Transylvania County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. As of the
2020 census the population is 32,986. Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Brevard.
Transylvania County comprises the Brevard
Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the
Asheville-Brevard, NC CSA
The Asheville metropolitan area is a metropolitan area centered on the principal city of Asheville, North Carolina. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the Asheville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan stat ...
combined statistical area.
History
The North Carolina General Assembly apportioned Transylvania County on February 15, 1861, from lands previously attributed to neighboring
Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
and
Henderson Henderson may refer to:
People
*Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname
*Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan
Places Argentina
*Henderson, Buenos Aires
Australia
*Henderson, Western Australia
Canada
* H ...
counties; it was named by representative Joseph P. Jordan. Until the early 20th century, the vast majority of Transylvania County residents subsisted through agriculture, growing staples such as potatoes and cabbage.
[Archived a]
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Wayback Machine
Beginning in the early 20th century, with Joseph Silverstein's tannery in what was renamed as
Rosman in 1905, a manufacturing economy began to develop in the county. It relied on timber and related products harvested from the
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...
. In the 1930s, Harry Straus opened a paper mill in the Pisgah Forest area; by the mid-20th century, Straus's Ecusta Paper manufacturing site provided jobs to over 3,000 local residents. During the peak industrial years of the 1950s,
DuPont
DuPont de Nemours, Inc., commonly shortened to DuPont, is an American multinational chemical company first formed in 1802 by French-American chemist and industrialist Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours. The company played a major role in ...
had a factory in the county, employing nearly 1,000 more residents.
In the following decades,
Brevard College
Brevard College is a private college in Brevard, North Carolina. The college grants the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.
History
Brevard College was named for Ephraim Brevard, a teacher and one of the local leaders that produc ...
and its namesake town each grew at dramatic rates. The
Brevard Music Center
Brevard Music Center is a classical music venue and festival held annually located in Brevard, North Carolina. It has been the home to their international summer institute and festival that enrolls about four hundred students, age fourteen and o ...
and its summer Brevard Music Festival began to attract musicians and enthusiasts from around the country to Transylvania County.
Since the late 20th century, Transylvania County's economy has changed. Many of the manufacturing operations went defunct or moved offshore for cheap labor, including Ecusta and DuPont. Since then, the county has worked to reshape its economy around the growing summer and winter tourism industry in Appalachia.
Geography
![Biltmore Forestry School, Schoolhouse, Brevard vicinity (Transylvania County, North Carolina)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Biltmore_Forestry_School%2C_Schoolhouse%2C_Brevard_vicinity_%28Transylvania_County%2C_North_Carolina%29.jpg)
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has an area of , of which is land and (0.5%) water.
Transylvania County contains the primary headwaters of the
French Broad River
The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville forms ...
, locally called North Fork, West Fork, East Fork, and Middle Fork. Since the county's northern and western boundaries follow mountain ridges, all these tributaries originate from sources in the county. The French Broad flows primarily east and northward through the county into Henderson County.
The county's northern border follows the ridge line proximate to the
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...
, and the southern border mostly follows the
Eastern Continental Divide
The Eastern Continental Divide, Eastern Divide or Appalachian Divide is a hydrographic divide in eastern North America that separates the easterly Atlantic Seaboard watershed from the westerly Gulf of Mexico watershed. The divide nearly span ...
, from the border of Henderson County and South Carolina, westward to near US 178 and Jackson County. The headwaters of
Lake Toxaway lie south of the Eastern Continental Divide, becoming the
Toxaway River
The Toxaway River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 26, 2011 waterway that flows south from headwaters in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Lake Toxaway ...
, descending rapidly through
Gorges State Park
Gorges State Park is a North Carolina state park in Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States and along with other conservation lands is part of a 100,000+ acre conservation corridor stretching some 80 miles along the NC/SC state ...
and into
Lake Jocassee
Lake Jocassee (, ) is a , deep reservoir in northwest South Carolina. It was created in 1973 by the state in partnership with Duke Power. The lake is known for the clean and cold Appalachian mountain rivers that flow into it, keeping its wat ...
on the county's southern edge. This area, known as the Cane Brake, is difficult to access from North Carolina due to the steep slope of the trails in Gorges State Park, but can be reached more easily via the
Foothills Trail
The Foothills Trail is a National Recreation Trail in South and North Carolina, United States, for recreational hiking and backpacking. It extends from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park. It passes through the Andrew Pickens Ranger Dis ...
from South Carolina.
Transylvania County is known as the "Land of Waterfalls", due to it having over 250
waterfalls
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...
. This is due to a combination of its high precipitation and location on the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Notable waterfalls in the county include
Looking Glass Falls
Looking Glass Falls is a waterfall in Western North Carolina, located near Brevard.
Natural history
The name comes from nearby Looking Glass Rock, which resembles a wintertime mirror (or "looking glass") of sunlight, as water freezes on its side ...
,
Moore Cove Falls
Moore Cove Falls is a waterfall in Pisgah National Forest in Western North Carolina, located near Brevard.
Natural history
The name comes from Moore Cove, and was named for Adam Q. Moore, who purchased the property. In 1891, the property was so ...
,
Rainbow Falls, and
Whitewater Falls, the tallest waterfall east of the
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
. It receives over 90 inches of rain annually due to
orographic lift
Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and cr ...
, making it the state's wettest county. (
Buncombe County
Buncombe County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is classified within Western North Carolina. The 2020 census reported the population was 269,452. Its county seat is Asheville. Buncombe County is part of the Ashevill ...
, 30 miles northeast, is the driest, as it sits in Transylvania County's
rain shadow
A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side.
Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carrie ...
.) The
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...
traverses parts of the county, and has views of the
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
, which reach over elevation in the county. The highest point, Chestnut Knob, , lies northwest of Brevard.
National protected areas
*
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...
(part)
*
Nantahala National Forest
The Nantahala National Forest ( /ˌnæntəˈheɪlə/), is the largest of the four national forests in North Carolina, lying in the mountains and valleys of western North Carolina. The Nantahala is the second wettest region in the country, after the ...
(part)
*
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...
(part)
State and local protected areas
*
Biltmore Forest School
The Biltmore Forest School was the first school of forestry in North America. Carl A. Schenck founded this school of "practical forestry" in 1896 on George W. Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate near Asheville, North Carolina.Fifty Years of Forestry ...
*
Bracken Preserve
*
Camp Creek Falls
*
Davidson River Recreational Area
Davidson may refer to:
* Davidson (name)
* Clan Davidson, a Highland Scottish clan
* Davidson Media Group
* Davidson Seamount, undersea mountain southwest of Monterey, California, USA
* Tyler Davidson Fountain, monument in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
* ...
*
DuPont State Recreational Forest
DuPont State Recreational Forest, commonly known as DuPont Forest, is a state forest, located in Henderson and Transylvania counties of North Carolina. The name originates from the fact that the DuPont company arranged the sale of the original t ...
(part)
*
Gorges State Park
Gorges State Park is a North Carolina state park in Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States and along with other conservation lands is part of a 100,000+ acre conservation corridor stretching some 80 miles along the NC/SC state ...
*
Headwaters State Forest
Headwaters State Forest is a state forest, located in Transylvania County, North Carolina, along the South Carolina state line and is part of a larger 100,000+ acre conservation corridor that stretches some 80 miles along the state line. The ...
*
Southern Highlands Reserve
Southern may refer to:
Businesses
* China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China
* Southern Airways, defunct US airline
* Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US
* Southern Airways Express, ...
(part)
*
Sycamore Flats Recreational Area
Major water bodies
*
Atagahi Lake
*
Cascade Lake
*
Dupont Lake
*
French Broad River
The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville forms ...
*
Horsepasture River
The Horsepasture River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 26, 2011 National Wild and Scenic river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The ...
*
Kings Creek
*
Lake Jocassee
Lake Jocassee (, ) is a , deep reservoir in northwest South Carolina. It was created in 1973 by the state in partnership with Duke Power. The lake is known for the clean and cold Appalachian mountain rivers that flow into it, keeping its wat ...
*
Lake Julia
*
Lake Toxaway
*
Lake Wanteska
*
Little River
Little River may refer to several places:
Australia Streams New South Wales
*Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River
* Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...
*
North Fork French Broad River
*
Shoal Creek
*
South Fork Flat Creek
*
Thunder Lake
*
Thompson River
The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches, the South Thompson River and the North Thompson River. The river ...
*
Ticoa Lake
*
Toxaway Creek
Adjacent counties
*
Henderson County - east
*
Greenville County, South Carolina
Greenville County is located in the state of South Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 525,534, making it the most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Greenville. The county is also home to the ...
- southeast
*
Pickens County, South Carolina
Pickens County is located in the northwest part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 131,404. Its county seat is Pickens. The county was created in 1826. It is part of the Greenville-Anderson- Mauldin ...
- south
*
Oconee County, South Carolina
Oconee County is the westernmost County (United States), county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 78,607. Its county seat is Walhalla, South Carolina, Walhalla and its large ...
- southwest
*
Jackson County - west
*
Haywood County - northwest
*
Buncombe County
Buncombe County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is classified within Western North Carolina. The 2020 census reported the population was 269,452. Its county seat is Asheville. Buncombe County is part of the Ashevill ...
- northeast
Major highways
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 32,986 people, 14,567 households, and 9,978 families residing in the county.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 33,090 people, 14,394 households, and 8,660 families residing in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 83 people per square mile (30/km
2). There were 15,553 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile (16/km
2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.4%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 3.9%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.3%
Native American, 0.4%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, and 1.12% from two or more races. 2.9% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 12,320 households, out of which 25.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.74.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.40% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 23.10% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 21.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,587, and the median income for a family was $45,579. Males had a median income of $31,743 versus $21,191 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $20,767. About 6.60% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 11.80% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
At present Transylvania is a solidly Republican county, although much less so than the vast majority of
Appalachia
Appalachia () is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York State to northern Alabama and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ca ...
. No Democratic presidential nominee has carried Transylvania County since Jimmy Carter did so in 1976.
Transylvania County has a council-manager form of government, with a five-member Board of Commissioners elected at large. The Commissioners hire and supervise a separate County Manager. The current County Manager is Jaime Laughter. The current members of the Board of Commissioners are Jason Chappell (chairman), Jake Dalton (vice-chairman), Teresa McCall, Larry Chapman, and David Guice.
Transylvania Regional Hospital
Transylvania Regional Hospital (TRH), formerly known as Transylvania Community Hospital, is a Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations accredited 94-bed community hospital. It was formed in 1933 and is located between downtown ...
(TRH) was formed in 1933 with the mission to serve the community's health care needs. A 94-bed facility fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), it has more than 120 active, consulting and courtesy physicians representing a full spectrum of specialties.
Transylvania County is a member of the
Land-of-Sky Regional Council of governments.
The current mayor of Brevard is Maureen Copelof. The current mayor of Rosman is Brian Shelton.
Communities
City
*
Brevard (county seat and largest city)
Town
*
Rosman
Townships
* Boyd
* Brevard
* Cathey's Creek
* Dunn's Rock
* Eastatoe
* Gloucester
* Hogback
* Little River
Unincorporated communities
* Balsam Grove
* Cathey's Creek
* Cedar Mountain
* Connestee Falls
* Dunn's Rock
* Lake Toxaway
* Little River
* Penrose
* Pisgah Forest
* Quebec
* Sapphire
Points of interest
*
Biltmore Forest School
The Biltmore Forest School was the first school of forestry in North America. Carl A. Schenck founded this school of "practical forestry" in 1896 on George W. Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate near Asheville, North Carolina.Fifty Years of Forestry ...
, first school of forestry in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
*
Blue Ridge Community College, Transylvania campus
*
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...
*
Brevard College
Brevard College is a private college in Brevard, North Carolina. The college grants the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.
History
Brevard College was named for Ephraim Brevard, a teacher and one of the local leaders that produc ...
*
Brevard Little Theater
*
Brevard Music Center
Brevard Music Center is a classical music venue and festival held annually located in Brevard, North Carolina. It has been the home to their international summer institute and festival that enrolls about four hundred students, age fourteen and o ...
*
DuPont State Forest
DuPont State Recreational Forest, commonly known as DuPont Forest, is a state forest, located in Henderson and Transylvania counties of North Carolina. The name originates from the fact that the DuPont company arranged the sale of the original ...
*
Gorges State Park
Gorges State Park is a North Carolina state park in Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States and along with other conservation lands is part of a 100,000+ acre conservation corridor stretching some 80 miles along the NC/SC state ...
*
Lake Toxaway
*
Looking Glass Falls
Looking Glass Falls is a waterfall in Western North Carolina, located near Brevard.
Natural history
The name comes from nearby Looking Glass Rock, which resembles a wintertime mirror (or "looking glass") of sunlight, as water freezes on its side ...
*
Nantahala National Forest
The Nantahala National Forest ( /ˌnæntəˈheɪlə/), is the largest of the four national forests in North Carolina, lying in the mountains and valleys of western North Carolina. The Nantahala is the second wettest region in the country, after the ...
*
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) (pronounced ''perry'') is a non-profit astronomical observatory located in the Pisgah National Forest near Balsam Grove, North Carolina. PARI operates multiple radio telescopes and optical telescopes ...
*
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...
*
Sliding Rock
*
Transylvania Arts Council
*
Transylvania County Schools
*
Whitewater Falls, highest
waterfall
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...
in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
See also
*
List of counties in North Carolina
__NOTOC__
The U.S. state of North Carolina is divided into 100 counties. North Carolina ranks 28th in size by area, but has the seventh-highest number of counties in the country.
Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, King Charles ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Transylvania County, North Carolina
*
North Carolina State Parks
The State of North Carolina has a group of protected areas known as the North Carolina State Park System, which is managed by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR), an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cu ...
*
List of North Carolina state forests
The State of North Carolina has a group of twelve protected areas known as State Forests which are managed by the North Carolina Forest Service, an agency of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The seven of the ...
*
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
References
External links
HendersonvilleNews.com - The Times-News OnlineCradle of Forestry In America websiteTransylvania County government websiteTransylvania County LibraryCarolina Mountain Land ConservancyWaterfalls in Transylvania CountyNCGenWeb Transylvania County- free genealogy resources for the county
- Free Insider Guide to Brevard and Transylvania County
{{authority control
Transylvania County, North Carolina,
Counties of Appalachia
1861 establishments in North Carolina
Populated places established in 1861