Wayne County, North Carolina was founded in 1779 and named for the Revolutionary War hero from Pennsylvania, General Anthony Wayne. Wayne County is located in the east central part of the state in the coastal plain region. The county measures approximately 29 miles from north to south and 14-27 miles from east to west and encompasses 553.97 square miles.



History
Prior to 1730 Indians and wild animals were the only known occupants of the territory now known as Wayne county. Settlers trickled into the territory, but there was no general movement of immigration until after 1750. During the Revolutionary War the County of Wayne was carved from Dobbs County and established on November 2, 1779. The County is named for General George Washington's most trusted soldier, General Anthony Wayne who was nicknamed "Mad Anthony Wayne" for his courage and valor. Goldsboro is the county seat and is situated geographically in the center of the County. The act, establishing the County, provided the first court should be held at the home of Josiah Sasser at which time the justices were to decide on a place for all subsequent courts until a courthouse could be erected. By 1782 the commissioners were named. In 1787 an act was passed establishing Waynesborough on the west side of the Neuse River on the land of Dr. Andrew Bass "where the courthouse now stands." In 1845, an again in 1847, acts were passed moving the Courthouse from Waynesborough to Goldsboro provided the people voted for the same.

Population
The 2006 population estimates show the population to be 113,847. Migration trends in Wayne County have contributed to an increase in population during the last seventy-five years with the exception of a ten-year period from 1940 to 1950. The municipalities located in Wayne County include the city of Goldsboro; the towns of Eureka, Fremont, Mount Olive, Pikeville and Seven Springs and the Village of Walnut Creek. Goldsboro-Wayne County has been named a metropolitan statistical area by the United States government.

Government
Wayne County is governed by a commissioner-manager system consisting of 7 members elected for four-year terms. One commissioner is elected from each of six different voting districts in the County and one member is elected countywide. All seven members serve concurrent four-year terms. The partisan elections for the Board of Commissioners are held in November in even-numbered years. The Board elects a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from among its members the first meeting in December annually.

Physical Characteristics
Wayne County’s surface is level to gently rolling uplands with broad bottoms along the rivers and some creeks. Elevations are predominately 120 to 145 feet above sea level. The largest waterway, the Neuse River, bisects the lower central portion of the county and cuts a deep channel 20 to 40 feet deep as it flows in an eastward direction. Unusual river bluffs occur in the vicinity of Seven Springs. In addition to the Neuse River, the county is drained by the Little River, the Northeast Cape Fear and numerous creeks.

Wayne County is underlain by unconsolidated beds of sand, clay and gravel. For the most part, these beds were deposited in seawater as the sea advanced and retreated during the geologic development of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. To a much lesser extent, streams deposited layers of sediment which mixed with that deposited on the sea floor.

The climate in Wayne County is characterized by warm summers and moderate winters. The average temperature is about 62 degrees. Annual precipitation is about 50 inches of rainfall per year, with the major portion occurring in the late spring and summer.

Economic Barometer
Wayne County’s local industries are involved in a range of operations from simple assembly to complex manufacturing processes resulting in products ranging from bread and poultry feed to automobile parts and electric transformers. Substantial technological improvements in recent years involving modernization of plant facilities and the addition of sophisticated manufacturing equipment have resulted in enhanced profitability and productivity for many of the local manufacturing firms.

The combination of a mild climate, a freeze-free growing season of about 225 days and a wide range of soil types contribute to a highly productive agricultural area. Total gross farm sales in Wayne County in 2006 was approximately $329,082,138. Field crops, including the primary crops of tobacco, corn, cotton, soybeans, and wheat accounted for nearly 12% of the farm income or $38,583,389.

Income from livestock and poultry production was $236,287,547 in 2006 and derived primarily from swine operations. Swine production has increased rapidly, making it the single largest source of farm income. In 2006 farm income from swine production was $75,409,690 or 23% of all farm income.

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is home to the 4th Fighter Wing and 916th Air Refueling Wing. The annual civilian and military payroll is over $282 million. In fiscal year 2006 the economic impact at the base totaled over $460 million.