Lincoln

Formed November 2, 1779 (42^nd county)

Lincoln County (86,816), Lincolnton (11,091)                

The masonry Classical Revival structure was constructed in 1923 on the square at Main Street and Aspen Street.  North Carolina State Highway 27 circles the courthouse.  James A. Salter is the building designer.  The building was remodeled in 1985.  The facility features columns and veteran memorials on the grounds.  There was an 1853 courthouse earlier in Lincolnton, the only county seat.  The county was formed on November 2, 1779 from Mecklenburg County as the 42^nd county.  The county and county seat are named for Revolutionary War hero General Benjamin Lincoln.  Lincoln County was the birthplace for 1 North Carolina Governor, William A. Graham. 

Lincoln County government consists of a manager, a register, a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Twenty-seven Superior Court Judges serve Lincoln, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey counties, Four District Court Judges serve Lincoln and Cleveland counties and a court clerk serves Lincoln County (judicial.)  The county is in the southwest part of the state.  Charlotte, North Carolina is directly southeast and Asheville, North Carolina is northwest of the county.  The county center is in Lincolnton 3.3 miles East-Southeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded by Catawba, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Gaston, Cleveland, and Burke counties. 

The area of the county is 305 square miles.  It is 86 out of 100 in the state.  It ranks 33 out of 100 in population in the state.  It has a density of 284.6 persons per square mile making it 18 out of 100 in the state.  Lincoln County has 12.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 321 travels through the county from north to south from Catawba County to Gaston County.  The county is an overall rectangle with the western border sloping in.  Lincolnton is near the center of the county.  Lincolnton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 12.8% of the county population.  This county is in the Lincolnton Micropolitan Statistical Area.