photo #4789789

North Carolina’s French Broad River is the third oldest river in the world, older than the mountains it passes through. It is so old, in fact, that it is practically devoid of fossils. The river flows 218 miles through the counties of Transylvania, Buncombe, Henderson, and Madison in North Carolina, and Cocke, Jefferson, Sevier, and Knox in Tennessee. The French Broad runs North. French and Cherokee History: The river was named the French Broad to distinguish it from North Carolina’s other Broad River and because the territory into which it drained was held by the French. The Cherokees had several names for the river, including Tah-kee-os-tee or “racing waters,” as well as Poe-li-co, Agiqua, and Zillicoah. Following the river in the mid 1800’s was a drover’s road called the Buncombe Turnpike. The foot path allowed people to move animals and goods from the flatter lands in Tennessee through the Western NC Mountains, and out to the ports in South Carolina. Small communities along the river grew up to serve the drovers and eventually turned into larger towns. In the 1880’s, the completion of the railroad meant the end of many of the small communities. *Pictured is the French Broad River in Hot Springs, North Carolina (Information from the Blue Ridge National Heritage)