Hayesville, North Carolina

Hayesville is a town in Clay County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 311 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Clay County.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

File:The historic Clay County courthouse in downtown Hayesville, N.C. on July 10, 2022.jpg

The Clay County Courthouse on the Hayesville square is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Quanassee

This was long an area of indigenous settlement along the Hiwassee River. An earthwork platform mound was built here, likely by people of the South Appalachian Mississippian culture about 1000 CE. It would have been the center of their village.

Later, the historic Cherokee developed a town known as Quanassee at this site. They built their townhouse on top of the mound, to provide a place for communal discussion and reaching consensus. It was one of the numerous "Valley Towns" located along the Hiwassee River in Western North Carolina. It was also along the Trading Path (also called the "Unicoi Turnpike"). That road led from Quanassee west to another town at present-day Murphy, North Carolina, then over the Unicoi Range at Unicoi Gap and down to the Cherokee town of Great Tellico (today Tellico Plains, Tennessee).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Quanassee had several hundred inhabitants by 1550. In 1716, South Carolina officials met with Cherokee leaders in Quanassee to obtain the Cherokee's alliance in the Yamassee War. The next year South Carolina built a trading site in Quanassee to gain Cherokee commodities like deerskins in exchange for manufactured English goods. A Coosa (Creek) war party "cut off" Quanassee in 1725, demolishing the village and enslaving or killing most of its residents. The town was briefly reestablished before the American Revolution; Rutherford expedition forces camped there in 1776. In the 1820s, Baptist missionaries visited Quanassee to preach to families living there.<ref name=":12">Template:Cite web</ref>

Fort Hembree

In October 1837, Tennessee militia established Fort Hembree near Hayesville to prepare for deporting the Cherokee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Approximately 1,000 Cherokee people were held prisoner at the fort and removed from the area. The military abandoned Fort Hembree in June 1838, though it was reactivated in 1860 to train soldiers for the Civil War.<ref name=Moorebook>Template:Cite book</ref>

After the Cherokee were forced to cede their land, European Americans settled in this rural area and took over what is now known as the Spikebuck Town Mound and Village Site. They cultivated much of the village site, disturbing the topsoil layers. Some excavations were conducted in the 1960s and 1970s.<ref name="updateE"/> The town mound and village site was listed in 1982 on the National Register of Historic Places as an archeological site.

Clay County acquired the mound site in 2000 and protects it; the Archeological Conservancy acquired the town/village site and farmsteads in 2011.<ref name="updateE">Template:Cite web</ref>

Hayesville founded

The town was named Hayesville after 19th-century politician George Hayes.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> When running for representative from Cherokee County in the fall election of 1860, he learned that residents in the southeast end wanted to separate from Cherokee County and get their own county seat, because of the difficulty of traveling to the distant location. With the promise to introduce legislation to this effect, Hayes won a seat in the legislature. In February 1861 the legislation to organize a new county was introduced and passed by the North Carolina General Assembly. The county was named in honor of Kentucky statesman Henry Clay, and the county seat Hayesville, for Hayes.<ref name="Padgett">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp Though Hayesville was an active town since 1861 and town limits were set in 1882, it was not incorporated until March 12, 1913.<ref name=Moorebook /> The first mayor was S.E. Hogsed.

Hayesville High School was founded in 1870 as Hicksville Academy.<ref name="book1">Template:Cite conference</ref> In the 1890s it was bought by Duke University and offered college courses.<ref name="Padgett" /> After the first wood-frame county courthouse in Hayesville was destroyed by arson in 1870, the brick courthouse currently standing on the town square was constructed in 1888. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In mid-2007, courthouse operations moved to a new justice center built Template:Convert west of downtown.<ref name=Moorebook />

Hayesville's Methodist and Presbyterian churches were the earliest churches in Clay County; both congregations date to 1838. Their present buildings opened in 1943 and 1960 respectively.<ref name="Moorebook" /><ref name="Padgett" /> Truett Memorial, the town's first Baptist church, dates to 1850; its extant stone building opened in 1949.<ref name="Padgett" />

File:The first train from Hayesville NC arrives at Tusquittee station.jpg

The first train from Hayesville arrives at Tusquittee station in 1920

Hayesville's post office opened May 7, 1868.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county's first official bank opened in Hayesville on May 18, 1910. In October 1920 the railroad came to Hayesville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Peavine line was completed to Andrews, North Carolina, where it connected with the Southern Railway. The line hauled mainly lumber and was dismantled in 1951.<ref name="Moorebook" /><ref name="Padgett" />

Tiger's Store downtown is thought to be the oldest continuously operating business in Clay County. It was established in 1875 in Tusquittee and moved to Hayesville around 1908.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Moorebook" /> Hotels began appearing in Hayesville in the 1920s. Clay County had a silent film theater in the 1920s. Later, the Hayesville Theater operated from the 1940s to the 1960s and live music was performed after film showings. Traveling music groups including Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs, Carl Story, Minnie Pearl, and Hank Williams performed at Hayesville High School in the 1940s and 50s. In 1945, Paul Westmoreland debuted his song "Detour (There's a Muddy Road Ahead)" in Hayesville. He wrote the song while on his way to Murphy. As of 2024, there are no movie theaters in Clay County.<ref name="Moorebook" />

On January 22, 1922, a midnight fire destroyed nearly all of downtown Hayesville, including several stores, the highway commission office and records, and the U.S. Post Office.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The fire started at DeWease's Hardware Store and was reportedly set intentionally to collect insurance money.<ref name=Moorebook /> The town's current post office building was constructed in 1965.<ref name="Padgett" />

Late 20th century to present

Clay County is featuring Cherokee heritage sites as part of its community redevelopment to emphasize its unique character. In addition to the Spikebuck Town Mound, it supports other Cherokee resources in Hayesville: the Quanassee Path, which highlights five Cherokee features on a walking path around Hayesville; the Cherokee Homestead Exhibit, with reconstructions of traditional summer and winter houses and a corn crib; and the Cherokee Botanical Sanctuary. In addition the CCCRA sponsors an annual Cherokee Heritage Festival.<ref name="cccra">Template:Cite web</ref>

Clay County's public library started in a small room on the second floor of a building on Hayesville's town square.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite book</ref> At some point it moved to a small room in the county courthouse. In 1940 it became part of the Nantahala Regional Library system and hired its first librarian, Ellen Scroggs, in 1943.<ref name="Moorebook" /><ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> A new $80,000 library building opened on Sanderson St. downtown on June 25, 1967.<ref name=":1" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was named in honor of local-born Dr. Fred A. Moss, who contributed $10,000 towards its construction and donated books.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref> Today Moss Memorial Library is the only public library in Clay County.<ref name=":0" />

In the early 1940s Chatuge Dam was constructed near Hayesville by the Tennessee Valley Authority, creating Chatuge Lake. It was the tallest earthen dam in the world until the Aswan Dam was built in Egypt in 1964.<ref name="Moorebook2">Template:Cite book</ref> In 2017, the dam was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:The Peacock Performing Arts Center in Hayesville, North Carolina.jpg

The Peacock Performing Arts Center in Hayesville

Hayesville's annual Festival on the Square began in 1980.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The town's annual Christmas parade began in 1987.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Despite being a small town, in the 1980s Hayesville gained the only community theatre in far-west North Carolina. The Peacock Playhouse was constructed on Church Street by Lillith Lidseen. Born in Sweden in 1904, Lidseen moved with her parents to Chicago and studied fine arts at Wellesley College. After her brother Edwin established a pipe manufacturing business in Warne, she moved nearby.<ref name=Moorebook /> Nonprofit volunteer organization the Licklog Players (named after the local Licklog Creek) began performing shows at Hayesville High School's auditorium in 1978 and Lidseen was asked to direct Brigadoon. Due to the community's enthusiastic response, she decided that the area needed a professional theatre venue and built a three-story, 250-seat playhouse near downtown. Plans were drawn up in March 1981 and construction began in 1983. The first show performed at the theatre was The Curious Savage by the Licklog Players on June 6, 1986. Lidseen died in January 1987 before she was able to see a production in her theatre.<ref>Template:Cite web Retrieved February 10, 2024.</ref> The Lilith Lidseen Performing Arts Association was formed in 2007. It raised $800,000 to buy the building in 2009 and renovate it. After performing more than 100 plays at the venue, the Licklog Players moved to a strip mall and shut down after their 2014 season. Today the Peacock Performing Arts Center offers dozens of events per year, ranging from comedies to concerts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2003 the US 64 bypass through Hayesville was expanded into a four-lane highway.<ref name=Moorebook/> NC 69 from Hayesville to Georgia was widened to four lanes in 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news Retrieved February 20, 2024.</ref> The Clay County Recreation Center was built in 2007 in Hayesville and it was expanded in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2017, Reader's Digest named Hayesville one of the top ten nicest places in America.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Mayoral history

File:Town Hall, Hayesville, NC (32821162498).jpg

Town hall

1. S.E. Hogsed (1913)
2. Wm. H. Harrison (1913–1914)
3. W.T. Hunt Sr. (1915)
4. G.H. Haigler (1915–1917)
5. T.C. Scroggs (1919)
6. J.B. Gray (1920–1922)
7. O.L. Anderson (1923)
8. Neal Haigler (1924)
9. R.E. Crawford (1925)
10. W. J. Winchester (1929)
11. James Penalnd (1936)
12. W.L. Matheson (1937)
13. T.C. Gray (1938–1946)
14. Fred D. Pass (1947–1948)
15. Glenn Byers (1948–1951)
16. H.M. Crawford (1953)
17. Christine Prater (1955)
18. James H. Walker (1957–1961)
19. Donald S. Weaver (1962–1966)
20. M. Cloe Moore (1967–1969)
21. C.A. Carroll (1970–1972)
22. Paul "Bud" Vaught Jr. (1973–1998)<ref name=Padgett />
23. Gwen Weaver (1999–2003)
24. Harrell Moore (2004–2012)
25. Harry Baughn (2013–2021)
26. Joe Slaton (2021–present)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

File:The Clay County Schools campus in Hayesville, North Carolina 01.jpg

All Clay County public schools operate on a single campus in Hayesville

The local public school system is run by Clay County Schools, which operates four separate schools located on a central campus in Hayesville:

• Hayesville High School
• Hayesville Middle School
• Hayesville Elementary School
• Hayesville Primary School

The schools serve about 1,200 students total.<ref>Template:Cite web Retrieved February 10, 2024.</ref>

Higher education is offered nearby at Tri-County Community College,.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Young Harris College,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Western Carolina University.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The oldest and largest folk school in the United States, the John C. Campbell Folk School, is located in Brasstown, an unincorporated community that exists partly in Cherokee County and partly in Clay County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The school focuses on creative folk arts for all ages and offers community dance and concert entertainment.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.

The Hiwassee River flows along the outskirts of Hayesville.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Hayesville has a humid subtropical climate, with cool winters and hot summers.

Demographics

2020 census

Hayesville racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	412	89.37%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	6	1.3%
Native American	1	0.22%
Asian	4	0.87%
Other/Mixed	14	3.04%
Hispanic or Latino	24	5.21%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 461 people, 161 households, and 83 families residing in the town.

2010 census

At the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2010, there were 311 people, 147 households, and 84 families residing in the town. The population density was 666.6 people per square mile.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There were 171 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the town was 99.33% White, 0.34% African American, and 0.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.

There were 147 households, out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.9% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 24.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,000, and the median income for a family was $30,938. Males had a median income of $21,667 versus $16,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,281. About 7.7% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 8.2% of those 65 or over.

Local cities

Nearby communities

This diagram has a radius of Template:Convert from Hayesville.

File:Blank map.svg

Notable people

• Leon P. Crawford – Republican mayor of Clemson, South Carolina from 1946 to 1965
• Bob Dalsemer – Internationally known square and contra dance writer and caller
• Mark Linkous – musician of the band Sparklehorse, lived in Hayesville for a few years and operated a recording studio in the area<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• George Washington Truett – Southern Baptist clergyman and 47-year pastor for the First Baptist Church of Dallas

Further reading

• Duncan, Barbara R. and Riggs, Brett H. Cherokee Heritage Trails Guidebook. University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill (2003). Template:ISBN
• Moore, Carl S. Clay County Then and Now: A Written and Pictorial History. Genealogy Publishing Service: Franklin, NC (2007). Template:ISBN
• Padgett, Guy. A History of Clay County, North Carolina. Clay County Bicentennial Committee (1976). ASIN: B0006WPT26

External links

• Template:Official website