Town of Andrews

Valley Town Township dominates the eastern part of Cherokee County. The area is bordered by Graham County to the north, Macon County to the east, Clay County to the south and the Town of Murphy to the west. Within the township are the towns of Marble, Andrews, and Topton. The largest town within the township is Andrews. In the early 19th century, when most white settlers began arriving, the area was known as Jamesville, after James Whitaker. An Indian Trading Post was established in 1837 and soon after the community was known as Valley Town.

The Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina are rich with heritage and tradition. The Cherokee Indians and later, white settlers, who were born and bred in these mountains have maintained the richness of life instilled in the honor of the land. Like most of Southern Appalachia, through the early 19th-century economy of the Smokies relied on subsistence agriculture.

While time does not stand still, it moves at a somewhat leisurely pace. The Cherokee and Appalachian folk have lived generation after generation in the rustic coves and "hollers" of the mountains, giving way to limited influence from the outside.

The area is rich in Native American history. An 1805 map shows the area as the Cherokee settlement Toonatla. It was later listed on a map of the Cherokee Nation as Gunahita. While the Cherokee were uprooted from their homeland in the time of the Trail of Tears, those who remained passed their language and heritage down through the generations.

The history of Andrews is closely related to the building of the Richmond and Danville Railroad, which was completed in Andrews in the spring of 1890, the same time the original depot was built. Andrews was named in honor of the railroad's second vice-president, Col. A.B. Andrews.

From its small beginnings, Andrews grew from two dwellings and one store to a progressive village of 1,748 citizens in 1930. The growth of the town was slow until 1897, when J.Q. Barker of Charleston, West Virginia, located a lumber operation, Kanawha Hardwood Company, in the area. In 1905, Mr. Barker constructed a narrow gauge railroad, the Snowbird Valley Railroad, from Andrews to the Snowbird Valley. This development was the beginning of building activities in Andrews and created a demand for labor, buildings, and merchandise.

Mr. Barker was quite a promoter and gave much time and energy to the growth of the town. In 1905, he attended a session of the state legislature and secured passage of an act incorporating the town of Andrews. The town was officially incorporated on February 21, 1905.

Elevation

• The Andrews-Murphy Airport is listed at 1,699 feet.
• The county's highest elevation is at 5,149 feet. (Where Cherokee and Clay counties meet near Tusquitee Bald at Fires Creek.)
• The county's lowest elevation is listed as 1,170 feet. (Where Apalachia Lake crosses into Tennessee.)

• The 466-square-mile county encompasses 300,100 acres, with 92.363 of that U.S. Forest Service land.
• The acreage of the county encompasses 8,700 acres of lake, 38,887 acres of farm land and 6,000 acres Indian land.

Climate

• Average temperatures in the summer in the valley ranges from highs of about 85 degrees to lows in the 60s.
• Average temperatures in the winter in the valley range from highs at 50 degrees, with lows around 20.
• The area averages about six inches of rainfall

Andrews Broadband Network (ABN), owned by the town of Andrews will be on-line and in operation early 2011. ABN’s goal is to guide our local rural community into the emerging global marketplace, explore its opportunities, but retain its character and heritage. Website: http://www.andrewsbroadband.net

Nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, is a wide scenic valley where the sun rises and sets over the tree-topped mountains, and the cool clear streams flow gently down the ridges. Andrews is a small town virtually untouched by large city influences and remains a place to enjoy a more leisurely pace of life. Take a ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad or gear up for the annual WNC Wagon Train. Stroll down Main Street and shop for antiques, clothing, furniture and unique gifts. You may decide to go horseback riding in the Nantahala Forest or whitewater rafting down the Nantahala River, hiking or trout fishing. Or ride your motorcycles on the Tail of the Dragon a short distant away. Andrews is the place to lay back, kick off your shoes, wade in the creeks, jump in the river, sing, dance, and enjoy the hospitality of the mountain people. Andrews...the little town with the big heart.

Excerpts from Town Andrews Website and Andrews Chamber of Commerce websites.