Willets, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Willets, North Carolina
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Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, located at Willets
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 Willets, North Carolina
Location in North Carolina
Willets, North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Jackson |
| Elevation | 2,690 ft (820 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 828 |
| GNIS feature ID | 996296 |
Willets is a small, quiet place in Jackson County, North Carolina, United States. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. Willets is located along U.S. Route 74, between the communities of Balsam and Sylva.
Today, Willets is home to the Balsam-Willets-Ochre Hill fire department, a church, and many homes. It's a "bedroom community," meaning many people who live here travel to bigger towns like Waynesville and Sylva for work or shopping.
History of Willets
Willets got its name from A. P. Willets, who owned a sawmill in the area. A post office opened here in 1903 and stayed open until 1934.
Willets was once a busy community, especially because it was located along the Murphy Branch of the Western North Carolina Railroad. However, several events caused it to become much smaller.
Changes Over Time
The community saw a big decline during the Great Depression in the 1930s. This was a time when many people lost their jobs and money, which affected small communities like Willets.
Later, in 1951, schools in the Scott Creek Township, which included Willets, were combined. This meant fewer local services. Also, the main road, US 23 (now part of US 74), was made wider and straighter in the early 1950s and 1970s. This changed how people traveled through the area, making it less of a central stop.
These changes led Willets to become the quiet residential area it is today.
