Welcome to Asheville

JACKSON COUNTY

County Offices
401 Grindstaff Cove Road
Sylva 828-586-4055
www.jacksonnc.org

Chamber of Commerce
773 West Main Street
Sylva 800-962-1911
www.mountainlovers.com

Long known by vacationers as a great place to visit, Jackson County is unrivaled as a place to live. “Beauty” is the calling card of this scenic area with its majestic mountain ranges, fertile valleys, meandering streams, and spectacular waterfalls.

Services

Students of all ages can look forward to opportunities for a quality education in Jackson County, where the Jackson County Public School District provides a progressive learning atmosphere. Sylva is home to a 57-acre campus of Southwestern Community College, established in 1964 as the Jackson County Industrial Education Center. Achieving an independent status in 1967, the college has greatly expanded both its curriculum and service area, which currently includes Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties. Students can choose from more than 60 degree and certification programs and enjoy the convenience of several off-site learning centers, including Cherokee, Franklin, Cashiers, and Bryson City. The main campus for Western Carolina University is located in Cullowhee, spanning 600 acres and offering more than 120 undergraduate programs and scores of graduate studies. Hunter Library on the WCU campus is the largest library in Western North Carolina.

State-of-the-art healthcare is available to Jackson County residents, anchored by Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva. This 86-bed acute-care facility is located in Sylva and has played a vital role in the region since its founding. The hospital is committed to continual improvement to accommodate a growing community and has already complete five major expansions since 1970. Harris Regional Hospital rivals hospitals twice its size for specialized services and professional talent, providing a comprehensive array of services to residents of Jackson, Macon, Swain, and Graham counties. More than 50 percent of the hospital’s patient base is outside Jackson County, so Community Outreach is an especially well-developed program. More than 300 community volunteers work through the hospital to address community needs. The 25-bed Highlands-Cashiers Hospital—home to the 80-bed long-term care facility, the Fidelia Eckerd Living Center—offers a wealth of health and wellness programs. Other valuable healthcare resources include the Jackson County Health Department and the Mountain Regional Cancer Center.

Lifestyle

“And a river runs through it” is only one descriptor for breathtakingly beautiful Jackson County, a place where Southern hospitality and old-fashioned kindness is a way of life. Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains, Jackson County balances peaceful forests with vibrant downtown districts and elegant mountain estates. Friendly neighbors, warm communities, world-class outdoor recreation, and a reasonable cost of living are just a few of the advantages that draw newcomers to Jackson County. The presence of a state university and well-developed community college enriches the entire region with opportunities to enjoy first-rate entertainment, the arts, and cultural events. Western Carolina University in Cullowhee features the Mountain Heritage Center, a Fine & Performing Arts Center, and a Fine Arts Museum as well as many other outstanding resources. The Cherokee Indian Reservation draws visitors to the Oconaluftee Historic Farmstead & Village and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.

The tourism and vacation industries are significant sources of revenue in this area, fueling growth in many of the charming towns like Sylva, Dillsboro, and Cashiers. Some of these “vacation destinations” welcome a seasonal population that considerably swells the census. Some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the entire Southeast is encompassed within Jackson County, featuring a landscape crowned by cascading waterfalls, dramatic rocky peaks, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The picturesque Tuckaseegee River flows a full 40 miles through the county, encouraging whitewater rafting and offering some of the finest trout fishing in Western North Carolina. Cabins, cottages, fine resorts, bed and breakfast inns, and mountain golf courses are just a few of the common sights in this “vacation paradise.” Two famous resorts are both in the Cashiers area, the Sapphire Valley Resort and the High Hampton Inn & Country Club, the latter on the National Register of Historic Places. Thrill-seekers may be more interested in the Harrahs Cherokee Casino & Hotel, the region’s stellar attraction at the very edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Few places in the nation can match Jackson County for its blend of rural charm, natural beauty, and friendly communities.

COMMUNITY PROFILES

Cashiers, Glenville, Sapphire

County Offices
828-586-4055
www.jacksonnc.org

Chamber of Commerce
828-743-5191
www.cashiersnorthcarolina.com

The unincorporated Cashiers area—including the communities of Glenville and Sapphire—is characterized as a popular mountain vacation destination at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a finger of the Appalachian Mountains. This four-season recreational paradise combines a green valley at 3,500 feet in elevation with the southern crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains at 5,000 feet. Outstanding golf courses, outdoor adventure opportunities, and the well-known resorts of Sapphire Valley Resort and the High Hampton Inn & Country Club are all in the Cashiers area. Cashiers is surrounded by breathtaking vistas, shimmering waterfalls, pristine Glenville Lake, and the vast expanse of the Nantahala National Forest. The Nature Conservancy protects a number of sites near Cashiers, including Panthertown Valley, Whitewater Falls, and the Tuckaseegee River Gorge. Hiking, mountain biking, golfing, horseback riding, camping, and fly fishing are common pastimes. The nearby community of Highlands has developed a wide range of cultural attractions, many of them in conjunction with Cashiers. Newcomers will discover highly desirable custom home sites, rustic barns, tiny towns, growing communities, and a relaxed pace of life.

Cullowhee, Forest Hills

County Offices
828-586-4055
www.jacksonnc.org

Chamber of Commerce
800-962-1911
www.mountainlovers.com

The unincorporated community of Cullowhee and the nearby village of Forest Hills offer small-town friendliness in a setting of natural beauty. Cullowhee is best known as the home of Western Carolina University, recently rated by Yahoo! Internet Life as the “most wired small town in North Carolina.” The powerful presence of the university enriches the community intellectually and culturally, including a Fine and Performing Arts Center, a Fine Arts Museum, the Mountain Heritage Center, a K-12 Outreach Program, Hunter Library, Outward Bound, and the Small Business & Technology Development Center. The town is situated in a thermal valley at an elevation of 3,580. Some winters have no snowfall and many have just a trace, with summer temperatures reaching into the 90s. Hiking, mountain biking, camping, whitewater rafting, river tubing, rock climbing, canoeing, and fishing are common outdoor pastimes in the Great Smoky Mountains region of southern Appalachia.

Town of Dillsboro

Town Hall
828-586-1439
www.dillsboronc.info

Chamber of Commerce
800-962-1911
www.mountainlovers.com

The small but growing community of Dillsboro is a charming 19th century railroad town that grew up along the banks of the scenic Tuckaseegee River in the Great Smoky Mountains. Just two blocks in length, Dillsboro is a “walking town” filled with picturesque images, from pristine houses and quiet country inns to rustic shops and fine galleries. Yesterday’s general store still remains, with original hardwood flooring and a soda fountain. True to its heritage, Dillsboro claims one of the Jackson County’s most popular attractions, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. As a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the town is popular with visitors and vacationers. The charm and appeal of Dillsboro has drawn many artists and crafts people to the community, adding working artisan’s studios to the mix of local attractions. The town is home to the progressive Jackson County Green Energy Park, where methane from an old landfill is captured for use as energy. Many artist studios and the county’s greenhouses rely on this renewable, affordable source of energy. Dillsboro is less than an hour’s drive from Asheville and the Jackson County seat of government, Sylva, is just one mile east.

Town of Highlands

Town Hall
828-526-2118
http://highlandsnc.org

Chamber of Commerce
828-526-2112
www.highlandschamber.org

Primarily located in Macon County but stretching into Jackson County, Highlands began as a vacation retreat. With its cool climate and natural beauty, the area quickly became a popular location. Today, the Highlands area features historic inns and churches, championship golf courses, seasonal homes, fine restaurants, and a unique and thriving downtown business district. Cultural attractions include the Fine Art Center and Bascom-Louise Gallery, the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival, the Highlands Biological Station and Nature Center, the Highlands Playhouse, and the Highlands Performing Arts Center. Located in the Nantahala National Forest, the Highlands area claims outstanding biological diversity, scenic mountain vistas, and pristine watersheds. Residential neighborhoods are desirable, well-maintained and tend to offer low-density development. Growth is inevitable with real estate and home construction being two of the town’s top industries. The challenge for Highlands will be in preserving the rural charm and quaint setting of its unspoiled environment.

Town of Sylva, Webster

Town Hall
828-586-2719
http://sylvanc.govoffice3.com

Chamber of Commerce
800-962-1911
www.mountainlovers.com

The small but progressive town of Sylva serves as the seat of Jackson County government and a hub of commerce. The bustling downtown district in this Main Street community features many wonderful restaurants and shops along tree-shaded streets. Locally, students of all ages are able to access affordable higher education or specialized training at Southwestern Community College. The nearby small community of Webster, the original county seat, still retains a quiet residential setting but has failed to grow and thrive through the decades like Sylva. The main campus for Western Carolina University is only seven miles away in Cullowhee, which also offers a wealth of arts and cultural attractions. Newcomers will be impressed by the warm and friendly spirit in Sylva, evidenced by the state-of-the-art playground designed by local children and built by the community. Pinnacle Park features hiking trails, cascading waterfalls, and a town view from 5,000 feet. The Tuckaseegee River is known for its whitewater and trout populations, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is only 30 minutes from home.