Black Ankle, North Carolina facts for kids
Black Ankle is a small, quiet community in the northeastern part of Montgomery County, North Carolina, in the United States. It's not a city or town with its own government, but rather a group of homes and people who live close together.
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Where is Black Ankle?
Black Ankle is located where two roads meet: NC State Road 1349 (Ether Road) and NC State Road 1354 (Blackankle Road). It's about 10 miles (16 km) north of Troy and 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Star. Other nearby towns include Okeewemee (7 miles north), Seagrove (4 miles southwest), Ether (5 miles northwest), and Steeds (3 miles west).
The community is also close to major highways. Black Ankle is about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Interstate 73 / Interstate 74 / U.S. Hwy 220. You can find it off exit 42, which is the Black Ankle Road Exit.
Black Ankle is just 0.5-mile (800 m) south of the Randolph County line. It is also near other counties, including Moore County (3 miles west), Davidson County (8 miles east), Stanly County (13 miles east), and Richmond County (15 miles north).
The exact location of Black Ankle is 35°30′07″N 79°48′26″W / 35.50194°N 79.80722°W. It sits about 682 feet (208 m) above sea level. In 1973, Black Ankle was even mentioned on the TV show Hee Haw! At that time, about 132 people lived there.
Black Ankle's History
There are many interesting stories about how Black Ankle got its unique name.
How Black Ankle Got Its Name
The name "Black Ankle" likely came about in the late 1920s or early 1930s. This was after gold was found in 1928 near Franklin Mountain. Many people came to the area hoping to find gold or to work in the mines.
Once a week, after work, the miners would ride on trucks to nearby towns like Star, Ether, or Steeds. They went to buy supplies for the next week. The soil around the Franklin Mountain (Blackankle Gold Mine) is very dark and rich. These miners often went into town without shoes. The black dirt, mixed with a little water, would make their feet and ankles very dark.
When the miners arrived, people would see their discolored feet and say, "Here comes the blackanklers!" Soon after gold was discovered, the area became known as Black Ankle, named after the miners with their dirty feet.
Gold Mining in Black Ankle
The Blackankle Mine was a gold mine that started after Bud Latham found gold in 1928. Edward Hedrick, who owned the mine until 1935, reported that about $15,000 worth of gold was found. This is about 750 ounces of gold!
The mine had a large pit, 225 feet (69 m) long, 120 feet (37 m) wide, and 50 feet (15 m) deep. There was also a shaft 112 feet (34 m) deep inside the pit. Even though some gold was found, the amount of gold in the rock was generally low. Miners tried different ways to get the gold out, like washing and using special chemicals, but it was hard. A lot of gold was lost because it was very tiny and mixed with a clay-like substance. The Blackankle Mine operated on and off for many years.
The Blackankle Fort
The Blackankle Fort was a special place built by Lester Singleton. It was known across North Carolina as a collection of unusual things. The Fort was created as a museum and a "funhouse" for families to visit.
During Halloween, the Fort held special events like a haunted hayride and a haunted house. These events brought people from all over North Carolina. In the spring, many "pickers" (mostly bluegrass string musicians) would gather at the Blackankle Fort on Friday and Saturday nights. They would practice their music and sounds together.
Black Ankle Today
Black Ankle is a very close-knit community. Many of the people living there are part of the same families. Friends and families in Black Ankle enjoy many social events throughout the year, where large groups gather. The Big Oak Church of God is the closest place to worship, and many people attend its services.
Blackankle Bog Preserve
The Blackankle Bog Preserve is a very special natural area. It is one of the few remaining Piedmont bogs left. A bog is a type of wetland with unique plants and animals. This preserve covers 284 acres (1.15 km2) and is owned by The Nature Conservancy, an organization that protects natural places.
The land was bought in 1991. Over the next 20-25 years, the North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy plans to restore the preserve. They do this by setting controlled fires and planting longleaf pine tree seedlings. These seedlings are grown from local seeds to help the area return to its natural state. The North Carolina Zoo, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the NC Division of Forest Restoration all help support the Blackankle Bog Preserve.
Many interesting plants grow here, including a patch of climbing fern, a large stand of sweetleaf, and the rare large witch-alder. Birds like wild turkeys, hairy and pileated woodpeckers, and broad-winged hawks live in the bog. These birds are usually found in large, undisturbed forests.
As you move closer to the streams, the plants change. You'll find areas with longleaf pines and chestnut oaks, which are common in the nearby Uwharrie Mountains. Then, you'll see treeless bog areas. Here, you can find blackjack and post oaks, and thick huckleberry and blueberry shrubs. There are also mats of sphagnum moss and patches of habenaria orchids, milkworts, sedges, cinnamon ferns, and trumpet and purple pitcher plants.
Further downhill, the habitat changes again into a dense thicket. This area is filled with alder, sweet bay, sweet pepper brush, and Virginia sweet-spire. The endangered bog spicebrush also grows here. You can also see scattered longleaf pines, which remind us that these trees once covered this area. The preserve is located right on the border between the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont regions of North Carolina.
