North Carolina, the Tar Heel State


Land area: 48,718 sq. mi. (29)
Population (2000): 8,049,313 (11)
Population density: 165.22 per sq. mi. (17)
U.S. Representatives (2003-12): 13
Entered Union: 21-Nov-1789 (12)

I liked the Blue Ridge Parkway’s North Carolina section even better than that in Virginia (and that’s taking nothing away from Virginia's stretch). Mount Mitchell, the tallest peak east of the Mississippi at 6684 feet, is right off the parkway. East of the Blue Ridge is tobacco country. The smell of the tobacco plant is captivating, even if smoking it can kill you. Further east, you come to Kitty Hawk, out on Cape Hatteras, where man first got his wings, thanks to the brothers Wright.

No. of Counties I’ve Visited: 100 of 100

County Pop. (2000)     Latest Visit   County Seat Visited?
Alamance 130,800 3-Sep-2007 Graham yes
Alexander 33,603 12-Aug-1999 Taylorsville
Alleghany 10,677 3-Aug-2000 Sparta
Anson 25,275 15-Aug-1997 Wadesboro yes
Ashe 24,384 3-Aug-2000 Jefferson
Avery 17,167 13-Jul-2003 Newland
Beaufort 44,958 28-Mar-1998 Washington
Bertie 19,773 9-Aug-1999 Windsor
Bladen 32,278 13-Aug-1999 Elizabethtown
Brunswick 73,143 7-Aug-2001 Bolivia yes
Buncombe 206,330 19-Aug-2006 Asheville yes
Burke 89,148 1-Sep-2007 Morganton yes
Cabarrus 131,063 2-Sep-2007 Concord yes
Caldwell 77,415 1-Sep-2007 Lenoir yes
Camden 6,885 28-Mar-1998 Camden yes
Carteret 59,383 10-Aug-1999 Beaufort yes
Caswell 23,501 16-Aug-1997 Yanceyville
Catawba 141,685 1-Sep-2007 Newton
Chatham 49,329 25-Nov-2006 Pittsboro yes
Cherokee 24,298 8-Aug-1999 Murphy
Chowan 14,526 28-Mar-1998 Edenton
Clay 8,775 2-Aug-2000 Hayesville
Cleveland 96,287 13-Jul-2003 Shelby yes
Columbus 54,749 7-Aug-2001 Whiteville yes
Craven 91,436 10-Aug-1999 New Bern yes
Cumberland 302,963 28-Aug-2005 Fayetteville yes
Currituck 18,190 28-Mar-1998 Currituck
Dare 29,967 28-Mar-1998 Manteo yes
Davidson 147,246 3-Sep-2007 Lexington yes
Davie 34,835 13-Jul-2003 Mocksville yes
Duplin 49,063 6-Aug-2001 Kenansville
Durham 223,314 3-Sep-2007 Durham yes
Edgecombe 55,606 9-Aug-1999 Tarboro yes
Forsyth 306,067 12-Jul-2002 Winston-Salem yes
Franklin 47,260 3-Sep-2007 Louisburg
Gaston 190,365 28-Aug-2005 Gastonia yes
Gates 10,516 28-Mar-1998 Gatesville
Graham 7,993 8-Aug-1999 Robbinsville yes
Granville 48,498 10-Jul-2005 Oxford
Greene 18,974 9-Aug-1999 Snow Hill
Guilford 421,048 3-Sep-2007 Greensboro yes
Halifax 57,370 14-Aug-1999 Halifax
Harnett 91,025 28-Aug-2005 Lillington yes
Haywood 54,033 20-Aug-2006 Waynesville yes
Henderson 89,173 19-Aug-2006 Hendersonville yes
Hertford 22,601 9-Aug-1999 Winton
Hoke 33,646 11-Aug-1999 Raeford
Hyde 5,826 28-Mar-1998 Swanquarter
Iredell 122,660 1-Sep-2007 Statesville yes
Jackson 33,121 2-Aug-2000 Sylva yes
Johnston 121,965 28-Aug-2005 Smithfield yes
Jones 10,381 10-Aug-1999 Trenton
Lee 49,040 6-Aug-2001 Sanford yes
Lenoir 59,648 10-Aug-1999 Kinston yes
Lincoln 63,780 14-Jul-2002 Lincolnton yes
McDowell 42,151 1-Sep-2007 Marion
Macon 29,811 2-Aug-2000 Franklin yes
Madison 19,635 19-Aug-2006 Marshall
Martin 25,593 9-Aug-1999 Williamston yes
Mecklenburg 695,454 2-Sep-2007/TD> Charlotte yes
Mitchell 15,687 12-Aug-1999 Bakersville
Montgomery 26,822 9-Aug-1999 Troy
Moore 74,769 9-Aug-1999 Carthage
Nash 87,420 3-Sep-2007 Nashville yes
New Hanover 160,307 7-Aug-2001 Wilmington yes
Northampton 22,086 14-Aug-1999 Jackson
Onslow 150,355 10-Aug-1999 Jacksonville
Orange 118,227 3-Sep-2007 Hillsborough yes
Pamlico 12,934 10-Aug-1999 Bayboro
Pasquotank 34,897 28-Mar-1998 Elizabeth City yes
Pender 41,082 6-Aug-2001 Burgaw
Perquimans 11,368 28-Mar-1998 Hertford yes
Person 35,623 16-Aug-1997 Roxboro
Pitt 133,798 9-Aug-1999 Greenville
Polk 18,324 19-Aug-2006 Columbus yes
Randolph 130,454 3-Sep-2007 Asheboro
Richmond 46,564 15-Aug-1997 Rockingham yes
Robeson 123,339 28-Aug-2005 Lumberton yes
Rockingham 91,928 14-Jul-2002 Wentworth
Rowan 130,340 3-Sep-2007 Salisbury yes
Rutherford 62,899 1-Sep-2007 Rutherfordton yes
Sampson 60,161 6-Aug-2001 Clinton yes
Scotland 35,998 11-Aug-1999 Laurinburg yes
Stanly 58,100 9-Aug-1999 Albemarle
Stokes 44,711 3-Aug-2000 Danbury
Surry 71,219 11-Aug-2001 Dobson
Swain 12,968 11-Aug-1997 Bryson City
Transylvania 29,334 20-Aug-2006 Brevard yes
Tyrrell 4,149 28-Mar-1998 Columbia yes
Union 123,677 9-Aug-1999 Monroe yes
Vance 42,954 25-Nov-2006 Henderson yes
Wake 627,846 3-Sep-2007 Raleigh yes
Warren 19,972 25-Nov-2006 Warrenton
Washington 13,723 28-Mar-1998 Plymouth yes
Watauga 42,695 13-Jul-2003 Boone yes
Wayne 113,329 13-Aug-1999 Goldsboro yes
Wilkes 65,632 13-Jul-2003 Wilkesboro yes
Wilson 73,814 28-Aug-2005 Wilson yes
Yadkin 36,348 13-Jul-2003 Yadkinville yes
Yancey 17,774 12-Aug-1999 Burnsville

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