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Burnsville is a town that serves as the county seat of Yancey County, North Carolina, United States.[4] The population was 1,693 at the 2010 census.

Burnsville, North Carolina
Town
Burnsville Town Square
Seal
Location of Burnsville, North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°55′02″N 82°18′03″W[1]
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Yancey
Area [2]
• Total	1.60 sq mi (4.14 km2)
• Land	1.60 sq mi (4.14 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [1]	2,825 ft (861 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,614
• Density	1,008.75/sq mi (389.40/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	28714
Area code	828
FIPS code	37-09140[3]
Website	townofburnsville.org

History

The town was founded on March 6, 1834, from land conveyed by John "Yellow Jacket" Bailey, and it was named after Captain Otway Burns, a naval hero of the War of 1812. In 1909, a statue of Captain Burns was given to the town by his grandson, Walter Francis Burns Sr., and it was set on a granite pedestal in the center of the town square. It has an inscription that reads, in part, "He Guarded Well Our Seas, Let Our Mountains Honor Him." Due to damages, the original statue was replaced in the early 2000s.

On April 6, 2010, Burnsville, the only incorporated town within Yancey County, held a referendum providing for the legal sale of alcohol within the town limits. The referendum passed, effectively ending prohibition in Yancey County. After applying for and receiving the applicable permits, Burnsville may now operate an ABC store; retail establishments may now sell beer and wine; and restaurants may sell beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Graham County is the last remaining dry county in the state of North Carolina.[5]

Historic structures

One of the oldest buildings is the Nu-Wray Inn. It was built in 1833 and now, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Parkway Playhouse, the oldest continually operating summer stock theater company in North Carolina, is located in Burnsville. It was founded in 1947 by W. R. Taylor, a professor of drama from the Woman's College of North Carolina-now the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and a group of dedicated community leaders. Several other structures in Burnsvile are listed on the are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They include the Bald Creek Historic District, Chase-Coletta House, Citizens Bank Building, John Wesley McElroy House, Yancey Collegiate Institute Historic District, and Yancey County Courthouse.[6]

Annual fair

The Mt. Mitchell Craft Fair is held in Burnsville. This annual event, founded in 1956, attracts thousands of tourists and over 200 vendors and performers. The fair is known for the local and visiting artisans who exhibit their handmade arts and crafts.

Traditionally, the fair is held during the first weekend of August that includes a Friday. This year's Crafts Fair takes place on August 5 and 6.[7]

Geography

Burnsville is located in the mountains of western North Carolina, at 2,825 feet above sea level. It is on a tributary of the Cane River, just north of the Black Mountains,[8] and 30 miles northeast of Asheville. U.S. Highway 19E runs through the town, leading to Interstate 26 and Mars Hill to the west and, to the east, to Spruce Pine.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	207		—
1910	422		103.9%
1930	866		—
1940	997		15.1%
1950	1,341		34.5%
1960	1,388		3.5%
1970	1,348		−2.9%
1980	1,452		7.7%
1990	1,482		2.1%
2000	1,623		9.5%
2010	1,693		4.3%
2020	1,614		−4.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

2020 census

Burnsville racial composition[10]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	1,374	85.13%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	26	1.61%
Native American	10	0.62%
Asian	11	0.68%
Pacific Islander	1	0.06%
Other/Mixed	51	3.16%
Hispanic or Latino	141	8.74%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,614 people, 822 households, and 520 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 1,623 people, 748 households, and 412 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,028.0 people per square mile (396.6/km²). There were 845 housing units at an average density of 535.2 per square mile (206.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.50% White, 1.91% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.86% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.88% of the population.

There were 748 households, out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.9% were non-families. 42.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.70.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.1% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 30.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 75.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,653, and the median income for a family was $34,712. Males had a median income of $30,227 versus $25,234 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,894. About 15.3% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Burnsville is served by the Yancey County Schools System. Mountain Heritage High School, Yancey County's public high school is located outside the town limits to the west on Highway 19E, as is a satellite campus of Mayland Community College. Burnsville Elementary School and East Yancey Middle School lie to the east of the town limits.

Economy

Glen Raven is the only operating textile factory in the county.[11][12] Formerly, Burnsville had two textile mills, with Avondale Mills and Glen Raven, Inc. each operating a mill in the town. The closures of the Avondale Mills facility and Taylor Togs' Micaville blue jeans factory occurred in 2004.

Points of interest

• The Nu-Wray Inn has been used as a hotel since its construction in 1833.
• The Parkway Playhouse, founded in 1947, as a summer stock theatre, is one of the oldest continually operating theatre companies in North Carolina.
• John Wesley McElroy House, built circa 1830s, now is used as a museum.
• Mt. Mitchell, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River is located nearby in southern Yancey County.

Development

In 2006, the North Carolina Department of Transportation began widening U.S. 19 and U.S. 19E from a two-lane highway to a four-lane divided highway. The construction began at the junction of Interstate 26 in Madison County and continued to where U.S. 19E intersects with Jacks Creek Road. Construction on this section was completed and was dedicated on November 2, 2012.[13] Work on widening the next section to the Micaville intersection was completed and opened to a four-lane traffic pattern over the weekend of October 29–30, 2016.[14]

References

External links

• Official website
• Community History
• Yancey County Chamber of Commerce History Page
• Yancey County News - weekly newspaper in Burnsville

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