Historical Notes on Phoenix Mountain and Surrounding Area HISTORICAL NOTES This area of Western North Carolina was home to three Native American peoples, the Cherokee, the Creeks, and the Shawnee well before European Settlement began. The area was settled by French. However Bishop Spangenberg of the Moravian Church seriously considered settling his church in the area in 1752, but later built his settlement in Winston Salem. The county is named for Samuel Ashe, Revolutionary War patriot who had served as Superior Court Judge for three terms and had been elected Governor in 1795, 1796, and 1797. The first dwellings began to be built around 1770. First were hunting cabins built by David Helton, William Walling, and William Mclain. Hunting and fishing were excellent on Helton Creek and Walling Creek. So much so, that the men returned in 1771 and built their homes in the area. Daniel Boone provided leadership and inspiration in the area from about 1769 to 1790. He and his family settled near Obids on the south fork of the New River. The act which created Ashe County in 1799 contained the requirements that a site be established for a county seat in the approimate center of the county land area. This was found in the town of Jefferson. The town of West Jefferson was charted in 1915 and laid out around the new railway depot. Other towns followed along the path of the railway, Lansing in 1928 and Todd in 1936. Around 1740, Major Abraham Wood led a surveying party west into Virginia wilderness. He discovered a previously unknown river that flowed north. He named this the Wood River, but the name was later changed to the New River. When created Ashe County covered 977 square miles including all of what is now Ashe County, Alleghany County and Watauga County. Presently Ashe County covers 428 square miles. The beautiful setting and pristine river have made Ashe County a most desirable spot for settling, recreation, fishing and lazy afternoons. PHOENIX MOUNTAIN North of Mount Jefferson, with the North Fork of the New River curling around its northern base, is a beautiful mountain, named Phoenix Mountain. George Micheal Eller, Left Germany around 1808, around 1809 he may his way by Rowan County to the area now known as Ashe County. upon arriving he settled himself and his family on the mountain now known as Phoenix Mountain. The ship in which he came from Germany was named the "Phoenix". The Ellers to this day are among the leading citizens of Ashe. Phoenix Mountain, not only is known for its breath taking views, habitat for local trout, local history, but also for being apart of industry in the early development of Ashe County. Ashe County's largest homemade and home-grown industry, the Phoenix Chair Manufacturing Company, began with water power. Its founder and president, Robert C. Barr, became interested in the wood-working business early. He built a mill on Phoenix Creek, about two and one-half miles north of Jefferson and operated it with power from the swift running water in Phoenix Creek. Mr. Barr also had at this site a well-equipped mill for grinding grain.