Lost Cove, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lost Cove, North Carolina
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 Lost Cove, North Carolina
Location in North Carolina
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Yancey |
| Established | ~1861 |
| Named for | Local legend stating that the area was not claimed by North Carolina or Tennessee |
| Elevation | 1,795 ft (996 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
28714
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| Area code(s) | 828 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1021291 |
Lost Cove is a ghost town located in Yancey County, North Carolina. A ghost town is a place where everyone has moved away, leaving buildings and homes empty. This town was first settled around 1861, just before the American Civil War. It is nestled in the Poplar Gorge, high above the Nolichucky River. Lost Cove sits right on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina.
Life in Lost Cove was supported by several activities. People worked in logging, helped with the railroad, made homemade alcohol, and farmed. However, the town became empty for a few reasons. The land was very rough, and the town was hard to reach. Also, passenger trains eventually stopped coming there. By 1957, the very last family left Lost Cove, and it became a true ghost town. In 2007, fires sadly burned down most of the old buildings.
Today, you can still visit Lost Cove if you are willing to hike. People come to see the old cemetery and a rusted Chevy truck left in a ditch. There are also three houses that are still standing.
Railroads and Logging in Lost Cove
Even though Lost Cove was settled around the time of the Civil War, it really started to grow when the logging industry became important. Its location in the mountains made it perfect for logging. The surrounding Pisgah National Forest provided many trees. Because of the logging and the railroad, the town began to do well. Residents were even able to build a school for their children.
However, trees are a limited resource. As the supply of wood started to run out, the railroad stopped serving Lost Cove. The railroad company wanted to focus on other industries, like coal. With a big part of their economy gone, the people of Lost Cove asked for a road to be built into their town. But this request was not approved. Slowly, people began to move away from Lost Cove until no one was left by 1957.
Homemade Alcohol and Isolation
Making homemade alcohol was an important part of Lost Cove's economy. Some families made it for their own use. Others sold or traded it to people in nearby towns or to men traveling on the railroad. One reason makers of homemade alcohol did well in Lost Cove was its unique location. The town was on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina and was very isolated. This made it hard for judges to know which state had the power to control the alcohol trade. Because of this, Lost Cove became a place where people came to make and trade homemade alcohol.
