Brevard is a city in

Transylvania County, North Carolina 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 include ...

, United States, with a population of 7,609 as of the 2010 Census. It is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Transylvania County. Brevard is located at the entrance to

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 ...

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 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, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan stati ...

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: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

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 * ...

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 (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 th ...

, the city has a total area of 5.12 square miles, of which 0.21% is water.

Climate

Brevard is located in a

temperate rainforest Temperate rainforests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rain forests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate rain forests of North American ...

and has a climate that borders between a

humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

and

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...

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 province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virg ...

and the nearby

Great Balsam Mountains The Great Balsam Mountains, or Balsam Mountains, are in the 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 Appalachian Mountains. The most f ...

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

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as 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. Thou ...

. 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 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 off ...

, there were 7,744 people, 3,530 households, and 2,005 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 7,609 people, 3,253 households, and 1,711 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 1,486 people per square mile (545.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 83.3%

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

, 11.0%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.07%, 0.46% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

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 recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

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 total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

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 The eastern gray squirrel (''Sciurus carolinensis''), also known, particularly outside of North America, as simply the grey squirrel, is a tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus''. It is native to eastern North America, where it is the most prodi ...

(''

Sciurus carolinensis The eastern gray squirrel (''Sciurus carolinensis''), also known, particularly outside of North America, as simply the grey squirrel, is a tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus''. It is native to eastern North America, where it is the most prodi ...

'') is commonly seen around Brevard.

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Many ...

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, 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 along with Rosman High School and Davidson River School in the Transylvania County Schools district. The highschool has experienced a slight incline in student pop ...

and ending at

Brevard College Brevard College is a private college in Brevard, North Carolina. The college grants the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. History Brevard College was named for Ephraim Brevard, a teacher and one of the local leaders that produ ...

. 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 o ...

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

Notable people

Joseph R. Bryson Joseph Raleigh Bryson (January 18, 1893 – March 10, 1953) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from South Carolina. Born in Brevard, North Carolina, Bryson moved, with his parents, to Greenville, South Carolina, i ...

(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. Lis ...

(1922–2020),

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

outfielder * Spencer Fisher (born 1976), mixed martial artist * Courtney W. Hamlin (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 (born 1964), radio personality *

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

(1944–2009), football player *

Moms Mabley Loretta Mary Aiken (March 19, 1894 – 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 "Mickey" Marvin (October 5, 1955 – March 6, 2017) was a professional American football player. Career After attending the University of Tennessee, Marvin played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, from 1977 t ...

(1955–2017), football player, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders *

Cliff Melton Clifford George Melton (January 3, 1912 – July 28, 1986) was an American professional baseball left-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Giants over parts of eight seasons spanning 1937–44. Listed at , ...

(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'', ''ttfn'' and ''l8r, g8r''. Her book ''Thirteen Plus One'' was released May 4, 20 ...

(born 1969), author * James Champlin "Champ" Osteen (1877–1962), Major League baseball infielder *

Woody Platt Woody Platt is a Grammy Award-winning, American guitar player and vocalist specializing in bluegrass music. He is best known for his work with the band Steep Canyon Rangers along with banjo player and comedian Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Mart ...

, 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. Early life Marie Runyon (born Marie Morgan) was born on March 20, 1915, in Brevard, North Carolina to a pharmacist ...

(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 * Kevin S. Brown, (born 1968), Episcopal bishop of Delaware

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 inter ...

, as designated by

Sister Cities International Sister Cities International (SCI) is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between communities in the United States and those in other countries, particularly through the establishment of " sister citie ...

: *

Pietroasa, Bihor Pietroasa ("stony" in Romanian; hu, Vasaskőfalva) 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 ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

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