Mills River, North Carolina

Mills River is a town in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,802 at the 2010 census,[4] and was estimated to be 7,406 in 2019.[5] The town took its name from the nearby confluence of the Mills River and French Broad River.[6] It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was incorporated into a town in June 2003. Sierra Nevada opened a brewery in Mills River in 2014.

Mills River, North Carolina
Town
Town Complex entrance
Town Complex entrance
Mills River is located in North Carolina
Mills River
Mills River
Mills River is located in the United States
Mills River
Mills River
Coordinates: 35°23′07″N 82°35′07″W
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountyHenderson
Incorporated2003[1]
Named forMills River[1]
Area
[2]
 • Total22.49 sq mi (58.24 km2)
 • Land22.31 sq mi (57.79 km2)
 • Water0.17 sq mi (0.45 km2)
Elevation
[3]
2,182 ft (665 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total7,078
 • Density317.21/sq mi (122.48/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
28732, 28759
Area code828
FIPS code37-43260[4]
GNIS feature ID2406166[3]
Websitewww.millsriver.org

History

Prior to European colonization a large Cherokee settlement existed within the borders of Mills River.

Mills River is among the oldest communities in Henderson County, with its first landholder receiving a deed from the state of North Carolina in 1788. It was once a thriving agricultural community, often called the "fertile crescent".[7]

The Mills River Chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[8]

Geography

Mills River lies in the northwestern part of Henderson County, extending northeast to the Buncombe County border and southwest to the Transylvania County border. It is bordered to the northeast by the city of Asheville and the town of Fletcher, and to the south by the unincorporated communities of Horse Shoe and Etowah.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.5 square miles (58.4 km2), of which 22.4 square miles (58.0 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.74%, are water. The French Broad River, one of the primary tributaries of the Tennessee River, flows through the northeastern part of the town. The Mills River, a tributary of the French Broad, flows from west to east through the center of the town, and the southern part of the town is in the valley of Boylston Creek, a small tributary of the French Broad.

The town lies within minutes of Pisgah National Forest, Interstate 26, and Asheville Regional Airport. Highways 280 and 191 serve as the major arteries and provide access to the nearby cities of Asheville, 17 miles (27 km) to the north; Hendersonville, 8 miles (13 km) to the southeast; and Brevard, 14 miles (23 km) to the southwest.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
20106,802—
20207,0784.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

2020 census
Mills River racial composition[10]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 6,202 87.62%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 101 1.43%
Native American 9 0.13%
Asian 62 0.88%
Pacific Islander 25 0.35%
Other/Mixed 275 3.89%
Hispanic or Latino 404 5.71%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,078 people, 3,072 households, and 2,046 families residing in the town.

Government

The current mayor is Shanon Gonce, who took office in December 2021, elected by his fellow town council members. The current town council members are Randy Austin (2019), Jeff Young (appointed March 2022), James Cantrell (2021), and Sandra Goode (2021). Councilman Austin also serves the role of Mayor Pro Tem.

Mills River is home to two public schools: Mills River Elementary, Glenn C. Marlow Elementary, and is served Rugby Middle School, and West Henderson High School.

The Town Hall and Library are located at 124 Town Center Drive. Surrounding the Town Hall is Mills River Park, whose master plan includes ball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, multi-use trails, a dog park, shelters and support facilities. The Mills River runs along the northern boundary of the property.

References
  1. "North Carolina Gazetteer". Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  2. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: 2406166
  4. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Mills River town, North Carolina". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  5. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/millsrivertownnorthcarolina/PST045218
  6. Kramp, Penn (February 22, 1987). "Tuxedo: It's not formal wear". The Times-News. p. 27. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  7. "Mills River | Henderson Heritage".
  8. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  10. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
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