TIMELINE
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TIME PERIOD
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ETOWAH VALLEY NC & UNITED STATES______________________________________________________________
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1700s
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1776 - 1783
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War of Independence - Revolutionary War
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1791
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Buncombe County formed and includes all of Western North Carolina.
Later, Henderson County - 1838, Transylvania County - 1861. |
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Late 1700s
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Land Grants to Revolutionary War Patriots.
Settlers claiming land and living in or near the Etowah Valley included: (source: hendersonheritage.com / Etowah) Lambert Clayton - 1791 James Davidson, William Davidson & Benjamin Davidson - 1783 Martin Gash - 1794 Joseph Henry - 1783 Andrew Lyda (Lyday) - 1794 Charles McDowell - 1783 Robert Orr - 1794 |
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1795 - 1920
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Speculation Land Company era, Tench Coxe et al. Numerous transactions for the buying & selling of large tracts throughout Western North Carolina, then re-selling to new settlers.
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1800s
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______________________________________________________________
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1800s early
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John & Jane Clayton Orr build cabin on land between Etowah School Road & French Broad River. Year unknown.
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1807
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Claytonville Post Office established, Penrose area (Transylvaniaheritage.org , timeline)
Other sources may differ on this date and location. |
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1812 - 1815
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War of 1812, US & Britain
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1815
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Beulah Baptist Church established.
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1830 circa
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School at Burns Creek. (to be verified, documented)
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1833
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Joseph Leander Gash was born on the homestead of Alfred and Mary Livingston Gash, off Holly Springs Rd. In 1895 Joseph donated land for the Etowah Train Depot.
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1838 - 1839
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Cherokee Trail of Tears
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1838, Dec
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Henderson County established. No county seat decided until 1841.
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1839, Feb
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1st Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions (CPQS) convened at home of Hugh Johnson in Horse Shoe.
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1839, Feb
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Robert Thomas, 1st appointed Sheriff by CPQS, term of office: Served 1839 - 1844. Sheriff Thomas supervised the special (vote) referendum in 1841 that determined the location of the county seat.
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1840
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Joseph Henry, Revolutionary War Patriot and early pioneer settler, buried at Old Beulah Baptist Cemetery.
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1841
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Location of Henderson County seat determined by special election, River Party v. Road Party, controversy 1838-1841
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1845
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“Drought of WNC, widespread failure of crops on mountain farms” (highway marker, ncmarkers.com P-46)
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1847
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Hendersonville chartered.
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1859
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Pleasant Grove Baptist Church established.
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1860 circa
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Hopewell School established.
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1861
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Transylvania County established.
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1861, May
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Civil War begins. NC votes to secede from US.
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1865, April
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Robert Thomas, former Henderson County sheriff (1839 - 1844) living in Pleasant Grove section of Etowah Valley, murdered by bushwhackers at home on his farm (vicinity of Thomas-Fletcher Cemetery, former Seven Falls development).
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1865, May
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Civil War ends.
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1868
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Brevard incorporated.
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1868
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Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians created December 1868, Cheowa (Robbinsville NC).
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1872 (or 1880 ?)
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Oak Forest School established.
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1878-1880
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Joseph Leander Gash returns to Henderson County from Adairsville GA with wife Margaret and three children.
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1880s
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John W. & Harriette L. Jeudwine home of the Welsh Colony, aka “The Meadows.”
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1881
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“Mountain Lily” launched in Horse Shoe. 1885, runs aground near King’s Bridge after flash flood.
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1886
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Charleston Earthquake Rattled North Carolina.
August 31, 1886, at 9:50 PM, the largest earthquake ever recorded on the east coast of the United States. Registering between 6.6 and 7.3 on the modern Richter scale, the quake cracked chimneys and plaster walls across North Carolina. |
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1889
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James A. Collins operates a store about two miles north of present site of Etowah. He names the post office “Money.”
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1894
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Etowah Presbyterian Church established on Turnpike Road, near Holly Springs.
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1894
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1st Sears Catalog published.
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1894
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Postmasters, brothers Ozark & Hugh Greer, mother Rebecca Brittain Greer.
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1894
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Deed to land from Joseph L. Gash for train station, to railroad H&BT&T Co.
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1895
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Beginning of ETOWAH as named community. Etowah Train Station, built (Old Hwy 64 & Etowah School Road) & re-named (former Money). Station land donated by Joseph L. Gash. Railroad service to Brevard.
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1895, July
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Train wreck at trestle crossing French Broad, Etowah / Horse Shoe.
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1896 or 1897
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Etowah “colored school” near Joshua Ridge Road. Number of years of operation unknown.
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1897
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Postmaster, Joshua M. Laughter
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1898
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Spanish American War
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1899
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Etowah Mission (Episcopal Church Asheville) met at Oak Forest School until 1906.
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1900s
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______________________________________________________________
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1900
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Postmaster, James A. Laughter.
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1900
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Box Brownie Camera introduced by George Eastman.
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1903
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Railroad service to Lake Toxaway begins.
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1903 (?)
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Rural Free Delivery, RFD, comes to Etowah.
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1904
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Chestnut trees carrying blight enter US at NYC port.
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1907
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Etowah Methodist Episcopal Church, white frame church on present site. Previously, worship was held at Belew’s Chapel (Pine Lake subdivision), circa 1904 (?). Now called Etowah United Methodist Church.
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1908
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Orr cabin sold to George W. Weese.
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1908
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Margaret Stewart Gash placed classified ad in Montgomery AL paper for boarders. In 1913, Valley View Hotel (the Gash home) was listed as boarding house in tourist publication for WNC.
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1909
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Shape Note Sings began at the Methodist Church. William Walker, aka “Singin’ Billy,” renowned SC Baptist composer visits sometimes.
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1911
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Etowah Institute established, operated by Methodist Episcopal Church.
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1913 - 1918
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McKinna & Son general store - collection of store ledgers.
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1914
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Postmaster, Pearl G. Gash (1883 - 1971). Post Office located in Gash home.
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1914 circa
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First telephone in Etowah. McKinna's store ledgers show messages taken by telephone.
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1914 - 1918
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World War 1
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1916, July-August
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July, the Great Flood of 1916. August 13, a month later, Lake Toxaway Dam broke.
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1917
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Etowah Baptist Church organized, met at Oak Forest School.
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1920 - 1933
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Prohibition years.
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1923
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Moland-Drysdale Corp. began operations, aka Etowah Brickyard.
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1921 - early 1930s
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Carr Lumber Co. operated a rail spur from Etowah to Mills River. Eubank Road near the golf course is on the old railroad grade.
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1924
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Etowah Post Office moved from Gash home to Train Depot.
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1926
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Etowah Baptist Church built.
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1928 - 1960
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Etowah High School built in 1928 as one room schools consolidated throughout the county.
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1935
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NC passes law to require drivers license.
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1935
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Whiteside's Service Station, Tuff Whiteside (1874 - 1962)
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1937
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Etowah Grange established, begins meeting at Etowah High School. (source: Hy-Tower school newsletter 1937)
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1939
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Ecusta Paper Corp. begins operation in Transylvania County (Pisgah Forest) bringing jobs to the area. Flax fibre used to make cigarette paper and more.
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1941 - 1945
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World War II
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1948
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Etowah Train Station becomes a "non-agency station," no agent on duty. Freight trains continue to use the tracks until 2002. Pearl Gash retired as postmaster August 1948. Post office is relocated.
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1949
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Charlotte's WBTV, the first television station in the Carolinas signed on.
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1949, Nov
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Olin Industries purchased Ecusta. Production shifts to include cellophane in 1950s.
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1950s - mid
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Iron bridge over French Broad River, Etowah School Rd, replaced with bridge in use today. [need NCDOT verification]
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1956 - 1958 ?
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New Hwy 64 reconfigured through Etowah.
Original road renamed Old Hwy 64. Another source states new 64 was completed in 1954. [Need NCDOT verification] |
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1956 - 1959
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Grange building built on Brickyard Road. Today, the WCCA.
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1960 - 2000
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. . . to be added . . .
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2002
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Olin Industries / Ecusta plant closes.
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. . . page in development, more to follow . . .
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