Banner Elk, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Banner Elk, North Carolina
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Location of Banner Elk, North Carolina
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| Country | United States | |
| State | North Carolina | |
| County | Avery | |
| Founded | 1848 | |
| Incorporated | 1911 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Mayor-council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1.92 sq mi (4.97 km2) | |
| • Land | 1.92 sq mi (4.97 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | |
| Elevation | 3,895 ft (1,187 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,049 | |
| • Density | 546.35/sq mi (210.95/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Code |
28604
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| Area code(s) | 828 | |
| FIPS code | 37-03500 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405208 | |
Banner Elk is a town in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,028 at the 2010 census. Banner Elk is home to Lees–McRae College.
Contents
History
The area surrounding the Elk River was inhabited by the Cherokee before western settlement, although no evidence of a permanent Cherokee settlement has ever been found. It is likely the area was used for hunting and fishing. The first permanent settlement was established by Martin L. Banner in 1848. Although the Banner family originally came from Wales, Martin Banner moved from Forsyth County in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Eventually, the Banner family grew to 55 members, and the area where they lived became known as Banner's Elk. This name was later shortened to Banner Elk when the town was incorporated in 1911.
The Banner Elk Hotel and Robert Chester and Elsie H. Lowe House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 264 | — | |
| 1930 | 340 | 28.8% | |
| 1970 | 754 | — | |
| 1980 | 1,087 | 44.2% | |
| 1990 | 933 | −14.2% | |
| 2000 | 811 | −13.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,028 | 26.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,049 | 2.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 883 | 84.18% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 47 | 4.48% |
| Native American | 7 | 0.67% |
| Asian | 6 | 0.57% |
| Other/Mixed | 32 | 3.05% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 74 | 7.05% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,049 people, 277 households, and 147 families residing in the town.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), all land.
Climate
Banner Elk is located in North America's humid continental climate zone due to its elevation, which gives it a climate more like that of Altoona, Pennsylvania, than Asheville, North Carolina, during the winter. During the summer the temperatures are much like a mountain lake town in New Hampshire. The town typically has cold, snowy winters and mild summers.
| Climate data for Banner Elk, North Carolina (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1907–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) |
75 (24) |
82 (28) |
86 (30) |
89 (32) |
98 (37) |
95 (35) |
97 (36) |
93 (34) |
86 (30) |
76 (24) |
75 (24) |
98 (37) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 59.3 (15.2) |
62.5 (16.9) |
69.3 (20.7) |
76.0 (24.4) |
79.4 (26.3) |
82.2 (27.9) |
83.9 (28.8) |
82.6 (28.1) |
80.9 (27.2) |
75.6 (24.2) |
66.4 (19.1) |
61.5 (16.4) |
85.0 (29.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.3 (4.6) |
43.5 (6.4) |
50.4 (10.2) |
60.4 (15.8) |
67.9 (19.9) |
74.0 (23.3) |
76.9 (24.9) |
76.3 (24.6) |
71.3 (21.8) |
62.0 (16.7) |
52.3 (11.3) |
43.9 (6.6) |
59.9 (15.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 31.2 (−0.4) |
33.9 (1.1) |
40.4 (4.7) |
49.5 (9.7) |
57.7 (14.3) |
64.8 (18.2) |
67.8 (19.9) |
66.8 (19.3) |
61.4 (16.3) |
51.1 (10.6) |
41.5 (5.3) |
34.7 (1.5) |
50.1 (10.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22.1 (−5.5) |
24.3 (−4.3) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
38.6 (3.7) |
47.4 (8.6) |
55.5 (13.1) |
58.7 (14.8) |
57.3 (14.1) |
51.5 (10.8) |
40.1 (4.5) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
40.2 (4.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 1.2 (−17.1) |
6.3 (−14.3) |
11.7 (−11.3) |
22.3 (−5.4) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
43.2 (6.2) |
48.9 (9.4) |
47.8 (8.8) |
37.4 (3.0) |
25.0 (−3.9) |
16.1 (−8.8) |
8.5 (−13.1) |
−1.7 (−18.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −31 (−35) |
−13 (−25) |
−9 (−23) |
7 (−14) |
19 (−7) |
27 (−3) |
35 (2) |
31 (−1) |
24 (−4) |
8 (−13) |
−7 (−22) |
−21 (−29) |
−31 (−35) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.62 (117) |
3.70 (94) |
4.87 (124) |
4.83 (123) |
5.13 (130) |
5.12 (130) |
5.68 (144) |
4.31 (109) |
4.55 (116) |
3.41 (87) |
3.30 (84) |
4.25 (108) |
53.77 (1,366) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.9 (18) |
11.4 (29) |
4.8 (12) |
0.8 (2.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.6 (4.1) |
5.8 (15) |
31.4 (80) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 13.9 | 11.3 | 13.1 | 12.3 | 13.8 | 14.3 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 11.5 | 9.3 | 9.8 | 13.2 | 151.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.7 | 4.2 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 4.4 | 19.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Attractions
During summertime there is hiking, whitewater rafting, fishing, and other activities. The largest lake in the area, Watauga Lake, is a favorite spot just 30 minutes away for boating, fishing and wake boarding. In the winter the main activities are skiing and snowboarding. There are two slopes in the area: Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain. There was formerly a third, but in the winter of 2008-2009, Hawks' Nest became an all-tubing park, the largest in the Eastern United States.
There are several restaurants in Banner Elk in addition to a post office, bank, and many lodging choices. The town has hosted the Woolly Worm festival over the third weekend of October since 1978.
In the 1970s, Beech Mountain was home to a theme park based on The Wizard of Oz, called The Land of Oz, but it closed after 10 years. The attraction was never fully removed, and there have been various attempts to revive it.
Education
Lees–McRae College is a private four-year college in Banner Elk. Banner Elk has a K-5th school, run by the Avery County School system.
Photo gallery
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Mill Pond, where Shawneehaw Creek and the Elk River merge (2009-12-26)
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Unique bridge that fords Shawneehaw Creek (2009-12-26)
See also
In Spanish: Banner Elk para niños
