At the center of the town square that is next to the county courthouse, I was sure that this was…read moregoing to be another Confederate memorial. Well, it's not. It's WAY better than that. Otway Burns is honored here with both a statue and the town's name because of his legacy as a naval hero and his support for western representation in state politics. A celebrated privateer during the War of 1812, Burns commanded the schooner Snap Dragon and captured numerous British vessels, earning national recognition. After the war, he served in the North Carolina General Assembly, where he advocated for increased political representation for the North Carolina's western counties. This stance resonated so deeply with mountain communities that the newly established town in Yancey County was named Burnsville in 1834. The statue in the town square, donated by his grandson in 1909, commemorates his service and symbolizes the enduring respect held for his contributions to both state and country. The statue is made of copper. It depicts him standing upright in a commanding pose, dressed in 19th-century naval attire with a long coat and high boots. His right arm is raised, pointing forward, symbolizing leadership and vision. The plaque on the plinth reads, "He guarded well our seas, let our mountains honor him." [Review 1226 of 2025 - 4411 in North Carolina - 24778 overall]

The Otway Burns Statue is located on the square in Downtown Burnsville. It is a nice tribute to the…read moreman the town was named after. It is a copper statue on a granite block. I became familiar with Otway Burns while in Beaufort, NC. So before visiting this statue I wondered why there was a monument for him in Burnsville, NC. Burns was a war hero, privateer, ship builder and legislator from Swansboro, NC. His last act as a politician was to allow Western North Carolina more representation in the state by a vote of thirty-one to thirty. So this was the town's way to honor what he did for them. The inscription reads: "Otway Burns, born in Onslow County N.C. 1775. Died at Portsmouth N.C. 1850. Sailor-Soldier-Statesmen. North Carolina's foremost son in the War of 1812-15. For him, this town is named. He guarded well our seas, let our mountains honor him."

This seems important and people were just walking by without taking time to understand why we're…read moreexactly HERE as opposed to on some other hilltop in North Carolina. The marker reads, "Elisha Mitchell, 1793-1857. Scientist and professor. Died in attempt to prove this mountain highest in eastern U.S. Grave is at the summit, 285 yds. S." Online, there is more information. "On June 27, 1857, Elisha Mitchell, exploring the Black Mountain range, slipped and fell to his death in a deep pool at the bottom of a sixty-foot waterfall. Search parties were organized (by Zebulon Baird Vance, future governor and United States senator for North Carolina, among others), and the body was discovered several days later by "Big Tom" Wilson, noted bear hunter and woodsman. Mitchell's death "cast a shadow of profound grief over the entire state."" The marker is in the parking lot summit of Mount Mitchell and you will spot it next to the the trail to the summit. [Review 12710 overall, 22 of 2020.]

I like old towns like this with a big grassy square, a monument to some historical dude named…read moreBurns, and some neat shops. It has a quilt shop on the square, some churches, an old historic inn that Elvis stayed at, a coffee house, some galleries, and a few places to eat that nook neat. Worth a stop if you are traveling through, but not a destination unless you are going for some big hiking at Mt. Mitchell or some of the other great outdoors places it has nearby. I'd stop here again.

The road from Asheville was finished last year and already the town is perking up with new…read morerestaurants and longer hours for some of the existing eating establishments. The Grapevine has really great women's clothing, Appalachain Java has nice food all the way until 8pm, Homeplace brewery has some kind of food truck each night, music, trivia, and great beer. Rescue Dog Cafe and Burnsville Donut Company are keeping East Main Street lively and well fed, and Garden Deli and Snapdragon are consistently good on the Town Square. Rad Dawgs and the ice cream parlor next to it are just plain fun. I'm addicted to the Gyrate taco there. Ye Olde Country store has quality deli items and mile high sandwiches. Main Street Shoes has really cute footwear and YummiYarns has a great selection of yarn for knitting, crochet, or weaving. Quilt and Code has quilting supplies on one side and computer help on the other. There's a terrific health food store, an outdoor living store that just opened, a music store, a couple galleries including one that is part of Toe River Arts Council, Dark Sky Wood handcrafted furniture, an outfitter store, Parkway Playhouse, Yancey Theater, a wine shop, a couple of antique stores, a pizza shop and the new Mountain Chef Bistro. NuWray Inn, the Terrell House, and Carolina Country Motel all offer accomadations. The Chamber of Commerce and the Visitors Center can direct you to the History Museum and other points of interest. There's a Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings and free events for families and kids on the square on Saturday mornings during the summer. Also there is bargain shopping at New to You furniture, Felicity's Closet, Alexandra's Closet, and Barkin Basement. There is definitely plenty to keep you busy for a full day or more.

Doesn't even have the phone number for this location listed on google maps. Couldn't talk to anyone…read moreabout my hold service and pickup without being on hold with corporate robots for over an hour. The person at the counter refused to let my mother pickup my packages despite the policy saying all they need is a written and signed note. I live over an hour away now and will have to pick up my packages weeks from now because of them. I don't have time for this.

Friendly fast service, lots of parking, easy to get to, lots of supplies for mailing. The folks…read morehere are fast and efficient.

Erwin feels like that in‑between place, big enough to have a bit of bustle but still small enough…read morethat its history sits right out in the open, and this marker is a good example of that rhythm. It highlights a mid‑century business that once shaped the town's identity before fading into memory. The marker reads, "Beginning operations in 1917, Southern Potteries, Inc. was fostered by the Carolina, Clinchfield, and Ohio Railroad. For many years, it was one of the nation's largest producers of hand-painted-under-the-glaze pottery, sold under the name "Blue Ridge". Located on Watauga Avenue, the factory hired hundreds of local artists to paint the pottery. Department stores had their own designs, and breakfast cereals offered starter sets. In January of 1957, the board of directors voted to close the pottery. Collectors still seek out examples of this pottery from Erwin's past." It is marker number 1A-151 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. There is room to pull over to read the marker and a large parking lot. [Review 103 of 2026 - 601 in Tennessee - 25293 overall]

Set just a short walk from the Erwin Town Hall and the Unicoi County Courthouse, this marker gives…read morea clear, compact look at how both the county and the town took shape, and there is convenient parking nearby so you can step out and read it without any trouble. It feels like one of those spots where the civic heart of a place is still visible in the layout of the streets and the cluster of public buildings, and the marker ties that present-day setting back to the choices made during Reconstruction and the decades that followed The front reads, "Unicoi County. Unicoi County was formed during the Reconstruction era from parts of Washington and Carter counties on March 23, 1875. Representative Alfred A. Taylor introduced a bill in the Tennessee Legislature and insisted that the county's name come from a Cherokee word representing the fog-draped Unaka Mountains. The first meeting for the elected officials was January 3, 1876, at the Indian Creek Baptist Church. For the Centennial in 1975, the motto on the new seal of Unicoi County was "The Valley Beautiful."" And the reverse, "The Town Of Erwin. The town was laid out in March of 1876 on land donated by David J.N. Ervin, William Love, and G. Garland for the creation of a county seat. Vanderbilt was the town's first name. In 1879, the state approved a new name of Ervin, but a United States Post Office mix-up gave the town its lasting name of Erwin. Earlier postal designations of Greasy Cove, Unaka, and Longmire identified the area. In 1891, Erwin was incorporated and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen met in 1892." It is marker number 1A-130 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. It is an easy and worthwhile stop if you're exploring the center of town. [Review 104 of 2026 - 602 in Tennessee - 25294 overall]

This marker is located just around the corner from the historic Mitchell County Courthouse. I did…read moremanage to find some street parking nearby so I could explore the courthouse and then this marker. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Asa Gray. American botanist and Harvard professor. In July, 1841, investigated flora of this region. He visited Roan Mountain, 12 miles north." There is more information online. Born in 1810 in New York, Gray initially trained in medicine but shifted his focus to botany, eventually becoming a leading figure in the field. His journey through Ashe and Mitchell counties involved collecting plant specimens and retracing paths once taken by French botanist André Michaux. Gray's findings contributed to his 1842 Botanical Textbook, which became a foundational science resource and helped secure his position at Harvard. Over the next 45 years, he published extensively, helped found the National Academy of Sciences, and served as a Smithsonian regent. Gray also corresponded with Charles Darwin, becoming a key American supporter of evolutionary theory until his death in 1888. [Review 1291 of 2025 - 4436 in North Carolina - 24843 overall]

It was easy to spot this marker on the highway at the intersection of Penland Road. It is about as…read moreclose to the actual subject so that it can be seen by passersby. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Penland School. Founded 1929 by Lucy Morgan (1889-1981) to promote traditional crafts including pottery, metalworking and weaving. Campus 1 mile southwest." There is more information online. The school originated from Morgan's efforts to revive traditional weaving in western North Carolina, using a cabin at the Episcopal Appalachian School to train locals and sell their work to tourists. In collaboration with other regional craft leaders, Morgan helped establish the Southern Highlands Handicraft Guild and expanded Penland's curriculum to include pottery, metalwork, and silversmithing. After her retirement, Bill Brown introduced woodworking and glassblowing, and today the school spans 400 acres, hosting over 1,200 artists annually. This is marker number N-46 as it was erected by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History in 2007. [Review 1289 of 2025 - 4434 in North Carolina - 24841 overall]