Andrews, North Carolina

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Andrews, North Carolina
Town
First Baptist Church in Andrews
Location of Andrews, North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°12′0″N 83°49′35″W / 35.20000°N 83.82639°W / 35.20000; -83.82639Coordinates: 35°12′0″N 83°49′35″W / 35.20000°N 83.82639°W / 35.20000; -83.82639
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Cherokee
Area [1]
• Total	1.70 sq mi (4.40 km2)
• Land	1.70 sq mi (4.40 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,781 ft (543 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,781
• Estimate  (2019)[4]	1,846
• Density	1,085.88/sq mi (419.33/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	28901
Area code(s)	828
FIPS code	37-01380[2]
GNIS feature ID	1018822[3]
Website	www.andrewsnc.org

Andrews is a town in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census.^[5]

History[]

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Cherokee era[]

Indigenous peoples lived in the area for thousands of years before European encounter. By the late 16th or 17th centuries, the Cherokee had a pronounced presence in the area.

An 1805 European-American map shows the area as the Cherokee settlement Toonatla. It was later listed on a map of the Cherokee Nation as Gunahita.

The removal of the Cherokee on their journey on the Trail of Tears had several related actions in the valley. , one of five forts in the area, was located about 16 miles (26 km) from the mouth of the Valley River on the upper Hiwassee River. The road across Tatham Gap, directly north of Andrews, was built by the US Army to transport Cherokee from Fort Montgomery, which was located in what is now Robbinsville, North Carolina to Fort Delaney and beyond.

White settlement[]

Andrews[]

The largest town within the township is Andrews. In the early 19th century, when most white settlers began arriving, the area was known as "Jamesville", after James Whitaker. An Indian trading post was established in 1837, just a short time before Cherokee removal. Soon after that, the community was known as "Valley Town".

Andrews was established like many other southern towns, through a land auction. The Richmond and Danville Railroad had stopped construction of the Murphy Branch just east of here. In the late 1880s, Col. A.B. Andrews, who was a second vice president for Richmond and Danville, was sent to the area to establish a commissary for workers in the Nantahala construction camps. Andrews bought 50 acres (20 ha) of land for the sum of $1,200. By spring 1890, Andrews was instructed to sell off the 50-acre tract at a land sale, which was held in September. The land was platted out, and about three quarters of the lots were sold at the initial sale. Some lots were donated for a schoolhouse and churches. The remaining lots were sold through private sales.

In 1905, the town was incorporated, with David Samuel Russell appointed as the first mayor of the new town. The Franklin Pierce Cover House, First Baptist Church, and Walker's Inn are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[6]

After African-Americans were forced out of Cumming, Georgia in 1912, some came to Andrews and started a community called Happytop.^[7]

Geography[]

Andrews is located in northeastern Cherokee County at

35°12′00″N 83°49′35″W / 35.200011°N 83.826252°W / 35.200011; -83.826252,^[8] on the south side of the Valley River, a southwest-flowing tributary of the Hiwassee River and part of the Tennessee River watershed.

U.S. Routes 19, 74, and U.S. Route 129 form a four-lane bypass around the northern edge of the town; the highways lead northeast 8 miles (13 km) to Topton, where they diverge, and southwest 15 miles (24 km) to Murphy, the county seat. Bryson City is 32 miles (51 km) northeast via US 19/74, and Robbinsville is 20 miles (32 km) north via US 129.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Andrews has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.2 km²), all of it land.^[5]

Valleytown Township dominates the eastern part of Cherokee County. The area is bordered by Graham County to the north, Clay County to the south, and Macon County to the east. Within the township are the towns of Marble in the west, Andrews at the center, and Topton in the far east at the Macon and Graham county lines. The Valley River, once known by the Cherokee name Gunahita, meaning "long", begins near Topton and meanders southwesterly until it meets the Hiwassee River below Murphy.

Government and public safety[]

Municipal government[]

Andrews is governed by an elected mayor and four alderman.

Public safety[]

Andrews municipal police department is located at 1101 Main Street at the City Hall.^[9] and is assisted by the Cherokee County Sheriff when requested. Andrews Fire Department is located at 5 Locust Street and the Rescue Squad at 604 Locust Street.^[10]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1910	936		—
1920	1,634		74.6%
1930	1,748		7.0%
1940	1,520		−13.0%
1950	1,397		−8.1%
1960	1,404		0.5%
1970	1,384		−1.4%
1980	1,621		17.1%
1990	2,551		57.4%
2000	1,602		−37.2%
2010	1,781		11.2%
2019 (est.)	1,846	[4]	3.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]

As of the 2010 census, the total population was 1,781 people residing in 780 households including 452 family units. The population density was 1,090 people per square mile.^[12]

In the 2000 census, there were 831 housing units at an average density of 613.2 per square mile (235.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.76% White, 2.68% African American, 0.69% Native American, 1.06% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.62% of the population.

There were 703 households, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.81.

Age distribution was 22.1% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.8 males.

The median household income was $20,273, and the median family income was $28,320. Males had a median income of $23,462 versus $16,375 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,350. About 17.6% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 22.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people[]

• Dave Bristol, Major League Baseball manager^[13]
• Tina Gordon, NASCAR driver
• Charles Frazier, National Book Award-winning author, grew up in Andrews^[14]

References[]

External links[]

• Media related to Andrews, North Carolina at Wikimedia Commons

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Andrews.

• Town of Andrews official website