Highlands Newspaper Internet Directory
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Highlands, North Carolina
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| Highlands is an incorporated town in Macon and
Jackson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located on a
plateau in the southern Appalachian mountains, within the Nantahala
National Forest, it lies mostly in southeastern Macon and slightly in
southwestern Jackson counties, in the Highlands and
Cashiers townships, respectively.
The permanent population was 909 at the 2000 census. The population
swells to 10,000-15,000 during the season from spring to fall. Highlands was founded in 1875 after its two founders, Samuel Truman Kelsey and Clinton Carter Hutchinson drew lines from Chicago to Savannah and from New Orleans to Baltimore. They felt that the place where these lines met would eventually become a great trading center and commercial crossroads. In the 1930s the town became a golfing mecca when Bobby Jones of Atlanta and some of his well-heeled golfing buddies founded the Highlands Country Club. Today that club is one of seven successful residential country club communities. Climate - Highlands owes its cooler weather to its altitude. Astride the Eastern Continental Divide, at just over 4,100 ft (1,200 m), the town's elevation contributes to its relatively cool summers and abundant rainfall, averaging 87.57 inches (2,224 mm) per year. Average snowfall is only 6 inches (15 cm), largely due to the fact that Highlands is further south and east in the Appalachian Mountains. Areas of similar elevation on the northwest side of Appalachian region, such as Banner Elk, are not as protected from periodic blasts of Arctic air and receive more substantial snowfall. Regardless, Highlands is one of the very rare locations at this latitude that has an average high of 78°F or 26°C in July, far lower than the rest of the American South. Tourism in Highlands is becoming more and more a two-season community; a summer-season community and an ever growing winter-season community. The summer season (generally March through November) draws large numbers of Southerners from the oppressive summertime heat and humidity found throughout much of the region to enjoy the beautiful mountains, cool days, fine dining, and hometown Main Street experience. More and more the town is increasing its winter season draw through its offering of arts, culinary, holiday and romantic events. The town is dotted with many antique dealers, a well-known auction house, restaurants (many have have received awards from Wine Spectator), shops, inns, as well as several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. For the performing arts there are four theaters: The Highlands Playhouse (founded in 1938), the Instant Theatre Company (founded in 1981), the Highlands Community Players (founded in 1995), and the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center, which hosts touring groups. For the visual arts there is The Bascom - A Center for the Visual Arts, a new facility named for the artist and playwright, Louise Rand Bascom Barratt. The historic (NRHP-listed) Lee's Inn, with an enormous tree growing through the middle of its dining room, was lost to an electrical fire in the 1980s and was not rebuilt. The historic Highlands Inn and Old Edwards Inn (also NRHP-listed) continue to operate as inns. There is one Public school in the town, Highlands School, as well as an independent public library in the town, known as the Hudson Library. The library also housed The Bascom until May 2009; The Bascom is a nonprofit visual arts center that is now located on Oak Street. Highlands has a US post office, with ZIP code 28741 covering all of Highlands township (including Scaly Mountain) and adjacent parts of Sugar Fork township. It is also within area code 828, and all telephone numbers served by the town's telephone exchange begin with 526-, with seven-digit dialing allowed. Since buying GTE, Verizon is now the telephone company for the area. It also offers DSL high-speed Internet. Cable television and cable modem services for the city of Highlands are contracted to Northland Cable TV. (Frontier also provides internet services) Highlands is also the city of license for two radio stations. WHLC FM 104.5 and Western NC Public Radio from Asheville. Hiking trails around Highlands are popular with backpackers, and there is at least two outfitter stores in town. As Highlands is in such a mountainous area, there are many scenic places to hike. With Highlands being home to various waterfalls, many hiking trails lead to these falls. Fishing is also available in Highlands, at Harris Lake and other in-town and surrounding-area lakes. Some areas are public and others are private fishing grounds. There are also several rivers, including the Cullasaja River, west of town, and the Chattooga River to the southeast. Town of Highlands website: http://www.highlandsnc.org Link To Highlands - Cashiers Area Churches Link To - Highlands Newspaper Archives |
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CLIMATE Monthly normal and record temperatures |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon. | Rec. low |
Avg. low |
Avg. mean |
Avg. high |
Rec. high |
| Jan. | -19°F -28°C |
23°F -5°C |
33°F 1°C |
42°F 6°C |
70°F 21°C |
| Feb. | -9°F -23°C |
25°F -4°C |
36°F 2°C |
46°F 8°C |
73°F 23°C |
| Mar. | -1°F -18°C |
31°F -1°C |
43°F 6°C |
54°F 12°C |
78°F 26°C |
| April | 13°F -11°C |
38°F 3°C |
50°F 10°C |
62°F 17°C |
83°F 6°C |
| May | 28°F -2°C |
46°F 8°C |
58°F 14°C |
69°F 21°C |
86°F 30°C |
| June | 35°F 2°C |
53°F 12°C |
64°F 18°C |
75°F 24°C |
91°F 33°C |
| July | 43°F 6°C |
57°F 14°C |
68°F 20°C |
78°F 26°C |
93°F 34°C |
| Aug. | 43°F 6°C |
56°F 13°C |
66°F 19°C |
76°F 24°C |
91°F 33°C |
| Sep. | 30°F -1°C |
51°F 11°C |
61°F 16°C |
71°F 22°C |
89°F 32°C |
| Oct. | 20°F -7°C |
40°F 4°C |
51°F 11°C |
62°F 17°C |
82°F 28°C |
| Nov. | -3°F -19°C |
32°F 0°C |
42°F 6°C |
52°F 11°C |
77°F 25°C |
| Dec. | -11°F -24°C |
26°F -3°C |
35°F 2°C |
44°F 7°C |
72°F 22°C |
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Highlands Time Line 2003 Highlands' Newspaper & HighlandsInfo.com published
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