Boone, North Carolina

Boone as seen from Howard Knob

Boone took its name from the famous pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone, who on several occasions camped at a site generally agreed to be within the present city limits. Daniel's nephews, Jesse and Jonathan (sons of brother Israel Boone), were members of the town's first church,[5] Three Forks Baptist, still in existence today.[6]

Boone was served by the narrow gauge East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (nicknamed "Tweetsie") until the flood of 1940. The flood washed away much of the tracks and it was decided not to replace them.

Boone is the home of Appalachian State University, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina. Appalachian State is the sixth-largest university in the seventeen-campus system. Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute also operates a satellite campus in Boone.

"Horn in the West" is a dramatization of the life and times of the early settlers of the mountain area. It features Daniel Boone as one of its characters, and has been performed in an outdoor amphitheater near the town every summer since 1952. The original actor in the role of "Daniel Boone" was Ned Austin. His "Hollywood Star" stands on a pedestal on King Street in downtown Boone. He was followed in the role by Glenn Causey, who portrayed the rugged frontiersman for 41 years, and whose image is still seen in many of the depictions of Boone featured in the area today.

Boone is notable for being home to the Junaluska community. Located in the hills just north of Downtown Boone, a free black community has existed in the area since before the Civil War. Although integration in the mid-20th century led to many of the businesses in the neighborhood closing in favor of their downtown counterparts, descendants of the original inhabitants still live in the neighborhood. Junaluska is also home to one of the few majority-African American Mennonite Brethren congregations.[7]

Boone is a center for bluegrass musicians and Appalachian storytellers. Notable artists associated with Boone include the late Grammy Award-winning bluegrass guitar player Doc Watson, and the late guitarist Michael Houser, one of the founding members of and the lead guitarist for the band Widespread Panic, as well as Old Crow Medicine Show, The Blue Rags, and Eric Church, all who are Boone natives.

The Blair Farm, Daniel Boone Hotel, Jones House, John Smith Miller House, and US Post Office-Boone are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[8]

Boone is located at 36°12′41″N 81°40′7″W (36.211364, −81.668657)[9] and has an elevation of 3,333 feet (1015.9 m) above sea level. An earlier survey gave the elevation as 3,332 ft and since then it has been published as having an elevation of 3,333 ft (1,016 m). Boone has the highest elevation of any town of its size (over 10,000 population) east of the Mississippi River. As such, Boone features, depending on the isotherm used, a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), a rarity for the Southeastern United States, bordering on a subtropical highland climate (Cfb) and straddles the boundary between USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6B and 7A;[10] the elevation also results in enhanced precipitation, with 52.7 inches (1,340 mm) of average annual precipitation. Compared to the lower elevations of the Carolinas, winters are long and cold, with frequent sleet and snowfall. The daily average temperature in January is 31.2 °F (−0.4 °C),[11] which gives Boone a winter climate more similar to coastal southern New England rather than the Southeast, where a humid subtropical climate predominates. Blizzard-like conditions are not unusual during many winters. Summers are warm, but far cooler and less humid than lower regions to the south and east, with a July daily average temperature of 68.5 °F (20.3 °C).[11] Boone typically receives on average nearly 35 inches (89 cm) of snowfall annually, far higher than the lowland areas in the rest of North Carolina. On January 18, 1966, the temperature fell to −18 °F (−28 °C).[12]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 13,472 people, 4,374 households, and 1,237 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,307.0 people per square mile (890.7/km²). There were 4,748 housing units at an average density of 813.0 per square mile (313.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.98% White, 3.42% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.19% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 1.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[3]

There were 4,374 households out of which 9.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 21.0% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 71.7% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.63.[3]

In the town, the population was spread out with 5.8% under 18, 65.9% from 18 to 24, 12.1% from 25 to 44, 9.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females, there are 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.[3]

The median income for a household in the town was $20,541, and the median income for a family was $49,762. The per capita income was $12,256. Males had a median income of $28,060 versus $20,000 for females. About 9.2% of families and 37.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under the age of 18 and 9.1% of those 65 and older.[3]

Boone operates under a mayor–council government. The city council consists of five members. The mayor presides over the council and casts a vote on issues only in the event of a tie. As of December 2015, the Town Council members were: Rennie Brantz, Mayor, and Councilors: Lynne Mason (Mayor Pro-Tem), Jennifer Teague, Loretta Clawson, Charlotte Mizelle and Jeannine Underdown Collins.

Industrial, commercial, and residential development in the town of Boone is a controversial issue due to its location in the mountains of Appalachia. On October 16, 2009, the town council accepted the "Boone 2030 Land Use Plan."[16] While the document itself is not in any way actual law, it is used by the town council, board of adjustment, and other committees to guide decision making as to what types of development are appropriate.[17]

In 2009, the North Carolina Department of Transportation began widening 1.1 miles of U.S. 421 (King Street) to a 4-to-6-lane divided highway with a raised concrete median from U.S. 321 (Hardin Street) to east of N.C. 194 (Jefferson Road), including a new entrance and exit to the new Watauga High School, at a cost of $16.2 million.[18] The widening has displaced 25 businesses and 63 residences east of historic downtown King Street.[19] The project was slated to be completed by December 31, 2011, but construction continued into the spring of 2012.

• Appalachian State University
• Blue Ridge Parkway
• Daniel Boone Native Gardens
• Horn in the West
• Howard Knob
• Tweetsie Railroad
• Watauga River
• Elk Knob State Park
• Grandfather Mountain

Doc Watson sculpture in downtown Boone

• Sam Adams, professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour[20]
• Chris Austin, country music singer[21]
• Eustace Conway, an American naturalist
• Rufus L. Edmisten, former North Carolina Secretary of State and Attorney General[22]
• Tommy Gregg, former MLB player[23]
• Steve Goss, former North Carolina Senator and ordained Southern Baptist minister[24]
• Doc Hendley, founder of Wine to Water, an American charitable organization
• John Hollar, former NFL player for the Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions[25]
• James Holshouser, was the 68th Governor of North Carolina
• Michael Houser, founding member and lead guitarist of the band Widespread Panic
• Ken Isaacs, executive with the Christian organization Samaritan's Purse[26]
• Ryder Jones, MLB player with the San Francisco Giants[27]
• Bob Matheson, former NFL player and 2x Super Bowl champion with the Miami Dolphins
• Abraham Morlu, former CFL player and track Olympian, representing his birth country Liberia[28]
• Stanley South, major proponent of the processual archaeology movement
• Brenda Taylor, Olympic hurdler who represented the USA at the 2004 Athens Olympics[28]
• Coaker Triplett, former MLB player for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Philadelphia Phillies[29]
• Doc Watson, bluegrass, gospel, blues, folk, and country singer

• Collingwood, Ontario, Canada[30]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Boone (North Carolina).

• Official website
• DigitalNC: Historic Boone
• Historical Boone Photos, Postcards, and Paper
• Cy Crumley ET&WNC Photo Collection