Mount Jefferson (North Carolina)
Encyclopedia
Mount Jefferson is a mountain
located in Ashe County
, North Carolina
. The mountain is part of the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
. The mountain has an elevation of 4665 feet (1,422 m) above sea level, and it sharply rises more than 1,600 feet above the towns of Jefferson, North Carolina
and West Jefferson
. Before the American Civil War
the mountain was a popular hiding place for slaves who had escaped from their owners in the central and eastern sections of North Carolina. As a result, the peak was named "Nigger Mountain," then later the less offensive "Negro Mountain" for many years. Approximately thirty years ago, in an effort to find a less-racially offensive name, the mountain was renamed Mount Jefferson after the town at its base. A paved road leads to the mountain's summit; on a clear day the summit affords sweeping views of the surrounding countryside, the towns of Jefferson and West Jefferson, and the Appalachian Mountains
in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
Mountain
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located in Ashe County
Ashe County, North Carolina
- History :Historical evidence shows that Ashe county was inhabited by Native Americans, which included the Cherokee, Creek, and Shawnee tribes. Pieces of broken pottery, arrowheads, and other Native American artifacts have been found, indicating their presence...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The mountain is part of the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is a North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it includes the peak of Mount Jefferson, named for Thomas Jefferson, who owned land nearby.-History:...
. The mountain has an elevation of 4665 feet (1,422 m) above sea level, and it sharply rises more than 1,600 feet above the towns of Jefferson, North Carolina
Jefferson, North Carolina
Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ashe County.-History:...
and West Jefferson
West Jefferson, North Carolina
West Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census.-History:West Jefferson was incorporated as a city in 1909, and it is the second-oldest incorporated town in Ashe County. West Jefferson has the distinction of having the only cheese...
. Before the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
the mountain was a popular hiding place for slaves who had escaped from their owners in the central and eastern sections of North Carolina. As a result, the peak was named "Nigger Mountain," then later the less offensive "Negro Mountain" for many years. Approximately thirty years ago, in an effort to find a less-racially offensive name, the mountain was renamed Mount Jefferson after the town at its base. A paved road leads to the mountain's summit; on a clear day the summit affords sweeping views of the surrounding countryside, the towns of Jefferson and West Jefferson, and the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.