Meat Camp, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meat Camp
Unincorporated community
Meat Camp, North Carolina Location in North Carolina
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Watauga County
Elevation	3,402 ft (1,037 m)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	28607
Area code(s)	828
GNIS feature ID	1021403

Meat Camp is a small, special place in Watauga County, North Carolina, in the United States. It's called an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and people living together, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. People say it got its interesting name from a simple building where hunters used to prepare and store meat a long, long time ago, even before the American Revolutionary War. Meat Camp is known for having one of the most unusual names for a place! You can find it north of the town of Boone, along Meat Camp Road.

A Look Back in Time

How Meat Camp Got Its Name

Long, long ago, even before the United States became a country, Meat Camp was a very important spot for hunters. It was located along an old path called the "Old Buffalo Trail." Hunters would bring the animals they caught to this place. Here, they would prepare the meat and store it safely. This way, they didn't have to carry it all the way back to their homes in the lower lands right away. This simple "packing house" for meat is how the community got its unique name.

Early Roads and Settlements

Between the years 1790 and 1800, a new road was built through the Meat Camp area. This road was very important because it connected the Yadkin River Valley (which is near Wilkesboro) to Trade, Tennessee. This made it easier for people to travel and trade between different areas.

A Community Grows

Over time, more people started to settle in Meat Camp. In 1851, the Meat Camp Baptist Church was started. This church helped create a more permanent community in the area. Many people still live in Meat Camp today, continuing its long history.