Question about NC county/city names

[krazeeboi]

I just noticed this a few moments ago while viewing a map of NC/SC broken down into counties. Why is it that there are some cities/towns in NC that have similiar or same names as counties that are not located in the county that shares its name or a similar one? Examples that I saw include Lenoir, Rockingham, Ashe, Moore, and Gaston. Rockingham is located in Richmond County, not Rockingham County. Asheville is not located in Ashe County, Mooresville is not located in Moore County, Gaston is not located in Gaston County, etc. Why is this? Wouldn't this serve as a source of confusion in a sense? Also, I notice that in SC, we have more counties named after the county seat than in NC (e.g., York, Chester, Lexington, Greenville, Charleston, Orangeburg, etc.). The only NC county that I can think of that is named after the county seat is Durham.

[DigitalSky]

I just noticed this a few moments ago while viewing a map of NC/SC broken down into counties. Why is it that there are some cities/towns in NC that have similiar or same names as counties that are not located in the county that shares its name or a similar one? Examples that I saw include Lenoir, Rockingham, Ashe, Moore, and Gaston. Rockingham is located in Richmond County, not Rockingham County. Asheville is not located in Ashe County, Mooresville is not located in Moore County, Gaston is not located in Gaston County, etc. Why is this? Wouldn't this serve as a source of confusion in a sense? Also, I notice that in SC, we have more counties named after the county seat than in NC (e.g., York, Chester, Lexington, Greenville, Charleston, Orangeburg, etc.). The only NC county that I can think of that is named after the county seat is Durham.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is true. Don't get confused It's just the way the cities and counties were originally named and most stuck that way.

But like... Gastonia is in Gaston county even though the town of Gaston isn't in Gaston co.

And yes, in SC it seems to work easier... Charleston Co, Greenville Co, etc...

[monsoon]

Towns and counties were often named after famous people or one of the founding families of the area. In those days, there was not a wide variety in names as we have now hence, you will have towns and counties with similar names, but not located in the same place.

[Jerseyman4]

To add onto the same county seat/county list:

Wilson, Wilson County

Nashville, Nash County

Wilkesboro, Wilkes County

[waverider]

There are some other county/city or county/county seat pairings if you look at the rural areas (which often get overlooked). I'm from northeastern NC, so I'm a little sensitive on that subject...

Gates County--Gatesville (cs), Gates

Currituck County--Currituck

Camden County--Camden

Halifax County--Halifax

Warren County--Warrenton

Lincoln County--Lincolnton

Yadkin County--Yadkinville

So there are some similar examples of that convention in NC. I think what makes the difference is that most of them are rural counties, compared to the more prominent ones in SC (Lexington, Orangeburg, Charleston, Greenville, Spartanburg, York, etc.).

[krazeeboi]

^Thanks for those examples.

[orulz]

Henderson is not located in Henderson county, but Hendersonville is. Heh.

[Sabaidee]

Wake Forest is in Wake County.

There's a Cleveland County and the town of Cleveland is in Rowan County.

[krazeeboi]

^Wake Forest is in Wake County, but Wake Forest University is in Forsyth County.

One of my co-workers told me that the university actually used to be located in Wake Forest (which is right outside Raleigh, as I understand it) but relocated to Winston-Salem for reasons she knew not of.

[Sabaidee]

When I was in middle school, my family always went to Raleigh during the weekends and we would get on the Beltline and I would be like Wake Forest? I thought the school was in Winston-Salem, I didn't realized there was a town of Wake Forest.

[Justin6882]

Yes, Wake Forest University was moved from the town of Wake Forest in the 50s I believe. RJ Reynolds gave money to the university with the condition that they move it to Winston-Salem where they were based (as I understand it and recall it). The old Wake Forest University still stands in historic downtown Wake Forest. Its now Southeastern College at Wake Forest and serves the Baptist Theological Seminary.

[waverider]

Yes, Wake Forest University was moved from the town of Wake Forest in the 50s I believe.  RJ Reynolds gave money to the university with the condition that they move it to Winston-Salem where they were based (as I understand it and recall it).  The old Wake Forest University still stands in historic downtown Wake Forest.  Its now Southeastern College at Wake Forest and serves the Baptist Theological Seminary.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's right. wake forest is my alma mater, so the school will always hold a special place in my heart, whichever city it's in. and i can't blame the school for taking rj reynolds up on the offer--the school is situated in a beautiful location. it's practically its own town inside of winston-salem.

i should get back up there to visit sometime.