Brown Mountain, North Carolina facts for kids

Brown Mountain is a small community in Stokes County, North Carolina, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's part of the larger county.

Brown Mountain is special because it's home to one of only two privately owned mountain peaks in Stokes County. Most other peaks in the area are part of the state park system. The peak of Brown Mountain is about 1,580 feet (482 meters) above sea level. From the top of Brown Mountain, you can see amazing views! You can look north to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. To the south and southeast, you'll see the Sauratown Mountain range and Hanging Rock State Park. To the southwest, you can spot Pilot Mountain in Surry County.

Discovering Brown Mountain's Landmarks

Brown Mountain has a few important places that stand out. These landmarks show some of the community's history and character.

Brown Mountain Baptist Church

One notable building is the Brown Mountain Baptist Church. This church is unique because it was built entirely using rocks found right in the local area. It shows how people used natural resources from their surroundings to create lasting structures.

Nancy Reynolds School

Another important landmark is Nancy Reynolds School. This is an elementary school for students from kindergarten to fifth grade. The school was built mostly with money from the family of R.J. Reynolds, a very successful businessman.

How Nancy Reynolds School Was Built

The Nancy Reynolds Memorial School was built in 1923. The Reynolds Foundation, a group set up by the Reynolds family, paid for the entire construction. The school was built at the very spot where R.J. Reynolds' mother, Nancy Jane Cox Reynolds, was born. This made the school a special memorial to her.

In 1930, the Reynolds Foundation added two new sections to the original school building. During the Great Depression, a time when many people struggled financially, Will Reynolds (R.J. Reynolds' brother) paid for an extra month of school. This helped Nancy Reynolds School become officially recognized for its quality.

Later, in the 1950s, the foundation continued to support the school. They paid for and built a separate gymnasium for sports and activities. They also built and equipped a large building for agricultural studies.

A Lasting Gift for the School

After Will Reynolds' wife, Kate Bitting Reynolds, passed away, a special fund was created in her memory. This fund, called an endowment, still helps the school today. Each year, money from this fund is used only for keeping the school grounds beautiful, improving the outside of the buildings, and buying new playground equipment. As of 2008, this special fund was worth more than three-quarters of a million dollars, showing the lasting generosity of the Reynolds family.