2019 Map of Elk Mills

About this map

Watauga Lake anchors the northwestern corner of this study, where the waters are contained by the surrounding peaks of the Cherokee National Forest and Pisgah National Forest. The landscape is defined by its deep hollows and high ridges, such as Dry Branch Hollow and Buck Ridge, which separate small mountain communities. Settlements like Elk Mills and Dry Hill are joined by an extensive network of family and community burial grounds, including Stansberry Cem, Payne Cem, and Combs Cem. The Tennessee-North Carolina state line cuts diagonally through the southeastern quadrant, dividing the area between Johnson, Carter, Watauga, and Avery counties. This complex boundary arrangement, combined with the presence of Midway Church and scattered mountain hamlets like Peoria and Flat Springs, illustrates a long-standing pattern of high-country settlement along the Elk River drainage.