Highlands, North Carolina
Encyclopedia : H : HI : HIG : Highlands, North Carolina
Highlands is an incorporated town located on a plateau in the southern Appalachian mountains, within the Nantahala National Forest, in Macon County, North Carolina (a small annexed portion also being in neighboring Jackson County). As of the 2000 census, the town had a year-round population of 909, but the population swells to 10,000-15,000 during the season from spring to fall.
The town was founded in 1875 by Samuel Truman Kelsey and Clinton Carter Hutchinson who, supposedly, drew lines from Chicago, Illinois to Savannah and from New Orleans to Baltimore. They felt that the intersection of these two lines, would eventually become a great trading center and commercial crossroads.#redirect
In the 1930s the town became a golfing mecca when Bobby Jones of Atlanta and some of his well-heeled golfing buddies founded the Highlands Country Club. Today that club is one of seven successful residential country club communities situated between Highlands and Cashiers, North Carolina.
Cool Summer Climate & Resulting Tourism
Tourism in Highlands is mostly seasonal (generally March through November), with the community drawing Southerners from the oppressive heat and humidity of their flat-land Florida, Georgia, South Carolina. Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana summers. The average daily high temperature in July (Highlands hottest month of the year) is 78 degrees, and the July average overnight low is 57 degrees [link].
Highlands owes its cooler weather to the fact that it straddles the Eastern Continental Divide, giving it a much higher elevation above mean sea level at just over 4100ft. It calls itself the highest incorporated town east of the Rocky Mountains. Because of this, it also receives quite a bit of precipitation, mainly as rain but also a few snows scattered throughout the winter.
The town is quaintly dotted with many antique dealers, a well-known auction house, restaurants, (six of which have received awards from Wine Spectator), shops, inns, as well as several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 16.0 km² (6.2 mi²). 15.7 km² (6.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (1.94%) is water.
The town's official elevation is 4118 feet, making it the highest altitude as well as the coolest (during the summer months) of all towns in the southern United States. The annual rainfall approaches 90 inches due to the orographic lifting effect of storms coming from the lower elevations to the west. This rainfall and, counterintuitively, the abundant sunshine, create a lush and verdant microclimate which delights botanists.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 909 people, 445 households, and 253 families residing in the community. The population density was 57.9/km² (150.0/mi²). There were 1,713 housing units at an average density of 109.1/km² (282.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the community was 98.46% White, 0.11% Asian, 0.88% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.97% of the population.There were 445 households out of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.66.
In the town the population was spread out with 16.4% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 19.9% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $46,875. Males had a median income of $31,964 versus $20,662 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,120. About 4.2% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 13.5% of those age 65 or over.
External links
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