Greene County, being a part of land grant by King Charles II of England in 1663, was settled around 1710 by immigrants from Maryland, Virginia, and parts of North Carolina. Upon arrival of these new settlers, great numbers of settlers were driven off by the Tuscarora Indians. However, on March 20-23, 1713, a fighting force of South Carolinians and Yemassce Indians, under Colonel Murice Moore, defeated the Tuscarora, under the leadership of Chief Hancock. With the “demise” of the Indian threat, County settlers advanced in their various economic pursuits.
In 1758, the area now recognized as Greene and Lenoir Counties was separated from Johnston and named Dobbs for the Royal Governor. This section was bisected to form Glasgow County in honor of the Secretary of State. However, Glasgow and accomplices were involved in issuing fraudulent land grants and were duly indicted. The residents of the county then changed its name to Greene, in honor of Nathaniel Greene, one of General Washington's right-hand men.
The county seat, Snow Hill, is the largest town and major commercial center in the county. The town draws its name from the historic white sandy banks of nearby Contentnea Creek. Among the towns and communities in the county are Hookerton, Maury, and Walstonburg. These old established communities are relatively self-enduring and traditionally stable.
The County, covering 269 square miles, is centrally located in the Atlantic Coastal Plans area of Eastern North Carolina. The county is bounded by Wayne County on the west, Lenoir County on the south, Pitt County on the east, and Wilson County on the northwest. The county seats and urban centers of these counties are Goldsboro, Kinston, Greenville, and Wilson respectively. The topography of the county is characterized as being predominantly flat in profile with its drainage basins being shallow and low-sloping.
The climate of the county is typically humid-subtropical allowing for mild winters and summers with a slight transition between seasons. The weather is variable being heavily influenced by the nearness (60 miles) to the Atlantic Ocean. The mean annual temperature is 62 degrees, with the average length of the growing season measured at approximately 225 days from March until October. The summer precipitation is usually in the form of thundershowers, when a large volume of water accumulates within a short time. Winter precipitation is also predominately in the form of rain, spread more evenly and falling at a slower, steadier pace. Snow seldom materializes, or remains more than 24 hours before melting.
The Greene County Arts and Historical Society owns and operates the Museum and Visitor's Center located in the county seat of Snow Hill. Visitors to the center are always treated to interesting, locally inspired exhibits of historical value, which continually change throughout the year. For more information about the history of Greene County as well as visitor's information, contact the museum at (252) 747-1999 or by email at greenecoarts@earthlink.net or the Greene County Chamber of Commerce at (252) 747-8090 or by email at director@greenechamber.com.