Peachtree, North Carolina

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Peachtree, North Carolina, from the air in September 2023 Peachtree, North Carolina, from the air in September 2023.jpg
Peachtree, North Carolina, from the air in September 2023

Peachtree is a community located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. [1] It is named after the numerous peach trees found in the area. The local schools are Peachtree Elementary School, Murphy and Andrews Middle School, and Murphy and Andrews High School.

Due to its central location near the border of Cherokee and Clay counties, Peachtree has also been home to major institutions serving the area. The Cherokee County Prison Camp opened in 1939 but was abandoned after 25 years following multiple escapes. [2] Its property became the main campus of Tri-County Community College, which opened in 1964 and serves Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties. [3] Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital, the only hospital in North Carolina west of Franklin and Bryson City, was founded in Peachtree in 1979. [4]

In 2003, Moog Inc. established a manufacturing facility in Peachtree employing more than 400 people to build motors and blowers for the aerospace industry. [5] Also, the $20 million, 66,000-square-foot Cherokee County School of Innovation & Technology campus opened in 2023. [6]

Additionally, the John C. Campbell Folk School is located 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast in nearby Brasstown.

History

Before they were forcibly removed from the area via the Trail of Tears, Cherokee Native Americans had a courthouse building named the Hiwassee Townhouse located in Peachtree. [7] In 1837, settlers established a Baptist church in Peachtree. [8] Peachtree had its own post office from 1839 to 1866 and again between 1878 and 1907. [9] The community was considered as a site for the Western Carolina Regional Airport, which was later constructed 8 miles (13 km) northeast in Marble. [10] The community was formerly the site of the "Murphy Drive-In" movie theater. The theater's screen was flattened by high winds in 1974. [11]

In the early 2020s Peachtree was the planned site of a single consolidated high school for Cherokee County, combining Andrews, Hiwassee Dam, and Murphy high schools. In 2023, however, new members of the Cherokee County Board of Education voted against the plan. [12]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tri-County Community College</span> College in Murphy, North Carolina, U.S.

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North Carolina Highway 141 (NC 141) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves to connect the Peachtree community, located in the Valley River Mountains, with Marble and Murphy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marble, North Carolina</span> Census-designated place in North Carolina, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brasstown, North Carolina</span> Unincorporated community in North Carolina, United States

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Murphy High School (MHS) is a public high school in Murphy, North Carolina. It serves grades 9–12 and is one of only three high schools in the Cherokee County Schools system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiwassee Dam High School</span> Public school in Murphy, North Carolina, United States

Hiwassee Dam High School (HDHS) in Murphy, North Carolina serves grades 9–12 and is one of three high schools in Cherokee County Schools. It is the westernmost public school in the state of North Carolina. As of 2007 it had a full-time teaching staff of 20 teachers giving an average of 11 students per teacher. Enrollment is 147 students. The school's capacity is 361 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital</span> Hospital in North Carolina, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherokee County Courthouse (North Carolina)</span> United States historic place

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nantahala Regional Library</span> Library system in western North Carolina

Nantahala Regional Library is the oldest regional library in North Carolina and one of the first regional libraries formed in the United States. Its headquarters is in Murphy, North Carolina. The library has branches in Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties.

References

  1. ↑ "Peachtree". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  2. ↑ Hilton, Mark (2018-09-18). "Prison Cell Door From the Cherokee County Prison Camp". The Historical Marker Database. HMDB.org.
  3. ↑ "Peachtree North Carolina". theblueridgehighlander.com.
  4. ↑ Fite, Elizabeth (2018-04-03). "Erlanger Murphy Medical Center opens doors". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Chattanooga Publishing Company.
  5. ↑ Bethea, Patrice (2020-04-27). "Aerospace Company to Invest $2.3 Million in Murphy". N.C. Department of Commerce.
  6. ↑ Brown, David (2023-05-14). "Touring the Schools of Innovation". Cherokee Scout. Murphy, N.C.
  7. ↑ Hyatt, Jr., Bass (2018). "Cherokee Indian Removal". In Avett, Wally (ed.). Brasstown Valley Myths & History. Blairsville, Georgia: Straub Publishing. p. 17-21. ISBN   9780991372669.
  8. ↑ Williams, Ms. Michael Ann (1983-07-14), National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form – Harshaw Chapel and Cemetery (PDF) Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  9. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Cherokee County, NC Post Offices - 1839 to 1971". Carolana.com.
  10. ↑ "Commission recommends Marble site for airport". The Cherokee Scout. Murphy, NC. 1945-05-17. p. A1. Accessed January 12, 2024
  11. ↑ Brown, David (2024-03-27). "This Week in Local History". Cherokee Scout . Murphy, NC: Community Newspapers Inc. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  12. ↑ Putnam, Jared (2023-01-10). "County officially turns down grant". Cherokee Scout. Murphy, N.C.: Community Newspapers, Inc.

35°05′38″N83°56′34″W / 35.09389°N 83.94278°W / 35.09389; -83.94278


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