98 steps. Not 100. I don't know why they missed this opportunity for a round number but I counted…read morethem going up and coming back down, getting the same. 98 steps. However, you can drive to the top where there is parking. If you do that, you'll miss the Jackson County Confederate Memorial that is midway on the stairs. The Historical Jackson County Courthouse is a 1913 Classical Revival structure that towers on a hill above and at the end of Sylva's main street. It has served here until 1994 when the new Justice Center opened a couple of miles away. It sat unused for several years until it was refreshed and restored, reopening in 2011 as the Jackson County Public Library complex that includes the Jackson County Historical Association, the Genealogical Society, and the Arts Council. Two stories and constructed of painted brick, it has a monumental portico at the front with large classical columns and is topped with a three-stage cupola above the central block. If you've been to Marshall NC, it does look a lot like the Madison County Courthouse. [Review 531 of 2026 - 4626 in North Carolina - 25713 overall]

All those stairs!!!! They just call to be climbed!! It's a 55 ft elevation gain…read more It's very pretty from the bottom and from the top of the stairs. Take a moment to notice the Mountain View's. It's just lovely. Don't want to climb those stairs? Don't worry you can get to the Library and Courthouse by car.

Buncombe County was formed in 1791 and named for Edward Buncombe, a Revolutionary War officer…read more Nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina, the county quickly became a cultural and political center, with Asheville as its seat and growing rapidly in the 1800s thanks to railroads, tourism, and the region's reputation for restorative mountain air. The Buncombe County Courthouse, completed in 1928, stands as a towering example of Beaux-Arts architecture with subtle Art Deco touches. Designed by Douglas Ellington (who is also responsible for the neighboring Asheville City Hall), the courthouse rises seventeen stories, making it the tallest county courthouse in North Carolina. Its limestone façade, classical ornamentation, and richly appointed interior ‐ with marble floors, coffered ceilings, and bronze fixtures ‐ reflect the civic optimism of Asheville's boom years, just before the Great Depression slowed further development. Beside the courthouse stands a three-tiered empty plinth. From 1905 until its removal in 2021, it held a monument to Confederate soldiers, taken down following a vote by county commissioners. The vacant pedestal now serves as a quiet marker of the region's evolving public memory. Asheville is a city of smart parking meters and parking decks. You won't find free parking here. [Review 1234 of 2025 - 4419 in North Carolina - 24786 overall]

Gandhi! "BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD"! Well he sure wouldn't be very proud of…read morethis bull! Hang those heads in shame. The universe is watching! Was there for jury duty for a 1st degree murder case. Never have I ever seen anything more idiotic then this place. The worst judges! Judge Thornburg a real piece of work. The stupidest prosecutors. I felt sorry for the defendant actually. I was called onto the jury but excused after answering questions truthfully. So many of us were excused. They kept the most uneducated and ignorant people who they believed would convict in a heartbeat. If choosing the jury is like a circus then what must the TRIAL be like. The defendants atty hardly had a chance to ask any questions. The prosecutor was on stage and what a performance it was. It's a sad commentary! Thank God I'll never have to serve again. They tell you "it's the most important thing you can do" LOL! It's the least important thing you can do here in Asheville. I'm from Brooklyn NY and no one here would survive up North. Nothing but redneck hillbillies and that's the truth. By the way the prosecutor had a "NAPOLEON COMPLEX". Very short with red hair. A real jerk. Nothing he said made one bit of sense yet he mumbled on and on about COMMON SENSE which he had none. What a joke! Now I can go back to doing really important things like saving animals and this pitiful world we now live in. Little does this so called court realize that there is a higher court judging them. "THE UNIVERSAL COURT" Amen

I was in the court house yesterday, for jury duty. And must say, all the folks, I encountered were…read moreso friendly, and knowledgeable. I wandered around and was impressed with the amazing beauty of this historical building. Everytime I drive in Sevierville I see it towering over all the other buildings. It makes me grin for it is beautiful. It was build in 1896, and got on the historical registry in 1971. This magnificent structure was designed by noted architect Kenneth McDonald of Louisville, Kentucky. McDonald was known for his Beaux-Arts Classicism design. The building was constructed by C. W. Brown of Lenoir City, at a cost of $21,000.00. From its beginning, the new courthouse has been a symbol of civic pride. The courthouse is a three-story structure, measuring 85 feet by 70 feet. The foundation is made of limestone blocks, 24 to 30 inches thick. The exterior walls up to the main floor are of hand-shaped limestone. They were obtained from a local quarry and hauled to the courthouse site by horse drawn wagons. From the main floor up, the exterior walls are brick, made at local brick yards. The tower is the dominating feature of the Courthouse rising 75 feet above the building. It rises 130 feet from the ground and is made of wood columns 10 inches by 10 inches rising from wood trusses. Midway up the tower is a large Seth Thomas clock which cost $1,353.45. For years, the clock was wound manually but today it's electric and strikes at the top of every hour. The metal dome on top of the tower was made by George G. M. Nichols.

Sevier County is an incredible place to live and work. Support extensions throughout county…read moregovernment are easily accessible and the county mayors office is interactive and hosts numerous community events throughout the year.

Early on a Saturday afternoon, the Cherokee County Courthouse in Murphy was all buttoned up and…read moresecured, which somehow made it even more striking as I walked the quiet square and took in that big presence that really dominates the block. The Classical Revival design hits you right away with those tall columns and the kind of symmetry that feels like it was built to impress. The 1927 construction date shows in all the best ways with that sturdy early 20th century confidence. With no one around, it was easy to stroll the perimeter and just let the building show off in the afternoon light. Cherokee County was formed in 1839 and Murphy has been the county seat from the start. When you see how this courthouse anchors the town, you get why they never moved it. Even locked up, it feels like a place that has seen a lot of local history roll right past its steps. The combination of its scale, the stonework and the mountain backdrop gives it a kind of quiet authority that sneaks up on you. It is impressive and imposing in the best way, and it makes for a surprisingly satisfying stop when you are wandering around town on a slow Saturday. [Review 514 of 2026 - 4609 in North Carolina - 25696 overall]

After jumping through all the hoops to find what I was looking for, paying online for the info,…read morenever received the report.

**April 2025: Weekday Late Morning Visit**…read more My friend and I were visiting Dollywood and figured that we should stop by her hometown to checkout her statue. It's located outside in the town center. My friend and I parked in a plaza nearby and walked towards this downtown area. If you're in Sevierville you should definitely get your photos with Dolly here!

There a no shortage of love for Dolly Parton in Sevierville. They even have erected a bronze statue…read moreof Dolly on the Courthouse lawn. And with good reason. Dolly has invested a lot of money in Sevier County with several theme parks. Dolly was born not too far from Sevierville, in Pittman Center. I'm a big Dolly fan and have listened to her music for decades. I love the reading programs for kids that she has championed throughout the country. The bronze statue by Gatlinburg artist, Jim Gray, depicts a young Dolly holding her guitar with her big smile and curly hair sitting on a rock. The statue was dedicated in 1989. Dolly looks casual and approachable. There is limited free parking around the Courthouse.

Big thanks to Richard R. for adding this one that did not come up in the usual searches and yet, it…read morewas the main reason I passed through the DuPont Forest. I love bridges and I love covered bridges even more! And wow, thanks for the amazing writeup of all the drama on this property that was an eye-opener. I parked the van at the High Falls Trailhead (there are restrooms and even a wifi here!) and made my way along the trail to the bridge. It's about 0.75 of a mile on a path through the woods. I am apparently not as delicious as usual as I earned zero mosquito bites despite sweating a lot in the humidity. I'd call this walk "easy plus." The bridge itself is impressive and quite modern. And I would suggest not missing the nearby Falls though I was simply too tired and it was getting too late for me. I'll need to plan better next time! The walk back was much easier as I opted to take the gravel road that is easy and smooth, but only open for emergency vehicles and the forest rangers. I would rate the hike as "easy" for 0.6 miles though not wheelchairable. You can ask the rangers for access by vehicle for handicapped but they're only open regular hours. [Review 20030 overall - 3463 in North Carolina - 1005 of 2023.]

High Falls Covered Bridge (also known as Buck Forest Covered Bridge) is one of my favorite bridges…read morein the Southern United States. It is a modern structure that has an interesting history. It is an example of the power of the people versus the dollar power of a developer. HISTORY In 1999, Sterling Diagnostic Imaging decided to sell their interest in the land that holds Triple Falls and High Falls, two of the most gorgeous waterfalls you will ever visit this side of the Mississippi. For reasons still unknown, the company decided to use an unusual bidding method by choosing to keep the bidding private and secretive. The State offered up a bid in efforts to save the land for public use, but Sterling announced a developer by the name of Jim Anthony won with a bid of 6.35 million. The developer initially announced in the Hendersonville Times News that he had no plans to develop the land, but instead wanted to use it as a private retreat. However, it soon became apparent Anthony was indeed planning a massive upscale gated community. The fact that the deed he purchased from Sterling Diagnostics stating the land could not be used for residential purposes at the Transylvania Courthouse did not seem to matter. It was later discovered the complex legal agreement between the two was unenforceable and the battle began between the state and Anthony. Anthony proceeded to begin building the roads and this gorgeous covered bridge as part of his planned community, but thankfully he was ultimately defeated. On October 23, 2000 Governor Jim Hunt and the Council of State unanimously voted to invoke eminent domain on the tract of land owned by developer Anthony. In many ways Anthony still won big, because the State paid him 24.5 million dollars in an out of court settlement. WOW! The Falls opened to the public on December 17, 2000. Since then, the entire 2200 acres has been integrated into Dupont State Forest. [History Reference: Romantic Asheville - "How Dupont State Forest was saved"] FINAL THOUGHTS Aside from being one of the most beautiful covered bridges you will ever see, it also is part of a trail system that includes arguably the most beautiful waterfalls in the South. If that is not enough of a reason to come here, let me give you movie fans one more reason. Many scenes from the 1st Hunger Games were filmed right here in this forest. The scene were Katniss finds Peeta camouflaged in the ground at the waterfall is located on the second tier of Triple Falls... just a half mile downstream of High Falls Covered Bridge. Movie scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxvyMiwhJWw Year Built: 2000 Obvious materials: Wood, stone, concrete Spans over: Little River at the top of High Falls Location: Dupont State Forest @ Buck Forest Road

This historic courthouse is one of six sites in all of Cherokee County listed on the National…read moreHistoric Register. (I think for a county with about 212,000 people having 6 NHR site is quite impressive) The other five includes: Alfred W. R House Crescent Farm: Edgewater Hall and the Rock Barn https://www.yelp.com/biz/rock-barn-canton?hrid=VQhh7jBjba90EElGVh-FVw&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) Canton WholeSale Company Canton Cotton Mill #2 Woodstock Depot According to The Cherokee County Historical Society's website...this is a five story classical revival built by prominent architect A. Ten Eyck Brown who also built The Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, GA. It's one of few surviving buildings in Georgia that was built using marble from the area. (I believe the marble is from Tate, Ga) If you look up you can see four eagles above the column thingies and they were sculpted by two local sculptures David A.H. Couche and B. Maloni. It's an impressive structure with it's gleaming white marble and it's formidable presence. I almost expect a bunch of men walking out of in white robes speaking Latin....it looks like it belongs in Athens, Greece... It's located in downtown historic Canton not far from the Historic Canton Cannon Park. Next to the courthouse is the Cherokee Justice Center as well as the superior court. It now houses the Cherokee County History museum and visitor center. It a pretty cool building to check out for a photo opt. If you're ever in the area.

Super friendly and nice people here. Very fast and helpful, they were also very sweet to my…read morechildren who loved to talk to everyone.

It is a very nice building. Only issue I had was in the interview room there was profanity words…read moreetched in the table.

The lady was rude to me for no good reason so I don't recommend going to that location. I never…read morewill again.. If a person works with the public I believe you should carry yourself with kindness. You have no idea what the person you got a attitude with is going through

I have used this location for their drive thru license renewal. It's pretty hidden , and there…read moreisn't even a sign that's says to take the road, but it's situated between the the court house buildings. The road just looks like a walking path to the back, so it can be misleading. Beats going to East town mall or Farragut to wait in line ! You pull in and it lets you off on Gay st.

The city of Blairsville was perfect for our little mountain getaway!…read more Blairsville or "City of Mountains" is located in North Georgia (Union County) near Chattahoochee National Forest, and Vogel State Park. There's so much fun stuff to do around here such as renting a cabin, hiking, camping, fishing, paddle boating and so much more. Some of the places we visited while staying here: - Blairsville Downtown - Sleepy Hollow Enterprises - Vogel State Park - Helton Creek Falls - Blairsville Seafood Market "Mike's" - Brasstown Bald - Bell Mountain All of those destinations were 15-20 min away from each other at the most and all the activities, and views were absolutely worth it! I totally recommend staying in Blairsville and visiting all of those places. Also, don't miss Blairsville Downtown! It's a cute, small town but it's full with happy people ready to welcome you! The restaurants around it are great as well! ESPAÑOL ¡La ciudad de Blairsville fue perfecta para nuestra pequeña escapada a la montaña!   Blairsville o "City of Mountains" se encuentra en el norte de Georgia (Condado de Union) cerca del bosque nacional Chattahoochee y el parque estatal Vogel.   Hay muchas cosas divertidas que hacer por aquí, como alquilar una cabaña, ir de excursión, acampar, pescar, remar en bote y mucho más.   Algunos de los lugares que visitamos durante su estancia aquí:   - Blairsville Downtown   - Sleepy Hollow Enterprises   - Parque Estatal Vogel   - Helton Creek Falls   - Blairsville Seafood Market "Mike's"   - Brasstown Bald   - Bell Mountain   Todos esos destinos estaban a 15-20 minutos el uno del otro como máximo y todas las actividades, y las vistas valieron la pena! Recomiendo totalmente alojarse en Blairsville y visitar todos esos lugares.   Además, ¡no te pierdas el centro de Blairsville! ¡Es un pueblo pequeño y lindo, pero está lleno de gente feliz lista para darte la bienvenida! Los restaurantes a su alrededor también son geniales.

SMALL TOWN CHARM IN A NEAT LITTLE PACKAGE!…read more Blairsville is a small town located straight up 400/19 in Union County. It is located near the Chattahoochee Forest and Vogel Park and has spectacular views and vistas. Town Square is at the center of town and where you will find restaurants and the historical court house which is now the site of the Historical Society Museum. It is a true gem and deserves its own review. It is a great little "get away" and a great place to go and re-acquaint yourself with nature, history and wonderful people. The town plays host to several festivals and community activities, (Friday night concerts) throughout the year. Although we were in town for the Mountain Heritage Festival, we wandered into town for breakfast and to see the historic courthouse which literally sits in the center of town where you can't miss it. A traffic circle directs you around the building. This town seems to be run by volunteers who love their town and its history. They were throughout the various venues and just full of useful information. We had such a nice visit, that we are considering returning to the fall festival when the weather is cooler and we are able to see the trees change color. If you come for a festival, you must have a meal downtown and take a look around. There is plenty of convenient public parking available. When you are traveling to Blairsville, you will encounter long winding roads that can appear to be a bit precarious. However just hang in there and you will be fine. These roads are very popular with cyclists, drivers of sport cars, and motorcyclists so you must be cautious and TAKE YOUR TIME. We actually were stuck behind a group of cyclists, so we simply put our hazard lights on and hunkered down while staying about two car lengths back. It is simply not safe to pass on these challenging roads. If you have ever ridden a bike on the street, you can appreciate how scary it must be to be on a winding mountain road and have an aggressive driver on your tail. Just be kind! The sorghum festival will be taking place during the first weekend in October, so make a plan!