Brevard ( ) is a city and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Transylvania County, North Carolina Transylvania County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population is 32,986. Its county seat is Brevard, North Carolina, Brevard. Transylvania County co ...

, United States, with a population of 7,609 as of the 2010 census. Brevard is located at the entrance to

Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest is a United States National Forest, 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 P ...

and has become a noted tourism, retirement and cultural center in western North Carolina. A moderate climate, environmental beauty and cultural activities attracts retirees to the area. Brevard is also known for its white squirrels. There are several theories of how they came to live there, including an overturned carnival truck and an escaped pet breeding with native squirrels. Along with nearby

Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the county seat of Buncombe County. It is the most populous city in Western North Carolina a ...

and Hendersonville, Brevard forms 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, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area ...

combined statistical area.

History

According to the Transylvania Heritage Museum, the North Carolina General Assembly apportioned Transylvania County on February 15, 1861, from lands previously attributed to neighboring

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

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. In the county's creation, a county seat was required to be conveniently accessible to most of the county's citizens. Its namesake was to honor Colonel Ephraim Brevard, M.D., a reputed Revolutionary War veteran.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of 5.12 square miles, of which 0% is water.

Climate

Brevard is located in a

temperate rainforest Temperate rainforests are rainforests with coniferous or Broad-leaved tree, broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rainforests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate ...

and has a climate that borders between a

humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between la ...

and

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

and receives abundant rainfall year round 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 ...

due to its location in the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...

and the nearby

Great Balsam Mountains The Great Balsam Mountains, or Balsam Mountains, are in the Western North Carolina, 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 Appalachi ...

. It is one of the wettest towns in the US outside of the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...

. It is also common for the town to get small amounts of snow in the winter. The town does not have any dry season, but fall gets the least amount of rain of all the seasons.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,744 people, 3,530 households, and 2,005 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 7,609 people, 3,253 households, and 1,711 families residing in the city. The population density was . The racial makeup of the city was 83.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 11.0%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.07%, 0.46% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population. There were 2,826 households, out of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12, and the average family size was 2.73. The population was distributed broadly among different age groups, with 18.3% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 19.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 28.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,497, and the median income for a family was $44,489. Males had a median income of $26,929 versus $21,348 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $18,256. About 7.61% of families and 10.7% 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 17.0% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

White Squirrel Festival takes place on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday preceding Memorial Day. It features the white Squirrel, Pisgah Pete, live music, arts & crafts, and food. The white variant of the eastern gray squirrel ('' Sciurus carolinensis'') is commonly seen around Brevard.

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...

is a major event in Brevard. The celebrations include an annual fireworks display and a car judging competition. Streets downtown are blocked off for a festival including games, arts and crafts, concerts and food vendors. Halloweenfest takes place on the last Saturday of October in downtown Brevard. Brevard is located in Transylvania County and it shows up in the enthusiasm seen in the costumes during the event. Live music, other street performers, arts & crafts, Flight of the Vampires 5K Run, pet costume contest, haunted house, ghost tour, and other activities happen all day. Twilight Tour: Early in the morning runners come out for the Reindeer Run 5K Run. Street vendors appear in the afternoon after downtown is closed to traffic. The Christmas Parade proceeds down South Broad Street around 3pm, starting at

Brevard High School Brevard High School is a public high school in Brevard, North Carolina, one of three in the Transylvania County Schools district. In the 2022–2023 school year, it had an enrollment of 751. David "Mick" Galloway became the principal at the sta ...

and ending at

Brevard College Brevard College is a private college in Brevard, North Carolina, United States. The college grants Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Science degrees. History Brevard College was named for Ephraim Brevard, a teacher and one of ...

. After the parade, Twilight Tour takes place with, horse-drawn carriages, luminaries, seasonal music, and food in the many downtown shops & restaurants.

Education

Transylvania County Schools has two public high schools:

and Rosman High School. The system also has an alternative high school in Davidson River School. There are four elementary schools and two middle schools. There is also one charter school, Brevard Academy, and several smaller private schools.

, a four-year liberal arts institution, is located in Brevard. The town is also home to 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 ...

, and to a campus of the Blue Ridge Community College. During the summer Brevard holds a distance runners camp at Brevard College.

Notable people

* Kevin S. Brown (born 1968) Episcopal bishop of Delaware * Joseph R. Bryson (1893–1953) member of U.S. House of Representatives *

Gil Coan Gilbert Fitzgerald Coan (May 18, 1922 – February 4, 2020) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox and New York Giants. Listed ...

(1922–2020)

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

outfielder *

Spencer Fisher Spencer William Fisher (born May 9, 1976) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2002–2012, he is best known for his 17-fight tenure with the UFC, winning "Fight of the Night" honors three times. Backgroun ...

(born 1976) mixed martial artist *

Courtney W. Hamlin Courtney Walker Hamlin (October 27, 1858 – February 16, 1950) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative from Missouri and cousin of William Edward Barton. Early life Hamlin was born in Brevard, North Carolina. In 1869 mo ...

(1858–1950) member of U.S. House of Representatives * James A. Hefner (1941–2015) former president, Tennessee State University (son of Art Hefner) *

Clifford B. Hicks Clifford B. Hicks (August 10, 1920 – September 29, 2010) was an American writer and magazine editor, best known for his children's books chronicling the adventures of Alvin Fernald. Biography Hicks was born in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1920."Hicks, ...

(1920–2010) author *

Allen Hunt Allen R. Hunt (born January 6, 1964, in Los Angeles, California) is an American author and speaker. He is a former Methodist pastor and a convert to the Catholic Church. Early life Allen R. Hunt was born on January 6, 1964, in Los Angeles, C ...

(born 1964) radio personality *

Randy Johnson Randall David Johnson (born September 10, 1963), nicknamed, "the Big Unit," is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (1988–2009) for six teams, primarily the Seattle Mariners and Arizo ...

(1944–2009) football player *

Moms Mabley Loretta Mary Aiken (March 19, 1897 – May 23, 1975), known by her stage name Jackie "Moms" Mabley, was an American stand-up comedian and actress. Mabley began her career on the theater stage in the 1920s and became a veteran entertainer of the ...

(1894–1975) stand-up comedian *

Mickey Marvin Phillip Michael Marvin (October 5, 1955 – March 6, 2017) was an American professional American football, football player who was a Guard (gridiron football), guard for the Las Vegas, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League ...

(1955–2017) football player, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders * Cliff Melton (1912–1986) Major League Baseball pitcher *

Lauren Myracle Lauren Myracle (born May 15, 1969) is an American writer of young adult fiction. She has written many novels, including the three best-selling "IM" books, ''ttyl (novel), ttyl'', ''ttfn (novel), ttfn'' and ''l8r, g8r''. Her book ''Thirteen Plus O ...

(born 1969) author * James Champlin "Champ" Osteen (1877–1962) Major League baseball infielder * Woody Platt bluegrass musician *

Marie M. Runyon Marie M. Runyon (March 20, 1915 – October 7, 2018) was an American activist and former New York State Legislator from New York (state), New York. Early life Marie Runyon (born Marie Morgan) was born on March 20, 1915, in Brevard, North Carolin ...

(1915–2018) activist and politician * O. K. Smathers (1914–1997) world champion archer * Charles H. Taylor (born 1941) former member of U.S. House of Representatives *

Charles O'Rear Charles O'Rear (born November 26, 1941) is an American photographer and author, known for photographing ''Bliss'', the default wallpaper of Microsoft's Windows XP operating system, and for being a ''National Geographic'' photographer from 1971 ...

(born 1941) photographer of ''

Bliss BLISS is a system programming language developed at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) by W. A. Wulf, D. B. Russell, and A. N. Habermann around 1970. It was perhaps the best known system language until C debuted a few years later. Since then, C ...

'', the default wallpaper of Windows XP

Sister city

Brevard has one

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...

, as designated by

Sister Cities International Sister Cities International (SCI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the goal of facilitating partnerships between communities within the United States and other countries by establishing sister cities. Sister cities are agreements of ...

: *

Pietroasa, Bihor Pietroasa ("stony" in Romanian; ) is a commune in Bihor County, Crișana, Romania with a population of 3,209 people. It is composed of seven villages: Chișcău (''Kiskoh''), Cociuba Mică (''Felsőkocsoba''), Giulești (''Zsulest''), Gurani (''Gu ...

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

Local Sculptor To Depart For Brevard's Sister City In Romania
''The Transylvania Times''. Retrieved Jul 22, 2020.

References

{{authority control Cities in North Carolina Cities in Transylvania County, North Carolina County seats in North Carolina Populated places established in 1861 North Carolina populated places on the French Broad River