Bear Grass is a town in Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 89 at the 2020 census, up from 73 in 2010. The town of Bear Grass, located in the southern part of Martin County, was named for a type of yucca that grows less than two feet in height and is found abundantly in the region. One of the first settlers to the area was Joh…Bear Grass is a town in Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 89 at the 2020 census, up from 73 in 2010. The town of Bear Grass, located in the southern part of Martin County, was named for a type of yucca that grows less than two feet in height and is found abundantly in the region. One of the first settlers to the area was John Swinson, who received a large tract of land from the Earl of Granville, the last Lord Proprietor, in 1761. Bear Grass Swamp was a part of this property and was mentioned in Swinson's deed. Many of the early settlers were farmers whose principal crops of cotton and corn were sold in towns along the Tar and Roanoke rivers. Sheep, cattle, and hogs were also raised in large numbers, and farmers often supplemented their income with shingle making, woodcrafts, and the production of tar and turpentine from the area's abundant forests.
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