HISTORY
 The first people in Banner Elk were the Cherokee
Indians. Cherokee artifacts indicate that the tribe used
the land around the Elk River Valley as hunting grounds.
The first white settlers to the area were Delilah Baird
and John Holtsclaw, who made their home on 480 acres of
land in 1825. During the next few decades, the area was
settled by many people who came from various European
countries. In 1911, the town was incorporated by the
North Carolina General Assembly and officially became
called Banner Elk.
Early settlers were farmers and some fur traders. Today
agriculture is still a large part of the economy of
Banner Elk, as the area is known as the “Christmas tree
capital of the world." For many years, Banner Elk was
comprised of a few small, locally owned and operated
businesses. In the early 1900’s people started coming to
Banner Elk for vacations and short visits to the
mountains. In 1892, the Banner Elk Hotel was built to
accommodate the vacationers, and today Banner Elk is the
premier place to visit in the Blue Ridge Mountains for a
great vacation.
Banner Elk has always been, and continues to be, a close
knit community offering visitors and residents scenic
views and outdoor adventures. |
If you have any
questions or would like more information, please contact us
828-898-8395,
email
us, or use our online request form.
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