Wilkes

Formed February 15, 1778 (37^th county)

Wilkes County (65,968), Wilkesboro (3,689), North Wilkesboro (4,389)

The Modern masonry courthouse was built in 2000 to replace the 1903 facility.  It is on Courthouse Drive at Bridge Street.  North Carolina State Highway 18 passes four blocks to the north of the site.  CBSA Architects provided the designs.  There are veteran memorials on the grounds.  The county was organized on February 15, 1778 from Surry County as the 37^th county.  Wilkesboro has always been the county seat.  The county and county seat are named for English politician John Wilkes. 

Wilkes County government consists of a manager, a register, a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Twenty-one Superior Court Judges serve Wilkes, Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Orange, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin counties, Ten District Court Judges serve Wilkes, Alleghany, Ashe, and Yadkin counties and a court clerk serves Wilkes County (judicial.)  The county is located in the northwest part of the state.  Charlotte, North Carolina is south and Greensboro, North Carolina is east of the county.  The center of the county is 5 miles North-Northeast of Wilkesboro in North Wilkesboro.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Alleghany, Surry, Yadkin, Iredell, Alexander, Caldwell, Watauga, and Ashe counties. 

The area of the county is 756 square miles.  It is 17 out of 100 in the state.  It ranks 40 out of 100 in population in the state.  It has a density of 87.3 persons per square mile making it 58 out of 100 in the state.  Wilkes County has 13.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 21 clips the northeast corner of the county from Alleghany County to Surry County.  United States Highway 421 goes east to west from Yadkin County to Watauga County.  Wilkes County is shaped like a pile of leaves.  Wilkesboro is located in the southern quarter of the county.  North Wilkesboro is directly north of Wilkesboro in the county.  Wilkesboro is the county seat and North Wilkesboro is the largest city.  Wilkesboro is 5.6% of the county population while North Wilkesboro is 6.7% of the county population.  This county is in the North Wilkesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Elkin