Black Mountain, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Black Mountain, North Carolina
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A view down State Street in downtown Black Mountain
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Location in Buncombe County and the state of North Carolina
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| Country |  United States of America |
| State |  North Carolina |
| County |  Buncombe |
| Incorporated | March 4, 1893 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.73 sq mi (17.43 km2) |
| • Land | 6.71 sq mi (17.39 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,405 ft (733 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 7,848 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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8,162 |
| • Density | 1,215.49/sq mi (469.34/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
28711
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| Area code(s) | 828 |
| FIPS code | 37-06140 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1019196 |
Black Mountain is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,848 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is named for the old train stop at the Black Mountain Depot and is located at the southern end of the Black Mountain range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Southern Appalachians.
Contents
History
Black Mountain in its present form was incorporated in 1893. The first recorded inhabitants of the area were the Cherokee. A road was built through the area in 1850 and a railroad followed in 1879.
The Black Mountain College Historic District, Black Mountain Downtown Historic District, Blue Ridge Assembly Historic District, Dougherty Heights Historic District, Rafael Guastavino, Sr., Estate, Intheoaks, Monte Vista Hotel, South Montreat Road Historic District, and Thomas Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
About the town
The downtown area has many eclectic shops, attracting seasonal tourism, a main staple of the local economy. There are also many quaint bed and breakfasts. The town is near several Christian retreat areas including Ridgecrest and Montreat Conference Center.
Black Mountain College was formerly located within the town limits, but the Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center, dedicated to the experimental educational institution's history, is now located in downtown Asheville. Black Mountain is also the site of the Swannanoa Valley Museum. The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is located down the street from the museum. In 2002 the community raised 1.2 million dollars to buy the old Town Hall and convert it into the Art Center.
Black Mountain News is a weekly newspaper covering Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley area.
Geography
Black Mountain is located in eastern Buncombe County at 35°37′9″N 82°19′32″W / 35.61917°N 82.32556°W (35.619208, -82.325434). The town of Montreat borders Black Mountain to the north, and the unincorporated community of Swannanoa is on the west border. U.S. Route 70 (State Street) is the main road through the center of town. Interstate 40 passes just to the south of downtown, with access from exits 64 and 65. Via I-40 it is 15 miles (24 km) west to Asheville and 41 miles (66 km) east to Morganton.
The Swannanoa River flows from east to west through the town, rising just 3 miles (5 km) to the east at Swannanoa Gap on the crest of the Appalachians. The Swannanoa River flows west to the French Broad River, part of the Tennessee River basin that ultimately flows to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River, while Swannanoa Creek east of the gap is part of the Catawba River-Santee River system, reaching the Atlantic Ocean north of Charleston, South Carolina.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Black Mountain has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.4 km2), of which 0.015 square miles (0.04 km2), or 0.23%, is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 209 | — | |
| 1910 | 311 | 48.8% | |
| 1920 | 531 | 70.7% | |
| 1930 | 737 | 38.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,042 | 41.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,174 | 12.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,313 | 11.8% | |
| 1970 | 3,204 | 144.0% | |
| 1980 | 4,083 | 27.4% | |
| 1990 | 5,418 | 32.7% | |
| 2000 | 7,511 | 38.6% | |
| 2010 | 7,848 | 4.5% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 8,162 | 4.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 7,193 | 85.37% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 337 | 4.0% |
| Native American | 18 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 65 | 0.77% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 439 | 5.21% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 373 | 4.43% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,426 people, 3,913 households, and 2,255 families residing in the town.
In popular culture
Black Mountain features in the 1994 Patricia Cornwell novel The Body Farm.
Black Mountain is featured in the 2009 novel One Second After and 2015 sequel One Year After by William R. Forstchen, a town resident. Many local institutions and residents appear in the novel, although the story itself is fictional.
Black Mountain also figures in The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks, a book that mentions the former college and visual arts community.
Events
Education
- Black Mountain College (1933-1957)
- Montreat College (Black Mountain)
Notable people
Literary
- Patricia Cornwell
- William R. Forstchen
- Nicholas Sparks
Music
- McDibbs, music venue
- Roberta Flack, singer
- Floating Action (band) (Seth Kauffman)
- The Jellyrox (Matthew Langston)
- The Morris Brothers, country music group
- David Wilcox, singer-songwriter
- Artimus Pyle, drummer Lynyrd Skynyrd
Architecture
Athletes and sporting figures
- Brad Daugherty, NBA All-Star, ESPN commentator, and NASCAR team owner
- Brad Johnson, NFL quarterback who led the Buccaneers to their Super Bowl XXXVII title
- Sammy Stewart, Major League Baseball pitcher
- Roy Williams, NCAA basketball coach
Religion
- L. Nelson Bell, missionary, Christianity Today founder
- Andrew Brunson, American pastor imprisoned in Turkey
Film, television, and theater
- Matt Lutz, actor
Politicians
- Roy A. Taylor, congressman
Diplomats
- Philip S. Kosnett, Foreign Service Officer; U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo 2018-2021
See also
In Spanish: Black Mountain (Carolina del Norte) para niños
