Pender County was established in 1875. The county seat, Burgaw, combines the old and the new that represents this Southern county. Within Burgaw are banking and shopping facilities, municipal and county government offices, a hospital, and a satellite campus of Cape Fear Community College. Ranked as the fastest growing county in North Carolina, Pender County has grown 15 percent since 1990.
With miles of intracoastal and inland waterways running through Pender County, such as the Cape Fear River and the Black River, flooding and sea level rise is of major concern for its residents. Located in the Coastal Plains section of the state, Pender’s countryside is also enhanced by streams and brooks, natural lakes and ponds. Less than 30 miles from Pender County is the City of Wilmington which is a historic seaport city in neighbor New Hanover County.
