The 411 Unless otherwise noted, all area codes are 828. History Historians note that this area was originally explored in 1752 by Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg of Pennsylvania, who was seeking land in the back country of North Carolina for Moravian colonists to settle. Although the Cherokee Indians had hunted seasonally in this region, the first permanent settlers came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New England. Jordan Council established a store in what is now downtown Boone. Watauga County was formed in 1849, and the Town of Boone, which was incorporated in 1872, was named for the legendary Daniel Boone, who first explored and hunted in the region during the 1760s. Location Boone is the Heart of the High Country and the premier quality of life community of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Consistently ranked as one of the Best Small Towns in America, Boone is a bustling university town and the center of tourism and commerce for Watauga County and the High Country. Known for its excellence in health care, education, shopping and the arts, Boone offers a palette of opportunity surrounded by four seasons of changing scenery. Watauga County in northwestern North Carolina has a land area of 321 square miles and adjoins Tennessee. Elevations range from 2,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level. Boone, the county seat, has an area of about 4 square miles and an average altitude of 3,333 feet. Boone is a comfortable drive from I-77, I-81 and I-40 and is served by four major highways that intersect in Boone: U.S. 421, U.S. 321 (major construction under way), U.S. 221 and N.C. 105. Distance in miles to Boone from: Asheville, N.C. 100 Atlanta, Ga. 290 Charlotte, N.C. 102 Chicago, Ill. 700 Greensboro, N.C. 115 Greenville, S.C. 165 Hickory, N.C. 60 Knoxville, Tenn. 160 Raleigh, N.C. 195
Richmond, Va. 315 Wilmington, N.C. 300 Washington, D.C. 415 Winston-Salem, N.C. 87 New York, N.Y. 645 Climate/Weather Boone s climate is temperate with comfortable summers, dazzling autumn colors, a skier s paradise come winter and crisp, green spring times. Our website features accurate weather data and the most reliable forecasts all year round: www.booneweather.com Annual Climatological Summary Month High Low Rain Snow Jan. 42 26 4.49 9.20 Feb. 44 24 2.48 14.75 March 51 31 4.08 5.00 April 63 40 5.64 3.50 May 70 48 2.02 June 76 55 4.25 July 78 58 5.38 August 77 58 5.74 Sept. 71 52 4.45 Oct. 63 41 4.47 Nov. 53 32 8.17 Dec. 45 26 3.52 4.00 Total 54.69 35.45 Climate data courtesy of Ray s Weather Center, www.raysweather.com Taxes Sales Tax 6.75%
State portion 4.0% Town & County 2.75% Lodging Tax Boone 6.0% Beech Mountain 6.0% Blowing Rock 6.0% Seven Devils 6.0% Unincorporated areas of Watauga County 6.0% Property Tax (Rates based per $100 valuation) Watauga County $.313 Boone $.37 Blowing Rock $.28 Beech Mountain $.64 Seven Devils $.51 For updates and information: Watauga County Tax Administrator 265-8021 Licenses Vehicle License N.C. License Plate Agency, 331 Queen St., Boone 268-2315 Mon. Fri., 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Vehicle registration and license tags must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a North Carolina resident. Driver s License
N.C. Driver s License Office, Mutton Crossing, 4469 Bamboo Rd. 265-5384 Must be obtained within 60 days of North Carolina residency. A written exam, vision test, proof of insurance, license from former residence and a road test are required for new drivers. Marriage License Watauga County Register of Deeds, Watauga County Courthouse, 842 W. King St., Suite 9, Boone 265-8052 A birth certificate, Social Security card and driver s license are required for individuals below the age of 21. Parental permission is required for those below the age of 18. Documentation if recently divorced. Two witnesses are required at proceedings. Fee is $50. Government Watauga County Watauga County Manager s Office, Watauga County Courthouse, 814 W. King St., Boone 265-8000 Watauga County operates under a county commission-manager government. The Board of Commissioners has five members, nominated from separate districts and elected countywide. Terms are staggered. The board meets twice a month in the commissioners meeting room at the courthouse. Town of Boone Boone Town Hall, 567 W. King St., Boone 268-6200 Boone operates under a council-manager form of government with a five-member council and a mayor who determine policy for the town. A professional manager implements policy. The council meets once a month in Town Council Chambers, 1500 Blowing Rock Rd., Boone. Town of Blowing Rock Blowing Rock Town Hall, 1036 Main St., Blowing Rock, 28605 295-5200
Town of Beech Mountain Beech Mountain Town Hall 403 Beech Mountain Pkwy., Beech Mountain, 28604 387-4236 Town of Seven Devils Seven Devils Town Hall, 1356 Seven Devils Rd., Seven Devils, 28604 963-5343 Public Safety Emergency Police, fire, ambulance or rescue 911 Non-Emergency Boone Police 268-6959 Blowing Rock Police 295-5210 Watauga County Sheriff 264-3761 Appalachian State University Police 262-2150 Boone Fire Department 268-6180 Carolina Poison Control (800) 222-1222 Watauga County Crimestoppers 268-6959 Utilities Electricity New River Light & Power Co., 220 Winklers Creek Road, Boone 264-3671 Serves Boone and Appalachian State University (ASU) Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp., 2491 U.S. 421, Boone 264-8894
Serves Watauga County (outside Boone and ASU) Water & Sewer Town of Boone Utility Billing Department, 567 W. King St., Boone 268-6220 Solid Waste Management Watauga County Sanitation Department 264-5305 Watauga County operates staffed container sites throughout the county. Republic Services 264-3689 Town of Boone 262-6230 High Country Waste Solutions 963-8965 Telephone/Telecommunications AT&T Residential (800) 288-2020 Business Service (866) 620-6900 Skyline Telephone Membership Corp. (800) 759-2226 or 963-1350 Health care Medical Facilities Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, 336 Deerfield Rd., Boone 262-4100 or (800) 443-7385 Blowing Rock Hospital & Skilled Nursing Facility 418 Chestnut Dr., Blowing Rock 295-3136 Charles A. Cannon Jr. Memorial
Hospital, 434 Hospital Dr., Linville (828) 737-7000 AppUrgent Care 2146 Blowing Rock Rd., Boone 265-5505 FastMed Urgent Care 178 Hwy 105 Ext. Boone 265-7146 Watauga County Health Department, 126 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone 264-6635 Extended Care/Assisted Living/Nursing Homes Deerfield Ridge Assisted Living 287 Bamboo Rd., Boone 264-0336 Glenbridge Health & Rehabilitation 211 Milton Brown Heirs Rd., Boone 264-6720 Life Care Center of Banner Elk 185 Norwood Hollow Rd., Banner Elk 898-5136 Retirement Living Appalachian Brian Estates 163 Shadowline Dr., Boone (800) 333-3432 or 264-1006 Deerfield Ridge Assisted Living 287 Bamboo Rd., Boone 264-0336 Grace Ridge Retirement Community 500 Lenoir Rd., Morganton 580-7300 Rose Glen Village Retirement Community, 407 W. Main St., Wilkesboro (336) 667-2952 Well Spring Retirement Community 4100 Wellspring Dr., Greensboro (336) 545-5400 or (800) 547-5387
Education Watauga County Board of Education 175 Pioneer Trail, Boone 264-7190 Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute Watauga Campus 297-3811 Appalachian State University 262-2000 Lees-McRae College Banner Elk 898-5241 Watauga County Public Library 264-8784 Western Watauga Branch 297-5515 Mountain Pathways Montessori School 262-5787 Grace Academy 733-7830 Two Rivers Community School (K-8) 262-5411 High Country Home School Association (336) 385-5529 Other schools/educational programs: Children s Council of Watauga County 262-5424 North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service 264-3061 Media/Communications Newspapers High Country Press 130 N. Depot Street, Boone, 28607 264-2262 www.hcpress.com Mountain Times Publications 474 Industrial Park Dr., Boone, 28607 264-3612 www.wataugademocrat.com
Watauga Democrat Blowing Rocket Avery Journal-Times Television Charter Communications 755 George Wilson Rd., Boone, 28607 (877) 728-3814 www.chartercom.com Mountain Television Network (MTN) Cable Channel 18, 643-F Greenway Rd., Boone, 28607... (828) 262-0990 www.mtn18.com Radio High Country Radio, operates six radio stations. 738 Blowing Rock Rd., Boone 264-2411 WECR 102.3 FM Country WXIT 1200 AM NewsTalk WECR 1130 AM Gospel WATA 1450 AM News/Talk and Oldies WMMY 106.1 FM New Country WZJS 100.7 Classic Hits Housing & Real Estate Contact the Chamber of Commerce at 264-2225 or visit its website at www.boonechamber.com for a complete and up-to-date listing of member businesses under the Real Estate category. You can also contact the High Country Association of Realtors, 262-5437 or visit www.highcounrtyrealtors.org. Post Offices
680 W. King St., Boone 262-1171 1544 Blowing Rock Rd., Boone 264-3813 Vilas 297-2681 Banner Elk 898-4334 Blowing Rock 295-3589 Linville 733-5745 Fleetwood (336) 877-4764 Sugar Grove 297-3361 Todd (336) 877-4444 Zionville 297-24441 Transportation Air Haven Limousine Service 265-2504 AppalCART 264-CART (2278) Free local public bus and scheduled van transportation. The Hickory Hop 327-2340 PART (Piedmont Authority of Regional Transport)...(336) 662-0002 Bus service to/from Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, Winston-Salem and Greensboro. Coach America (707) 596-2222 Bus service to/from Boone, Lenoir, Hickory, Lincolnton, Gastonia and Charlotte. Enterprise Rent-A-Car 268-9761 Area Commercial Airports (Distance to Boone) Tri-Cities Regional Johnson City, Tenn. 60 miles (423) 325-6000 Asheville Regional 95 miles (828) 687-9446
Charlotte Douglas International 100 miles (704) 359-4000 Piedmont Triad International Greensboro 115 miles (336) 852-6450 Hickory Regional 55 miles (828) 323-7408 Morganton-Lenoir Regional 50 miles (828) 757-0099 Area Private Airports Boone Airport 265-3598 Employment Resources Dept. of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions 265-5385 www.ncesc.com On the Clock Employment Services 265-1266 Additional Information (cost including postage) Boone/Watauga County map $6 North Carolina map $2 Blue Ridge Parkway map $3 Telephone book $7