| Albans | community in NE Union County. |
| Albemarle | city and county seat in N central Stanly County. Alt. 505. Post office opened there as Smith's Store in 1826; name changed to Albemarle, 1841. Inc. 1857. Named for George Monck (1608-79), Duke of Albemarle, one of the original Lords Proprietors of Carolina in 1663. |
| Albemarle Beach | NW Washington County on Albemarle Sound, W of the town of Mackeys. Formerly known as Reas Beach. |
| Albemarle City Lake | central Stanly County on Long Creek. Formed in 1915. Covers 75 acres; max. depth 40 ft. Fishing, swimming, boating. |
| Albemarle County | was est. in 1664 in the NE portion of the Lords Proprietors’ new province of Carolina covering a poorly defined 1,600 sq. mi. The first governor of the county was appointed in October 1664, and it soon also had a legislature and courts. By 1668 it was divided into Chowan, Currituck, Pasquotank, and Perquimans precincts. The county ceased to exist as a unit of government in Carolina in 1689, when Governor Seth Sothel departed. The next governor had his commission for "that part of our province of Carolina that lyes north and east of Cape feare," which was basically the whole of modern North Carolina. |
| Albemarle River | See Albemarle Sound. |
| Albemarle Section | See Albemarle, The. |
| Albemarle Sound | NE North Carolina, separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a part of the Outer Banks. Approx. 52 mi. long and 5 to 14 mi. wide. Max. depth 25 ft. Sea level; freshwater not affected by tide. Waters from the Chowan and Roanoke Rivers enter the sound on the w; it drains into Roanoke, Croatan, and Pamlico Sounds. Explored by Ralph Lane, 1586; known as Sea of Rawnocke (Roanoke Sea) in 1609. Appears as Roanoke Sound on the Comberford map, 1657. Known briefly in 1663 as Carolina River and appears as Albemarle River on the Locke map, 1671, and the Blome map, 1672. The John Barnwell map of about 1722 was one of the first to use the name Albemarle Sound. First permanent settlements in North Carolina were made along its N shore. Named after 1663 for George Monck, Duke of Albemarle, one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina. See also Weapemeoc. |
| Albemarle Township | See North Albemarle Township; South Albemarle Township. |
| Albemarle, The | or the Albemarle Section a term applied to NE North Carolina. It was the location of the first county, Albemarle County, which see. |