Warne ( "worn") is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

in Brasstown Township,

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Fl ...

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 ...

, United States. In 2010, Clay County was the fourth least populated county in North Carolina, inhabited by approximately 10,587 people. The region has added considerably to its population, a 20.6% increase since 2000. Warne is closer to the capitals of five other states (

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

, and

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

) than to

Raleigh Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...

, the capital of North Carolina. Warne's elevation is above sea level. It has an area of . It has a volunteer fire department and a

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...

, with the ZIP code of 28909.

History

Warne is thought to be named for William Warne who, along with William Calhoun, operated a gold mine in the area around 1858. Warne's U.S. Post Office opened in 1887. Construction on

US 64 U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,281 miles (3,672 km) from Nags Head in eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route ...

between Hayesville, Warne, and Brasstown started in 1921. The gold mine remained in operation through the 1930s. In 1926, the five-classroom Ogden School opened to consolidate small schools in Warne and neighboring Brasstown. It offered up to high school classes and closed in 1975. One of Clay County’s only manufacturing companies, Lidseen of North Carolina, Inc., has operated a metal fabrication plant in Warne since 1957. Warne's volunteer fire department started in 1984. Warne's community center was constructed in 1998 and serves as the area's polling place. Commercial tubing began in Warne in spring 2021 on Brasstown Creek when West Tubing Company opened at the site of the former Tellico Lace plant.

Geography

Topography

Warne is located in the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also known as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical List of regions in the United States, region of the United States located in the eastern portion of the Southern United States and t ...

in the western portion of

, approximately halfway between

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

and

Knoxville Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

. The 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 ...

has helped the community retain a rural character, surrounded by wildlife such as

bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...

deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...

fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

and recently reintroduced

elk The elk (: ''elk'' or ''elks''; ''Cervus canadensis'') or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. ...

. Warne is north of

Brasstown Bald Brasstown Bald is the highest point in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is located in the northeastern part of the state in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the border between Towns and Union counties south of the city of Hiawassee. The mountain is kn ...

, the highest mountain in

at above sea level.

Climate

Warne has a

humid subtropical climate 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 ...

, (Cfa) according to the

Köppen classification Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

, with hot, humid summers and mild, but occasionally cold winters by the standards of the southern United States. July highs average 85 °F (29 °C) or above, and lows average 55 °F (12.8 °C). Infrequently, temperatures can even exceed 100 °F (38 °C). January is the coldest month, with an average high of 48 °F (9 °C), and low of 33 °F (.6 °C). Like the rest of the southeastern U.S., Warne receives abundant rainfall, which is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year. Average annual rainfall is 55.9 inches (1,420 mm).

Blizzards A blizzard is a severe Winter storm, snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds and low visibility, lasting for a prolonged period of time—typically at least three or four hours. A ground blizzard is a weather condition where snow th ...

are rare but possible; one nicknamed the

1993 Storm of the Century The 1993 Storm of the Century (also known as the 93 Superstorm, The No Name Storm, or the Great Blizzard of '93/1993) was a devastating cyclonic storm, or nor'easter, that formed over the Gulf of Mexico on March 12, 1993. The cold weather, heav ...

hit the entire

Eastern United States The Eastern United States, often abbreviated as simply the East, is a macroregion of the United States located to the east of the Mississippi River. It includes 17–26 states and Washington, D.C., the national capital. As of 2011, the Eastern ...

in March, 1993.

Nearby communities

These are towns within an approximate radius of Warne.

Demographics

According to the 2000 Census, Warne had a population of 573 people living in 317 households with a population density of 71.17 people per square mile (27.48/km2). Of the 317 households, 227 were occupied, 90 were vacant, and 71 were used only occasionally such as vacation homes. 91.2% of households are owner-occupied while 8.8% rent. Average household size of rental occupied units were 12% larger than owner-occupied homes while the median house value was $81,300.00. 16.7% of rental homes remain vacant. Of the 227 occupied households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.89. The community's population is spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 15 to 19, 14.5% from 20 to 34, 33.0% from 35 to 54, and 12.6% who were 55 to 64 and 16.3% aged 65 or over. The median age was 41.9 years. 98.3% of Warne residents are White, 1.4% are African American, 3% are Hispanic or Latino of any race, and .3% are of other races Warne was not specially delineated for population statistics after 2000.

Economy

Occupations

The largest employment sector for the area is the sales and office industries, employing about 1/3 (32.5%) of the population, followed by production and transportation, which employs close to 1/4 (22.5%) of the population. The service industry provides jobs for the next largest section of the working population, at close to 1/5 (17.5%), followed closely by construction, extraction and maintenance, which provides jobs for 15.7%. The remaining 12.1% work in management or professional industries.

Household income

1.9% make less than $10,000 per year. The largest percentage at 36.9% make between $15,000 and $24,999 per year. 16.8% make between $50,000 and $74,999 per year and 20.1% make between $35,000 and $49,999 per year. 22% make between $50,000 and $74,999 per year while the remaining 2.3% make over $75,000 per year. 8.4% of Warne individuals are unemployed with 3.9% living below poverty. Median household income is $33,120.

Arts and culture

Located in Brasstown Township, Warne is surrounded by many locations of cultural significance such as the John C. Campbell Folk School, which offers weekly and weekend classes in traditional and contemporary crafts such as

basketry Basket weaving (also basketry or basket making) is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into three-dimensional artifacts, such as baskets, mats, mesh bags or even furniture. Craftspeople and artists specialized in making baskets ...

Religion

Local churches include Mount Pisgah Baptist Church, Shady Grove Church and Copperhill Church.

Parks and recreation

Warne is a very rural town, surrounded by wildlife, countryside, and national forests. It lies just north of the

Nantahala National Forest The Nantahala National Forest () 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 Continental US, after the Pacific Nor ...

, north of the

Chattahoochee National Forest The Chattahoochee River () is a river in the Southeastern United States. It forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida and Georgia border. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a rela ...

, west of

Chatuge Lake Lake Chatuge is a man-made reservoir in Towns County, Georgia, and Clay County, North Carolina. It was formed by the Tennessee Valley Authority's construction of Chatuge Dam (then the highest earthen dam in the world) in 1942. The lake is rela ...

, northeast of Nottely Lake, and approximately west of the

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...

Government

Warne is an unincorporated community with no formal government; services are provided at the county level.

Law enforcement

Warne is protected by Sheriff Mark Buchanan of the Clay County Sheriff's Office in Hayesville.

Crime data

According to the 2009 Crime Rate Index, Warne was rated a personal crime risk of 23, which reflects the combined risks of

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person ...

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...

assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...

and

robbery Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person o ...

. Warne also scored a

property crime Property crime is a category of crime, usually involving private property, that includes, among other crimes, burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, shoplifting, and vandalism. Property crime is a crime to obtain money, property, ...

risk of 45, which reflects the combined risks of

burglary Burglary, also called breaking and entering (B&E) or housebreaking, is a property crime involving the illegal entry into a building or other area without permission, typically with the intention of committing a further criminal offence. Usually ...

larceny Larceny is a crime involving the unlawful taking or theft of the personal property of another person or business. It was an offence under the common law of England and became an offence in jurisdictions which incorporated the common law of Eng ...

and

motor vehicle theft Motor vehicle theft or car theft (also known as a grand theft auto in the United States) is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle. In 2020, there were 810,400 vehicles reported stolen in the United States, up f ...

. Both scores are compared to a national average of 100.

Education

The public school system (Clay County Schools) is run by the Clay County Board of Education with superintendent Scott Penland. The school system is small, with an active enrollment of approximately 1,250 students attending a total of three schools on a single campus. All schools are accredited by the

North Carolina State Board of Education The North Carolina State Board of Education, established by Article 9 of the Constitution of North Carolina, supervises and administers the public school systems of North Carolina. The board sets policy and general procedures for public school syst ...

, and Hayesville High School is accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of 2022, the organization oversees ap ...

. Test scores are unfailingly in the top 10% of all North Carolina Schools. Hayesville Elementary School covers grades K-4 and has an enrollment of 450 students. It has been rated Exemplary every year since the ABCs began. Hayesville Middle School covers grades 5–8 with an enrollment of approximately 400 students. It has been classified as either a School of Distinction or School of Excellence every year since the ABCs began. Hayesville High School covers grades 9–12 with an enrollment of approximately 400. It has the best SAT scores of any school in the area.

Media

Warne and the surrounding area are served by a few local television stations, numerous local radio stations that serve several genres of music including sports, news and talk radio, and three local papers. Local television channels include W50AB (Channel 50), based in

Hiawassee, Georgia Hiawassee is the county seat of Towns County, Georgia, United States. The population was 981 at the 2020 census. Its name is derived from the Cherokee—or perhaps Creek—word ''Ayuhwasi'', which means meadow, (A variant spelling, "Hiwassee, ...

; W42AT (Channel 42), based in

Hayesville, North Carolina Hayesville is a town in Clay County, North Carolina, Clay County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 311 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census. It is the county seat of Clay County. History Quanassee This was long an ...

; and W31AN (Channel 31), based in

Murphy, North Carolina Murphy is a town in and the county seat of Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Hiwassee River, Hiwassee and Valley River, Valley rivers. It is the westernmost county seat in the state of North ...

Warne is served by 11 local radio stations. WCVP-AM (600), WCNG-FM (102.7), and WKRK-AM (1320) are based in Murphy, North Carolina. WACF-FM (95.1) and WYHG-AM (770) are based in Young Harris, Georgia. WCVP-FM (95.9) is based in Robbinsville; WGHC-AM (1400) is based in Clayton, Georgia; and WFSC-AM (1050), WPFJ-AM (1480), WFQS-FM (91.3), and WNCC (96.7) are based in Franklin, North Carolina. Clay County's newspaper is the ''

Clay County Progress ''Clay County Progress'' is a weekly newspaper in Hayesville, North Carolina, and Clay County. It covers Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina and Towns County, Georgia. The Progress is owned by Athens, Georgia-based Community Newspape ...

''. Two other nearby newspapers are the ''

Cherokee Scout The ''Cherokee Scout'' is a weekly newspaper in Murphy, North Carolina, and Cherokee County. It is one of the largest newspapers in far-west North Carolina. The print edition is published on Wednesdays and had a paid circulation of 5,748 in 202 ...

'' and the '' Towns County Herald''.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Warne sits on Old Hwy 64, which connects Hayesville to the northeast and Brasstown to the northwest. Young Harris Road connects Warne to State Road 515 in

Young Harris, Georgia Young Harris is a city in Towns County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,098 at the 2020 census. Young Harris is home to Young Harris College, after which it was named. History Young Harris was originally named "McTyeire", after ...

. Western Carolina Regional Airport , known locally as the Murphy Airport, Andrews Airport, or Murphy-Andrews Airport, is located approximately north of Warne between the towns of

Andrews Andrews may refer to: Places Australia *Andrews, Queensland *Andrews, South Australia United States *Andrews, Florida (disambiguation), various places *Andrews, Indiana *Andrews, Nebraska *Andrews, North Carolina *Andrews, Oregon *Andrews, South ...

and

Murphy Murphy is an Irish surname meaning "Sea Warrior". Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac Murchaidh"/" Mac Murchadh" (son of "Murchadh") derived ...

. Blairsville Airport lies approximately southwest of Warne, near

Blairsville, Georgia Blairsville is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Georgia, Union County, on the northern border of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. It was founded near the Nottely River, which was dammed in 1942 as part of the Tennessee ...

Utilities

Electricity for Warne (and all of Clay County) is provided by Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation, a member-owned cooperative located in Young Harris, GA. Blue Ridge Mountain EMC purchases wholesale electricity from the

Tennessee Valley Authority The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned electric utility corporation in the United States. TVA's service area covers all of Tennessee, portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small areas of Georgia, North Carolin ...

(TVA), and distributes it in Towns, Union, and Fannin counties in Georgia, and Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina. Natural gas is supplied by Piedmont Gas, which serves over 1 million customers in North and South Carolina and Tennessee. In 2004 the company formed the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation and has since invested over 4 million dollars in the various communities it serves. Industrial and personal waste is landfilled.

Healthcare

Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital, located in Peachtree, sports 57 hospital beds and a 120-bed nursing home.

References

External links

Clay County Chamber of Commerce

Clay County Government Services

Clay County History

Warne - Aerial View

Warne Community Center

''The Clay County Progress'', Warne's local newspaper

West NC Travel Guide at Western NC Attractions
{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Clay County, North Carolina Unincorporated communities in North Carolina