Davidson County, North Carolina

Davidson County is a located in the  of. As of 2000, the population was 147,246. Its is.

History
The county was formed in from. It was named after Brigadier General, an general killed at the  on the  in 1781.

Law and government
Davidson County is a member of the regional.

Davidson County gained national attention when, Sheriff from 1995-2003, became a minor celebrity for his unconventional prisoner treatment methods.

Education
Davidson County is served by ; however, the cities of Thomasville and Lexington have their own. Davidson County Schools is one of the county's largest employers.

Davidson County is also served by Davidson County Community College, a comprehensive community college that is a member school of North Carolina Community College System. Davidson County Community College was chartered in 1958 as an Industrial Education Center designed to provide adults the education and skills needed to move from an agricultural to a manufacturing-based economy. Today, this mission is continued as the College develops programs and opportunities for education necessary for a knowledge-based economy.

In 1965, the institution was chartered as Davidson County Community College. The Associate in Arts and Associate in Science were added to the existing Associate in Applied Science, Diploma, and Certificate offerings. University transfer courses were added in 1966. In 1997, the College participated in the Comprehensive Artticulation Agreement (CAA) that allows college transfer students to move easily to the 16 UNC schools, as well as many independent college and universities. Presently the Davidson Campus has grown to 11 buildings and two emergency services training facilities on approximately 97 acres.

Geography
According to the, the county has a total area of 1,468 (567 ). 1,430 km² (552 sq mi) of it is land and 38 km² (15 sq mi) of it (2.58%) is water. Davidson County is located entirely within the region of central North Carolina. The Piedmont consists of gently rolling terrain frequently broken by hills or shallow valleys formed by rivers and streams. An exception to this terrain are the in the county's western and southwestern sections. The Uwharries are the oldest mountain range in, and at one time they rose to nearly 20,000 feet above sea level. However, time has worn them down to little more than high hills; yet due to the relative flatness of the surrounding countryside they still rise from 250 to 500 feet above their base. The highest point in the Uwharries - and the highest point in Davidson County - is High Rock Mountain in the county's southwestern corner. It has an elevation of 1,119 feet above sea level.

Townships
The county is divided into seventeen :, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and.

Adjacent counties

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Wine region
Parts of Davidson County are in the.

Demographics
As of the of 2000, there were 147,246 people, 58,156 households, and 42,512 families residing in the county. The was 103/km² (267/sq mi). There were 62,432 housing units at an average density of 44/km² (113/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 87.05%, 9.14% or , 0.37% , 0.82% , 0.01% , 1.66% from , and 0.94% from two or more races. 3.24% of the population were or  of any race.

There were 58,156 households out of which 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.90% were non-families. 22.90% 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 2.50 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,640, and the median income for a family was $46,241. Males had a median income of $31,287 versus $23,622 for females. The for the county was $18,703. About 7.00% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the, including 13.30% of those under age 18 and 12.10% of those age 65 or over.

Festivals
One of the county's most famous attractions is the yearly BBQ Festival held in the city of during the month of October for thousands of tourists and residents. There is also a yearly Davidson County Agriculture Fair held in September. hosts an annual Everybody's Day festival, the longest running festival in the state. The Southeastern Old Threshers Reunion is held every year at the Denton Farmpark.

Landmarks
In addition, there are many year-long attractions in Davidson County. Some of which include Historic Uptown Lexington, which consists of the Davidson County Historical Museum located in the old and Boone's Cave Park (where legend says an adolescent  hid from Indians). Other attractions include Farm Park, Mrs. Hanes Moravian Cookie Factory, Walter Johnson Camp and Conference Center, and the North Carolina Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Art
For one's art interest, Davidson County has the Art Center of Davidson County, plus the personal galleries of local artists Bob Timberlake and Dempsey Essick.

In 2005, Davidson County Community College and the City of Thomasville formed a partnership for the creation of the Thomasville Artisan Center. This art studio allowed the College to reinvigorate its Associate in Fine Arts Degree and offer both university transfer classes as well as adult community interest classes in painting, drawing, and sculpting. The Artisan Center is part of the College's Thomasville Education Center complex which is part of the College's outreach to the community. The College has a second campus in Davie County in the city of Mocksville, as well as the Uptown Lexington Education Center, located within a few blocks of the Arts Center of Davidson County and the historic Court House.

Barbecue
For one's barbecue interest, there are many Lexington-style barbecue restaurants throughout the county. Some include Lexington BBQ (Honeymonk's), The BBQ Center, Jimmy's, Smokey Joe's, Backcountry, Speedy's, Tarheel Q, Stamey's, John Wayne's BBQ, Kerley's, Andy's, and Cook's.

Richard Childress
Davidson County is home to many supporting race fans and the famous. Here you will find his personal Childress Vineyards and Richard Childress Racing Museum and Shops.

The Big Chair
Finally, Davidson County is known for its oversized chair, "The Big Chair." This chair is located in central and is a symbol of Davidson County's world famous  industry.

High Rock Lake
High Rock Lake is the northernmost of the and the second largest lake in  behind. Its water surface covers 15,180 acres and there are 365 miles of shoreline. It begins at the confluence of the and the. It has been the host of the in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 2007 and is the site of frequent other local angling competitions. Lexington is just north of the section of the lake, close to Cotton Grove township.

Notable Natives
- Professional Baseball player for the Pirates and Cardinals, and a Congressman who served three terms. (1930-1999)

Cities and towns

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