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|4,847|5,426|301|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,691|5,104|36|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,836|2,024|166|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|2,586|2,524|3,711|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,753|4,730|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,563|4,673|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,948|4,163|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|2,105|4,688|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|871|3,234|243|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|808|3,448|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|527|3,682|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|670|3,723|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|681|3,058|13|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|1,416|1,715|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|710|1,834|10|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,143|2,327|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|573|1,054|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|451|862|60|North Carolina}}

Lee County is a member of the regional [[Triangle J Council of Governments]]. The county is governed by a seven-member board of County Commissioners, elected at large to serve four-year terms. Terms are staggered so that, every two years, three or four Commissioners are up for election. The Commissioners enact policies such as establishment of the property tax rate, regulation of land use and zoning outside municipal jurisdictions, and adoption of the annual budget. Commissioners usually meet on the first and third Mondays of each month.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} The commissioners appoint a county manager to oversee regular administrative activity of the county government.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://leecountync.gov/departments/county_manager/index.php| title = County Manager| publisher = Lee County, North Carolina| access-date = June 15, 2024}}</ref> The commissioners also appoint a county attorney to advise the board on legal matters.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://leecountync.gov/departments/county_attorney/index.php| title = County Attorney| publisher = Lee County, North Carolina| access-date = June 15, 2024}}</ref>

Lee County lies within the bounds of North Carolina's 12th Prosecutorial District, the 12th [[North Carolina Superior Court|Superior Court]] District, and the 12th [[North Carolina District Courts|District Court]] District.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/lee-county| title = Lee County| publisher = North Carolina Judicial Branch| access-date = June 26, 2024}}</ref>

==Communities==
[[File:Map of Lee County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG|thumb|300px|Map of Lee County with municipal and township labels]]

===City===
* [[Sanford, North Carolina|Sanford]] (county seat and largest community)

===Town===
* [[Broadway, North Carolina|Broadway]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* Blacknel
* [[Colon, North Carolina|Colon]]
* [[Cumnock, North Carolina|Cumnock]]
* [[Lemon Springs, North Carolina|Lemon Springs]]
* Murchisontown
* Osgood
* Pocket
* Swann Station
* [[Tramway, North Carolina|Tramway]]
* White Hill

===Townships===
The county is divided into seven [[township (United States)|townships]], which are both numbered and named:
{{div col}}
* 1 (Greenwood)
* 2 (Jonesboro)
* 3 (Cape Fear)
* 4 (Deep River)
* 5 (East Sanford)
* 6 (West Sanford)
* 7 (Pocket)
{{div col end}}

==Education==
There is one school district, [[Lee County Schools (North Carolina)|Lee County Schools]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37105_lee/DC20SD_C37105.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lee County, NC|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-08}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37105_lee/DC20SD_C37105_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

==Trivia==
* The area has historically been one of the leading [[brick]] manufacturing areas in the [[United States]].
* [[Cotton]] and [[tobacco]] are leading crops in the county.
* The county is divided between the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] in the northern part of the county and the [[Sandhills (Carolina)|Sandhills]] in the south.
* Lee County sits in the middle of the [[Triassic Basin]] and has the state's most concentrated reserves of [[petroleum|oil]] and [[natural gas in the United States|natural gas]].
* Lee County is also home to the longest covered bridge in North Carolina found along [[North Carolina Highway 42|NC 42]] near Ole Gilliam Mill Park.<ref>The Longest Covered Bridge In North Carolina, At Ole Gilliam Mill Park, Is 140 Feet Long https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/state-pride/north-carolina/ole-gilliam-mill-park-covered-bridge-sanford-nc/</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of counties in North Carolina]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, North Carolina]]
* [[List of memorials to Robert E. Lee]]

==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/Documents/Detail/the-formation-of-the-north-carolina-counties-1663-1943/3692099?item=4553233| oclc= 46398241}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{osmrelation|2528715}}
* {{official website|http://leecountync.gov/}}
* [http://www.ncgenweb.us/lee/ NCGenWeb Lee County], genealogy resources for the county

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Lee County, North Carolina
|North     = [[Chatham County, North Carolina|Chatham County]]
|Northeast =
|East      =
|Southeast = [[Harnett County, North Carolina|Harnett County]]
|South     =
|Southwest = [[Moore County, North Carolina|Moore County]]
|West      =
|Northwest =
}}
{{Lee County, North Carolina}}
{{North Carolina}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lee County, North Carolina| ]]
[[Category:1907 establishments in North Carolina|Lee County]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1907|Lee County, North Carolina]]