Macon County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located 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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,014. Its

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 ...

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...

. The

Nantahala River The Nantahala River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Swain County. The Nantahala is one of the most popular

whitewater rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...

destinations in the nation.

History

The river valleys were long occupied by indigenous peoples, some of whom built earthwork mounds about 1000 AD. Some are still visible in this region. It was part of the homeland of the historic

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

people, who had towns throughout the river valleys. The Cherokee in Western North Carolina are known as the

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), (Cherokee language, Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᏱ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᎩ, ''Tsalagiyi Detsadanilvgi'') is a List of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States, federally recognized Indian Tribe, ...

, a federally recognized tribe. The county was formed in 1828 from the western part of Haywood County. It was named for

Nathaniel Macon Nathaniel Macon (December 17, 1757June 29, 1837) was an American politician who represented North Carolina in both houses of United States Congress, Congress. He was the fifth Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, speaker of the ...

, who represented North Carolina in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from 1791 to 1815 (serving as

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...

from 1801 to 1807), and in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

from 1815 to 1828. Macon County's first courthouse was a brick building constructed by Colonel David Coleman in Franklin in 1829. In 1839 the western part of Macon County became Cherokee County. In 1851 parts of Macon County and Haywood County were combined to form Jackson County. A new two-story brick courthouse was designed by William Gould Bulgin and constructed by John Davis in 1881. The neighboring Clay County Courthouse was modeled after it. Macon County's historic courthouse was demolished when a new three-story modern neo-formalist courthouse was built in 1972 by architect Kyle C Boone. However, the former courthouse's cupola was saved and remains on display in a downtown park. Macon County's first hospital opened in Franklin in August 1923. In 1926, the first permanent hospital in North Carolina west of

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 ...

was built and named Angel Brothers Hospital. It was renamed Angel Hospital in 1940. A new $68 million

Angel Medical Center Angel Medical Center is a hospital located in Franklin, North Carolina certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The hospital is licensed for 30 beds, plus a 17-bed emergency department. It is affiliated with Mis ...

was built east of Franklin in 2022.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.79%) is water. Of the land in Macon County, (46.1%) are federal lands that lie within 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 ...

and are administered by the

United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Natio ...

. Of the of USFS land, lie in the Highlands Ranger District and the remaining lie in the Wayah Ranger District. The county's largest natural water supply is the

Cullasaja River The Cullasaja River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Nantahala River The Nantahala River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Little Tennessee River The Little Tennessee River (known locally as the Little T) is a tributary of the Tennessee River that flows through the Blue Ridge Mountains from Georgia, into North Carolina, and then into Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. It dra ...

. 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 ...

winds through the western end of Macon County. As of 2024, Macon County has 21,973 acres devoted to agriculture, with a total of 346 farms.

National protected areas

(part) *

Ellicott Rock Wilderness Ellicott Rock Wilderness is a wild area lying at and around the tripoint of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, spanning 8,274 acres. It is managed by the United States Forest Service and is part of the National W ...

(part) *

(part)

State and local protected areas/sites

* Euchella Site * Fires Creek Wildlife Management Area (part) *

Nantahala National Forest Game Land Nantahala may refer to: * Nantahala Lake, a lake in Macon County, North Carolina, in the United States *The Nantahala National Forest, a national forest in North Carolina in the United States *The Nantahala Outdoor Center, a commercial outdoor gu ...

(part) * Needmore Game Land (part) * Tessentee Bottomland Preserve

Waterfalls

Cullasaja Falls

Cullasaja Falls is a

waterfall A waterfall is any point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in seve ...

in Southwestern

east of

. The waterfall is located on the

Cullasaja River The Cullasaja River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

and is part of the

Mountain Waters Scenic Byway The Mountain Waters Scenic Byway is a National Forest Scenic Byway that traverses through the Nantahala National Forest, in Western North Carolina. It features two river gorges, hardwood forests and countryside vistas. Route description The f ...

. ''Cullasaja'' comes from a Cherokee word meaning "honey locust place." The falls is the last major waterfall on the Cullasaja River.Kevin Adams, ''North Carolina Waterfalls'', p. 470 The falls is a long cascade over the course of . The height of the falls is given as in Kevin Adams' book, North Carolina Waterfalls and by NCWaterfalls.com.NCWaterfalls.com
/ref> Google Earth gives a height (based on the elevation of the water at the top of the falls and the elevation of the plunge pool at the bottom of the falls) of . The falls can be glimpsed from vehicles on the road; however, getting a better view of the falls is not easy. The falls are located beside of a series of blind curves on Highway 64 with sheer rock cliffs above and below the road. There is only one small pull-off near the falls, but walking on the road puts visitors in danger of being hit by a passing vehicle. This water fall is just up the road of the Cullasaja River RV Park.

Dry Falls

Dry Falls, also known as Upper Cullasaja Falls, is a

located in the

, northwest of

Highlands, North Carolina Highlands is an incorporation (municipal government), incorporated town in Macon County, North Carolina, Macon County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located on a plateau in the southern Appalachian Mountains, within the Nantahala National F ...

. Dry Falls flows on the

Cullasaja River The Cullasaja River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Cullasaja Falls Cullasaja Falls ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Caroli ...

. Dry Falls flows over an overhanging bluff that allows visitors to walk up under the falls and remain relatively dry when the water flow is low, hence its name. Visitors will get wet if the water flow is high. The falls has been called Dry Falls for a long time, but has also been known by such names as High Falls, Pitcher Falls, and Cullasaja Falls.Kevin Adams, ''North Carolina Waterfalls'', p. 467 Dry Falls is located on the side of U.S. Highway 64 southeast of

Franklin, North Carolina Franklin is a town in and the county seat of Macon County, North Carolina, United States. It is situated within the Nantahala National Forest. The population was reported to be 4,175 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an increase from ...

and north of

. There is a parking area on the side of the road, where visitors can park before walking the short path with stairs to the falls. Significant improvements to the parking area and trail were completed by the

in 2009.

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls is a

located in the

, southeast of

. With a short curve of roadway located behind the falls, it has the distinction of being the only waterfall in the state that one can drive a vehicle under. Bridal Veil Falls flows on a tributary of the

Cullasaja River The Cullasaja River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

U.S. Highway 64 southeast of

and north of

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Africa * Highlands, Johannesburg, South Africa * Highlands, Harare, Zimbab ...

. Highway 64 originally used the curve of roadway behind the falls exclusively so that all traffic went behind them; however, this caused problems with icing of the roadway during freezing weather. Hwy. 64 has since been re-routed around the front of the falls. There is a parking area on the side of the road, where visitors can park and view the falls as well. In 2003, a massive boulder slid off the left side of the falls, blocking that side of the drive-under completely. However, in July 2007, that boulder was removed by a local developer. The road under the falls is now free of obstruction.NCWaterfalls.com Bridal Veil Falls
/ref>

Quarry Falls

Quarry Falls is a small

(or perhaps large rapid in high water) located beside US Hwy. 64 southeast of Franklin. Known to locals as "Bust Your Butt," it is best known for the large, deep pool at the bottom, and is a popular place for swimming during warm weather.

Major water bodies

* Beech Creek * Blazed Creek * Buck Creek * Cartoogechaye Creek *

Chattooga River The Chattooga River (also spelled Chatooga, Chatuga, and Chautaga, variant name Guinekelokee River) is the main tributary of the Tugaloo River. Water course The headwaters of the Chattooga River are located southwest of Cashiers, North Car ...

Cullasaja River The Cullasaja River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Little Laurel Creek *

* Middle Creek *

Nantahala Lake Nantahala Lake ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Nantahala River The Nantahala River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Queens Creek *

Tallulah River The Tallulah River ( ) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 26, 2011 river in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and North Carolina. It begins in Clay County, North Car ...

* Tessentee Creek

Adjacent counties

* Swain County – north * Jackson County – east *

Oconee County, South Carolina Oconee County is the westernmost County (United States), county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 78,607. Its county seat is Walhalla, South Carolina, Walhalla and its lar ...

– southeast *

Rabun County, Georgia Rabun County () is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,883, up from 16,276 in 2010. The county seat is Clayton. With an average annual rainfall of over , Rabun County has the ...

– south *

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 ...

– southwest * Cherokee County – west * Graham County – northwest

Major highways

* * * * * * *

Major infrastructure

Macon County Airport Macon County Airport is a public use airport in Macon County, North Carolina, United States. Owned by the Macon County Airport Authority, it is located three nautical miles (6 km) northwest of central business district of Franklin, No ...

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 37,014 people, 15,921 households, and 10,250 families residing in the county.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 29,811 people, 12,828 households, and 8,902 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 20,746 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.18%

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 ...

, 1.20%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

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 ...

, 0.28%

Native American Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...

, 0.39% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.31% 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), ...

, and 0.63% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population were

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. There were 12,828 households, out of which 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.74. In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.30% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 27.90% from 45 to 64, and 22.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 92.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,139, and the median income for a family was $37,381. Males had a median income of $28,113 versus $20,081 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,642. About 8.80% of families and 12.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.00% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

Law, government, public safety

Government

Macon County is governed by its elected Board of Commissioners and administered by the Board's appointed County Manager. Macon County is a member of the regional Southwestern Commission council of governments. As of 2024, Macon County has the lowest property tax rate in North Carolina – 27 cents per $100.

Public safety

Sheriff and municipal police

The Macon County Sheriff's Office provides court security, jail administration, and protection of all county owned facilities for all of Macon county plus patrol and detective services for the unincorporated parts of the county. Incorporated towns Franklin, pop 3,845, and Highlands. population 924, have municipal police departments. When requested, assistance is available from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, SBI.

Fire and Emergency services

Macon County Emergency Services oversees contracts with the eleven volunteer fire departments that provide protection to Macon County residents and businesses and also provides for fire inspections. Macon County has a fire prevention ordinance enforceable by civil and criminal penalties,

Education

Franklin High School

Franklin High School is a public high school serving grades 9–12, and is a part of the Macon County Schools district.

Union Academy

Union Academy is an alternative public school in Macon County, North Carolina for grades 6–12. It is located near the South Macon Elementary school. Its name was changed from Union Alternative in 2006.

Macon Early College

Macon Early College is a high school that offers college classes located next to the

greenway Greenway or Greenways may refer to: * Greenway (landscape), a linear park focused on a trail or bike path * Another term for bicycle boulevards in some jurisdictions * European Greenways Association, an association for sustainable transport Peopl ...

and

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

of Franklin.

Southwestern Community College (North Carolina) Southwestern Community College is a public community college in the town limits of Webster with a Sylva, North Carolina address. It is part of the North Carolina Community College System. History The beginnings of Southwestern Community College ...

is a partner in the program. As of 2008, SCC was ranked 4th in the list of America's best community colleges. Macon Early College is one of the three high schools in the Macon area, coming into existence after the Franklin High School, but before the Union Academy.

Media

'' The Franklin Press'' has been published weekly in Franklin since 1888. It is the oldest extant business in Macon County. The ''Press'' was preceded by four other Macon County newspapers: ''The Franklin Observer'' and ''The Western Carolinian'' (both of which began in 1860), the ''Macon Advance'' (started in 1877), and ''The Western Reporter'' (1880-1881). None of them lasted more than a few years. Highlands has been served by ''The Highlander'' newspaper since 1958. It was preceded by a newspaper of the same name that began in 1885 and ceased publication in 1887 due to financial hardship.

Communities

Towns

(county seat and largest community) *

Unincorporated communities

* Aquone * Cullasaja *

Etna Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily. Etna or ETNA may also refer to: Places United States *Etna, California, a city * Etna, Georgia, a village * Etna, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Etna, Indiana, an unincorporat ...

Gneiss Gneiss (pronounced ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. This rock is formed under p ...

* Holly Springs * Iotla * Kyle *

Leatherman Leatherman is an American brand of multi-tool made by Leatherman Tool Group of Portland, Oregon. The company was founded in July 1983 by Timothy S. Leatherman and Steve Berliner in order to market the former's idea of a capable, easily p ...

* Oak Grove *

Otto Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants '' Audo'', '' Odo'', '' Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorded fr ...

* Peek's Creek * Prentiss *

Rainbow Springs Rainbow Springs, formerly known as Blue Spring, is a first-magnitude artesian spring formation in Marion County, Florida, United States, several miles north of the city of Dunnellon, Florida, Dunnellon. Rainbow Springs is the focal point of ...

Scaly Mountain Scaly Mountain (separate of near-easterly big / little Scaly Mountains, per se - see External link below) is a small Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community along North Carolina Highway 106, southwest of Highlands, North Caro ...

* West's Mill

Townships

* Burningtown * Cartoogechaye * Cowee *

Ellijay Ellijay, occasionally spelled Elijay, is a city in Gilmer County, Georgia, United States. Its population was 1,862 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Gilmer County. Agriculture is important in Gilmer County, known as the "Apple ...

Flats Flat or flats may refer to: Architecture * Apartment, known as a flat in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and other Commonwealth countries Arts and entertainment * Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch * Flat (soldier), a two-dimens ...

* Millshoal * Nantahala * Smithbridge (formerly Smith's Bridge) * Sugarfork

References

External links

* * {{Authority control 1828 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1828

History

Geography

National protected areas

State and local protected areas/sites

Waterfalls

Cullasaja Falls

Dry Falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Quarry Falls

Major water bodies

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Major infrastructure

Demographics

2020 census

2000 census

Law, government, public safety

Government

Public safety

Sheriff and municipal police

Fire and Emergency services

Education

Franklin High School

Union Academy

Macon Early College

Media

Communities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Townships

See also

References

External links