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| Type | Public community college |
|---|---|
| Active | 1964–Present |
Parent institution | North Carolina Community College System |
| President | Donna Tipton-Rogers |
| Students | 4715 (2012 academic year) |
| Location | , , United States |
| Colors | Navy and gold |
| Website | www.tricountycc.edu |
Tri-County Community College is a public community college in Murphy, North Carolina. It was founded in 1964 to serve Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties and is part of the North Carolina Community College System.
On November 5, 1964, Tri-County Industrial Education Center was approved by the North Carolina Board of Education to serve the region with vocational and trade classes. [1] The following year, the Cherokee County Board of Education negotiated a lease agreement for the college to occupy the abandoned Cherokee County Prison Camp in Peachtree. During the 1970s the McSwain building was renovated. The West building and Crisp building were constructed in 1979. [2] The school became a "technical institute" in 1978 and was accredited as a two-year community college in 1985. [1]
In 1984, the North Carolina Legislature allocated funds for the college to construct a multi-purpose building. The building was completed in 1989 and named for legislator Jeff Enloe, whose support of the college enabled successful appropriation of construction funding. [2]
In 1993 a statewide bond referendum was passed to fund construction of the Graham County Center. Land and buildings were provided in 1995 and the center opened in 1998. [2]
At the Murphy campus, a new building for dual use as a student activities center and an early childhood education center was completed in 1998. Then-president Norman Oglesby named one building for himself. The student activities wing is named for Sarah Easley Harper, originator of the Student Support Center. The early childhood education wing is named the Jarrett/Oglesby Center. [2]
The college opened its four-story Fire and Rescue Training Center in 2003. [3] Tri-County Early College High School opened on the main campus in 2006. [3] [4] TCCC opened its Cherokee County Center of Applied Technology in Marble in 2008 after renovating an existing building there. That same year Donna Tipton-Rogers was appointed as the school's first female president. [3]
Mountain Community Chorus began as a Tri-County class in 1974. The choir now accepts adults from across the region, rehearses at Young Harris College, and performs concerts twice a year. [5]
Tri-County Community College serves the counties of:
There are three campus locations, the Main Campus in Murphy, and the Graham County Center in Robbinsville, and the Cherokee County Center of Applied Technology in Marble. The main campus has buildings named McSwain, in honor of Holland McSwain, Tri-County Community College's First President; West, for Herman West, a State Legislator and entrepreneur; and Crisp, for Vincent Crisp, Tri-County Community College President from 1972 to 1992.
The Tri-County Communicator is the student newspaper of TCCC [7]
Clay County is a county located in the far western part of U.S. state North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 11,089. The county seat is Hayesville.
Graham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,030, making it the third-least populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is Robbinsville.
Cherokee County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It borders Tennessee to its west and Georgia to its south. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,774. The county seat is Murphy.
Andrews is a town in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,667 at the 2020 census.
Murphy is a town in and the county seat of Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Valley rivers. It is the westernmost county seat in the state of North Carolina, approximately 360 miles (580 km) from the state capital in Raleigh. The population of Murphy was 1,608 at the 2020 census.
Hayesville is a town in Clay County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 311 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Clay County.
Western North Carolina is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains; it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It contains the highest mountains in the Eastern United States, with 125 peaks rising to over 5,000 feet in elevation. Mount Mitchell at 6,684 feet, is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and mainland eastern North America. The population of the 23 most commonly associated counties for the region, as measured by the 2020 U.S. Census, is 1,149,405. The region accounts for approximately 11% of North Carolina's total population.
Warne ( "worn") is an unincorporated community in Brasstown Township, Clay County, North Carolina, United States. In 2010, Clay County was the fourth least populated county in North Carolina, inhabited by approximately 10,587 people. The region has added considerably to its population, a 20.6% increase since 2000. Warne is closer to the capitals of five other states than to Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina.
Marble is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 321.
Clay County Progress is a weekly newspaper in Hayesville, North Carolina, and Clay County. It covers Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina and Towns County, Georgia.
The Graham Star is a weekly newspaper based in Robbinsville, North Carolina covering Graham County, North Carolina.
U.S. Route 129 (US 129) is a north–south United States highway that travels 63.5 miles (102.2 km) through the westernmost part of North Carolina. Traveling from the Georgia state line near Bellview, to the Tennessee state line at Deals Gap, it is known for its scenic mountain valley vistas and curvy mountain bends popular with motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts.
Hayesville High School is a school located in Hayesville, North Carolina and is part of the Clay County School District. It is the only public high school in Clay County. According to its website, the school has a current enrollment of 380 students and 37 teaching staff members. That is an average of 10.27 students per teacher.
Brasstown is an unincorporated community located mostly within Clay County, North Carolina, United States, though roughly one third of Brasstown is within the adjacent Cherokee County. Brasstown Creek travels through the community and separates the two counties.
Clay County Schools (CCS) manages the public school system in Clay County, North Carolina. It is the only school district in Clay County and covers all of the county with about 1,200 students attending a total of 4 separate schools located on a central campus in Hayesville. After county government, Clay County Schools is the county's largest employer with a staff of 205 people.
Smoky Mountain Times is a weekly newspaper based in Bryson City, North Carolina. It is published on Thursdays and has served the people of Swain County, North Carolina since 1883.
The Clay County Courthouse is located on Main Street in Hayesville, Clay County, North Carolina. The T-shaped two-story brick building was built in 1888, and is a prominent local example of vernacular Italianate architecture. Its most visible feature is a three-story square tower, which projects for half its width from the main facade, and through which entry to the building is gained.
Peachtree is a community located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. 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.
Captain George Washington Hayes was a 19th-century North Carolina politician. The town of Hayesville, North Carolina, is named for him.
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.
35°04′02″N83°57′58″W / 35.0671°N 83.9661°W
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