Cowee-West's Mill Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Cowee-West's Mill Historic District

Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina
Listed
January 8, 2001
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
00001569

About this property

The Cowee–West's Mill Historic District encompasses an area of Macon County, North Carolina, which has historic significance predating the arrival of European settlers, and extending into the 20th century. It is located about 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Franklin, the county seat, along either side of Cowee Creek as it flows toward the Little Tennessee River. The district includes the archaeological site and platform mound of the Cherokee town of Cowee, a major settlement until the time of the American Revolutionary War. In the first half of the 19th century the area was developed as a mining community centered on a mill operated by the West family, and after the American Civil War it became one of a small number of rural African-American communities in western North Carolina. The core of the West's Mill area is centered on the junctions of SR 1350, SR 1341, SR 1340, and West's Mill Road, and North Carolina Route 28 is the major road passing through the district. Its northern and southern bounds are roughly where the valley floor gives way to hills on either side of Cowee Creek, ending in the west at Hall Mountain and in the east at the mouth of Caler Creek.

Location

Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina

Categories

AGRICULTUREARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTHISTORIC - ABORIGINALPREHISTORIC
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Cowee-West's Mill Historic District

This page lists Cowee-West's Mill Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Questions about this property

When was Cowee-West's Mill Historic District listed on the National Register?

Cowee-West's Mill Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 8, 2001.

What type of historic resource is Cowee-West's Mill Historic District?

Cowee-West's Mill Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cowee-West's Mill Historic District?

The period of significance for Cowee-West's Mill Historic District is recorded as the early_republic era.

Can I research the history near Cowee-West's Mill Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Cowee-West's Mill Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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