Mills River is a town in Henderson County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 6,802 at the 2010 census, and was estimated to be 7,406 in 2019.https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/millsrivertownnorthcarolina/PST045218 The town took its name from the nearby confluence of the Mills River and

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 form ...

. It is part of the

Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous ci ...

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 ...

. It was incorporated into a town in June 2003. Sierra Nevada opened a brewery in Mills River in 2014.

History

Prior to European colonization a large

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, t ...

settlement existed within the borders of Mills River. Mills River is among the oldest communities in Henderson County, with its first landholder receiving a deed from the state of North Carolina in 1788. It was once a thriving agricultural community, often called the "fertile crescent". The Mills River Chapel was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1988.

Geography

Mills River lies in the northwestern part of Henderson County, extending northeast to the

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 ...

border and southwest to the

Transylvania County Transylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census the population is 32,986. Its county seat is Brevard. Transylvania County comprises the Brevard Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included i ...

border. It is bordered to the northeast by the city of

and the town of

Fletcher Fletcher may refer to: People * Fletcher (occupation), a person who fletches arrows, the origin of the surname * Fletcher (singer) (born 1994), American actress and singer-songwriter * Fletcher (surname) * Fletcher (given name) Places United ...

, and to the south by the unincorporated communities of

Horse Shoe A horseshoe is a fabricated product designed to protect a horse hoof from wear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface (ground side) of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall that is anatomically akin to the human toe ...

and Etowah. 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 town has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.74%, are water. The

, one of the primary tributaries of the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other name ...

, flows through the northeastern part of the town. The Mills River, a tributary of the French Broad, flows from west to east through the center of the town, and the southern part of the town is in the valley of Boylston Creek, a small tributary of the French Broad. The town lies within minutes of

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 ...

Interstate 26 Interstate 26 (I-26) is a main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Nominally east–west, as indicated by its even number, I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W (US 11W) and US 23 in K ...

, and Asheville Regional Airport. Highways

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and

191 Year 191 ( CXCI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Apronianus and Bradua (or, less frequently, year 944 '' Ab urbe cond ...

serve as the major arteries and provide access to the nearby cities of

, to the north; Hendersonville, to the southeast; and Brevard, to the southwest.

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 7,078 people, 3,072 households, and 2,046 families residing in the town.

Government

The current mayor is Shanon Gonce, who took office in December 2021, elected by his fellow town council members. The current town council members are Randy Austin (2019), Roger Snyder (2019), James Cantrell (2021), and Sandra Goode (2021). Councilman Austin also serves the role of Mayor Pro Tem. Mills River is home to two schools: Mills River Elementary, Glenn C. Marlow Elementary, and is served Rugby Middle School, and West Henderson High School. The Town Hall and Library are located at 124 Town Center Drive. Surrounding the Town Hall is Mills River Park, whos
master plan
includes ball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, multi-use trails, a dog park, shelters and support facilities. The Mills River runs along the northern boundary of the property.

References

External links

Town of Mills River official websiteHenderson County Partnership for Economic Development
{{authority control Towns in North Carolina Towns in Henderson County, North Carolina Asheville metropolitan area Populated places established in 2003