Haywood County is a county located in the U.S. state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 62,089. The

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 ...

and its largest city is Waynesville. Haywood County is part of the Asheville, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

Part of indigenous territory considered the

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, th ...

homeland, the county was formed by European Americans in 1808 from the western part of Buncombe County. It was named for John Haywood, who served as the North Carolina State Treasurer from 1787 to 1827. In 1828 the western part of Haywood County became Macon County. In 1851 parts of Haywood and Macon counties were combined to form Jackson County. The last shot of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

east of the Mississippi was fired in Waynesville on May 9, 1865, when elements of the Thomas Legion ( Confederate) skirmished with the 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry ( Union). A monument is situated on Sulphur Springs Road in Waynesville.

Geography

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 a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water. The Pigeon River originates in Haywood County. All rivers and springs that flow in Haywood County originate in the county; no water flows into Haywood County from adjacent counties. Haywood County is situated amidst the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virg ...

and contains parts of several major subranges of the Blue Ridge, namely the

Great Smoky Mountains The Great Smoky Mountains (, ''Equa Dutsusdu Dodalv'') are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge ...

in the west and the

Plott Balsams The Plott Balsams are a mountain range in western North Carolina, in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Plott Balsams stretch from the city of Sylva in t ...

and

Great Balsam Mountains The Great Balsam Mountains, or Balsam Mountains, are in the mountain region of western North Carolina, United States. The Great Balsams are a subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which in turn are a part of the Appalachian Mountains. The most f ...

in the south. Notable peaks in the county include Cold Mountain, at , Mount Sterling, at , and Richland Balsam, at in elevation. Mt. Guyot, the county's highest point at , is the 4th highest mountain east of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

Black Balsam Knob Black Balsam Knob, also known as Black Balsam Bald, is in the Pisgah National Forest southwest of Asheville, North Carolina, near milepost 420 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is the second highest mountain in the Great Balsam Mountains. The Great Ba ...

, in the

in the southeastern section of the county, is the highest grassy bald in the entire Appalachian range. Haywood County is believed to be the highest county (by mean elevation) east of the

, with a mean elevation of . A portion of

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, w ...

lies in the northwestern section of the county, north of Maggie Valley. Along with several mountains rising to over in elevation, the Haywood County area of the Smokies includes Cataloochee, which is home to a large campground and several historical structures dating to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Other protected areas include substantial sections of the Pisgah National Forest in the far northeastern and southern parts of the county.

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 Shenan ...

(part) *

(part) * Mountains to Sea Trail (part) * Nantahala National Forest (part) *

Cherokee Indian Reservation The Qualla Boundary or The Qualla is territory held as a land trust by the United States government for the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who reside in western North Carolina. The area is part of the large historic Cher ...

Qualla Boundary The Qualla Boundary or The Qualla is territory held as a land trust by the United States government for the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who reside in western North Carolina. The area is part of the large historic Chero ...

(part) * Middle Prong Wilderness Area * Shining Rock Wilderness Area (part) * The Appalachian Trail (part)

State and local protected areas

Harmon Den Wildlife Management Area __NOTOC__ Harmon may refer to: Places Canada * Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, also known as Harmon, a former United States military installation * Harmon Links, a golf course in Stephenville, Newfoundland United States * Harmon, Illinois * Harm ...

(part) *

Pisgah View State Park Pisgah View State Park is a developing North Carolina state park in Buncombe and Haywood Counties, North Carolina, in the United States. The center piece of the park is the approximately Pisgah View Ranch, which has rental cabins, equestri ...

(part)

Major water bodies

* Bald Creek * Big Creek * Cooks Creek * Cove Creek * Crabtree Creek *

Lake Junaluska Lake Junaluska is a census-designated place (CDP) in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States, and a manmade lake in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lake Junaluska is named after nearby ...

* Lake Logan *

Laurel Creek Laurel Creek is a river in Delaware County, New York. It flows into the Roods Creek Roods Creek is a river in Delaware County, New York. It begins just south of Cannonsville Reservoir and flows south into Crystal Lake. After exiting Crystal ...

* Little Creek * Pigeon River * Rocky Branch Lake *

Waterville Lake Waterville may refer to: Places Canada * Waterville, Quebec * Waterville, Nova Scotia * Waterville, Carleton County, New Brunswick, a rural community * Waterville, Sunbury County, New Brunswick, a rural community * Waterville, Newfoundland and La ...

Adjacent counties

* Cocke County, Tennessee - north * Sevier County, Tennessee - northwest * Madison County - northeast * Buncombe County - east * Henderson County - southeast * Transylvania County - south * Jackson County - southwest *

Swain County Swain County is a county located on the far western border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,117. Its county seat is Bryson City. Four rivers flow through the mountainous terrain of Swain County ...

- west

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * *

Major infrastructure

* The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad operates a portion a line through Haywood County, providing a rail connection with the rest of the country. The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad's main classification yard is located in

Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ente ...

, which directly serves Evergreen Packaging (owned by International Paper) and originates several local runs.

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 off ...

, there were 62,089 people, 26,653 households, and 17,170 families residing in the county.

2000 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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 54,033 people, 23,100 households, and 16,054 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 98 people per square mile (38/km²). There were 28,640 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.85%

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 ...

, 1.27%

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 ha ...

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 ...

, 0.49% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.44% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. 30.8% were of

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, 12.9%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, 12.0%

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 10.4% Irish and 8.3% Scots-Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.1% spoke

and 1.9% Spanish as their first language. There were 23,100 households, out of which 26.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% 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 ...

living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% 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 2.76. In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.80% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 27.10% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 92.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $33,922, and the median income for a family was $40,438. Males had a median income of $30,731 versus $21,750 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 $18,554. About 8.10% of families and 11.50% 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 ...

, including 17.40% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government, law, and public safety

Government

Haywood County is governed by an elected five member four-year term County Board of Commissioners. The Board appoints and directs policy for a county manager. Haywood County is a member of the regional Southwestern Commission council of governments.

Policing

Sheriff and municipal police

The Haywood County sheriff provides court protection and jail management for the entire county and provides patrol and detective services for the unincorporated portions of the county. The towns of Waynesville, Canton, and Maggie Valley have municipal police departments. As of October 1, 2020 the Sheriff's Office took over all law enforcement service for the town of Clyde. Haywood County contains a portion of the

which is a tribal reservation for the

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᏱ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᎩ, ''Tsalagiyi Detsadanilvgi'') is a federally recognized Indian Tribe based in Western North Carolina in the United States. They are descended from the sm ...

. Lands and people living within this reservation are subject mostly to tribal/federal laws rather than county or state laws.

Lake Junaluska

Security for Lake Junaluska is provided by the Haywood County sheriff. The security chief is a sheriff's captain and all responding officers are sworn deputies supported by LJ security officers.

Fire protection

Fire protection and rescue services are provided by the Clyde, Cruso, North Canton, Saunook, Waynesville, Crabtree-Ironduff, Maggie Valley, Junaluska, Center Pigeon, Canton, Jonathan Creek, Fines Creek, and Lake Logan-Cecil Fire Departments.

Politics

Haywood County was a Democratic-leaning swing county for essentially the entire 20th century. Since 2000, however, it has seen a strong trend toward the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...

in national elections.

Donald Trump's Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...

2020 performance of 62.5% was the best by a Republican in Haywood County since Nixon's 1972 landslide.

Education

Haywood County Schools has 15 schools ranging from

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

. Those are separated into three

high schools A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

, three

middle schools A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...

, and nine elementary schools.

Tuscola-Pisgah rivalry

The two major high schools in the Haywood County Schools System, the

Tuscola High School Tuscola High School is a public senior high school located in Waynesville, North Carolina, United States, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west-southwest of Asheville. Tuscola High School succeeded the original Waynesville Township High School du ...

Mountaineers of Waynesville and Pisgah High School Black Bears of Canton participate in one of the fiercest high school rivalries in the Nation, as cited by the Great American Rivalry Series. The two high school football teams battle it out for the Haywood County Championship each fall, drawing up to 15,000 fans. Pisgah now leads the series at 30-26-1. The Pisgah Bears have won the last 8 meetings.

Festivals

The annual ramp (''

Allium tricoccum ''Allium tricoccum'' (commonly known as ramp, ramps, ramson, wild leek, wood leek, or wild garlic) is a North American species of wild onion or garlic widespread across eastern Canada and the eastern United States. Many of the common English n ...

'') convention in Haywood County, known as the oldest in the Nation, has drawn as many as 4,000 participants a year since its inception circa 1925. It is held each May.

Folkmoot USA Folkmoot USA, The State International Festival of North Carolina, is an international folk festival held since 1984 in Waynesville, North Carolina and surrounding communities. During its history, the two-week event has featured around 8000 perform ...

is an international

folk festival A folk festival celebrates traditional folk crafts and folk music. This list includes folk festivals worldwide, except those with only a partial focus on folk music or arts. Folk festivals may also feature folk dance or ethnic foods. Handicra ...

held since 1984 in Waynesville, North Carolina and surrounding communities. During its history, the two-week event has featured around 200 groups from approximately 100 countries. The Southeast Tourism Society has named Folkmoot USA one of its top twenty events for 20 years. The

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets in the North Caroli ...

declared Folkmoot USA to be the state's official international folk festival in 2003.

Communities

Towns

* Waynesville, (county seat and largest town) population 10,372 (2022), elevation 2,752. *

, population 4,374 (2022), elevation 2615 ft. * Clyde, population 1,383 (2022), elevation 2,543 ft. * Maggie Valley, population 1,678 (2022), elevation 3,018 ft.

Census-designated places

, population 3,323 (2022) * West Canton, population 1,296 (2022)

Unincorporated communities

* Cruso * Saunook

Other well known communities/areas

* Eagles Nest * Max Patch * Cataloochee * Junaluska * Center Pigeon * Dutch Cove

Townships

* Beaverdam * Bethel * Cataloochee * Cecil * Clyde * Crabtree * Cruso * East Fork * Fines Creek * Iron Duff * Ivy Hill * Jonathan Creek * Pigeon * Suttontown * Waynesville * White Oak

In popular culture

Cold Mountain, in southeast Haywood County within the Pisgah National Forest, became popularly known when featured as the title and setting of the 1997 historical novel ''Cold Mountain'' by Charles Frazier. He explored the later stages of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

in the area and a Confederate soldier's effort to return home. The novel was adapted as a

major motion picture Punchline is an American rock band from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, United States, that was formed in 1998. The band released its seventh full-length album, '' Thrilled'', on December 4, 2015, on InVogue Records. History 1998-2002: early yea ...

, released by

Miramax Films Miramax, LLC, also known as Miramax Films, is an American film and television production and distribution company founded on December 19, 1979, by brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, and based in Los Angeles, California. It was initially a lead ...

in 2003 and starring Nicole Kidman,

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Cés ...

, and Renée Zellweger.

References

External links

*
article in Travel America magazine

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haywood County, North Carolina Asheville metropolitan area 1808 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1808 Counties of Appalachia Haywood family