Documenting the American South

Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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  • Monument Name

    Founding of Jackson County and Time Capsule, Sylva

  • Type

    Marker

  • Subjects

    Local History

  • City

    Sylva

  • County

    Jackson

  • Description

    The memorial marker is a rectangular block of granite with a smooth face and rusticated edges. An image of a scroll has been incised into the block with the main body of the inscription appearing on the scroll. A plaque dedicated to the Sesquicentennial of Jackson County was placed on the ground to the right of the marker.

    Images (by Natasha Smith): Rear view | Close-up view | View over the mountains | Far-off view | 150th Anniversary plaque

  • Inscription

    JACKSON COUNTY / FOUNDED 1851 / BENEATH THIS MARKER IS / DEPOSITED A STAINLESS / STEEL CAPSULE CONTAINING / PICTURES AND PRINTED / MATERIALS DEPICTING THE / HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY / AND ITS PEOPLE FROM ITS / FOUNDING THROUGH THE / CELEBRATION OF ITS / 100TH ANNIVERSARY. / SEPTEMBER 2—8, 1951. / THIS CAPSULE TO BE / OPENED BY CITIZENS / OF JACKSON COUNTY, / SEPTEMBER 8, 2051

    150th Anniversary plaque: Herein lies a time capsule / from the citizens of / Jackson County of the Sesquicentennial year 2001. / It is to the opened during / the celebration of / Jackson County's / Bicentennial year 2051.

  • Custodian

    Jackson County

  • Dedication Date

    September 8, 1951

  • Decade

    1950s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    35.373780 , -83.227640 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      Martin, Jonathan. "Jackson County (1851)," North Carolina History Project, northcarolinahistory.org, (accessed August 27, 2021) Link

      Mull, Larry. “Jackson Opens Its Centennial Today,” Asheville Citizen Times (Asheville, NC), September 2, 1951

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Granite

  • Location

    The memorial stands in a grassy area just to the left corner of the old Jackson County Courthouse which now houses the public library. Nearby is the Jackson County Armed Forces Memorial. Halfway down the impressive staircase in front of the courthouse is the Jackson County Confederate Monument. At the bottom of the staircase are the War Memorial Fountain and the Jackson County Veterans Memorial.

  • Landscape

    The marker faces the library parking lot. To the rear it overlooks the hilly downtown of Sylva, NC.

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