Western North Carolina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Western North Carolina (often abbreviated as WNC) is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains, thus it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It is sometimes included with upstate South Carolina as the "Western Carolinas", which is also counted as a single media market.
The term Land of the Sky (or Land-of-Sky) is a common nickname for this mountanous region and has been more recently adopted to refer to the Asheville area. The term is derived from the title of the book, Land of the Sky, written by Mrs. Frances Tiernan, under the pseudonym Christian Reid. The book often mentions the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains, the two main ranges that comprise Western North Carolina. The Asheville area regional government body, the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, utilizes the nickname.
Located east of the Tennessee state line and west of the Piedmont, Western North Carolina contains very few major urban centers. Asheville, North Carolina, located in the region's center, is the area's largest city and most prominent commercial hub. The Foothills region of the state is loosely defined as the area along Western North Carolina's eastern boundary; this region is comprised of a transitional terrain of gentle hills between the Appalachians and the Piedmont Plateau. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have a reservation situated in the Western North Carolina region, adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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[edit] High Country
The northern counties in Western North Carolina are commonly known as the state's High Country.[1] Centered around Boone, the High Country boasts the area's most popular ski resorts, including Ski Beech, Appalachian Ski Mountain, and Sugar Mountain The area also features many historical sites and geological formations like the Old Wilkes Jail, Linville Caverns, and Mystery Hill. Education, skiing tourism, and Christmas tree farming are among this area's most prominent industries.[2]
[edit] Higher education
Western Carolina University has three campuses in western North Carolina. Appalachian State University in Boone and UNC Asheville are the region's other two universities. Several liberal-arts colleges are also located in the region. Mars Hill College, affiliated with the North Carolina Baptist Convention, is located 15 miles north of Asheville. Founded in 1856, it is the oldest college or university in western North Carolina. Montreat College, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, is located 15 miles east of Asheville. Lees-McRae College, located near Boone, North Carolina, is also affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Warren Wilson College, located in Swannanoa, is noted for its strong pro-environment policies. Brevard College, located in Brevard, North Carolina, is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
[edit] Transportation
Two major Interstate highways cross the region: Interstate 40, which traverses east-west, and Interstate 26, which traverses north-south. Interstate 240 is the only auxiliary interstate route in the region and it loops around northern Asheville. The Norfolk Southern railroad also runs through the region, as does the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. Two short tourist railroads also operate in the area: Tweetsie Railroad and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.
[edit] Economy
Tourism is the major part of the economy in the area which contains half of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a great deal of area in the Nantahala National Forest. There are also several Tennessee Valley Authority lakes and dams scattered throughout Western North Carolina like Lake Lure and Fontana Dam. Many visitors travel to the region every summer and autumn from major cities like Charlotte, Atlanta and Knoxville, to escape the hot weather and see the leaves change colors.
[edit] Topography
There are several mountain peaks over 5000 feet or 1500 meters in elevation, with a very few over 6600 feet or 2000 meters. Mount Mitchell is the highest point in eastern North America. Valley locations are typically closer to 2000 feet or 600 meters AMSL.
The French Broad River is the largest river in the region; others include the Little Tennessee River and Swannanoa River. The Eastern Continental Divide runs through the region, dividing Tennessee-bound streams from those flowing through the Carolinas.
[edit] Area
[edit] Counties
Western North Carolina generally consists of 23 counties, which when combined form a total regional area of rougly 9,700 square miles (25000 square km). The counties commonly included in the region are as follows:
[edit] Cities and towns
Western North Carolina communities in the region include:
[edit] Over 10,000 population
- Asheville 72,231
- Hickory 37,222 (although mostly outside the region)
- Morganton 17,310
- Lenoir 16,793
- Hendersonville 16,095
- Boone 13,472
[edit] Fewer than 10,000 population
[edit] Important unincorporated communities
- Cherokee (headquarters for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee)
- Cullowhee (site of Western Carolina University's main campus)
- Deals Gap (site of a nationally famous motorcycle and sportscar resort)
- Lake Junaluska (heaquarters for the World Methodist Council and site of a United Methodist camp and conference center)
