In 1931, the National Government purchased the Uwharrie (You-warr-ee) Reservation. It was named a National Forest by President John F Kennedy in 1961, making it the youngest National Forest in North Carolina. The Uwharrie covers 50,189 acres, making it the smallest National Forest in North Carolina. It covers Montgomery, Randolph, and Davidson counties. The Forest itself is still split into separate sections because some private owners kept title to their land when the Government bought it.
Overview of Uwharrie National Forest
Created by ancient volcanoes, the peaks of the Uwharrie used to reach twenty thousand feet. Today they range from four hundred to one thousand feet above sea level. The Uwharrie Mountains were Native American grounds for at least ten thousand years prior to the gold that was discovered in 1799. This discovery sparked a gold rush in the area, and there are those who still pan for gold dust in the area today.
Native American Spear Head found in Uwharrie National Forest
Before being purchased by the Federal Governement in 1931, the land had been largely cleared by farming and timber companies. Since then, the area has been largely restored. Today it is used for both recreation and extraction (such as timber).
Uwharrie History
In 1931, the National Government purchased the Uwharrie (You-warr-ee) Reservation. It was named a National Forest by President John F Kennedy in 1961, making it the youngest National Forest in North Carolina. The Uwharrie covers 50,189 acres, making it the smallest National Forest in North Carolina. It covers Montgomery, Randolph, and Davidson counties. The Forest itself is still split into separate sections because some private owners kept title to their land when the Government bought it.
Created by ancient volcanoes, the peaks of the Uwharrie used to reach twenty thousand feet. Today they range from four hundred to one thousand feet above sea level. The Uwharrie Mountains were Native American grounds for at least ten thousand years prior to the gold that was discovered in 1799. This discovery sparked a gold rush in the area, and there are those who still pan for gold dust in the area today.
Before being purchased by the Federal Governement in 1931, the land had been largely cleared by farming and timber companies. Since then, the area has been largely restored. Today it is used for both recreation and extraction (such as timber).
References:
http://www.fs.fed.us/ccrc/cases/uwharrie.shtml
http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/762/entry
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/about-forest/?cid=stelprdb5200391
http://alastar-packer.hubpages.com/hub/Uwharrie-Haunts-Americas-Oldest-Mountains
http://ncvisitorcenter.com/Uwharrie_National_Forest.html
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