TIMELINE
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NORTH CAROLINA AMERICAN INDIAN TIMELINE - NC Museum of History
WNC BEFORE EUROPEAN CONTACT - Native Americans of the western North Carolina mountain region included Cherokee, Catawba and Cheraw More info: hendersonheritage.com/cherokee-catawba-cheraw/ 1738-1739 Smallpox epidemic decreases the number of Cherokee in NC by 50% 1754 - 1763 French and Indian War fought between England and France throughout the colonies. 1776 - 1783 War of Independence - Revolutionary War 1791 Buncombe County formed and includes all of Western North Carolina. Later, Henderson County - 1838, Transylvania County - 1861. Late 1700s - Land Grants to Revolutionary War Patriots Settlers claiming land and living in or near the Etowah Valley included: Early Families & more: 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 1795 - 1920 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 1800s early (year unknown) Orr Cabin on Etowah School Rd - John & Jane Clayton Orr build their homeplace along what is now called Etowah School Rd 1807 Claytonville Post Office established, Penrose area (Transylvaniaheritage.org > timeline). Other sources may differ on this date and location. 1812 - 1815 War of 1812, US & Britain 1815 Beulah Baptist Church established 1830 Burns Creek School established 1833 Joseph Leander Gash was born on the homestead of Alfred and Mary Livingston Gash, off Holly Springs Rd. Later in life, Joseph donated land for the Etowah Train Depot. 1838 - 1839 Cherokee Trail of Tears 1838 December Henderson County established. No county seat decided until 1841 1839 February 1st Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions (CPQS) convened at home of Hugh Johnson in Horse Shoe. 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. 1840 Joseph Henry, Revolutionary War Patriot and early pioneer settler, buried at Old Beulah Baptist Cemetery 1838 - 1841 River Party v. Road Party - Location of Henderson County seat determined by controversial special election 1845 “Drought of WNC, widespread failure of crops on mountain farms” (highway marker, ncmarkers.com P-46) 1847 City of Hendersonville chartered 1859 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church established 1861 Transylvania County established 1861 May Civil War begins. NC votes to secede from US. 1865 April Robert Thomas, former Henderson County sheriff (1839 - 1844) living with his family in Pleasant Grove section of Etowah Valley, murdered by bushwhackers on his farm (area of Thomas-Fletcher Cemetery, Bright Farms Inc, and other properties) 1865 May Civil War ends 1866 Hopewell School established 1868 Brevard incorporated 1868 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians created December 1868, Cheowa (Robbinsville NC) 1874 Oak Forest School established 1878 - 1880 Joseph Leander Gash returns to Henderson County from living in Adairsville GA with wife Margaret and three children. 1879 Two significant railroad events that shaped WNC and Henderson County 1. passenger and freight train service began from Charleston SC to Hendersonville NC 2. the Swannanoa Tunnel was completed, and by October 1880 train service connected Asheville to Salisbury and all of east NC 1881 “Mountain Lily” launched in Horse Shoe. 1885, runs aground near King’s Bridge after flash flood. 1880s John W. & Harriette L. Jeudwine home of the Welsh Colony, aka “The Meadows.” 1886 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. 1889 Money Post Office established, later renamed Etowah. First postmaster James A. Collins operates a store about two miles north of present site of Etowah. He names the post office “Money.” 1892 Postmasters, brothers Ozark & Hugh Greer, mother Rebecca Brittain Greer. 1894 Etowah Presbyterian Church established on Turnpike Road, near Holly Springs. 1894 1st Sears Catalog published 1894 Deed to land for train station, donation from Joseph L. Gash to railroad H&BT&T Co 1895 Money Train Station built, later called Etowah (Old Hwy 64 & Etowah School Road). Railroad service from Hendersonville to Brevard, later Rosman & Toxaway. 1895 July Train wreck at trestle crossing French Broad, Etowah / Horse Shoe 1896 or 1897 Etowah “colored school” near Joshua Ridge Road. Number of years of operation unknown 1897 Postmaster, Joshua M. Laughter 1898 Money Post Office renamed "Etowah" 1898 Spanish American War 1899 Etowah Mission (Episcopal Church Asheville) met at Oak Forest School until 1906 1900 Postmaster, James A. Laughter 1900 Box Brownie Camera introduced by George Eastman 1903 Railroad service to Lake Toxaway begins 1903 (?) Rural Free Delivery, RFD, comes to Etowah 1904 Chestnut trees carrying blight enter US at NYC port 1907 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. 1908 Orr cabin sold to George W. Weese 1908 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. 1909 Shape Note Sings began at the Methodist Church. William Walker, aka “Singin’ Billy,” renowned SC Baptist composer visits sometimes. 1911 Etowah Institute established, operated by Methodist Episcopal Church. Closed (when?) 1913 - 1918 McKinna & Son general store in Etowah - collection of store ledgers. Location? 1914 Postmaster, Pearl G. Gash (1883 - 1971). Post Office located in Gash home, later moved to the train depot. 1914 circa First telephone in Etowah. McKinna's store ledgers have notes about messages taken by telephone. 1914 - 1918 World War 1 1916 July - August July, the Great Flood of 1916. August 13, a month later, Lake Toxaway Dam broke. 1917 Etowah Baptist Church organized, met at Oak Forest School. 1920 - 1933 Prohibition years 1923 Moland-Drysdale Corp. began operations, aka Etowah Brickyard 1921 - early 1930s Carr Lumber Co. operated a rail spur from Etowah to Mills River. Eubank Road near the golf course is on the old railroad grade. 1924 Etowah Post Office moved from Gash home to Train Depot 1926 Etowah Baptist Church built 1928 - 1960 Etowah High School built in 1928 as one room schools consolidated throughout the county 1935 NC passes law to require drivers license 1935 Whiteside's Service Station, Tuff Whiteside (1874 - 1962) 1937 Etowah Grange established and began meeting at Etowah High School (source: Hy-Tower school newsletter 1937) 1939 Ecusta Paper Corp. begins operation in Transylvania County (Pisgah Forest) bringing jobs to the area. Flax fibre used to make cigarette paper and more. 1941 - 1945 World War II 1948 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. 1949 Charlotte's WBTV, the first television station in the Carolinas signed on 1949 November Olin Industries purchased Ecusta in Transylvania County. Production shifts to include cellophane in 1950s. 1950s - mid Iron bridge over French Broad River on Etowah School Rd was replaced with bridge in use today. [need NCDOT verification] 1956 - 1958 ? New Hwy 64 reconfigured through Etowah. Original road renamed Old Hwy 64. Another source states new Hwy 64 was completed in 1954. [Need NCDOT verification] 1956 - 1959 Grange building built on Brickyard Road. Became branch library in 1985. Today, the WCCA. 1950s + See HISTORY IV 1968 The last "Carolina Special" train service to Hendersonville and beyond 1972 ? Gash home and property purchased by developer Lloyd Ducote. A large part was developed into the original Ingles Shopping Center. Today's Etowah Shopping Center. 1978 Ingles Grocery opened in its first location, the Etowah Shopping Center 2002 Olin Industries / Ecusta plant closed. Last freight cars on Southern Railway, Hendersonville to Brevard. Tracks no longer in use. 2021 EcustaRails2Trails, LLC purchased the rail corridor to create the ~19 mile Ecusta Trail between Hendersonville and Brevard |