Seven Devils is a town in Avery and Watauga counties 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 so ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

. The population was 313 at the 2020 census. The town, which is located in the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

, is best known as the site of a popular wintertime tubing resort known as Hawksnest, which claims it has the largest tubing facility on the East Coast, and some of the town's year round residents earn their living at the resort. Many others are retirees. Developed in the 1970s as a vacation home community, Seven Devils is home mostly to seasonal residents.

History

In the mid-1960s, seven men from the Winston-Salem area established the unincorporated community of Seven Devils with the vision of creating a recreational resort. The seven founders included four brothers, Herbert Reynolds, Frank Reynolds, Galloway Reynolds and Dan Reynolds, and their partners George Kempton, Ray Smith and Gardner Gidley. They wanted a unique name to attract visitors and decided upon ''Seven Devils'' based on a combination of factors. There were seven founders and seven distinct peaks from the ridge line of the Blue Ridge Parkway that viewed the area, and locals often said that "the wind blows like the devil up there in the winter time." In its early days, Seven Devils featured a campground, swimming lake, horseback riding trails and stables, rental cottages and a general store. The Seven Devils Golf & Ski Resort opened in December 1968, attracting more visitors and residents. The town of Seven Devils was incorporated on June 30, 1979. In the early 1980s, Jon Reynolds assumed ownership of the ski area and changed its name to Ski Hawksnest. The resort soon became a favorite among locals and college students, offering low ticket prices, a bar with live music, and a weekend night skiing session called "Nighthawk" that ran from 10pm to 4am. In 1993, Leonard Cottom, who owned the neighboring Hanging Rock Golf and Country Club, purchased the ski area, changing the name to Hawksnest Golf & Ski Resort. In 2008, under the ownership of Lenny Cottom, Hawksnest closed for skiing to focus on snow tubing and ziplining.Southern Snow: The New Guide to Winter Sports from Maryland to the Southern Appalachians. Randy Johnson. UNC Press Books, September 5, 2019.

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 town has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.3 km), of which 2.0 square miles (5.3 km) is land and 0.49% is water.

Demographics

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 2000, there were 129 people, 62 households, and 40 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 345 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.45%

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 ...

, and 1.55% 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 0.78% of the population. There were 62 households, out of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% 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, 1.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.46. In the town, the population was spread out, with 14.0% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $62,813. Males had a median income of $35,417 versus $38,125 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 town was $19,801. There were 21.6% of families and 20.5% of the population living 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 26.3% of those under eighteen and none of those over 64.

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Towns in North Carolina Towns in Avery County, North Carolina Towns in Watauga County, North Carolina Populated places established in 1979