Eastern North Carolina Encyclopedia
LENOIR COUNTY
LENOIR COUNTY is located in the Central Coastal Plain Section of North Carolina. It was the pioneer in ROAD BUILDING in the State, having already constructed six main highways of sheet asphalt on concrete, costing approximately two and three quarter million dollars. Its largest towns are: Kinston, the county seat, LaGrange, Pink Hill and Deep Run. All of which are served by railroads and paved highways.
THE SOIL AND CLIMATE is conducive to the profitable production of all crops adapted to the temperate zone. The average mean temperature is 62.4 degrees and the average annual rainfall 43.73 inches.
Its area embraces 390 square miles, of which 75.8 per cent is in farms. The 1920 population was 29,555.
AGRICULTURE is the predominating business of the inhabitants; the value of all crops totaling over $10,000,000.00 annually.
The average per acre production of the main crops are as follows for 1923: Cotton, three-fourths of a bale (State average, 290 pounds lint cotton); corn, 28 bushels (State average, 22.5 bushels); tobacco, 920 pounds (State average 700 pounds); (Lenoir's average for tobacco is second highest in the belt); oats, 21 bushels (State average, 22 bushels); white potatoes, 105 bushels (State average, 105 bushels); sweet potatoes, 140 bushels, the highest in the State (State average, 105 bushels); tame hay, 1.2 tons (State average, 1.2 tons); soy beans, 20 bushels, the highest in the state (State average, 17 bushels); winter wheat, 12 bushels (State average, 11.1 bushels); wild hay, 1 ton per acre (State average, 1 ton per acre.)
LENOIR COUNTY, with its equable climate, long growing season, and fertile arable soil is particularly adapted to dairying and stock raising in addition to the above mentioned crops.
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM is standard in every respect and amply provides educational advantages for all. Consolidation of the district schools into large grade and high schools is in process of realization, at which time all students will be transported in closed busses to and from school over the magnificent paved highways.
MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS total in value annually over $6,000,000.00.
LAGRANGE, the second town in the county, has a population of 1,400 citizens of the best Anglo-Saxon blood in the State. It is located 13 miles west of Kinston on the Central Highway, running from the mountains to the sea, and the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and is a thriving town having all of the conveniences
