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Please add profiles of those who were born, lived or died in McDowell County, North Carolina.
Official Website
Both the historic Cherokee and Catawba Indians were Native American peoples known to live in what is now McDowell County, and they had been there long before any Europeans. These Native Americans were living in this section for centuries before the Spanish Juan Pardo's 1566 expedition to the interior region from the Atlantic coast.
McDowell County was created 19 December 1842 and was named in honor of Joseph McDowell, a Revolutionary War leader and hero of the Battle of King's Mountain. He was elected and served one term as a member of the United States House of Representatives, from 1797 to 1799.
During the Carolina Gold Rush period of the early 19th century, the south county area was known for its gold production. The banks of the Muddy Creek and mines at Vein Mountain were productive areas. Many mines and thriving gold rush towns such as Brackettown no longer exist; scattered ruins and abandoned cemeteries mark once-active sites of the gold rush period.
Adjacent Counties
Cities, Towns, Townships & Communities
- Crooked Creek
- Dysartsville
- Glenwood
- Linville Falls
- Little Switzerland
- Marion (County Seat)
- Montford Cove
- Nebo
- North Cove
- Old Fort
- Pleasant Gardens
- Sugar Hill
- West Marion
- Woodlawn-Sevier
Cemeteries
Links
National Register of Historic Places
NC Estate Files - McDowell County
McDowell County Historical Society
