Old Fort, North Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Old Fort, North Carolina
Town
Catawba Avenue in Old Fort
Motto(s):  "Once you get here, you never want to leave"
Location of Old Fort in North Carolina
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	McDowell
Area
• Total	1.23 sq mi (3.18 km2)
• Land	1.22 sq mi (3.16 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	1,447 ft (441 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	811
• Density	664.21/sq mi (256.48/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	28762
Area code(s)	828
FIPS code	37-48920
GNIS feature ID	2407044
Website	townofoldfort.org

Old Fort is a small town located in McDowell County, North Carolina, in the United States. In 2020, about 811 people lived there. The town's motto is "Once you get here, you never want to leave."

History of Old Fort

Before European settlers arrived, the Catawba and Cherokee tribes lived in the area that is now Old Fort. In the 1500s, Spanish explorers traveled through this region. Later, in the mid-1700s, English and Scottish settlers began to arrive.

During the Revolutionary War, a strong wooden fort called Davidson's Fort was built here. It was named after brothers George and Samuel Davidson, who owned the land. This fort was the westernmost outpost for the American colonists. It served as a base for military groups, like the one led by General Griffith Rutherford in 1776. The fort also became an important place for trading goods between settlers and Native Americans.

In 1869, the Western North Carolina Railway (WNCR) arrived, which helped the area grow. A train station and a hotel were built. In 1871, a man named Sanborn Worthen bought a large piece of land called Old Fort Plantation. He renamed it Catawba Vale. He hoped the railroad would build its main train yard there, but they chose a different spot.

The town of Catawba Vale was officially started on January 25, 1872. However, its name was changed to Old Fort on February 23, 1873, to honor the historic fort. The railroad finally reached Old Fort in 1879.

In the 1950s, a group of students wanted to attend the all-white school in Old Fort. They were told they had to go to Hudgins High School, which was a school for Black students 12 miles away in Marion, North Carolina.

Starting in 1984, the town held free weekly mountain music concerts. These shows took place in the historic Rockett Building downtown every Friday night. They became very popular and attracted many musicians and large crowds. After 27 years, the weekly music shows ended in 2014.

Geography and Climate

Old Fort is located about 30 miles (48 km) east of Asheville, North Carolina. The town covers about 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) of land. Mill Creek flows right through the middle of Old Fort. The town is surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest, which has different types of natural areas like bogs, forests, and fens.

Local Climate

Old Fort has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. The average monthly temperatures range from about 38.5°F (3.6°C) in January to 75.7°F (24.3°C) in July. The temperature difference between day and night can be quite big, sometimes up to 21 degrees in summer and 23 degrees in winter.

The town gets about 54 inches (137 cm) of rain each year. Rain is spread out pretty evenly throughout the year. March is usually the wettest month, with an average of 5.59 inches (14.2 cm) of rain.

Population and People

As of the 2020 census, there were 811 people living in Old Fort. There were 463 households and 290 families. Most of the people living in Old Fort are White (79.04%). About 13.32% are African American, and 4.19% are Hispanic or Latino. The average age of people in Old Fort is 46.3 years old. When it comes to education, 18.1% of the population has a high school diploma, and 15.4% have a bachelor's degree.

Economy and Jobs

In 2020, the average income for a household in Old Fort was $28,269. For men, the average income was $36,607, while for women, it was $20,625. About 59.2% of the people living in Old Fort own their homes. Around 20.6% of the population lives below the poverty line, and 10.4% do not have health insurance.

Main Employers

The biggest industries in Old Fort are Health Care & Social Assistance, which employs 78 people. Manufacturing employs 50 people, and Transportation & Warehousing employs 46 people. Kitsbow Cycling Apparel, a company that makes sportswear, employed sixty full-time people in 2014.

Arts and Culture in Old Fort

Old Fort has several interesting places to visit and things to do.

Andrews Geyser

Arts and Museums

One attraction is Andrews Geyser, a fountain that works using gravity. It was built in 1879 to entertain people traveling by train. The Davidson's Fort Historic Park is a non-profit group that has rebuilt Davidson Fort. They hold re-enactments and educational events there. The state also runs the Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center. This museum shows what local life was like from the 1700s to the 1900s. The Old Fort Train Depot has an exhibit about railroads. The historic Carson House museum is also nearby, about nine miles east of Old Fort.

Events and Festivals

The Mountain Gateway Museum hosts Pioneer Day on the last Saturday of April. The North Carolina Gold Festival takes place on the first Friday and Saturday in June, also at the Mountain Gateway Museum. Old Fort's Chamber of Commerce organizes Octoberfest on the first weekend of October, held at the Mountain Gateway Museum grounds.

Important Buildings and Monuments

The Welsford Parker Artz House and the Old Fort Commercial Historic District are special places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. The Arrowhead Monument was built in 1930. It stands for peace between the Cherokee people and the Catawba people. At its dedication, over 6,000 people gathered to see the 14-foot (4.3 m) rose granite arrowhead unveiled.

Sports and Recreation

Old Fort is the starting point for the yearly Assault on Mount Mitchell mountain bike challenge.

In 2010, Old Fort was named one of North Carolina's Mountain Heritage Trout Towns. This means that a 0.7-mile (1.1 km) section of Mill Creek in downtown Old Fort is a special "delayed harvest stream" for fishing.

The Catawba Falls, which are 340 feet (100 m) tall, are the largest waterfall in McDowell County. They are located just outside town and can be reached by hiking trails. In 2009, parts of an old forest service road were reopened for bikes and walkers. This path, called Point Lookout Trail, is a popular paved greenway that climbs almost 1,000 feet (300 m) over nearly 3.6 miles (5.8 km).

Town Services

U.S. Highway 70 and Interstate 40 both pass through Old Fort, making it easy to get around. The town of Old Fort also manages its own water and sewage systems for residents.

Notable People

• Annie Burgin Craig (1873–1955), who was the First Lady of North Carolina.

See also

In Spanish: Old Fort (Carolina del Norte) para niños