Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 19,635. Its county seat is Marshall.
History
The county was formed in 1851 from parts of Buncombe County and Yancey County. It was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States (1809-1817).
Law and government
Madison County is governed by a five-member board of commissioners who are elected every two years. The board selects its own chairman and holds scheduled meetings on the second Monday of each month. Madison County is a member of the Land-of-Sky Regional Council of governments. Madison County is a "dry" county, meaning that the sale and/or public consumption of alcoholic beverages is illegal within the county limits. However, individual towns have right of self determination regarding alcohol sales. Hot Springs, Marshall and Mars Hill all allow beer and wine sales, but not liquor.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 452 square miles (1,170 km²), of which, 449 square miles (1,164 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (6 km²) of it (0.48%) is water.
Madison County is located deep in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, and much of the county's terrain is rugged, heavily forested, and sparsely populated. The county's northern border is with the State of Tennessee. Madison County's largest river is the French Broad River, which flows north-northwest through the county, first past the county seat of Marshall, then past the resort town of Hot Springs.
Education
Madison County's public educational system consists of one high school, located in the county seat of Marshall, one middle school, and four elementary schools. The county is also home to Mars Hill College, a private, coed, four-year liberal-arts college affiliated with the North Carolina Baptist Convention. Founded in 1856, Mars Hill is the oldest college in western North Carolina; it offers 31 majors in five degrees.
Townships
The county is divided into eleven townships, which are both numbered and named: 1 (North Marshall and South Marshall), 2 (Laurel), 3 (Mars Hill), 4 (Beech Glenn), 5 (Walnut), 6 (Hot Springs), 7 (Ebbs Chapel), 8 (Spring Creek), 9 (Sandy Mush), 10 (Grapevine), and 11 (Revere Rice Cove). Formerly there were sixteen: 1 (Marshall), 2 (Shelton Laurel), 3 (Bull Creek), 4 (Middle Fork of Ivy), 5 (West Fork of Ivy), 6 (Sandy Mush), 7 (Little Pine Creek), 8 (Spring Creek), 9 (Hot Springs), 10 (Big Laurel), 11 (Upper Laurel), 12 (Big Pine Creek), 13 (Meadow Fork of Spring Creek), 14 (Grapevine), 15 (Mars Hill), and 16 (Foster Creek).
Cities and towns
- Hot Springs
- Mars Hill
- Marshall
Townships
- Township 1 - Marshall
- Township 2 - Laurel
- Township 3 - Mars Hill
- Township 4 - Beech Glenn
- Township 5 - Walnut
- Township 6 - Hot Springs
- Township 7 - Ebbs Chapel
- Township 8 - Spring Creek
- Township 9 - Sandy Mush
- Township 10 - Grapevine
- Township 11 - Revere Rice Cove