F 262 
 Copy 1 
 
 
 mACOH couhty, 
 
 Ilorth Carolina. 
 
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 3 Kilge x^gency. 
 
 
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Nertt]. Gareliria. 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRY STEWART, JR. 
 
 Secretary <>f The 
 
 BL^E RIDGE AGENCY. 
 
 Entered according to act of Congress, in 
 the year 1902, by Henry Stewart, Jr., 
 in the office of the Librarian of Con* 
 gress, at Washington. 
 
 HISHMMBS. 
 
 Blue Ridge Ass'n Press. 
 
THE l;^...ary or 
 
 CONGRESS, 
 
 Two Copies RECSivEo 
 
 m, tJ 1902 
 
 C CLASS COYY-.o. l^ 
 COPY B. 
 
 
j^acon County, North Carolina, is 
 situated among the extreme west- 
 ern counties of the state; its sou- 
 thern boundary being the state line be- 
 tween Georgia and North Carolina, 
 which is the thirty fifth degree of north 
 latitude. 
 
 Like the adjoining counties of Jack- 
 son, Swain, Cherokee and Clay, it is 
 sparsely settled in its mountain parts. 
 The principal valleys being settled 
 much longer than the mountains, they 
 are of course much more populous. 
 The county embraces an area of 301,270, 
 acres. 
 
 The Blue Ridge chain of mountains 
 entering the county from the east, stret- 
 ches along a course slightly diagonal to 
 the county line, at a distance of seven 
 miles from the south line at its entry and 
 extends westward, running in part with 
 the southern boundary of the county to 
 its western extremity. 
 This range here assumes bold and pre- 
 cipitous forms, the spurs and peaks of 
 which, Whitesides, Black Rock, Fodder 
 Stack, Satulah, Brushy Face, Scaleyand 
 others, breaking down toward the south 
 and west in precipitous and almost per- 
 pendicular faces of heights varying from 
 1,000, to 1,800, feet. The peaks and 
 
spurs having an altitude of from 4,000, 
 to 5,060, feet above sea level. 
 
 The eastern half of the county rises 
 rapidly from the state line, at an altitude 
 of perhaps 2,600, feet to an average 
 elevation of about 3,000, feet above sea 
 level, in the plateau country north of 
 the ridge. 
 
 The county is traversed, at its western 
 extremity, by the majestic Nantahalah 
 range of mountains, which are 2:)roject- 
 ed northward from the Blue Ridge and 
 have an average altitude of 5,000, feet, 
 being the highest range in the county. 
 
 West of this range and bounded on 
 the west by the Valley River range, lies 
 a fine valley extending northward across 
 the county, through which flows the 
 picturesque Nantahalah river. 
 
 East of the Nantahalah range, lies 
 the valley of the Tennessee, the prin- 
 cipal valley of the county, which ex- 
 tends northward for its entire breadth 
 and is traversed by the largest stream 
 of the section, the Tennessee river, a 
 tributary of the great Tennessee, rising 
 at the southern extreme of the county 
 near the Rabun Gap and state line, at 
 an altitude of 2,168, feet. 
 It flows northward through the valley, 
 on a descending grade not exceeding at 
 
its greatest fifty feet to the mile. 
 
 This plain is broad, gently rolling 
 and fertile and into it debouch the prin- 
 cipal valleys and streams of the eastern 
 half of the county. It is here that the 
 most fertile farming lands of the coun- 
 ty are to be found and the most popu- 
 lous districts are situated. 
 Here also are located the oldest settle- 
 ments of the west, several of which 
 having been established for eighty or 
 ninety years. 
 
 Here also, in the midst of the county, 
 upon an elevation on the west bank of 
 the river, in a most charming and de- 
 lightful portion of the valley, is situated 
 Franklin, the county seat, surrounded 
 by a very beautiful and fertile farm- 
 ing region. This valley is filled with 
 small elevations, giving to it a gently 
 rolling and diversified appearance, pres- 
 enting to the eye a delightful panorama 
 when viewed from the overtowering 
 mountain peaks which mark its limits. 
 It has an average elevation of perhaps 
 2,000, feet. 
 
 The eastern half or the Blue Ridge 
 portion of the county, consists of an 
 elevated, undulating, mountain plateau, 
 rising from 2,600, to 4,000, feet above 
 sea level. This plateau is broken by cross 
 
ranges, laterals of the Blue Ridge and 
 in several instances by ranges parallel 
 to the Ridge, the principal ones being 
 the Cowee system on the north and the 
 Fish Hawk near the mid portion of the 
 section. This plateau is further broken 
 by several narrow winding valleys such 
 as, Tessenta, Sugar Fork and Ellijay 
 valleys, running westerly through the 
 plateau of Highlands and debouching 
 in the greater valley of the Tennessee, 
 having in the instance of the Sugar Fork 
 orCuUasaja valley a length of about 30 
 miles, beginning at an altitude of 4, 000, 
 feet descending in this distance to about 
 2,000, feet. Through this valley flows 
 one of the most picturesque streams in 
 Western North Carolina, formerly call- 
 ed the Sweetwater or Sugar Fork of 
 the Tennessee river, latterly by the 
 Cherokee name CuUasaja. 
 
 To the eastern plateau section of the 
 county we will now direct our attention 
 for it is here in this elevated zone that 
 we find present to the greatest extent 
 those conditions which make it such a 
 very desirable section in which to follow 
 out the pursuits of the herdsman, dairy- 
 ma ii and horticulturist. 
 
 In Macon county a larger area of 
 open lands, suitable for agricultural 
 
purposes, is to be found than in any 
 other of the extreme western counties. 
 Farms are more numerous, population 
 greater and soils more generally pro- 
 ductive; giving to the county the justly 
 earned title of the " Banner County" of 
 the west. 
 
 ^^M^ighlands, twenty one miles east of 
 '^^Franklin, within six miles of the 
 
 ^ eastern limit of the county and 
 seven north of the state line, the thirty 
 fifth degree of north latitude, enjoys 
 the notable distinction of being the 
 town of highest altitude in the United 
 States, east of the Rocky Mountains, 
 is next in importance and size to the 
 county seat and is the trade center for 
 the eastern half of the county and the 
 adjacent parts of Georgia and the south- 
 ern half of Jackson county, N, C. 
 
 It is located at an altitude of 3,817, 
 feet and is of recent establishment, being 
 about 20 years old. It was established 
 by settlers from the north and west. 
 The resident population is perhaps 300, 
 whilst the summer residents and visitors 
 have in the past made a summer popu- 
 lation of over 1,000. 
 
 The town is prettily situated in the 
 midst of an undulating plateau on the 
 
thread of the Blue Ridge mountains, 
 surrounded by an ampitheatre of hills, 
 spurs of the Kidge; which vary in height 
 from one to seven hundred feet above 
 the general level of the town site. 
 
 The boundaries embrace an area of 
 one and a half miles square or 1,440, 
 acres, which includes gently rolling 
 lands, ridges and elevations, varying 
 in height from i35, to 75, feet above the 
 general level of the central part of the 
 town, affording a much diversified but 
 very suitable area, pre-eminently adapt- 
 ed by nature for town purposes. 
 The unusual area of the town site affords 
 the opportunity, which has been embra- 
 ced by the founders, by the laying out 
 of the town in an open order, with wide 
 streets and ample grounds surrounding 
 the desirable building sites, thus adding 
 a very admirable feature to the general 
 appearance of the town. 
 The streets, wide and clean, are well 
 graded and drained; the character of 
 the soil being such that within an hour 
 after a heavy rainfall the walks are firm 
 and free from mud. The absence of clay 
 soil affords perfect freedom from dis- 
 agreeable mud, making the streets pass- 
 able at all seasons. The soil of the town 
 site is a light, sandy loam, porous, dry 
 and free from swampiness, affording 
 
perfect hygenic conditions. 
 
 The nearby mountain slopes and 
 ridges, as also the principal elevations 
 within the town site, afford numerous 
 springs and rivulets of cold, sparkling 
 waters, which issue from the crevices 
 and fissures of the granitic rocks of 
 which the elevations are composed and 
 underlie the town, furnishing an unfail- 
 ing source of supply of the softest, 
 purest water anywhere to be found. 
 
 The equable, cool summer climate, 
 the balmy, exhilarating and invigora- 
 ting air of the mountains, freedom from 
 malaria, mosquitoes and other noxious 
 and annoying pests; varied scenery of 
 greatest beauty and interest; mineral 
 waters, chalybeate, lithia and sulphur; 
 innumerable springs and streams of the 
 purest water; surpassing healthfulness 
 of country and the great value of its 
 climatic influences as remedial and cura- 
 tive agents in diseases of the throat and 
 lungs, catarrhal and malarial diseases, 
 hay fever, asthma, affections of the 
 nervous system and other kindred dis- 
 orders, all tend to make Highlands one 
 of the most desirable of resorts in the 
 United States. Highlands is thirty miles 
 distant from railroad connection on the 
 south and east and is approached in 
 either of these directions by good roads 
 
traversing regions of great interest to 
 the tourist. 
 
 '^^his entire plateau region is one of 
 
 fthe most profusely watered sections 
 in the United States, hardly a tract 
 of land can be found in this district but 
 what is watered by at least several 
 springs and streams. 
 Notwithstanding this profusion of wa- 
 ters, yet the singular fact remains that 
 not a swamp, lake or pools of stagnant 
 water can be found in the region. 
 
 The mountain peaks, with but few 
 exceptions, are clothed with soil and 
 verdure to their very summits; their 
 general contour being gentle, the tops 
 presenting smooth rounded outlines, 
 occasionly rising into sharp pointed 
 peaks, havingbut few precipitous slopes, 
 excepting on the southern and south- 
 western faces; here some of the most 
 most stupendous cliffs and precipices 
 east of the Rocky Mountains present 
 themselves. From the highest of these, 
 scenes of amazing magnitude, surpass, 
 ing beauty and grandeur may be wit- 
 nessed. Here one may look off from 
 elevations of from 4,000, to 5,000, feet 
 over broad expanses of lower lying 
 mountain chains, valleys and low lands, 
 for distances of from forty to seventy 
 five miles, or to the limit of unaided 
 
vision, over territory embracing, parts 
 of from three to four states. 
 The scene presented being that of a vast, 
 billowy, oceanlike, expanse of green and 
 azure, extending as far as the eye has 
 power to penetrate the blue atmosphere 
 or haze which gives rise to the name of 
 Blue Ridge, to this grand mountain 
 chain. 
 
 Fifty miles to the north one may see, 
 extending in a grand panorama of at 
 least one hundred miles in extent, the 
 magnificent profile of the Unaka or 
 Great Smoky range, along the thread 
 of which runs the line between North 
 Carolina and Tennessee. 
 Nature here is found in her happiest 
 mood and words, in their poverty, fail 
 to express the matchless beauty and 
 singular impressiveness of such glorious 
 prospects as these. 
 
<pf|wing to its sparse settlement, the 
 ^^! eastern half of the county presents, 
 
 ^ from these elevations, the appear- 
 ance of an unbroken forest, clotted here 
 and there with the clearings or "dead- 
 ings", which mark the small areas of 
 cultivated lands. 
 
 This section is not as heavily timber- 
 ed as the lower lying slopes of the Blue 
 Ridge and in this respect presents some 
 advantages in the thinning out and 
 clearing of the forest lands for seeding 
 to grass for range purposes. 
 
 Of the woods and timber trees here 
 found, the oaks predominate, white, 
 black, red, Spanish, water and chestnut 
 abound, white and black pine, hemlock 
 spruces are found in the mountain val- 
 leys and along the streams of the pla- 
 teau; the chestnut is another widely 
 distributed tree, white and yellow poplar 
 and white ash, bass wood, black cherry, 
 locust, red and white hickory, gum, 
 sourwood, soft maple, birch, cucumber, 
 buckeye and smaller growths as, dog- 
 wood, service, silver-bell and sassafrass 
 comprise the list of forest trees. 
 The lower growing shrubs are found 
 throughout the country in great abun- 
 dance, as also innumerable wild plants 
 and numerous grasses, which carpet the 
 virgin forests of the section. 
 
The rocky ravines, cliffs and rough 
 mountain faces are clothed with the 
 evergreen kalniia, rhododendron and 
 leucothop, while in the forest lands the 
 dogwoods, sourwoods, silver bells and 
 cucumber, the numerous azaleas and 
 abundant wild flowers, each in their 
 season, blooming from early spring 
 until late in the fall all add great beau- 
 ty to the forest scenes. 
 There are many varieties of wild grass- 
 es native to this region, of which some 
 are perineal and a few evergreen, 
 which grow in the forests and clothe 
 the more open land of the mountain 
 ridges and slopes with verdure from 
 early spring until late fall. 
 These grasses and small undergrowth, 
 supplemented with the winter growing 
 grasses and the usually abur.dant chest- 
 nut and oak mast, furnish sustenance 
 for cattle, sheep and hogs in many in- 
 stances during the entire year and at 
 any event for the greater part of the year. 
 This capability of the mountain sec- 
 tion of North Carolina has been favor- 
 ably known to the people of the South 
 for years. 
 
 We quote from the writing of General 
 Clingman, a noted pioneer of this re- 
 gion, on this subject. " Horses and 
 
horned cattle are usually driven out 
 into the mountains about the first of 
 April and brought back in November. 
 Within six weeks after they have been 
 put into the range they become sleek 
 and fat. There are however, on top and 
 along the sides of the highest moun- 
 tains, evergreen and winter grasses on 
 which horses and horned cattle live 
 well through out the entire winter. Such 
 animals are often foaled and reared 
 there until fit for market, without ever 
 seeing a cultivated plantation." 
 To the same point we quote from North 
 Carolina and its Resources, a publica- 
 issued by the State Board of Agricul- 
 ture and therefore authoritative. 
 " The entire transmontane country is 
 well adapted to stock raising. The cul- 
 tivated grasses flourish everywhere with 
 even ordinary care." "After two or three 
 crops are taken off, the land, if suffer- 
 ed to lie at rest, springs up spontan- 
 eously in timothy, herds grass and other 
 rich pasture grasses; once established 
 the grass perpetuates itself. Nor is an 
 entire clearing necessary to establish 
 the land in grass. If the undergrowth 
 is removed, the trees thinned out and 
 the surface stirred and sown in orchard 
 grass it flourishes luxuriantly even while 
 
the forest trees are left standing. 
 Its capacity as a grazing country has 
 long been known. But formerly the 
 cattle were left to the resources of na- 
 ture, which indeed in such a country 
 were abundant and rich." 
 
 From personal observation during 
 a number of years and a familiarity 
 with the soils of the eastern plateau 
 section of Macon county, we can add 
 to this very favorable statement, that 
 other valuable grasses are indigenous to 
 the section; prominent among these are 
 the Kentucky and Texan blue grasses, 
 and meadow oat grass, which is among 
 the most valuable of the native grasses 
 for forage, Red top is also a native and 
 comes in with white clover whenever 
 land is cleaned and opened up and left 
 to lie uncropped. The cultivated grass- 
 es, such as timothy, low red and sap- 
 ling clovers, orchard grass, turnips beets 
 rape and in fact all vegetable growths 
 which require a cool, moist climate for 
 their development, all thrive here. 
 While small grains and corn are raised 
 here, yet the high altitude and cool 
 nights, militate somewhat, against the 
 most profitable production of these crops 
 
 The soils of this region vary consid- 
 ably with locality, generally speaking, 
 
tbcy are a light loam; tlie northern 
 slopes of the mountains and ridges are 
 of a heavier and darker loam, in tlie val- 
 leys the soils have an admixture of clay. 
 In the more extensive valleys and the 
 lower levels of the county, red clav 
 soils predominate. 
 
 In the immediate vicinity of Highlands 
 the lighter loams prevail, but in the 
 course of several miles distance in any 
 direction from the town, the soils are 
 much heavier, being mixed with clay. 
 On these lands from twenty to fifty 
 bushels of corn to the acre have been 
 raised. From the high elevation, great- 
 er amount of rainfall, equable climuto, 
 cool summers and character of the soil, 
 our mountain plateau lands are pre-em- 
 inently adapted to the cultivation of 
 grasses, root, forage and other feoding 
 crops. In this we excel the lower lying 
 portions of the county. 
 
 The extensive areas of wild land, 
 never failing supply of pure cold water, 
 qualities of soil and climate, freedom 
 from ticks and noxious insects and 
 poisonous plants, absence of cattle dis- 
 eases and a system of range laws, very 
 favorable to the herdsman, cause this 
 region to be a most desirable one for 
 the stockman, dairyman, shepherd and 
 
farmer. 
 
 These lands being elevated above the 
 influence of those germs which are so 
 destructive of animal life and the cli- 
 matic conditions being so unfavorable 
 to the existence of germ life generally, 
 this country may be considered as a 
 natural sanitarium, the practical advan- 
 tage of which will be readily apprecia- 
 ted by the stock raiser and shepherd. 
 As a safeguard to this region, stringent 
 quarantine regulations, prescribed by 
 tlie United States and the states of 
 Georgia, North Carolina and SouthCar- 
 olina, eU'ectually prevent the introduc- 
 tion of all contagious cattle diseases. 
 The cattle tick cannot exist here, thus 
 a prolific source of infection is avoided. 
 
 In the lower lying and more exten- 
 sive valleys of the county, farm crops 
 are produced abundantly, From fifty 
 to seventy bushels of corn have been 
 raised on these lands under favorable 
 circumstances, such as good season, 
 proper fertilization and modern meth- 
 ods of cultivation. 
 
 On the other hand, these lands are not 
 nearly as well suited to the growth of 
 grasses, vegetables and forage crops, 
 as the higher lands. 
 
 In this plateau region the orchardist 
 
will find the conditions most favorable 
 to his pursuit. 
 
 At this point it is only just to say, that 
 not in every instance are the lands of 
 this section adapted to fruit raising. 
 This arises, not from the poverty or 
 inadaptability of the soils, but from 
 the frosts in early spring, which affect 
 this section in a very unequal manner. 
 The mild open winters have the effect, 
 in the least exposed situations and on 
 the mountain slopes and coves having 
 a direct southern exposure, of advan- 
 cing the blossoming time of the trees. 
 It is no uncommon thing to see peach 
 trees in bloom, in some localities in the 
 county, early in March, these blooms 
 are ,of course, destroyed by frost. 
 In the mountain plateaus, the climate 
 being cooler than in the lower valley 
 lands, vegetation does not start quite 
 so early in the season and notably so 
 on the northern, eastern or western 
 flanks of the mountains and ridges. 
 A feature peculiar to mountain regions, 
 which is present to a very marked degree 
 in this plateu country, is the thermal, 
 warm or no frost belts, as they are 
 variously termed, These bodies of warm 
 air, wherever they occur, prevent dam- 
 age to vegetation by late frosts in the 
 spring and the early ones of the fall. 
 This phenomena is produced by the culd 
 
damp and heavier air of the upper strata 
 displacing the warm and consequently- 
 lighter airs of the valleys and natural 
 depressions of the country, causing the 
 warmer air to rise and remain at higher 
 levels. This condition occurs shortly 
 before sunset, continuing through the 
 night and until after sunrise. 
 The location of these warm belts of 
 course varies greatly. The contour of 
 the country determining the level in 
 in each particular instance. 
 The mountain sides, ridges and eleva- 
 tions, wherever these belts occur, are 
 free from the late and early frosts which 
 have destructive effect on lands along 
 strtams and in the basins and depress- 
 ions of the plateau, leaving the vegeta- 
 tion of these thermal zones unharmed. 
 This condition continues until the 
 freezes of approaching winter occur. 
 There is no great regularity or general 
 rule in the estaljlishing of these local- 
 ities and no general level to be observ- 
 ed, local conditions alone governing 
 an experience and observation of at 
 least one season, is necessary to accu- 
 rately deliminate the area of each indi- 
 vidual location. When located with 
 accuracy however, these zones afford 
 the greatest advantage to the fruit cul- 
 turist and when coupled with northern 
 and western exposures, ensure almost 
 
unfailing regults from orchards planted 
 therein. 
 
 While it is true that fruit bearing trees 
 thrive anywhere in the country, yet it 
 is only in these especially favored lo- 
 calities, where immunity from frost is 
 practically had, that the most profit- 
 able annual results are obtained. 
 This region being sparsely settled, but 
 few orcliards were planted until recent 
 years, the most of these being of less 
 than twenty years planting. Quite re- 
 cently however, larger areas have been 
 planted, some of which are just com- 
 ing into bearing. These new orchards, 
 wherever they have been located with 
 judgment, are thrifty. Another feature 
 of importance in this connection, is the 
 existence of a ready market for all the 
 fruit of the region, especially apples, 
 almost at one's door. 
 
 This country, from its geographical 
 position, is within from two to three, 
 days time removed from the principal 
 cities and towns of the south. The thir- 
 ty miles of distance intervening between 
 it and the railroad point, counting as 
 one day in time of transit. 
 To the stock raiser similar market con- 
 ditions are afforded for the products of 
 the range. The dairyman also shares in 
 this favorable market condition and is 
 further favored by the abundant range 
 
and the facility with which forage crops 
 can be grown, the temperate seasons 
 and the abundant springs, the waters of 
 which are sparkling and cold the year 
 around. 
 
 The altitude of the most prominent 
 mountain peaks of the eastern half of 
 the county are, Whitesides, in the Blue 
 Ridge chain, 5,060, feet, breaking down 
 to the south in precipices of from 1,000, 
 to 1,800, feet in depth. In the Cowee 
 chain, Shortoff, 5,089 and Yellow 
 mountain, the highest peak in the east- 
 ern half of of the county, 5,133. 
 'Satulah, the peak of which is but three 
 quarters of a mile distant from High- 
 hinds, its northern slopes being inclu- 
 ded within the corporate limits of the 
 town, above which it towers to an al- 
 titude of about 700, feet and to 4,500, 
 feet above sea level. Dog Mountain, 
 4,450. Scaley, 4,835. Fish Hawk bald, 
 the highest of this range, 4,749. 
 The highest altitudes in the county are 
 found in its western part. In the ^an- 
 tahalah range are Pickens' Nose, 4,926. 
 Albert Mountain, 5,2 54. Cartoogajay 
 5,064. Wayah Bald, 5,494. Toketah, 
 5,372. Hocky Bald, 5,323. The Blue 
 Ridge at Rabun Gap near the western 
 extreme of the county, has an elevation 
 of 2,168, feet. 
 
f'he native population of the county 
 is very orderly and law abiding 
 and are hospitable to a marked de- 
 ree, entertaining no prejudices, polit- 
 ical or otherwise, toward settlers from 
 other states. 
 
 In this county the negro element is 
 numerically so small, that it is hardly 
 worthy of consideration from either a 
 social or political stand point, hence 
 the racial questions which obtain else- 
 where in the South, do not aifect this 
 mountain region. 
 
 The rate of taxation for State and 
 County purposes is reasonably low, tak. 
 ing into consideration the nature and 
 extent of public improvements in the 
 county. 
 
 In all the country settlements schools 
 supported by County and State funds 
 are held and in the towns, both town and 
 township terms are held, aggregating 
 in these localities about eight months 
 school annually. Private schools are 
 also held in the towns. 
 
 Many religious denominations are 
 represented, most prominent among 
 these are the Baptist, Methodist, Epis- 
 copal and Presbyterian. 
 
 Macon county recently voted a coun- 
 ty bond issue of $ 60,000, for railroad 
 purposes; the bonds to be issued ouly 
 
upon the completion and operation of 
 a railroad through the Tennessee val- 
 ley to Franklin, the county seat. 
 Inducements of a similar nature having 
 been offered by several counties in the 
 neighboring state of Georgia. This 
 coupled with the prospective freight 
 traffic of the region has induced the 
 formation of a company for the exten- 
 sion of the Tallulah Falls Ry, from 
 Tallulah Falls Georgia, the present ter- 
 minal of that road, northward forty 
 miles through the Tennessee valley to 
 Franklin. Work is now in progress on 
 this extension and the road will, in all 
 probability, be completed in 1903. 
 This road connects with the main line 
 of the Southern Ry at Cornelia, Ga. 
 This road was originally projected to 
 run through Knoxville, Tennessee, 
 there connecting with the western trunk 
 lines. There is but little doubt that this 
 will be accomplished in the near future. 
 
 When completed to Franklin, this 
 road will place Highlands within 17 
 miles of railroad. 
 
 On the east Highlands is approached 
 by a spur of the Southern Ry, the Tran- 
 sylvania Ry, which has been completed 
 to Toxaway, thirty miles distant. 
 
 Toxaway is a new health and pleas. 
 
lire resort, establislied several years 
 ago by northern capitalists, in the heart 
 of the Blue Ridge mountains. It is char- 
 mingly situated in the midst of a beau- 
 tiful and picturesque section. A large 
 area of mountain and valley lands are 
 here laid out and improved, forming a 
 very attractive health and pleasure res- 
 ort, as well as a hunting and fishing 
 preserve. There are here several finely 
 appointed hotels, which with the accom- 
 panying high class boarding houses, 
 afford to the tourist the comforts of 
 the best city hostelries. 
 It is among the finest and best equiped 
 of our mountain health and summer res- 
 orts. A well graded turnpike road, 
 winding through a delightful and roman- 
 tic section of the Blue Ridge mountains 
 for a distance of thirty miles westward, 
 connects Highlands with this place. 
 
c^he following averages of annual 
 x^' mean temperatures for the State 
 ^ have been established from the re- 
 cords of the U, S, Weather Bureau, 
 extending over a period of thirty years. 
 
 For the State at large, 59 degrees F. 
 The mountain region; spring 56, sum- 
 mer 72, autumn 56, winter 40. 
 The annual mean for Highlands is, 50. 
 
 For a corresponding period of time, 
 the average precipitation in the moun- 
 tain region is, spring 13,69, inches, 
 summer 14,95, autumn 10,61, winter 
 14,07; for the year 53,32 inches, all, in- 
 cluding the snows of winter, being meas- 
 ured as rainfall. 
 
 I'he precipitation for Highlands and 
 the plateau region of the county, lying 
 northward of and just beyond the crest 
 of the Blue Ridge, reaches the greater 
 mean of 76,29 inches. To this circum- 
 stance is to be attributed the bountiful 
 supply of water in this plateau region 
 and the peculiar fitness of the section 
 for the growth of grasses, vegetables, 
 and forage crops generally. 
 
 The mildness of the climate and uni- 
 formity of temperature is due to the 
 low degree of latitude, 35 and high 
 elevation; cool in summer because of 
 
elevation and mild in winter by reason 
 of its Boutliern lalitude and the warm 
 air currents which flow from the Gulf 
 of Mexico and contribute to the mild- 
 ness of the season. The pure, cool, bal- 
 my and invigorating air of the moun- 
 tains, the extreme purity of the waters, 
 elevation above the zone of germ laden 
 miasmatic airs, partial rarefication of 
 the air by high altitude, the surpassing 
 beauty and attractiveness of natural 
 surroundings, immunity from torna- 
 does and destructive storms, all unite 
 to make this plateau region the peer of 
 any other section of the United States 
 as a resort. 
 
^^rom the manufacturing point of 
 '^^ view, the abounding streams of the 
 ^' region which afford numbers of the 
 finest Vv^ater powers, coupled with the 
 quantity, quality and proximity thereto 
 of valuable timbers and ornamental 
 woods, afford excellent opportunities 
 for the establishment of profitable man- 
 ufacturing industries. The advent of 
 the railroad is all that is now lacking 
 to open this country to the manufact- 
 urer. Day by day this approaches near- 
 er this very promising field. 
 
 Our oak, hickory, white ash, bass- 
 wood and other hardwoods, invite the 
 attention of the carriage maker, wagon 
 builder, handle trade and all those who 
 re juire an abundance of tough, fine grain- 
 ed woods, of great strength and elastic- 
 ity. The yellow locust furnishes mater- 
 ial for telegraph brackets and pins and 
 with the white oak the treenails so ex- 
 tensively used in ship building. The 
 abundant laurel and rhododendron roots 
 for veneers, pipes and ornamental turn- 
 ed work; the dogwoods for shuttle 
 blocks, piano keys and all other work, 
 where a hard fine grained wood is re- 
 quired. Pine and hemlock spruces, pop- 
 lar and other woods for general purpoa- 
 
es and especially when coupled as they 
 are with am[>le water power in close 
 proximity, the business of paper pulp 
 making is suggestive of large profit. 
 The cherry, birch and other ornamen. 
 tal hard woods, afford opportunities 
 for the carpenter, cabinet maker and 
 turner. 
 
 As previously stated, the advent of 
 the railroad opens up this section, with 
 its wealth of raw material to the man- 
 ufacturer. There is not an acre of land 
 in our mountains but what has a doub- 
 le value to the investor, one for the 
 timbers, which in most instances is 
 double or treble the present value for 
 farm or range and the other its value 
 for farm and range purposes. 
 
 There is no time like the present for 
 investments in this section. Lands will 
 never be loAver in price than they now 
 are. The completion of the railroad will 
 inevitably result in advancing the valua- 
 tirn of nil classes of property in this 
 seciion. 
 
ip^j^alhalla, in Oconee county, South 
 7^^ Carolina, is the most convenient 
 
 ^ railroad point from which to ap- 
 proach Highlands. The intervening 
 thirty miles of the journey being com- 
 pleted in hacks and stages, which run 
 daily to and from the railroad during 
 the season. 
 
 Visitors from the northern and mid- 
 dle states, should come by way of Wash- 
 ington, D, C via the Southern Ry, to 
 Seneca City and Walhalla, S, C, from 
 there by stage to Highlands. 
 Those from the west and northwest, 
 should come by way of Atlanta, Ga, to 
 Walhalla. 
 
 Those desiring to approach Highlands 
 through the mountains, can come by 
 way of Knoxville, Tenn, through Ashe 
 ville, ]S , C, to Henderson ville and Tox- 
 away, the present terminal of the Tran- 
 sylvania Ry, from here by conveyance 
 thirty miles, over a new turnpike road, 
 passing through one of the most pict- 
 uresque portions of the Blue Ridge 
 mountains, to Highlands. 
 
^<j®\ ur Agency has for sale range, farm, 
 %v; and timber lands, town properties, 
 ^' water powers &c and has for rent, 
 farms, range lands and town properties. 
 We also make a specialty of the care 
 and management of the properties of 
 non residents and the careful selection 
 of lands for orchard purposes. 
 
 We do not publish a general land 
 list. The various properties we offer 
 are classiiied according to tiie purpose 
 to which they are best adapted, hence 
 it will be necessary for our correspond- 
 ents to advise us of the particular class 
 of property they may be seeking to pur- 
 chase, in order that we may be able to 
 present to them lists of suitable prop- 
 erties. We invite correspondence regard- 
 ing our country, people, lands and all 
 other information that we may be able 
 to give, guaranteeing to present no 
 overdrawn pictures and to give the ex- 
 act facts, in each instance, to our clients. 
 Parties desiring to purchase or rent 
 town or villa properties in Highlands, 
 for summer or winter occupation should 
 write us for another of our publications 
 entitled, "Highlands and Vicinity". 
 
 BLUE EIDGE AGENCY. 
 Box 201, Highlands. Macon Co. N. C. 
 
t, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 014 418 068 9 
 
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