Where is
Bryson City NC?
Bryson City NC is
located in western North Carolina, near Cherokee NC.
Located on the other side of the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park from
Gatlinburg TN and
Pigeon Forge TN, it is home to the Great Smoky Mountains Railway and
Congressman Heath Shuler. Shuler, a previous
professional football player got his start at local
Swain High School, where he took the team to two
state championships. Nearby are the towns of
Waynesville NC,
Canton NC,
Maggie Valley NC,
Highlands NC, and
Franklin NC.
With about 1,400 people living in about 2 square miles, Bryson City
sits on the Tuckasegee River and is graced by mountains on all sides - The
Great Smoky Mountains, Cowee Mountains, and Plott Balsams. The
Nantahala National Forest is nearby, while the Cherokee Indian Reservation
rests on the east side of the town.
Bryson City was home to the native Cherokee for thousands of years, with
their eldest village of Kituhwa situated just near the town on the
Tuckasegee River. That village is no longer around as it was destroyed
during the American Revolution by American soldiers.
In 1818 Chief Big Bear obtained a 640-acre plot for the area of what is
now Bryson City. He sold portions of it over the next several years.
Land disputes ensued, and The Shuler family who in turn sold parts of the
land. Eventually, a small village of "Big Bear" (named after the
chief) grew in the area.
In 1871, parts of Jackson County and Macon County were relieved to the
creation of the new Swain county. The newly appointed commissioners of
the county met at Bear Springs, at Cline's Store - which was owned by Lucy
Ann Cline. Cline sold several acres of land for the county seat.
Known as "Charleston", the new seat of Swain County entailed a Main
Street intersecting "Everett" street (named for the first Sherriff of Swain
County. By 1872, the first jail was operational, and in 1874,
the courthouse was completed.
In 1889 the town changed names to its current Bryson City status, in
honor Thaddeus Bryson - a man who was heavily involved in many of the first
critical processes in the town's creation and upstart. The town folk
also realized there would be a certain amount of confusion with the town
Charleston in South Carolina.
The railroad came to town in 1884 courtesy the Western North Carolina
Railroad, followed by a bank in 1904, and completion of the new courthouse
in 1908. As the automobile increased in popularity, the railroad (now
owned by Southern Railway) would cease its passenger service in 1948.
And, in 1985, Northfolk Southern's freight division halted operations
through Bryson City. The tracks were purchased by the Great Smoky
Mountains Railway, which created a tourist attraction with the main stop in
Bryson City.
Much of today's revenue for Bryson City comes from the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, formed in 1933. Campgrounds and hiking trails
produced much of the early income for the town, and still do.
In 1944, the Fontana Dam project was completed by the Tennessee Valley
Authority. Much of the hydro-electric power it produced supplied much
need electricity to the Alcoa Aluminum plant, which created aircraft panels
for the war effort. The arrival of the Dam brought water levels above
a primary connection road between remote Smoky Mountains and the North Shore
area. Accordingly, the Government initiated work on a replacement
highway in 1948. After 25 years of "construction", only 7 miles had
been completed, infuriating the town. Still incomplete, it has become
known as the "Road to Nowhere" (pictured).
Realty & Real Estate
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Waterfalls
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Attractions in Bryson City
There are some interesting things to do in Bryson City NC. Whether
you want to go biking, boating, fishing, horseback riding, kayaking,
whitewater rafting or golfing, the world of nature is at your fingertips
here. Centrally located to the Great Smoky Mountains, Cherokee NC, and
the Nantahala National Forest, Bryson City also offers plenty of nearby
attractions...
While in the Bryson City
NC area, we also recommend you visit nearby
Waynesville NC,
Maggie Valley NC,
Boone NC,
Gatlinburg TN, and
Pigeon Forge TN.
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