Editing Vance County, North Carolina

{{Short description|County in North Carolina, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county         = Vance County
 | state        = North Carolina
 | ex image             = Vance County Courthouse (October 2023) 03 (cropped).jpg
 | ex image cap         = Vance County Courthouse
 | seal                 = Vance County NC seal.png
 | founded              = 1881
 | named for            = [[Zebulon Baird Vance]]
 | seat wl           = Henderson
 | largest city wl   = Henderson
 | city type         = community
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 268.69
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 252.40
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 16.29
 | area percentage      = 6.06
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 42578
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 42301 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | coordinates          = {{coord|36.37|-78.41|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}}
 | web     = www.vancecounty.org
 | district             = 1st
 | time zone           = Eastern
 | flag                 = Vance County Flag.gif }}

'''Vance 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 42,578.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> Its [[county seat]] is [[Henderson, North Carolina|Henderson]].<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}}</ref> Vance County comprises the Henderson, NC [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]], which is also included in 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="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 [[Occaneechi]] Native Americans were the first inhabitants of what became Vance County in 1881. The first white explorer of the region was John Lederer and his Native American guide in 1670.<ref name="Vance">{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Jonathan |title=Vance County 1881 |url=https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/vance-county-1881/ |website=North Carolina History Project |access-date=May 6, 2019}}</ref>

Originally part of colony of Virginia, King Charles of England redrew the colony lines in 1665, so what is now Vance County became part of the Province of Carolina and then the Province of North Carolina in 1725.<ref name="LewisVance">{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=J.D. |title=Vance County, North Carolina |url=http://www.carolana.com/NC/Counties/vance_county_nc.html |website=The American Revolution in North Carolina |access-date=May 7, 2019}}</ref>

In 1826, the first armed forces academy, the [[Bingham School]], was built by Captain [[D. H. Bingham]] in [[Williamsborough, North Carolina]]. It served for a short time as a training school for military officers.<ref name='Vance'/><ref name='Encyl'/>

In 1871, a hotel called the "Glass House" was opened near the community of [[Kittrell]]. It was so named because of the glass porches surrounding the hotel. It was a popular resort for hunters and later [[tuberculosis]] patients until it burned down in 1895.<ref name='Vance'/><ref name='Encyl'>{{cite book|author=Powell, William S.|title=Encyclopedia of North Carolina, Vance County|publisher=University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill, NC|year=2006}}</ref>

As the area that is Vance County prospered in the mid to late 1880s, there were efforts to create a county named "[[Cornelius Gilliam|Gilliam]]" and later as "Dortch". However, Vance County was formed by the white Democratic-dominated legislature in 1881 following the [[Reconstruction Era]] from parts of [[Franklin County, North Carolina|Franklin]], [[Granville County, North Carolina|Granville]], and [[Warren County, North Carolina|Warren]] counties. The county is named after [[Zebulon Baird Vance]], a [[List of Governors of North Carolina|Governor of North Carolina]] (1862–65 & 1877–79) and [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] (1879–94).<ref name='NCPedia'>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncpedia.org/geography/vance|title=Vance County|author=Mazzocchi, Jay|year=2006|website=NCPedia}}</ref><ref name='LewisVance'/>

According to the 1955 book, ''Zeb's Black Baby'', by [[Samuel Thomas Peace, Sr.]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Zeb's Black Baby, Vance County, North Carolina. A Short History|year=1989|author=Peace, Samuel Thomas, Sr.}}</ref> this was a political decision to concentrate blacks and Republicans in one county and keep Democratic majorities in the other counties, an example of [[gerrymandering]]:

<blockquote>"The formation of Vance County was accomplished largely as a political expediency. It was in 1881 when Blacks in large numbers were voting solidly [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]. Granville and Franklin Counties were nip and tuck, Democratic or Republican. From the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] standpoint, Warren County was hopelessly Republican. But by taking from Granville, Franklin and Warren, those sections that were heavily Republican and out of these sections forming the new county of Vance, the Democratic party could lose Vance to the Republicans and save Granville and Franklin for the Democrats. [U.S.] Senator [[Zebulon Baird Vance|Vance]] was a Democrat. He took kindly to this move and thanked the [North Carolina] Legislature for honoring him with naming the new county after him. At the same time...Vance showed his humor by always referring to Vance County as 'Zeb's Black Baby.'"</blockquote>

In the 1890 Census, Vance County was more than 63 percent [[African American]].<ref>[http://home.earthlink.net/~ncvance/name.html "Vance County, North Carolina" demographics]</ref> In 1894 a biracial coalition of [[People's Party (United States)|Populists]] and Republicans elected African American [[George Henry White]] to the US Congress and gained control of the state house. The Democrats were determined to forestall this happening again. White strongly opposed the new constitution, saying "I cannot live in North Carolina and be a man and be treated as a man."<ref name="White"/> He left the state after his second term expired, setting up a business in Washington, DC.<ref name="White">[http://baic.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=22#foot37 "George Henry White"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625032352/http://baic.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=22 |date=June 25, 2012 }}, ''Black Americans in Congress'', US Congress</ref>

The Democrats in the North Carolina legislature settled the political competition with the Republicans by following other southern states and passing a law in 1896 making voting more difficult, and a new constitution in 1899 that [[Disfranchisement after Reconstruction era|disfranchised most blacks]] by [[poll tax (United States)|poll taxes]], [[literacy tests]] and [[grandfather clause]]s. Contemporary accounts estimated that 75,000 black male citizens of the state lost the vote.<ref name="Shaw1900">[https://books.google.com/books?id=McACAAAAYAAJ Albert Shaw, ''The American Monthly Review of Reviews'', Vol.XXII, Jul-Dec 1900, p.274]</ref><ref name="papers.ssrn.com">[https://ssrn.com/abstract=224731 Richard H. Pildes, "Democracy, Anti-Democracy, and the Canon"], ''Constitutional Commentary,'' Vol. 17, 2000, pp. 12-13</ref> In 1900 blacks numbered 630,207 citizens, about 33% of the state's total population.<ref>[http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state.php Historical Census Browser, 1900 US Census, University of Virginia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823030234/http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state.php |date=August 23, 2007 }}, accessed March 15, 2008</ref> This situation held until past the mid-20th century and after passage of the federal [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref>Michael J. Klarman, ''From Jim Crow to Civil Rights: The Supreme Court and the Struggle for Racial Equality'' (Oxford University Press, 2006), p. 32</ref>

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q507981|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Vance County}}
[[File:USACE John H Kerr Dam and Lake.jpg|thumb|right|Kerr Lake]]
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|268.69|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|252.40|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|16.29|sqmi}} (6.06%) 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 10, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

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

===Major water bodies===
* [[Buffalo Creek (North Carolina Creek)|Buffalo Creek]]
* [[Fishing Creek (North Carolina)|Fishing Creek]]
* [[Flat Creek (North Carolina Creek)|Flat Creek]]
* [[John H. Kerr Dam|Island Creek Reservoir]]
* [[John H. Kerr Reservoir]]
* [[Kerr Lake|Little Nutbush Creek]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Little Nutbush Creek in Vance County NC |url=https://northcarolina.hometownlocator.com/maps/feature-map,ftc,1,fid,988722,n,little%20nutbush%20creek.cfm |access-date=October 29, 2023 |website=northcarolina.hometownlocator.com}}</ref>
* [[Martin Creek (North Carolina)|Martin Creek]]
* [[Kerr Lake|Nutbush Creek]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nutbush Creek in Vance County NC |url=https://northcarolina.hometownlocator.com/maps/feature-map,ftc,1,fid,991333,n,nutbush%20creek.cfm |access-date=October 29, 2023 |website=northcarolina.hometownlocator.com}}</ref>
* [[Roanoke River]]
* [[Ruin Creek (North Carolina)|Ruin Creek]]
* [[Sandy Creek (North Carolina Creek)|Sandy Creek]]
* [[Tabbs Creek (North Carolina)|Tabbs Creek]]
* [[Tar River]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Mecklenburg County, Virginia]] – north
* [[Warren County, North Carolina|Warren County]] – east
* [[Franklin County, North Carolina|Franklin County]] – south
* [[Granville County, North Carolina|Granville County]] – west

===Major highways===
* {{Jct|state=NC|I|85}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|1}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|1|dab1=Henderson}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|158}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|158|dab1=Henderson}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|39}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 17581
|1900= 16684
|1910= 19425
|1920= 22799
|1930= 27294
|1940= 29961
|1950= 32101
|1960= 32002
|1970= 32691
|1980= 36748
|1990= 38892
|2000= 42954
|2010= 45422
|2020= 42578
|estyear=2023
|estimate=42301
|estref=<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name='Census'>{{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 20, 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 20, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref name='Census2'>{{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 20, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref name='Census3'>{{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 20, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37181.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 30, 2013}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/vancecountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Vance County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 22, 2024}}</ref>
}}

When originally established in 1881, the population of Vance County was approximately 9,000. From 1930 through 1970, the rural county population declined and growth slowed markedly as many blacks migrated to the North for better jobs and other opportunities in the [[Great Migration (African American)|Great Migration]]. Combined with other economic changes, this resulted in the county losing what had been its large African-American majority by the late 20th century. In the early 21st century, the white and black populations are nearly equal.<ref name='LewisVance'/><ref name='Census'/><ref name='Census2'/><ref name='Census3'/>

===2010/2020 censuses===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Vance County, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Vance County, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US37181&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name="2010CensusP2">{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Vance County, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US37181&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name="2020CensusP2">{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Vance County, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US37181&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|19,894
|19,101
|style='background: #ffffe6; |16,243
|46.31%
|42.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |38.15%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|20,604
|22,477
|style='background: #ffffe6; |21,081
|47.97%
|49.48%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |49.51%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|76
|79
|style='background: #ffffe6; |91
|0.18%
|0.17%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|163
|199
|style='background: #ffffe6; |284
|0.38%
|0.44%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.67%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|9
|7
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9
|0.02%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|19
|41
|style='background: #ffffe6; |110
|0.04%
|0.09%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|232
|467
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,043
|0.54%
|1.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.45%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,957
|3,051
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,717
|4.56%
|6.72%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8.73%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''42,954'''
|'''45,422'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''42,578'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 42,578 people, 16,875 households, and 11,163 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 42,954 people, 16,199 households, and 11,647 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|169|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 18,196 housing units at an average density of {{convert|72|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 48.21% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 48.31% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.39% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.03% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.84% from two or more races. 4.56% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 16,199 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.00% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 20.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.06.<ref name='GR2'/>

The county had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the state for the year 2005 as researched by the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North Carolina. The rate was 110.4 per 1000 teens, significantly above the state average of 61.7 per 1000 teens.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.30 males.<ref name='GR2'/>

The median income for a household in the county was $31,301, and the median income for a family was $36,389. Males had a median income of $28,284 versus $21,433 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,897. About 16.30% of families and 20.50% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 27.70% of those under age 18 and 19.30% of those age 65 or over.<ref name='GR2'/>

==Government and politics==
Vance County is governed by a seven-member board of Commissioners, who appoint a county manager<ref name='Commissioners'>{{cite web|url=http://vancecounty.com/Commissioners.htm|title=Vance County Commissioners|access-date=May 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020003307/http://vancecounty.com/Commissioners.htm|archive-date=October 20, 2006}}</ref> Vance County is a member of the [[Councils of governments in North Carolina|Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kerrtarcog.org/|title=Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments|access-date=May 1, 2019}}</ref>{{PresHead|place=Vance 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 17, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|8,614|11,292|186|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|8,391|12,431|177|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|7,332|12,229|416|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|7,429|13,323|102|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|7,606|13,166|99|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|6,884|8,762|31|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|5,564|7,092|45|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|4,651|6,385|599|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|4,747|6,598|1,455|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|5,625|5,631|20|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|6,836|5,880|18|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|4,217|5,415|142|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,813|5,620|28|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|6,491|3,117|102|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|2,252|3,852|5,244|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,452|5,186|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,012|5,694|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,955|4,922|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|1,721|5,697|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|549|3,679|399|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|528|4,110|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|380|4,252|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|315|4,536|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|318|3,833|14|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|1,449|2,395|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|470|2,013|21|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|816|2,461|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|558|1,451|0|North Carolina}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|168|1,204|234|North Carolina}}

==Education==
{{see also|Vance County Public Schools}}
* Vance County Schools<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vcs.k12.nc.us/|title=Vance County K-12 Schools}}</ref>
* Henderson Collegiate (public charter school, opened in the Summer of 2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hendersoncollegiate.org/|title=Henderson College}}</ref>
* Vance Charter School<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vancecharter.org/|title=Vance Charter School}}</ref>
* Kerr-Vance Academy (founded in 1968)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kerrvance.com/|title=Kerr-Vance Academy}}</ref>
* Crossroads Christian School<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ccscolts.org/site/|title=Crossroads Christian School}}</ref>
* Victory Christian Academy
* [[Vance-Granville Community College]]

===Historical schools===
* Henderson Male Academy (whites only)<ref name='LewisVance'/><ref name='Report'/>
* Henderson Female Academy (whites only)<ref name='LewisVance'/><ref name='Report'/>
* [[Kittrell College]], It was established as Kittrell Industrial Normal School for black males by the North Carolina General Assembly on March 7, 1787. It was renamed Kittrell Normal and Industrial Institute on January 30, 1889. It was renamed Kittrell College in 1901. It was closed in 1931 and then reopened from 1934 to 1948. It was operated as a high school from 1953 to 1965 and college from 1953 to 1975 when it was permanently closed.<ref name='LewisVance'/>
* Middleburg Male Academy (also called Middleburg School, whites only, founded by Albert Anderson in the late 1800s)<ref name="Anderson">{{cite web |last1=Macfie |first1=John |title=Albert Anderson (1859-1932) |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/anderson-albert |website=NCPedia |access-date=May 6, 2019}}</ref><ref name='Report'/>
* Townesville School (whites only)<ref name='Report'>Biennial Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the scholastic years of 1889 and 1890</ref>
* [[West End School (Henderson, North Carolina)|West End School]]

==Communities==
[[File:Map of Vance County North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG|thumb|200px|Map of Vance County with municipal and township labels]]

===City===
* [[Henderson, North Carolina|Henderson]] (county seat and largest community. Area was first settled in the early 1700s, founded in 1841 in Granville County, first post office September 28, 1838)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cartweb.geography.ua.edu:9001/StyleServer/calcrgn?cat=North%20America%20and%20United%20States&item=States%2FNorth%20Carolina%2FNorthCarolina1876a.sid&wid=500&hei=400&props=item%28Name%2CDescription%29%2Ccat%28Name%2CDescription%29&style=simple%2Fview-dhtml.xsl|format=XSL|title=Map of old County Areas|date=November 3, 2012|access-date=February 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103111248/http://cartweb.geography.ua.edu:9001/StyleServer/calcrgn?cat=North%20America%20and%20United%20States&item=States%2FNorth%20Carolina%2FNorthCarolina1876a.sid&wid=500&hei=400&props=item%28Name%2CDescription%29%2Ccat%28Name%2CDescription%29&style=simple%2Fview-dhtml.xsl|archive-date=November 3, 2012}}</ref><ref name='LewisVance'/>

===Towns===
* [[Kittrell, North Carolina|Kittrell]] (founded in 1885, formerly Kittrell's Depot, Linbank, and Stauton in Granville County)<ref name='POLewis'/>
* [[Middleburg, North Carolina|Middleburg]] (formerly Middleburgh, Warren County)

===Townships===
By the requirements of the [[Constitution of North Carolina|North Carolina Constitution]] of 1868, counties were to be divided into townships, which were solely administrative divisions of the county. The following township make up Vance County:<ref>State Constitution and map of Vance County</ref>
{{div col}}
* [[Dabney, North Carolina|Dabney]]
* [[Henderson, North Carolina|Henderson]]
* [[Kittrell, North Carolina|Kittrell]]
* [[Middleburg, North Carolina|Middleburg]]
* Sandy Creek
* [[Townsville, North Carolina|Townsville]]
* [[Watkins, North Carolina|Watkins]]
* [[Williamsboro, North Carolina|Williamsboro]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated place===
* [[South Henderson, North Carolina|South Henderson]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Adcock Crossroads, North Carolina|Adcock Crossroads]]
* [[Bullocksville, North Carolina|Bullocksville]]
* [[Drewry, North Carolina|Drewry]]
* [[Faulkner Crossroads, North Carolina|Faulkner Crossroads]]
* [[Flint Hill, North Carolina|Flint Hill]]<ref name='Vann'/>
* [[Floytan Crossroads, North Carolina|Floytan Crossroads]]
* [[Gill, North Carolina|Gill]]
* [[Greenway, North Carolina|Greenway]]
* [[Harris Crossroads (Vance County), North Carolina|Harris Crossroads]]
* [[Hicks Crossroads, North Carolina|Hicks Crossroads]]
* [[Knotts Crossroads, North Carolina|Knotts Crossroads]]
* [[Mobile, North Carolina|Mobile]]<ref name='Vann'>{{cite book|title=Vance County, North Carolina|author=Vann, Andre D.|isbn=9780738506630|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|date=November 27, 2000|series=Black America Series|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t951SNOqCWAC&pg=PA9}}</ref>
* [[Weldons Mill, North Carolina|Weldons Mill]]
* [[West End, North Carolina|West End]]<ref name='Vann'/><ref name='NRHP'>{{cite web|url=https://nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/nc/vance/state.html|title=National Register of Historic Places, Vance County, North Carolina| access-date=May 12, 2019}}</ref>
* [[Vicksboro, North Carolina|Vicksboro]]

===Former communities===
The unincorporated communities in Vance County have included<ref name='POLewis'>{{cite web|url=http://www.carolana.com/NC/Counties/vance_1881_to_1890.html|title=Vance County Maps|author=Lewis, J.D.|access-date=May 7, 2019|website=The American Revolution in North Carolina}}</ref><ref name='TownsLewis'>{{cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/Towns/Vance_POs.htm|title=Vance County Post Offices|author=Lewis, J.D.|access-date=May 9, 2019}}</ref>
* [[Bearpond, North Carolina|Bearpond]] (post office discontinued in 1903)
* [[Bobbitt, North Carolina|Bobbitt]] (post office discontinued in 1907)
* [[Brookston, North Carolina|Brookston]] (post office discontinued in 1906, formerly Warren County)
* [[Carlton, North Carolina|Carlton]] (post office discontinued in 1905)
* [[Cokesbury (Vance County), North Carolina|Cokesbury]] (also Cokes, post office discontinued in 1905
* [[Dabney, North Carolina|Dabney]] (post office from December 3, 1883, to March 15, 1935)
* [[Epsom, North Carolina|Epsom]] (Epsom Sandy Creek, portions in [[Franklin County, North Carolina|Franklin County]], post office discontinued in 1908)
* [[Gillburg, North Carolina|Gillburg]] (post office discontinued in 1906)
* [[Greystone, North Carolina|Greystone]] (formerly Strickland, post office discontinued in 1932)
* [[Steedsville, North Carolina|Steedsville]] (post office discontinued in 1894)
* [[Townsville, North Carolina|Townsville]] (established about 1821, formerly Lynesville before 1851, formerly in Granville County)
* [[Tungsten, North Carolina|Tungsten]] (post office discontinued in 1959)
* [[Watkins, North Carolina|Watkins]] (post office discontinued in 1906)
* [[Williamsboro, North Carolina|Williamsboro]] (post office discontinued in 1905, Williamsboro since 1897, formerly Williamsborough in Granville County from about 1755, formerly Lick, formerly Nutbush)<ref name="Williamsboro">{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=J.D. |title=Williamsboro |url=http://www.carolana.com/NC/Towns/Williamsboro_NC.html |website=The American Revolution in North Carolina |access-date=May 7, 2019}}</ref><ref name='TownsLewis'/>)
* [[Woodworths, North Carolina|Woodworths]] (established about 1830, post office discontinued in 1914)

==Notable people==
* [[Henry P. Cheatham]] (1857–1935), one of only five African Americans elected to Congress from the South in the Jim Crow era
* [[Ben E. King]] (1938–2015), singer/musician
* [[Duke Buchan]] (born 1963), American Ambassador and businessman

==See also==
* [[List of counties in North Carolina]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Vance County, North Carolina]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web|url=https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ncmaps/id/3569/rec/11|title=Historical map of old Granville County from which were made Granville-Bute-Warren-Franklin and Vance Counties, North Carolina|author=Buck, John E.|year=1931|access-date=May 11, 2019}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{osmrelation|2528751}}
* {{Official website|https://www.vancecounty.org/}}
* [http://www.hendersonvance.org/ Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://vancecountyedc.com/ Vance County Economic Development Commission]
* [http://www.ncgenweb.us/vance/ NCGenWeb Vance County], genealogy resources for the county
* [http://www.hendersondispatch.com/ ''The Daily Dispatch'']

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Vance County, North Carolina
|North     = [[Mecklenburg County, Virginia]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Warren County, North Carolina|Warren County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Franklin County, North Carolina|Franklin County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Granville County, North Carolina|Granville County]]
|Northwest =
}}
{{Vance County, North Carolina}}
{{North Carolina}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Vance County, North Carolina| ]]
[[Category:1881 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1881]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in North Carolina]]