This marker is located in the town square just across from the county courthouse and points out the…read moreeducational institution nearby. There is ample parking. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "A Baptist preparatory school, 1901-1926. Two of the buildings later used by public schools. 1/2 mile northeast." It is marker number N-27 and it was erected in 1987 by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. Online, there is more information. Yancey Collegiate Institute operated in Burnsville from 1901 to 1926 as a Baptist preparatory school, offering secondary education when public high schools were scarce in North Carolina. The idea for the school emerged from a Baptist Association meeting in 1899, and local support led to the acquisition of land and construction of brick buildings funded by church boards and private donors. Initially focused on high school subjects, the curriculum expanded in 1917 to include college-level courses in history, Biblical studies, and classical languages. Student life featured literary societies and athletics, with facilities for basketball, baseball, tennis, boxing, and wrestling. After closing as a private institution in 1926, the site transitioned into a public high school and later Burnsville Elementary, which closed in 1993. Today, the location houses the Blue Ridge Reading Team and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [Review 1292 of 2025 - 4437 in North Carolina - 24844 overall]

This seems important and people were just walking by without taking time to understand why we're…read moreexactly HERE as opposed to on some other hilltop in North Carolina. The marker reads, "Elisha Mitchell, 1793-1857. Scientist and professor. Died in attempt to prove this mountain highest in eastern U.S. Grave is at the summit, 285 yds. S." Online, there is more information. "On June 27, 1857, Elisha Mitchell, exploring the Black Mountain range, slipped and fell to his death in a deep pool at the bottom of a sixty-foot waterfall. Search parties were organized (by Zebulon Baird Vance, future governor and United States senator for North Carolina, among others), and the body was discovered several days later by "Big Tom" Wilson, noted bear hunter and woodsman. Mitchell's death "cast a shadow of profound grief over the entire state."" The marker is in the parking lot summit of Mount Mitchell and you will spot it next to the the trail to the summit. [Review 12710 overall, 22 of 2020.]

This marker is on the campus of what is now Mars Hill University and is in a parking lot next to…read moreFounder's Hall. It's easy to stop and read this marker. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Baptist; coeducational. Founded 1856 as French Broad Baptist Institute. Name changed 1859. Senior college since 1962." Mars Hill College began in 1856 as the French Broad Baptist Academy, with land donated by Edward Carter and early funding from local sponsors ‐ though financial trouble soon led to the seizure of a slave named Joe Anderson as collateral, until public gifts saved the project. The school was renamed Mars Hill College in 1858, inspired by Acts 17:22, and endured Civil War disruptions including troop occupation and building damage. After reopening post-war, it faced decades of financial instability, briefly serving as an orphanage and subscription school, with fourteen presidents between 1865 and 1897. Robert Lee Moore revitalized the college, guiding it to junior college status in 1921, and his successor Hoyt Blackwell later oversaw its transition to a four-year institution and the awarding of baccalaureate degrees in 1964. Mars Hill became one of the South's earliest integrated colleges in 1961, enrolling Oralene Graves ‐ the great-great-granddaughter of Joe Anderson ‐ and today spans over 200 acres, with 32 buildings, 31 majors, and a nationally acclaimed dance team. This is marker number P-34 and it was erected in 2011 by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History. [Review 1231 of 2025 - 4416 in North Carolina - 24783 overall]

At the center of the town square that is next to the county courthouse, I was sure that this was…read moregoing to be another Confederate memorial. Well, it's not. It's WAY better than that. Otway Burns is honored here with both a statue and the town's name because of his legacy as a naval hero and his support for western representation in state politics. A celebrated privateer during the War of 1812, Burns commanded the schooner Snap Dragon and captured numerous British vessels, earning national recognition. After the war, he served in the North Carolina General Assembly, where he advocated for increased political representation for the North Carolina's western counties. This stance resonated so deeply with mountain communities that the newly established town in Yancey County was named Burnsville in 1834. The statue in the town square, donated by his grandson in 1909, commemorates his service and symbolizes the enduring respect held for his contributions to both state and country. The statue is made of copper. It depicts him standing upright in a commanding pose, dressed in 19th-century naval attire with a long coat and high boots. His right arm is raised, pointing forward, symbolizing leadership and vision. The plaque on the plinth reads, "He guarded well our seas, let our mountains honor him." [Review 1226 of 2025 - 4411 in North Carolina - 24778 overall]

The Otway Burns Statue is located on the square in Downtown Burnsville. It is a nice tribute to the…read moreman the town was named after. It is a copper statue on a granite block. I became familiar with Otway Burns while in Beaufort, NC. So before visiting this statue I wondered why there was a monument for him in Burnsville, NC. Burns was a war hero, privateer, ship builder and legislator from Swansboro, NC. His last act as a politician was to allow Western North Carolina more representation in the state by a vote of thirty-one to thirty. So this was the town's way to honor what he did for them. The inscription reads: "Otway Burns, born in Onslow County N.C. 1775. Died at Portsmouth N.C. 1850. Sailor-Soldier-Statesmen. North Carolina's foremost son in the War of 1812-15. For him, this town is named. He guarded well our seas, let our mountains honor him."

You might drive right past this pedestrian bridge and not think much about it. But this relic from…read morethe past built in 1928 once carried Highway 70 over the Stones River, one of America's longest roads designated in 1926 connecting Arizona to the Atlantic Ocean! It's also one of the world's last surviving fusions of a K-truss design (at the center) and a Parker truss design (outer panels). The k-truss, debuting in 1918, is exceptionally strong and supports tremendous weight, even fully loaded trains! This design features a framework that branches off a central vertical post, connected to the top and bottom in a pattern that resembles the letter "K." The Parker truss, first patented in 1870, features the top of a bridge sloping upward to its central pinnacle instead of approaching it perpendicular to the street below.

The Bob Sheehan Memorial Bridge sits alongside Lebanon Pike and is now part of the Stones River…read moreGreenway, and is easily accessible via Lebanon Pike or the Kohl's Greenway entrance. What once was an iconic bridge for travelers is now a historic pedestrian bridge that passes over top of Stones River and connects portions of the ever expanding Greenway. The bridge is small, but mighty with the large steel overhead and wide pathway. On one side you have river views and the other is Lebanon Pike, so one is definitely nicer than the other! The bridge is kept clean and for the most part is kept up by the city. It's a nice landmark, and a great part of the Greenway!

Hiked this since '95. Much of the ruins are buried under downed trees toppled by Helene though…read moretrail has been cleared. If you're from lower elevations expect the hike from the parkway at the Tanbark tunnel to wind you. Bears are not unusual & it's easy to surprise each other on this hardpacked trail. I tap my hiking staff frequently to avoid this. Don't leave items of value viewable in your vehicle at the parkway. Please refrain from leaving toilet paper along the trail!

The hike is worth checking out if you are in the Asheville area for more than a month. Otherwise…read moreperhaps prioritize other hikes. The parking area was kind of a joke...it only fit 3 cars, maybe more if the people didn't park like jerks. I enjoyed the hike but be forewarned that if you come on a weekday morning like we did, it's a bit eerie because it is almost TOO quiet. But if you are lucky enough to not encounter any bears you'll have a grand time. Maybe bring a knife or bear spray if you have bear anxiety like me and you'll feel better The hike gently slopes with the switchbacks and isn't too strenuous at all but not too boring either. The payoff at the top isn't a view, but rather the remains of the lodge which included several buildings. It's neat and I enjoyed seeing it and picturing what it would have been like 100 years ago. There is an informational sign. The hike down is very enjoyable and quick as it is all downhill.

We stopped at a restaurant in Black Mountain for breakfast last weekend after leaving Asheville…read more We immediately thought the area looked like a cool place and noted they also have a Hampton Inn by Hilton near the exit from I-40. We decided to come up over the 4th of July holiday weekend and booked our stay. We arrived on Sunday afternoon after driving from the Winston-Salem area and making a few stops along the way. We had eaten at Hillman Beer in Old Fort so we decided to park and walk around the downtown area. We noted several breweries and outdoor areas including a small park and food trucks options. There are plenty of free parking lots as well as ample street parking along with public restrooms. We also did not expect to find out that Roberta Flack was born here in 1937. We learned, the town is named for the old train stop at the Black Mountain Depot and is located at the southern end of the Black Mountain range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Southern Appalachians. We spent a couple of days in and around Black Mountain and feel like it is a special little spot.

It was mid-week when I decided to drive up the mountain on a crisp September morning out of Chimney…read moreRock to "The Little Town that Rocks!" yep Black Rock, NC a.k.a "The Front Porch of Western North Carolina," breathe deeply and take in the clean mountain air, and relax. This small town is locate just 15 miles from Asheville although it seems much more remote than it really is, especially as you navigate the numerous switchbacks while climbing the mountain - my speed probably never exceeded 45 mph as I took in the scenic countryside while transversing the unfamiliar route as the locals pushed my driving skills as they seemed to be racing their way to hell, most of the curves here are closer to 180 degree turns verses the normal 90 degree turns most non-mountainous people are used to so take advantage of the turn-outs as they appear and let the speed demons make their meeting with the grim-reaper or the other entities that live in this isolated section of the twilight zone, I've never seem a better tuned suspension on a 1980 F-150 than I did today, this cat was bending the needle as he pushed me for a few miles before I could give him room to go around. Now don't get me wrong this ain't no hick-town, my first stop was an ultra modern Starbucks, so I was able to get my non-fat, no foam latte fix while still having five bars on my iPhone, looks like this town is already a step ahead of SpaceX and it's StarLink satellite program. We took some time to explore the historic downtown that's filled with lots of shops and little restaurants, it's apparent the economic development committee has a plan in place to capture the interest and dollars of visitors that happen to stop by. Although our visit here was short we did get to experience some of its small town charm but wasn't here long enough to see any of their struggles. Although I didn't get to experience it Black Mountain owns and operates the Black Mountain Golf Course which is home to the famous 747yd, par 6 17th hole, which at one time the longest hole in the world, now that sounds like a birdie opportunity to me...