Polk County (North Carolina)

Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,510. Its county seat is Columbus. The county was formed in 1855 from parts of Henderson County and Rutherford County. It was named for William Polk, a colonel in the American Revolutionary War. The Tryon International Equestrian Center, close to the community of Mill Spring will be the location of the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.GeographyAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.3%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in North Carolina by total area.The county's largest body of water is Lake Adger, located about 5mi north of Columbus. Lake Adger is a reservoir formed by the damming of the Green River, which flows from west to east across the county. The northern extent of the river's watershed forms the northern border of the county.