Mitchell County, North Carolina: History and Information

Mitchell County, North Carolina

Mitchell County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Bakersville
Year Organized: 1861
Square Miles: 222

Court House:

26 Crimson Laurel Circle, #2
County Administration Building
Bakersville, NC 28705-9510

Etymology - Origin of County Name

It was named in honor of Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a professor at the University of North Carolina. While on an exploring expedition of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, Dr. Mitchell fell and was killed. He was buried on the top of this lofty mountain.

Demographics:

History

Mitchell was formed in 1861 from Yancey, Watauga, Caldwell, Burke and McDowell counties. It was named in honor of Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a professor at the University of North Carolina. While on an exploring expedition of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, Dr. Mitchell fell and was killed. He was buried on the top of this lofty mountain. It is in the western section of the State and is bounded by the state of Tennessee and Avery, McDowell and Yancey counties. The present land area is 221.43 square miles and the 2000 population was 15,687. The first court was ordered to be held at Eben Child's. Commissioners were named to acquire the land, establish a town by the name of Calhoun, and erect a courthouse in Calhoun. They maintained it was inconvenient to three-fourths of the citizens. They said the matter should, therefore, be referred to the Assembly. In 1862 an act was passed authorizing the people to decide by ballot for Calhoun, or for Davis as the county seat. In 1863 an act was passed which stipulated that the county seat should be located at the geographical center of the county by actual survey and measurements. In 1863 the justices met and unanimously agreed that Norman's Hill should be selected as the county seat. From 1861-1866 commissioners were appointed to acquire the land and lay out a town. At the regular September term, 1866, held at Davis, the commissioners reported that they had acquired 29 acres of land and sold the lots. In 1868 the county seat was changed from Davis to Bakersville. Bakersville was incorporated in 1870 and is the county seat.

Neighboring Counties:

State of Tennessee

Avery

McDowell

Yancey

Cities and Towns:

- Bakersville (County Seat)

town

Incorporated Area

- Spruce Pine

town

Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

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