Lincolnton, North Carolina | |
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 View along Main Street (NC 27) | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: "Near the City. Near the Mountains. Near Perfect." | |
 Location of Lincolnton, North Carolina | |
| Coordinates:35°28′30″N81°14′19″W / 35.47500°N 81.23861°W /35.47500; -81.23861[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Lincoln |
| Named after | Benjamin Lincoln |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ed Hatley (D)[2] |
| • City Manager | Ritchie Haynes[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.75 sq mi (22.66 km2) |
| • Land | 8.68 sq mi (22.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.073 sq mi (0.19 km2) |
| Elevation | 883 ft (269 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 11,091 |
| • Density | 1,278.5/sq mi (493.65/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | 28092, 28093 |
| Area codes | 704,980 |
| FIPS code | 37-38320[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404933[1] |
| Website | ci |
Lincolnton is a city inLincoln County, North Carolina, United States within theCharlotte metropolitan area. The population was 11,091 at the2020 census, with an estimated population of 12,128, as of 2023.[6] Lincolnton is northwest ofCharlotte, on the South Fork of theCatawba River. The city is thecounty seat of Lincoln County.[7]
In June 1780 during theAmerican Revolutionary War, the future site of Lincolnton was the site of theBattle of Ramsour's Mill, a small engagement in which localLoyalists were defeated by pro-independence forces. Some historians[who?] consider the battle significant because it disrupted Loyalist organizing in the region at a crucial time.
After the Revolution, the legislature organized a new county by splitting this area fromold Tryon County (named in the colonial era for a royally appointed governor). The 1780 battle site was chosen for the seat of Lincoln County. The new city and the county were named for Major GeneralBenjamin Lincoln, who served in theContinental Army during the Revolutionary War.[8]
ThePiedmont area was developed for industry, based on using the water power from the streams and rivers there. With the advantage of the South Fork of the Catawba, Lincolnton was the site of the firsttextile mill in North Carolina, constructed by Michael Schenck in 1813.[9] It was the first cotton mill built south of thePotomac River.[10] Cotton processing became a major industry in the area. St. Luke's Episcopal Church was founded in 1841.[11]
During theAmerican Civil War, Lincoln County had many residents who either joined or were conscripted to theConfederate Army. Among them was Major GeneralStephen Dodson Ramseur, who was mortally wounded at theBattle of Cedar Creek in Virginia. His body was returned to Lincolnton for burial.Episcopal missionary bishopHenry C. Lay spent the final months of the Civil War in the town.Union forces occupied Lincoln County on Easter Monday, 1865, shortly before the close of the war.[11]
As county seat and a center of the textile industry, city residents prospered on the returns from cotton cultivation. The city has numerous properties, including churches, which have been listed on theNational Register of Historic Places since the late 20th century. It has three recognized historic districts:Lincolnton Commercial Historic District,South Aspen Street Historic District, andWest Main Street Historic District. These were centers of the earliest businesses and retail activities. There was much activity around theLincoln County Courthouse on court days, when farmers typically came to town to trade and sell their goods.
Residences, churches and other notable buildings marked the development of the city; they include theCaldwell-Cobb-Love House,Emanuel United Church of Christ,Emmanuel Lutheran Church,Eureka Manufacturing Company Cotton Mill,First Baptist Church,First Presbyterian Church,First United Methodist Church,Methodist Church Cemetery,Lincolnton Recreation Department Youth Center,Loretz House,Old White Church Cemetery,Pleasant Retreat Academy,Shadow Lawn,St. Luke's Church and Cemetery, andWoodside.[12][13]
In 1986, Lincolnton expanded by annexing the town ofBoger City.[14]
Lincolnton is in central Lincoln County in thePiedmont region of North Carolina.U.S. Route 321, a four-lane freeway, passes through the east side of the city.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.7 square miles (22.6 km2), of which 8.6 square miles (22.4 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.93%, are water.[15] The city is sited on the northeastern side of the South Fork of theCatawba River, which flows southeast to join the Catawba River at theSouth Carolina border. Clark Creek joins the South Fork in the northwestern part of the city.
The city has grown since 1980 as part of the Charlotte metropolitan area expansion.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 848 | — | |
| 1870 | 886 | 4.5% | |
| 1880 | 708 | −20.1% | |
| 1890 | 957 | 35.2% | |
| 1900 | 828 | −13.5% | |
| 1910 | 2,413 | 191.4% | |
| 1920 | 3,300 | 36.8% | |
| 1930 | 3,781 | 14.6% | |
| 1940 | 4,525 | 19.7% | |
| 1950 | 5,423 | 19.8% | |
| 1960 | 5,699 | 5.1% | |
| 1970 | 5,293 | −7.1% | |
| 1980 | 4,879 | −7.8% | |
| 1990 | 6,847 | 40.3% | |
| 2000 | 9,965 | 45.5% | |
| 2010 | 10,486 | 5.2% | |
| 2020 | 11,091 | 5.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 7,413 | 66.84% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,485 | 13.39% |
| Native American | 43 | 0.39% |
| Asian | 103 | 0.93% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 504 | 4.54% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1,542 | 13.9% |
As of the2020 United States census there were 11,091 people, 4,668 households, and 2,652 families residing in the city.
As of thecensus[5] of 2010, there were 10,683 people, 3,878 households, and 2,943 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,219.4 inhabitants per square mile (470.8/km2). There were 4,146 housing units at an average density of 507.4 per square mile (195.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 65.98%White, 24.49%African American, 0.41%Asian, 0.33%Native American, 4.15% fromother races, and 1.60% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 15.87% of the population.
There were 3,878 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% weremarried couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,684, and the median income for a family was $39,949. Males had a median income of $29,615 versus $21,768 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $16,667. About 14.4% of families and 17.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.
Lincolnton is governed by a mayor and four-member city council, who hire a city manager to oversee day-to-day governance. City council members serve four-year terms and the mayor serves for two years. They are elected in partisan elections in odd-numbered years. Council members represent city wards[18] in which they must reside, but are electedat-large. The mayor conducts city meetings, normally the first Thursday of each month, and votes only in case of a tie.
The mayor, Edward "Ed" L. Hatley (D), was first elected as mayor in 2015 with 68.75% of the vote.[19] In 2022, he ran unopposed winning his third term as mayor with 84.01% of the vote.[20]
City council members are Mayor Pro-tem Kevin Demeny (R-Ward 1), Mark Johnson (R-Ward 2), Jill Tipton (R-Ward 3), and Roby Jetton (R-Ward 4).
Other City officials are Richard "Ritchie" Haynes (City Manager), Scott Antonio Clark (Assistant City Manager), Daphne Ingram (City Clerk/Assistant to City Manager), Julie Wright (Administrative Assistant), and John Friguglietti, Jr. (City Attorney).[21][3]
Public education is administered by Lincoln County Schools. Schools within Lincolnton include:[22]
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Municipalities and communities ofLincoln County, North Carolina,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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