1894 Map of Roan Mountain

In the high country to the southeast, the Tennessee North Carolina Boundary Line traverses spectacular peaks including Roan High Knob and Grassy Ridge Bald. Settled valleys follow the Watauga River to Elizabethton, while the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad winds into the rugged terrain near Burbank. This survey highlights a transitional era where traditional Appalachian settlements like Limestone Cove and Piney Flats began to meet the expanding reach of iron production and regional rail networks.