Alleghany County, North Carolina

Alleghany County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,888. Its county seat is Sparta.

History
The earliest inhabitants of the area eventually comprising Alleghany County were Cherokee and Shawnee Native Americans. By the late 1700s these people had been displaced by English, German, and Scotch-Irish settlers. The county was formed in 1859 from the eastern part of Ashe County. A group of commissioners selected a site near the center of the county to build a courthouse and established the county seat of Sparta. The county was expanded through annexations at the expense of its neighbors from 1869 and 1903. A portion was moved to Wilkes County in 1909.

In 1894, textile executive Hugh Chatham pushed for the founding of a resort in Roaring Gap. It was reorganized in 1925.

The construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the 1930s led to increased tourism and growth in Alleghany County. In 1936, the regional Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation was founded with the support of the Rural Electrification Act, leading to the eventual expansion of electric utility service in Alleghany. In 1944, the county's first major manufacturer—D&P Pipe Works—opened after relocating from Chicago to Sparta to be closer to supplies of local mountain laurel roots which were used during World War II in the production of wooden tobacco pipes. Due to unreliable electricity, the company relied on its own generator for power, but utility service improved after the war.

Alleghany County's economy grew in the 30 years following World War II with the expansion of manufacturing, aided by the improved electricity service and outside companies' desire to locate their facilities in areas with lower land costs, fewer regulations, and less competitive wages. Tourism also grew with the construction of new summer vacation homes. Service-oriented businesses cropped up along U.S. Route 21 to accommodate travelers driving north out of the state. Use of the highway decreased after Interstate 77 was completed in 1975. D&P Pipe Works, later renamed Dr. Grabow, peaked with about 350 employees before health concerns regarding tobacco smoking led to a decline in demand for pipes in the late 20th century. Between 2000 and 2005, the county lost 60 percent of its manufacturing jobs.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 236.26 sqmi, of which 234.84 sqmi is land and 1.42 sqmi (0.60%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in North Carolina by total area. Alleghany County is located in northwestern North Carolina. It borders the North Carolina counties of Surry, Wilkes, and Ashe, and the Virginia county of Grayson.

The county is located entirely within the Appalachian Mountains region of western North Carolina. Most of the county is located atop a rolling plateau that ranges from 2500 to 3000 ft above sea level. The southern border of the county drops abruptly nearly 1500 ft to the Foothills region of North Carolina. The plateau is crossed by numerous hills and mountains. The highest point in the county is Peach Bottom Mountain - Catherine Knob at 4175 ft above sea level. The major rivers of Alleghany County are the New River, and the Little River; the latter flows through the town of Sparta, the county seat.

Isolated by mountainous terrain from the remainder of North Carolina to the east, Alleghany County was described in the 19th and early 20th centuries as one of the Lost Provinces of North Carolina.

Due to its elevation, Alleghany County enjoys slightly cooler summers than the lowland areas to the east and south, with temperatures seldom rising over 90 °F. In the winter, however, temperatures can frequently be colder than would be expected in a southern state. Daytime highs can fall into the teens or lower, and snowfall can be extremely heavy at times. According to USClimateData.com, the average temperature is 52.85 °F.

National protected areas

 * Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
 * Cumberland Knob Recreation Area (part)
 * Doughton Recreation Area (part)

State and local protected areas

 * Bullhead Mountain State Natural Area
 * Mitchell River Game Land (part)
 * New River State Park (park)
 * Raven Knob Scout Reservation (part)
 * Stone Mountain State Park (part)
 * Thurmond Chatham Game Land (part)

Major water bodies

 * Brush Creek
 * Elk Creek
 * Laurel Creek
 * Lake Louise
 * Little River
 * New River
 * Pine Swamp Creek
 * Prather Creek
 * Rock Creek
 * South Fork New River

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 10,888 people, 4,920 households, and 3,390 families residing in the county.

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 10,677 people, 4,593 households, and 3,169 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 /mi2. There were 6,412 housing units at an average density of 27 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 95.69% White, 1.23% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 4.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,593 households, out of which 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.40% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 27.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,244, and the median income for a family was $38,473. Males had a median income of $25,462 versus $18,851 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,691. About 11.30% of families and 17.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.80% of those under age 18 and 25.00% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Alleghany County is led by a five-member board of commissioners elected county-wide in partisan contests to serve staggered four-year terms. The commissioners elect their own chairman, who serves a one-year term. The commission is responsible for overseeing county government, passing ordinances, levying taxes, and creating the county budget. It also appoints the county attorney and the county manager. The county manager serves as the head administrator of the county government.

The county is a member of the regional High Country Council of Governments. The county also has its own Soil and Water Conservation District led by two appointed and three elected board members. It is located entirely in the North Carolina Senate's 47th district, the North Carolina House of Representatives' 93rd district, and North Carolina's 5th congressional district.

Judicial system
Alleghany County lies within the bounds of North Carolina's 34th Prosecutorial District, the 23rd Superior Court District, and the 23rd District Court District.

Politics
In the first decades of the 21st century, elections in Alleghany County trended increasingly Republican. In the 2022 elections, Republicans won all but one county-wide office.

Economy
Alleghany County is one of several North Carolina counties which produces a significant amount of Christmas trees, with an estimated 1.2 million such trees from the county being sold in 2022. Alleghany also produces the most pumpkins among the counties in the state. For 2023, the North Carolina Department of Commerce rated Alleghany as a Tier 2 county, between the state's most prosperous and economically distressed.

Education
Wilkes Community College maintains an academic center in Sparta. According to the 2021 American Community Survey, an estimated 20.4 percent of county residents have attained a bachelor's degree or higher level of education.

Healthcare
Alleghany County is served by a single hospital, Alleghany Memorial Hospital, based in Sparta.

Culture
An arts community is centered in Sparta. The town hosts a "Music on Main" series of weekly public concerts for local musicians from June through September every year.

Town

 * Sparta (county seat and largest community)

Townships
Alleghany County townships are:
 * Cherry Lane
 * Cranberry
 * Gap Civil
 * Glade Creek
 * Piney Creek
 * Prathers Creek
 * Whitehead

Unincorporated communities

 * Amelia
 * Barrett
 * Cherry Lane
 * Edwards Crossroads
 * Ennice
 * Glade Valley
 * Hare
 * Laurel Springs
 * Piney Creek
 * Roaring Gap
 * Scottville (partly in Ashe County)
 * Stratford
 * Twin Oaks
 * Whitehead

Notable people

 * Robert L. Doughton (1863–1954), United States Congressman from Alleghany County from 1911 to 1953. From 1933 to 1947 he was the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He used his influence as chairman to create the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs along the county's eastern and southern borders. Doughton Park, the largest and most popular park on the Parkway, is named in his honor. He also played a major role in the passage of the Social Security Act.
 * Rufus A. Doughton (1857–1946), older brother of Robert Doughton. He served as the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, and was Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 1893 to 1897.
 * Bertie Dickens (1902–1994), old-time banjo player who lived most of her life in Ennice, North Carolina. She received the North Carolina Heritage Award in 1992.
 * Zach Galifianakis (born 1969), stand-up comedian and actor, lives on a farm near Sparta and splits his time between the farm and his work in New York City.
 * Del Reeves (1932–2007), country music entertainer on the United Artists record label. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1966 and his record "Girl on the Billboard" sold over a million copies.