Richmond

Formed November 2, 1779 (44^th county)

Richmond County (42,953), Rockingham (9,245)

The masonry Renaissance Revival facility, built in 1923, is on Franklin Street between Lee and Hancock streets.  Hancock Street is United States Highway 1 in this part of the town.  Charles Christian Hook provided the building designs.  The building was enlarged in 1978.  A bell sits in front of the courthouse.  A Judicial Center was added in 2009 and an Administrative Center converted a 1936 Post Office.  There was also an 1884 facility.  The county was created on November 2, 1779 from Anson County as the 44^th county.  Richmond County Courthouse was the first county seat until 1784 when Rockingham took the position.  Richmond County is named for the Duke of Richmond.  The county seat is named for the Marquis of Rockingham.  He is also the namesake for Rockingham County and its county seat.  Richmond County was the birthplace for 1 North Carolina Governor, Cameron A. Morrison. 

Richmond County government consists of a manager, a register, a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Twenty-four Superior Court Judges serve Richmond, Alamance, Anson, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Scotland, Stanly, Union, and Wake counties, Seven District Court Judges serve Richmond, Anson, and Scotland County and a court clerk serves Richmond County (judicial.)  The county is on the southern border with South Carolina.  Fayetteville, North Carolina is northeast and Charlotte, North Carolina is west of the county.  The center of the county is 5.1 miles North of Rockingham.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Moore, Hoke, and Scotland counties and South Carolina and Anson, Stanly, and Montgomery counties. 

The area of the county is 480 square miles.  It is 51 out of 100 in the state.  It ranks 59 out of 100 in population in the state.  It has a density of 89.5 persons per square mile making it 57 out of 100 in the state.  Richmond County has 40.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 1 enters the county from the northeast, Moore County, and exits to the south, South Carolina.  United States Highway 74 travels east to west from Scotland County to Anson County.  United States Highway 220 comes from Montgomery County, north, and terminates.  The county resembles a cream pitcher.  Rockingham is located in the southern third of the county.  Rockingham is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 21.5% of the county population.  This county is in the Rockingham Micropolitan Statistical Area.