The Pungo River is a river in eastern North Carolina , United States. It originally began in the Great Dismal Swamp in Washington County, North Carolina ; the upper part of the river has since been supplanted by the Pungo River Canal, dug in the 1950s to improve drainage of local farmland. The river flows southeast and forms part of the boundary between Beaufort County and Hyde County . The river then widens dramatically, turns west, and flows past Belhaven, North Carolina before joining the Pamlico River near Pamlico Sound .
25-497: Hyde County is the name of two counties in the United States: Hyde County, North Carolina Hyde County, South Dakota [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to
50-452: A Hoi Toider dialect of English. The trend has declined over time, and, particularly since the 1970s, newer generations of local African Americans tend to speak a dialect closer to urban variants of African-American Vernacular English . Hyde County is home to two full power radio stations, WKHC 97.1 FM and WCMS-FM 94.5. These stations are licensed to Hatteras, NC but maintain transmitter facilities outside of Engelhard. Ocracoke Island
75-625: A bachelor's degree or higher level of education. Hyde County's last hospital closed in 2014. It is one of three counties in North Carolina with no private dental practitioners. Hyde County is a popular destination for fishing and bear and duck hunting. Ocracoke attracts many tourists. Most families that reside in Hyde County have generational roots there, and many black and white families share surnames. Historically, natives of both mainland Hyde County and Ocracoke Island often spoke
100-552: A flat topography and its highest point, a spot west of Alligator Lake, rests about 18 feet above sea level. Owing to its low elevation, the county suffers from frequent flooding and saltwater intrusion of its soil. Lake Mattamuskeet is the largest naturally-occurring lake in North Carolina. Hyde County is within the path of the Atlantic Flyway , and thus features seasonal populations of various migratory waterfowl species, including tundra swan and Canada geese . As of
125-484: A modest shipping industry which persisted into the mid-1800s, while the mainland portion of county was largely agrarian, though farmers struggled in the swampy terrain. Locals also fished and harvested oysters. In 1860, 37.4% of Hyde's population were slaves—a proportion lower than many other counties in eastern North Carolina. Local residents were divided by the outbreak of the American Civil War , though
150-598: A number enlisted into the Confederate States Army . Several skirmishes took place in the county between federal and Confederate forces during 1863 and 1864, and a substantial number of slaves fled to federally-held territory to seek their emancipation. During the Reconstruction era after the war, some residents, white and newly freed blacks, migrated out of Hyde. In 1870, Hyde County was reduced to its present dimensions, when its northeastern part
175-588: A part of the Outer Banks . It is bordered by Dare and Tyrrell counties to the north, by Washington County to the northwest, by Beaufort County to the west, and by Pamlico and Carteret counties to the southwest. The mainland portion of the county also borders the Pamlico Sound , while Ocracoke Island rests on the Atlantic Ocean . Hyde County is characterized by many swamps. It has
200-631: A regional economic development organization which serves several counties in eastern North Carolina. Hyde County is located within North Carolina's 3rd congressional district , the North Carolina Senate 's 1st district , and the North Carolina House of Representatives ' 79th district . The mainland area of Hyde County tends to be dominated by Republicans, while Ocracoke tends to be dominated by Democrats. In
225-497: Is home to WOVV 90.1 FM, a low power non-commercial station. WHYC 88.5 FM is located on the campus of Mattamuskeet School in Swan Quarter. WHYC is one of only two high school operated stations in North Carolina. Hyde County has no incorporated municipalities. There are five townships: Currituck, Fairfield, Lake Landing, Ocracoke, and Swan Quarter. A sixth township, Mattamuskeet, is now "unorganized territory" occupied by
250-565: The 2020 census , there were 4,589 people in Hyde, making it the second-least populous county in North Carolina. Hyde County's population peaked with 9,278 people in 1900. Between 1900 and 2000, the county's population declined by almost 50 percent. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Hyde's population dropped by 21 percent, one of the largest population drops by percentage in the state. There are no incorporated communities or municipal governments in Hyde; all local governmental activities occur at
275-429: The 2020 U.S. presidential election, Republican Donald Trump defeated Democrat Joe Biden by nearly 400 votes in Hyde, with only Ocracoke's voting precinct offering a majority for Biden. The county also favored Republican candidates in statewide and most local races. Hyde County is one of the most economically distressed counties in North Carolina. The economy is sustained by agriculture, fishing, and tourism. Most of
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#1732771901411300-466: The U.S. state of North Carolina . As of the 2020 census , the population was 4,589, making it the second-least populous county in North Carolina . Its county seat is Swan Quarter . The county was created in 1705 as Wickham Precinct. It was renamed Hyde Precinct in 1712 and gained county status in 1739. Sources conflict over when the area that eventually grew to encompass Hyde County was settled by Europeans. The earliest known colonial land deeds in
325-485: The county level. Hyde County is governed by a five-member board of commissioners. Each member is nominated by a township in the county, but all are elected at-large . The commissioners appoint a county manager who oversees county governmental administration. As of 2024, Hyde County has the highest per-capita tax levy in the state – $ 2,249 per person. Hyde County is a member of the Albemarle Commission ,
350-495: The county's businesses are concentrated on Ocracoke Island and cater to tourists. Hyde County is home to the smallest public school system in North Carolina. The Hyde County Schools comprises two schools. The only private school in Hyde County is a small Mennonite school located in the northwest section of the county. This school serves the county's Mennonite population. According to the 2022 American Community Survey , an estimated 16.4 percent of county residents have attained
375-475: The county's forests thinned, before being overcome by the Great Depression . Hyde County received its first paved road in the 1920s and gained electric service in 1935. By the mid-20th century, the agriculturally-reliant county was in economic and demographic decline, benefiting none from the public infrastructure investments and industrial growth of the postwar economic boom occurring elsewhere in
400-652: The federally controlled Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge . Pungo River A 21-mile (33.8 km) canal connects the Pungo River with the Alligator River to its east. 35°38′04″N 76°35′56″W / 35.634509°N 76.5989462°W / 35.634509; -76.5989462 This article about a location in Beaufort County , North Carolina is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about
425-414: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hyde_County&oldid=932884728 " Category : United States county name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Hyde County, North Carolina Hyde County is a county located in
450-495: The present day county date from 1704 or 1705. European settlement remained sparse over the subsequent decades, though the English established a small for on the northern shore of Lake Mattamuskeet. In 1711, Algonquin -speaking Native Americans in the area joined with the proximate Tuscarora people in launching a war against the settlers. The conflict was won by the settlers in 1715, with many captured Native Americans enslaved and
475-629: The region or intermarried with local European Americans and African Americans. The county was formed December 3, 1705, as Wickham Precinct , one of three precincts within Bath County . The name Wickham was derived from the manor of Temple Wycombe in Buckinghamshire , England, the family home of John Archdale , governor of North and South Carolina from 1695 to 1696. In 1712, it was renamed Hyde Precinct for Edward Hyde , Governor of North Carolina from 1711 to 1712. In 1739, Bath County
500-480: The remaining Tuscaroras largely expelled from North Carolina. The local Algonquin natives were gathered on the newly created Mattamuskeet Reservation, which comprised most of the eastern mainland section of what eventually became Hyde County. Due to pressure from the settlers, the Native Americans began selling their land in 1731. By 1792, all of the reservation had been sold, and its inhabitants either left
525-658: The state. Several towns that had prospered in the early 1900s were left totally abandoned, and the vast majority of county residents were impoverished. The timber industry continued to provide some employment, while after World War II the seafood packing industry grew. Jim Crow racial segregation took hold after the close of the 19th century and persisted, depriving blacks of political and economic opportunities available to whites. In 1950, about one third of white residents had access to hot running water and flushing toilets, while no blacks had such amenities, and tended to live near small creeks and drainage canals. Racial separation
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#1732771901411550-553: Was abolished, and Hyde Precinct became Hyde County. In 1745, Lake Mattamuskeet and its adjoining territory were transferred from Currituck County to Hyde County. Communities coalesced and churches were formed in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War. In 1819, the portion of Hyde County west of the Pungo River was annexed by Beaufort County . Four years later, the area of Currituck County south of New Inlet
575-407: Was combined with parts of Currituck County and Tyrrell County to form Dare County . Northern investors also took an interest in the county during Reconstruction, particularly in the harvest of timber. Between 1870 and 1920, the county experienced some economic prosperity due to the logging of cypress, juniper, and oak trees. Several sawmills and railroads were established. The industry declined as
600-477: Was less pronounced on Ocracoke Island, where blacks and whites lived in closer physical proximity to one another. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,459.05 square miles (3,778.9 km ), of which 612.35 square miles (1,586.0 km ) is land and 846.70 square miles (2,192.9 km ) (58.03%) is water. It is the second-largest county in North Carolina by total area. Hyde County's comprises an inland portion and Ocracoke Island,
625-454: Was transferred to Hyde County. This area included Hatteras Island . In 1834, an "apprenticeship" program was begun whereby local Native American children were placed under the tutelage of white families to learn trades. Lasting until 1865, the policy resulted in the loss of much independent Native American cultural identity in the area. In 1845, Ocracoke Island was transferred from Carteret County to Hyde County. Ocracoke benefitted from
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