Hertford is a town and the county seat of Perquimans County, North Carolina, United States. The current population of Hertford, North Carolina is 1,912 based on the 2020 census. The US Census estimates the 2021 population at 1,925. The last official US Census in 2010 recorded the population at 2,143. Hertford is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region and is part of both the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Hampton Roads region. It is named after the county town of Hertford, England.

History

Hertford was originally incorporated in 1758 as the county seat for Perquimans County, first inhabited by the Yeopim Indians. County records show that the Yeopim chief Kalcacenin sold land to George Durant at the river mouth in March 1662, adjacent to land he had already sold to Samuel Pricklove. The area was settled soon afterward, and a brick house on the site, the Newbold-White House, has been dated by dendrochronology to 1730; it is the oldest known brick structure in the state.

Through the first part of the 20th century, Hertford thrived as a lumber town, making good use of the nearby river. The bridge that spanned the river was a floating bridge, made of steel and wood. When a boat came near and wanted passage, the bridge would be unhooked from one bank and allowed to float out of the way. When the boat had passed, lines were used to haul the free end of the bridge in and reconnect it. A swing bridge with S-shaped approaches is in use today.

Hertford is the hometown of baseball pitcher Catfish Hunter. Disc jockey Wolfman Jack is buried in nearby Belvidere, and the record company he started is still located in Hertford.

The Church of the Holy Trinity, Cove Grove, Fletcher-Skinner-Nixon House and Outbuildings, Hertford Historic District, Land's End, Newbold-White House, Samuel Nixon House, Old Neck Historic District, Perquimans County Courthouse, and Sutton-Newby House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (0.74%) is water.

Hertford is about northeast of Raleigh and about southwest of Norfolk.

Demographics

2020 census

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"

|+Hertford racial composition

!scope="col"| Race

!scope="col"| Number

!scope="col"| Percentage

|-

!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)

| 956

| 49.43%

|-

!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)

| 790

| 40.85%

|-

!scope="row"| Native American

| 4

| 0.21%

|-

!scope="row"| Asian

| 2

| 0.1%

|-

!scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 91

| 4.71%

|-

!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 91

| 4.71%

|}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,934 people, 1,045 households, and 612 families residing in the town.

2010 census

As of the census

Education

  • Perquimans County Schools
  • Hertford Grammar School, serving grades 3–5
  • Perquimans County High School, serving grades 9–12

Grades PK–2 and 6–8 are served by the county schools located in Winfall.

Industry

Agriculture is the chief industry of the area.

Notable people

  • Beulah Burke, one of the original founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority
  • Lillie Burke, one of the original founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha and sister of Beulah Burke
  • Edward "Little Buster" Forehand, soul and blues musician
  • Jim "Catfish" Hunter, former MLB pitcher, 8x All-Star selection and 5x World Series champion, member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Abe Manley, sports executive
  • Harry Skinner, U.S. Representative from North Carolina
  • Louise Nixon Sutton, mathematician

References

  • Town of Hertford, North Carolina